Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Yeah the scepter AA chain is unchanged for total duration but at 15% faster with the trait, nothing about the scepter feels in any way clunky anymore.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Anyone else try Mental Defense? It seems like it goes on cooldown when you evade an “out of range” attacker which is annoying because it only has 900 range like Phantasmal Defender.
Been playing with it all afternoon actually and I think it’s going to be a staple in my build. I haven’t experienced what you’re saying, though all my playing as been duels in close contact or on point fights. Will have to keep this in mind.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
I think the increased stealth duration is fantastic and interesting.
However, I feel that it should come with some sort of additional drawback. Specializing into some sort of particularly powerful utility, like stealth access, should be possible, but it should also come packaged with some sort of specific drawback.
Not entirely sure what sort of drawback would be appropriate. Perhaps some sort of damage de-modifier?
Hate to say it but I agree with the stealth sentiment. How about keep the stealth uptime but either severely neuter the protective boons you receive while in stealth or remove the boon application entirely. Having both just feels like so much.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
This, along with malicious sorcery has significantly amped up the scepter in an amazing way. You can legitimately burst with this skill now, coupled with a shatter. I mean, I was doing this before the patch in my build feeling slow as an ox, but now …
Anyone else been messing with this? It feels so strong now.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
And you’re only just scratching the surface …
=P
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Patch just hit – still 2 stacks per shatter. Good, hopefully it stays that way for the time being and they can evaluate. Also confusing combatants change to fury is real (EDIT: now called Master Fencer).
So, basically … it was what I said earlier …
There was no proof and people got out their torches and pitchforks for nothing.
Funny how that worked out, eh? :-p
Let’s not all now go “oh, good, they decided to not …”.
Let’s be honest … many people had knee-jerk reactions to word-of-mouth … with no hard evidence. This was an excellent example of the sort of thing the forums don’t know and probably why we see less interaction from the devs in the forums than we did when the game first launched.
Nah, I’m with you on the whole whining based on misinformation or lack of it – I detest that actually, but that wasn’t the case here. The proof was clear for the people who witnessed it in the live stream. Whether or not you trust those many who posted about it without the “proof” is up to you.
Bottom line we’re looking pretty good for now, happy times for mesmer.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Patch just hit – still 2 stacks per shatter. Good, hopefully it stays that way for the time being and they can evaluate. Also confusing combatants change to fury is real.
Oh, good. So they didn’t do the really stupid thing, but they still did the kind of disappointing thing.
Right, they still could do the really stupid thing as they are definitely watching (per yesterday’s stream). But yeah confusion on crit is definitely not a thing.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Patch just hit – still 2 stacks per shatter. Good, hopefully it stays that way for the time being and they can evaluate. Also confusing combatants change to fury is real (EDIT: now called Master Fencer).
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
(edited by skcamow.3527)
Well, until someone shows me some concrete proof, I’m not going to freak out.
Now 30 is approaching so my eyes could be going, but I just double-checked this whole thread and don’t see one link, screenshot, etc..
How about we get actual proof or just wait until tomorrow before we pull out the torches and pitchforks?
I’m going to say it right now … if, when we log in after tomorrow, MtD still applies 2 stacks of torment, you’re going to feel silly at best.
Many of the folks in the thread here were present on the stream when these statements were made in chat. Whether or not the devs come to their senses and don’t nerf it before this sees one second of live play is unknown, but they essentially left the stream with that sentiment.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
So much for mesmers having a viable and strong condition spec to play…
Bringing it down to 1 stack without a corresponding duration boost is a significant nerf to the trait that goes above and beyond any boosts that it was given with IP. Just demonstrates once more how truly directionless and incompetent balance decisions are made at Anet central.
Hehe, was waiting to see how long this response would take to surface.
They really need to let it play out a week or so and not base their findings off stationary golems eating damage that don’t dodge, don’t have damage mitigating skills and cleanses.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Nicely summarized in this post in the PvP forum.
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/pvp/PvP-Amulets-from-preview-client/first
So much testing to do ….
EDIT: also if anyone is unaware, the Guild Wars 2 channel is hosting streamers all day playing the new 6/23 content.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
IMO the staff trait should be a staple in any build taking a staff. The other traits it competes with aren’t competition to say the least.
OP, thanks for the list, good reference material. In addition (all PvP related):
I’ll be checking if RI/SC was really nerfed as it sounds in the tooltip.
I’ll be playing heavily with any illusion generating or enhanced weapon recharge trait in order to gauge effectiveness of a shatter build without DE (Chaotic Dampening, Mental Defense, Persistence of Memory and Malicious Sorcery).
I’ll be seeing how all our damage traits work together in blowing things up (Harmonious Mantras, Fencer’s Finesse, Mental Anguish).
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Keep in mind also this is a nerf to ALL professions, not just mesmer. That honestly makes this much easier to swallow.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Why not ask the folks over in [Teef]? Bunch of good guys over in the thief guild.
I could try, But I am pretty strict with my standards, the thief must be really really good to get you thinking.
Skcamow told me we can either try Supcutie or tron Jeremy
There are other good d/p thieves as well, supcutie may be able to help get us muffinz for a bit. In any case I’d be happy to help round some thieves up if you need it.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
The upcoming changes are a dream come true for this build. I’ll still go GS/Staff and finally get to play with Imbued Diversion without having to trait it. A couple traits can be swapped depending on enemy comp, but I’m loving that I can bring a little utility and survivability with the blinds.
Due to the increased overall damage potential compared to the original, I might experiment with a non-standard rune to push chill a bit more. Likely won’t be worth it but I’ll have fun experimenting.
I’ll definitely start with zerker, but with the condition changes and plentiful condition access in the build, going hybrid might warrant a look. I’d certainly take maim in that case.
Most lockdown builds will go into domination almost by default. This one will be a black sheep; with the massive AoE interrupt potential, it’s going to be killer in team fights.
The two other builds I play are getting massaged heavily …
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
This trait is good, no doubt, and has its specific uses especially in wvw with utilities like veil and portal. In pvp a single time warp with this trait will pretty much guarantee a team fight win. Even so, its not a GM tier as it currently stands IMO. And cho, super speed is just an amped up swiftness, nothing to do with quickness.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
This will sound like blasphemy, but with confusing images buffed to hit six times, the confusion changes (especially under a full 25 might stacks), and the new scepter trait in illusions, will you be testing scepter in a power build?
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Forum bug fixin
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
As the meta shakes out in the weeks following the patch, you’ll find many shatter mesmers experimenting heavily with the blind traits. Those alone could potentially do enough to bridge the current gap. Add in more lockdown functionality (confounding suggestions) that was previously unavailable and you have a compelling counter to thieves. This one is just going to have to play out.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
It was so weak before needing a nice buff but now with the change to vulnerability to also affect conditions, I think Anet is being very cautious with how vuln is inflicted. Its also so easy to get high vuln stacks by simply traiting the domination line, rending shatter becomes easily overshadowed.
Bottom line, with confounding suggestions to compete with in PvP and empowered illusions in PvE, this trait isn’t going to see the light of day.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
- Restorative Illusions: Using a shatter skill removes 1 condition from you and heals you based on the number of illusions shattered.
At first glance you think, “oh they merged restorative illusions and shattered conditions”. Looking again, it appears the AoE condition removal is gone. That’s unfortunate. Still a great trait in the master tier but sad to lose the functionality.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
- Bountiful Disillusionment: Whenever you use a shatter skill you gain 1 stack of stability for 5s. Based on the shatter used allies around you can gain Might, Vigor, Fury or Regeneration.
Not sure if anyone noticed this, but bountiful disillusionment got the change it deserved here. I’m interpreting a bit but it seems logical since fury/regeneration are listed 3rd/4th.
Instead of retaliation on MW we get AoE 3 might (assuming of course the number is the same as before). Instead of the might on CoF we get AoE vigor. The remaining two are the same but those two changes are excellent, especially with the base recharge reductions we now have on all shatter skills.
I’m really excited about the additional reliable might generation we’re going to be seeing with various traits now.
Good catch. Its so hard to decide whether to go BD or CI for a boonshare build. While BD seems the obvious choice, CI grants 5x might and boon with EACH interrupt, one good focus pull and you’re gold… Ah, decisions.
Well hands down BD is going to be the way to go for a true support build, at least from a boon share perspective. Being everything is AoE now, boons (the really GOOD ones) are going to be flying around everywhere. We know chaos storm alone throws out boons like candy, but add signet of inspiration into the mix and some of the other supporting signet/distortion traits, plus our shatter support traits (thinking duel/chaos/insp) and you’ve got a pretty incredible boon share/support build with some really nice sustain.
EDIT: Obviously can’t take four trait lines, point being there are going to be some solid options for support mesmer and I think BD is going to be right in the middle for boon share especially with literal on demand stability access.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
(edited by skcamow.3527)
- Bountiful Disillusionment: Whenever you use a shatter skill you gain 1 stack of stability for 5s. Based on the shatter used allies around you can gain Might, Vigor, Fury or Regeneration.
Not sure if anyone noticed this, but bountiful disillusionment got the change it deserved here. I’m interpreting a bit but it seems logical since fury/regeneration are listed 3rd/4th.
Instead of retaliation on MW we get AoE 3 might (assuming of course the number is the same as before). Instead of the might on CoF we get AoE vigor. The remaining two are the same but those two changes are excellent, especially with the base recharge reductions we now have on all shatter skills.
I’m really excited about the additional reliable might generation we’re going to be seeing with various traits now.
Good catch. Its so hard to decide whether to go BD or CI for a boonshare build. While BD seems the obvious choice, CI grants 5x might and boon with EACH interrupt, one good focus pull and you’re gold… Ah, decisions.
Well hands down BD is going to be the way to go for a true support build, at least from a boon share perspective. Being everything is AoE now, boons (the really GOOD ones) are going to be flying around everywhere. We know chaos storm alone throws out boons like candy, but add signet of inspiration into the mix and some of the other supporting signet/distortion traits or shatter support traits and you’ve got a pretty incredible boon share/support build with some really nice sustain.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
(edited by skcamow.3527)
- Bountiful Disillusionment: Whenever you use a shatter skill you gain 1 stack of stability for 5s. Based on the shatter used allies around you can gain Might, Vigor, Fury or Regeneration.
Not sure if anyone noticed this, but bountiful disillusionment got the change it deserved here. I’m interpreting a bit but it seems logical since fury/regeneration are listed 3rd/4th.
Instead of retaliation on MW we get AoE 3 might (assuming of course the number is the same as before). Instead of the might on CoF we get AoE vigor. The remaining two are the same but those two changes are excellent, especially with the base recharge reductions we now have on all shatter skills.
I’m really excited about the additional reliable might generation we’re going to be seeing with various traits now.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Stats from gear will increase about 30%. If cele receives a 10% nerf, it’s like gaining 17% from actual stats.
Yeah just saw this on reddit:
http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/3a0xf6/arenanet_sent_us_the_entire_patch_notes_for_next/
Lots of information here on what’s coming next week, assuming it’s valid.
Taking the 10% nerf, factoring in the stat boost removals from the traits and adding in this 30%, it won’t be quite as bad as I originally thought.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
I know that Cele stats are going to get nerfed, but does anyone here think that a Chrono/Inspiration/X build can make an absolutely phenomenal bunker/bruiser?
Absolutely, and not even requiring chrono. Will have to see how the 10% celestial nerf along with the removal of stats from the trait lines balance out, but the celestial build I run competitively will gain huge improvements from these changes.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Yeah I can see how this is perceived as an oversight but on the other hand, what about the issue of delayed reflect capabilities for that brief distortion period like it would have been before? I know, not that big a deal but I guarantee that would have been annoying with the build I play in PvP. Now I get to choose which effect I want.
Still, I see the issue. One phantasm shouldn’t be left out if one wishes to take warden’s feedback, especially considering warden’s feedback and protected phantasms have such good synergy. Making warden’s feedback baseline would certainly fix this but maybe too strong.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
What a mess this is. haha I hope they come back soon.
They called it due to Twitch issues but announced content would be posted ASAP and that it’s all coming 6/23.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
TLDR: the chronomancer doesn’t really change the way you play the profession like the other elite specs do.
I’m having a hard time understanding your perspective given you haven’t played chronomancer yet, much less the other profession elite specializations.
I for one feel that alacrity is a brilliant mechanic that introduces even more complex gameplay building on what mesmer already possesses, but certainly can’t pass judgement on it (good or bad) until I’ve played it.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Honestly the burns and bleeds from staff were incidental damage to begin with in a standard shatter build. I don’t think anything will change, especially with the fact illusionary elasticity will be default.
That, along with IP being default provides a potentially better staff/GS shatter build by being able to take chaos, inspiration or chrono with the standard domination and dueling lines. That will more than make up for any lost condition damage. I’d trade the lost 300 condition damage for a whole new trait line any day =P
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
i mean, it should. autoattacks are still skills.
Yeah, ArenaNet stated it’s not intended to work that way. It’s been brought up many times and it’s just going to be this way unfortunately. One of the more recent threads on Power Block:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/pvp/Power-Block-and-Thieves/first
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
MR was added to the new Master of Fragmentation trait in Illusions.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
You can’t really do the math with the information you provided.
They showed us tooltips without us knowing the amount of condition damage.
Even then, we’d need to have at least one other example of the tooltip with a separate known amount of condition damage.
Without that information, it is difficult to know what the damage will be like.
We don’t know what the constant damage is that it does with 0 condition damage, and we don’t know what the coefficient is for condition damage … for both the tick and on-skill-use.
I think it’s fair to say those are base numbers, but to your point we don’t know with 100% certainty. For example, if you look at the on skill use number in the tool tip, it’s 50 as opposed to the current base of 65. When I say base, I mean no traits, no gear, etc.
They even commented the on-skill number is lower than the current number because people were raging in the stream, but they never came out and said why (at least in the mesmer portion). We know the reason is because of that second damage number.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Initial numbers ArenaNet provided on the core specialization stream indicate that confusion will apply 24-25 base damage per stack of confusion per second. This is in addition to the damage inflicted on skill use.
Confusing Combatants
Mistrust
Illusionary Retribution
Blinding Befuddlement
Note that value subject to change ahead of the official release. Math whizzes help me out if I’m incorrect.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Had same question myself. Is “next content update” next Tuesday’s update or some other to be determined date?
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
I think they should just make mesmer phants immune to blind so they can be casted even with blind.
This will maybe help us fair better against thieves.
A better way to put this would be to make it so phantasm summons aren’t considered personal attacks from the mesmer. This would still allow phantasm attacks to be blinded.
With the current way blind works, this would be useful for all phantasms except the duelist, berserker and warden (bah underwater phants). To make it useful against those, blind would have to be updated to affect multi-hit attacks or with a special mesmer phantasm exception, both of which aren’t likely.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
In addition to those mentioned, there are a handful of NA mesmers that many people probably aren’t aware of, easily making a top list such a Zeromis, Mime and Brain. I know Zero and Mime are currently active, not sure about Brain.
EDIT: Forgot Night from Apex.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
(edited by skcamow.3527)
It was confirmed to be a bug, fix coming soon.
https://mobile.twitter.com/GuildWars2/status/601028659407912961
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
So nobody’s concerned with Chronomancer being so kittening powercreep and mandatory?
I definitely wouldn’t call it mandatory. The re-working of the pre-existing traits were solid buffs. I wondered about how strong many of them were but when Chronomancer was announced it was clear why. We needed some solid updates to compete with the elite specialization and we have exactly that. We have some viable competing options to choose from across all trait lines now.
Regarding power creep, yes that’s been in my mind as a potential concern while processing the new changes. Will be interesting how this all plays out.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Capacity issue has been resolved for the near future and invites sent.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
#NoobRemarks It’s less powerful than I thought then. I still think it will be better than it was before with a 12 second CD.
Not to mention Alacrity. We’ll see how the Mirror thing works out, until we see it we can’t really know how it’ll work. Maybe the traits Mirror activates after the Manip has been used, which would add maybe another 1s or so to the Reflect. We’ll see soon enough I guess.
Either way, I think Mirror will be used more then before, as you said -if nothing else- because with the Reflect and MP, the lower CD becomes a bigger advantage which each second you shave off it’s CD.
I thought they mentioned this on the PoI thing… If I remember correctly, Mirror’s reflection happens during the channel and Master of Manipulation happens after the channel completes, giving you a nice 2.5 or so seconds of reflection.
It works out to be 4 seconds since the trait just tacks on another identical Mirror skill following the heal.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
They said the same thing in the dragon hunter presentation about still adjusting numbers, as they did in chronomancer’s.
Jon Peters also posted in the stream earlier that the chronomancer traits would be released very soon (I’m guessing within a week). Why haven’t they been before now? Who knows but we’ll have them soon enough.
I agree ready up is a lot better platform to showcase these specializations.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
I’m in. Let’s enjoy mes before our post HOT fun is nerfed back down.
Gotcha in, I’m looking forward to the fun as well. I’m banking on the fact that the devs appear to have been having fun making all the nifty stuff for chronomancer that they’ll be reluctant to turn around and nerf it into the ground.
I’m also banking on the fact that Robert Gee is an infinitely better mesmer skill designer than anyone else we’ve had thus far. He seems to have a decent mind for balance as well and I see our new toys staying around for a long time, albeit they will be tweaked here and there.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
I’ve got an FA account so I’m in. I’m on almost every night from about 10PM-12AM central time, a bit later on the weekends.
If we’re talking a Saturday or Sunday afternoon that would be tougher for me, but I may be able to coordinate if given advanced notice.
My two biggest concerns:
- Cleave/Rez protection. We could have part of our contingent save tides of time specifically for this, otherwise without large stability access I can see us having a really tough time. Mantra of concentration, Bountiful Disillusionment and/or Illusionary Inspiration is going to be important.
- Damage. We’re going to need to really think this one through because with so much utility we’ll need to sustain ourselves, I’m thinking damage may suffer a bit. Between our shatters and hard cc I’m hoping enemy stability won’t be too much of an issue so we should be able to wreck with interrupts/Power Block. I’m really loving the idea of Imbued Diversion and the other merged traits in master of fragmentation as well. Should be decent in this group.
We have all the tools to accomplish the job, just going to take a fair degree of planning and coordination to pull it off.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Btw will Illusionary Inspiration trigger Blurred Inscriptions? And is there an ICD on either of them?
Yes it will, with no ICD as it is currently.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
So, we have a Dark field now, eh?
Yep, really excited about it. A bit more discussion on that here:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/mesmer/Chronomancer-Spec-Combinations/first#post5027313
Combined with alacrity and our new chronomancer toys, could be pretty interesting.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Oh I know that. Still it’s not a bad recharge and alacrity of course will help.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
Going to experiment with more blind spiced builds as I have for some time. One thing I’ll look to exploit is the new shiny elite we’ll get, which is a dark field, our first. Too bad we don’t have more blasts, but I can see some nice team plays, opportunities with torch and our plentiful access to leaps.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)
@Sebrent
I usually play a shutdown/interrupt mesmer so for me i’ll be upkeeping my cc’s better with Chrono. All i shall need is domination and chaos and i will rule the world X)
The addition of Tides of Time is going to make a build like that incredibly potent.
Kortham Raysplitter (Yak’s Bend)