Guild Wars 2

I haven’t been visiting the mesmer section recently, but is there a good condition damage build out there that utilizes the +200 from scepter trait, +180 from signet and +300 from illusions trait-line?

I’m thinking about maximizing cond dmg and wondering if it’s any good to use confusion/bleeding/burning in PvE. The only reliable source of bleeding I can see is from Sharper Images and using phantasm duelist. But then again, wouldn’t it be good to put pts in domination for +cond duration also? And if you go 20/0/0/20/30, you wouldn’t have any bleeding (only confusion and burning)?

Well that combination would limit you a lot. For that to work, you’d need 20 Duelling / 20 Inspiration / 30 Illusions.

But Scepter clones attack too rarely, you’d want to use Greatsword clones.

Definitely crunch the numbers before you go all in on condition damage. I haven’t figured out the “sweet spot” but increasing condition duration will start to surpass additional condition damage at some point.

Given the criteria you put forth, this is the best I came up with in a hurry: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQRArf8alwzKoHTTqGa9IBqHY37XnkCV/6SKwduB-jEyAItBRTBgpFAkoImDLiGb1sIasqbMdMRUtUAQsGA-w

No idea how it will fly on the field, but seemed to be the smartest use of the points to squeeze the most condition damage and condition application out of a build. Hope this helps get you started!

EDIT: Fixed build. You get more condition damage by putting the 20 pts into Domination and Illusions than you do by speccing for the scepter, which is really going to make a difference on those iDuelist bleeds that you can put up every 12 seconds.

Bosses aside, 95% of the mobs in dungeons get burned down in a few seconds. Regarding bosses, what’s the point? In the end, damage is damage regardless of how it got there. That being the case, why not just take the “front end” build that performs better verse normal mobs? I feel with conditions, especially mesmer conditions, that they are geared more towards pvp than pve. Those conditions are very context specific in managing a pvp fight. For instance, confusion penalizes skills, torment penalizes movement, and poison inhibits healing. That in mind, an npc is going to do whatever it’s programmed to do, usually without concern for conditions and an npc boss has so much HP it doesn’t really care.

On top of all that, rolling conditions as a mesmer is something of a chore. If you really want to do that in pve I’d just go with a necro where it’s second nature.