Mesmer Discussion Thread

[Geist19]

^^ The thought would be that DW would cause you to be in melee mostly and prevent illusions from having to run in to attack thus emphasizing shatters and their many uses.

EDIT: Also the trait skill that causes the shatter effect on both the illusion and yourself was another key piece to what I was thinking. Double mind wrack damage seems like it would be pretty cool.

[DrakeWurrum]

Shatters were crap in this last beta.

[Bovinity Divinity]

People thought of mind fucking mesmers and sadly people bitched about an unfinished design such as myself. Until clones actually mind fuck its not the mesmer people wanted, when summoning clones doesn't drop target all a person has to do is follow the ring around your feet or icon above your head... and thats where "stealth" comes in, I am still pretty sure it was implemented when they decided to drop the whole clone dropping target thing, aka a band aid fix, or the bbq sauce on bad ribs.

Pretty much this.

What I thought Mesmers would be: "Woo, illusions and trickery! Where am I, little warrior? Having trouble finding me? Nope, that's not me, hahah, too bad. Try again!"

What Mesmers ended up being: "Oh, I made some clones. They all either died in 2 seconds to cleave damage or people are ignoring them because no one is fooled by them or I wasted all the cooldowns spent getting them out on a shatter that didn't do crap. Also I have to melee because my ranged abilities are either mostly crap or actively work against me (lolScepter)."

[zito]

^^ The thought would be that DW would cause you to be in melee mostly and prevent illusions from having to run in to attack thus emphasizing shatters and their many uses.

EDIT: Also the trait skill that causes the shatter effect on both the illusion and yourself was another key piece to what I was thinking. Double mind wrack damage seems like it would be pretty cool.

You don't need to be sword mesmer to do either of the things you said.

Shatters were crap in this last beta.

Daze and distortion are good life saver/CC buttons. Mind wrack is ok, cry has minimal uses outside some extensive confusion build like the one I made.

Pretty much this.

What I thought Mesmers would be: "Woo, illusions and trickery! Where am I, little warrior? Having trouble finding me? Nope, that's not me, hahah, too bad. Try again!"

What Mesmers ended up being: "Oh, I made some clones. They all either died in 2 seconds to cleave damage or people are ignoring them because no one is fooled by them or I wasted all the cooldowns spent getting them out on a shatter that didn't do crap. Also I have to melee because my ranged abilities are either mostly crap or actively work against me (lolScepter)."

Mesmer has pretty much stayed true to its orginal design. There are plenty of ways to lockdown another player, confusion replaces empathy/backfire. They are all just presented differently.

What Memser now hasn't stayed true is the deception and that is 3 main reasons:

1)Clones don't drop target
2)Clones spawn in weird spots (GS clone) and take too long to spawn. 1 second spawn is too long it has to be instant
3)Clones don't act like the player.

[NeonX]

On release my guild needs me to go a mesmer but I'm so confused with how to play it effectively.

Biggest question though, what do I do with my clones/phantasm?

Do I shatter them once I have 3 out or keep them and let them do damage?

[zito]

On release my guild needs me to go a mesmer but I'm so confused with how to play it effectively.

Biggest question though, what do I do with my clones/phantasm?

Do I shatter them once I have 3 out or keep them and let them do damage?

Clones don't do damage or very little so you use them for deceiving the foe or shatters when you need them.

Phantasms are more powerful and after their first initial attack they are useless for 6 seconds so don't be afraid to shatter them. However some phantasms have added effects. The torch one grants retaliation and the focus reflects projectiles so you probably want him out a lot.

Traits further change your strategy. Really its just trial and error. Play and get a feel for it.

[DrakeWurrum]

On release my guild needs me to go a mesmer but I'm so confused with how to play it effectively.

O_o

NEED you to? Why would they need you to roll any specific class?

[NeonX]

Clones don't do damage or very little so you use them for deceiving the foe or shatters when you need them.

Phantasms are more powerful and after their first initial attack they are useless for 6 seconds so don't be afraid to shatter them. However some phantasms have added effects. The torch one grants retaliation and the focus reflects projectiles so you probably want him out a lot.

Traits further change your strategy. Really its just trial and error. Play and get a feel for it.

Thank you very much

---------- Post added 2012-08-02 at 02:23 AM ----------

O_o

NEED you to? Why would they need you to roll any specific class?

No one is going a mesmer but I think everyone just wants to be a unique profession so I got bullied into going a mesmer but I don't mind haha.

[zito]

O_o

NEED you to? Why would they need you to roll any specific class?

I think mesmer is the only proffesion with a skill that revives teammates from downed for 15 seconds.

[DrakeWurrum]

No one is going a mesmer but I think everyone just wants to be a unique profession so I got bullied into going a mesmer but I don't mind haha.

Psh, that's a silly reason. Each person should just play whichever profession they want. There's so many different ways to play each profession that everybody can find their unique niche and build.

---------- Post added 2012-08-01 at 08:34 PM ----------

I think mesmer is the only proffesion with a skill that revives teammates from downed for 15 seconds.

Would prefer Elementalist with Glyph of Renewal using an attunement appropriate to the situation.

Also, Rangers can have their pet revive a downed player.

[Karazee]

No one is going a mesmer but I think everyone just wants to be a unique profession so I got bullied into going a mesmer but I don't mind haha.

Screw that, it's your money, play what you want to play. Don't let them bully you.

[niblic3rd]

I'll make one for you if you tell me what you want to do. Just because you want to main GS doesn't really help what kind of build you want.

With the main being Greatsword I was going to do major pvp once i leveled my way to 80. Was playing with the idea of sword/pistol or sword for the secondary for something different. People wont get into melee range often as i intend to kite and use the knockback whenever they get close. I would have to say heavy power for a big glass cannon sort of build.

Only just settled on the mesmer at the end of BWE3 as i played it heavily in 2 and wanted to try Ranger/Guardian in 3 to make sure i was choosing the right one.

[Geist19]

You don't need to be sword mesmer to do either of the things you said.

I do know but the swords offered Illusionary Leap/Swap for quick closers and Riposte to generate more illusions on block for shatters.

But like someone else said, shatters seemed not as useful in BWE3.

EDIT: To fix quote.

[Karazee]

Would someone be so kind as to offer up a brief summary of what each weapon set's skills focuses on? I didn't play a Mesmer in BWE3 and am thinking about trying it out, but unfortunately I don't get another chance to play before launch.

[DrakeWurrum]

So. I started paying attention to damage numbers in various things, and I want to ask...

...do illusions... actually do damage? I'm seeing "0" rise up when they attack, on enemies that the Mesmer can deal 55 - 90 damage do with the auto attack. If illusion damage is null and Shatter damage is crap, what's the point of illusions at all?

It looks like Mind Wrack is matching the damage from the third hit of the auto attack at least, per illusion, so that's not TOO terrible, right?


Also: Mantra of Pain appears to hit very very hard.

[Durzlla]

So. I started paying attention to damage numbers in various things, and I want to ask...

...do illusions... actually do damage? I'm seeing "0" rise up when they attack, on enemies that the Mesmer can deal 55 - 90 damage do with the auto attack. If illusion damage is null and Shatter damage is crap, what's the point of illusions at all?

It looks like Mind Wrack is matching the damage from the third hit of the auto attack at least, per illusion, so that's not TOO terrible, right?


Also: Mantra of Pain appears to hit very very hard.

Mind wrack does a base damage of 1000 when i have no points in power period, so if you're only getting auto attack numbers you're looking at the wrong thing. CLONES do no damage, they will apply conditions and that though, phantasams are what do damage and they do a GREAT DEAL of damage too i might add. With the staff the phantasamal warlock will do a base of 500 damage and then does more and more and more damage the more conditons you have on the target.

The ONLY issue i've had with shatters is that they can take forever when your illusions have to run up to the enemy, but other then that i've had no issues in damage, or effect (ESPECIALLY with cry of frustration, i see no reason why it's "bad")

[zito]

I tried out kels confusion build.

Once everything is on cd you are not doing enough damage. I got condition damage stacked to the max and the staff is not doing decent damage. Confusion damage is great I can get a 6 stack without scepter but once confusion is gone its game over.

Even stacked toughness and still getting raped.

[Durzlla]

I tried out kels confusion build.

Once everything is on cd you are not doing enough damage. I got condition damage stacked to the max and the staff is not doing decent damage. Confusion damage is great I can get a 6 stack without scepter but once confusion is gone its game over.

Even stacked toughness and still getting raped.

My build had around 2k toughness or so and was taking hits like a champ one thing that i can say that made me absolutely hard to kill as a mesmer was ACTING LIKE MY CLONES. I would make a clone and just stand there and press 1 (was using staff most the time) and 6/10 they'd end up wailing on the clone instead... god that was glorious.... however i do have to say that calling mechanic nonsense needs to be removed or at least drops on clone creation/stealth because that was absolute bull shit.... once they got me marked with that thing i was essentially dead...

[DrakeWurrum]

What needs to be done is, when you make a clone, they do a Blade Dancer Mirror Image kind of animation, instead of randomly spawning the clone in the general vicinity of you or your target.

Those of you who played Warcraft 3 know what I'm talking about. Drops you from enemy target, and "splits" where you were standing into 2+ of you, depending on current clone count.

[Durzlla]

What needs to be done is, when you make a clone, they do a Blade Dancer Mirror Image kind of animation, instead of randomly spawning the clone in the general vicinity of you or your target.

Those of you who played Warcraft 3 know what I'm talking about. Drops you from enemy target, and "splits" where you were standing into 2+ of you, depending on current clone count.

never played Warcraft 3, but if they behaved more like how the staff clone system worked that'd be amazing!! Incase you don't know the staff clone system is you teleport backwards and spawn a clone near you, makes it more confusing on the enemy on whose who especially if you pretend to be a clone.