Guild Wars 2

Thanks. So what kind of build is that ie traits… a mantra build? There doesn’t seem to be much else in the higher tiers of domination without doing shatter.

I suggest you look at making a guardian or mesmer.

Go guardian if you want to wear heavy armor, protect people and make them love you, but don’t mind not dishing out a ton of damage yourself.

Go mesmer if you want to play a light armor class that provides utility and support (but not healing) for your group.

For an easy class (and people will roll their eyes at “yet another”), go warrior.

For a hard, but rewarding class, go elementalist (groups like them but they are hard to play well).

Groups don’t really love rangers or necromancers right now. They are okay, just not loved.

Thieves are mostly loaners, but in groups people like the stealth they provide.

Not really. The red circles indicate that a mob is preparing to use a skill in the area of the circle (ie attack). It doesn’t mean you necessarily have aggro. Could be that someone near you has aggro, for example, but the skill being used is an AOE skill.

Either way, best to get clear asap. Most of the time you will have a second or two when the red circle appears to get out of the way.

I play mainly a pve/dungeons mesmer. Last night my warden failed to attack 3 separate casts in a row. I have had enough of this bug, and with temporal curtain’s spotty reflect ability. I would like to get away from focus, at least for now. Also, I think I might add a greatsword for a ranged option for world events/wvw zerg and dungeons like Sorrow’s Embrace where it adds some utility.

Here’s my old build, pretty standard mesmer phantasm build for dungeons: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgQQRAsc8dlwziqHTzqGaNJxZGMf5oPgdSFUdJF4m3A-jAyAYrBRTiCEVI0Jviox2GKiGruGT5SEVb3BAA-e

And the new build idea (under construction): http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgQQNAscRlwziqHTzqGaNJxpCMHlCsndSKUdqLpA38G-jACBYLCikIBiKAM5pIaslhFRjVXDT5iIq2uDAA-e

Here are the problems I saw from losing focus, and my thoughts to address them:

1. No swiftness -> Traveler’s Runes (I now have 6)
2. Focus pull -> GS#5 is not as good, but it’s something
3. No Ruby Orbs is less damage -> GS#2 might stack with bounce, 40% cd & 15% boon duration from Traveler’s Runes
4. No Phantasmal Strength -> 10 more points in Domination to get more power
5. Less reflects -> you got me here

Will you help me make it better, if possible?

1. Mesmer – so many bugged or broken skills (iWarden, Phantasmal Haste, etc.)
2. Necromancer – these guys are sometimes banned from dungeons.
3. Ranger – these guys also get banned in dungeons.

I think your first build is the “best,” mostly because phantasmal haste is bugged and won’t affect the phantasms for greatsword or focus.

Your first build, however, also provides a lot of support through vulnerability. With illusion of vulnerability, you will stack vulnerability a lot with gs #5 and focus #4. Not sure if the vuln will stack on bosses with defiant, though.

I am not sure you really need to trait all 3 weapons, but you definitely need to trait the focus. I might consider going with phantasmal fury instead of sword trait. Build #3 did not trait the focus, which essentially makes it a waste in my opinion. The best use of iWarden is the reflect. Curtain also reflects with the trait.

I’ve only been playing a couple of months, and I have only played as a mesmer (just crafted my first ascended weapon). I can answer from a dungeon and spvp perspective.

People still post “LFM zerker warrior/heavy only!” in dungeons, but I have never really had a problem finding a group for a dungeon run. People like mesmers for our reflects, portals and such.

Mesmers in spvp run phantasm builds, or condition PU builds, or very difficult shatter builds that I have yet to master. I am not very good at spvp, but I have maintained a 50% win ratio, which I suppose shows I am not completely horrible (just half bad). I understand good mesmers are really difficult fights.

As for eles, they are welcome in groups. I have seen many people ask for fiery greatswords and ice bows, which do high damage to bosses and structures in dungeons. I think they do ok in spvp, I am not sure.

Necromancers, unfortunately, are not as welcome for dungeon runs. Some groups exclude them entirely. That said, minion masters are a terror in spvp right now, at least for me. About the only thing I can figure to do is moa morph them, which is kinda cheesy. Also, condition necros are really tough for me too.

With the state of things as they are, what’s the current recommendation?

I was sold on getting “magic find” until I crafted my first ascended weapon and it cost me 80k karma. Now I’m thinking karma might be the best.

If it matters, I mainly do pve open world, dungeons and spvp. I plan on getting involved in fractals soon, but I’m on no rush there.

well, you can do what i did: just hotjoin spvp and take a crash course. i recommend you read the wiki on the map strategies first, but the best way to learn pvp is to do it!