Guild Wars 2

If you have one illusion out and use Mind Wrack, it’ll hit for more than having 2 or 3 illusions out.

So if you use MW with 1 illusion, it’ll hit for 1,257 damage but if you have 3 illusions out and use MW, each illusion will hit for 811 damage.

Each illusion has their own critical chance with MW so your damage spike is higher with 3 illusions but if you have an enemy with low health, you can use Mind Wrack and still utilize IP and don’t need to semi-ramp up clones to get a full 3-4 hit MW on them.

I don’t think the skins are necessarily “legendary” and would like to see more done with them. A game that’s all about cosmetics for the most part, they’re pretty bland all things considered.

Learn the skills and learn to dodge roll.

Courtesy of frifox:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1LRyeoRFtcqZqvZh2nobsCkKmyB3FvRoX1-OjY26Gc6E/edit

I’ve been part of some big software companies that haven’t had any development and marketing methodologies whatsoever and from the outside looking in, it appears that ANet is falling in that boat.

alanis.6094:

phokus.8934:

alanis.6094:

phokus.8934:

When discussing build viability in pvp, it really only matters on top tier and tournament games because that is where people know where their dodge button is.

I think you believe that their are more people at the top tier/tournament games then they actually exist. Top tier is irrelevant for most.

No, I don’t. As I stated and what you left out as part of my response is that any build in bottom tier play is viable due to obvious reasons. When people start making claims that MtD is surpassing power shatter, that’s just blatantly false. MtD can have success as shown by the OP but even Phantasm builds and PU can have a lot of success against those same players.

Is your claim is that everyone that isn’t in the top tier/tournaments is therefore bottom tier (without any middle tier)? I don’t think anyone would disagree that when you play against kids that don’t know where the dodge button is located that any build can work; however, I (and I bet others) would argue that there is a huge amount of players that 1) aren’t tourney/top tier, and 2) still pretty good at this game. MTD is effective in this group.

Additionally on your other point… very few people are arguing that MTD is surpassing power shatter in tourney/top tier play.

My claim is based off of the players that the OP has played against and from the videos posted, I’ve yet to see any decent player. The OP plays MtD decently and it works for him so I’m glad that’s the case. There’s no question that the vast majority of players don’t participate in tournament play or in top tier… those are there for a reason and labeled as such. So I’m not sure why you would need to argue for this?

Sorry it’s not quite clear to me but on your second point are you saying that there’s a huge amount of players who are quite good?

A veiled but blatantly overt post on wanting mounts.

Reporting this thread to be merged with the main mount thread.

alanis.6094:

phokus.8934:

When discussing build viability in pvp, it really only matters on top tier and tournament games because that is where people know where their dodge button is.

I think you believe that their are more people at the top tier/tournament games then they actually exist. Top tier is irrelevant for most.

No, I don’t. As I stated and what you left out as part of my response is that any build in bottom tier play is viable due to obvious reasons. When people start making claims that MtD is surpassing power shatter, that’s just blatantly false. MtD can have success as shown by the OP but even Phantasm builds and PU can have a lot of success against those same players.

I can only speculate that Helseth has tried variations of Mesmer condi and it just doesn’t hold up to power shatter in top tier play. He doesn’t need to come out and list out anything to refute why condi is behind power shatter only because he’s been successful at tournament play. Then again, when someone is that arrogant, don’t expect much.

But really, no one really gives a crap about bottom tier play because you can roll out there with random traits and still kill terrible players.

When discussing build viability in pvp, it really only matters on top tier and tournament games because that is where people know where their dodge button is.

HairyPig.3795:

Hi. I’m completely new to this game, but I’ve had a lot of experience with MMOs in general as I’ve pretty much played each and everyone sometime or another, a few of them over a longer period of time :P

I decided to finally buy GW2 when I saw it was on sale, and I’ve heard that the PvP is pretty awesome so I thought I’d give it a try. So far I’m loving it, and I decided to play a Mesmer. But after talking to some people, both in a guild I’m in and RL friends who play this game, they all recommend me to play something else so I can get the “hang of the game” instead of playing such a complicated class as Mesmer.

Are they right? And if they are, do you have any good classes to recommend as “beginner” classes?

The mesmer class is one where there really isn’t an “Oh kitten” button to get out of a situation. It’s a lot less forgiving than most of the other classes but if played right can have a very good results.

With that said, it doesn’t matter what class you start out with. If you’ve played MMO’s before and like the concept of the mesmer then go play a mesmer. Mesmer isn’t a complicated class but just watch your cooldowns and you’ll be okay. “You’ll be mediocre at it. Probably still pretty bad, though.”

A lot has to due to the fact that people keep trying to pawn off their build as the next big thing and they show game play against mediocre players.

These builds are like Jaden Smith and the posters are Will Smith.

Terrorsquad.2349:

Can the SoloQ vs Premades stop please?
PLEASE?!

The duration of queue was only like 2mins, how can we be facing premades >_>

I’m in a matchup now where it’s 3-1-1 vs 1-1-1-1-1.

I’m wondering what or where the sPvP designer(s) got their experience from because it shows that they are severely lacking.

Until I see the actual specialization system and how it works, I’m still of the mind set that we’re going to be left behind other classes.

Some people really do struggle with prioritizing their gaming.

Let’s see… open beta test of Stronghold for a new expansion or play a game that is being released and you have the many many days after to play?

Gee, I wonder what you should do?

Get real.

The slowing effect on whirling wrath makes zero sense on a class with very little CC. If we had more/better access to CC, I could see having it there but as it stands, its a hinderence when using it and players run out of its way.

Sword: Remove the projectile from AA
Sword: Remove the root on Zealot’s Defense

GS: Remove the slow down on Whirling Wrath

Staff: 1200 range 360 radius.

Fire Air for GS.

As Black pointed out, there wasn’t a delay bug as the clones activate the effect when they shatter. When you activated Distortion, you still had two clones up.

It’s just bad design as it doesn’t make much sense to use a defensive, long cool down ability to hit an enemy. This is where having IP shine so you get the on demand evade and time for the clones to shatter.

But okay video, you tend to use your defensive abilities for positioning in the start which is almost a no-no. Just from the footage I saw you need support with this build and plays more with high DPs classes. I don’t think I’d ever use this build but I have a hard time giving up power shatter with IP.

As stated before in two other threads, this is a bug for them to bring over the armor in live from the stress test.

I play power shatter and have been using GS/Sword+Pistol/Torch. I used to play Staff but moved away from it as I wanted more power damage.

PvP:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fhAQNAR8flknpMtNqxWNMrNipxg6yebOSGQDlMkxB-TpBFwACuAAl2fgwRAYxBBoaZAAPAAA

Standard shatter build but using Masterful Reflection which is amazing. Not many people use it nor do enemies expect it – especially Lich Form Necros when they blast their own face off.

Portal because of the stomps, positioning, and team movement. I swap this out depending on comp setup but mostly use Portal.

You really misunderstood what I wrote…

First – yes, berserker does do very well in tdm. Now you seem to have mistaken that the whole team is running berserker but this is the Mesmer forum so I assume you’d know that and Mesmers cannot effectively run any type of Celestial build.

Second – I never said the sigils/autoattacks do a lot of damage but rather are the damage. Big difference as the total damage done is mainly from those sources but the burst just isn’t there. You’re also overlooking the fact that condition builds are primarily linked to autoattacks and their sigils. Most power based builds in pvp do not as they rely on burst rather than sustained dps.

witcher.3197:

Condi is noob friendly. If you can’t play power effectively and you play in the low/middle rating zone then yes, you’ll be more useful with condi. The moment you learn how to play mesmer or step out of elohell, power outclasses condi so hard I can’t even describe it.

It really is the staple of easy to play as auto attacks and sigils will apply the majority of your conditions. Shatter/CI is vastly superior when it comes to conquest and tdm but has a high ceiling for skill.

It’s not that condition builds are bad, but power just trumps it in pvp.

My non-Mesmer Mesmer look. I’m not crazy about the gloves but they’ll do for now.

They need to get rid if this nonsense or have a validation process to bypass this silly change.

Once again they put a change in for the greater good but lack downstream vision on its impact on its legitimate user base.

jportell.2197:

phokus.8934:

If you’re double ranged Shatter and have Illusionary Elasticity, then using MIrror Blade does very well against turrets.

We’re not completely helpless against turret Engineers. Just stay ranged, keep putting pressure up, Shatter when you need to, and just making sure you’re using IE to its fullest.

See this is the most annoying thing, the answer is stay ranged. This is conquest no matter how long it takes me to kill him I HAVE to stay at range. They are literally the only build/spec in the game that you have to stay at ranged for the entire flipping fight. And as was already mentioned, if they are smart several points in the game they can LOS you and just force you to get up close and personal. Yeah, turret engis are fine.

You’re double ranged so you put yourself at range. I run shatter but with GS, Sword+Pistol/Focus and stay ranged at first until I see the Engineer blow through their heal and get down the net turret. Then it’s all about getting your phantasms out to keep the pressure on and utilizing iLeap, Shatter, Blurred Frenzy for burst. At that point, most Engineers will use their stun break and run and then pop shield so when you have them on the move, you’re in a great position.

If you’re double ranged Shatter and have Illusionary Elasticity, then using MIrror Blade does very well against turrets.

We’re not completely helpless against turret Engineers. Just stay ranged, keep putting pressure up, Shatter when you need to, and just making sure you’re using IE to its fullest.

Xyonon.3987:

How can you guys already QQ before you even got our weapon, utilities and especially new class mechanic … how short minded can one be …

Quite a few of us have been playing Mesmer since beta and all of these promises and direction that they had for Mesmers became null and void or completely not in the realm of what we need.

You call it short-minded, we call it cautiously optimistic with a dash of pessimism.

JonPeters.5630:

Hey all. We have found this bug and are working on a fix. Thanks for your help in identifying this problem.

Jon

Any chance you can fix the bug upon loading in a zone that you’re stuck there for about 30-60 seconds?

More prominently seen in HotM.

Works fine in the US.

If I could at least disable this airplane nonsense then I’d be fine.

It was fun for about 5 seconds and now just annoying.

I’m tempering my own expectations about Mesmers only receiving an off-hand shield. They said that they’re going to compensate for this but that really could mean anything. A new utility that opens up when the shield is equipped? Maybe the fabled F5 opens up to us? It’s anyone’s guess at this point but I’m not getting overly excited about what this could really mean.

I don’t want to speak for BlackDevil but what he’s getting at is that any build in low tier pvp is viable. But when people start to talk about it being the next big meta build by not participating in tournaments or higher level play, then he’s defending that Power Shatter is still the meta. Why? Because that’s where it has been played and shown to work.

The “evidence” that I’d imagine BlackDevil is looking for is tournament play. s/tPvP doesn’t mean much unless you’re in organized fights with quality players. Messiah’s video pointed this out pretty clearly that the players he went up against weren’t all that great. He could have used any build and the outcome would have been the same.

The problem I see here in the Mesmer forums is that people have these grand ideas and show footage of them dominating PvP but the quality of players they go up against is severely lacking. You want your build (MtD) to really shine? Join a team, join a tournament, perform well, and then you can start shifting the meta from Power Shatter to MtD.

Typically people who receive such constant verbal abuse are equally at fault for instigating such behavior.

Just report, block, and move on – you’ll have a better in game experience. I guarantee it.

To function like Magic Bullet, yes. It falls in line with the rest of our skills that bounce between targets and are extended with Illusionary Elasticity.

The whole daze 5 targets in a straight line is pretty pathetic and so completely situational that at most, you’ll get 2 targets.

What I saw from the MtD video posted wasn’t anything great from a team play perspective. You really could have ran any random build and still would have had the same outcome. Where you showed how “weak” this build is was up against the shout guardian. There wasn’t a lot of pressure other than having the guardian use Save Yourself but then two of your teammates came and you followed and took point.

MtD may be decent for lower tier play (signet Mesmer? C’mon…) but I just see this build leaving the Mesmer as a huge liability.

I don’t know your level of play except for seeing this video but you’ve made some odd decisions while fighting. For instance, using Chaos Storm on a downed thief after they teleported and didn’t use their 1s stealth downed ability. And also what appeared to be a random Feedback?

Also when the Engineer was reviving the signet Mesmer, you did nothing to interrupt that (I didn’t see poison on the Mesmer?). Other than wasting your Moa on him when he had Elixir S still up, where was the pressure on the downed Mesmer?

I’d like to see them drop the straight line for Counter Blade and make it work like a bounce between targets. Change it from 5 targets to 2 and have it be affected by Illusionary Elasticity.

arron.7348:

i hate every build on metabattle, this website has ruined all diversity and made all content stale

I have to agree with this statement. Everyone flocks to it after any tournament and see what one team ran as a group and think it’s the next big meta.

I can’t tell you how many Guardians I’ve ran up against that are now Hammer Glacial Heart. They’re so ridiculously easy to kill (as a Mesmer) that I’m kind of glad it’s listed as the Meta for Guardian.

I don’t quite follow – why did he not just use the Print Screen function???

Haha, I play a Mesmer with Moa. Everytime I Moa someone, they almost always say some pretty rude things. I guess people don’t like being turned into… chickens.

It’s not so much that I hate turret engineers, it’s I hate the attitude that players have with it. I’ve never seen so much crap talk from them when they kill people. Every class has it, sure, but I see it more from turret engineers.

It still boggles my mind that they are trying to recreate the wheel again.

Talk about screwing up something that’s been done time after time again because… eSports? Get real.

witcher.3197:

It’s not only about you, it’s about most of the profession forum people in general. The profession forum section is full of people who live in their own bubble, don’t acknowledge optimal builds because they can’t play them (or simply because they are too hipster to use popular builds) and then theorycraft their horrible builds and have an orgasm even from watching a hotjoin killshot video. These people will never get good at the game with their current mentality and most good players left this place a long long time ago because they realized they can’t do reasoning with people who are blinded by their devotion to some specs.

Listen to this guy right here.

Sir Vincent III.1286:

morbidillusion.2759:

Sir Vincent III.1286:

Kurow.3076:

Thieves really should have no c/d on their weapon swap.

Short Answer: The game cannot handle it.

Long Answer: The server will get bombarded by packet requests that your game play as a Thief will not be satisfactory due to lag and packet loss. Besides, there is no real benefit in swapping other than combining skills across two sets — which you can already do.

You realize you can swap weapons without cooldown when out of combat right? I do it constantly to BP+Clusterbomb. This is the steamiest pile of “trust me, my dad is a computer-maker” bs I’ve ever read.

You realize that swapping out of combat functions very differently while in combat, right? This is the steamiest pile of “i know all about cooldown and why it exist” bs I’ve ever read.

But it doesn’t other than adding a cooldown trigger on weapon swap. Which in the grand scheme of things, has very little impact on performance.

Lethalvriend.1723:

@Phokus I think what he means is why not allow looks-changing without the use of stones (as in, just being able to change whenever you want for free).

Good point, thanks for the clarification.

You ask a silly question, you get silly responses.

I want the stats of berserker armor but the style I want doesn’t come in berserker.

Therefore, I transmute my berserker armor into the style I want.

You don’t see the point in making a decent looking character and not like a 5 year old dressed you? Image, man, image.

I’m fairly convinced that ANet has no quality UX designer because this change goes against anything remotely best practice.

Very easy to replicate: dodge+jump while in PvP and have someone put an immobilize on you. It happens to be every other match it seems.

This is a stress test beta so they’re really looking for lots of people to log on and do the normal activities. And of course see what they have to offer and try those out and see what happens.