To be or not to be

[Jebza.5627]

A mesmer ..

 

Would you advise a new player like me NOT to play mesmer due to a higher skillcap than other classes in this game.

Or maybe because of it being a class that needs more game knowledge in order to be played at it's maximum potential ?

 

They just look so cool, and I've always liked a support role in PvE.

But friends of me who play the game tell me it's hard to start out as a mesmer in this game.

 

What are your thoughts ? ^^

[extremexhero.9178]

Go for it, starting out with any class besides ranger is difficult if you are new to the game but once you get used to combat you can play anything. Just make sure you don't just go with the meta dps build because that does require knowing how to have clone up keep and when to use distortions and shatters or you will be downed over and over. Also you will never regret having access to portals.

[Bod.8261]

I would not recommend mesmer as a first character.

It's not that mesmer is particularly hard to play, actually quite the opposite.

 

The main point against mesmer (and particularly support chrono) is that it has low damage and bad aoe which will just drag out any solo content.

Also chrono is particularly expensive to gear up. The Sigil of Concentration alone costs 40g.

In addition players will have certain expectations like knowledge of pull-mechanics, portals and so on, that you won't have.

 

Mirage (the other elite spec) has the downside of a different dodge mechanic, which again I would not recommend for new players, as you'll run into problems once you start playing any other spec. While being very effective in solo play, the spec offers barely any group support and needs different equipment than chrono.

 

If you want to play a support oriented character that will not have the above problems I'd suggest PS-Warrior or Firebrand (Guardian).

[Agent Noun.7350]

I played Mesmer as my first character, way back on launch when they were a lot worse than they are now at PvE, and I say go for it if it's the profession that interests you the most. It's my favorite MMORPG class ever and even though I complain about some aspects of it, it's still what I play _by far_ the most in this game.

 

@"Bod.8261"'s points about Chronomancer are worth keeping in mind, but whether you run into it at all depends on what you want to do at endgame. Are you more into PvP or world vs. world? Are you more interested in open-world stuff? If either of those are true, that Chronomancer expense and experience requirement evaporates--that really only applies in fractal dungeons and raids.

 

The other thing is, well, you're going to have to learn things _eventually_, and while you might have some people get frustrated at you not knowing them right away, you're probably not going to jump right into the tier 4 fractals and raids where people are going to be super demanding the moment you hit level 80 anyway. You'll have an opportunity to learn by doing.

 

My advice for leveling is to use your shatter skills often (the F1-F4 skills), and use a sword as one of your weapons. Those are going to be your best sources of AoE damage for the open world. Grab a greatsword as your secondary weapon for a ranged option, but try to learn to use the sword and stay in melee as much as possible. It'll help you learn how to use all your various ways to avoid damage, and it's a lot of fun, too. You can learn how to do dungeon, fractal, and raid stuff later--it's okay if you're not immediately a master Mesmer, y'know?

[Ithilwen.1529]

*Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous balancing or to take arms against a sea of Scourges and by opposing them feed them. To End --to die.. ( slight misquote on Hamlet's soliloquy. )*

 

If you want to play Mesmer, welcome aboard. If you're looking for a class that has advantages.. I'd point you to Spellbreaker which is an interrupt Mesmer in Warrior's clothing.