8 replies to this topic

[Ti87tyk]

Any suggestions? Currently just looking to level as fast as possible as have already seen most content but rerolling to Mesmer, just need a general direction of traits and which weapon swaps I should be using for fast and efficient levelling, end-game build I'll work out on my own

Currently I am level 20 with 10 Dueling, using Phantasmal Fury with GS and weaponswap as Sword+Pisol, damage just seems lacking  and am levelling slower than I'd like, will also be soloing. Any solid advice would be appreciated

[Jobuu]

with staff 2 and mirror images you can pop 3 clones fast and shatter them for a little burst then summon the phantasms or a mix of both. i'm also liking sword/sword or sword/focus - even scepter/pistol hell any combo - but i love the staff overall

[EasymodeX]

I would use GS / Staff.  Basically you get the most AOE this way.

For traits, immediately get 5 points into Illusion for the -20% illusion cooldown.  Best Mesmer trait.  Then, get 10 Domination for the 15% Illusion damage.

After that it doesn't *really* matter and it gets kind of build-specific.  If you want to stick with the same build and rip through PvE as fast as possible, I suggest Elasticity (20 points Illusion) and the Greatsword trait (20 points Domination).

Aside from those investments, anything.  15 points into Inspiration and/or Chaos can help survivability.

[KingEoj]

sword/sword or pistol + staff - single target (also works against small packs)
staff/gs - aoe (berserker + mirror blade + chaos storm)

at low levels i also ran around with like sword/focus + scepter/pistol.  but at 80 i use the above in cursed shore, dungeons and WvW/sPvP.

Edited by KingEoj, 10 September 2012 - 08:25 PM.

[Ti87tyk]

EasymodeX, on 10 September 2012 - 08:02 PM, said:

I would use GS / Staff.  Basically you get the most AOE this way.

For traits, immediately get 5 points into Illusion for the -20% illusion cooldown.  Best Mesmer trait.  Then, get 10 Domination for the 15% Illusion damage.

After that it doesn't *really* matter and it gets kind of build-specific.  If you want to stick with the same build and rip through PvE as fast as possible, I suggest Elasticity (20 points Illusion) and the Greatsword trait (20 points Domination).

Aside from those investments, anything.  15 points into Inspiration and/or Chaos can help survivability.

Sounds good, only concern is the crit loss with this build, upon respeccing went from 65% crit chance down to 34%, still worth it?

[frzn]

The core of my build gives me strong kiting and defensive tools as well as some good offense:
10 in domination for crippling dissipation (replace with empowered illusions where kiting is not practical)
20 in dueling for deceptive evasion and phantasmal fury
5 in illusions
decoy - break stun, stealth, and clone
feedback - reflect, procs confuse and chaos armor
weapons:  some combination of gs, staff, and sword/pistol.

I'm having trouble deciding on what to do with the other 35 points though, there are too many good options.
This would be good for switching between staff, greatsword (empowered illusions<--> greatsword training), and shattering (illusionary elasticity<-->illusionary persona).  I've been playing around with greatsword training and illusionary persona though and I can't help but feel that they're a bit overrated.
I could make it into a warden build (illusionary elasticity<-->phantasmal haste)  (warden's feedback<-->?), but I've never really had much luck with keeping my wardens alive without actively keeping enemies away from them.  I really like the reflect though.
I could also make a survivability build with tons of chaos armor and phantasmal healing+illusionary persona, but that seems kind of unnecessary with crippling dissipation making kiting so easy.

Edited by frzn, 10 September 2012 - 09:29 PM.

[EasymodeX]

Ti87tyk, on 10 September 2012 - 08:36 PM, said:

Sounds good, only concern is the crit loss with this build, upon respeccing went from 65% crit chance down to 34%, still worth it?

Crits are highly overrated and reliance on crit + sharper images is largely a lazy player method for lower DPS single target killing.

Edit: Especially as a "leveling" build -- you will not even have access to Sharper Images until level 40, making crit% fairly worthless (unless you can cheese stack it like Warriors can with the Signet trait).

Edited by EasymodeX, 11 September 2012 - 12:45 PM.

[Raizen]

I can hardly see myself playing with sword wether it's on the main hand or not. How can there possibly be so many players that rely on it ? Because from my personal point of view, the mesmer isn't a close combat fighter. I've always leveled up using scepters pistols and either greatsword or staff.  Within the first levels I've seen that my mesmer never lived that long when using close combat weapons and therefore i tried to get at least more survivability by using vitality traits or keeping the ennemies far away. Am i playing this profession wrong ?...

[Obsituus]

Raizen, on 11 September 2012 - 02:07 PM, said:

I can hardly see myself playing with sword wether it's on the main hand or not. How can there possibly be so many players that rely on it ? Because from my personal point of view, the mesmer isn't a close combat fighter. I've always leveled up using scepters pistols and either greatsword or staff.  Within the first levels I've seen that my mesmer never lived that long when using close combat weapons and therefore i tried to get at least more survivability by using vitality traits or keeping the ennemies far away. Am i playing this profession wrong ?...

It isn't really meant to be used like a Warrior, or even a Thief. Sword is meant to be used more for quick in and out striking than anything else, and usually only when Blurred Frenzy is off cooldown. I was running Sword/Sword + Scepter/Pistol for awhile and I would go through this rotation on most single targets:

Pistol 4 -> Scepter 3 -> Let them get close (if I have aggro) and Scepter 2 -> Dodge + Swap -> Sword 4 -> Sword 2 (Blurred Frenzy) -> shatter, if needed

Unless I got really unlucky with crits and whatnot, I didn't even need to use the full rotation in many cases.

I also occasionally run Sword/Pistol + GS and would go this route a lot:

GS 2 -> GS4 -> swap -> Pistol 4 -> Sword 3 + position switch -> Sword 2 -> Shatter -> Dodge out + swap -> GS 2 -> GS 4

I generally used sword 2 to finish em off, or to jump in and hit them, then jump out; it is always a supplement to my ranged attacks.

Right now I generally run Staff/GS and Sword + Focus/GS since those two setups have the most weight in WvW in my experience and still do really well in PvE. Hit 44 last night and still haven't done a dungeon so I can't comment on how they do there.

Oh, for fun, try this...

Gather up 3 or so mobs and:

GS2 -> GS4 -> Sword 3 and leap -> Focus 5 -> Sword 2 -> Shatter

You're going to take some damage, but they will drop so fast you will feel like a Warrior.

EDIT:

The setups I mentioned above are Power/Crit builds, obviously, but I just wanted to make sure I was clear on that. If you're going for conditions these probably won't work that well.

Edited by Obsituus, 11 September 2012 - 02:44 PM.