Sword clone sometimes doesn't execute mirage ambush?

[eldenbri.1059]

I'm trying to make a Mirage build that works for me. So I've been experimenting with Infinite Horizons.

I've recorded a few cases in video where there are definitely two sword clones out, but in the damage log, I see only my Mirage Ambush and one other Mirage Ambush attack. So it seems like one of the clones is not executing the attack.

It doesn't happen 100% of the time, so I was wondering if there are situations where this is expected. It seems like I should see one entry for me and one for each of the clones.

Any suggestions on what might be happening or what I should look for?

[OriOri.8724]

I don't read my damage log very often, can you provide more details on when this occurs? Any pattern you've noticed in your rotation where this happens more often than it happens otherwise?

[eldenbri.1059]

I've been working through testing some rotations. In a typical pattern, I'll have one illusion out and then I'll spawn two sword clones on the first use of an ambush skill (one is coming from the Deceptive Evasion dueling trait and the other one is coming from the ambush skill itself). Typically, when this happens, what I see in the logs is one entry for Mirage Thrust with a high damage number and it displays in square brackets like this [Mirage Thrust]. And usually, there's a second entry that has low damage and it doesn't have the square brackets, so it just says Mirage Thrust. So I assume that only one clone hits. This could be okay because maybe one of the clones spawns after the "window" for the ambush skill or it's out of range or something.

 

But then, if I do a second ambush attack after this, I tend to see the same thing. One [Mirage Thrust] from me, and one Mirage Thrust from one of the clones.

 

I'll try to isolate a short video clip of just this part, but was wondering if this is just expected somehow.

[Hackuuna.4085]

The sword clone that spawns from the sword ambush doesn't benefit from IH since it never receives the Mirage Cloak. In other words, Mirage Cloak is applied to you (and thus your clones) before you execute your ambush skill so any clone that is generated as a result of the ambush skill will not receive a Mirage Cloak. In addition, your sword clone will replace one existing clone if you are maxed on clones thereby preventing one clone from performing it's ambush (assuming you didn't wait for 3 clones to do their ambush before performing yours). Sadly this behavior makes IH slightly less useful to sword.

 

Deceptive Evasion clones receive the Mirage Cloak from IH since the clone is generated before the Mirage Cloak becomes active on you. Another scenario to be aware of is Illusionary Ambush's interaction with Self-Deception.

[eldenbri.1059]

Thx. I recorded a really short video to show the issue. It starts by showing the traits selected.

 

At nine seconds in, I do the first ambush. You can see one sword clone executes the attack and the log shows "32 using Mirage Thrust". Then two lines below that is my attack listed as "1,544 using [Mirage Thrust]". And if you look on the video, one clone is standing a bit away from the golem. So that's consistent with the description from @"Hackuuna.4085"

 

But then at 13 seconds, I do a second ambush. Here one clone attack shows as "18 using Mirage Thrust". And my attack is the line below it, saying "1,645 using [Mirage Thrust]". But there's no entry for the other sword clone. Both clones are fully spawned and you can see that the clone that was further away has moved in on the golem in between the attacks.

 

So is one of the clones not performing the Mirage Thrust or is this just an issue with the logs? The whole point of this build is to get a lot of sword clone ambush attacks.

 

 

[Ansau.7326]

The clone you create from the Ambush doesn't perform the skill upon creation. And since you have a phantasm up, only 1 clone is performing the Ambush.

[Beautilation.7915]

phantasms dont do Ambushes

 

edit : it works perfectly fine for me with clones : https://streamable.com/pfysg

[Arlette.9684]

While on that note, I’ve noticed that sometimes clones would hang and not perform their ambush (regardless of weapon) if you end up chain ambushing offensively. I’m not aure what causes it, but it defo feels like a hindrance to IH.

Any thoughts?

[eldenbri.1059]

You have to watch the video pretty carefully to see what I'm talking about. There's a phantasm and two clones. So on an ambush attack if both clones are established, there should be one entry for my attack and one entry for each clone.

 

On the first ambush, I agree that one of the clones gets created after the ambush. So one clone attack in the log is correct.

 

BUT on the second ambush attack, there's still only one clone entry. THAT is the thing I'm asking about.

 

Thx!

[eldenbri.1059]

One possible explanation is that the created clone on the second ambush replaces one of the existing clones and prevents it from performing the Mirage Thrust.

But if that's the timing, it sucks that the newly created clone doesn't perform the ambush if it's replacing another clone before it can do it.

[Hackuuna.4085]

Yes, that's exactly what happens when there are 3 clones up. The sword ambush will replace one clone. To get around it you need to drop your target before you dodge, press dodge, wait roughly 1 second, then select your target and ambush. I do this when running my power build in PvE to break CC bars but it's obviously a huge limitation and not very desirable.

 

If ANet can adjust IH to apply any remaining Ambush window and Mirage Cloak at the moment a clone is created it will significantly enhance the trait and close this unfortunate scenario. It would also open up more skilled play such as Ambush/Shatter bursts where Ambush triggers on 3 clones, wait one second, shatter, use remaining 0.5 second window to generate clones that also Ambush. For example, 3 clone Ambush -> Mind Wrack -> Mirror Image-> Jaunt -> Next 3 clones Ambush