Guild Wars 2

Ego boost? The block is instantly applied after you have front loaded scepter if you time it right 2 Clones so w/e. Have it your way Oh, Great and powerful Mesmer Guru Kylia. Just opening eyes…opening minds is just my wish…

Edit: No one mentioned “instant” you implied it based on me using a MI as the utility. MI was used as the nearest example that would explain why you would use that combo but again w/e I do not have ego to “boost”. I have nothing to prove and it seems I have nothing further to say…

I find your ignorance amusing…

Scepter 1 + Scepter 2 = Mirrored Images

That’s a freebie…You’re Welcome.

A message from Revelations:

Scepter is a Mesmer’s Best Control Weapon how you want to define “Control” is up to you and your proficiency and knowledge of the Mesmer Profession.

If you want a hint look at the parallels between Scepter and Main hand Sword… Heh heh heh…. If by now you see what I see then you know the beauty of Scepter…

That is all.

The pre-patch comment meant that I have not played that build since the patch with the change to Illusionist Celerity so I do not know how that build would be impacted.

This is a Condition Damage chart I found on GW2 reddit. It doesn’t have the formulas but you get an idea of the benefits of stacking vs. duration:

http://i.imgur.com/khbsevA.png

Here is another link for condition dmg compare it to ingame to make sure it is accurate: http://gw2.hazno.net/

Thanks! After reading your last paragraph I can truly say my job here is done

The confusion/retaliation build can work as 30/0/0/20/20 or 30/0/20/20/0 pre-patch. Illusionary Elasticity is good for builds that utilize staff traits and are built with high condition damage. But yea the burning for the prestige is nice but not a reliable source of condition dmg… You have the concept down packed it just takes some more experience and experimentation and you’ll be fine. I’m a big fan of Superior Sigil of Earth on my WvW condition spec.

That is one avenue to increase and maintain Retaliation and I have seen it used to amazing effect… but I see most professions have a cadence to where they attack and reset, attack reset like waves on a beach. Some profession have a longer sustained attack cadence so having to maintain near 100% percent Retaliation is unnecessary if you are not fighting such profession. If I do then they will take more dmg from confusion application.

I used my glamours to control the pace of the fight if they break off retaliation and another batch of phantasms is waiting for them that is why I find SoI beneficial along with chaos storm it get’s to a point that the enemies is taking too many little hits with varying intensities of pressure… Some stay and get down, others get the point and bring back up (s/tpvp)

Hello Orwyn since we are using the exact same trait and stat point distribution but not the same traits. I think I can be of help.

The first thing I looked for in your build is sustained application of conditions. You already know that is your main source of damage but how reliably are you apply conditions to your foes?

I ran into this same question and while using focus is a possibility it is not a Reliable source of condition application if the target is not stationary… Torch Off-hand I have seen video’s utilizing it effectively so I cannot say it is not effective but in 5v5 skirmish and above it looses it’s luster quickly…

So then what is the best off-hand for reliable condition application? Pistol if you’re wearing Rabid and you are traited 15 in Dueling there is no better bleed applicator than your Duelist :p you will see and increase in your sustained application. Also another trait to supplement staff if you have not tried it already is Illusionary Elasticity because of it’s synergy with Deceptive Evasion and also Debilitating Dissipation. Staff will be primary or if you can sneak up on someone start with duelist when all the bleeds have finished stacking determine whether it is a good time to use Magic Bullet because you want them to suffer the full affect of the bleeds.

My bleed stack is 153 for 5 seconds= 765 from just 1 application of bleed discounting duration increasing buff multiply that by how many applications of bleed on an enemy and you see what I am talking about sustained. No class has been able to survive past 2 duelists with out dying or running away…

All in all it is a very viable and dangerous build and if you stick with it you will continue to find the play style very rewarding. Good Luck!

@ Carighan, Another great point more so for other professions that are not so lucky. Even with all the buffs and “Love” the Warrior forums are still burning with rage because some of them feel that they are being pushed into burst when they have wanted sustained it seems they do not want to be pushed into the same category as thieves. The same way were are trying to maintain all of our Versatility instead of being crammed into a smaller build set other profession want to expand their versatility :-/

Hey Lunar, I’m glad I’m not the only one motivated by this play style

First I would like to say don’t fall into the new Mesmer trap. Decided right now that you can’t be a jack of all trades. What I mean by that is certain builds you cannot dabble in everything so be careful with the addition of deceptive evasion that might spread you too thin. The root of this build revolves around power and it’s contribution to retaliation damage and supplementing that with other sources of dmg as mention.

Imagine streams into tributaries into rivers….

I like the approach with Balthazar and wanting to increase burn duration. If we are talking PvP then it is too narrow of a damage stream to to dedicate your rune set to I used a mixture of rune sets that gave me +40% Boon duration. As Mesmer we have the least innate access to condition removal but that does not apply to the other professions. You will look for the effectiveness of your burn damage and possible never find it in PvP.

PvE I would say you are on to something with the condition duration strictly because of the food buff. I’m running late to work :P But we will discuss this more when I get back

No problem, I think all true Mesmer fans have had the wind knocked out of them today but at the same time highly optimistic we’ll continue to feeding our enemies “Stakes” all day everyday :p

Please don’t read out of context… I was making a point that I NEVER stated that Mesmer is in a “unplayable sorry state” Nikked, implied that I was, based on an incorrect interpretation of what I wrote…Similar to what you just did… Mesmer is still very playable in so many scenarios and game modes I just want ANET to do right but making a change that continues to build on our Versatility…

This change does not solve Illusion CD’s or an effective way to balance them if at all. Also what ever consideration that went into this implementation was not well thought out. I just made this post to call that out…

My knowledge of the Mesmer class is quite simple… and believe me I have died many a times to the more conventional builds experimenting…So I’m used to the insults and requests for me to “re-roll newb”…

Lately though the tune has been changing… No gimmicky ego inflating names just make it work and make it yours.

There are 2 ways to play Mesmer which the Devs don’t talk about but you can see in the way they “nerf” the profession. Hahaha

1. Direct Dmg High Risk; High In-Combat Mobility: Shatter Builds and Phantasm Build
Primary Stats: Power Precision there are so many examples of this no need to further explain I shun these builds out of personal preference and my personal play style.

2. Peripheral Supplemental Damage
People have grossly and erroneously complained about this but as a mesmer I am sure you have asked this question:

Why are our Condition Durations so short?
Answer: Peripheral

Strategy: Your enemy is not supposed to realize they are taking dmg
Strangely Mesmer-esqe isn’t it? The mind games continue. Hahaha

In my current WvW build on average depending on might stacks and various food buffs players take 800-950 1 second burn damage and 153 bleed ticks. Even with the RNG this dmg happens so quick players do no panic or find the need to blow cleanes until it is far too late.

That is when I apply guess what: Confusion! You are now put under pressure to use skills to save yourself…Haha it is always my favorite to see the panic of a player by how many times confusion procs. So when it was nerfed it didn’t bother me at that point. Well this is how I play Mesmer It is the perspective that drives my knowledge and how I choose to innovate my play style.

Add all the conditions you get the plus your direct damage you get a supplemental summation that is quite potent. People think condition mesmers are not effective which they may be right in some applications and scenarios but I have enough personal video I study to know it is the most underrated, under appreciated, vastly ridiculed play style that keeps me logging into GW2 day after day and brings a smile to my face after a long day at work.

Disclaimer: I am not only cryptic with my knowledge but very protective of it. Call me what you want it is just my nature I don’t like spelling things out. There is enough information here for your own experimentation.

Applications: Primarily attrition based.
Areas of focus: Boon Duration
Primary Boon: Retaliation
Primary Stats: Power
Supplemental Stats: Vit/Tough
Weapons: Pre-Patch Scepter/Torch- STaff
Primary condition Confusion
Utilz: Any 2x Glamours + SoI or SoD depends if you want more boons or Condi.Dmg
Trait out Domination get VIII Confusing Enchantments and IX cleansing conflagration. Trait out Illusion for glamour CD’s the rest of the traits is up to you.
People have been kind enough to tell me by the time I stomped them they took upwards to 8k retaliation + 3k-5k confusion plus various damage from regular abilities ranging in 500-2k. Add it up and that is enough pressure to down the most stubborn adversary who doesn’t realize where your dmg is coming from…

Strategy primarily SPVP and have not tested WvW. PvE mobs do not hit fast enough or live long to make this viable for PvE please prove me wrong. I need more data….

The secret to I-mage is not about dealing direct bulk damage it’s is a summation of supplemental peripheral damage… That is why most of you deem this poor phantasm as useless that is all…if you want more insight… I’ll try my best to reply promptly.

Pontificating! Yes of course it’s a habit I can’t break! Self pitying, I respectfully disagree. This post has nothing to do with trodding the Mesmer profession in the mud because I believe it’s in an unplayable sorry state.

I have already theorycrafted my way out of this but unfortunately it still includes (IC). Meaning if there intent is to change the “meta” our ability to still access (IC) is beyond reasoning and also why I think there needs to be a better solution than what they have given us…

I use scepter exclusively in all of my builds… Honestly it’s about play style and the pace you want it to be at. Most players go for the flashy damage at your finger tips style of Sword. The way people find it easy to use I actually found it very clunky and gimmicky which would be shocking to the vast majority of Mesmer’s but again. It’s about your play style. I like coax and beckon you in like siren and then feed you a stake. It takes finesse and patience with the right timing you’ll land every hit of confusing images.

The number 1 skill has too many avenues by adding a DPS conditions that will cause it to be broken if you then try to add a control condition along with off-hand capabilities scepter again becomes too much. I was there in beta when it applied confusion if you added the confusing combatants and Illusionary Retribution you became a severe broken mess…in PvP testing of course. Beta was too short for me to max to 80.

So basically my Mesmer family, Scepter is honestly one buff away from being broken especially with the addition of torment in it’s current form adding a buff to the #1 skill on a 1 handed weapon is overkill…

I rarely frequent the forums to make a post because of the general negativity and the misinterpretation of what I write…but if you look at my forum history I try my best to present a case or a thought worth examining for the better of our game…

So let’s be honest IC, (Illusionist Celerity) has been a crutch for far too long… It has been an all or nothing trait. Mesmer’s on every level new or vet have made this a staple to their build because it was placed at 5 Illusions not at our behest but at the direction of the development team. Most Mesmer’s since beta/head start also knew that one day it would be changed.

…Well today it has…

Every last cool down attributed to clone/phantasm generation has been impacted… from direct 1-5 skills all the way into our utilities…and after seeing this so called “change” I asked myself… So isn’t about time we rethink how Illusions work in regards to the Cool Downs? If these are truly “Hex’s” shouldn’t the react based on the situation the Mesmer is in? X+ unique conditions spawn Ill. Disenchanter, X% amount damage spawn Ill. Defender… Phantasms should react based on the conditions of the battle field but… I digress…and I’m sure many won’t like the idea but it’s the creativity of the Dev team that I am after…

So what is my point?

First… reading carefully the all the patch notes from all professions there is a push to slow the pvp meta down on 2 fronts mobility and normalizing/standardizing how damage is dealt.

There is an unknown “delta” between professions on mobility and how damage is dealt that you are seeking to balance without sacrificing the essence of what makes the professions unique.

This is all fine and acceptable to me as a player who enjoys my profession and have enjoyed creating, adopting builds from other players and reinventing my beloved Mesmer through testing and dying over and over again :-) that was and is My FUN…and through whatever changes you have made to our Mesmer… I stuck to it and got to a skill level that I can be proud of… but I and maybe many others feel that we are being manipulated.

Manipulated into a “meta” that will pan itself out as we continue playing… but ask yourself will we continue just playing and that will be the inspiration that will drive continued innovation and diversity of our profession because it will “pan-out”?

Mesmer’s have been fortunate to have the most versatile profession in game hands down. Look at all the creativity the Mesmer community has created since release in turn you have taken the time to sticky them at the top of our forum as a testament to that versatility…

As developers doesn’t that inspire you?

Then, please why….why? Did you carry this change the way you did? So this was the optimal method you all chose that will continue to inspire our community? Why would you jeopardize that vision of Versatility? It would have been far easier to completely remove IC (Illusionist Celerity) and re-balanced all clone/phantasm CD’s (Cool Downs) across the board and create a new trait.

That would have given us far more incentive to initiate intense debate and discussion that would further promote TRUE build DIVERSITY.

Lastly…also TL;DR… A challenge.To the developers that work on our beloved Mesmer and and hopefully encouragement to fellow Mesmer players…. A-NET stay true to yourselves and make this right… we expected a lot more… not this…not this at all.

The staff phantasm Illusionary Warlock was switched with torch phantasm Illusionary mage? Is this a viable switch?

Some observations: Torch is affected by the Domination Trait Line

- Warlock even with the % additive increase of damage per condition benefits tremendously from power.
– Staff Conditions do not really last long enough to maximize the potential of Illusionary Warlock. For effective use I rely on my parties conditions for consistent damage most of the time.

Staff is Affected by the Chaos Trait Line Retaliation synergizes well with Toughness and Toughness with condition builds.

- Illusionary Mage has less initial power but does add a x3 Confusion Stack with Retaliation which would further supplement the boons and conditions that are consistent with Staff. I’ve never understood why this skill has a 30s cool down… but it would need to be lowered on staff.

TL;DR Should ANET Switch the Staff Phantasm with the Torch Phantasm?

I’m sorry but I have to point some out regarding Mesmer application of conditions. Other than confusion by design Mesmers are not meant to have super long condition duration like other classes. We are however designed to have very strong short duration condition application. The trick is to apply the most damage within that short duration make sure it “ticks” for the highest damage possible. If you playing for duration you’re during it wrong… Let’s just say in WvW/PVE my Condition damage hit’s 3k… ;P

This: ^ He’s tired of people saying “WvW needs larger maps to combat zergs!” from Opc

Zerging and their existence is viable game play in WvW it does get things done. WvW is stale and bland in comparison to battlefield tactics that could be incorporated due to terrain variation and “improvised” siege.

WvW needs larger maps to combat zergs! Larger maps is the laziest suggestion that has been regurgitated over and over to the masses like it will make WvW any better.

What WvW needs is terrain Variation: Night and Day cycles, Swamps movement debuff, Snow terrain with spots with “blizzard” white outs, Fog, slippery hills in ice area. Ambush holes and caves blind corners and windy paths .

Small guilds want: Sabotage!!
Mines, explosives for destructible bridges, trip wires, gas bombs, road blocks, under water nets and mines added to siege vendor with applicable cooldowns.

Step you game up A-NET!! I’m calling you out because you I know you are capable of things like this.

P.S: also applicable to S&TPVP

Hello fellow citizens of Tyria! Are you tired of entering WvW alone…or running with a mindless zerg, only to lose the pack and get murked by some backstab thief or stomped by another random unorganized zerg? Well, I have a small proposition for you: join PvP Inc., of Northern Shiverpeaks.

I’m sure by now you asking yourself… really?… another scrub guild recruitment thread… What do you guys have to offer that is different from the rest?

Well, let me enlighten you, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Lamentations, the guild leader of PvP Inc., and I was appointed by vote. What that means, first of all is that, if you don’t like me you get to vote in a new guild leader if you QQ hard enough. Every member in our guild has a voice and equal opinion on guild function, the guild leader just embodies that voice and executes guild decisions. The guild officers have privileges that facilitate guild function not a rank to boss people around. In this guild you’re your own boss because none of us has the time to babysit.

So then what is PvP Inc. about? We’ll I’m sure you have realized from the guild name we love PvP. If I were to break guild activities into percentages it would be 70% WvW, 15% PvE and 15% sPvP/ tPvP. I’m sure based on those numbers you’re like, wait… wait… wait… I thought you said you guys love PvP? sPvP/tPvP only allow us to field specific numbers and we all like to play at once so that’s why there is a focus on WvW. We’re a group with strong individual personalities, but we are a tight knit group—if you offend one of us, you offend us all. In PvP, we stick together tighter than a charr war band and just as vicious.

“So…Lamentations, if that is your “real” in game name, PvP Inc. sounds like every other guild I have ever met ever. Sounds like you need me more than I need you? “

If you’re thinking that, well, in a way you’re right, but we’ve done pretty well for ourselves without you—but we understand we can do even better with new members.

So this is where you come in:

What PvP Inc. is looking for are players that want to hang with people who will laugh at times when we’re dominating, and be open yet unified when we’re not. We’re looking for members who just want to have a good time owning groups larger than ourselves. We are individuals with a strong drive to win. You could say we’re hardcore, but we all have casual schedules so it’s the best of both worlds. If you are a person who likes the odds being stacked against them and is willing to trying to rez a team member even if it lands us both on the respawn mat and laugh about it, welcome to PvP Inc. If you are member who has a busy work schedule, a family, a nagging but loving wife or girlfriend who keeps pulling you away, but you own people all day at PvP, we’re looking for you.

If you’ve have read up to this point, you may be asking yourself, “well Lamentations, what are the rules to get in this guild, sounds like something that works for me.” Well, that’s easy: for now just hang out with us, PvP, join us in ventrilo and definitely participate in WvW.

TL; DR Well if you didn’t read then you didn’t get the password for the free cookies when you join our guild. **

Hello fellow citizens of Tyria, are you tired of entering WvW alone…or running with a mindless zerg only to lose the pack and get murked by some back-stab thief or stomped by another random unorganized zerg? Well I have a small proposition for you join PvP Inc. of Northern Shiverpeaks.

I’m sure by now you asking yourself… really?… another scrub guild recruitment thread… What do you guys have to offer that is different from the rest?
Well let me enlighten you, but first let me introduce myself. My name is Lamentations, I am the guild leader of PvP Inc and I was appointed by vote. What that means first of all is that, if you don’t like me you get to vote in a new guild leader if you QQ hard enough. Every member in our guild has a voice and equal opinion on guild function, the guild leader just embodies that voice and executes guild decisions. The guild officers have privileges that facilitate guild function not a rank to boss people around, in this guild you’re your own boss because none of us has the time to babysit.

So then what PvP Inc. is about? We’ll I’m sure you have realized from the guild name we love PvP. If should break guild activities into percentages it would be 70% WvW, 15% PvE and 15% sPvP/ tPvP. I’m sure based on those numbers you’re like, wait… wait… wait… I thought you said you guys love PvP? sPvP/tPvP only allows us to field specific numbers and we all like to play at once so that’s why there is a focus on WvW. We’re a group with strong individual personalities but we are a tight knit group if you offend one of us you offend us all. In PvP we stick together tighter than a charr war band and just as vicious.

So…Lamentations if that is your “real” in game name, PvP Inc. sounds like every other guild I have ever met ever. Sounds like you need me more than I need you?
If you’re thinking that well in a way your right but we’ve done pretty well for ourselves without you but we understand we can do even better with new members.

So this is where you come in:
What PvP Inc is looking for are players that want to hang with people who will laugh in times when we’re dominating and be open yet unified when we’re not. We’re looking for members who just want to have a good time owning groups larger than ourselves. We are individuals with a strong drive to win you could say we’re hardcore but we all have casual schedules so it’s the best of both worlds. If you are a person who like the odds being stacked against them and is willing to trying to rez a team member even if it lands us both on the respawn mat and laugh about it; Welcome to PvP Inc. If you are member who has a busy work schedule, family, nagging but loving wife or girlfriend who keeps pulling you away but you own people all day at PvP we’re looking for you.

If you’ve have read up to this point, you may be asking yourself well Lamentations, what are the rules to get in this guild, sounds like something that works for me. Well, that’s easy for now just hang out with us, PvP, join us in ventrilo and definitely participate in WvW.

TL; DR Join our Guild on Northern Shiverpeaks

Hello Lamentations is my in-game. I’m the guild leader of PvP Inc. at Northern Shiverpeaks. Send me a mail in-game and we’ll set up some time to do a WvW run. We use Ventrilo. If all goes well you can join us if you would like. We’re the kind of group that favors group chemistry than trying to have you write up something up telling us about yourself. See you in-game, Lamentations.