Guild Wars 2

currently a lv6 noob and cant decide on what weapons and build to choose from. thanks

The build in and of itself is unimportant at your stage in the game. I would encourage you to explore various paths and determine what you like. I personally enjoy Phantasm play. I will list some popular builds; I assume you’re talking about WvW/PVE.

Many people use a Power-focused build, typically with Restorative Mantras to double as a support in dungeons:

Sword+Focus / Staff
10/10/0/30/20 – DOM3, DUE2, INS4/5/10, ILL3/10

Ether Feast, Mirror Images, Phantasmal Defender, Restorative Mantras, Time Warp

Weapons – Berserker w/ sigils of choice
Chest/Shoulders/Gloves/Boots – Berserker w/ Ruby Gems
Head/Legs – Soldier w/ Ruby Gems
Amulet, Accessories, Back – Berserker w/ Ruby Jewel
Ring – Soldier w/ Ruby Jewel

The mix above is statistically optimal. Head, Legs, and Rings give above-average stats per crit damage and are good candidates for durability enhancement.

The alternative, my preferred choice, is a hybrid build focusing on Precision. Like the build above, it is fairly durable and offers a high degree of single-target DPS:

Scepter+Pistol / Staff
10/15/0/25/20 – DOM3, DUE2, INS4/5, ILL3/10

Ether Feast, Mirror Images, Phantasmal Defender, SITUATIONAL, Time Warp

Weapons – Rampager w/ sigils of choice
Armor – Rampager w/ Rune of the Undead
Amulet – Berserker w/ Ruby Jewel
Accessories, Rings, Back – Cavalier w/ Ruby Jewel

If you want to do sPVP, you’re probably going to want a Shatter build for burst DPS.

Sword/focus and swap in a staff for when you need more D or a GS for a little extra DPS. Just go power/crit while leveling.

Traits: 5 in illusions, rest in Domination or Dueling until level 40. Then put 20 into Dueling for Deceptive Evasion.

Edit: Oh yeah, for utilities, get Decoy first. Feedback is awesome in PVE, well just about anywhere, too.

By then you can start finding the right build/playstyle for you.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/List-Find-your-Mesmer-Build-Guides I suggest looking here when you reach level 40. There are tons of great builds for nearly every playstyle you might enjoy. There really is no one best all around build for the mesmer, there are just best builds for your playstyle.

I would say staff is as close to “jack of all trades” as mesmers get. It excels at defense but can be used for offensively too, if properly traited. It works well with power, (Winds of Chaos and iWarlock will hit harder) precision (clones will gain your crit precentage and inflict bleed on crit when traited) and condition damage, (winds of chaos does vulnerability and burn, clones will do bleed when traited, Chaos Storm does just about every condition and there is a lift of weapon sigils that apply conditions on crit!) which are the 3 damage stats.

Defensively, Winds of Chaos, Chaos Armor and Chaos Storm give boons while Phase Retreat can get you out of hairy situations. You can literally teleport out of cages and traps while summoning a clone! Chaos Storm is an ethereal field so using Phase Retreat within it will cause a combo that will give you Chaos Armor! This makes staff one of the few weapons that has a combo field and finisher! As for Chaos Armor, it’s pretty much considered the best aura in the game. If you’re traited for extended boon time, it can be godly.

The staff has only one major downside. Winds of Chaos is a very slow moving projectile with a 900-unit range. You have to be close to enemies to get the best benefit of bounces so more like a melee/mid-ranged weapon than long range. Once you understand this, you’ll be soloing champions in no time!

Why does Sword/Focus seem to be the most accepted leveling combo for Mesmer? Serious question, mine is only level 10 atm. The abilities that the Focus gives you doesn’t seem to be that great when compared to what an additional sword gives.

Void.1806:

Why does Sword/Focus seem to be the most accepted leveling combo for Mesmer? Serious question, mine is only level 10 atm. The abilities that the Focus gives you doesn’t seem to be that great when compared to what an additional sword gives.

Well as far as I know, the Phantasm from the focus is great for 3 things, AoE damage if you can position it correctly. Secondly that swiftness buff from the Focus comes in handy when leveling + exploring. Also when you have enemies chasing you, place it on the ground run over it and 1 second later activate it to pull chasing enemies into it. Useful for kiting and getting away. And lastly combine the Phantasm with that and now your phantasm will AoE remove conditions.

So yeah its quite useful. But if you prefer the sword you prefer the sword. :P

Also, if you use a shatter and position your Focus 4 properly, you can make the shatters go off sooner by granting your clones/phantasms swiftness.

I’m using GS/ Sword and Pistol and change to Focus every so often for PVE play, only level 50 so not too worried about builds yet.
Have a play around with all the weapons and find which suits you more

I used to run GS/Staff in PvE. I also used Radiation Field. I would gather up as many mobs as possible, then use Radiation Field, Chaos Storm, GS4/2/3/5 —> loot all.

Void.1806:

Why does Sword/Focus seem to be the most accepted leveling combo for Mesmer? Serious question, mine is only level 10 atm. The abilities that the Focus gives you doesn’t seem to be that great when compared to what an additional sword gives.

I wouldn’t say it’s the most accepted combo but it certainly is a good one. The sword provides the most reliable dps for its auto-attack and can cleave up to three enemies. Illusionary Leap has 2 leap finishers, both of which can apply Chaos Armor not only to you but to the clone you spawn too. Skill 3 (can’t remember what it’s called) is 2 seconds of high dps while invulnerable. Temporal Curtain is reliable, multi-person swiftness, a cripple, a pull AND a combo field! That’s a lot of versatility in one power! The iWarden is the highest dps phantasm we have and can deflect projectiles for as long as it is swinging those axes, which also serves as a combo whirl finisher. There’s a lot of damage and versatility in sword/focus and that’s why it’s my second weapon set.