Guild Wars 2

the mesmer has any decent open world builds?

Mesmer or Chronomancer?

Xyonon.3987:

Mesmer or Chronomancer?

either

I’m considering dusting off my mesmer and could really use some guidance on open world PvE builds, too. I know. It’s open world PvE: “Do whatever!” But still I would like to hear from more experienced players, perhaps a little more in depth than “Whatever!” builds.

So far the only classes I’ve found my comfort zone with are thief and necromancer. With both of these characters I’m able to solo most group events and champions I encounter in HoT. I would like to maintain an offensive playstyle and stat set (e.g. marauder is okay, but I’d like to avoid soldier gear, etc.) if possible.

When I leveled and unlocked my elite spec, I actually found mesmer was among the stronger survival classes. Using greatsword from range and maintaining illusions between shatters gave me all the time I needed to sustain. But the damage seemed quite poor despite full berserker stats.

Based on this, can you recommend anything? Should I go condi? What weapon set? What trait lines might offer superior sustain with at least decent damage output? And though it’s subjective, tell me what’s fun for you! Thanks!

I don’t know if it the build with the most dammage, but it is the less boring I made. You get large amount of boons and easy clone generation. The well is nice to pull foes for heavy spike and and shatter break bars. You will have a bit of a pain agains condis but against AI and clones its ok.

you can switch staff with sword/shield if you want.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQJARGnknhdoBmpBEgiFcjycBChRqMAWtfpOWr1cF-ThBFABXpEsQ1fQa/R5HAXAAHOEAC8EAAA-e

Well outside of HoT maps an interrupt focused build is really fun. Running sw/shield and whatever else you want for the other set (sw/focus or GS would work good).

Something like this would work reasonably well

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQRAse8dncfClphtfC2oBEgiFYjiMASgcrMCygfrWxmsA-TRQkitten+BA-e

No damaging conditions in the build, pure power and focused around interrupting enemies. Focus 4, Shield 5, F3, and MoD all interrupt enemies, which will proc to give you quickness, and give enemies vuln and confusion. Shatters inflict vuln on enemies, as well as deal extra damage against dazed enemies, and Sword gives you the ferocity buff when you use its skill.

For the Chrono line. Honestly in PvE the choice doesn’t matter. You could go 1-1-X to also proc slow when you interrupt enemies, giving you a higher crit chance. Going 2-2-3 supercharges your shatters, but honestly this isn’t necessary in PvE at all. 3-3-X gives you more alacrity, useful but not game changing if you are alone. And Seize the moment is another source of quickness for you. You might consider taking it instead of chronophantasma since most open world PvE fights don’t last that long.

@AliamRationem – Condi build is definitely doable on chrono/mesmer, but because of the ramp up times I don’t consider it that fun in open world. However, it does make soloing champions rather trivial.

If you wanted to run a condi build you would go with Staff and scepter/X (where X is focus, torch, or pistol, personal preference). Something along these lines

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAW7PnsICdqhVoBOohFYDCNK3k5GCeJIDwFyNA-TRwXAAw+DAA-e

With a condi build, you will take a bit to deal any decent damage, simply because that’s how condis work. Illusion line gives you increased condi damage for each illusion you have out, makes your shatters inflict confusion and torment, as well as increases the confusion duration by 33% (which synergizes extremely well with scepter). You can take whichever trait you like for the grandmaster tier. I would take MS though.

Chaos line gives you boon and condition duration, gives you regen/protection when your health falls below 75%, makes you take less damage for each illusion out, and gives you more condition damage again. Again, grandmaster tier is really up to you, CI is nice but you don’t have too much access to interruption in this build, so its usefulness is limted. PU meshes well with torch, but I just don’t use torch so I didn’t put it in the build, and BI is a source of stab and other boons.

I also included the domination line. Lots of access to vuln, which makes all of your conditions hurt more, and it also gives CD reduction to signets, as well as making them cleanse a condition and give you distortion. And ofc MA for more damage from MW.

So the build uses MI as clone fodder since it doesn’t take the chrono line. It also has 3 signets on it right now, 2 of which improve your conditions (through condition damage and duration respectively). Remember, because of the Domination line, using signets will cleanse a condition and give you 1 sec distortion, so they are your main form of damage mitigation in this build. Take whatever elite you want. You can take SoH, but on a 3 min CD I don’t think its worth it in PvE. Also, use Staff 2 to avoid taking damage. Its a short backwards leap (and a combo finisher), its extremely useful for dodging attacks or getting out of AoE circles.

Also note, MI had its base CD reduced to 30 sec in a recent patch, GW2skills hasn’t updated yet. So its CD when traited will only be 24 sec instead of the 36 it currently says.

Short Answer: No

Long Answer:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/How-are-Mesmers-supposed-to-keep-up/first

In OW, you need to be shattering lots, though you can’t ignore your direct damage either. Load up on illusion skills so you always have some for each trash mob encounter. It’s actually pretty good compared to some slower OW classes and … a little fun.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQRAsc78msICFqhdqBFYDiMAJI3oRZ5FB-e

Fill in the blanks.

I just go with power shatter, clears trash mobs pretty nicely http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQRAsa8enknBdqhlpBuqBEgiFVjCtLuusjMAqgiruZj2sF-TxBBwAYV+hT9nAPBAAnEgzKBzrfo4+DAA-e