What zerg v zerg spec are you running in WvW?
I’m really struggling with this as well.
I love the performance of phantasm and shatter builds when roaming or in small groups, but find anything dependent on pet survival to crumble in large groups. I can occasionally get a good shatter or two off, but it’s unreliable unless I target stragglers or solo players.
I haven’t found anything that’s as satisfying as an elementalist or necro chain-casting AoEs into the enemy cluster. :-/
Zerg on Zerg can make a mesmer feel pretty helpless, especially with certain weapon choices.
About the most satisfying experience for me in ZvZ is GS with Sigil of Fire and iZerker, along with feedback.
Zerg on Zerg can make a mesmer feel pretty helpless, especially with certain weapon choices.
About the most satisfying experience for me in ZvZ is GS with Sigil of Fire and iZerker, along with feedback.
I zerker, Feedback, and the Focus-reflect traits are the closest I’ve gotten to feeling useful in a large group. Lots of reflects, a quick zerker-spin then shatter for a little damage. I think I was running something like 10/10/20/30/0, if I remember correctly. Illusion damage, fury for my phantasm, boons on shatter, then reflects and glamour boosts from Inspiration.
20-20-0-0-30 shatter.
However I’m about to try out, also a shatter build, but a hybrid shatter build. Based on the main of the zergmower build :https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Guide-Build-The-Zergmower/first#post3352025
This is the build:
http://intothemists.com/guides/2129-raid_build_30
20-20-0-0-30 shatter.
However I’m about to try out, also a shatter build, but a hybrid shatter build. Based on the main of the zergmower build :https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Guide-Build-The-Zergmower/first#post3352025
This is the build:
http://intothemists.com/guides/2129-raid_build_30
When I go shatter, I usually go 10/20/10/0/30 as well. I focus less on Mirror and go standard shatter with reduced damage per illusion in Chaos (so it’s kind of a mix of the 20/20/0/0/30 and 0/20/20/0/30 shatter builds Osicat posted a while ago). It’s a good balance between damage and support; I like it. I’m definitely interested in trying your traits out though!
I’m running a direct damage build, and the stats are a mix between Knight, Cavalier and Valkyrie.
My numbers with defense guard stacks, foods and bloodlust stacks are 2350 power, 47% crit chance, 88% crit damage, 2600 armor and 20,3k of health.
Very good damage while being quite tanky with all the mobility and ways to avoid damage mesmer have.
i7 5775c @ 4.1GHz – 12GB RAM @ 2400MHz – RX 480 @ 1390/2140MHz
Try clone-spamming with dire gear. 10/25/25/x/x with 10 point to spare (or 10/25/10/x/x with 25 to spare). Every clone that dies causes aoe confusion, cripple, and bleed/weakness/vulnerability. I like sigils of torment and stamina for aoe torment and near constant clone on dodge. You can use torch as well for aoe blind and burning.
Note that this a front line build. If you’re gong to fight from the rear, zerker and glamours are pretty much the way to go.
(edited by Bunda.2691)
I run full dire, and if I’m running with a guild group I run a full glamour spec 20/0/10/20/20
If I’m in a mostly pug group I use a tanky clone spamming build 0/30/20/20/0 with mantra heal, mantra of concentration, null field, and mimic. With sigil of stamina you can just dodge around the zerg and have your clone deaths tag things up and apply aoe conditions.
20 – V – Crippling Dissipation & VIII – Confusing Enchantments
20 – I – Far Reaching Manipulations & X – Deceptive Evasion
0
20 – II – Glamour Mastery & IX – Temporal Enchanter
10 – V – Master of Misdirection
Full Rabid, Perplexity Runes, Ether Feast, Null Field, Feedback, Blink, Time Warp.
Greatsword/sword/focus, traditionalists will cry about no staff or sceptre in a condition build, however high precision allows good crit chance to trigger Sigil of Torment on Greatsword reliably, Sigil of Corruption and Doom on other set, IZerker is great for people/siege on walls.
Run this solo and you will be eaten, only good for zerg, tags heaps, lots of bags.
Havent bothered shifting away from my greatstaff 0/25/20/25/0 mantra build. Traits depends on the situation, but key ones are traited staff, menders purity and restorative mantras. Knights/pvt/berserker/cavalier mix with traveller runes. The only thing I shift between solo and zerg is trinkets (though rarely), weapons and traits.
But really, it doesnt matter what half-decent build you run as long as you have one thing – survivability. A player that is alive is always better than a rallybot no matter what he’s doing in a fight. Most battles arent won by one individual having that perfect build and uber skills, its won by everyone working together. Only the really, really kittenty builds loose.
Regarding being utility starved, I advice having one 2 fixed utilities for your build and floater. I constantly run stability/cleansing mantra and often use feedback for the third skill. But if the guild need veil (often there is enough mesmers to avoid it, but not always), I replace feedback. If a portal is needed, that’s also replaced. Portal is not worth having constantly and you guild commander should definetly tell you if he see a possible need in the coming fight. The only thing I have a problem with is null field. Its hard to squeeze in there. Cleansing mantra is considerably better for me and still offer AoE cleansing, nullfield is better for the group in offensive situations. As before, often there is enough mesmers to avoid being forced into it.