Mirage's Axe

[bart.3687]

> @OriOri.8724 said:

> Axe 3 only retargets axe clones, not all illusions. How in the world is it supposed to save your phantasms?

>

> I think axe 3 should have the conditional clone generation, but axe 2 should still have a guaranteed clone come out of it.

 

It retargets ALL illusions, however only axe clones will teleport and leap at your target.

[Esplen.3940]

@"OriOri.8724"

 

Here's the skill text:

>`You and all your axe clones shadowstep` to a random location around your target and strike, applying confusion. This attack breaks enemy targeting, and `your illusions change focus` to the targeted foe.

 

It's okay, it's kinda sneaky.

[MailMail.6534]

I've only read the initial post, but this seems like an extremely unfair criticism based on what reasons you've given.

 

> Axe is a melee weapon on a class designed with all active defenses in mind, on a spec that has turned its dodge into an offensive move, that doesn't offer any sort of defense, not even vigor to refresh endurance faster.

 

You lost me here. Context is important. Axe 3 has an evade. Additionally, if you are using Axe, you have access to vigor on _every_ shatter. Also, it's hard to take this criticism very seriously since you haven't tested it very much. Seems a too premature to be definitive. Not that you were being definitive. Just saying. I say this all to say that Axe seems a bit underwhelming to me as well. lol I'll give things more time to settle in before I start posting all of my criticisms on the forums.

 

I'm LOVING Scepter+Pistol/Staff Viper's Mirage though. :)

[Edenfer.9816]

I found the mirage underwhelming at first but now I'm loving it.

 

The axe is loads of fun and pretty good.

The axe 2 has 2 ammo hits. Meaning you can use it twice and generate 2 clones on the spot

 

My normal setup is A/T + S/T or St.

Use the torch phantasm, run to the target use your axe 2 twice (with good repositioning) then the 3. Dodge use ambush with clones, repeat once more. Normally everything dies.

(Take the extra axe + clones gaining ambush)

If not you have so many evades and cleanses, you'll outlast everyone.

 

 

 

 

[FJSAMA.2867]

Axe just needs few tweaks to feel solid:

 

1 - Make auto more rewarding, its a melee weapon. Ex: speed up the chain.

 

2 - Give Axe#2 the scepter auto attack treatment. Prevent clone from spawn if 3 phantasms up.

 

3 - Axe#3 needs few adjustments:

3.1 - Make it leap first ( controlled leap finisher instead of rng positioning leap finisher)

3.2 - Make it teleport in the end of the leap to melee range around the target (instead of 600 units, making it connect better since port happens in the last portion of the cast).

3.3 - Fix z-axis teleports and rng around the target aspects not to position mesmer in a bad situation. (if 3.1 and 3.2 are executed this rng port will happen in a 130 radius ( or less to account target in motion) rather than 600 greatly reducing rng positioning radius and thus greatly reducing bad positioning and attack not connecting)

 

To explain better this last one:

 

Currently: you press axe#3 > you port 600 range (rng around the target), canceling target > you leap from that location 600 units to target, evading.

Pros: instant target cancel and instant shuffle.

Cons: big radius rng positioning, uncontrollable leap finisher position, bad for connect the attack ( imagine a straight line, enemy is at unity 600 at that line running towards 601 when press axe3, and rng places you at unity 0 on that line, by the time you finish the leap animation enemy is not there anymore and is already out of range by simply running. Happens alot specially when chasing targets).

 

Change: you press axe#3 > perform a leap on current positioning, evading > you port 130 (or less) radius rng at the very last moment of the animation, canceling target.

Pros: more readily available evade, leap finisher at current controled pos rather than a random pos, rng port only 130 units from the target making it harder for bad positioning and bad connectivity, landing skill more accurately on moving targets.

Cons: slightly delayed target canceling, since you perform leap anim first, slightly delayed deception (clone shuffle).

 

Ez fix ez life.

 

[R E F L H E X.8413]

I was hoping for a one handed weapon that has a reliable gap closer unlike sword which will put you anywhere but near the target a lot of the times. This one since it jumps twice fails a lot against moving targets.

[Esplen.3940]

@"FJSAMA.2867" Axe autos are actually pretty fast. For whatever reason, the first one comes out slowly, though.

[JVJD.4912]

Yeah i was all like oh look melee condition weapon ...awesome

Playing it for a couple of days, it feels squishy and less rewarding

Maybe because the spec is new and i have to get used to but its not looking promising

[pinkglow.3429]

I like the design of the axe, and I use it because the abilities are fun :) However, I've mostly tried it out in the new worlds, and I have to be cautious when to pick my melee fights. Sometimes I end up just using staff because I take too much damage in melee. It really needs to have some survivalbility added to 2, and it would be the awesome weapon.

[Ithilwen.1529]

> @"Syprus Soulslayer.1640" said:

> lol, I'm sure ANET will make adjustments as needed in the future

 

I wouldn't be overconfident on that score. I remember waiting *years* for fixes.

 

I see two major issues with Axe: it does poor damage, generally for a weapon intended for melee. The Ambush channel is so long that I sometimes fail the channel because I am moving around and no longer directly facing the target.

 

**Axe Ambush is too weak by half to need that kind of wind-up time!**

[SharkBall.5829]

Axe Clones do a ton of damage tho.

[Carighan.6758]

> @SharkBall.5829 said:

> Axe Clones do a ton of damage tho.

 

For certain definitions of "ton" and "damage", sure. So do spear clones and healer revenants, of course.

[Pyroatheist.9031]

> @Ithilwen.1529 said:

> > @"Syprus Soulslayer.1640" said:

> > lol, I'm sure ANET will make adjustments as needed in the future

>

> I wouldn't be overconfident on that score. I remember waiting *years* for fixes.

>

> I see two major issues with Axe: it does poor damage, generally for a weapon intended for melee. The Ambush channel is so long that I sometimes fail the channel because I am moving around and no longer directly facing the target.

>

> **Axe Ambush is too weak by half to need that kind of wind-up time!**

 

Honestly the axe ambush is the only one with a reasonable activation time. It's a .5s channel, which is actually very fast. The thing is that it's very difficult to actually see the skill itself, so you're never quite sure whether it just worked or whether it failed to cast for some dumb reason.

[Bigpapasmurf.5623]

Mirage is what my mesmer needed for me to pick it back up. Its annoying to fight, throws confusion like its a disease (which i guess it is) and lots of fun teleports. Lots of defences and axe/torch makes a wicked combo.

[Levetty.1279]

> @Bigpapasmurf.5623 said:

> Mirage is what my mesmer needed for me to pick it back up. Its annoying to fight, throws confusion like its a disease (which i guess it is) and lots of fun teleports. Lots of defences and axe/torch makes a wicked combo.

 

If you want defense and confusion spam then let me introduce you to condi Chrono.

[OriOri.8724]

Seems I did not fully understand how Axe 3 works. At any rate, I'm starting to see what others are saying. Axe is in a pretty good spot. Axe 2 and 3 still feel sluggish for me, especially axe 3, and I wouldn't mind more range on the auto chain.

[Kobeathris.3645]

I don't know if it has been mentioned, but the Axe Ambush does 4 stacks of confusion instead of 2 if you stand inside the hitbox when using it.

[PierPiero.9142]

for spvp i find sword better than axe now

[Agent Noun.7350]

Axe is really cool. I think my main suggestions would be to speed up both axe 2 and 3, and to prevent the axe 2 clone from overwriting phantasms so that it can be used more often in PvE DPS situations.