Guild Wars 2

Been messing around with this skill just to see how it ticks and all so I figured I’d compile a list of stuff for those who don’t play mesmer or those who may not know all the things you can do with this Shatter.

In no particular order:

1. Continuum Shift cannot be used to get back up once downed. The rift disappears when you are downed, similar to minions. Limited testing due to timing issues so it is unclear if cds are still reset(as in, you use F5 before going down, use a skill, go down and then are revived by someone).

2. Continuum Shift will not remove conditions or reapply conditions that expired during the shift. It does not interact with them at all, making it less effective against condition builds other than condition burst(because you still get the hp lost during the shift back).

3. Continuum Shift functions like portal in that it ignores barriers and obstacles to return you to your location.

4. CS cannot be used in midair/mid jump like other shatters can.

5. CS will only reset skills that finish their casting during the duration. Skills with long cast times must have CS used just before the skill’s casting ends in order to benefit. This is important for PvE players as it allows you to Shift just before the end of Ice Storm, allowing you to cast it twice in a row.

6. Destroying a rift forces the mesmer to revert back to the point instantly. All cds, hp and positions are still reset as usual.

6.5. Building off 6, there is no way(that I know of) to cancel a Shift. Once it is used, you will revert back to that point one way or another.

7. If you had lower hp than when you Shifted, your hp will still go down to what it was when you shifted. Same goes for cds. If it was on cd when you shifted but came off cd while active, once reverted it’ll be on cd again. Thus it is not advised to use CS while your heal(or any important skill really) is on cd because you are effectively lengthening that cd by the duration of the shift(so up to 6 seconds).

8. Clones and Phantasms are not affected by reversion. They will not disappear(other than upon Shattering obviously) or appear in any unexpected ways when you return to the original time.

Any more to add? I feel like the best way to combat all these anti-mesmer/Chrono posts is information about how the class actually functions(instead of all these blatant exaggerations). Also feel free to post your favorite combos to do with CS. I just love the interaction between Chronophantasma, Persistence of Memory and CS. Makes for lots and lots of phantasms, all fairly quickly.

Thanks for posting this, Necro. CS is potentially very powerful, but there are also a lot of limitations on its effective use. Just like most of the rest of the Mesmer’s kit.

tobascodagama.2961:

Thanks for posting this, Necro. CS is potentially very powerful, but there are also a lot of limitations on its effective use. Just like most of the rest of the Mesmer’s kit.

It’s definitely a complicated tool. A lot of people I talked to seem to have trouble wrapping their head around it conceptually if they didn’t play mesmer. Best way I’ve found to explain it so far is “Skills you use and damage you take during the shift are reset so long as you don’t die before it ends”.

I’m rather unimpressed and disappointed with it as it currently is. I felt that it was far too short to be of any real use. I understand the reliance on clones to lengthen the duration since it’s a shatter, but as it is, it felt like it will get you in trouble far more often than it will help.

Definitely agree with the above notes, as with #5 you can’t hit F5, no clones, and activate a 1s cast skill at the same time, as CS ends before it actually activates.

Continuum Shift certainly isn’t something you use on a whim, as people have pointed out using it at the wrong time (which tends to be most of the time) can be detrimental. But used at the right time (and it’s not hard to judge what the right time is, really) it’s an absolute game-changer.

the best why to start playing with it is with skills recharge

time warp – put 1 clone or 2 use F5 and than time warp . new time warp will be w8 – huge advantage on the battle field

wells – same as above

blink, decoy – also very important

if you try to do several skills use which you wanna them to be ready than you need 3 clones for 6 sec duration. but be mindful that to do that you need to use F5 around the enemy

lets say i wanna use – blink->mirror->f1 twice. i need to create 3 clones first . which can be hard in group situation. the use F5 and fast the rotation.
3 out of 10 i manage to do so. very hard cause clones tend to die so fast

also good for disengage like portal. run away a bit in one direction use F5 blink , phase retreat , decoy and you will popup behind the enemy 1800 range and ready to disengage 1800 range more as those skills are ready

CS needs to be longer in duration (even a second would make a big difference). I found I had about a 30% success rate of trying to do what I wanted like Messiah.

My few:

It is not possible to effectively blink 4 times by using
CS->Mimic->Blink->Blink->CS->Mimic->Blink->Blink since the CS will revert your position to where you activated CS first.
Anyways using CS->Mimic->CS->Blink->Mimic->Blink->Blink is a possible way of triple casting any utility you like (including movementrelated skills) since you didn’t travel in your CS.

There are some abilities which should be easy to cast withing the 1.5s of a non-illusion-CS but get on cooldown after a short delay. One example is Signet of Domination. If casted while under the effect of a non-illusion-CS the cooldown will trigger AFTER CS ended eventhough Signet of Domination only has .25s cast time and finishes its casting while under the effect of CS. (Anomaly?)

If you transform into something with more HP/get a huge health buff while under the effect of CS you will revert your HP to the TOTAL NUMBER OF HP YOU HAD WHEN YOU ENTERED CS! (Golems in WvW included) Works the other way around too!
If you manage to have more base health than the atm HP from a siege golem you can actually heal it!

Portal does not “really” work with CS since the cooldown of the portal starts on using portal entree and runs in the background. You can only revert back to that cooldown if you place the portal excount while under the effect of CS

Mantras will not restore stacks when used under the effect of CS Anyways if you use up the last charge of the mantra while under the effect of CS you can instantly charge it again… (sometimes?! further testing tomorrow)

“Passive” trait skills like Signet of Inspiration, Defender, etc. will be reset by Continuum Shift. Rune effects (Vampirism mist, etc.) will NOT.

Lunacy Solacio.6514:

Definitely agree with the above notes, as with #5 you can’t hit F5, no clones, and activate a 1s cast skill at the same time, as CS ends before it actually activates.

I’m not part of the beta weekend, but you get 1.5s of CS if you use it with no Illusions. Also, it has no cast time (I assume, since people are using it mid-Frost Arrows) and can be used similarly to a Mantra Charge, thereby allowing you to use it on 1s and even longer spells (just make sure to use it once you’ve started, and not before).

Me Games Ma.8426:

Portal does not “really” work with CS since the cooldown of the portal starts on using portal entree and runs in the background. You can only revert back to that cooldown if you place the portal excount while under the effect of CS

Portal has 2 cooldowns. There’s the innate 72s cooldown that ticks in the background. This one only comes into effect if the Entre expires, putting your portal on a 12s cooldown. If you do cast Exeunte, then the 72s cooldown refreshes itself at 72s and starts ticking again.

That’s why if you use Mimic, you want to use it on the Exeunte, not the Entre (since you do refresh a cooldown, but it’s a dummy cooldown that you won’t benefit from).

Esplen.3940:

Me Games Ma.8426:

Portal does not “really” work with CS since the cooldown of the portal starts on using portal entree and runs in the background. You can only revert back to that cooldown if you place the portal excount while under the effect of CS

Portal has 2 cooldowns. There’s the innate 72s cooldown that ticks in the background. This one only comes into effect if the Entre expires, putting your portal on a 12s cooldown. If you do cast Exeunte, then the 72s cooldown refreshes itself at 72s and starts ticking again.

That’s why if you use Mimic, you want to use it on the Exeunte, not the Entre (since you do refresh a cooldown, but it’s a dummy cooldown that you won’t benefit from).

Yes this is what I wanted to say
I’ve just figured out that Mantras work the same way. The cooldown is triggered on the initial charge AND when you spend the last stack. Further testing it right now.

EDIT: Mantras trigger the cooldown every time a stack is spend which means in order to reduce the cooldown to 0s you’d have to wait the full cooldown of the mantra just before using the last stack and use up the last one while under the effect of CS.

Just to note, given the instant-cast capability of shatters and baseline illusionary persona, you should spam every shatter that is off cooldown before CS ends. The effect is doubled if you take illusionary reversion. In fact, every single instant-cast skill is worth using in the background before CS ends (if applicable at all).

Thus every continuum split is a free, pretty large burst for absolutely no cost.

Lunacy Solacio.6514:

Definitely agree with the above notes, as with #5 you can’t hit F5, no clones, and activate a 1s cast skill at the same time, as CS ends before it actually activates.

You have to use CS during the cast of the skill. So long as you use CS just before the skill actually goes on cool down it will be affected. So cast Gravity Well, use CS during the wind-up, and tada, refreshed 1s cast skill.

It gives some pretty nice juke options for Mass Invis. Start casting Mass invis, activate CS during the cast, and you effectively get to blink back a few feet away from the people pummeling you AND get your Invis again.

Also – since Mantras trigger their cooldown every time you use a charge, you can use CS to bypass the CD if you wait until you’re down to 1 charge, cast CS, use the last charge. This will revert you back in time to before you triggered the CD by using the last charge but without any mantra charges. Technically you could have a few seconds left on the CD if you only recently used the charge before that.

BlackBeard.2873:

Thus every continuum split is a free, pretty large burst for absolutely no cost.

Free damage, sure, but free burst is pushing it. Just mashing buttons because you can might actually lower your DPS (and even burst potential).

Esplen.3940:

BlackBeard.2873:

Thus every continuum split is a free, pretty large burst for absolutely no cost.

Free damage, sure, but free burst is pushing it. Just mashing buttons because you can might actually lower your DPS (and even burst potential).

He’s referring to insta-cast skills, things you can do while maintaining auto-attack or channeling Blurred Frenzy. If it’s instant cast and you’re NOT using it during a CS then you’ve essentially wasted it. However, given the timing it might be difficult to do so while maintaining your normal DPS without utilizing a keyboard macro.

Dastion.3106:

Esplen.3940:

BlackBeard.2873:

Thus every continuum split is a free, pretty large burst for absolutely no cost.

Free damage, sure, but free burst is pushing it. Just mashing buttons because you can might actually lower your DPS (and even burst potential).

He’s referring to insta-cast skills, things you can do while maintaining auto-attack or channeling Blurred Frenzy. If it’s instant cast and you’re NOT using it during a CS then you’ve essentially wasted it. However, given the timing it might be difficult to do so while maintaining your normal DPS without utilizing a keyboard macro.

Of which the only available skills are Shatters (which, again, can drop your DPS if spammed improperly), Feedback, Mantra Charges (which don’t come back), Phase Retreat, Chaos Armor (staff skill), Signet of Midnight, and Portal.

Sure, if you can drop a Shatter without lowering your DPS, that’s fantastic and you should use it. But don’t always drop skills willy nilly (I guess Feedback, SoM, and Chaos Armor can’t hurt).

Does anyone know the max range for CS?

I did a portal length yesterday. (dropped 1st portal, ran to golems, dropped second portal, clones / CS, ported to first portal spot, then CS took me back to Golems).

Calling it now: the first nerf to CS will probably be giving it a 1/4s channel or something.

Dastion.3106:

Lunacy Solacio.6514:

Definitely agree with the above notes, as with #5 you can’t hit F5, no clones, and activate a 1s cast skill at the same time, as CS ends before it actually activates.

You have to use CS during the cast of the skill. So long as you use CS just before the skill actually goes on cool down it will be affected. So cast Gravity Well, use CS during the wind-up, and tada, refreshed 1s cast skill.

Yes, I think that was established. I was stating this because CS is 1.5s duration with no clones, and Gravity Well for example is 1s yet it cannot be used together except by doing exactly that, that it has to be used right before it finishes casting.

Lunacy Solacio.6514:

Dastion.3106:

Lunacy Solacio.6514:

Definitely agree with the above notes, as with #5 you can’t hit F5, no clones, and activate a 1s cast skill at the same time, as CS ends before it actually activates.

You have to use CS during the cast of the skill. So long as you use CS just before the skill actually goes on cool down it will be affected. So cast Gravity Well, use CS during the wind-up, and tada, refreshed 1s cast skill.

Yes, I think that was established. I was stating this because CS is 1.5s duration with no clones, and Gravity Well for example is 1s yet it cannot be used together except by doing exactly that, that it has to be used right before it finishes casting.

Are you sure you’re not just waiting too long after using CS?

tobascodagama.2961:

Calling it now: the first nerf to CS will probably be giving it a 1/4s channel or something.

This wouldn’t be too bad—it’d really just let it be interrupted, and not very easily.

I imagine they might make the Continuum Rift that spawns be even more visually obvious—sort of a big “HIT THIS!” sign. You can screw the Chronomancer over pretty badly by ending Continuum Split before they expect you to, especially because if they’re mid-ability when it ends, that ability doesn’t get its cooldown reset.

I had one instance where – for some reason – I didn’t get ported back to the original position, but I couldn’t find out what it was… I’ll check if I recorded it, anyone else noticed something like this?

Menaka.5092:

I had one instance where – for some reason – I didn’t get ported back to the original position, but I couldn’t find out what it was… I’ll check if I recorded it, anyone else noticed something like this?

Once. I used the experimental teleportation gun and pressed CS just before i started the leap. I saw the CS-Rift and the icon change. Leaped forewards and waited for the backport which did not come. This was the sigle time experiencing that. Oh btw CS went on full cooldown. Whatever it worked for ~30 other times just fine!

Another cool trick with CS for map breakers is: (only security of not falling down anymore^^)
Experimental Rifle Knockback prevention:

1. Start Casting the Leap of the experimental rifle.
2. Hit CS just when you’re about to leave the ground.
3. Place a portal as soon as you reach the spot you want to go to.
4. Wait until CS reverts you to your original position.
5. Place the second portal

The Idea behind this is that IF you fail the jump/get knocked back you wouldn’t die but just get placed where you originally came from

Necrotize.2974:

1. Continuum Shift cannot be used to get back up once downed. The rift disappears when you are downed, similar to minions. Limited testing due to timing issues so it is unclear if cds are still reset(as in, you use F5 before going down, use a skill, go down and then are revived by someone).

I have not been brought back while downed, but I have been brought back after being stomped. I was waiting to respawn looking at a rift asking myself “is that not mine?”, then I respawned at our base and then suddenly I was back at the fighting scene, quite surprised. It happened me twice in the same match.

So it’s similar to the vengeance bug?

Harold the Herald.8347:

Necrotize.2974:

1. Continuum Shift cannot be used to get back up once downed. The rift disappears when you are downed, similar to minions. Limited testing due to timing issues so it is unclear if cds are still reset(as in, you use F5 before going down, use a skill, go down and then are revived by someone).

I have not been brought back while downed, but I have been brought back after being stomped. I was waiting to respawn looking at a rift asking myself “is that not mine?”, then I respawned at our base and then suddenly I was back at the fighting scene, quite surprised. It happened me twice in the same match.

That can’t possibly be intended, but it’s a hilarious bug. I’d imagine what happened is you got stomped and respawned before your Continuum Shift duration ended, so you got zipped back.

It’s actually not all that damaging of a bug, given how specific the circumstances would have to be to make it happen, but that’s really funny.

Weird thought: What happens if you get downed while in Chronosplit, then another Mesmer casts Illusion of Life on you before the Rift expires? I suspect that getting down is supposed to destroy the Rift without triggering the Revert effect, but I’m curious.

tobascodagama.2961:

Weird thought: What happens if you get downed while in Chronosplit, then another Mesmer casts Illusion of Life on you before the Rift expires? I suspect that getting down is supposed to destroy the Rift without triggering the Revert effect, but I’m curious.

Well if you can die and come back from Rift (similar to Vengeance redeath), then I think you’ll get reverted but maintain IoL since it’s a buff and those don’t get affected from what I’ve read.

messiah.1908:

also good for disengage like portal. run away a bit in one direction use F5 blink , phase retreat , decoy and you will popup behind the enemy 1800 range and ready to disengage 1800 range more as those skills are ready

Just in time to have all the necro wells unloaded on you because once people learn that you will return to the position where the rift is you are a dead butterfly.

I feel it’s important to note that Continuum Shift does not reset your weapon swap cool down i.e. if you swap weapons after triggering Continuum Split you will stay in the weapon set that you swapped to with the remaining cooldown duration when you Shift back.

This felt counter-intuitive to me when I was messing about with it during the BWE, I understand that it’d be worse to swap you back into the first weapon set when you split, but feel like your weapon swap cooldown should be reset like all your other skills.

Esplen.3940:

Lunacy Solacio.6514:

Dastion.3106:

Lunacy Solacio.6514:

Definitely agree with the above notes, as with #5 you can’t hit F5, no clones, and activate a 1s cast skill at the same time, as CS ends before it actually activates.

You have to use CS during the cast of the skill. So long as you use CS just before the skill actually goes on cool down it will be affected. So cast Gravity Well, use CS during the wind-up, and tada, refreshed 1s cast skill.

Yes, I think that was established. I was stating this because CS is 1.5s duration with no clones, and Gravity Well for example is 1s yet it cannot be used together except by doing exactly that, that it has to be used right before it finishes casting.

Are you sure you’re not just waiting too long after using CS?

They were hit at virtually same time, f5 and immediately the skill.