Guild Wars 2

Just one big flaw in your way of think. Like everyone who qqed about alacrity, you are assuming once again permanent alacrity, that is only achivable when specing multiple wells and 2 major traits. Balacing this skill around that will make useless for other builds that choose not to spec multiple wells/ both traits.

Also dont compare different skills in different classes. Wanna counterplay well of precog? Dont fight in that confined invuln zone for 3s. Kite. Simple. Hide from LoS if he dont follow.

Its a shame mesmer not only have no damage on weapon skills but also their damage moddifiers /stats are spread on 3 lines.
Domination have up to 12.5% from fragility
Dueling have up to 150 Ferocity
Illusions have up to 9% from compoundig power

so at most we can have 21.5% dmg mod +150 ferocity and we can not have chrono speced to bring all the madatory utility.
Also it was already mentioned its a pitty that this dmg mods are not sharable with phantasms, that detain like 60% of our total dps.

Added spoilers to shrink the wall of text to easier get to the point.

SuinegTsol.1729:

dont matter how many chronos you take, as long they got those epic 10 sec cd utilities they still be too op for casual gameplay!

Sure it matter how many more chronos you bring because (i understood your satire)

1- chrono dps increase buffs dont “stack” with more chronos
2- more chronos past 1 means less dps cause mesmer personal dps sucks.

Also, is funny when we see the whole picture of balance and biased changes:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/I-ve-been-thinking-Help-me-out-on-this/first#post5954338

So for the sake of simplifying the things lets consider 5-man party/sub-group (cause hopping is no longer possible) and boons/buffs things are for 5 man anyway.

What im wondering is:

How big of a boost is perma alacrity+quickness to the “meta” range of classes? Lets assume an average since this buffs dont affect all classes the same way. Lets assume also this are the only buffs being applied. So a clean build vs the same build buffed with this. How big the dps was increased for real?

And now lets assume a Warrior (PS). Same test conditions for the same “meta classes” and averaging it but now the total of boons/buffs are:

1070 Power ( 25 might = 750 + 170 from banner + 150 from Empower Allies)
170 Precision ( banner)
170 Ferocity (banner)
920 Condition Damage (170 banner + 750 from 25 might)

How big the dps increase is with this status?

Worth mentioning (but lets leave on hold for a second step):
Lets not be biased and consider, YET, that a warrior mantaining that buffs permantly is far more easy than a mesmer. Also that the personal DPS sacrifices (building to aim this support rather than going full dps) are not as big(as the full class potential) AND the dps itself of this class is far superior in the first place.
Also lets not bring to the table, yet, the amount of dmg increase conditions that each class can apply to a target (vulnerability for ex.)

Note. Ive chosen warrior for this example cause it is the icon of dps increase “support” class/build. But we can consider druid/ele/rev.. etc etc.
Obs: Did you get the point?

TheLilith.2849:

Anyway, actually alacrity got nerfed by 37,5% rather than 50%.

Actually it may be nerfed even further 50%. Arent you forgetting that alacrity uptime is also nerfed in here? If alacrity effect is nerfed, CD of skills that provide alacrity are longer. (as any other utility like quickness uptime also). And the numbers that have been around on forums take from granted 100% alacrity uptime.

TheFrighteningFrenchFry.3275:

SoI isn’t in the trashcan and shield wasn’t brought for alacrity ( https://youtu.be/M0c55SlQ3kE?t=1911 ).

Wow, the guy on that video is clearly wrong.. He assumes alacrity (old one) is a 25%, sometimes less dps boost or even 0% for thief! Balance dev said it is a 66% dps increase and between these 2 i will obviously pick the dev, he is Anet, and like other dude in other topic says, Anet knows better. Kappa.

Pointless… Ive posted 2 topics about it.. One especifically for mantra functionality and other with proposed changes to core mesmer (both on signature) long before “balance patch” and with even more slight but spot on changes not to freak out the devs/balance team.
Not even sure they are taken into consideration.
Last dev post on mesmer sub-forum was a reply to me saying to worry not about the preview balance patch being posted on PvP subforum because it was just to take feedback about amulet changes, yet balance was/is made with all gamemodes in mind.
Aaaand it was kinda right. It indeed “balanced” mesmer in all game modes (balance = nuke)

About OP sugestion. I like the phantasm skill “reworks”. Not sure if phantasms it self need to be further adjusted. Not like mesmer dps will sky rocket with 1 more dps skill while summoning a phantasm..
About the rest not rly sure yet, its hard to see the big picture when its all on text.

RIP all money invested in boon duration runes/sigils/gear.

Ppl usually take conclusions on what they are used to rather than the whole pictured.
Everyone got used to ele top god tier dps class. Once any nerf happens to ele dps (icebow for example) everyone says that ele is now trash and bla bla while it still is top tier.
Same for example for mesmer. Everyone got used to mesmer being trash/unused salvo nich cases. Once mesmer get in the picture, nerf nerf nerf.

Whats even worse is that anet listen to this/doesnt moderate against this qqing bs.

One-shot lupi on wall? Keppo.
Oh and btw, we can take screen-shots with it on city now!

Seriously now i think it could be done at least when snap aoes on target option got introduced. Even sugested that. The only positive good change made to mesmer. Probabily that and 3rd chain scepter not overwriting phantasms with clone. But scepter? Blegh..

Want extra dodges? Go rev or thief. 100% dmg mitigation…. if you use it for that rather than switfness buff or funky animation. Kappa.

You all crying cause thief this and that poor rev poor ele poor warrior poor guard etc etc etc…
All i think about is: wow thats my dps with a full buffed mesmer!

Nop, thief sucks not cause its role/stealth mechanincs/bunker meta/ conquest.
Buff its dmg/sustain/attack speed.

Ppl still dont die cause u are bad and still kill you cause u cant dodge and outsmart? nerf others and oh, buff thief some more.

PS: obviously pure bs in here, but its actually true. Step by thief forum and check the qqs cause staff dont do as much dmg as dagger and sword still needs more dmg.

Same for Moa. Heck some traits like rev shield hibernation still function during moa….

Yet, its purple cheese for common sense. Nerf them and still nerf the rest cause its how that we roll for mesmer.

Nerf moa and nerf signets trait cause moa is a signet! Must not kill, must completly nuke it. Kappa.

AtomsOrSystems.9420:

Exactly one of us.

Exacly like before the nerf! God forbid mesmer stacking! Or the only mesmer cover alacrity/quickness necessities (building all-in for it, sacrificing what we dont have) or sit on the bench and start handing over some water bottles (portals and veils)

Curunen.8729:

Well it looks like the last 6 months were extraordinary.

Now for the slow decline until the next Expansion/new overpowered Specialisation.

If you mean extraordinary = not “way worse” than mesmer are used to in every role. Yes finally. But it still was a long road to balance.

Honestly 6 months ago only made mesmers less “way worse” when comparing to other classes. Like giving a lollipop to a kid thats crying cause didnt got his toy tele-car.
The only thing that got better than other was bunker mesmer due to its res capabilities. A role that was created due to other classes/meta push. A role that was surprisingly good. Way too good.
But slow/quickness/alacrity nerf wasnt enough.

I think the way to balance isnt actually bring all classes in different roles par with each other. But rather have really High highs and Loooow lows. There! the highs balance with lows.

Simonoly.4352:

That sceptre auto-attack change seems to have been lifted straight out of the many sceptre threads on here. I might actually turn on the auto-attack now if I’m feeling super lazy.

I just liked the way they made it. (sarcasm)
So scepter is one of worst mesmer weps -> buffs = 5% and overdue QoL
Sword/Dagger of thief = best weapons ( and top dmg coeficients over all Sword/dagger wielders) -> buffs = 40% on dmg and ~30% (?) faster chain (attack speed)

I guess we got the amount of “love” when nerfing than other classes in buffing
Same applies to buffing: we got the same amount of love when buffing than other classes in nerfing.
Mesmer world is upsidedown. Kappa.

Healing scalling with healing power. Not the amount. (its a pothole “buff”).
Basically healing power will affect it. Yet you have to spend stats there to have any effect.
So lets all sacrifice offensive stats even more ( power/precision/ferocity/condi/condi duration) to support rather the same

Silverkey.2078:

FJSAMA.2867:

Silverkey.2078:

Honestly, this may be a small change, but this is huge for condition mesmer in PvE.
With duelist’s discipline buff + scepter QoL, I think condition mesmer will now be the highest possible DPS.

Doenst change the fact that torment/confusion conditions sucks in pve.
Meaning: ye its a buff in condi pve mesmer. No, still wont make it a thing.

Yes, which is why condition mesmer in PvE works with bleeds mostly. Now conditions should outDPS power.

You will still rely on AI (duelists) to apply it. (Ex. seekers will soak it up)

Silverkey.2078:

Honestly, this may be a small change, but this is huge for condition mesmer in PvE.
With duelist’s discipline buff + scepter QoL, I think condition mesmer will now be the highest possible DPS.

Doenst change the fact that torment/confusion conditions sucks in pve.
Meaning: ye its a buff in condi pve mesmer. No, still wont make it a thing.

Yep. Basically we knew only half of the nerfs.
The buffs were only on already useless things instead of lacking but usefull/better things.
Some QoL (feedback/ Ether Clone)
Rework/buff on scepter was basically the 5%

Rejoice!!

I agree with this idea, yet it doesnt necessarily mean that all the phantasms have to be nerfed acordingly. Shield have a strong effect and its phantasm also have condi/buffs considered strong. Thats why phantasm itself sucks (dmg/attack ratio).
Other off-hands lacks. Even the last (and not the phantasm) skill doenst match the multifaceted theme of ToT.
What im trying to say is that a straight buff to phantasms skills doing something while summoning the phantasms isnt nothing of this world to ask/think about.

I still didnt say anything about the changes because they are not all out ( yet im just waiting for 26th to rest my case. no hope)
But i can comment on the way they putted it. When the dev responsible for balance says that alacrity increased dps for 66% when in fact:

1- IF mantained 100% of time , it reduce recharges by 40%. (you have to stand still in that confined area and wait for 3s to get the last well pulse, the alacrity pulse)
2- you hardly can maintain it 100% of time in normal scenarios. (guess it was tested on golems). It is just easier to maintain on mesmer himself cause 50% trait.
3- It only boosts dps from those skills other than autoattack. So class that mainly autoattack to dps get little to no bonus
4- it only affects 5 ppl.
5- mesmer dps was low and still the lowest even if mesmer could mantain personal alacrity 100% (cause nr.3)

I could just say his way to balance was biased. Cause in fact alacrity “broke” the game cause it made dps god tier classes go even further (ele, warrior, engi, etc) and the only class that was fine in terms of dmg and was only in shade cause the way game functioned (conquest and raids) due to lack of offering party support than just dmg, was thief. And got no 5% boosts. Instead he made it 30%. And guess what. Thief is the only class that benefits even less from alacrity. Not only cause he is a autoattack class but also cause the way their wep skills work (and iniciative).
And ye, thiefs are also fasting for mesmers since the day traits got revamped and until the PU nerf. Also right after PU nerf more or less, rev took their place and bunker meta started. (no longer ezpz thief food, infact until PU nerf, mesmer could mantain stealth high enough to be the one having the 1st burst)

So ye. I guess is a way ppl could interpret things.

Also to answer to some comments i saw here:
Alacrity didnt balance the fact mesmer dps was low. In fact it have little effect on mesmer dps. What alacrity made was making mesmer viable/required cause introduced a strong (too strong) way of support that boosted a lot the other classes.
Dont mix up the things.

PS: Also dev agrees that stack mesmers (from 1 to 2 probabily) to benefit from alacrity is bad. But stack eles/wars etc is normal.

Didnt like the way they choose to put the things. Somewhere between lines was said smthg like: " we didnt want to nerf alacrity uptime instead cause it could be solved by stacking more mesmers".

Is fine to stack other classes with same or different build types (dps/condi/etc) except mesmer for its only role (support). Did they think that replacing other dps for mesmer for alacrity uptime would reduce the overall dps serving the why it was nerfed? (“increased party dmg for 66% and it was too much , so we nerfed”)

Also the nerfing blow to alacrity had the perfect situation in mind to claim the “66%” increase.. Wich only happens on hotm golems or skilled guilds.

Silverkey.2078:

Myrias.8732:

Silverkey.2078:

Actually not. Because the 40% increase DPS is counting quickness + alacrity, so halving only alacrity does not push the result to 20%. And even if it did, that would give us 80% (halved alacrity+quickness) + 40% (our own DPS) = 120%.

So still above average.

This calculation is assuming we can maintain 100% alacrity still.

If alacrity’s effect is halved, then the cooldowns of said skills that provide alacrity are increased. Longer CDs = reduced up time.

The question is if “bringing alacrity in-line” means literally reducing alacrity’s effect or just reducing the ways in which we apply alacrity.

This is true. To be fair, I hope they didn’t halve the effect, though I know a-net can be drastic sometimes. It was just to make a point. Their description is very vague “make it easier to balance” seem like they might have changed something fundamental on what alacrity is.

Also dont forget the math you made about pseudo-dps presumes optimal party members. IF their dps/rotations are not that optimal/perfect or even the classes are not the best/meta, all that will decrease even further.
Also remember they announced ele/druid/theif offensive buffs. Ele being dps god and druid also bringing some support….. i dont know.. lets wait and see.

Josh Davis.6015:

FJSAMA.2867:

Snip

Worry not, friend – the changes were actually announced in a neutral location (our blog). I spun up the thread in the PvP forums afterwards to start working on getting some more directed feedback on runes/amulets/sigils in PvP.

My advice about sigils:
Interrupt always was a subpar version of blind in pve. Now with breakbars is even worse.
In pvp is where they shine, yet this sigils are not available in pvp and most are meaningless (3s might for example) except (and maybe since we cant test them) the draining one and the boon steal.
This sigils could give a push to interrupt mesmer. Yet all the good traits about interrupt are so spread and chrono being mandatory to fade mesmer shatter/phantasm lacks apart from it utility (not forgetting shield#5 best rupt skill). Nonetheless i would like to give them a try at pvp.

3 big things that bothered me most:

-Balance announcement made on pvp sub forum (it says alot about their balance route)
-Only buff mentioned was scepter.
-Mesmer paragraph was the only one with a flavour text. Probabily to fill more lines/to stay true to that image about how Anet classes looked like from outside, being mesmer a girly purple cosmetic class only, trololol.

To be more in depth, alacrity nerf might result in 50% nerf of mesmer utility. Being the only thing mesmer brought in pve (utility), with the increase of ranger/ele offensive capabilities, quickness might not make it to hold up the only slot mesmer have and push him out from pve scene again.

In pvp alacrity and res capabilities nerf = mesmer bunker nothing more than a dead weight to hold points. Will the “old” shatter mesmer make it? Doubt it in it current state.

Still hoping thats not it for balance. One thing giving me hope was a dev post about balance was made with all game modes in mind. (Yet it kinda evens up with post on pvp sub-forum).

The whole picture still valid in that case
But staying on topic, i think op is right and doesnt make sense a trait casting a shield skill whithout a shield equipped.

Theres so many unfair traits when comparing ones to other classes. Not only weapon traits but also similar minor traits for vulns or bleeds etc.

For example:
Mesmer sword trait build up 15 ferocity stacks for 6s while attacking with sword (up to 150 ferocity )
Warrior axe gives permanent 150 for each axe ( 150 or 300) AND adrenaline on hit with the same CD reduction.

This only makes ppl frustated. I guess ones get loved more.

Added another suggestion change to uitility skills list:

• Feedback: Always felt this skill should be ground target since you couldn’t place it in a sweet spot in order to cover multiple trash mobs, versus tall targets that would make projectiles to fly over or to place it on your allies when taking fire from multiple directions.
  And now with the new option to snap ground target Aoes skills centered on foes this skill target mechanic became overdue. So my suggestion is gving this skill a ground target effect to promote skillfull play and better positioning.

DuckDuckBOOM.4097:

Basically, no amount of change to base class will make chrono not worth bringing right now. It has to be changes to chrono. That’s not to say that the base class doesn’t need a buff. It does.

Im not proposing balance to core specs/skills/utility to fade away how chrono perform but simply to take a step on fixing mesmer deficits. (they are even so slight that im sure its wouldnt change a bit in the “classes leaderboard”, but at least would be less frustrating).
This mesmer core problems still present today even if specing chrono! Yet as long as ppl have/give quickness and alacrity they think it is ok.
Try to reduce the group numbers from 10 to duos/solo, even on 5-man dungeons im still unsure that mesmer is meta spot.. i just think the powercreep from other classes that group in with a chrono is so big and things feels so good and fast that ppl think its ok. Cause in dungeons (and similiar content) you dont need that ammount of alacrity/quickness. Mobs die faster and you have dead/skip times to tivialize those. Just dont be narrow sighted and just see the meta pve and meta pvp chronos in their environments.

But since chrono was brought up i just make you a simple question:
In pve if a mesmer wasnt able to buff you with alacrity and this ammount of quickness would you take it in your squad?
In pvp if a mesmer wasnt able to sustain on point while supporting with some boons/revives would you take one in your team?
Im sure that no, and thats what happen with a mesmer without chrono..
Nerfing chrono cant be done at this point.. To be honest i dont even think chrono is OP compared with other specs… In pvp alacrity from wells can be boderline strong but that would require a split from pve to balance. Its just that in this meta, mesmer stands out because how conquest works and the mesmer highlights i made above. But this mesmer didnt make the meta, it was a forced adapation that mesmer had to have to be part of it.

But one thing im sure… Excluding Inspiration line, mesmer specs are underpowered compared to similar from other classes. Check mesmer vuln traits and the synergy in that lines. Check from other classes. Check mesmer bleed traits and their in-line synergys. Check others. Check mesmer weapons/its respective CD reduction traits. Check others. I dont want mesmer to be a copy of other classes, yet the difference is so big in similar things that is annoying.

TL:DR from last 2 paragraphs: Just forget the game modes where you see a chrono and its particular build. Go open world/solo dungeons/etc. content you can relative easly do with warrior/ele/engi/necro and so on. Now do it with a mesmer. Feel the struggle.

Jacob.4280:

This is not needed coz the CD of Mimic can already be lowered to the continuum split level via chaos traitline. This suggested change would in combination with chaos break and bring the Mimic mechanics up too high.

Hum.. having a spec line for mimic only sounds a bit too much. But also should reward a bit further who opts to go for it.. It is still 75 → 60s traited.. I dont think could break anything “today” since 90% of the utilitys overall are 60+ seconds anyway ( and from those 10% its mostly revive/banner abilities).
But its fair… We never know what utility they might add in the future.

Angel de Lyssa.4716:

Last several days, i thought a new idea:

Some permanent changes

• The projectiles of scepter now are very faster, striking with more precision a enemies, without delay chain AA skill. (Remain projectiles, but with the grandmaster trait “malicious sorcery” is very effective).

• A little increase of durations “conditions” of AA skill. (The clon attack torment duration is 1s).

• The third AA skill now inflict torment.

• Now when you control three clones, the third AA skill inflict confusion instead summon clon. (Both clones as phantasm, you are controls three clones)

Ether Bolt

Damage: 183
x1 Torment (4s) <——- New change (Before it was x1 Torment 2s)
Range: 900

Ether Blast

Damage: 183
x1 Torment (4s) <——- New change (Before it was x1 Torment 3s)
Range: 900

Ether Clone

Shoot out a third bolt of energy that damages and torment your target. Summon a clone that casts Ether Bolt. If you controls three clones, inflict Confusion instead summon a clone.

Damage: 275
x1 Torment (4s) <——- New change (Add x1 Torment)
x1 Confusion (4s) <——- New change (Add x1 Confusion when you controls three clones)
Range: 900

Most interesting change for me. Why? it fixes most deficits and lacks of scepter ( clunky animation, slow projectile, clone replacing phantasms when its full) and slightly buff to make it more appealing without deviate from it identity.

Coxy.5269:

Fair enough, I’m no master of balance. All i’m saying is that buffing the useless/lacking skills and traits present in core mesmer will result in chronomancer becoming stronger. It won’t result in core mesmer becoming a part of the ‘meta’, and will just make chrono even more necessary in group play.

Part of meta is different than viable alternative.
How can it be “buffing chrono” if the only spec lines that directly boost chronomancers are illusions (in pve mostly) cause shatter cd and chaos line (in pvp) cause protection/resistance and stability and the only change i made on those was illusions to fill the exclusion of one trait and giving other that already exists/existed?
Also, if you think its fair that buffing mesmer useless or not line synergyzing traits is bufing chrono( you seem to have an identity problem since all we see is chrono but chrono is not mesmer but part of it) is also fair to assume chrono is lacking everything that mesmer lacks (sustain dmg, self boon stacking; blasts, aoe fields, less ai dependent mechanics and therefore less straightforward, etc) and so lets buff it?

Im sorry but as i said: “this topic will serve to propose changes for some useless/lacking skills/traits thats present in core mesmer”. Most part of this skills are the ones left in the shadow. So any “buff” as you can claim, is simply opening new oportunities/some alternatives while keeping the identity of the lines (in case of traits) and the same skills.
And more direct “buffs” (id call it balance) like sword auto chain for sustain damage matters are there to solve deficits that are still present even if you spec in chrono.

What you are doing is just a scramble on trait lines and mixing spec lines identities between each other.

QoL/mechanics changes:

• Phantasm weapon skills should have 2 tooltip boxes – One for weapon skill itself, the part of summoning the phantasm with it cd/cast times, range and other mechanincs – see leap finisher on swordsman summoning-; and another tooltip for skills used by those phantasms – damages, cd/cast times and other mechanincs (like leap/whirl finishers of evade/projetile blocks/bounces/boons etc). And this phantasm skills tooltip box values should get updated dynamicaly like other skills (damage with might/traits, attack CD with Phantasmal Haste traits, etc). At present we have one tooltip mixed with some of both, not only we are missing a ton of important data but can also lead to confusion. (Example: http://i.imgur.com/N1qYYfZ.png)

• Phantasmal summoning weapon skills should get its cast time normalized. We have 3 weapons with 3/4s cast time and other 3 with 1s cast time. It makes it simple and easier to keep track and the feeling of how long that time is in your self-conscient and reduce the cases of auto-interrupt the summoning time with dodge/other skills (like healing skill). So i propose to normalize all this casts to same time (be it 3/4s or 1s).
  Phantasmal summoning utility skills have exagerated (1 1/2s cast) time when the phantasm themselves already have cast time/ranges rules to follow of their own skills.
  I propose reduced summoning time from 1 1/2s to 1s.

• Phantasms also get affected by +% dmg modifiers applied on mesmer. Its very frustating having like 70% of mesmer dps on phantasms and then moddifiers from sigils/runes/traits not work on phantasms… Its already bad not using shatters to preserve the single target sustained dps from phantasms and then any +% dmg, lets say, from force sigil, not affecting our biggest dps source its very bad.

• Projectiles that bounce should be able to bounce to already hitted targets just like GS#2 and Staff#1 across the board. Simple and consistent and reducing the less optimal effects this skills have (rng bounce, less player controlled “aoe effect”).
  (Talking about torch phantasm, disenchanter phantasm and pistol#5 for ex.)

Weapon skills:

• Sword Autoattack: (chain #1 and #2) should have its coeficients bumped to 0.7 or 0.8 (like other sword classes, guardian thief revenant…) and making its chain shorter like recently in thief sword (increasing its attack speed). Not only would give sword “more sustained dmg” but also more often/faster boon strip. Mesmer sustain damage is the lowest. And we are talking about the hightest dps autochain in mesmer weapon repository.

• Mind Stab: a skill with this dmg and that immobs you in place during cast, should do more than just removing 1 boon. I would make it remove 2 boons or 1 boon from foes and 1 condi from allies. Cooldown could be further adjusted from 12 to 15s if that presents balance problems (i doubt).

• Magic Bullet: (Pistol #5) First i will just highlight point #4 from QoL/Mechanincs section. Then bumping its dmg wouldn’t hurt since this is a damage oriented off-hand weapon( 1.5 coeficient dmg, i would say, even if just the 1st bullet, not the bounces.), then this skill should apply all the remain effects on last target (when no remaining target available to keep bouncing)
  For example it would apply all 4 bounces conditions/effects to the same target when used single-targetly (without no other foes nearby to proc bounces).

Utility Skills:

• Null Field: It its current state its too much penalizing. It misses a “burst” effect or a better “constant” effect. Yes it can possibly remove 5 condi/5 boons. But it removes them during 5s AND on that specific area. In 5s too much things/movement happens. Its a “drop you aoes/condis here” flag. Also enemy can block/evade/blind null field pulses or simple step out of it.
  It could do smthg like remove 3condi/2boons on casted area(when you set it on the ground or1st pulse) and then proceed normally, or having faster pulses (decreasing field lifetime). Just few ideas.
  Also what about making it pulses unbockable/non evadable?

• Arcane Thievery: Even after CD reduction this skill is frustating.. It fails too often, it has a huge aftercast delay, we cant rely on it to be a condi clear skill. And the reason is simple… If we dont have a target on valid terms to send the conditions to, they wont be removed from self… So a simple cast without a target, out-of-range target, obstructed target, evading target is enough to make the skill go on CD and nothing happens.
  I just wish the condis could be removed no matter what (offensive part/target state condition) and then the offensive part (sending them to enemy and stealing boons) yes, actually need a target in good terms to land… If its impossible to do then just make it smthg like elementalist Cleansing Fire: “Cure three conditions and steal 3 boons from your target”.. Its theoreticaly a nerf since we didnt send the condies to the target, but hey, if it doesnt fail at least it would be a reliable skill.

• Signet of Inspiration: I always thought that the passive of this signet never gave you the desired boon.. And the timers are so low (mostly 3s-5s boons) and the boon pool is so big that it is unreliable to make use of its passive, a boon application signet.
  Thats why i choose the following suggestion to try to fix this problem, its passive now reads: “Passive: Increase boon duration (20%)” this way signet can aid in boon application by increase the time of the boons we choose to.
  (The trait that reproduces this signet active effect could get some QoL and have a trait icon on buff bar when it is off CD like other classes traits.)

Traits:

Domination:

• Imagined Burden: This trait simply doesnt work. Might on auto / clones is easy to figure… Bad auto, bad clones plus getting overwritted by phantasms. And cripple on all the rest of skills is redundant and boring.
  I would change to the following, making all skills getting a new effect instead of all getting cripple/might on auto: “All of your greatsword skills get an added effect. Reduces recharge time of greatsword skills.”.
  Auto-attack would inflict max range dmg at all ranges, gs#2 could keep inflicting cripple, gs#3 would daze for 1/4s (mini daze), gs#4 would make phantasm inflict chill instead of cripple and gs#5 become unblockable. Recharge 20%.

• Furious Interruption: Gets its position swapped with Chaotic Transference in Chaos line. Chaotic Transference now converts thoughness to power instead of condi damage.
  (see Chaos line for FI changes)

Dueling:

• Desperate Decoy: How many times your heal got interrupted by this? And your res/stomp making you die? How many times it triggered at the wrong timings making you get the revealed effect and rending the following and timed stealth ablities useless? It brings more harm sometimes than benefits… I suggest to change this to instant non-interruptable “cast time”. Also having an icon like other classes when this trait is off-cooldown is also good to have.

• Sharper Images: Added effect: “Additionally you(mesmer) have a 33% chance to cause bleeding on critical hits”. Its a step to make mesmer not exclusivly rely on AI (phantasms) to apply a more universal condi.

• Fencer’s Finesse: With a long rotation (shatter/wells/tw/block/summoning phantasms, etc) we mostly solely rely on mesmer autos to stacks these ferocity stacks. And they are so short that is hard to maintain them on max stacks. They start fading away as soon as we stop autoattacking and begin with the rotations stated above making it impossible to benefit from this ferocity increase on other skills (naming wells or active phantasms) even when not using other weapon other than sword main hand!! My suggestion goes towards increasing this stacks time to 15s long or even permanent passive bonus like other classes similar traits.

• Deceptive Evasion: With vigor and now with energy sigil nerfs this trait lost to other clone generation traits.. I would add a passive increase regeneration (50%) or making vigor effects enhanced (vigor have 100% effectiveness).

• Harmonious_Mantras: Instead of giving a stacking damage bonus, it reduces mantras cast time, making them 1.5s cast time skills. So it becomes smthg like: “Mantras can be activated three times before needing to be channeled again. Charging a mantra is faster.”

Chaos::

• Chaotic Transference: swapped with Furious Interruption(i feel like this trait belongs to chaos, where boons are, including boons on interrupt). Furious Interruption also gives 2s Superspeed in addition to quickness.
  (see Domination line for Chaotic Transference updates)

Inspiration::

• Illusionary Inspiration: this trait deserves an icon when its off cooldown. Thats all.

Chronomancer::

• All Wells That Ends Well: Now reads: Grants a boon associated with your well when they end. Reduces well recharge.
  Eternity grants 10s Regeneration.
  Calamity grants 3 stacks Might for 8s.
  Action grants 5s Fury
  Recall grants (additionally) 3s Alacrity
  Precognition grants 5s Vigor
  Gravity grants 5s Protection
  Recharge 10%.

• Danger Time: Gain increased ferocity while under the effects of Quickness. (+250). Gain additional critical-hit change against slowed enemies (10%)

• Improved Alacrity: (PvE-only) “Alacrity applied by you lasts longer.”
  In pve, chronomancer is a support class. Alacrity uptime is measured on allied mates and not on self. This would make things more interesting and less redundant since chrono already have another source for self alacrity uptime (Flow of Time).

It’s all for now. I think its a step in a better Mesmer experience.
Feel free to comment on my changes and let me hear yours.

Edit: Removed Ether Clone / Feedback suggestions since they were introduced with 26th Jan. Patch.
Edit2: removed sword block suggestion. It got some love on 19th April patch. Still it could get it “teleport”-on-counter block deleted, makes movement odd and can be harmfull like falling off platforms. It could also function like ranger gs/ warrior sword block. Continuous blocking if target is out of range to its counter (>900 range for this skill).
Edit3: Removed Mantra of Concentration, Mirror Images, increased burning from torch phantasm and additional mechanic when casting utility slotted phantasms since they got introduced in July 26th update

For all of you guys that are trying to maximize the quickness uptime to your groups, here is smthg to make you stop and think about it before you adapt or use without any care SoI in your rotations.

Quickness becoming a boon made it possible to be shareable via SoI, but also gained few important and neglected properties – as a time stacking effect, you can only have a max of 9 stacks at a time. Any “incoming” quickness stack will not apply unless any stack currently active expires. Doesn’t matter if you are trying to apply a longer stack than any of the currently applied.

It becomes even more concerning when SoI itself seems to share all that quickness time maintaining it original pile or tree of stacks. This means if you use tw, woa and then tot also affecting your party and then you pop your signet, and assuming you have boon duration, the moment before signet each of you will have at least 4 stacks of quickness and after your party members will be at 8 stacks at least! So let’s say you use 2x signet ( in and right after) each CS and just using the 3 skills listed above, you are already wasting a lot of quickness stacks because your target is already capped in quickness stacks. Everything snowballs with chronomancer runes…

So what we know (tl:dr):

1- we can only have 9 quickness stacks at max currently applied
2- any stack of quickness won’t apply if target capped even if you are trying to apply a longer/bigger stack than any of those currently applied
3- Soi seems to copy all stacks in its current times to allies making it easy to overflow, and by the order they were applied on caster.

Conclusion: it’s better to prioritize longer stacks first in order to have a better chance to copy at least the longer quickness stacks resulting in a longer quickness timers on your group. In its current form, we will always waste a lot of quickness due to this mechanic.
Would be great if Robert or any other Dev could confirm 3. or explain how Soi really works.

Ps: careful with those timewarps at the start of your rotations, it gives the smaller stacks (1s to 2s depending on your boon duration) and they pulse every second.
Did you find the optimal quickness rotation? The optimal rune set?

Share/discuss.

Its funny all this drama about bunker mesmer when it was created to fit the meta and the current balance of the game… Meta and current state of the game forced mesmer to adapt to it current form or stay in the shadow.
If it wasnt bunker, normal/shatter mesmer was and still is currently worst than thief or warrior many ppl complain about…
Also i still remember everyone crying when mesmer “1-shot” (even if other berserker glasscannons) “everyone” and it was nerfed. Now bursts barely scratch anyone and sustained dps is lower than this bunkerish builds and survivability is, at best, insignificant.
Maybe you should complain about high dmg/ high sustain builds capable of sustaining most 1vs1 or vs2 while being able to pull off 600k-800k dmg per match and still having all those tricks (stealths, mobilitys, disables) and all those aoe faceroll effects/skills that are overtuned in a gamemode that is all about secure determined areas.

The problem is that some other important visual effects were already reduced…
Even before was kinda messy / “overloaded effect” to see auras ( for example) when a target had alacrity, now that all was reduced except alacrity, is barely possible…

TheFrighteningFrenchFry.3275:

There should be a option to have visual noise turned down ( like how it currently is ) and a option for it to be like how it was before. Then both people win.

I agree.. Yet there are still some visual effects that are more important than others.. Then those should be more visible.. Not the other way around… to the point that they even cloak that important effects.

Beautiful and bold animations, noisy or less noisy, graphic options or not, what im talking about is proportion. Proportion due to relevance/importance.

Such a short sighted argument…

What you have to adapt in your gameplay when a target has alacrity? Or when you have alacrity? (nothing for 1st probably expect some skills to come more often, spam your better skills more frequently for 2nd.. even when everyone can see that skills are rdy, no one needs a animation for that)

What you have to adapt when you see a target with a magntic aura? Spam magic bullet and projectiles on them right? And when you have magnetic aura? Dodge incoming projectiles cause they hurt!!! right?

What to do when you see a redlined well on the floor? Step inside obviously.
And if its not redlined? Blink out asap….

The force is definitively strong with you…

TL:DR Some animations are rly important.. others not. Alacrity is in the bottom of importance along with some other boons. If some auras/effects got gutted, alacrity should have been first..

Alacrity is not even an activly game changing effect… You have, good, cd reduction ( also seen in your buffs bar/skills shown in green timer), you dont have it, less cd.
Now for example you walking in a gravity well cause u cant see it, or wasting your cds on a target under well of precog or ranged ppl hitting guys in magnetic aura cause they cant see it….
Dont be dull to say alacrity dont need to be changed…. cause u cant see some rly important effects like shock/magnetic aura when target also have alacrity..
Alacrity effect is simply too much… Deserves same treatment as might and some other boons.

All the animations that could have been reduced due to visual noise just the most annoying one stands untouched… Wells got overguted, chaos armor didnt think was even a problem (now it can be barely seen)… Yet the most problematic one stands untouched…
Srsly i cant even see my beautiful outfit with such a big purple flames….

Overdue bug fix you mean? (well of eternity)

Just a small symbol centered in a blank circle…
I agree some animations were too noisy specially at pvp (some traps/overloads) i just dont think a flat ( with no hight) circle at ground could be so overhelming to be cut this way…
I just think they could create a rule in case of a big amount of animations in a small area or adjustable via options instead of this cut, specially in wells…
It bothers me much more alacrity “flame aura” and already mentioned (and approved) overloads than wells animation…

Thoughts?

One game and it was enough to chat go crazy…. Word “nerf” each 3 lines.

I wish i could read this topic before believing in patch notes… Logged in, realized that was a new build, went to read patch notes and saw map completion fixed, logged in game and went to VB completing the last HP i had left and still no reward… Map completion reward and specialization collection reward… Disapointed.

#revertfocuspull pretty pls? Cant event troll my party and shuffle all the mobs…

How could you guys get past Explorer Loana at Vol. I ? I made event 4 times and the npc always bug after killing risen king. stays there and do nothing.

Where is / what is the thing you have to interact with after the event is completed? Does is disappear after a set of time? I was in a completed map searching for it and didnt find.