sPvP - Condition Damage Duelist

[Sampson.2403]

Can someone explain the general opener and play style with this build? I'm also curious why torch is paired with axe and pistol is paired with sword versus the other way around?

[Megametzler.5729]

I guess because axe has more cover conditions for the burn stacks. Please don't play that build. :#

 

Just kidding, give it a try. Most players I've seen so far usually start with pistol phansasm, some defensive sword movements. Then switch to axe/torch and first burn bomb, then axe burst... shatter whenever you have three clones. It looked rather easy to play, the point is the amounts of different condi bursts (sword ineptitude, pistol, torch burn, axe, shatters, ...). One can hardly dodge or cleanse them all. It seems to lach sustain in team fights though, might have problems especially with guards and druids there.

 

It's the first condi mesmer build I really struggle with with my ele... might get nerfed soon though.

[viquing.8254]

> I'm also curious why torch is paired with axe and pistol is paired with sword versus the other way around?

Probably for the cover condition as said above and for stealh + axe 3 burst.

Problems with axe are :

- the very telegraphied attacks.

- Multiple hit = multiple retaliation.

- Melee = more evades required when attacking.

 

That's why personnaly I prefer scepter.

[Abelisk.4527]

> @"viquing.8254" said:

> > I'm also curious why torch is paired with axe and pistol is paired with sword versus the other way around?

> That's why personnaly I prefer scepter.

 

Scepter is kinda short range tbh. The confusion on scepter 3 isn't worth it, and the ambush is multi-hit as well. However, I guess you could defend the ambush by saying it never hits, so you never proc retal. Lol.

 

 

[Sampson.2403]

Yeah it just seems like having sword paires with torch is better. If u do this you can travel with sword ambush to ur enemy and then torch 4 and 5, swap weapon sets and u can stun with pistol 5 to land your burns. Then you can cover ur burns with pistol bleeds, sigil of doom, and axe torments.

 

The only advantage i see to the current setup is using ur burns and immediately switching to pistol sword to use sigil annulment and covering your burns with pistol bleeds, cripple n stun etc.

[viquing.8254]

> @"Abelisk.4527" said:

> Scepter is kinda short range tbh. The confusion on scepter 3 isn't worth it, and the ambush is multi-hit as well. However, I guess you could defend the ambush by saying it never hits, so you never proc retal. Lol.

>

 

You are right, scepter ambush is awful compared to axe (and yes, it didn't hit much lol.).

And axe has more cover condi than scepter.

 

For the scepter 3 confusion, it's not that bad compare to axe when you keep in mind that axe 3 is a strong one hit trick while scepter 3 do at least some hits (usefull vs blind, aegis, 1 bloc and so on.).

About the range, when you have to pressure someone in aoes, even with short range, and to not burn evades, I find it usefull to have the possibility to do some safe semi-distance pressure.

 

By the way, from my point of view axe is stronger in duel while scepter is a little more usefull in teamfight (and it depends on what's in front: if you have much gard/fb/engi with perma retail, purge, good aoe, it's probably better to scepter/staff than axe).