Mesmer Discussion Thread

[Jetstream]

So my Mesmer is at twenty and honestly I am not sure I want to take her any further. Can someone recommend a trait/slot/weapon load out that might make it more fun. Its not a melee versus ranged thing... it just doesn't feel like the character has any ability to survive when things go wrong. I have all other professions and between Mesmer and Elementalist I cannot decide which I like the least. I was set on getting them all to twenty and mes/ele are my last. Trying to find something to make it fun to take forward

I find staff entertaining in a cackling madman sort of way.

[Ralamus]

woo hundredth page.
also i've been messing around with swords scepters and focuses. i really like the warden being able to reflect stuff, but i still don't really like the others as much as i like greatsword. might consider replacing staff with something/focus as my 2nd weapon with greatsword and see how it goes with a greatsword but i dunno how well they'll sync up

[Durzlla]

Any other weapon + dodge clones can get me enough clones to have mind wrack on cd and have enough clones for something else (like distortion). Scepter + dodge clones yield the same but lower damage output then any other weapon.

yeah... i don't get anywhere near as many clones with other weapons as i pump out with the scepter especially when i'm blocking and dodging like a mofo.... oh btw, guardian runes (or w/e runes burn people when you block) works WONDERFULLY when you use Scepter/sword!! just thought i'd throw that out there...

i will say though scepter is without a doubt lower damage then any other mes weapon i tried... that being said when i bust out the scepter i tend to not die as much, so.... idk where that really puts me lol

[zito]

yeah... i don't get anywhere near as many clones with other weapons as i pump out with the scepter especially when i'm blocking and dodging like a mofo.... oh btw, guardian runes (or w/e runes burn people when you block) works WONDERFULLY when you use Scepter/sword!! just thought i'd throw that out there...

i will say though scepter is without a doubt lower damage then any other mes weapon i tried... that being said when i bust out the scepter i tend to not die as much, so.... idk where that really puts me lol

IMO blurred frenzy > block against 2 or more mobs in terms of survivability. Yea you generate less clones overall with other weapons but you still generate enough to keep mind wreck on cd and have ur clones saved for something else in a pinch like distortion or daze while still doing more damage.

[Durzlla]

IMO blurred frenzy > block against 2 or more mobs in terms of survivability. Yea you generate less clones overall with other weapons but you still generate enough to keep mind wreck on cd and have ur clones saved for something else in a pinch like distortion or daze while still doing more damage.

Well god i'd hope blurred frenzy > block seeing as how you'll be in melee and wont have a single meat shield inbetween you and them... i tend to play my mesmer so i have at least 1 clone (using scepter at least) between me and the enemy, by doing so i'm going to be absorbing attacks, and the clones wont be going to waste!! not to mention with sig of illusions at my side i have no fear of not having 3 illusions... like ever...

I tend to keep mind wrack AND cry of frustration on CD, mostly because Cry of Frustration gives retal to EVERYONE as well as causing 6 confusion at 3 clones, so it really just punishes the fuck out of an enemy for attacking which in PvP means that against smart players i'm just flat out not taking damage, and against determined/unwise players it means that i'm sitting pretty while they destroy their health bar especially if i go with the trixy mirror image --> distortion and just grin wickedly as their healthbar vanishes before their very eyes!! (silly shortbow rangers with their quickening zephyr killing themselves with confusion and my reflection!!)

[Nyctanessa]

I noticed a lot of people in this thread using various forms of "kitten" to describe mesmers... can someone explain what they mean by this?

[zito]

Cry of Frustration gives retal to EVERYONE

Actually confusing cry grants it only to yourself I noticed. I thought it was to everyone too however I noticed that it would give me retaliation to myself from far away however I stood next to another team mate and they did not get retaliation and I used it when the clones shattered next to a team mate and they didn't get anything only myself. So I have been using signet to transfer it.

[Fenlnir]

I noticed a lot of people in this thread using various forms of "kitten" to describe mesmers... can someone explain what they mean by this?

I've not seen that. Maybe it's because Mesmer's and kitten's are adorable?

[WskyDK]

Mesmer's and kitten's are adorable?

If by terribly destructive and oh so fun to wreck people in WvW with,then yes. Adorable.

[Kelesti]

I noticed a lot of people in this thread using various forms of "kitten" to describe mesmers... can someone explain what they mean by this?

Kitten is the censor that's applied to any offensive words on the official forums, so some of us may have taken it to heart to use it elsewhere in such an amusing manner.

[Haizer]

So I'm having a little trouble figuring out what I should aim for on my mesmer. Being 63 I know I'm not too worried about having every single slot with the best stat for my setup, but I want to get it straight before I hit 80 and start grinding for gear.

Ok so I run a Staff & Sword/sword or focus setup. Right now I stack Power, precision, and condition damage with vitality on some pieces. Here is my actual build:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fgUQ...aNA;TMArIGLshA

I plan on maybe going Staff/Gsword when I hit 80, but I'm not entirely sure yet since I really like 1h swords. Plus I like having the run speed buff when I pop on a focus in my off hand, also the clone it creates is deadly. I would sift through this entire thread, but seeing as how I see 50 pages, and I show more posts per page than default, it would take quite a while.

Any help is appreciated.

[Kelesti]

So I've come across a thread on the official boards that kind of raises a few red flags for me. Posting from my phone isn't friendly otherwise I'd be bringing a link (sorry), but basically, it's Mind Wrack's damage and tooltip.

The tooltip leads you to believe that as each clone is added to the explosion, it does more damage per clone, and is duplicated across the board. Unfortunately this does not seem to be true, and it is actually doing less damage per illusion shattered. It's like doing 3 clones doing 145 damage each instead of 2 clones doing 180 damage each, or a single clone doing 200 damage sort of deal. An increase, but not intuitively so despite what the tooltip is trying to say.

If this turns out to be true, I dunno, it kind of gives me awkward feels about looking into a shattersword build, and wanting to continue pushing into keeping my Phantasms as strong and alive as they can be.

[Zombina]

Yes, this is true, I think it increments as a 30% increase from 1 clone's damage to 2, then only a 20% increase from that value when you shatter all 3. I wouldn't let it put you off though, I think more than anything the damage is where it's supposed to be at three [or four if you take 30pt illusions] then the downward scaling is just a fail-safe if some of your clones happen to die, you'll be punished a little less damage-wise for shattering less, but mind wrack still puts out decent damage

[Kelesti]

Two illusionary swordsmen still outdamage a 3 clone mind wrack being used on cooldown, let alone times when I can have 3 up doing their evade thing. Why would I want to Shatter for anything offensively that's not ranged AoE, targets that die before I can get Phantasms rolling? Because that, to me, seems the obly thing Mind Wrack is good for.

[Durzlla]

Two illusionary swordsmen still outdamage a 3 clone mind wrack being used on cooldown, let alone times when I can have 3 up doing their evade thing. Why would I want to Shatter for anything offensively that's not ranged AoE, targets that die before I can get Phantasms rolling? Because that, to me, seems the obly thing Mind Wrack is good for.

-I- use mindwrack when my enemy is nearing death and i want to go in for the kill, assuming that I have phantasms up and running around killing things i do what any smart mesmer would do and wait until after their attack before i go KABOOM!! That and i technically have 4 clones for everything....

On the bright side (i haven't tested this since the LAST stress test but i haven't seen anything changing this so...) if your clones are killed on their way to shatter upon dying they apply their effect to their original target (IE if your mindwrack clones run through a meteor storm and all die trying to get to their target that target will get hit for all the damage as the clones die).

[Kelesti]

-I- use mindwrack when my enemy is nearing death and i want to go in for the kill, assuming that I have phantasms up and running around killing things i do what any smart mesmer would do and wait until after their attack before i go KABOOM!! That and i technically have 4 clones for everything....

While this is clutch for a burst-burn move (especially a non-interrupting one), it's still possible to do with zero trait support behind it, kind of ruining the justification for the full "shatter spec" in terms of viability on this.

Which would then lead me into rants on why the Scepter's a broken weapon that needs Power scaling and attack speed boosted, yadda yadda yadda…

Anyways, I think it's dumb at how people fool themselves into thinking spamming three clone Mind Wrack and minion-bombing is effective, but it's not really their fault that te system itself is binary and counterproductive at anything. As to testing the Firestorm killing clones that still explode, I haven't been able to test that, seeing as well I don't push that button often enough to notice/care.

[Durzlla]

While this is clutch for a burst-burn move (especially a non-interrupting one), it's still possible to do with zero trait support behind it, kind of ruining the justification for the full "shatter spec" in terms of viability on this.

Which would then lead me into rants on why the Scepter's a broken weapon that needs Power scaling and attack speed boosted, yadda yadda yadda…

Anyways, I think it's dumb at how people fool themselves into thinking spamming three clone Mind Wrack and minion-bombing is effective, but it's not really their fault that te system itself is binary and counterproductive at anything. As to testing the Firestorm killing clones that still explode, I haven't been able to test that, seeing as well I don't push that button often enough to notice/care.

Ya, I personally feel mind wrack isn't meant for dealing damage regularly but more as a final kick into the grave, I personally rely on Cry of Frustration and Diversion a lot more then the others, I rarely find distortion being used due to the shear amount of clones I have around me at all times.

[Doozerjun]

I use mind wrack kind of like Durzilla does, when the mob has around 10-15% of health left and I just want to finish it off.

[Kelesti]

I use mind wrack kind of like Durzilla does, when the mob has around 10-15% of health left and I just want to finish it off.

This is more thanfine, I mean they're going to die with the mob anyways. That's not what I'm getting at. I'm getting that people seem to put so much emphasis on Mind Wrack3, that they trait it and try to turn it ino a rotational ability, which goes against just how good Phantasms are.

The misleading tooltip isn't helping anyone, of course.

[Ralamus]

Yes, this is true, I think it increments as a 30% increase from 1 clone's damage to 2, then only a 20% increase from that value when you shatter all 3. I wouldn't let it put you off though, I think more than anything the damage is where it's supposed to be at three [or four if you take 30pt illusions] then the downward scaling is just a fail-safe if some of your clones happen to die, you'll be punished a little less damage-wise for shattering less, but mind wrack still puts out decent damage

i kinda figured something like this had to be happening, always noticed they felt like they hit for less when i had 3 out even though the tooltip said that they should be doing more. good to know