Guild Wars 2

As a start to my question, I’d like to point out I’m not trying to argue the usefulness of these weapons in dungeons or PvE, I simply like them and my question is simply this…

Exactly what stats do Staff, Scepter, Focus and Torch use. If not all together I mean individually. Like does staff take advantage of condition damage or power more?

Basically trying to figure out what stats/attributes each or all of those weapons use most/best. Not sure if my question makes sense but figured I’d ask.

Rabid, which is condition oriented gear.

Focus however is more of a power weapon and is mostly used with sword mainhand, which implies a power build with Zerk gear.

Hmm, why Rabid in particular?

Very good synergy with Chaotic Transference minor grandmaster trait. Gives you more dps than with Sinister gear, which otherwise would have been the goto gear for pve condition builds.

So basically condition damage would be better then power for those weapons?

Correct, unless you’re planning on running a shatter burst build in which case zerk (power) is preferred. For sustain condition oriented gear is definitely the way to go.

What might you suggest I aim for as a build with those weapons?

One of the many things I love about mesmer is versatility in the weapons. I find it hard to put these weapons in a specific role as they can all fulfill a purpose in both power based builds and condi based builds.

I use staff in a power build and love it even though the condi’s from the AA aren’t as strong as they could be, my phantasm hits like a truck and the staff gives me much needed survivability. Staff also works great in condi builds with the clones spamming condi’s everywhere of course.

I see torch used in more power based builds than condi builds tbh, the stealth it provides gives an immense amount of survivability to glass cannons. Although the phantasm it spawns is much more condi based.

I always found focus to be more of a power based weapon with the phantasm, but with high precision it crits very often and can load the enemy with bleeds. Stats shouldn’t matter too much though, most people use focus for the reflects and pull.

Imo Scepter shines in condi based builds, I have trouble fitting it in with my power builds but I’ve come across other mesmers who absolutely love scepter in power builds.

For staff I like the 0/4/6/0/4 build, with Krait runes and Bursting + whatever sigil. The goal is to have as many clones out with you keeping the mob’s aggro on yourself. The build is melee tanks and spank playstyle.

For scepter I can’t recommend a specific build though that same 0/4/6/0/4 or even a 0/4/6/4/0 build (nearly the same performance but with a bit more survavibility/condi clear) should work. With scepter you’ll be capitalizing on torment dmg so with this setup you’ll be mostly kiting with the mob perma-chasing you.

While staff can be very much viable, scepter on the other hand lacks too much dps output in pve to really matter. Condition builds can be fun, but be careful – don’t teach yourself bad habits. Try to stick to power oriented setups instead such as sword+sword/pistol or greatsword+sword/whatever weaponsets with 6/6/0/0/2 trait allocation. Power builds are quite often much more effective both in open world and 5-man dungeons. Zerk is meta for a good reason.

Rigt away, sorry for the wall’o’text, but it’s good stuff, hf reading

Since you’re asking for dungeons in pve, there conditions are a no go (unless you solo). However there are serval places for them all, yet they are all more defensive and provide utility, wich is rather needed in fractals of the mists than dungeons.

The focus is by far the best offhand we have! You clearly underestimate it’s power and utility. The curtain (4#) is a short cd wall of reflection (traited) and can be used a 2nd time to pull all mobs towards it’s center. You can pull and stack mobs better than any other class. This skill can also be used for interrupts and unstack when required. The iWarden (5#) is a high burst, low dps phantasm that also shields allies from projectiles. When you trait it it even reflects projectiles for potential ultra high dmg. It cleaves and therefore hits 3 targets, making it the best damage phantasm with a sword mainhand we have for aoe. And the only one :| …

The scepter is the best choice for ranged single target dps when you can make use of an additional block. For instance, the moss man, the 4 bosses at the uncathegorized fractal, mai thrin, etc. The main reason to take this as a ranged option is that it’s dps is higher than the dps of the GS in medium and close combat and also let you take another offhand. The pistol and the sword both are great choices for single target dps.

The staff is a very specific weapon. You will really rarely use it, since it’s only great for mobility, defense or as a single target dps truck. If you have a condi spammer party, like with an engineer, there will always be plenty of conditions on your target. If you face a boss with so many conditions on it, the iWarlock is by far the best dps phantasm we have. You will summon two of them, maybe cast a chaos storm (if you won’t cause trouble with a kittenty combo field) and then swap to melee, staying on that until the enemy dies. It’s also a good weapon against mai thrin to block her pistol shots, yet i prefer scepter + focus there (and sword + sword). The staff is also the best open world dps weapon, when you join big events like the silver wastes when you hunt champs with a zerg. The iWarlock can crit up to 25’000 every few seconds, with 3 of em, you outdamage any other class by a mile. Yet ppl still love GS aa spams wich is horrible :< Lazy ppl won’t swap weapons >.<

The torch really IS a hard weapon to find a place for it. Yet there are 2 where you can take it. First you can trait it and it becomes a condi cleanser. It’s phantasm will also cleanse conditions with each attack, wich might come handy in some situations. The 2nd role it can take is as a blast finisher + minor dps increase against many targets. You see, it’s not good to summon a iSwordsman against 2 or more targets. The duration of the summoning is too long and it’s own dps will never catch up the dps loss of yourself, the damage you didnt inflict to those two or more targets. So if you want to stay melee you can indeed use the torch offhand and it’s 0 cast time invis + dmg + blind + burn for some dps increase. Yet you can also use sword offhand but only for using skill 4 twice, wich is a daze in a line and will stack vulnerability to targets, interrupt them and fi traited damage them. The torch is special, yet still useful at the right place. It’s also good for skips.

Anything else? You can ask me whatever you want about those weapons. Every mesmer weapon has it’s place!

PS: I suggest to trait for 3 mantra charges + use mantra of pain instead of ANY auto attack except the sword AA. I’ve tested the dps of all weapons and you will deal more damage with mantra of pain spam than with any auto attack from a ranged weapon. Mantra of pain is very underestimated, use it, you’ll love it!

greez – Madame Le Blanc

Hmm, now I am wondering then if I went conditions or such, what other stats to go with. Like which stats should be my highest?

Condition Damage and Toughness main. (Due to the Chaotic Transference bleedover).
Another stat to have high would be Precision. You’d want that for extra bleeds from Sharper Images procs.
You could mix in some Dire (Condition Damage/Toughness/Vitality) for extra durability. Typically, you’re doing alright condiwise with ~40-50% crit rate, at least in my experience.

So for Crit chance, 40%-50% is good but about what should be my range for Condition damage? I currently have around 700-ish I think. I don’t want to like go for min-maxing but what’s a good round about number to aim for?

1500-2000 condition damage is totally possible with pve / wvw equip.

Wow I am way off from that range. I’m guessing them 700-900 isn’t good?

Zyxith.9328:

Wow I am way off from that range. I’m guessing them 700-900 isn’t good?

Yeah, 700-900 is pretty awful. You should be cracking a least 1850 for any reasonable build focusing on conditions.

Here you go – some exotic based lv80 easy to go condition stuff with sinister stats. Just made it yesterday ^^

11’500 on a block is nice :> It’s pretty cool actually. Probably best for some dungeon solos.

Xyonon what is your build exactly that you get that much Con. Dam.?

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAraWnsISja2pGOoB1aGB3gM5ECBq/xQOZJDwvA-TxhHAB5q+zuK/o9JAAwhAAk9HqVXAUKBJFAETjA-e

Here you go darling

You can either use pistol or torch as offhand, you can also use rabid instead of sinister stats for tankyness over damage

Bah, my issue is I’d go for those sinister trinkets but kitten if I suck at the living story episodes as is, but doing all achievements I highly doubt I can do them all Somedays I just wanna bribe someone with gold or such to do them for me XD

The living story is actually pretty easy to do With any class ^^ Even if you die 100 times, you’ll make it through. For solo you really could go this same build, yet with a troch + rabid. (tanky = easy). It’s ok to start wich cheap masterwork trinkets.

I’m level 80, so I’m trying to pick my finalized gear and a lot of those achievements seem difficult solo. I made it through them as a whole solo aside from that kitten ed ghost statue. I personally feel the LS stuff as is is a bit too tough, let alone the acheivements