Me Games Ma.8426

I would recommend Sword Offhand and Illusions using Persistence of Memory, Phantasmal Haste and Phantasmal Force.

If you use that you can fight on 19+ might the whole time.

When you summon the Sword phantasm you gain 8 might and when it dies you gain 11 Might. And if you run Phantasmal Haste it dies pretty quickly. Combined with SotEther thjs makes a really good leveling build.

Scepter has 2 extremely strong skills but the autoattack makes it a low tier weapon in PvE. The AA is trash tier so power scepter will not be viable if they don't change that up.

Even condi mirage using scepter tries to do as few aa chains as possible.

EDIT:

What I hate much more is that Sword in is less effective as power scepter in WvW.

If you compare Sword and Scepter directly you get:

1. Sword has high dmg, melee AA while Scepter has low dmg ranged AA with a Clone

2. Blurred Frenzy is immobile, medium melee DMG, 1s evade while Scepter has a block followed by a 1/2s evade which deals good damage and summons 2 clones. Also scepter counter has far less cd compared to blurred frenzy

3. Sword gets a clunky gap closer while scepter has an extremely powerful pressure/burst skill that has a condition damage share.

Sword in WvW atm is only good if you're mirage and have access to all those dazes.

My personal Favorites:

Condi Mirage: Nightmare

Power Mirage: Surging

Power Chrono/Core: Scholar, Strength

Cool runes I want to try out:

Defender, Adventurer, Perplexity

I'd say that depends on your race and armor.

> @"Pyroatheist.9031" said:

> There's no way that isn't a bug, but it's niche enough and weak enough that you might just get away without it being fixed for a while.

I still don't know why SotEther didn't get the aftercast fixed yet. It has high Impact and is used by any Vhrono who runs the signet.

> @"tinyreborn.1938" said:

> Escape artist is trash tier trait. When you shatter you can make new clones ...and what OP about it? Sounds very dumb (that 'synergy') if you ask me

Escape artist creates a clone when you stealth. Not when you shatter. That is Illusionary Reversion - a chrono trait.

@"Therys.4368"

I like the way you think outside the box. I personally just fell in love with escape artist a few days ago playing base mesmer with PU.

I don't really like about your playstyle that you aren't really flexible and your combo has an insanely long cooldown.

A thing you should consider: Dueling deals more damage than Domination. (Fury Uptime + Superiority Complex)

Another thing: Your combo would be much faster this way: Scepter Block -> Prestige -> Mind Wrack -> Decoy ->

* Either: Mind Wrack

* Or: Swap -> Mirror Blade -> Mind Wrack

At the moment my burst combo is just: Prestige -> Mantra of Pain -> Confusing Images + 2x Power Spike -> Decoy -> Mind Wrack

Because of PU most players mess up their dodge timing as I can burst after 4.5 not 3 seconds thanks to PU.

> @"Pyroatheist.9031" said:

> Mandatory disclaimer about how this was a waste of time and effort because Anet doesn't take ideas from players and if they do they usually screw it up anyway.

>

> The F4 would be pretty busted in WvW. You'd probably need it to actually have a larger range for it to be less broken. 360 or even 400 radius, allowing more wiggle room for movement as counterplay. It also may not be possible with current tech. Afaik there's no "proximity shield" effects in the game that simply negate damage based on an area. It would likely need to be iimplemented by applying a buff to both allies and enemies that only allows damage if both have the buff, but then you run into the odd issue of target caps with the buff application.

>

> It's an interesting idea, but I don't think it's realistically feasible.

Yeah I know that this is never gonna make it ingame. I just enjoy making things like this up.

Regarding the F4, do you know how the endboss from arah p2 works? Exactly as you explained. :) It grants a buff to players inside the bubble.

My initial idea was to make it protect the mesmer only. However I was unsure if there should be a skill that needs a large visual effect but only affects a single player.

Thing is: If they had the tech this would have been a great counterplay to a ranged profession that would be totally op if it had standard distortion.

> @"derd.6413" said:

>

> the issue with staff is that it feels less like it was chosen because you had interesting ideas for it and more as a "what else could i have done?" and i can't tell if it is because of disinterest in the weapon or not wanting to deviate from a particular vision.

>

> usually i can tell what the main issue is that i have with espec suggestions but i can't seem to figure it out for this one (which is a first)

wow you totally caught me. I really didn't have any Idea which weapon to give this elite spec and since I wanted long range AoE i went for staff. I don't like the Idea of a caster wielding longbow/rifle and as said above I really don't like hammer as a ranged weapon.

> @"derd.6413" said:

> > @"Me Games Ma.8426" said:

> > > @"derd.6413" said:

> > > gonna go with no because of the inevitable AI issues.

> > >

> > > also staff

> >

> > That's some really constructive feedback. Thanks for your opinion!

>

> you're welcome

So why do you not want staff? Because we already have it? Because you want a new weapon type or is there another reason?

The AI problem... Well yeah. That's something that only ANet can fix. In the past we have seen them fix/change mechanics especially when an elite spec got that kind of skill so that it would work properly. And I suppose that you are only refering to the minions not to the Volatile Visions which essentially are a copy of the Volatile Branded Elemental and these guys work pretty well imo.

Regarding the fact that my minions are more like gyros. Yes that's the plan. I don't intend to copy paste a skill category. Similar to what Anet does when they give an elite spec the same skill type as a core profession already has - they change it up. Mantras for guardians have a Final charge. Mesmer Wells have a final pulse, Stances on Elementalists have a different effect than stances on warriors or guardians. That's why my minions are more like gyros. But the word gyro doesn't match a minion bomber profession imo :)

> @"derd.6413" said:

> gonna go with no because of the inevitable AI issues.

>

> also staff

That's some really constructive feedback. Thanks for your opinion!

_This concept focuses about making the mesmer a caster rather than going deeper into the trickster direction.

If spellbreaker is mesmer through the eyes of warrior then the Reality Shaper is Necromancer through the eyes of mesmer._

**Weapon:** Staff (When Reality Shapers equip a staff they get to choose if they want to use the new or the old weapon set for staff. I thought about making it hammer but I don't like the idea of a ranged caster wielding a Hammer.)

**Skills:** Minions the Reality Shaper Summons are bound to a fix timer of 20s. When it expires or the minions are killed they will explode in a strong attack. The Reality Shaper can choose to execute his minions using the flip over skill.

**Mechanic:** Volatile Visions / Phase Spheres

You create Volatile Visions instead of clones. (These visions do not look like you and they do not have your name.)

Volatile visions will run towards your target and explode dealing damage and conditions.

Explosion: Cast Time 1/4s, Radius 240, Targets 5, 2x Vulnerability (5s), Explosion Delay 3/4s

**Phase Spheres:** are powerful AoE Effects.

* F1: Fractured Space - Create a sphere that deals damage to foes. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 5s, Cooldown 12, Radius 240, Range 1200, Targets 5, Combo Field Ether)

* F2: Tormented Reality - Create a sphere that deals minor damage and applies damaging conditions. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 5s, Cooldown 20, Radius 240, Range 1200, Targets 5, Confusion (4s), Torment (4s), Combo Field Ether)

* F3: Dimension Vortex - Open a portal into another dimension that pulls foes and deals minor damage. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 2s, Cooldown 30, Radius 240, Range 1200, Targets 3, Damage Interval 1, Pull Interval 3, Combo Field Ether)

* F4: Reality Sphere - Create a dome around you in which reality itself is phasing. Allies inside the dome can only be attacked by foes inside the dome. (Cast Time 3/4s, Duration 4s, Cooldown 60s, Radius 240, Combo Field Ether)

**Staff:**

1. Chaotic Discharge - Attack your foe with a discharge of chaotic energy that will damage nearby foes as well. (Cast Time 3/4s, Radius 180, Range 1200, Targets 3)

2. Energy Surge - Send out a stream of energy that damages foes. Foes below the health threshold will be dazed. (Cast Time 1/2s, Health threshold 50%, Daze 1s, Cooldown 10, Range 1200, Targets 3)

3. Volatile Summon - Fire a projectile that deals major damage and create two volatile visions next to your target. (Cast Time 3/4s, Cooldown 12, Range 1200)

4. Phantasmal Dominatior - Summon a phantasm that channels a damaging chaotic field. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 5s, Cooldown 16, Radius 240, Range 1200, Targets 5, Pulses 5, Combo Field Ether)

5. Volatile Storm - Create a storm of Volatile Magic dealing damage and weakening enemies. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 5s, Cooldown 25, Radius 240, Range 1200, Targets 5, Weakness(3s), Combo Field Ether)

**Utility Skills:**

* Summon Spectral Thief - Create a ranged minion that steals boons for you. When it expires you are healed by large amount. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 20s, Cooldown 20s)

* Summon Ethereal Enchanter - Create a minion that applies boons to allies. When it expires you break stun and recieve a set of boons. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 20s, Cooldown 30s, Expire Effect[5xStability(8s), 8xMight(8s), Swiftness(8s)], Minion Effect[Might(5s), Swiftness(5s), Targets 5])

* Summon Ether Phantom - Create a minion that inflicts conditions on foes. When it expires it explodes inflicting a set of conditions. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 20s, Cooldown 25s, Expire Effect[3xPoison(8s), 3xTorment(8s), Cripple(8s)], Minion Effect[Torment(5s), Bleeding(5s)])

* Summon Phase Claw - Create a minion that deals damage. When it expires it explodes dealing area Damage. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 20s, Cooldown 10s, Radius 240)

* Summon Chaos Fiend - Create a minion that deals damage. When it expires it explodes knocking down enemies. (Cast Time 1s, Duration 20s, Cooldown 45s, Radius 240, Knockdown: 2s)

* Summon Ether Lord - Summon an Aether Lord that attacks your foes. When the Aether Lord expires it deals damage and forms 5 Volatile Visions (Cast Time 1 1/2s, Duration 20s, Cooldown 60s)

**Traits:**

Minor Adept - Allow the usage of a new set of staff skills. Gain Access to Phase Shifts and Minion skills.

Major Adept I - Minions have reduced recharge and last longer. (Duration Increase 10s, Recharge Reduced 20%)

Major Adept II - Your volatile visions inflict additional bleeding. (2x Bleeding (8s))

Major Adept III - Summon a Volatile Vision when critically hit. (ICD: 10s)

Minor Master - Whenever a Volatile Vision explodes all your Phase Spheres are extended by one second. _(I copied this mechanic from @"mortrialus.3062" - Psychomancer)_

Major Master I - Deal more damage to foes inside your Fractured Space gain increased critical strike chance while standing inside your own Fractured Space. (Damage increase 20%, Critical Strike Chance Increased: 20%)

Major Master II - Phase Spheres last longer. (Duration Increase: 2s, Explosion Duration Increase: 1 1/2s)

Major Master III - You receive less damage from enemies far away. (Range Threshold 900, Damage Reduced: 15%)

Minor Grandmaster - Your Volatile Visions gain Superspeed when they spawn.

Major Grandmaster I - Your Volatile Visions leave a damaging chaos field when they explode. (Radius 180, Duration 3s, Combo Field Ether)

Major Grandmaster II - Volatile Visions' explosion is a blast. (Combo Finisher Blast)

Major Grandmaster III - When you remove boons you steal them instead.

I intended to design it with strong AoE pressure and the possibility to function as a power DPS character. I don't think this would be broken as the specialization has obvious counterplay which is melee pressure.

Combinations like: Shattered Concentration, and my Grandmaster III are pretty strong for a WvW scenario where this specialization can fill the role of a ranged AoE Bomber that removes boons (same role as the scurge).

In PvE I suppose the main goal would be to either juggle Volatile Visions to keep Fractured Space up as long as possible or have burst phases in which you deal as much damage as possible while Fractured Space is active.

I really like the idea how you replaced the shatters and still made clones valuable.

If you allow I would like to copy the behaviour into a concept I am working on currently.

Still keep in mind that clones i skills like Sword 3 are an essential part of the skill and can not be removed entirely.

Cool concept imo

**QoL to Endless Black Lion Contracts**

**Merchant:**

No longer spawns a merchant. Just opens a vendor window. Doesn't close when you move. (I know you have the tech)

**Bank Access**

No longer closes when you move.

**Trading Post**

No longer spawns a trading post. Just opens the window. Doesn't close when you move.

Please I really need these to change. Especially because I cannot use Trading Post and Merchant at the same time.

It also would prevent players from trolling with personal contracts and players without these wouldn't be frustrated to be unable to use them (eventhough they are on the map and have the icon).

Hello and welcome back.

I understand how you feel but to be realistic that's the games state now. I do not think that they will bring back any of the two.

The trent for cooldown traits on mesmer is to remove them from the game.

* Glamour 20% became baseline

* Illusions 20% was removed with the phantasm rework (iirc)

* Signet 20% was removed with the latest balance patch

* Mantra 20% trait... ehm i don't even remember...

Regarding Shattered Strength: They experimented with this one a while (might stacks went 1>3>1) but they never really felt like it was balanced correctly. I believe that the replacement (Escape Artist) is a great trait in this slot.

If you run illusions anyways just take Escape Artist with Signet of Midnight + Torch and enjoy your better decoy.

Finally I can only tell you that you should try to adapt like any other mesmer did. There are viable builds around and you can totally come up with your own builds if you don't like the currently played ones.

In some matters I agree with you.

Yes boonshare chrono is too strong and it should definetly not provide every boon in the game.

I disagree about the healing matter. I like the fact that chrono as a suppprt spec can go for some heals. It doesn't outheal actual healing specs so I don't think that is a problem. It's just a nice support ability that fits the profession.

I hate your idea for Signet of Inspiration. An Elite specialization should never reduce the effectiveness of a base skill and let's be honest who would run Signet of Inspiration without chrono...

What I would like for chrono would be the ability to share quickness and alacrity 100% and some other boons with less uptime (e.g. via Bountiful Dissipation) but not being able to copy these even more.

That being said I would rather have the Signet reworked completely. Nerfing chaos would not help as players would just buff certain boons on the mesmer which would then keep these boons up.

tl:dr

Rework SoI killing chaos won't work

> @"Curunen.8729" said:

> More EM testing - I got dazed running away from a group yesterday (can't remember how because it was at least 5 enemies and I was on the run). Was forced to dodge or eat fatal rapid fire etc -> 6s exhaustion... ended up dieing anyway.

>

> This kitten with daze is so stupid. I don't care about breaking daze in a number of scenarios - hell I don't even want to break daze such as in that situation - just allow me to dodge while dazed without kittening myself. :/

Just don't run EM. It will be fixed/replaced/reworked eventually.

Hopefully they look into these forums. There are some good Ideas around here.

I just wanted to share this because I felt like it might be worth sharing. This is not a concept or suggestion. It's just what I dreamed last night.

I was playing my mesmer when I found out that in some way there are secondary professions. The way it worked was: You are able to equip all weapons that your secondary profession can use. The problem was that you coudn't use the skillset of a weapon your secondary profession uses when your primary profession already uses that weapon.

E.g. my mesmer as a Mirage/Dragonhunter could wield a longbow with the guardian's skills but when I equipped a greatsword I had my mesmer skills.

Utility and Elite skills were not included for secondary professions.

All in all it was an interresting dream in which I roamed WvW on a Longbow Mirage/DH who jaunted all over the place while being able to True Shot for good ragned damage.

Fun was over when I encountered a daredevil wielding a warrior's hammer. That was nasty.

I'm curious as well but I don't think it will stack.

These kind of traits have never stacked and I don't believe coding for daze/stun durations has changed as they just altered the value.

I'll be testing that out on sunday.

Things to consider are

Illusions:

* 10.4% personal dmg

* more frequent shatters

* 25% phantasm dmg

Domination:

* 15% Phantasm dmg

* 23.75% personal dmg

* 25-50% shatter dmg

Note: percentage dmg increases stack multiplicative so the correct way to calculate it is 1.10*1.125 not 1.10+1.125

and illusions is 1.02^5 if they didn't change the way the trait works at aome point.

I'll post my results here

I just wanted to share my build conversion for my WvW roaming power mirage (I will play it as hybrid now)

Old build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAsdRnsICVohlpBOoBMMjlTDzfBGBvgkBgUwy5sKEFyOA-jFyHQBvT9HWdEA6hyPvoP4jnCAmoEEAPAgxt/w8gAArqUVVVA-w

New Build: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vhAQNAsaRnsICVohlpBOoBMMjlcjqMAStWz/8b/5/MGahUA-jFyHQB9QJCTUC+xTBAAeCAeRfwAVe9T1fG3+DbKCAsqSVVVBA-w

The changes are pretty good for me as I can now spec into dueling which allows me to go for condition damage as well.

Also I switch from 10 × condition cleanse to 7 × 1 condition cleanse + 1 × 5 condition cleanse.

While I reduce my base crit chance significantly I gain high fury uptime from going into dueling which also enables me to go for traited pistol and even more condition based fun from ineptitude.

I am thinking about switching greatsword for something else like scepter/x but I really enjoy the burst. Ability.

> @"Nepster.4275" said:

> > @"Me Games Ma.8426" said:

> > @"Pyroatheist.9031"

> > Thabks for the calculation. I actually just wanted to stop mesmers from panic raging because they couldn't do 5 man boon support anymore.

> >

> > Also I really like the fact that Illusions can be used without inspiration to offer boon support. Now you can actually deal decent dps while offering quickness and alacrity usind illusions dueling.

> > _______________________________________

> > another thjng I'm going to test when I get back from vacation this weekend is if Domination (as we now have another 10% dps vuff in there) is worth taking over dueling or illusions (I really doubt it though)

> > I mean dueling is:

> > * 20% Phantasm Crit

> > * Bleed on illusion crit

> > * 150 ferocity + sword cd

> > * +15-25 personal crit modifyer

> >

> > Illusions is:

> > * more frequent shatters

> > * 10.4% personal dps (2%^5)

> > * torment on shatter

> > * 25% phantasm dmg

> >

> > Domination now is:

> > * 15% phantasm dmg

> > * 10% personal dmg

> > * 12.5% peraonal dmg

> > * 25-50% more shatter dmg

>

> Taking domination over illusions is a boon share loss, since in illusions you have Master of Misdirection and that is giving 15% CD reduc on cSplit

umm sorry, the last paragraph was only about dps builds. should have clarified. i just didn't want to open a new threat just for this statement.

@"Pyroatheist.9031"

Thabks for the calculation. I actually just wanted to stop mesmers from panic raging because they couldn't do 5 man boon support anymore.

Also I really like the fact that Illusions can be used without inspiration to offer boon support. Now you can actually deal decent dps while offering quickness and alacrity usind illusions dueling.

_______________________________________

another thjng I'm going to test when I get back from vacation this weekend is if Domination (as we now have another 10% dps vuff in there) is worth taking over dueling or illusions (I really doubt it though)

I mean dueling is:

* 20% Phantasm Crit

* Bleed on illusion crit

* 150 ferocity + sword cd

* +15-25 personal crit modifyer

Illusions is:

* more frequent shatters

* 10.4% personal dps (2%^5)

* torment on shatter

* 25% phantasm dmg

Domination now is:

* 15% phantasm dmg

* 10% personal dmg

* 12.5% peraonal dmg

* 25-50% more shatter dmg

Can anyone tell me how much the healing increase is on Blurred Inscriptions' Signet of the Ether?

Thing is that illusions and timewarp are now required for 100% quickness and alacrity. (When no second chrono is present)

Btw I think that you don't even need inspiration. It's just cool that we share blocks from distort.

It couls even work with dueling (or even chaos) illusions chrono as inspiration doesn't really affect boon duration anylonger

**Build:**

Equipment: Have 67% boonduration and Sigil of concentration.

Inspiration: 123

Illusions: 221

Chronomancer: 232

Weapons: Sword&Sword / Sword&Shield

Skills: Signet of the Ether, Signet of Inspiration, Well of Action, Well of Recall, Timewarp.

Rough Rotation: _I have not maxed out anything as this is just how itncould look in theory. The problem is that you need to cast 4 1/2 skills in CS and I don't know if 3s of CS would be enough for that._

* Sword 5

* Sword 3

* Weapon Swap

* Time Warp into Continuum Split

* Tides of Time

* Signet of Inspiration

* Well of Action+Recall

* Continuum Split _ends_

* Tides of Time

* Weapon Swap

* Signet of Inspiration

* Well of Action+Recall

* Attack until Signet and Wells are ready

* Weapon Swap

* Tides of Time

* Signet of Inspiration

* Well of Action+Recall

* Swap as soon as Possible

* Attack until Continuum Split is ready

* Repeat from Step 3

Notes:

* Spam Phantasms in Attack phases

* Don't ahatter before you can go into CS

* Use Continuum Split in aftercast of Time Warp

* This is for 5 man content only.