16 replies to this topic

[Kyris]

Personally, I'm torn between the confusion/shatter build vs crit/CritDamage build. The shatter build offers more control and defensive options, but the phantasm build gives more burst/direct damage.

The shatter build has low (15k) HP, but high toughness, whereas the phantasm build gives decent HP (24k) but no toughness.

What do you guys think is best for rank 30+ mesmer builds?

[Skyro]

Well first off I don't know what a confusion/shatter build or crit/crit dmg build is, so you're going to have to be more specific. Pretty much every good team I've played against use the shatter spec and they are not based around confusion/condition dmg, they are based off power/precision/crit dmg (they just happen to have the confusion on shatter minor trait as every shatter spec grabs illusionary persona). Also shatter builds are mesmers burst damage spec, phantasm builds are mesmers sustained damage spec. And I also do not know what builds you could possibly be running if you run with high toughness on shatter specs and low toughness on phantasm specs. If anything it should be the opposite.

And lastly I do not know what rank has to do with effectiveness of your spec. If you mean the most common spec that good teams run then as I said shatter specs are far and away the most common, but that is due to most teams using mesmers to guard the close point with portal. Phantasm spec is more of a team-fight spec, and I would suspect that if they ever nerf portal (which I hope they do) you will see more Phantasm specs, though Shatter specs will still be popular due to their boon stripping and AoE capability (very useful to blow up zerg rezzers).

[Perversion]

I dont like "Phantasms spec". Its easymode and you dont use your full potential as a Mesmer.
Im now 24 pvp lv, not much but played early as Phantasm spec next confusion shatter and now shatter with power/crit. Confusion is far best enjoyable spec and shatter power/crit atm the best you can use (its only my opinion).
My currently Shatter spec
http://gw2skills.net...GbNuak1sKYAxWEA

Edited by Perversion, 15 November 2012 - 12:21 AM.

[Lilie Mae]

My only problem with shatter builds is that I found them easy to dodge since you can see the phantasm coming at you. It's easy to get away from them that way.

I have a few questions about shattering though that I haven't fully understood. What is the AoE range of, say Mind Wrack? Cause I don't think it's 1200 radius. And with the XI (Illusional persona) trait in Illusions trait line. Do you as well have to be near the target for the effect to take place, since I assume that the effect radius is rather small.

[Touche]

At the tourney level the best builds are going to be pure shatter builds s/p staff 10/30/0/0/30 or more of a point holder shatter build s/p staff 0/20/20/0/30.

You can also try Xee's 20/20/0/0/30 s/s staff shantasm (shatter/phantasm) build .

The confusion/shatter bomber build is fun and very strong but gets shutdown once a necro walks into the room.

[Flooth]

Touche, on 15 November 2012 - 01:22 PM, said:

At the tourney level the best builds are going to be pure shatter builds s/p staff 10/30/0/0/30 or more of a point holder shatter build s/p staff 0/20/20/0/30.

You can also try Xee's 20/20/0/0/30 s/s staff shantasm (shatter/phantasm) build .

The confusion/shatter bomber build is fun and very strong but gets shutdown once a necro walks into the room.

How do you know 10/30/0/0/30 is standard shatter?

[Touche]

Flooth, on 21 November 2012 - 08:10 PM, said:

How do you know 10/30/0/0/30 is standard shatter?

It's the pure Glass cannon shatter that gives the highest burst damage possible.

http://gw2skills.net...GbNuak1sKYAx DA

Compounding Power(Illusions 10 point Major Trait) can be replaced with Masterful Reflection. Illusionary Invigoration(Illusions 20 point Major Trait) can be replaced with Illusionary Elasticity.

I also change around Portal or Blink for Null Field depending on the situation.

~~~
This is more of a toe to toe shatter build. The pistol can be replaced with a sword if you like it but I find the pistol more superior to the sword due to the stun and aoe daze/blind.

http://gw2skills.net...GbNuak1sKYAx DA


Again you can make similar changes as in the first build.

Edited by Touche, 21 November 2012 - 10:04 PM.

[Flooth]

I am really torn between what spec I want to run in sPVP.  I tried 10/15/15/20/10 last night, and is more legion I think?  I changed from Xee's phantasm build which didn't include the proc'ing of protectoin when I gain regeneration.

The protection literally makes me unkillable! I love it. I have like 26k H and enjoy it, but miss the burst.

I feel like if I play more of a bursty build, I will force myself to get better, and use shatters properly.


I feel like the protection proc on phantasm's is almost needed against melee right now, what do you think?

I feel like going phanstasm w/o the protection trait makes it pointless, and you should either be bursty or tanky.

I don't think I would ever go phantasm again w/o this trait.  I am still new (about to be lvl 10).  I would not call myself bad, but not great etiher.

I enjoyed the burst of the shatter build, and the shantasm build as well.

I think I may go back to try the other more bursty builds, but I just get like downed by rogues so easily right now, even warriors...

When I switched back to legion last night, I survived and became a tank, but felt like I became a worse player...more cushion to make mistakes etc.


What do you guys think?

[Deluted]

try this one out:  http://www.guildwars...idsgeneral-pvp/

[Flooth]

Deluted, on 22 November 2012 - 03:47 PM, said:

try this one out:  http://www.guildwars...idsgeneral-pvp/

Looks like a shantasm build to me

[Flooth]

Just tried 10/30/30 shatter build with greatsword and like it alot more than staff.  Has anyone tried this?  I am hitting SO hard on people.  I literally just autoattack #1 spam #2 and just burst them down.


*although I can get gibbed pretty fast from melee, as my only safety is the F4 and my sword #2

Edited by Flooth, 24 November 2012 - 04:28 PM.

[ATourist]

Flooth, on 24 November 2012 - 04:22 PM, said:

Just tried 10/30/30 shatter build with greatsword and like it alot more than staff.  Has anyone tried this?  I am hitting SO hard on people.  I literally just autoattack #1 spam #2 and just burst them down.


*although I can get gibbed pretty fast from melee, as my only safety is the F4 and my sword #2

Try including dodges, GS skill#5, blink, decoy or stealth in your arsenal to help.

[Flooth]

ATourist, on 25 November 2012 - 02:26 PM, said:

Try including dodges, GS skill#5, blink, decoy or stealth in your arsenal to help.

True.  My above mentioned shatter build melts face, but is really squishy.

I was thinking about making a GS build with some more def traits ( reg, protection), the diamond build?

Although I am very sad about GS ibeserker because his damage blows now; do you think the ibeserker damage is enough to not use the GS?***

That is a big question I am dealing with right now.

[ATourist]

I think it would be fine when the iberserker bug is fixed. I'm referring to the one where the iberserker is missing its hits. The change of LoS to summon illusions will stay, and it just adds one more thing to consider during battle.

[Dairuiner]

I'm having great success with this build.

http://gw2skills.net...GbNuak1sQY8x DA

I'm really starting to dig the Celestial Amulet, after having previously written it off as a noob amulet for those who can't decide what their build does. You pour out a lot of confusion with a glass shatter spec.. making it last 33% longer and having 700+ condition damage really makes it tic.  That said, keep a berserker's amulet on hand to swap in and you can instantly turn back into the glass crit/power mesmer.

Basically, this build can still blow up other glass cannons while having the staying power and condition damage for teamfights and fights against bunkers.

Edited by Dairuiner, 26 November 2012 - 04:11 PM.

[cocodog13]

Flooth, on 24 November 2012 - 04:22 PM, said:

Just tried 10/30/30 shatter build with greatsword and like it alot more than staff.  Has anyone tried this?  I am hitting SO hard on people.  I literally just autoattack #1 spam #2 and just burst them down.


*although I can get gibbed pretty fast from melee, as my only safety is the F4 and my sword #2

the auto attack hits hard. however the phantasm does not when compaired to staff. also 5 on GS is not as good at keeping melee off you as 2 on staff. you also lose 2 ways to give yourself chaos armor (and also your team if they combo in chaos storm). chaos armor and chaos storm are very important to me when specd glass.

if you have chaos armor and are also standing in a chaos storm you quite offten end up with protection agis and regen all up at the same time and at that point you kinda stop being made of glass.

couple that with the number 2 on staff and 5 seconds of distortion you can get from blurred frenzy and f4 you can spend a good portion of the fight ether out of reach of melee or almost untouchable due to boons.

[kryx]

I've been having great runs with this less glassy shattering variant: 20/20/20/0/10
http://gw2skills.net...GbNuak1siYQxOEA

I find trait Shattered Concentration to be increasingly useful, timing it right before blurred frenzy hits. Playstyle is less concerned with shattering as frequently as possible, but more focused on shattering at the right moments, and until then, using clones, blink, and stealth to deceive. GS may become rather awkward when role is point defender, thusly switching to staff (along with corresponding trait slot choices) will seem appropriate, although conditions of staff will no longer benefit for the extra 20 trait points in Illusion line.

A more defensive take would probably be switching out Berserker's Amulet for Knight's Amulet

Edited by kryx, 27 November 2012 - 12:10 PM.