Showing Posts For Suzut.4905:
I have always done a hybrid Phantasm build for PvE:
http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.1|6.1o.h17|b.1o.h8.a.1o.h1|1o.719.1o.719.1o.719.1o.719.1o.719.1o.719|1g.67.1i.67.1i.67.1i.67.1i.67.1i.67|a3.f2.0.p45.k3a|0.0|31.35.36.3l.3q|e
You can do quick bursts with shatter abilities off Scepter clones and Duelist; you then switch into Warlock and Staff clones for sustained damage. I added Signet of Illusions, but I am not sure if I will be keeping it, since I am used to shattering my Duelists after their first or second volley (but ~13500 HP means they can survive two or three hits). I usually pack Radiation Field, since I am Asura.
You can swap Scepter for Sword if you would like, but I find no reason to close to melee range.
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Wow. Phantasms got a huge buff, especially for PvE. They might actually be able to take more than one hit at a time now. Haha.
Sure, you don’t want to do pure condition, but hyrbid condition seems acceptable. It’s not really random with the right stats. It’s a bleed whenever a Phantasm crits. And they crit with a very high percentage chance. Duelists and Warden seem to be the best for this. (I use Scepter+Pistol/Staff in sPvP, but sometimes tinker with Sword+Focus. and Scepter+Sword)
Sure. In WvW, you have a different role to play. I would not even bring a Phantasm build into a zerg fight. But how about sPvP, where single target damage matters?
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@Crossplay
Yes. Because I would be getting 8 checks. Who gives a crap if it does not trigger 16% of the time? YOU GET EIGHT GOES AT IT. You’re looking at 99%+ probabilities that it will trigger at least once, and the expected number of crits is 6-7. I mean, really, if you think like this, WHY BUILD CRIT AT ALL?
I mean, there is no other SINGLE ability more efficient for bleed stacking than this. Even the Warrior’s Sever Artery chain is less efficient.
Phantasmal Duelist: 8*.84 = 6.72 per volley, one volley every 4.8 seconds, 1.4 bleeds per second
Warrior: 2 stacks every 1.5 seconds, 1.333 bleeds per second
I mean, yes, Warrior has more bleeding options, like Impale and Riposte, but these had ~15s cooldowns. I really must underscore just how individually efficient Phantasmal Duelist is, especially in the light that it is RANGED and INDEPENDENT OF LINE OF SIGHT.
EDIT: Here is an old blog post that examined the efficiency of Sharper Images: http://www.suburbanlion.com/?p=387
His attack speed estimates are actually too slow. We now know that Duelists shoot faster than we previously believed, and that Sharper Images is virtually mandatory on any Sword+Pistol Phantasm build.
(edited by Suzut.4905)
Am I the only one who realizes that with Fury and Haste, Duelists shoot 8 times every 4.8 seconds with an 84% chance to crit and proc Sharper Images? It seems very reliable to me. Throw in a Staff clone and a Warlock to even out the damage. ._."
Bleed-stacking works fairly well… if you’re not 1v1ing a Necro or something. xD
Theden is correct. The stat boost is very significant, especially in sPvP. I am thinking that everyone with any reliance on Condition damage ought to be considering using it.
I think Signet buffs HP in intervals. So your Phantasm usually spawns without the HP bonus. (Or did they fix this?)
In any case, I think the best solution is to space your Phantasms out with range.
What bobross said. The problem was Glamour, not Confusion. Though they did nerf Blinding Befuddlement too. =\
The problem with pure Condition is that it’s not consistent. Pure Power may have to contend with toughness, but at least the numbers are big enough to push through in spite of it. Hybrid seems to be the most viable option for Condition, pretty much exclusively due to Sharper Images and its interaction with fury/haste Phantasms—stack lots of Crit Chance, Crit Damage, and Condition, balancing with Power. =(
Anyhow, back on topic: Sigil of Domination for more CC and 180 Condition?
Well, to be clear: They nerfed Confusion in WvW. It has always had that damage in sPVP (because durability is harder to come by). I do not see the rush to get rid of Confusion in any context but WvW; Glamour Mesmers took a huge hit.
Anyhow, some context: I am currently running a hybrid phantasms build, focusing on critting and bleed-stacking with Duelists. 180 Condition is a good chunk of damage.
Basically, it’s your usual hybrid PvE phantasm build with 15 Inspiration moved into Dueling. (In an environment where you have to do trade-offs, the Precision, Crit Damage, and Pistol buffs are more important than HP and a 15% Phantasm damage buff.)
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So they doubled the Condition bonus on Signet of Domination (from 90 to 180). Does anyone think it’s worth it now?
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As a WvW weapon, yes, the Scepter is dead. The only reasons why we tolerated the terrible #1 was because it offered a huge amount of Confusion stacks. We might as well run Sword+Pistol in all cases for PvP now.
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Wait. You have 3000 Power? As in, the base stat? How the hell?…
This is true. I personally like running away. Sword+Focus and Scepter+Pistol for me. xD
Keep Sword+Pistol; if you do Rampager, Scepter+Pistol is better, since you have equivalent damage at melee range and get the buffed Confusing Images. But if you’re going to focus on Duelists in PvP (which I recommend you do!), Sharper Images is key. High crit chance and a condition damage component will help. Duelist’s Discipline also lets you deploy your Duelists from 1200 range.
Survivability? Mesmers are inherently survivable. Sword+Focus gives you distortion, knock down, and swiftness. Scepter+Pistol gives you a block/blind and a stun. Staff gives you a backwards dash and boons literally on a stick. If anything, you can always run away.
In a Phantasm build, it’s all about buffing your phantasms. Virtually everything in your build should benefit them somehow. The only things to use for yourself pretty much should be your Sigil of Air and Runes for mobility.
Interesting. You’re willing to sacrifice both 15% bonus damage traits from 25 Inspiration and Domination III (Empowered Illusions) for a brief period of Protection and Regeneration?
If I were to give up 10 Domination, it would be going into Duelist like so:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgQQNAW7alwzKqnUzpGa9IxZGQP6oUgdvXmBuzNA;TsAg1CnoixEjIGbMuYkxsiYQxmAA
You can swap Staff for Sword+Focus and move 5 points from Duelist to Inspiration for Warden’s Feedback. This is much more reliable mobility (and totally hoses ranged enemies).
@Pyroatheist
I am not a big fan of Signet of Illusions. I would advise him to protect himself rather than his Phantasms. ><
But you are absolutely right about the cooldown.
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Sword + Focus and Staff/Greatsword. Focus on Power and Precision.
Why bother? You switch gear really often up until your first exotic set. But I suppose you can keep one look and constantly transmute it with your <80 stones
ANet did a great job with stats balancing (the only stat that feels underpowered is Healing Power), so just pick some key metrics, like 40% crit damage, 40% crit chance, 17k HP, etc. and see how much power and condition damage you can get. DPS is not the end-all of GW2; durability and utility matter.
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@Cataca
Right. Just wanted to clear up how the build works. It doesn’t do to compare stats when it’s the traits buffing the Phantasms that make it work.
I think that there are two types of Condition builds. The first is the hybrid Phantasm build, which focuses on Bleeding. You stack Condition, Precision, and Power to have high Duelist and Warlock damage. The other is the shatter/glamour build, which is bulkier and relies on Confusion.
I ran Pyroatheist’s Berserker-based build for awhile, and I think that Rampager is different in that it is a more DPS-oriented approach. You see, the problem with pure Berserker gear is that you have only one real phantasm to work with, the Warlock. (Wardens die instantly in a fight, Berserker and Duelist are really inconsistent, and Duelists sort of suck without Sharper Images.) Pyroatheist was a genius and solved the problem by speccing 30 into Inspiration for durability and Restorative Mantras, so you could afford to drop Warlock and Staff Clones, then do nothing but heal your teammates in the downtime. My build does not have that, but it’s because I am constantly switching between Pistol and Staff to summon high damage phantasms and lack the time to heal people.
@mattenator
Yeah. Your build probably wants to go all the way and do shatter/glamours for Confusion. That or go hybrid Phantasms like me.
Also… unless you have the Ascended gear, I would use exotics as a baseline for comparison.
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@Cataca
I think your comparison is fundamentally flawed. In a Phantasm build, your stats only matter in that they transfer to the Phantasm. Unlike in a shatter build, it is the Phantasm, not the player, that does the damage.
Phantasms have Fury and many more trait steroids (two 15% damage and 20% haste) than you get in a shatter build (20% damage). The effective drop in damage is not so severe as 30%. I will show you the numbers to prove this.
For reference, I will be using the “Heavy Shattercat” build, which I will post for the OP’s benefit:
http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.1|6.1g.h1h|c.1g.h17.a.1n.h1|1g.71a.1g.71a.1n.71a.1g.71a.1p.71a.1g.71a|1i.67.1i.67.1i.67.1g.67.1g.67.1i.67|a1.u49a.0.0.u36b|0.0|31.3d.35.3a.3q|e
As you can see, the Power difference is 90%, not 80%, and you sacrifice 3000 eHP for the Shatter build. Maybe you are thinking about Ascendent-geared builds?
Anyway, here is the calculation for the critical damage coefficient:
Shattercat: 1 + (1.2)(.5 + .96)(.4086) = 1.7158672
Phantasm: 1 + [1.2][1+.15+.15][(.5 + .51)(.62)] = 1.976872
I will concede that this is a naive comparison. A Shatter build definitely deals a lot more upfront damage, and it has different base values based on the number of illusions (and if you have Illusionary Persona). Furthermore, phantasms have different attack speeds and are affected by haste differently. It also doesn’t take into account the problems in setting up or maintaining the illusions (like a pseudo-pet class). But the numbers seem heavily stacked in their favor, especially since phantasms shoot faster than shatters cool down.
In conclusion, I think it’s clear that Shatter definitely is more flexible in WvW and PvP, where burst damage dominates. But in PvE, where you’re just wailing on a boss and trying not to get killed by <BIG FIREBALL>, I really think Phantasms are the way to go. Seeing a Warlock crit on a fully-conditioned boss makes you blink a couple of times. Plus, you can always swap out Mender’s Purity for Restorative Mantras and heal your entire team for 2-3k every few seconds.
@mattenator
In my experience, Bleeding and Poison are where the damage is at. If you want to do confusion, you might want to pursue a pure Condition build rather than the hybrid I posted above.
@grimmson
A combination of Rampager and Cavalier works fine for me. =\
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Our upfront DPS and AOE isn’t exactly great, but our survivability makes up for it.
Lucky for you, I just wrote this up in another thread. COPY PASTA!
I run a hybrid Phantasm build:
Staff / Scepter+Pistol / Trident
Ether Feast/Mirror Images/Phantasmal Defender/Radiation Field/Time Warp
10(III)/15(II)/0/25(IV,V)/20(III,X)
Weapons: Rampager; Sigils of Fire / Perception+Accuracy
Armor: Rampager; Runes of the Undead
Trinkets: Berserker Amulet, Cavalier Accessories, Rings, and Back; Exquisite Ruby Jewel
(edited by Suzut.4905)
I run a hybrid Phantasm build:
Staff / Scepter+Pistol / Trident
Ether Feast/Mirror Images/Phantasmal Defender/Radiation Field/Time Warp
10(III)/15(II)/0/25(IV,V)/20(III,X)
Weapons: Rampager; Sigils of Fire / Perception+Accuracy
Armor: Rampager; Runes of the Undead
Trinkets: Berserker Amulet, Cavalier Accessories, Rings, and Back; all use Exquisite Ruby Jewel
Mesmers should have reliable survival skills; as it stands, Scepter #2 does not block multi-part attacks. And this is not Distortion. They would still be affected by AoE/DoT/Conditions. (Think of shielding mobs. They have the same ability.)
Blurred Frenzy is 2s of invulnerability ontop of an AOE melee attack. I somehow doubt the bar is being set too high here.
Renewed Focus does more than just provide invulnerability. -_-
ONE stack of confusion on every OTHER attack (counting the .5s wind-up, this is not as bad as you think). Downed Mesmers confuse every attack.
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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.
Agreed with the comments above. Scepter might be as good as, if not better, than Sword for condition/hybrid builds in close quarters.
I sort of wish they did this instead though:
1a: Deals damage.
1b: Deals damage. Applies Confusion.
2a: Blocks ALL attacks for 1.5s.
2b: Applies Blind. Creates a Clone.
I really hate how Scepter Clones only do #1a. I also hate the redundant #1b step. They should just let us confuse every other hit with Scepter on. As for the #2, blocking only one spell is pretty lame, and creating a Clone should be optional.
I used to run this for PVE:
http://www.gw2build.com/builds/simulator.php#1.8.7.3.0.20.23.17.0.4.180.196.197.0.0.5.5.6.528.0.0.542.549.550.0.0.0.575.0.0.588.595.0.10.30.0.10.20
It focuses on hybrid damage. Direct damage, as well as condition stacking with iDuelist and Staff Clones. I’m Asuran, and I use Radiation Field and the defensive golem in dungeons and whatnot. You can pick up Scepter over Sword if you dislike fighting close quarters. If you do, swap out Compounding Power for Master of Misdirection.
It’s nice because you can run this on Ascalonian gear (Rampager armor and Soldier weapons).
I have been testing Pyroatheist’s PVE Support build though.
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Right, I can see how Great Sword would want the 10 Domination instead. But being able to summon iDuelist every 12 seconds, as well as a stun, from outside most enemy AoE is pretty useful.
Also, iDuelist stacks bleed very efficiently with a high crit rate, and it bypasses defenses, so I would not underestimate how much damage it can do in a PvE situation. I remember someone actually did a mathcraft for it a few months ago.
@Pyroatheist
I looked that up… and it’s almost exactly what I use (a Power-based Phantasm build). Except I use Sword/Pistol instead of Great Sword, and thus, the 10 Domination goes into Dueling for Sharper Images and Duelist’s Discipline. XD
@Pyroatheist
I see.
I meant that this is a Power-based build, so I found it confusing why I would need traits that are mostly for conditions.
You can never have too much reflect. Especially since reflect is stationary, but Magnetic Aura is not. But I can appreciate the Melandru setup for duels and PvP. Any alternatives to Rune of Melandru for when I am PvEing? Or is that the optimal choice there as well?
Hi, I’m coming back from a long hiatus, and I think my Phantasm build is woefully obsolete. In any case, I was thinking of transitioning into something like this, but I have a question, and perhaps, unless things have totally changed while I was gone, a solution.
My question is this: Can someone explain to me why the OP suggest 30 Illusion? I understand that Illusionary Persona is a very powerful trait, as is the 3-4 stacks of Might that you would get from Shattered Strength. However, I do not think that it is worth 20 trait points, as it does not seem worthwhile to invest so heavily in a tree that is not based on condition damage, which is what Confusion derives its damage from.
Would a 10/0/20/30/10 build work? I would essentially move the 20 points into Domination and Inspiration. (LINK: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgQQNAW8dlwzKq3UTpGaNJhJF9G5neA9l/cUF2OpCwG;TsAA1Cto2xsjYH7Oudk7sgY8xGEA)
The 10 points of Domination synergize with the usage of Cry of Frustration to proc Retaliation (which is Power-based) and Into the Void (which counts as an AoE knockdown and thus, an interrupt). This basically adds ~6 stacks of Vulnerability to your target.
The 10 points of Inspiration get you Restorative Illusions, which has potent synergy with Mender’s Purity. Shattering essentially cleanses off conditions.
I keep 10 points in Illusions for Confusing Cry.
Oh, and I also use Runes of the Earth. They significantly boost your Protection uptime on top of all your random boon generators and Illusionary Membrane, and Magnetic Aura is another reflect effect ontop of all of this.
Scepter’s auto-cast is terrible because it will inadvertantly poof your Phantasms. But it applies conditions (especially Confusion) like no other.
Anyhow, I do not use mainhand sword because I don’t want to get into melee range; most of my damage comes from Phantasms and conditions that I apply from afar. Furthermore, Illusionary Leap also creates a mediocre Clone. Blurred Frenzy is an excellent spell, but it’s worth giving up Illusionary Counter and Confusing Images.
[Guide] What everything actually does. All your mechanics questions answered.
in Mesmer
Posted by: Suzut.4905
Oh, and if sigils apply to the Phantasms summoned by that weapon, do they inherit on-crit effects? Or is this only static bonuses only, like +Crit Chance or +Damage?
[Guide] What everything actually does. All your mechanics questions answered.
in Mesmer
Posted by: Suzut.4905
Are conditions applied upon Clone death affected by Condition Duration?
Are conditions applied by illusions affected by the secondary stat bonuses of traits? For example, Critical Damage from Dueling and Condition Duration from Domination.
What is the priority for illusion replacement? It seems that a new illusion will always try to replace the oldest Clone or , if there are no Clones, the oldest Phantasm.
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I run a Phantasm Hybrid build. That is, I focus on Precision to allow Phantasms to hit with crits and conditions. Duelists apply lots of Bleeding and Warlock hits like a truck with lots of unique conditions on the target plus a 79% chance to crit.
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This has never been a question about “busy” vs “non-busy”. People are interested in playing EFFECTIVELY. Phantasms are stronger and more consistent DPS by far. Shatter is a very inconsistent and, quite frankly, weak playstyle.
Instead of bashing others for playing with builds that work, maybe you should offer constructive suggestions to enhance the viability of a Clone/Shatter build.
If you use Phantasms, keep them alive.
If you use Clones, shatter them. Really, the defensive staff specs all just produce craploads of Staff Clones and just inflict shatter and condition damage.
I think the stigma comes from GW1. Apparently, Mesmers sucked in PVE there.
But yeah, Mesmer is a class that stands in the back and throws down AOE support and single target damage.
It may also depend on your race. I play an Asura Mesmer, and I tend to use a lot of racials in dungeons.
I think there needs to be a mechanic that just prevents you from casting spells when you’re not in range when you begin casting.
I dislike shattering, but I disagree on most of the OP’s other points.
The real problem is how inapplicable most of the shatter spells are to a multitude of builds. They should remove the cooldown on Mind Wrack and make the other abilities spells that enhance illusion deaths; Mind Wrack should trigger all on-death abilities. This would make it so that even if you run a Phantasm build, the shatter spells are helpful.
STATS/UPGRADES
Stat priority is meant to emphasize critical hits to allow you and your illusions to proc Bleeding with Sharper Images. Thus, I selected the Rampager Amulet and Gem.
Do not underestimate the amount of non-condition damage that you do deal; you crit for 1.7x damage and actually have only ~600 less Power than a traditional Phantasm build.
Sigils
Sigil of Superior Earth: I chose this sigil because it has the highest percent chance to proc a condition.
—Alternative: Sigil of Superior Ice, which makes for impressive kiting power and adds another unique Condition.
Sigil of Superior Doom: Free poison stack on swap.
—Alternative: Sigil of Superior Accuracy, which adds a bit more crit chance.
Runes
4 Superior Rune of the Nightmare: +83 Condition Damage, +10% Condition Duration
2 Superior Rune of Lyssa: +25 Precision, +10% Condition Duration
It is typical to run 6 Superior Rune of Nightmare, but a 10% increase in Condition Damage does not necessarily translate into a 10% increase in overall damage from conditions; on the other hand, a 10% increase in Condition Duration does in the case of Bleeding (it is difficult to be sure with Confusion). In any case, this build gives a 30% increase in Condition Duration.
TRAITS
Traits are the meat of any real build, and I have selected a rather well-rounded set meant to maximize the use of my Phantasms and the duration of my conditions.
A quick note before I begin: The 10 points in Domination can be reallocated into Dueling or Chaos; for the former, you can get Desperate Decoy, for the latter, Illusionary Defense. The example I provided above put them into Domination for the Power, increased Condition Duration, and the steroid for my Phantasms.
Domination – 10
Illusion of Vulnerability: This is a bit of a freebie, but it allows your Magic Bullet to apply Vulnerability to two targets.
Empowered Illusions (III): This allows your Phantasms to hit quite a bit harder, especially your Warlock.
Dueling – 20
Critical Infusion: You’re pretty much going to have Vigor at all times.
Phantasmal Fury (II): 10 points to give Fury to your Phantasms? This is a sizable increase in damage (14%) in and of itself.
Sharper Images: This is probably the best 15-point investment you can make in this build. Combined with Phantasmal Fury, your Phantasms have a 79% chance to proc Bleeding with each attack. Duelist in particular is scary with this trait, since he attacks 8 times every 6.5 seconds.
Duelist’s Discipline (IX): This allows your Duelist to outrange virtually every other class. This is essential in creating a sort of layered defense for a control point or for harassing enemies from afar. The cooldown also stacks with Illusionist’s Celerity.
—Alternative: Desperate Decoy (V), which gives you another escape from a bad situation.
Inspiration – 10
Vengeful Images: A Defender with Retaliation is surprisingly powerful; I am unsure if the redirected damage procs Retaliation, but this freebie is pretty impressive.
Persisting Images (V): This is a nice boost to the durability of your illusions.
Illusions – 30
Illusionist’s Celerity: Reduces the cooldown on all of your Phantasms, as well as defensive spells like Decoy, which produce illusions.
Master of Misdirection (V): A huge increase in the duration of Confusion.
Illusionary Retribution: If you do use Cry of Frustration, it’s another Confusion stack, but this is mostly a freebie.
Blinding Befuddlement (IX): A lot of your spells inflict Blind, so this is a solid choice.
—Alternative: Illusionary Elasticity, which really improves your Staff’s auto-attack and Magic Bullet.
Shattered Strength: Yeah… I never shatter except to finish off a target or when I want a free Might stack.
Phantasmal Haste (X): Another awesome increase in Phantasm DPS. Note that the phrasing of this trait is off, it is actually a 25% increase in the attack speed of your Phantasms, not a 20% decrease in their cooldown time.
SKILLS
Scepter/Pistol
1 – Ether Bolt: Terrible in every way. It deals poor damage for its cast time and creates a weak Clone that might poof a Phantasm or Staff Clone. I almost never use it.
2 – Illusionary Counter: I would not ever want to use the block component. Not only do you get a weak Clone, it is tricky to time in a fight and you miss out on a free Confusion stack that comes with the Blind.
3 – Confusing Images: Pretty much the only reason why you use Scepter over Sword. It deals a good chunk of damage and applies 5 stacks of Confusion.
4 – Phantasmal Duelist: An amazingly powerful Phantasm for this build. He has incredible damage, range, and his unload-like attacks apply multiple stacks of Bleeding to enemy targets (7-8 stacks of Bleeding every 6.5s). He is also a projectile combo finisher, so each of his attacks while standing in Null Field or Chaos Storm have a 20% chance to apply Confusion.
5 – Magic Bullet: Another amazing spell. Multiple target CC with a guaranteed 2 second stun on the primary target is nothing to sneeze at. It’s also another projectile combo finisher, so try to stand in a combo field when casting.
Staff
1 – Winds of Chaos: Applies a condition and deals damage, then bounces to apply another condition to another enemy or boon to an ally. Very strong in team fights and the Clones produced by Staff are totally viable.
2 – Phase Retreat: Instant scoot that doesn’t interrupt casting and creates a Clone. Great for kiting; I like using this when chased to suddenly change direction.
3 – Phantasmal Warlock: Doesn’t stack conditions like your Staff Clones or Duelist, but it deals a massive amount of damage, since every unique condition increases his damage output by 10% (expect to see at least 2 conditions on any target).
4 – Chaos Armor: Although this is a strong defensive spell, I would actually avoid using this spell unless someone is really dogging you; it makes you easier to spot.
5 – Chaotic Storm: Great setup spell that also is an Ethereal combo field. I typically open up Staff with this spell. Use Phase Retreat to get a free Chaos Armor and stay inside the field so you are harder to spot; most people will not want to walk into hostile combo fields.
Healing
6 – Ether Feast: You will typically always have three illusions up, so this provides the most heal.
Utility
7 – Decoy: This is an instant stun-breaker and escape that benefits from Illusionist’s Celerity. Be sure to note that damage over time numbers still appear while you are invisible.
8 – Phantasmal Defender: Your third phantasm. It significantly reduces the ability of enemies to burst you down.
—Alternative: Blink, which is another instant stun-breaker and escape. I really think Defender carries its slot pretty well though.
9 – Null Field: Removes all conditions on allies and boons on enemies for 7 seconds. Is also an Ethereal combo field. Great utility in both solo and team fights.
Elite
0 – Mass Invisibility: Takes a bit of time to cast, but it is a decent escape spell and makes for strong surprise attacks at the start of any sPVP match.
—Alternative: Moa Morph, which is probably the most powerful CC spell in the game right now.
INTRODUCTION
So I will freely admit that I am not the best Mesmer in North America or anything like that, but having played this game these past few weeks, I have learned many things about Mesmer, and I wanted to share the build that I have found most effective for sPVP.
To really understand my build though, you must understand the philosophy behind the choices that I made. This was originally meant to be a Condition build. However, as many of you will eventually discover if you pursue it, a pure Condition build is mediocre at best; Power builds will outdamage you against all but the toughest targets.
Anyhow, while researching other builds, I noticed the trait Sharper Images, which is a mainstay in Phantasm builds, and it made me realize something very basic: Condition builds are about applying conditions and Power is not wasted in such a build. So why not build as a hybrid?
The result of that line of thinking is this build. It is a Phantasm build that places a heavy emphasis on dealing damage from afar using both attacks and conditions.
Here is the build presented in a third party skill editor:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fgQQNAW7alwzKqnUTqGbNJxpCRH1jrXdvTqgqLpA35G;T4Ag1Cqo+yUkoI7XuvkftqYUxpidHvKmEA
(It is an external site, so you will have to copy and paste the link.)
I am pretty sure that there is a percentage chance of Duelist projectiles proccing combo fields.