Guild Wars 2

I’m currently running something I threw together 4/4/0/0/6 with rampager armor and a mix of Rabid/Berzerk trinkets with GS/ScP. Trying to mix up phantasms, shattering and condition based attacks. It’s basically a very aggressive, very high condition based build with just a decent amount of power to throw in a Phantasm to drive home the kill. Solo roaming build. I’ve had decent fights in WvW and in PvP but haven’t really gauged it properly.

Just want to see what you guys are coming up with in terms of more aggressive Mesmer builds.

For tpvp, I’m still toying with new lockdown builds. I’m having good success with this one though:

S/P GS
Sig Heal, decoy, MoD, Dom Sig, MI

6/2/6/0/0
Halting, Sig Mastery, Power Block
Phant Fury
Ill Defense, Bountiful Interruption, CI

Zerk ammy, lyssa runes (strictly for MI condi clear), air+generosity sigil on both weapons

Play it like a phantasm mesmer (rarely shatter) with a focus on interrupts using MoD, signet, pistol and GS 5. Rupts are huge if landed, doing good damage, giving you boons, and CI+PB on the enemy. Before you heal pop your phants so you can pop a 2nd set immediately after. Basically keep them locked down while your phants shred them. It’s a little weak against heavy condi if you can’t control the fight, which is why I had to keep lyssa runes and the condi transfer sigil.

Gonna drop down toughness for more offensive stats, put energy sigils on everything, maybe change fire to air.

That’s about it I think.

I tried a 0/6/0/2/6 torment build ( and 0/4/4/0/6) with rabbid gear and staff/scepter-torch or sw-focus/scepter-torch but I really didn’t like it. I’m back to my power shatter build ( I’ll try again the torment build but with GS instead of sw/focus)

Tried Signet with Masterful Reflection. It’s okay, but since it’s not activating on the spot (neither Distortion is) on other Signets except Signet of Midnight, it’s hard to play signet.

Tried 0/2/6/0/6 for Bountiful Disillusionment and Illusionary Persona, with traited Sword, Staff and Bounce. I like having Might/Fury on demand, but you’re losing lots of CC and CD. I guess the Fury on demand is making up for it.

If they keep Power Block as is and fix IE: 6/0/4/0/4 WvW roaming Mesmer group
Staff / sw+sw
Probably not the most efficient, but it will be fun to watch.

Am I the only one that didn’t change my build? I didn’t go for the power meta so I didn’t need to change.

So, I’m more interested in the new Runes/Sigils. I definitely see some potential for some new builds. So far I’ve tried.

• 20/20/30 Boonshare on Warlord of Chaos’s suggestion (after he beat me up with it =[ ) my version evolved into a 10/20/30/10/0 build for Vigor-on-Shatter. I definitely see some potential here.

• 30/10/30/0/0 Lockdown Build Nettle-style. Its hard to gauge how effective Power Block is with Grenth Runes/Hydro sigils but the playstyle is very different so it’ll take some time to really figure if it’s worth it or not. Its very interesting though.

Still haven’t dipped into the torment shatters yet, but definitely seeing some new builds opening up.

I’ve been running 20/20/0/0/30 for some time now as a power/hybrid shatter build with GS+SW/F. I used to run GS/Staff bunker in the beginning, and the crazy mobility was always a lot of fun. I keep considering going back, but I feel like the lack of focus speed/reflect might be a hindrance. I did pick up some Pack runes yesterday to help with swiftness… they look pretty interesting. Maybe I’ll find a GS/Staff build that calls to me in all these discussions!

Ok, still sticking with 2/6/0/0/6, sword/torch + staff, GS, or whatever else I feel like at the time.

Going to swap some soldier’s out for berserker pieces. Still sticking with traveler runes.

Sigils are the difficult one – definitely energy on everything (I was worried it would be nerfed, but now that they have independant cooldowns there’s every reason to use them). But I’m completely torn on the second sigil.

I have fire at the moment, but the damage reduction makes me wonder if air would be more suitable for bursting single targets, or even use a completely different sigil.

I’ve been trying a torment build with nightmare runes (not bandwagoning…picked them before I knew about the bug), runes/sigils of torment with GS/Staff…also tries Staff/Sw/Torch and Staff/Scepter/Torch. I just can’t get into it. Maybe I’m too used to autopiloting in power shatter mode…so I keep going back.

For sPvP I’ve been trying 6/0/6/10/0 with generosity and mender’s purity….I’m really liking it. Just trying to resist……the urge……….to shatter!!

Mek.2947:

I’ve been trying a torment build with nightmare runes (not bandwagoning…picked them before I knew about the bug)

Just a quick note. The bug is not with the runes exactly, it’s with the nightmare armor set.

This bug has been known about for a long time, but it’s only become an issue with the higher proc chances. Basically, some armor sets seem to have some sort of inherent runes preloaded onto them that somehow are expressed on the clones that you summon. The clones won’t get the benefits of runes that you actually put into the armor, it only works for armor sets that naturally come with runes in them already.

Pyroathiest.4168:

Mek.2947:

I’ve been trying a torment build with nightmare runes (not bandwagoning…picked them before I knew about the bug)

Just a quick note. The bug is not with the runes exactly, it’s with the nightmare armor set.

This bug has been known about for a long time, but it’s only become an issue with the higher proc chances. Basically, some armor sets seem to have some sort of inherent runes preloaded onto them that somehow are expressed on the clones that you summon. The clones won’t get the benefits of runes that you actually put into the armor, it only works for armor sets that naturally come with runes in them already.

Interesting. Come to think of it. We used to have a Mesmer with the full CoE set equipped with different runes. Every so often she would summon a golem, even though she long since didn’t have the original runes.

WvW

I wanted to try IE based condi build, but since its not working on clones I stick to Condi Cat by you know who. When I get more money Ill try PUP (Pu – Power mix XD). (I know, oooooh noob PU mesmer, we hate you blah blah.)

PvE

Something like colesy phant build with minor changes.

sPvP

Rarely played, still don’t have specific build for it.

To sum it up, no changes/minor changes in my builds after patch.

I’m messing with a 0/0/6/2/6 (similar to Krispera) GS/Staff build using Bountiful Disillusionment/IP and BI.

This is a very interesting playstyle. There’s a couple different ways it can be played.

1. All-in boon share. You don’t really need DE if you’re trying to play this way.
2. More shatter focused w/DE. You can go x/4/6/x/x and passively get the boons as you play the shatter style.

I’ve personally noticed when taking DE (not running IP), while your damage is obviously better, the boons aren’t terribly impressive. It’s when you add IP (and thus shattered strength) that you really see the boon stacking potential.

A few comments on 0/0/6/2/6 (I was playing zerker):

• You can get the boons with a zero clone shatter or 3 clone shatter.
• Perma-retaliation from both mind wrack and confusing cry.
• Decent team vigor uptime with vigorous revelation.
• Daze shatter – fury bonus = really nice. You get fury, interrupt=more might from BI, etc. Chain it!
• With strength sigils, hoelbrak runes, GS#2 and Staff AA, you maintain a lot of long lasting perma-might.
• Mirror Images is a must if you’re playing without DE and anything close to moderate shatter. It works really well with this.
• Even without spending a point in domination or dueling, it has deceptively strong damage due to the immense amounts of might you maintain.
• Can easily switch to a more selfish build by going 2/x/6/x/6 for mental torment and precise wrack.

I was playing zerker but could maybe see something more tanky around the retal. I’ve also thought about possible condi specs due to the might. Will have to think on those a bit more.

I’m still getting the feel for this and far from ready to sanction it as a solid build or anything, but it’s been a lot of fun so far.

Nettle.9025:

For tpvp, I’m still toying with new lockdown builds. I’m having good success with this one though:

S/P GS
Sig Heal, decoy, MoD, Dom Sig, MI

6/2/6/0/0
Halting, Sig Mastery, Power Block
Phant Fury
Ill Defense, Bountiful Interruption, CI

Zerk ammy, lyssa runes (strictly for MI condi clear), air+generosity sigil on both weapons

Play it like a phantasm mesmer (rarely shatter) with a focus on interrupts using MoD, signet, pistol and GS 5. Rupts are huge if landed, doing good damage, giving you boons, and CI+PB on the enemy. Before you heal pop your phants so you can pop a 2nd set immediately after. Basically keep them locked down while your phants shred them. It’s a little weak against heavy condi if you can’t control the fight, which is why I had to keep lyssa runes and the condi transfer sigil.

Just getting back into the game after a long break. I’ve been reading up and lockdown builds sound like fun. For anyone that knows, when doing this type of build what type of gear do you want? Zerker? Any suggestions as to what build to go? I mainly PvP or fool around in WvW.

A NEW interrupt build I am actually very excited about! <WvW only>

It’s a heavily mediocre build but I love random builds ever since GW1 (I was always that idiot playing an Ele healer for fun)

It’s…
30/0/30/10/0

Power Block / random / Halting Strike
Chaotic Interruption / Bountiful (or staff) / random
Glamour Mastery

The idea was a (Sword / Focus) / (staff) build to provide interrupts in an area (using Temporal pull and Chaos Storm) with Feedback and Null Field for zerg support (feedback can also interrupt if, for example, a Ranger uses Point Blank and hits someone)

I haven’t thoroughly tested it yet though, but I’m excited to see results.

Thanks to that unexpected CD into Triumphant Distortion, I have no variation to my raid build, just a gear tweak cause of the crit-ferocity change.
About roaming and dueling, the Restorative+Persona build I have been testing is no longer viable with such low burst.
I’ll try a condi shatter when I have time, to see if it’s still worth to run some “active” builds..
And in PvE, the typical phanstam DPS build is only affected by the fix on PH.

So in general, I had quite a lot of expectations into this patch, as I thought there’d be quite new variations, but it has been just the death to power builds and some minor tweaks.

Mine:

I’ve been playing a build remarkably similar to Nettle’s (Oh how I love having generosity in sPvP now). And I’m really enjoying it. As he said, it pretty much plays as a Phantasm build except with some nasty interrupting potential.

I hope it doesn’t get nerfed too badly. It seems every effective build we get is swiftly neutered to impotency. Learning to interrupt properly to make the build effective already limits it (granted – it doesn’t take much skill to MoP someone who is stomping).

Ansau.7326:

I’ll try a condi shatter when I have time, to see if it’s still worth to run some “active” builds..

I gave that a go, it has potential with Maim the Disillusioned with confusion and torment bombing.

However, its very burst heavy without allot of cover conditions, so its very easy to cleanse.
The Vigor nerf really hurts your illusion upkeep, so keeping pressure is much harder than it needs to be.

All in all, it seems sub par at best and the only time I really saw the condis work was to bomb them follow up with Moa so they cant actually cleanse.

Personally, I’m trying out a 4/6/4/0/0 Interrupt/Mantra build, seems okay at best, but the changes borked my old build and I dislike stealth as a mechanic so I really want to not run some cheesy PU variant.

Though the way these patches are going, it may very well come down to running PU or switching mains.

4/4/0/0/6 ss/gs shatter

and

4/4/6/0/0 sct/staff blackwater

I don’t think I have changed anything for either of them ^^

I’m trying a condition build in wvw
A torment/confusion shatter build
2/1/5/0/6 staff+scepter/torch
confusion rune + torment sigil in staff/cond duration on scepter
It works well you ha a good bust dmg caused by torment+confusion you lock them down in moviment and skilluse
I think that if you swap confusion rune with torment ones you can meke this build viaable in pve too

I’ve been trying out a 2/4/4/0/4 build with staff and sword/sword. It has domination III, dueling I and IV, chaos III and X, and illusions III and X. I’m still experimenting with gear and sigils, but it had great defenses with 5s phase retreat, 9s blurred frenzy, and 24s blink.

With random, non-optimal gear and missing sigils/runes (because I was lazy) I was winning most 1v1s and a few 1v2s and 1v3s. The damage was a little bit on the lower side, but that’s because I was about 300 power short of what I should have had with proper gear.

I really like the fixed Phantasmal Haste. It turns the iSwordsman into a little mini turret, and between blade training and illusionist’s celerity, they can be popped out every 12s.

I’m using the build i have in the link below, i suggest you guys to try it, awesome!

@Wraith

how can you have 5 clones @ 9:40?

StickerHappy.8052:

@Wraith

how can you have 5 clones @ 9:40?

I believe you are referring to 9:24. I think he was able to have 5 out because if you notice when he has 3, he presses F1 for them to go shatter. As the 3 are running to go blow up, he is able to respawn another 2…I believe it was because the game has already considered the 3 he sent to already be “dead” allowing him to make another 2 clones.

Big Boss.5206:

StickerHappy.8052:

@Wraith

how can you have 5 clones @ 9:40?

I believe you are referring to 9:24. I think he was able to have 5 out because if you notice when he has 3, he presses F1 for them to go shatter. As the 3 are running to go blow up, he is able to respawn another 2…I believe it was because the game has already considered the 3 he sent to already be “dead” allowing him to make another 2 clones.

Yeah. You can have 9+ clones charging at the enemy this way. Good times. =D

Dont really see this very often but haven’t had any issues fighting other Mesmers. I use this.

build- http://intothemists.com/guides/3431-mesmer_glass_cannon

PVP Video- http://youtu.be/BNmsHfEhpOc

WVW Video- http://youtu.be/1MfrNzplht8

Messing around with 0,6,6,0,2 with the harmonious mantras move. So that you have confusion on clone death and on shatter for when they try to burst. So far its been disappointing.

Rdezic.8624:

Dont really see this very often but haven’t had any issues fighting other Mesmers. I use this.

build- http://intothemists.com/guides/3431-mesmer_glass_cannon

PVP Video- http://youtu.be/BNmsHfEhpOc

WVW Video- http://youtu.be/1MfrNzplht8

The original power shatter! Still good imo i use it all the time, usually just with different weapons. I prefer all swords atm.

2/4/2/0/6 condishatter/clonebomb (with MtD), 0/6/2/0/6 (TD and MtD, WvW only).
Was considering 6/2/6 with PB, but then that got smacked in the kisser.
I’m still working the bugs out on these, tbh. Especially since I’ve started a bit of pvp, and am terribad.

Gear’s still my usual:
Rampager weapons
Either Soldier/Knight armor with Rabid trinkets,
or Rabid armor and Celestial trinkets.

Working on Ascended Berserker or Assassin trinkets, so as to play around with more of a full-dps spread. (grumble)timegating(grumble)