Guild Wars 2

To me, it seems that each of your (#Starburst, #Nretep, #LordByron) builds both have their own set of pros and cons, and each of you weigh those differently. Also, these pros and cons might change depending on whether you PUG or run with an organized group (where you have really worked out your role in making the run as efficient as possible).

I think that each of your builds is solid! With the recent changes, I think this is where our “build diversity” will come in. Do you value IC enough to go 25 deep in illusions? Or do you say “no thanks” and split your points into domination, dueling, and inspiration? And since both focus on the mesmer’s main PvE ability of adding a lot of utility to the group, the other trait points are just nuances based on a person’s predilection.

keenlam.4753:

This is what I’m gunning for: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgEQRAra8dlwzKq3UzgGbNJipCBHaGXX1RqQpVmBudhA-jUzAItioRTBApKBj8ATfgIRIpQB1coyYVsIasaIMV6iq1xAeEGtaA-w

You use this in PvE? Do you run with a group that has all of the other reflects and utility needs covered? What is it about this build that makes it useful to a group in PvE (since condition damage is lackluster in PvE)?

I’ve switched to:

http://gw2buildcraft.com/calculator/mesmer/?4.1|c.1g.h4.d.1g.h1|c.1g.h1.c.1g.h1j|1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7.1g.a7|2s.d19.1g.67.1g.67.2s.d19.1g.67.1g.67|a3.u24a.0.u158.0|55.7|31.38.3m.3d.0|e

Which is essentially #Starburst’s build, but with no GS. However, I’ve been playing with the fixed iZerker and it’s very nice, and might make me switch to 20/20/0/30/0. The tradeoff, though, is: more ranged damage (phantasm) when the group does a ranged-only portion/boss versus the added melee survivability with deceptive evasion.

#Nretep, I have never been a fan of mantra’s, and with your build you would lose 2 trait slots for the mantras. However, I can see where the added healing can bring a not-so-synergized group through a fight. I’ll have to try them at some point (since all I have to do is switch out traits).

#LordByron claims that a 0/20/0/25/25 is, overall, a better build, stating the added DPS from the 20% cooldown of IC on both trash and bosses is better damage over the 15% phantasm damage loss from the domination tree. Although, is that using Precise Wrack and Compounding Power? I can’t test it atm, but I thought I read that only 2 of weapon specialization, IC, and Phantasmal Haste will work in phantasm cooldown reduction. Is this true?

I’ll be testing #LordByron’s suggested build later to see what I think!

I agree with everyone else; the skill is perfect in its present state.

After the patch, it seems that the majority of PvE mesmers (and I do solely PvE) aimed at utility run a build of the sort:

(10-20)/(20-30)/0/(20-30)/0

I’ve found shattered conditions to be lackluster; and also that I mostly stand in melee when I can (so I prefer not to take GS mastery, as Skoteinos does), so I run 15/30/0/25/0. (With empowered illusions in domination; DE,BT, and phantasmal fury in dueling; and then the glamour mastery and warden’s feedback traits in inspiration.)

So on a boss, I can pop a GS clone, produce a GS phantasm, produce a clone with sword 3, do an f3 shatter after the GS phantasm attacks, use TW, and if I have it on my bar, use signet of inspiration and then start pumping sword 1,2, and focus 5 (when up). This way the group has vulnerability for TW and the extra boons from SoI, in addition, I provide the group with a good amount of burst at the start of a fight. I also have the bonus of the grandmaster minor trait in inspiration for the phantasm damage.

I replace my GS with double swords if I know I won’t need any range, e.g., i’ll have greatsword out for backup on someone like mossman, and double swords for, say, son of svanir shaman on snowblind fractal)

However, I was wondering what other people have found successful. While I probably f1 shatter more than the typical phantasm build calls for (I’ll often shatter right before the cooldown to another phantasm is up), I only see the use of the extra 5 points in domination at the start of a boss (since I really only f3 when I have TW up) which almost feels like a waste.

So I am considering switching to 10/30/0/30/0 (because I simply love DE) and taking temporal enchanter for longer feedback and null field. What do you other PvE guys run and why? Do you get more synergy with something else?

Furesy.6935:

She mostly Shadowsteps to the player that is furthest away from her. If you pay close attention you can see when she is going to do it. She also points at you and shoots an electrical bolt (I believe), if that connects she will charge you. You have to dodge the chain of things she does before she shadowsteps in order to prevent/dodge the actual shadowstep attack itself.

Ahhh, so I need to dodge her animation (that I originally used as my “i will need to dodge soon” cue, and will now actually dodge) before the shadowstep. Great, thanks!

Question:

When Mai Trin does her shadowstep, where she essentially teleports straight to you and does that blue burst while inflicting cripple, how do you avoid the damage?

I have tried evading, blurred frenzy, and blinking away when she is halfway to me, but no dice, I always take about 5k damage. Is there a way to avoid this? I want to say that since I take damage even when I use blurred frenzy, the only way would be f4 (distortion) but I never tried it (and is only up once per minute anyway).

Chaos Archangel.5071:

Staff is our best defensive weapon, and a very one at that.

This.

The staff gives so much mobility and is what allowed me to take on multiple enemies as I was leveling. Sword/focus would be a good swap set (I used GS, but that was before I knew better). While you kill somewhat slowly, the staff will allow you to easily solo multiple mobs, veterans, and even some melee-only champions). Swap to it when you need to kite normal enemies while re-healing, then go back to sword/x.

DiogoSilva.7089:

In theory, evasion should mean that BF works like a dodge, which outside of retaliation, I’m not sure if it’s supposed to affect anything. The real nerf is the cooldown.

So I have been testing it in various places (PvE), and have found it to work the same (save for the increased cooldown). So this is really just a PvP/WvW nerf.

Ahh. I see. I primarily PvE so knowing about things like ‘not working on environmental traps’ is great to know. Thanks!

Blurred Frenzy: This is now evasion instead of immunity. This means it will be affected by retaliation. Increased the cooldown to 12 seconds.

I do not think I really understand the difference between evasion and invulnerability. Since using blurred frenzy should still dodge attacks, what will now affect a mesmer while using blurred frenzy that previously did not?

Pyroatheist.9031:

This isn’t really a tough question. 10/30/0/25/5 with full berserker gear is the most damage you can do with phantasms.

This.

Fuschia.6573:

Has ten times the flavor interaction between the name and current targeting system compared to the name and GTAoE.

Add that to the fact that there are plenty of utilities that have only niche uses and Feedback’s failure cases are niche and you really shouldn’t have any complaints here…

Agreed. Feedback is perfect as it is, IMO. Having the bubble automatically center on the player’s target is highly convenient; and as Fuschia states, the number of times in which this is a hindrance are few.

This was quite interesting; however, since you state that your intent is to better your writing, you may consider taking a refresher on punctuation/grammar rules. There are quite a few errors in that department. Below is a link to an excellent and very readable book:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eats,_Shoots_%26_Leaves

Disclaimer: I am certainly not a master of grammar and intend no negative criticism; I just though I would recommend a book that helped me.

Entropy.4732:

Okay, I got it. Sorry, but this contest is over. Thanks for playing.

Illusionary Victim
———————————
Creates a realistic decoy (or clone if there are more than 1 foes) of an enemy in a downed state, spamming abilities, calling to be rezzed. When foes rush over and start to heal the downed player, at first everything seems normal. Heal numbers pop up on the screen. But when the "player"’s health bar is full and they are rezzed (or when you hit the skill again), a shatter effect happens instead, damaging foes surrounding the illusionary victim and dropping a chaos storm field. Damage on the shatter is increased by how many foes are rezzing the victim.

Awww yeah.

Baha, I like this. Ignoring the fact that it would only work in PvP/WvW, as Chaos previously said; I chuckle to myself thinking of the complaints other people would make if this was an actual skill.

Phantasmal Stormer – Summon an illusion that creates a Chaos Storm centered on the illusion (and thus travels with the illusion). The chaos storm lasts for 5 seconds and occurs once every 15 seconds while the illusion is active.

I don’t have much background knowledge on the history of the iZerker bug, but couldn’t it be argued that the reason it does, say, 2500 damage with all four hits (including a few crits) is that it’s meant to hit multiple targets? Whereas the iMage hit’s a single target. Damage wise, if the iZerker hits multiple enemies, then it would do equivalent additive damage in relation to the iMage?

That’s always been my opinion, at least, since I started as a mesmer.

Aside from sometimes teleporting myself closer to the target with #2 (which can be annoying), I’ve always thought #3 was an excellent downed ability. When I am just roaming solo PvE and I go down to a veteran, I typically always rally against it if I am alive long enough for #3 to be available; which is why I have always thought it’s long cooldown was justified.

Your suggested #2/#3 both seem OP, in my opinion.

That said, I don’t really do any PvP, so I have no opinion toward the mesmer downed state on that front.