Guild Wars 2

Stability from BD and Protection from Chaos Armor only lasts for 5 seconds.
Signet of Inspiration has 3/4 seconds cast time and phantasms 3/4-1 second. With aftercast and reaction time you may give your allies 4s+3s=7s of Protection and Stability. Considering the signet recharge that is 7s everry 38s, that’s less than 1/5 upkeep.
A guard with hammer can easily mantain permanent protection, while making 20% more dmg because the enemy stands in his symbol. So every sane person would prefer the guard. With Mantra of Concentration and mantra trait you can give your group 3 stacks of stabilty instead of 1 and for 6s with a cooldown of 25s. As 1stack of stability is much to low if you need stability in dungeons (most of the time) going into choas for that is not a good option. Also consider that a guard can give the group still more stability than the mesmer. Again while making much more dmg than the mesmer.

As timewarp pulses quickness for 1s every second, you can not increase the time with the inspiration signet.

I also wouldn’t call a dom/insp/chaos memser full zerker…

ODB.6891:

All I see is Mantras repeated again and again, while still having to deal with phantasms/illusions. Worst of both worlds in my opinion. I may be personally biased, but I absolutely hate the mechanics of mantras. I hate having to worry about charges on them. I hate having to channel them to have them ready again…either in our out of combat. I hate having them forced on me to be effective. I think I hate the concept of having to spam them during combat (and then have to deal with the resultant channeling to get them ready again). I also don’t think the changes to them will really equal a net gain for us dps wise due to having to stop and channel them during combat. Even if they did, I still hate being forced or coerced into loading up my utility bar with mantras versus other utilities I would actually rather use.

I actually like not having to worry about stats associated with trait lines anymore…that was a huge and positive change. I don’t know if I said that in this thread already, but I have in multiple other threads. I have also said multiple times that I think their changes are great as a whole…I just think that PvE mesmer’s are getting the short end of the stick here. Its like the developer who does mesmer balance has his/her brain stuck on mantras and PvP.

Totally agree with you!
I certainly miss good PvE GM traits. HM is the only useful one and I don’t like it x)
It’s also annoying that the useful traits are spread over Domination, Duelling and Illusion while Warden’s Feedback is in Inspiration.
Some nice solution would be:

1. Take the phantsam traits from illusion and combine them to a gm trait in domination
2. let glamours grant stability instead of superspeed
3. a trait to increase reflect dmg about 25% would be nice too (the guard will still have better dmg modifiers, but let’s be realistic)

I would like to see dmg removed from HM and make it a master trait again. In PvP it could be paired with DE and PvE Mesmers won’t have to spam mantras and let their playstyle and skills be totally dominated by just one trait for a dmg increases other classes get for doing nothing.

Sure, but personal dmg is part of group damage and a mesmer has no buffs to increase group damage that cannot be provided better by another class.

Since we cannot know what will be in the future there is no point to dicuss anything but the here and now.

Flow.2947:

@ Mordy
I do understand that you want to have a powerful phantsm build. but i think it would be extreme. putting this in the domination line. It would not only give you a huge dmg boost, it would also offer you the way to run super tanky(from the other 2 traids)

as it is now you have to use 2 offensive lines to get to the power you want

GS training is true it needs a buff comapred to the other domination GM. It depens on how fast your cd is. it would be extramly strong using you berzerker every 10 secons.

why i think it need a buff GT: 2000 —>2100 =5% comared to 2000+[25-50%]=2500-3000

@ Neijala Ceya
ahh why not chaos?? eaqual support with boons like gardians 20s protection with staff + Sword Sword. (without boon duration) Especiall in combination with the guardian it will be realy awsome play together as the supporter. boon durations of +80% are possible on your mesmer. 100% while standing in hollowed ground.

@ Xyonon
we dont know what glamour will bring us i hope they dont nerf them. But what i think is that timewarp +2 seconds is realy nice meybe they also add a slow effect for opponents who pass them or resistance for Nulleeld.

Can someone tell me what is the actuall problem with mesmer in pve and the GMs we got?

The Chaos line only helps you survive and not your whole team. Though you can share boons with signet, it has a high cooldown and those boons aren’t really required in PvE. Especially since other classes can provide those without dmg loss.

Compared to other classes mesmer makes very very bad dmg in PvE. And because a guard provides good dmg and reflect, condi remove, stability and aegis he is generally the one picked by groups.

Furthermore shatter damage builds are not really viable as the overall dps is quite low. PvE bosses just have to much hp to burst them. Best way to mantain high dps as a mesmer is having 3 phantasm and only shatter them if the boss or are all phantasm are about to die anyway.
Another good source is reflect damage. With Warden’s Feedback you can have very high reflect uptime, but reflect damage isn’t that good because the mesmer lacks damage modifiers.

Greatsword isn’t the weapon of choice either, as you generally are in melee range.

DPS is the most important thing in meta. You only trait supports when it is really necassary in the situation or you take it along because there is no option for dmg increase instead.

Depending on the enemies you need reflect, blindness, condi remove or stability and maybe some aegis. Most of those can be provided without the need to trait them. Not considering blindness all of those can easily be provided by a single guard while mantaining high dps. Even if more of those are needed a second guard will stake make more damage than a mesmer providing the reflect and condi cleanse.

Regen and additional heal are not needed. Maybe protection, but for that the guard will equip a hammer and won’t lose much damage doing so.

My concern is mostly for PvE and not PvP. So I guess we misunderstood each other.
And an interrupt build won’t work very well in PvE.

I think there are plenty nice options for builds in PvP and HM could be used there nicely to bust an enemy with shatter. The problem is that there are so many traits that won’t be useful in the current PvE meta and PvE mesmers should have at least 1 good option (which doesn’t include spamming mantras to keep a damage buff up any other class could have far easier).

Well that’s kind of the problem! In berserker meta that is what you would have to do (and you have no alternative good GM traits to offer other play styles). Though mantra of pain wouldn’t be a dps decrease I just don’t know see how any one would want to encourage such a playstyle. Most other classes have good damage options without limiting their playstyle because of just one trait.
Though there a lot of good changes for PvP, I dont think PvE should be completely left out when considering trait changes. And I’m missing something nice there.
I would rather loose some damage (mesmer dmg in PvE is bad compared to other classes anyway) if I gain a nice supporting role like the guardian that makes the mesmer worth taking along.

I talk about the new HM trait as they want it to be. Mantra Damage was used in PvE to max damage. Though they have changed how the dmg works it would still be used this way in PvE (by spamming mantras).

The trait without the damage as a master trait would be perfectly fine and a good option for those who like to play with mantras. And it could be paired with DE, which would benefit shatter builds with mantras as well.

Problem is that DE is such an important skill in so many builds, especially for shatter. But shatter builds won’t focus on reflect so I dont think it is worse than not beeing able to trait mantras.

I don’t think anyone would go in Chaos for Dungeons/Fractals because it just doesn’t offers the team much. As you are in melee range nearly all the time gs isn’t a good choice either. I would rather take Mental Torment to shatter everything when the boss is nearly down or your phantasm are ging to die for some high burst.

For max damage you would choose Dominitaion, Duelling and Illusions for damage modifiers and lower phantasm recharge. Unfortunately you would have to give up one of them for Warden’s Feedback and some of these offer no good traits in all positions (GM Illusions).

You should try out healing signet. The heal is good and it also increases your damage
And you don’t become useless for nearly 3 seconds to recharge it – or more if you are forced to doge while casting it.

Well and for open world anything is good enough…

Sure! But another one withound needing to go in Chaos wouldn’t hurt?

Yes but a mesmer has no good bursts beside shatter. And shatter builds can not take mantras and deceptive evasion together, with second beeing important to have enough clones to shatter regularly.
So in PvE that trait will be keeping up the dmg modifier as much as possible by spamming your mantras.

There still is the Problems, that good Phantasm traits are spreaded over 4 tiers and not 3.
This problem needs to be solved to.

Some good suggestions can be found here: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/PVE-Mesmer-Domination-Line-suggestions/first#post5010555

I would like to see Temporal Enchanter giving stability instead of super speed! So mesmer would be an option beside guardians for group stability.

I think this is actually not a bad idea. Would solve most Problems for PvE players. So you just have to pick the first 2 traitlines and finish with inspiration for more support and focus trait.

I came up with another solution:

1. Remove the damage from HM and make it an Master trait
2. Move Evasive Mirror to Inspiration instead
3. Make Warden’s Feedback the new Duelling GM trait and add 25% reflect damage.

(This would also solve some problems for PvP builds)

And I would like to to see Temporal Enchanter giving stability instead of super speed!

Both changes together would be even better for PvE mesmers! They open up damage Phantasm builds with great support potential

I think of Harmonious Mantras as an really terrible trait in the way you have to play in order to utilize it. To waste your utility skills and deeply restrict your playstyle just for some <12% per cent dmg if you try to optimize it? Doesn’t sound like a good deal to me.

I therefore would like to see it removed. As this trait was used mostly in PvE it should be replaced by something that makes up for this. Because mesmers are mostly welcomed because of their ultilies and reflect, I would suggest to move Warden’s Feedback there and add about 25% reflect dmg to ALL of the mesmer skills that reflect. Considering the mesmers damage modifiers compared to those of the guardian I don’t think that would be much to high.
This also solves the problem for PvE mesmers that they would have to trade much damage in order to drop one traitline so that they can take Inspiration which contains nothing else that suits the berserker meta.

Evasive Mirror could then be moved to Inspiration so that it can be combined with Blade Training and so presents another defensive option for reflect instead of Warden’s Feedback.

A wekaer form of Harmonious Mantras could be fashioned as a Master trait (just remove the damage?) in Duelling to complete the line. So it can be equipped without sacrificing any of the GM traits instead.

Or in short:

1. Remove the damage from HM and make it an Master trait
2. Move Evasive Mirror to Inspiration instead
3. Make Warden’s Feedback the new Duelling GM trait and add 25% reflect damage

And I would like to to see Temporal Enchanter giving stability instead of super speed!

I think of Harmonious Mantras as an really terrible trait in the way you have to play in order to utilize it. To waste your utility skills and deeply restrict your playstyle just for some <12% per cent dmg if you try to optimize it? Doesn’t sound like a good deal to me.

I therefore would like to see it removed. As this trait was used mostly in PvE it should be replaced by something that makes up for this. Because mesmers are mostly welcomed because of their ultilies and reflect, I would suggest to move Warden’s Feedback there and add about 25% reflect dmg to ALL of the mesmer skills that reflect. Considering the mesmers damage modifiers compared to those of the guardian I don’t think that would be much to high.
This also solves the problem for PvE mesmers that they would have to trade much damage in order to drop one traitline so that they can take Inspiration which contains nothing else that suits the berserker meta.

Evasive Mirror could then be moved to Inspiration so that it can be combined with Blade Training and so presents another defensive option for reflect instead of Warden’s Feedback.

Maybe a wekaer form of Harmonious Mantras could be fashioned as a Master trait (just remove the damage?) in Duelling to complete the line.

The Mini Festive Lord Faren is currently available for 500 gems. As it is a minipet and miniatures are always available for 350 gems I guess (and hope) this is a bug as I see no reason why it’s price is nearly 1,5 times higher.

Did Wicked Rodeo yesterday with a group. After we found out that reflect and absorbs works for the walls, we finally managed it. If you have enough reflect to perma reflect/absorb walls it gets easy as you just have to stand close and avoid standing in the sandstorms.

I dislike this new wardrobe. There are no good points for me in it. I like to switch outfits often and have several sets to do so. I surely will not spend transmutation charges for my whole armor every day. That’s just ridicilous. I do hope the armor pieces will keep their appearance if I just switch from the inventory like I used to, because otherwise it will make everything far worse.
What I hoped for was something that required transmutation charges to unlock skins, but when unlocked for this char I can switch whenever I want to. And to unlock stat combinations as well so I don’t need an armor for every combination as well.

I was doing Fractals today and noticed that no vulnerability and cripple was applied to the target when I immobilized it. While I activitated a console in atherblades fractal and got immobilizied, vulnerbility and cripple was also applied. When I switched to another trait only immobilize was applied.
So the trait actually applies vulnerability and cripple to myself when someone immobilzes me, which makes this trait worse than useless.

Why it is necessary to change stats of ascended gear like you do with legendaries and why twinks are a problem
I think this is really necessary. Ascended gear was intended to be something between legendary and exotic. It doesn’t feel that way though, at least not for me. You craft yourself a legendary because you want the skin or show off. That’s basically what legendaries are for. You also get the stat swapping which is another reason and a pretty good one. The reason for going for ascended gear is to max your stats or because you want to play high-level fractals. It feels much more like a thing you need to do. I really like to play high level fractals and I like to play it with different chars. I don’t want to choose just one (not even sure who is my main). Making fractal level account bound (which was good, even though I had more than just one char on level 50) and making it much harder to max out AR for more than just one char feels just like a slap in the face. What makes it even worse is that I liked to switch by berseker armor to something more defensive for certain bosses. So I have more than one armor per char and multiple chars. I really don’t know what to craft first. To be able to change stats out of combat would make ascended gear much more valuable, decrease the amount you need to craft and make it a desirable goal that’s really worth the money.

Other ways to acquire ascended armor and weapons
So far I got 3 weapon chests out of fractals. It’s good that they drop there quite often because it’s the place you need them most. Unfortuantely one of those boxes had Shaman-Stats, which I really do not need at all. If you implement the stat switching this won’t be a problem in the future but if not, drops like this would be much more helpful if you can choose stats. I pretty much liked what you did with the jewelery. You can equip you char without spending much money (backpiece excluded). It would be great if you offer armor and wepons for laurels/guilds recommendations and especially fractal relicts as well. It would be great if ascended armor is also obtainable from dungeon tokens (which are also timegated so this wont be much of a problem). With the dungeon skin just that they cost maybe four times more than the exotic versions. It would be a pitty to lose this kind of way to equip you char with max stats. Same could be done for karma and WvW Armor.

Solutions for Alts
I like the idea of accountbound gear. This wouldn’t solve the problem though because your alt may not be able to equip the weapon/armor. A solution for fractals could be to make AR account bound. With every piece of ascendet gear you equip on a char for the first time you unlock a slot you can put AR into. This could be shown in a new window in the hero panel. This would solve the AR Problem when you play alts in fractals.
Reducing the crafting cost for every pice you have crafted before is another good solution. It also makes sense If you have made a coat before you know how to do it more efficient the next time you make it and therefore need less materials. This has to be capped for sure

Increase the ability to experiment with builds and let us change them more easily
Adding more skills is great (a lot of classes really need some decent options for elite skills) and it’s great you can switch utility skills outside combat. The problem is that builds depends very much on equipment and you cannot change them easily. If you want to switch from direct damage to condition you need a complete other set of gear to do it efficiently. This costs you a lot of gold and inventory space and chances exist you may find out you do not like that playstyle. This leads back to stat switching of ascended gear outside combat Also templates for builds like in GW1 would be great, with the ability to tag some favs for each char for fast switch. You may keep the 3 silver for trait switching if you really think this is needed, but let us change traits everywhere. In WvW you may want to skill completely different than in PvE, or in CoF Path1 you may find other traits appropriate than in fractals 40+. It just doesn’t make any fun traveling to a trainer, resetting your traits and then have to look carefully which traits you had in which builds. I think alot of people would like this, it prevents a class from getting boring because it would invite people to change their playstyle more often.

We had a similiar issue at Level 37 a few days ago. We wiped but the Firestorm didn’t really lose aggro (I’m not sure if we had aggro or Braham/Rox) and walked over the bridge and attacked us. We killed him but after he died he became invulnerable with just a little HP left. So we killed the Berserker just fine and hoped Firestorm would reset which he didn’t. We tried to lure the Firestorm back over the Bridge (he was still attacking us) but that didnt’t really work. We got him further to the right side (see screenshot) but he still seemed to be hanging on the bridge. When we wiped he was back on the other side of the bridge. (We hoped we could fight him when he is in the middle.)

We had to abort the run unfortunately. I cannot remember if we saw the video sequence after the first kill.

No, I hate the new ascended items.

I really don’t like item progression. I really loved that I can play DoA in GW1 with every char I have, even if he just posses a random max armor. All I need to know is how to play the class. I don’t want anything to get easier because of my equipment. I want it to get easier because I get better. It’s a much greater challenge if you need do try a lot until you learn how to avoid dmg and learn the week points of the enemy. Or to use you environment for your purpose.