Guild Wars 2

I have a full set of HotW rabid armor and I miss it. I’ve been in WvW using PVT armor and I’m looking for a shatter/condi build for my rabid armor when I roam, or something that works well for both WvW and PvE.

I also have full rabid ascended trinkets. I got all this after the glamour nerf (didn’t know about that build until it was nerfed). I would prefer to not have to over haul the trinkets, but if I have too I can. Any suggestions on a build with rabid armor? I plan on playing with the traits later too and seeing what I like/works for what I want.

This build wouldn’t replace what I’m using now, just something I can switch to when I’m not with my guild.

Also, should I get the T3 human armor or is that too cliche? (can’t remember the code to get the accent on the e)

PU condition builds use Rabid armor and go 20-20-30-0-0 when it comes to traits. They rely on Sharper images to inflict bleeds while using scepter/torch & staff ( or sword/pistol) to inflict others. Natsus Blackwater build is an excellent example along with osicats non-shatter condition build in the sticky.

Ok, I’ve found the Blackwater one and it looks interesting and fun to play. Looks like it might be alright to use in PvE too (I like builds that work in both, less of a hassle for me to switch). I didn’t find Osicat’s non-shatter build, but that could be me being tired. Would you mind linking that when you find it, please?
Also thanks for the response! Will definitely look into these builds.

I use rabid armor, no staff
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8td7XyA1JU

Before the condi nerf, I ran a full rabid (armor/trinkets) shatter confusion build. Scepter/torch Staff. after the confusion nerf it just wasn’t viable anymore. The condition meta has only compounded that fact. 0 20 20 0 30.

I did put this together though, it uses rabid. Doesn’t utilize shatters at all though.
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Build-Poisoned-Apples/first#post2484121

Jackums.3496:

Go for the cheese Prismatic Understanding condition build.

With or without perplexity runes?

I use a mix of rabid and zerker gears in my build:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Maximised-Hybrid-Phantasm-Build-Roaming/first#post3007845

Imo, blackwater is too much focussed on perplexity runes and its damage without the runes is too low to beat 1v3’s.

Ross Biddle: I’ve been using your build in sPvP to try it out and I like it. Been dueling with my brothers and at one point one of them yelled “Where are you!!” It was great. I’m assuming I’ll have more condi dmg in WvW and PvE since sPvP really just seems to put you down to the bare essentials? Also, pistol be alright too? And if I want, change a few traits if necessary to bring staff?

BlackDevil: I haven’t gotten around to your build yet. That’s next, I have midterms coming up. But tbh, I’m too cheap/lazy to buy new armor and then transmute it. I’ll still look at it though.

Haven’t used Blackwater’s build yet. But this is giving me some ideas. Thank y’all very much for your help! I might message y’all in game, if that’s ok, with questions.

@Black, my build, as it happens, has almost no focus on perplexity runes, I only used them to replace the un-dead runes just so I can push out a bit of extra condition damage through confusion. (you have no idea how many times I have to tell people this, sooner or later they will learn I guess) if you really don’t want the perplexity runes, just change back to un dead or w/e the hell you want to, it makes almost no difference.

It easily has enough condition damage (Almost all of this being AOE) to handle 3-4 people at the same time, all it comes down to is a matter of the player skill levels from the Mesmer and the 3-4 they are fighting.

just my 2 cents,

@Excelsior, just play whatever feels the most comfortable for you to use, and what naturally feels the best to play, that’s the best build.

This is true Natsu. But hearing what other people have done is giving me some ideas to make a build for me. I just don’t have the time to play with the traits and then actually test the build. I was playing with traits some yesterday but I won’t be able to fully play with it until the winter break.

Thank you to everyone that helped out with this question. Love my mesmers! I’ll let you know what I come up with once I find a build I like.

excelsior.2168:

Ross Biddle: I’ve been using your build in sPvP to try it out and I like it. Been dueling with my brothers and at one point one of them yelled “Where are you!!” It was great. I’m assuming I’ll have more condi dmg in WvW and PvE since sPvP really just seems to put you down to the bare essentials? Also, pistol be alright too? And if I want, change a few traits if necessary to bring staff?

You must be talking about Poisoned Apples. Yes pistol is an option and it was discussed in the build thread. It simply required a trait change (pistol cooldown). Though that was before the pistol fix, and it made the build more single target focused. You also lose the defense from iWarden (eats all projectiles), and swiftness/pull from curtain.

I made the build to do away with staff as I’d been running it since release and found its weakness frustratingly lacking. If you want to go with a staff condi build, Blackwater is probably where it’s at as it was made more recently in history after the various mesmer and meta changes. Use staff if you like, while a powerful passive aggressive, defensive weapon, I feel its a waste untraited, which is a waste of a trait (I wont start on sigils etc).

Oh yeah, the other thing you’ll have on top of more condi damage is 100% condi duration (not possible in spvp).

Traveler Runes in that rabid armour imo.

im testing this atm
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAW7flwzqqHVTmGa9IhJFBH5oecdrXdSKKNqB-j0BBYhCy0Cw00BKHqIasl1FRjVdDTHjIqWKAYmGB-w
and aint so bad :P

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAW7dlwzipHVTkGb9IiJFBHyh6x1ldcXJF42FC-j0BBYhCyk0wkIBKHqIasl1FRjVJjIqWdDTKAImGB-w

Is a rather entertaining way to (ab)use Perplexity Runes while fighting in a small group, people never learn that fighting in a Chaos Storm is a bad idea and as for any one trying to res their mates, well they better have stability up. Its rather nice that the ruins cap points tend to be roughly the same size your aoe skills…. I’d be tempted to add in Chaotic Interuption and Glamour Mastery in place of clone on dodge and go full Dire but that seems even cheesier and I spent enough time chopping down trees for the Ascended weapons so seeing 4 of me makes me a happy cat. Another potential change would be the old 20/20/0/0/30 with shatters removing boons so you ensure maximum chance of interrupts/pull cc.

Lord Jim.3971:

I’d be tempted to add in Chaotic Interuption and Glamour Mastery in place of clone on dodge and go full Dire but that seems even cheesier and I spent enough time chopping down trees for the Ascended weapons so seeing 4 of me makes me a happy cat. Another potential change would be the old 20/20/0/0/30 with shatters removing boons so you ensure maximum chance of interrupts/pull cc.

Running 10/0/30/0/30 with CI/ID (Chillruption) = good with perplexity runes. You not only get the AoE Interrupts, you also get many confusion procs as well.

skcamow.3527:

Running 10/0/30/0/30 with CI/ID (Chillruption) = good with perplexity runes. You not only get the AoE Interrupts, you also get many confusion procs as well.

It’d be interesting running that with hybrid gear, might stacking from traits, GS and sigils then take Halting Strike in the Domination Minor, could then even go GS and/or Staff using the 2,3,4 combo to set up an AoE Daze interrupt at range. Think it would probably be too light defense wise for the sort of fights we, [TCHU], end up in but I’ll play around with it at some point. Thanks for the idea.

Lord Jim.3971:

skcamow.3527:

Running 10/0/30/0/30 with CI/ID (Chillruption) = good with perplexity runes. You not only get the AoE Interrupts, you also get many confusion procs as well.

It’d be interesting running that with hybrid gear, might stacking from traits, GS and sigils then take Halting Strike in the Domination Minor, could then even go GS and/or Staff using the 2,3,4 combo to set up an AoE Daze interrupt at range. Think it would probably be too light defense wise for the sort of fights we, [TCHU], end up in but I’ll play around with it at some point. Thanks for the idea.

Yep, you have the idea. 2,500 armor isn’t too bad and you could gear a bit differently to get what you’re comfortable with. The build (my sig) shows Chaotic Dampening, but I always roll with BI instead of CD when in group scenarios. I modified the original build to throw in rabid armor/BI/perplexity so at this point it’s very hybrid but if all you’re doing is group combat it should work decent (may want to add a bit more vit):
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQJARWlwzqpXVTmGb9IhpHE33CH1junduTqgpB-jUCBYLBiAJQ5QFRjtsuIas6aYqTQKXCpqXw+DQCBIaCA-w

Alright. So um, looks like the last few posts derailed this topic. I was looking for ideas for builds using full rabid armor and trinkets and I think I found somethings. Ross Biddle and Blackwater seem to be what I want. Thanks for your help and I’ve been playing with traits and think I found something that I might like.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNArfWlwzKqXQTmGb9IipHBHyBckUUavWJF62FC-jwCBYhBCpRZkWIjkIBiKBJHqIaslhFRjVJLoaGY6YKyeEYSBAx0I-e

My version with traveler runes.

Hmm. I’ll look into your build Xavi. Seems interesting. It looks like you don’t want to shatter at all here? Except for distortion when staking? Looks very similar to RossBiddle’s build and I liked his.

excelsior.2168:

Hmm. I’ll look into your build Xavi. Seems interesting. It looks like you don’t want to shatter at all here? Except for distortion when staking? Looks very similar to RossBiddle’s build and I liked his.

It’s the 20/20/30 PU build (Blackwater), but with traveler runes and slightly different sigils and utilities.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAW7flwzKqHQTqGb9IipHBHyBcoPcdlZMbXIA-jEDBIMDamWAgqIzkHQ5PKr5QCilhFRjVJDQzATbaR1GxAOEMa1iAYWD-w

Here’s the Blackwater variant I am currently using; also utilizes Traveler runes for keeping up with my havoc groups. Adds confusion on shatters as well as might; rewards shattering every chance you get; without being totally reliant on it since if they preemptively kill my clones they get conditions.

Note: You ’ll have low condition removal even for a Mesmer, best played like a psychotic vulture at the edges of the battle.

Overkillengine.6084:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAW7flwzKqHQTqGb9IipHBHyBcoPcdlZMbXIA-jEDBIMDamWAgqIzkHQ5PKr5QCilhFRjVJDQzATbaR1GxAOEMa1iAYWD-w

Here’s the Blackwater variant I am currently using; also utilizes Traveler runes for keeping up with my havoc groups. Adds confusion on shatters as well as might; rewards shattering every chance you get; without being totally reliant on it since if they preemptively kill my clones they get conditions.

Note: You ’ll have low condition removal even for a Mesmer, best played like a psychotic vulture at the edges of the battle.

Ok thanks! I’ll look into this build too after this semester calms down, or when it just ends. It seems that variants of Blackwater are very popular. I haven’t had a chance to try it out yet but I plan too. RossBiddle’s build I know I liked. Might just change up a few things so I don’t have to over haul my weapons. Thanks again for everyone’s suggestions!