Guild Wars 2

@skcamow Thanks a lot for the help. I had just recently switch Mender’s Purity for Halting Strike, just didn’t give enough time to work on it I guess. (Taking Mantra of Resolve over Arcane Thievery, as well)

Per your suggestion I did grab Debilitating Dissipation and Runes of the Pirate. I kept the long range manipulation, because that extra range just adds SO MUCH to Blink. What a difference! I think the Pirate Runes and Debilitating Dissipation were the boost the build needed. Of course, I just may have gotten in a streak of good matchups. But I definitely saw a difference in my play.

Pardon me for slightly derailing the Moa topic. But I’m wondering how other “lockdown/interrupt” Mesmer’s are doing in Solo Arena’s in sPvP. Because I’m really struggling as of the last couple of weeks.

It seems like I’m lucky to win 1 out of 10 anymore. (Granted, most of those 9 loses are usually the result of being on the short end of a 5vs4 matchup, but that’s a separate issue). For me, I think the biggest issue is simply not being able to do enough damage fast enough. I can hold my own, but most of the time I simply cannot finish the job before help arrives. (Either for me or for them.)

In team, fights I know the lockdown builds really helpout. A perfectly timed interrupt, easily swings the momentum in our favor. But solo, I’m just struggling to take the enemy out.

It just seems like everyone in Solo Arena’s is running a more bunker type build, and I’m having trouble with these guys. I just can’t put out the damage. Here’s what I’m running.. http://tinyurl.com/puj5zqn

I swap out different runes, swap pistol in, focus out and try to up my damage from match to match and have I’ll have success one match and then nothing the next. I usually go back to Travelers, because when kitten hits the fan, its the best way to get away. That its hard to go back to normal Mesmer speed. Aaagh!

Here’s some of the things I think I need to improve on..
1. Maybe I just shatter too fast and need to give my Phantoms more time to do their job?
2. MoRecovery is great for managing conditions w/Harmonious Mantra’s and Mender’s Purity. But in the middle of fights, and MoR needs to be recharged. I need to break away to recharge it and that gives the other guy time to recover as well. If I had the burst of a shatter build, MoR would be great. But in a prolonged fight, it can become a liability. .
3. Maybe, just maybe, I suck!!!

NOTE: On the build link, If I run Travelers I will use pistol instead of focus. If I’m trying Strength Runes or Pack or Ogre, I run with Focus.

How about once a match has started any player that has chosen to “spectate” can no longer join that match?. He has to leave the server and re-join in order to select a team.

Just last night, I got into a sPvP match. My Mesmer was teamed up with another Mesmer, a Warrior, an Eng and a Ranger. The opposing team was 3 Eng, 1 Warrior and 1 Thief.

Before the match, the Warrior and Eng were talking back n’ forth about how we were doomed because we had 2 mez’s and they had 3 Eng & Warrior.

We won 500-460.

I have this same “input lag” problem. I have a laptop for playing and both the built in keyboard and an external keyboard both act the same.

Has anyone come up with a fix?

@SlimChance: You have Mender’s Purity AND Harmonious Mantras and aren’t running the mantra heal? Blasphemy! (Solid looking build otherwise though)

:) Yeah, I figured you’d probably catch that. I have a love/hate relationship with Mantra of Resolve. I’ll equip it and it everything is good. Then there will be that one time where the engagement goes long, or the fights get chained together, and there was no break or lull to charge MoR and I find myself without a heal at all. And it ends badly. At least with Mirror or Ether Feast, you know there will be a heal coming if you just can out last the cooldown. With MoResolve, no charge=no heal.

In WvW, its always there with my Centaur Runes. In SPvP, it depends if I’m on my game and feeling good.

Darn it Chaos, your always one step ahead of me. I finally got some GW2 game time in yesterday, since the big April patch. I was trying to re-create my “Eccho-Rupt” build with the changes. And sure enough, what I came up with was staff, sword/focus and CI.

Since the “Eccho-rupt” name was kind of misleading. I thought I’d name it “Harmonious Interruptions”. Since it uses "Harmonious Mantra’s and “Chaotic Interruptions”. (0,6,6,2,0) Here’s a link: http://tinyurl.com/lwzu9b9

I have a gaming laptop and have been waiting for Nvidia to enable Shadowplay on mobile GPU’s. They recently did and I tried capturing some video with it, but it causes INCREDIBLE lag in GW2. Basically, it causes missed keystrokes. I can pound on keys and nothing happens, then about the fifth time it registers. When I get back home from work tonight I’ll make a separate thread on the build. And I might have another tool to capture some gameplay. Have to test it, first.

EDIT: had to fix link.

Thanks, I’m so old school. I have 2 lvl 80 Mesmer’s in GW2 and they ALWAYS have a mask on and green dyed armor.

It goes back to the original Guild Wars, and lore behind the Mesmer there. I’ll do my best to present what I remember/interpret from there.

In the original Prophecies campaign, the human gods were deeply tied to the profession’s. Lyssa is the twin Goddess of Beauty and Illusion, individually known as Lyss and Ilya. She is the patron Goddess of Mesmers and Assassins.

And it was, that a stranger came to the village of Wren seeking shelter and employment. Though young in years, her body was stooped and twisted, her flesh eaten by disease. “Ye have the mark of plague upon ye,” said the citizen named Gallrick. “Leave this place lest you sicken our people.”

“I’ve lost my family and my home,” cried the desperate woman. “Have you no heart?”

Yet each person, in turn, did look away.

Then from the crowd came a young woman, Sara. She looked upon the woman with pity. “If you need help,” said Sara, “I will give it.” And Sara did approach the gnarled, bent woman and did offer her a helping hand.

Then the sickened woman pulled from her body the robes of plague, revealing Herself to be the goddess Lyssa.

The people of Wren fell to their knees, begging Lyssa’s mercy. But lifting Sara gently, saith She, “True beauty is measured not by appearance but by actions and deeds. Many have eyes, but few have seen. Of all here, you saw the beauty behind the illusion. And you alone shall be blessed with My gifts.”

So Lyssa is twin gods, and as a follower of Lyssa, you would never know which twin would answer your prayers. So part of the reason a Mesmer wears a mask, is to a hide a Mesmer’s true intent/identity. The enemy would never know what to expect.

Also, in the original, the Mesmer’s where presented as very “theatrical”. And in the theater, actor’s are constantly “wearing masks” to portray something other than themselves. Again, to keep the audience enthralled with the illusion/presentation, and not the actor’s real identity/intent.

If you are interested in the lore behind GW2, and the original GW, I highly recommend you check out the Youtube videos from “WoodenPotatoes”. He has got a bunch of vid going over all the lore thru the games. https://www.youtube.com/user/WoodenPotatoes

IGN: “Eccho” or “Echo Oread”
Server: Yak’s Bend
Area: PvX, (but leaning towards SPvP)
Role: Whatever
Time: Unfortunately, sporadic timing.. evening/weekends

Not sure what it said before, but the GW2 Wiki was updated April 22nd and it specifically says that it “Does not interact with Masterful Reflection. "

I think some of you are only seeing this trait strictly as a boon sharing trait. I don’t think that’s what ANET had in mind.

They are trying to open up new builds. A way for the Mesmer to use our shatter mechanic without the dependency of Deceptive Evasion(i.e. reliable clone generation.)

Don’t think of it as “only 3 seconds of retaliation”, think of it as 3 seconds of "instant & on-demand " retaliation. Every 15 seconds. That alone might make it worth taking.

Doesn’t matter how good a shatter trait is, if the clone never gets to the target.

Now here’s a trait that gives us “instant & on demand:” retaliation, fury, might, regeneration without clones. that’s what you should be thinking about.

It would really be better still if this were not a GM but a Master trait. Then you would really see build diversity.

Hmmm.. a 30/10/30/0/0 build… why didn’t I think of that.

Back in GW1, Mesmer’s were the Kings of Hex’s. No other profession had so many different hex spells. As a player, you had to learn all these different spell icons to know what was what. For GW2, ANet didn’t want the player to keep looking at the UI, so they made our hex spells into physical manifestations.

We players need to stop thinking that illusions are pets/minions. Like a hex, Mesmer’s require line of sight/target to land a illusion cast.

When the target dies, so does the hex/illusion. If we are blinded at cast, we miss. If the target dodges, blocks,etc., then our hex/illusion casts fail. Nothing more.

I don’t mean to rant, but these forums are constantly comparing the Mesmer’s Illusions to minions and ranger pets. “Why do ranger pets do this, when illusions do that? Why do illusions do this when minions do that?” They are not the same. Illusions = Hex spell.

Ok, finally got back in. And yep, once I cleared the items from the Watch List. They showed completed in the Achievement panel. Thanks for the tip.

I finally got around to finishing this achievement, or so I thought. The last 2 jp’s that I need were in WvW. The Emerald and Saphire Sanctum one’s. So I put them on my watch list, and waited for the WvW rotations to come around to do those.

I finally completed the last one today. But neither one is showing completed. In my watch list, they both are at 100%, but in the achievement panel they both do NOT show “Completed”?

JP’s achievements are account bound, correct?

I would take CI if you’re not taking staff though, but you prolly do that already.

I took your advice. I’ve been running Chaotic Interruptions and I’m seeing the benefits. AND I’ve been running it with staff. It puts a smile on my face when your enemy gets lock-downed inside a Chaos Storm.

So for SPvP, I’ll run sword/torch-staff with Cleansing Conflagration.

And in Edge of the Mists, I’ll run sword/focus – staff/GS for all the edges in that map. Swap Cleansing Conflagration for either Crippling Dissipation or Greatsword Training. I also grab Mantra of Resolve instead of Arcane Thievery. Conditions galore in WvW so Mantra of Resolve is a better fit for that playstyle.

I’ve been using torch in my “Eccho-rupt” build. It does help a with the condition removal and for charging mantra’s in a fight. In a “shatter” build, it “might” help.

But shatters builds are for burst, you’d be giving up quite a bit of “burst” using torch instead of pistol/sword offhand. So I’m not sure the trade off would be worth it. Just my opinion, others may think differently.

Chaos Archangel.5071:

I’m not out here demanding Mesmer get fear, all I’m saying is that considering the fact that Fear is a psychological effect, it’d make more sense for a Mesmer to have it rather than an Asura warrior going “Fear me!” and 4 Charr and a Norn go running off in absolute terror.

Actually, I think it would make more sense for the Mesmer to have more “Chilled” access. Not necessarily the movement speed decrease, but the “skill cooldown increase” part. Like you said, Mesmer’s are supposed to get in your head. So it makes sense to me, that fighting a Mesmer would make you “hesitate” more, second guess yourself, distract you.

Mesmer’s aren’t scary. We’re showman, we’re theatrical.

WELCOME TO THE GRAND ILLUSION!!!
Come on in and see whats happening,
pay the price, get the tickets for the show.

Be dazzled and amazed!!! There is no reason to fear us.

Right now, our chilled ability is RNG with Chaos Storm, and the Chaotic Interruption trait (again, a “random” chance). I think it would make sense to add it to iMage, as well.

2 handed weapons will now have 2 sigil slots. So to prevent sigil stacking the same sigil “type” on the SAME weapon or weapon set will not stack.

But if you have Sigil of Energy on GS and Staff, and you swap.. your still good. You just can’t put 2 sigils of energy on the one GS.

The nerf won’t be too big of a deal if they increase the speed of the scepter auto attack chain, which everyone has been suggesting for the last few months.

Thats what I was thinking. ANet has been up in the air on what to do with Scepter. Change DE, and “tada” scepter becomes your weapon for clone death triggers builds.

I would suggest you look here\

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/List-Find-your-Mesmer-Builds-Guides

Specifically, check out several of the Mantra Builds by “Fay”. The original mantra builds. Traits have moved around since then, but still some great builds using mantras there.

EDIT: bummer looks like the links to Fay’s builds are no longer valid.

Thanks for the feedback. I understand what your saying. As I’ve said, I’ve been running different versions of this build for the last 6 months.

I think your points are very valid and I think the differences are more a personal “playstyle” AND sPvP vs WvW.

With a 30-10-30 pt spread, you could grab Halting Strike, CS, BI, CI to take full advantage of those interrupts. Go sword/sword-GS with Greatsword Training and Blade Training and go to town. The thing is is that your kind of putting all your eggs in one basket. When you get that interrupt, it’s awesome. But when you don’t, you are just ok.

Let’s talk about Chaotic Interruptions. Gives a 2 sec immobilize and random blind, chill, or cripple. If the enemy is immobilized, do I really care that he might also be blinded or crippled. The chill is a good addition, but its random. So is CI a better selection than Chaotic Dampening? If I’m running staff? To me, no. I’d rather have 5 weapons skills on a reduced cooldown and doing more condition damage, more utility at that point. I still have Halting Strike and BI. My interrupts still hurt, I’m getting buffed and vulnerability is being applied due to all the Domination minor traits.

So lets talk about Confounding Suggestions, next. With the recent changes, this is really comes down to personal preference. Because its either Harmonious Mantras or CS. I just don’t like the “randomness” of CS. It’s best with staff and Chaotic Dampening. (see above ) More frequent chaos storms, lots of potential ’dazes" being applied. I can see the appeal, especially in WvW. In sPvP, its a toss up. For me, I just like having that one extra charge on MoD. MoD is our most consistent dazing skil, so more of MoD the better for an interrupt build. IMHO

As far as using MoR with the centaur runes, I am aware that it also process on the charge. And I have run with MoR. Again, I think this comes down to a sPvP vs WvW thing. As I mentioned earlier, having 1 manta is np, having 2 is doable, but any more and it’s cumbersome. It just comes down to management. Mirror is a no brainer to use it with Centaurs in sPvP. MoR is our best heal, but managing charges on both MoR & MoD in a sPvP match is just a bit more difficult. Better players than me can pull it off. Sometimes I will run it, but sometimes I just don’t want to think about it.

Again, I love the feedback and believe you both have valid points. It just sounded like I needed to explain my selections as well.

Also, I never claimed this build to be a “lockdown” build. I first posted this WAY back before the “lockdown” term began to apply and many trait changes. It really is just centered around the “interrupt” and not necessarilty “locking-down” the enemy.

Hey guys, thanks for the bump. Enjoyed your comments and your builds. I don’t do much WvW, so its good to see some feedback on your experiences. I’ll have to try out some of your suggestions and see how it goes. And like you both have commented on, 1 mantra is fine, 2 mantras are doable, but anymore than that it just doesn’t work.

Been quite awhile since I first posted this. And of course, I’ve been trying different builds and no matter what I try they all seem to end up with Harmonious Mantra’s, Halting Strike and Bountiful Interruptions.

Just a couple of weeks ago, I did a bit more experimenting and now I’m running this: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsfWl0zipnRzmGa9IhpHE33In0DT/6VXqgtB-TsAg0CqImRNjbGzMyZszMqYBykAA

Its still the 30-10-30-0-0 build, but running with sword/torch-staff. Picking up Cleansing Conflagration to aid in the condition removal department. And dropping Chaotic Interruption for Chaotic Dampening.

I love Mantra of Distraction and Arcane Thievery really feels like an old school Mesmer skill. The problem with AT is that its cooldown is just too long for the current condition heavy meta in sPvP. So by going to torch and Cleansing Conflagration, condition removal just happens. And that leaves me to use AT more offensively. Also, torch gives me a quick stealth for charging MoD.

The other thing change is instead of running Runes of the Mesmer, I’ve been working in Runes of the Centaur with Mirror as my healing skill. Its good for escapes and also good for chasing down players with the sword autoattack. I find myself triggering Mirror in the middle of a fight just kite down a weakend opponent.

Anyway, thanks again for the bump and the comments. Look forward to hearing more on your WvW experiences.

Mantra of Resolve is not a heal slot skill.

But I think you mean Mantra of Recovery. And yes it goes in the healing slot, but its not really a healing skill, since charging it doesn’t actually heal you.

You have to look at it this way. Mantra of Recovery is not a healing skill. BUT when you charge Mantra of Recovery, it changes to “Power Return”. Power Return IS a healing skill.

SO the trait Mender’s Purity only triggers on “Power Resolve” casts and not on the Mantra of Recovery charge.

Restorative Mantras is a trait that “heals” on any mantra “charge”, but the TRAIT is not a healing “SKILL”. So Mender’s Purity does not apply. From the wiki:

Healing skills should not be confused with skills in other skill slots that can heal — only the skills listed below qualify. This is especially true for traits and upgrade components which trigger “on healing,” referring to the use of dedicated healing skill.

Just to apply even more logic to this conversation: Both Superior Runes of the Centaur and Superior Runes of Air state something to the affect of “when you use a healing skill, you gain swiftness”.

Guess what, the swiftness triggers on both the charge of Mantra of Recovery and the Power Resolve casts. (Provided you meet the 10sec cooldown.)

So Mantra of Recovery is and is not a healing skill at the same time.

I’ve found Mantra Mastery (cooldown reduction) to be next to useless. The reason being that you need to time your mantra recharges to moments when you can breath for a sec, and the chance of that moment occurring right at cooldown is next to zero. In general, you’re waiting until you decoy or have stability or cover before you recharge, and the extra few seconds doesn’t really help there. Also, I’m talking wvw here. PvE might be a different story.

Agreed, ANet just combine Harmonious Mantra’s and Mantra Mastery as a GM trait. Add’s an additional charge and reduces mantra cooldowns by 20%.

Just finished a terrible lag session on Skyhammer.. recorded it if you want to see it. 64.25.38.224

However in sPvP it’s the complete opposite. Stability is protected against boon removal and is the lowest priority boon to be removed by deliberate design.

Are you sure about this? I use Arcane Thievery quite a bit in my build and it seems to ALWAYS grab stability not matter what else is up.

I try to remember to check for it before applying a daze/stun/knock back. If stability is up, Arcane Thievery first to grab it. And then I can proceed with my daze/stun/knock back.

Gee…looks really familiar.

I’ve bounce back in forth between that 30-10-30 build and a 30-20-20 interrupt build for quite some time. Right now, what seems to be working best for my playstyle is the 30-20-20 build with Deceptive Evasions. (This was before yesterdays patch, haven’t gotten to play much with the new changes yet.)

I love Mantra of Distractions and I can’t seem to get myself to remove it from my skill bar. However, MoD and Halting Strike just aren’t enough take out your opponent. You still need to put the hurt on, so hence DE for clone generation for shatters. Instead of staff, I have more success with GS and GS Training in Domination.

Other things: and again this is my personal preference. But I run with Rune of Centaurs & Mirror for the healing skill to get swiftness. Sometimes I will run Decoy for my stun break, or I might switch it for Blink. And because of Harmonious Mantra’s, Mantra of Resolve from my condition removal. I really like Arcane Thievery and really want to use it. But the speed at which conditions are applied right now, AT has too long a cooldown to really be effective.

The nice thing about the 30-10-30 build is the flexibility. With the change to Confounding Suggestions, you could run a Confounding Suggestions/PU build hybrid very quickly. My issue with Confounding Suggestions is the simple 50% chance on stun. Usually, when I REALLY needed the stun, it didn’t happen. With the change adding additional Daze time, now you can use it to help your interrupts, and the stun is a bonus. For me again, I’m not sure I can give up that extra Mantra charge though.

To be honest, the good warriors I know really think they were buffed this patch. So much for warrior nerf.

I think the same can be said for thieves and necros.

EDIT: Guardians will rule this meta.. my initial impressions.

Dulfy has a post previewing the upcoming heals.. with screencaps.

http://dulfy.net/2013/12/05/gw2-new-healing-skills-for-next-patch/

I’ll throw in my support of the resolve mantra for condi-removal. I’ve just started using it recently and there is just no substitute for an immediate, on demand condi-clear (especially for those immobs). It’s an amazing utility, short CD and isn’t really a pain to charge.

In my build I run 30 into Domination for Harmonious Mantras primarily for Mantra of Distraction. (Love that skill) I always ran Arcane Thievery has my condition control. I like AT because it feels like Mesmer skill. Dump conditions on the enemy and steal boons. But it has too long a cooldown and can be blocked/dodged and all those other things.

So per your suggestion last night in sPvP I switched to Mantra of Resolve and I immediately noticed my survival was much better. Thanks for the tip! Looking forward to continue to use it and be much more selective at my condition removal.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/pvp/pvp/Lagging-in-sPvP-Report-it-here

Mimic:
4s Channel – 30sec cooldown.
Create a phantasm at your targets location, any damage your receive will “echo” around the phantasm.(300 radius) Phantasm dies at the end of channel.

Keep the same dome animation around the mesmer during the channel.

Want to create something similiar to the old GW1 Empathy or a “re-routed feedback”.

On my iphone, so I won’t address everything but I want to make a quick comment on the Mender’s Purity change. First, the change is a very nice. Just remember, Mender’s Purity has an internal cool down of 10 secs. So this doesn’t necessarily make MoR more viable in pvp.

And I agree with Chaos on the CS change . Still not worth a GM slot, but it’d be a good replacement for Wastrel’s.

Just did a little digging in the wiki.

Damage done = (Weapon Strength) * Power * (skill-specific coefficient) / (target’s Armor)

Weapon Strength: a uniformly distributed random number taken from the range of weapon strength of the equipped weapon. The weapon strength used for a skill will typically be that of the weapon associated with that skill; utility and elite skills are typically not affected by weapon strength and use a range based on the player’s level.

So when calculating Halting Strike damage. If the interrupt was from a Diversion or from a utility skill(i.e. MoD ), then the “Weapon Strength” portion of that calculation is based on player level? Is that correct? Is that why its damage varies so much?

So I do more damge if I get lucky with a GS, Focus, Pistol, OH Sword or Staff, than if I “skillfully timed” a Power Lock? If that’s the case, that sucks.

I love Mantra of Distraction. It’s ALWAY’s in my skill bar. Its the one utility skill that reminds me most of a GW1 Mesmer.

I think the Mantra idea is cool. I think the long cast time = instant cast is CAN be a high risk = high reward. The latest changes to MoC and MoResolve are step in the right direction. By adding the AOE affect, they give us some utility that we currently don’t have. However, I also agree that the radius is still too small making them still very situational.

My ideas..
- Increase the radius on MoC and MoResolve.
-Mantra of Pain-Power Spike does X damage plus Y% more damage if the target is using a skill (more like the original Power Spike)

-Empowering Mantras – this GM trait is an oxymoron. Just get rid of it. Makes no sense at all. So I’m rewarded for having more mantra’s as long as I don’t USE said Mantra’s??

Harmonious Mantra’s – Because I love MoD, I trait this. But in reality, its just not worthy of a GM trait. There are different things I can think of for this guy.
A. Keep it as it is, but move it down to master level and move Chaotic Interruption over to Domination. ( CI just fits better in Domination. )
B. Modify it to double the charges to 4. This one is tough. Mantra’s need to be viable at 2 charges, but some mantra’s might be too OP at 4 (MoRecovery, MoP)
C. Keep the charges to 3 but add a XX% reduced cast time.
D. Keep the charges to 3 but each mantra gains an additional effect. MoPain adds 1 stack vulnerability, MoRecovery & MoDistraction gets an extra charge (4total each), MoC adds 2s protection, MoResolve adds 2s regeneration. (or something)

Just in case you didn’t already know…

Goto Options>Key Binds. In the “Targeting” section, there is a “Target Nearest Enemy”. By default, there is no keybind for this. So if you haven’t done so already, I highly recommend you do. (In GW1, the same function was the C key. )

Since the patch, I’ve had Spirit Rangers and MM Necros in battles around a point and I’ve always gotten the player even though I was surround by the spirits or minions.

I don ’t run Illusionary Defense, so I assume you mean in place of Master of Manipulation. Not sure thats a good idea, the current meta is very boon /condition heavy and the more often I can steal /dump the better.

I really do appreciate the comments. Its good to have another perspective on what I’m tryin to accomplish with this build. In 2v2’s, 3v3 ‘s it very viable. In 1v1’s, it up/down based on what your up against.

As I mentioned I like to switch traits around depending on what team comp and even the current map. For instance, on Battle of Kyhlo I may take focus for iWarden to take out the trebs. So then I will switch to Confounding Suggestions, so that I can use iWarden with the stun to pin the player down. In general though, I seem to have bad luck on RNG’s and it seems I don’t get that stun when I need it.

As far kittentered Concentration goes , its an option as well and really depends on what you want to do. Arcane Thievery seems to do a very good job of stealing the really important boons. Doesn’t matter how many boons the warrior has up, Arcane Thievery seems to always grab stability. Crippling Dissapations just gives me another form of control.

Since I’m deep in both Domination & Chaos, I struggle with my jewel/gem selection some nights. Should I go all Power/precision or more balanced power/prev/condition?

UPDATE:

Just thought I would update this post with what I’ve been running with lately.

http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fgAQNAsaWl0zipnRzmGa9IhpHE33Cn0DTX6VXqgtB-TsAA2CqIkSJlTKjUSpsSN+YByEBA

I’ve dropped the scepter and GS and now using sword/pistol – staff. I do prefer the scepter. But in PvP, scepter just doesn’t bring the pain that MH sword does. And staff gives me more options to recharge Mantra of Distraction. The AOE dazes from Chaos Storm is a nice plus. And dazes is what this build is about.

Because I want to focus on daze/interrupting, I’ve been using Runs of the Mesmer for the extend daze duration and I do seem to land a bit more interrupts than without. It could be that the “meta” in sPvP is changing. Either way, more interrupts mean more Halting Strike, BI and CI processes.

I also took out 10 pts from Inspiration and put them in Dueling for Far-Reaching Manipulations. Blink is tons better with this, not that it wasn’t good before. But its a huge upgrade.

Now if your new to running Mantra and charging them, you could use decoy instead of blink and then drop Far-Reaching Manipulations for Blade Training. Decoy gives you plenty of time to recharge MoDist while stealthed. I go back and forth depending on the opposing teams makeup. If its heavy on warriors, I want blink to kite. If there’s multiple thief’s, then decoy might be the way to go.

I’ve tried it with sword-sword & Blade Training and its pretty good. However, Magic Bullet’s stun is too good for chasing down runners, an aid in escape and also provides another in combat opportunity for Mantra recharge.

Downsides to this build is the weakness to condition heavy builds. You really have to take the fight to them. Daze, stun, daze, stun, don’t give them a chance to get anything off. Unfortunately, condition builds are somewhat hearty, so you most likely will have to withdraw and recharge MoDist in those drawn out battles. This gives them time to heal/reset or have a buddy come help out. That is the downside to mantras. And why running more than 1 mantra in sPvP just makes your job much much harder.

The goal for this build is to give the GW2 Mesmer a little of the original Mesmer’s “lockdown/interrupt” play style. This is a heavy “daze/interrupt-centric” build. Some nights I find my self slamming my head against the keyboard because I can’t seem to do anything right and others everything clicks.

I would like to make some videos of this build in use. But I play on a 3yr old laptop, don’t own any video recording/editing software (do have Bandicam free version though), and my job has me on the road a ton. So I’m usually at the mercy of the hotel’s wifi. But I’m going to at least try.

Maybe I am wrong, but I seem to remember using Confusing Images thru a block. Could it be that its channeled? That I start the cast and the block goes up and I still see numbers pop up?

The wiki doesnt describe piercing to penetrate blocks, but I could swear it does. I’m not as young as most of you, so it could be mental degradation.

Awesome job. Maybe i missed it. Im reading this on my iphone, but are you leaving a spot for the Downed State. Just to cover everything.

EDIT: Also, you do mention that GS Spatial Surge and Scepter Confusing Images can hit multiple targets. I’d suggest that you highlight that both these attacks are “piercing” attacks and will damage thru blocks. New Players may not know that.

I disagree that the charge time should be reduced. That takes away the whole concept of mantra’s. The problem is that right now, the utility that mantra’s bring aren’t worthy of the long cast time. They aren’t really all that better than our non-Mantra counterparts.

So improve THE mantra’s is the way to get more use out of them. Make them truly worthy of the long charge time.

Reduce cooldowns on most of the mantra’s. There’s no reason that after we spend those charges we need to wait so long to recharge. Because of the long charge time, we need to “plan” or prepare when to charge in combat. We shouldn’t have to also “wait” TOO charge. Even if they did nothing else to Mantra’s and kept their utilities as is, by cutting each mantra’s cooldown in half, you probably would see a lot more play. Because now they offer something more than are normal utilities.

Other things.. let us keep our charges whenever we go for a swim. Let us keep our charges when we are downed/rez’d. These again are simple changes that would make Mantra’s less clunky and less of a barrier to entry.

Harmonious Mantra should at least 4 charges. Make it worthy of a GM trait.

I don’t believe Moa Morph can trigger an interrupt. You could consider it a lockdown, since you’ve stopped the enemy from doing what he wants to do.

Even if it could interrupt, its a very long cast time and it would be very hard to time it to trigger an interrupt.

I run a 30-0-30-10-0 build, so I’m able to run both if I want.

I find myself taking Mirror of Anguish or Chaotic Dampening instead of Chaotic Interruption. It just seems a little lack luster for a GM trait. The immobilize is nice + random condition thing is ok but just doesn’t seem “enough” for a GM trait.

Confounding Suggestions can be really fun. I’ve run sword/focus with Confounding Suggestions and Mantra of Distraction. Pick your target, cast iWarden, hit Power Lock during cast (if lucky get a stun), enemy stunned while iWarden spins up on them, quickly to an iLeap (another immobilize) into a blurred frenzy. Nice burst there.

Its great IF you get that stun. Thats the reality with the Domination Mesmer in GW2. We have all this potential, but there’s a all this randomness to obtain that potential. That’s why shatter, condition & phantasm specs will continue the best builds until Domination gets some more love.

Be that as it may, I will still play a Domination Mesmer. I just like the playstyle. I don’t dominate PvP like other Mesmers, but when I do it gives me that extra satisfaction that I really did out play my opponent.

Doesn’t really matter.
Daze is only 1 sec. (Runes of Mesmer you can up that to 1.33 secs). They don’t stack.

And if your dazed, how would your clean it?

You want to make Mantra’s viable in PvP.

1. Mantra’s should retain their charges when downed-rez’d.
2. Fix the issue of Mantra’s resetting whenever a mesmer steps in the water.

I know there is a work around for #2 by equipping the same mantra in the same slot as your underwater skills. But currently before a match, you may decide to switch out a mantra/utility skill based on your team/enemy team composition. And you can’t change your underwater skills at that time.

The fist issue is critical. I stopped using Mantra of Recovery as my healing spell for this reason. If I’m downed, and my teammate risks his neck to rez me, I’m as weak as a kitten for 3 seconds while I recharge my healing spell. During that time I am no use to my teammate.

Comments?

Yes, I saw that. I’m flattered that it was listed. I made that build post months ago before the current condition meta came to be. Got hardly any responses at the time.

I still play it. I’ve dropped the GS in place of staff (like you mentioned) and have started to equip carrion jewels to up my condition damage. It seems to be working and I think once the current PvP meta gets “shaved” down. It will be more viable. I guess I should update my recent changes. And since there’s all the buzz now on interrupting potential.

But to my post, I do think we should keep our charges on down and ANet should fix the bug that resets mantras as soon as my foot touches water. If ANet really wants Mesmer’s to use mantra’s more, these 2 things alone will make them so less clunky for the player base.

Most “dazes” only last 1 seconds. And you need to understand that

Daze <> Interrupt

Daze can cause an interrupt, but it is not automatic. As in most things with the Mesmer, interrupting has a randomess to it.

Diversion causes our clones to apply a 1 sec daze, so there’s time for the clones to run to the target and shatter to apply a daze. LIttle luck involved in getting an interrupt.

Pistol has a stun and daze on the bouce. Has a half second cast time, and random bounce. Really using Pistol for Stun and if the daze gets an interrupt thats icing on the cake.

Signet of Domination gives a 3 sec stun has a 1/4 sec cast. Fairly reliable potential for interrupt. But you use this for the stun, not necessarily for the interrupt potential.

Chaos Storm randomly apply s a 1 sec daze. Again luck involved getting an interrupt. Best to hit in WvW where you have multiple targets grouped together. Better chance of getting an interrupt.

Mantra of Distraction/Power Lock 1 sec daze. Power Lock is instant cast and can be cast while doing other things. Mesmer in complete control of when daze gets applied (outside of game lag), best chance of interrupting.

Of course, this is just my impressions from playing time.