Guild Wars 2

Honestly, I can’t come up with a better title.

So everyone pretty much knows about the specialization and how it will change the meta of the game. With PvP, PvE, and WvW in mind, what is your current mesmer build based on the new specialization calculator by that_shaman? How does it differ from your current build (as of 5/4/15)?

Yes, it’s too early to tell and chances are that the devs can change a trait into something else, buff, nerf, etc. But it wouldn’t hurt ourselves to get a basic (stressing on basic) picture of our new builds after the patch? (Assuming the new specialization will be released next month)

So here’s mine, the old phantasm build that I love in PvE and PvP (copy and paste the entire link):

http://dulfy.net/2015/05/02/gw2-specialization-calculator-that_shaman/#profession=mesmer&traits=“Domination”,2,6,7-“Dueling”,1,5,9-“Inspiration”,2,5,8

This means I have a nice set of support (I’m being optimistic here). One of the things I’ll be keeping an eye of is the Signet of Inspiration proc. What I’m talking about is the Inspiration VIII, the Illusionary Inspiration, in which when a phantasm’s summoned, they automatically cast Signet of Inspiration. So with Phantasmal Fury (Dueling I in the specialization build, Dueling II in the current build), I have the potential to gain the fury boon, healing boon, and the retaliation boon. When it comes out, I’m going to practice it at full to see how well it goes. But for now, it’s the 2/4/0/5/3 set with the numbers all over the place!

I also found out that I can’t use Duelings I and III in the specialization build together since III seems more inclined to condition damage and interrupt builds. For me, the better option is Dueling I, but I’m in a bitter taste that I can’t get III, which lowers the power of phantasmal duelists a bit (since they’re the best phantasms on par with the swordsman).

Also thanks to Fay and Ross, I found out that the trait Phantasmal Strength will be a ‘baseline’. So I’m really happy that my phantasms get an innate 15% increase damage! ^^
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Apparently the link utterly fails so here it is:

Domination – II, VI, VII
Dueling – I, V, IX
Inspiration – II, V, VIII

The missing +15% phant damage has become baseline.

Ross Biddle.2367:

The missing +15% phant damage has become baseline.

I’m trying to find it but so far I don’t know where it is. If I’m assuming baseline as in the 1st minor trait, then I can’t find anything.

Titus.2085:

Ross Biddle.2367:

The missing +15% phant damage has become baseline.

I’m trying to find it but so far I don’t know where it is. If I’m assuming baseline as in the 1st minor trait, then I can’t find anything.

It’s just straight up baseline. Phantasms now hit 15% harder.

Fay.2357:

Titus.2085:

Ross Biddle.2367:

The missing +15% phant damage has become baseline.

I’m trying to find it but so far I don’t know where it is. If I’m assuming baseline as in the 1st minor trait, then I can’t find anything.

It’s just straight up baseline. Phantasms now hit 15% harder.

Oh! Thanks for the clarification!

Come the patch I will try out

Illusions: 3 6 9
Dueling: 2 5 9
Inspiration: 3 5 7

For a more tanky condi shatter build. Disenchanter is a bit too inconsistant, so I’m curious to see if shatter and torch skills can keep me condi free.

Btw will Illusionary Inspiration trigger Blurred Inscriptions? And is there an ICD on either of them?

For PVE phantasm builds, it will be tough to pass on the Illusions line, as it has both Illusionary Celerity and Phantasmal Haste. However, the GM traits are useless for phantasms, so your choice of the Inspiration line instead looks pretty reasonable. It’s a shame that Duelling I and III are mutually exclusive.

It is something of a concern that phantasm builds do seem to require taking poor or useless traits no matter which line you pick at the moment. Still, it’s early days yet, and hopefully traits will still be shuffled around by the devs to make some more viable builds available.

Yoseue.4251:

Btw will Illusionary Inspiration trigger Blurred Inscriptions? And is there an ICD on either of them?

Yes it will, with no ICD as it is currently.

Ithurien.3652:

For PVE phantasm builds, it will be tough to pass on the Illusions line, as it has both Illusionary Celerity and Phantasmal Haste. However, the GM traits are useless for phantasms, so your choice of the Inspiration line instead looks pretty reasonable. It’s a shame that Duelling I and III are mutually exclusive.

It is something of a concern that phantasm builds do seem to require taking poor or useless traits no matter which line you pick at the moment. Still, it’s early days yet, and hopefully traits will still be shuffled around by the devs to make some more viable builds available.

I think that PvE Phantasm builds are going to end up going Chrono/Ill/Insp, just based on the Chrono GM trait that respawns a Phantasm the first time it’s killed or shattered. Combined with Persistence of Memory, it seems like they can have their cake and eat it too, as far as using Shatters (buffed by MoF?) without sacrificing very much Phantasm uptime.

EDIT: To answer the topic more directly, I think the new build closest to my current one would be this: http://dulfy.net/2015/05/02/gw2-specialization-calculator-that_shaman/#profession=mesmer&traits=“Domination”,3,4,7-“Dueling”,1,4,9-“Chaos”,3,6,9

But my build on Live is hamstrung by lack of trait unlocks, so it’s actually something weird like 6/4/2/2/0. And it also uses Empowered Mantras, which I can’t get while still having Deceptive Evasion now. Which doesn’t bother me that much, since I only use EM because it’s literally the only GM trait I have unlocked. Even if I were a Necromancer main, I’d still be begging for the Spec system to hit live, just so I wouldn’t have to bother with the stupid unlock nonsense anymore.

For the PvP meta as it is now, which will probably change, I would’ve made this shatter build:

Domination : 1, 4, 8
Dueling : 2, 5, 9
Illusions; 3, 4, 8

Tell me what you think, I would love to hear your suggestions and thoughts.

Thinking of running Dom dueling and toss up between chaos and inspiration. Want to try pu shatter and tired of being kitten by conditions so menders purity plus shattering removing conditions sounds interesting.

I’m going to try this as soon as the patch hits:

1) Offensive version (run if seriously outnumbered):
http://dulfy.net/2015/05/02/gw2-specialization-calculator-that_shaman/#profession=mesmer&traits=%22Dueling%22,1,5,8-%22Chaos%22,3,6,7-%22Inspiration%22,2,4,7
Mirror or Ether Feast
Blink/MoD/Decoy/MI
Staff + Scepter/Focus
Full Rabid
Perplexity or Nightmare runes

With CI, Mistrust, Perplexity and all the interrupt weapon skills, this should be a decent condirupt build with a good ability to chase.

2) 1vX survivability version:
http://dulfy.net/2015/05/02/gw2-specialization-calculator-that_shaman/#profession=mesmer&traits=%22Dueling%22,1,5,9-%22Chaos%22,3,6,8-%22Inspiration%22,2,4,7
Mirror or Ether Feast
Blink/Veil/Decoy/MI
Staff + Scepter/Focus
Full Rabid
Nightmare or Antitoxin Runes

This should be a seriously annoying troll build – between all the reflects, PU, and conditions. I can’t wait to try it out. Goal is not on killing targets (the first build is designed for that), but to mess around with groups. I know torch is more effective in 1vX, but focus is 10x more fun (and the iwarden should be able to output some serious confusion/bleeding as well as reflects).