17 replies to this topic

[Bloodtau]

Almost hit lv 80 so looking to get myself up to top damage. Which builds do other people use? I'm interested in either a shatter builds of a phantasm build.

thanks for your time

[Culture Shock]

Personally I wouldn't recommend looking at the Mesmer from such a limited perspective.  Many people talked about shatter builds or phantasm builds before launch and during the earlier weeks afterwards, however from experience I have seen totally different playstyles develop since those days.

The main 3 are Great Sword, Scepter/Pistol or Focus, then there is Staff, Scepter/Focus or Pistol, and last there are various Sword/Pistol combinations.  I rarely if ever see any Mesmers using the Torch in PvE dungeons.  

These days I see that many who planned to be Mesmers at the launch have now fallen off in favor of other classes, but there are a few who have gone on to master the class and now things are as they should be.  In GW1 the class was for a chosen few, and we became very very powerful. The Mesmer class in GW2 has become almost as powerful even though many of the mechanics we were famous for in GW1 are not available in  GW2 such as several types of shut down skills, interrupts come to mind along with hexes.

It will take some time to get used to the Mesmer and even more to Master it.  There are videos on youtube of Mesmers soloing dungeon bosses along with their minions.  I have done things with my Mesmer that amaze others as well because even some of the "Mesmers" who formed the guild with me have not totally embraced the "new" playstyles available to it.

To answer your question I love Staff, Scepter/Focus.  Some will disagree and say the Warden phantasm is not mobile enough, however it is the highest damage phantasm by far boasting 20,000 damage in one volley against armorless foes in practice.  It's damage is also AoE and reflects projectiles giving you offense as well as defense.  Some bosses will kill it on sight, and others totally ignore it giving you the chance to place 2 or even 3 of them next to it.  With a good group the melee party members will corner the boss allowing for multiple volleys from your "high damage" phantasm and making your dungeon run a version of "walking on sunshine".

I will say that since I lead a guild formed by Mesmers I have tons of experience with the class and know what it is capable of.  You will improve over time and so will you're understanding of why certain things in the class just simply "work that way".  

Many new memsers have asked me if I use phantasms or shatters, and I simply tell them the truth.  I use combinations of different attacks depending on the situation, and I would love to discuss some of them here but to be honest you may not completely understand how they work until you try them out yourself.  Contact me if you have any more questions.

[Bloodtau]

I've been using GS/staff for pve up to now. Heard it's actually quite a bad combo to have, is this true? =/

[LavaSquid]

If you want top damage, get full set berserker armor + accessory and go shatter build!

GS + Sword/Focus or Pistol or Sword is good combo as long as you time your distortion well. You will love the build

[Bloodtau]

What's a good rune set to use?
Going for mainly a glass cannon build, i'm torn on eagle, scholar or mesmer runes.....

which do people prefer?

Edited by Bloodtau, 01 February 2013 - 04:43 PM.

[osicat]

Hi Bloodtau.

My online name is Osicat and I run a big 4 section sticky Guide on offiical forums for WvWvW mesmers with 85k wievs on my video guide. It include 4 different builds.

I add 2 intruduction guides for 2 o the specc.

My 2 favorites is Shatter Cat Hybrid:



And Shatter Cat Heavy:



Last I add a vid of The Shatter Cat Heavy for group play:



Link to the official Guide: https://forum-en.gui...Pve-Shatter-Cat

GL / Osicat

Edited by osicat, 02 February 2013 - 09:11 PM.

[heatrr]

Bloodtau, on 01 February 2013 - 04:25 PM, said:

What's a good rune set to use?
Going for mainly a glass cannon build, i'm torn on eagle, scholar or mesmer runes.....

which do people prefer?

If you are taking your glass cannon Mesmer into WvW for the long haul, Centaur runes cannot be beat.

[osicat]

I dissagree, I am no big fan of centaur at al, air alot better for dmg build both defensive and ofensive. cnetaur give  little more speed for long runs but incombat they weaker. For group runs you will have swiftness form the group anyway and if u need a sprint air give you a speed boost.

Also Air is a superb defese vs glascannons due to the proc hit as a truck.

/Osicat

[heatrr]

And I give up 165 power by shifting to air runes over centaur runes, Osicat, for a bit more crit damage and a proc claimed to hit like a truck?

I already hit like a truck with my glass cannon full zerker GS phatasm mesmer wvw build and my crit damage is already over 80%.

[osicat]

@Heatrr, I understand your doubt to text only. Alot of ppl "claim things" in the forums. They post builds they "claim" is fantastic or tactics they "claim" sort your thief problems etc. In respect of your doubt I end this post with 2 vids that strength what I "claim"

The Rune of Air proc hit instant. Its not possible to dodge as it hits when the named attack land. Thsi mean it hit a thief who yet not shown out from stealyh, its also not refelctable. So a thief who in low health do a dagger storm witll insta kill himself. Now I mention thief it ofc work as a counter to other GC classes.

The Air proc hits for 3-6k in my setup, you still have swiftness with air runes, its just a few seconds shorter than centaur.

Its hard to calculate but even a 4-5k extra hit every 10 sec is worth alot of power/crit etc.

For the Crit dmg when your dmg climbing and crit cance climbing is more valuabe than power as its % based. A 165 power will eventualy be lesser woth than a % dmg + due to scaling.

So basicly:

Air runes: 3-6k hit cd 10 sec, swiftness buff 6 sec cd 10 sec. 10% crit dmg

Centaur: Swiftness buff 12 sec cd 10. 165 power, 15% bleed duration (witch is not power based and extremly minur dps buff)

In fact you gain a little more speed idd,so if your goal is to win the borderlands NY marathon you go Centaur idd, now that is not the case and for dmg already on the crit dmg vs power I "claim" the centaur get out dmged, add the proc and its a huge dmg difference.

Looking at the fact you in group aswell will already have the bonus of swiftness and no need to heal to gain its close to wasted when you finaly reach the fight.

Notice 1st thief.


Several high hits with ari, and sword blurr for 9k


As for movment I add my mobility guide for air runes and the builds/guildes I make.




For more info about my guides etc have a look in official forum sticky: https://forum-en.gui.../14#post1371062

Gl and ty for listening/reading my wall of text

/Osicat

[Nevhie Bodewig]

Well this Centa vs Air is looks nice...

Well Osi.. I know that Air Runes are great for u. Because u are using a Staff. U will get so many Swiftness from that Weapon. #4 and #5+2 (Chaos Armor). So u felt that "6sec from Air Rune is fine". Not to mention Staff #2 Blink is cool also for move in and move out. But if u are using GS. IMO Centa is better. GS only have 1Blink from Utility. Non of GS Skills will give Swiftness. 6sec swiftness on GS Mesmer for me is kinda.... I felt nothing. Well maybe it;s true Our group will give swiftness. But... I;m not gonna say about group. It's relative.

Oh ya for Power. It changes "Skill Damage Modifier" also(Just noticed lately). Dunno it will help or not if compared to Crit damage.

[osicat]

@Nevhie Bodewig. il resspectyour oppinion and I can agree that you prob know Gs builds better than me as i spend most of my time develop and test the 4 shatter builds in my guide. Al 4 use staff and x/x. the time I use GS is in dungeons on sertan situations where swiftenss matter little, so I steb back in the knowledge field of gs in wvw terms.

In terms of utility and movment lets us agree on for your setup/playstyle and build centaur might be better and.for the setup/bild and playstyle I use Air might have an edge. In terms of pure dmg output and incombat defense we leav unspoken, and ofc not everything is about dmg idd.

/Osicat

[Nevhie Bodewig]

Tested Rune of Air today on WVW. I feel really sluggish but in exchange for more Power. Around 5-10% more damage from Centa Rune. Can;t confirmed normally i felt same. The air trigger.. Somehow bother me when i on "Stealth" On Stealth then got random shoot. Trigger Air Rune. Break my STealth. The bad side.. Since i have no swiftness. About 70% chance of die when being chased. Pretty high. Can;t be helped with GS Weapon Mobility. Overall it's good. But need a lot of practice for GS User. In term of firepower. Raise a lot from this rune coz lightning strike. In exchange for very Slow mobility... Nah it;s fine... Tower Cannon maybe...?

[Khezial_Tahr]

Bloodtau, on 30 January 2013 - 07:44 PM, said:

I've been using GS/staff for pve up to now. Heard it's actually quite a bad combo to have, is this true? =/

Bad? No. Not for PVE. I've found over time that other combos tend to be interesting, but that's a default setup for me. In WvW I find myself using sword/scepter and focus and staff more.

[Bloodtau]

Right, can anyone point me in the direction of a good confusion glamour build?

[Samski]

Bloodtau, on 19 March 2013 - 11:42 PM, said:

Right, can anyone point me in the direction of a good confusion glamour build?

This is the best Glamour build IMO, really effective in Mass WvW.

For smaller scale and Solo Roaming I play my Condition Tank Build.

[The Trouble With Me]

Samski, on 26 March 2013 - 11:30 PM, said:

This is the best Glamour build IMO, really effective in Mass WvW.

For smaller scale and Solo Roaming I play my Condition Tank Build.

That top one looks good, will have to try that when I have a few more trait points to spend.

Edited by The Trouble With Me, 28 March 2013 - 10:34 AM.

[Sorr0e]

Can't go wrong with shatter spec. Get some toughness/survivability with your gear, while maintaining high crit and crit damage, and you'll do very well in WvW.