Guild Wars 2

Two concerns I have with the Chrono-Phantasm trait that resummons the phantasm when you shatter them…

First, I noticed this from the video:

• After being shattered and resummoned, the phantasms are now in shatter (see: melee) range of the target … where they will quite likely be killed; especially in PvE.

Second, this may just be wording and the Phantasms could just have an extra life regardless of a shatter or something else ending it … but if it isn’t a wording issue and the extra life is only on-shatter:

• A phantasm has to survive running into melee range with its target in order to shatter … if it dies on the way, it could possibly not benefit from the extra life since it didn’t get to shatter.

I just hope that they are changing clones and phantasms to act more like minions, rather than being “connected” to a target. The Chronomancer reveal video showed the 2 clones from Mirror Images targeting the 2 different targets. Shatter could just make them all run to your current target, and Continuum Shift would be a target-less shatter.

This doesn’t help ranged clones/phantasms being in melee range, but I at least hope it will make it so clones and phantasms don’t end themselves all the time, since they would no longer die when their target does (but they would still die when you leave combat)

Sephard.3985:

I just hope that they are changing clones and phantasms to act more like minions, rather than being “connected” to a target. The Chronomancer reveal video showed the 2 clones from Mirror Images targeting the 2 different targets. Shatter could just make them all run to your current target, and Continuum Shift would be a target-less shatter.

This doesn’t help ranged clones/phantasms being in melee range, but I at least hope it will make it so clones and phantasms don’t end themselves all the time, since they would no longer die when their target does (but they would still die when you leave combat)

Don’t hold your breath.

and both those posts have nothing to do with the new chronomancer trait … :-/

Sebrent.3625:

• After being shattered and resummoned, the phantasms are now in shatter (see: melee) range of the target … where they will quite likely be killed; especially in PvE.

they might still be working on that: it would make sense that the trait would use the code you use to spawn the phantasms in the first place, to re-spawn them, so it’ll place them properly

Sebrent.3625:

• A phantasm has to survive running into melee range with its target in order to shatter … if it dies on the way, it could possibly not benefit from the extra life since it didn’t get to shatter.

this makes sense and adds counterplay to the trait

Sebrent.3625:

• A phantasm has to survive running into melee range with its target in order to shatter …

Well, this is true for shattering in general (except clones have less than half the health of phantasms in PvE) and shatter builds work just fine for most encounters.

For excessive melee-hate encounters (e.g. some bosses), you wouldn’t be shattering phantasms anyway (just as you don’t now). And even in this scenario, Chronophantasm still offers a few extra seconds on Distortion for free.

I understand your concern that Chronophantasm might not be 100% useful all the time, but mesmers have to be adaptable! Switching out traits to suit the task at hand is part and parcel of that :-)

Edit: If SoI ends up being as useful as some of our theorycrafting suggests, its passive would also help mitigate this concern.

Good points.

Is there some new, recent theorycrafting on Signet of Illusions? If so, I must have missed it :-/

Sebrent.3625:

Good points.

Is there some new, recent theorycrafting on Signet of Illusions? If so, I must have missed it :-/

Some of us (including me) hope that SoI will recharge Continuum Split. If so the signet would give us the opportunity to cast a spell up to 3 times in a row.
F5→Spell→F5→SoI
F5→Spell→F5
Spell

Sebrent.3625:

After being shattered and resummoned, the phantasms are now in shatter (see: melee) range of the target … where they will quite likely be killed; especially in PvE.

I also thought about that problem. I’d like them to have the phantasms all respawn at/around your location (just like the trait with the clone does). Like that it could be also a tool to reposition your phantasms.

Sebrent.3625:

Two concerns I have with the Chrono-Phantasm trait that resummons the phantasm when you shatter them…

First, I noticed this from the video:

• After being shattered and resummoned, the phantasms are now in shatter (see: melee) range of the target … where they will quite likely be killed; especially in PvE.

Second, this may just be wording and the Phantasms could just have an extra life regardless of a shatter or something else ending it … but if it isn’t a wording issue and the extra life is only on-shatter:

• A phantasm has to survive running into melee range with its target in order to shatter … if it dies on the way, it could possibly not benefit from the extra life since it didn’t get to shatter.

Also, what if when you shatter a phantasm, the shatter kills the target. Does the phantasm respawn on a new target if one is available, or is the trait just wasted if you use your shatter as a killing blow, which we often do and should do.

@Me Games Ma.8426:
Thanks. Apparently I stopped looking at the F5 ideas too early (there were several duplicates, lol). That could definitely be awesome.

@MSFone.3026:
I think in that case they will probably just die like they would if they hadn’t been shattered and their target died. I’m more “okay” with that scenario because the target is dead I also don’t want my phantasms trying to “show initiative” as they go put me in combat with something else.

I’m thinking this trait could jive really well with the iDefender too.

Consider an MtD shatter build with Chrono, Dueling, and Illusions:

- Summon iDefender
- Mirror Image some Staff clones
- Drop Chaos Storm & PR for CA
- Let Clones & AA soften enemy, and if iDefender is getting low, shatter to get another one and more Clones
- Use Staff #4 if needed

You will be one hard sob to take down. By the time the second iDef goes down, the CD is probably almost ready to be up again. None of this factors in the F5 shatter.

I think people who think Thieves will eat our lunch are thinking way too one dimensional. We’re getting a LOT of new goodies all around, condie builds will be much stronger, as will interrupt, support, bunker, and even phantasm builds.

Blind on shatter, alternative Clone generation, longer duration stealth through PU, harder-hitting Confusion & Torment, not to mention IP as baseline and the crazy stuff that Chronomancer brings that basically completely changes how Mesmers are played.

It’s going to be an interesting, but bumpy ride. I expect a lot of nerfs down the road.