Guild Wars 2

I’d suggest adding some effects to skills that produce clones over existing illusions (a bit like scepter AA when capped on illusions). Here are few ideas:

1. Scepter 2 – if you have 3 illusions up, instead of creating a clone on block, blind the enemy that you have blocked.
2. Sword 3 – if you have 3 illusions up, do an immobilize for 1 sec instead of initial cripple (animation of a clone leaping at enemy has to stay tho)
3. Sword 4 – if you have 3 illusions up, daze an enemy that you have blocked in addition to riposte damage. Also it would be nice to daze enemy even if its not in melee range (this one is open for discussion).
4. GS 2 – if you have 3 illusions up, each bounce does 25% more damage.
5. Staff 2 – if you have 3 illusions up, slow enemies around your phase retreat starting point for 1 second.

What do you think?

I’d recommend https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sigil_of_Speed
It is a 10s of swiftness per kill (assuming you can only run minor version at lvl 25), just run around, kill stuff – get nice swiftness uptime. And combine these with a Signet of Inspiration.

So as the title says, what do you think: is that ok if your clone summoning skills would not overwrite phantasms for PvE part of the game? I was testing some sort of condition build with scepter+pistol/staff and I found that after summoning 3 iDuelists you were forced to swap from scepter to another weapon set, otherwise you lose your pew pew dudes.
This is kind of frustrating because:
1. you cannot use, lets say, scepter 2, without losing some damage, not to mention even an autoattack;
2. same problem goes along with GS 2, Staff 2 and so on.
The only downside of the suggestion is the sword 3 skill, which would not allow you to swap if there is no clone.

What do you think? Would that be overpowered or QoL improvement for PvE?
(sorry for missing spaces in title, length is restricted to 45 characters)

I suppose I’m not even remotely close to be the one who experiences constant crashes (out of memory thing or smth like that). I am pretty sure it will get fixed eventually tho.
Btw I’m playing on a really kittenty computer right now (2GB RAM, 2 × 2GHz CPU), and the fact that I was even able to run the game before HoT update makes me feel confident that you guys will find the solution to fix those crashes.

Marsares.2053:

One daze every 36s? Now we have 2 (3 with Mastery) on a 30s CD.

It is 2/3 on 36s cd, each charge like dodge roll (you have 2, you use 1 → you have 1 remaining and 1 charging up)

Part 2. Traits balance suggestions.

Domination (Power, Condition Duration)

Shattered Concentration Shatter skills also remove 2 boons (up from 1) on hit. This change will possibly make shatter builds more viable at wvw large scale fights. It will be very strong in small fights since all shatters are likely to be concentrated on 1 target. To change or not is the question here.

Confusing Enchantments Glamour skills cause confusion to foes who enter or exit their areas. In my opinion, this trait has no place in power based trait line, so I suggest to move it to Chaos trait line as master trait (swap with the Cleansing Inscriptions trait). At least Chaos has some sort of condition damage amplifier (minor grandmaster trait).

Cleansing Conflagration Torch skills remove 2 conditions (up from 1). Reduces recharge on torch skills. Just a small improvement to mesmers’ condition removals, not necessary but useful change.

Dueling (Precision + Critical Damage)

Confusing Combatants Your illusions cause confusion to foes around them when they are killed. Useless trait in my opinion, since dueling trait line doesn’t benefit confusion at all. Changes to this trait are welcome to be heard from other players.

Deceptive Evasion Create a clone at your current position when you dodge. Nerf to this trait are not implemented yet. Any changes to this trait will result in drastic reduction in power of on-illusion-death traits, making them barely useful both in PvE and PvP. We need new set of traits instead of present on-illusion-death traits, suggestions from other players are welcome.

Furious Interruption Gain 10% bonus damage for you and your phantasms when you interrupt a foe. This change will encourage clever use of interrupts as well as giving players who invest 30 points into Dueling an option to play non-mantra glass cannon build.

Chaos (Toughness + Boon Duration)

Illusionary Membrane Gain protection when you gain regeneration. In my opinion, should work only in combat.

Mirror of Anguish When disabled (stun, daze, knockback, knockdown, sink, float, fear, or launch), you mirror the disabling effect back to its source. Either cooldown should be reduced (to 40 seconds) or this trait should block CC effect while mirroring it back to its source, while maintaining the same cooldown.

Cleansing Inscriptions Activating a signet removes a condition. Move to Domination trait line as Master trait (swap with Confusing Enchantments trait) to make signet traits less scattered.

Inspiration (Vitality + Healing Power)

Vengeful Images Grants retaliation to Phantasms. Retaliation duration is suggested to increase to 10 seconds.

Mender’s Purity Remove a condition when you heal. Implement the internal cooldown (5 seconds) due to the mantra rework suggestion mentioned above.

Illusions (Condition Damage + Shredding Recharge Rate)

Illusionary Retribution All Shatter skills inflict confusion. Merge with the trait Illusionary Persona

Illusionary Persona Now a minor grandmaster trait. Shattering illusions creates the shatter effect on you as well. All shatter skills inflict confusion.

Illusionists Celerity Reduces recharge on illusion-summoning skills. Move to adept tier. Possibly needs nerf down to 10% in case of becoming a minor adept trait again.

Shattered Strength Shattering illusions grants you might per illusion. Move to master minor trait spot.

Confusing Cry Cry of Frustration grants retaliation. Make it possible to get retaliation without illusions up (via Illusionary Persona). Description says "Cry of Frustration grants retaliation, but not “Shattering illusions via Cry of Frustration grants retaliation”. Retaliation duration decreased to 3 seconds (down from 5), in total of 3 × 4 = 12 seconds with 3 clone + Illusionary persona shatter.

Masterful Reflection Distortion grants reflection. This trait does not affect distortion granted by Blurred Inscriptions trait (1 second of distortion on activating a signet) -> needs a fix.

Dazzling Glamours Glamour skills blind foes at target location. Glamour skills should blind foes at a certain rate, other than on placing glamour skill (trait description doesn’t say “on placing glamour skill”).

Blinding Befuddlement Cause confusion when you blind a foe. Remove internal cooldown. Confusion builds are dead since 50% nerf, it is an attempt to bring it back somehow.

That’s it.

If you agree with these changes, please leave a comment. If you don’t, tell me why and what can developers do to make mesmers better.
Thanks to those people, who read the entire text.

Part 1. Mantras redesign.

New mantras are different from old ones. The main difference is: they charge over time by themselves. When mantra is equipped in a utility slot, it has a 10 seconds (needs to be adjusted for better balance) before they start charging. Each given period of time you get 1 charge, that can be used immediately. Mantras store up to 2 charges (up to 3 with trait, traits suggestions are below). If you have a maximum number of mantra charges, it cannot generate more charges. If you have 1 charge, mantra keeps charging, meaning you can use it like dodge rolls (it is pretty much endurance-like mechanic). Since there is no charge time in terms of casting a mantra skill, the cooldowns are suggested to be increased. Time between uses of charges is 0.5 seconds (even for daze mantra)

Some of the specific mantra changes are:

1) Mantra of recovery – aka healing mantra

Stores a charge every 12 seconds. Healing amount is the same as before. Traits and runes that proc on-heal effects occur when mantra is used, not when charges appear. The most of them have internal cooldown, so there is no point to abuse them.
This change allows you to quick get your HP up without being interrupted with 2-3 quick casts or consistent healing every 12 seconds.

2) Mantra of pain – aka mantra that deals damage

Stores a charge every 5 seconds (actually i feel like it should be 7-10s, it is up to developers and balance issues). Damage is the same.
This chance can be used to quickly burst an enemy or to, lets say, break the aegis boon to land something else. I feel like it can be actually useful compared to the old state of it, when you have way more dps if you spam 1 rather then charge-discharge mantra.

3) Mantra of resolve – aka condition cleansing mantra

Stores a charge every 24 seconds. Removes 2 condition on activation on you and 4 nearby allies (down from 5) in 240 radius.
This one is actually good in it’s current state, but it can be better. Thus mesmers will have a decent condition removal, with no need to charge/have a target/have a nullfield and wait in it for 2 ticks/whatever other inconvenient condition removals are.

4) Mantra of distraction – aka mantra that daze

Stores a charge every 36 seconds. Daze a target for 1 second.
The main issue there – to make a cooldown between uses longer than suggested 0.5 seconds or not. In my opinion, if it has 0.5 seconds cooldown, it is not owerpowered since daze duration is 2 times more than recharge time, so it will be inefficient to spam it. This change will encourage more lockdown gameplay (it requires skill – better for players to get more satisfaction from playing).

5) Mantra of concentration

Stores a charge every 30 seconds. Grants a stability for 2.5 (up from 2) seconds to you and 4 allies (down from 5) in 240 radius, breaks stun.
The main and the only source of reliable stability. Mesmers need one.

Mantra related traits

1) Harmonious mantras

Mantras now can store one more charge, up to maximum of 3.

2) Mantra mastery

Reducing mantra charging time by 20% (time which takes to get 1 charge).

3) Protected mantras

Old: increases toughness while channeling mantras.
New:
option A – you gain a random boon when receiving a mantra charge (1 stack of might 10s, fury 5s, regen 5s, protection 3s, retaliation 5s, swiftness 5s, vigor 5s), new trait name is required.
option B – gain 20 toughness for each mantra charge missing (max. amount with 12 charges – 240 toughness).

4) Restorative mantras

Old: heal allies when you cast a mantra.
New: grants 5 seconds of regeneration on using a mantra charge. Cooldown 10 seconds.

5) Empowering mantras

Gain 4% damage bonus for 5 seconds after using a mantra charge. Increase damage done by 1% for each mantra charge you have (4% damage bonus should not stack, it should refresh itself on spending a mantra charge).

That’s it for mantras. Now let’s take a look at other balance suggestions.

Recently I’ve been doing some exploration on my ele and found that arcane wave underwater is now ground targeted (as well as not_underwater one). Why do I say this?
Why mesmers can’t have the same for feedback? Let’s make mesmers more OP than we are now by adding this very convenient feature to feedback! Sometimes its hard to catch a zerg inside a purple bubble, especially on a slightly weak PCs, but not now

P.S. Underwater version of feedback is better not to change imo.