Curse

Hawkflight · Mar 10, 2011, 06:15 PM // 18:15

Hello everyone. I've been playing Guild Wars for a few days now, to get the hang of it. After playing, and doing some research, I would like to get some opinions on my proposed build.

12 Fast Casting
12 Fire Magic

Fire Attunement
Glyph of Elemental Power / Double Dragon / Glyph of Energy
Mantra of Recovery / Mindbender
Arcane Echo
Meteor Shower
Rodgort's Invocation
Fireball / Flame Djinn's Haste
Flare / Glyph of Renewal / Second Wind

Basically, the idea is to keep Fire Attunement up at all times. I'm torn between Glyph of Elemental Power and Glyph of Energy, it depends on weather I have an energy deficit or not. If I use GoEP, I keep it up whenever I can. If I use GoE, I use it when I cast my high-energy spells. (Double Dragon also works well here, granting the same boost while also nuking foes who get too close.) Mantra, Arcane Echo, and Meteor Shower are a combo to keep Meteor Storm up half the time. (I could keep it up more by adding Echo, but I'm not sure I can manage the exhaustion.) Rodgort's Invocation sets foes on fire between Meteor Storms. Fireball is a placeholder until I get the expansions, at which point I maaay get FDH (though I might just keep Fireball). The last slot is entirely open to speculation. Flare is a spammable skill. Glyph of Renewal is for rapid casting of high-cooldown spells. Second Wind helps negate the exhaustion from Meteor shower.
In brief, he specializes in knocking foes down, keeping them down, burning them, kicking them, setting them on fire, then doing it all again, and quickly.

I could use some thoughts on this.

EDIT: Also, I could use some advice on how to progress my skills bar at lower levels.

Calista Blackblood · Mar 10, 2011, 07:02 PM // 19:02

Domination magic is far stronger than FC fire nukers. I'd also worry about exhaustion and energy,especially with Arcane Echo and Meteor Shower.

Captain Bulldozer · Mar 10, 2011, 07:15 PM // 19:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calista Blackblood

Domination magic is far stronger than FC fire nukers. I'd also worry about exhaustion and energy,especially with Arcane Echo and Meteor Shower.

I second this. At this point, there's very little reason to pretend your mesmer is an elementalist. The domination line is much stronger, especially in the late stages of the game (and hard mode) and fast casting does much more for mesmer skills than it does for elemental ones, since it also decreases recharge time.

S4br3t00th · Mar 10, 2011, 07:36 PM // 19:36

I was using a similar build with my mes waaay before their update, something like this:
FC: 10+1+1
Fire: 12
Insp: 8+1

mantra of recovery (E)
arcane echo
fire ball
rogdort's
meteor shower
auspicious incantation
GoLE or any inspiration e-management, can't remember if GoLE was as good as now...
fire attunement

with a high energy set

It was "ok" at doing damage in normal mode, I mean... better than anything I could think of at the time with a mesmer primary...
As of now... Mesmers are killers, they can deal lots of damage from either the domination or illusion lines, armor ignoring AoE damage that is.
There's absolutely no reason to gimp yourself using vastly inferior elementalist skills now...
Also please... don't ever, ever consider flare as a possible skill slot... Its that bad, yes. Parasitic bond is spammable too :/

Hawkflight · Mar 10, 2011, 07:54 PM // 19:54

Ah ... I see. I took a look at Domination magic, and ... well, please, convince me. I'm probably missing something, but it looks very gimmicky. The spells seem to rely on either the foe casting a spell (needs good timing and no lag) or the foe having buffed himself with an enchantment. If this is the case, it seems to me like playing an Elementalist is safer.

Also, I forgot to mention. 1) I only have the original Guild Wars (Prophecies), and 2) I have absolutely no intention of doing PvP.

EDIT: I also have a friend who I will be playing with, who plans to be a W/E (the "Star Bert" build, I believe it's called). I dunno if that makes a difference at all.

Rites · Mar 10, 2011, 08:07 PM // 20:07

i dont play spellcasters but from what i have read elementalist spells (specifically their "powerful" fire line) basically become worthless near end game and in HM.

Calista Blackblood · Mar 10, 2011, 08:11 PM // 20:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkflight

Ah ... I see. I took a look at Domination magic, and ... well, please, convince me. I'm probably missing something, but it looks very gimmicky. The spells seem to rely on either the foe casting a spell (needs good timing and no lag) or the foe having buffed himself with an enchantment. If this is the case, it seems to me like playing an Elementalist is safer.

Also, I forgot to mention. 1) I only have the original Guild Wars (Prophecies), and 2) I have absolutely no intention of doing PvP.

EDIT: I also have a friend who I will be playing with, who plans to be a W/E (the "Star Bert" build, I believe it's called). I dunno if that makes a difference at all.

Mesmers using Fast Casting to cast Fire nukes is gimicky. Domination magic is mostly based on hexes which you cast and forget about,there is very little timing involved unless you are using Cry of Pain/Cry of Frustration and even then,it isn't hard.

And LOL

S4br3t00th · Mar 10, 2011, 08:15 PM // 20:15

have you been reading the skills correctly? Arcane Echo/Energy Surge alone puts any ele damage to shame... Foes casting spells is hardly a concern and catching 1 sec spell with Cry of Frustrtation is easy enough and again deals way more damage than crappy fire spells. Keep in mind that you will never deal the total damage written on the fire skills, because they will be reduced (often by a lot) because of enemy armor.
Anyhow, the best is you try out by yourself. If you really want to be burning stuff up, I highly suggest you make an elementalist instead, which is probably a bad idea in the current state of the game.

Dre · Mar 10, 2011, 08:51 PM // 20:51

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkflight

Basically, the idea is to keep Fire Attunement up at all times.

That's the point of every attunement

also:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkflight

...flare...

Flare is probably one of the worst skills you can find in fire magic
Replace it as soon as you can

Kunder · Mar 10, 2011, 09:50 PM // 21:50

Keep in mind that almost everything an Ele does is affected by armor. 150 damage spell? That goes down to 100 or even 50 when you get into harder and harder areas (worst case: as low as 30ish damage!). 100 damage mesmer nuke = 100 damage, no ifs ands or buts.

Having only prophecies doesn't hurt mesmer builds all that much, compared to other classes where you miss out on really good stuff. Prophecies has Panic, Keystone Signet, Fevered Dreams, and Ineptitude, which is almost all of the best elite skills. And of the non-elites, Wastrel's Worry alone will beat an entire bar of ele nukes in AoE damage.

Bristlebane · Mar 10, 2011, 10:39 PM // 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkflight

I also have a friend who I will be playing with, who plans to be a W/E (the "Star Bert" build, I believe it's called).

How did your friend learn about the "Star Bert" build, it's been a closely guarded secret! As for you, like others I think you should try out pure Domination more. Start with something simple, not too advanced. Experiment.

Oh yeah.. it might be a challenge to build a really good build with just Prophecies skills, but I'm sure you can do it.

turbo234 · Mar 10, 2011, 11:29 PM // 23:29

1) flare is terrible.
2) don't try to be a fc ele. the only exception is in certain situations for pvp
3) as said look into domination magic. panic is something you could use and is actually pretty decent against mobs.

gremlin · Mar 10, 2011, 11:36 PM // 23:36

The main strength of Mesmers isn't in direct damage its in shutting down the enemy or making him pay a heavy price for anything he does manage to cast.

They can be used much as any other caster doing direct damage but I have always found them a very interesting class to play.

For a long time in the game they were discounted as many players couldn't see the point of a mesmer as they didn't seem to be doing much.

Its not always easy to see the skills the enemy doesn't get off and the meteor storm that didn't hit the party.

If it works for you then use it I will give it a go myself and see if I can find a fun build in there.

Saru The Boss · Mar 10, 2011, 11:37 PM // 23:37

in PvE you'd be way better off running dommy. Energy Surge and Mistrust and Wastrel's Worry/Demise deal more damage than most Fire Magic skills in HM.

Hawkflight · Mar 11, 2011, 12:07 AM // 00:07

Okay, I would like to bring up a point for discussion. What about the secondary effects of some of these spells? Setting foes on fire (burning) and knocking them flat (knockdown)? I don't see any Mesmer skills that can set foes on fire.

Kunder · Mar 11, 2011, 12:32 AM // 00:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hawkflight

Okay, I would like to bring up a point for discussion. What about the secondary effects of some of these spells? Setting foes on fire (burning) and knocking them flat (knockdown)? I don't see any Mesmer skills that can set foes on fire.

Burning is just degen over time. Fire spells + degen over time are still less than armor-ignoring mesmer spells do instantly. If its degen you want (99% of the time in PvE, you don't because instant damage is better) mesmers still has that in spades. The problem with degen in PvE is that it doesn't stack with itself, there is a cap, and enemies will most likely be dieing before you get full usage out of most degen sources anyways.

Knockdown is one thing, but the primary use of knockdown is to make sure an enemy can't cast or attack you. Mesmers already do that very well, much better than Eles, see: Panic/Favored dreams builds. And if its the knockdowns you want, Psychic instability is an order of magnitude better than what Ele spells can do, though you won't be able to use it without factions.

Kojima · Mar 11, 2011, 01:32 AM // 01:32

Mesmer is better at damage right now due to an update which elementalist did not get. So you are better off using your mesmer skills. Also. A fire elementalist can choose to do close or range damage. You are already using all the range damage. why not go mesmer instead? Maybe just use G of lesser energy to help a little to the energy management.

Just think Meteor shower. It may hurt but foes run. And all the casing time of elemental skills are so slow that by the time you are ready, you may see that others have done your work for you. It is no fun to watch that.

maxxfury · Mar 11, 2011, 02:08 AM // 02:08

Ether Mage (aka Multiburn), i was expecting an echo surge+burn+mistrust chaos nuker! ah well

afmart · Mar 11, 2011, 02:24 AM // 02:24

hum, so you want to run that build only with Prophecies? does your friend has more than Prophecies to run StarBert? sorry but you cant do it. idk where you have been checking builds and skills but i sugest that you take a look in gwpvx.com also you shouldnt get stuck to only one build.

for only prf mesm i would advice dom/insp combo

Bristlebane · Mar 11, 2011, 02:36 AM // 02:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by maxxfury

Ether Mage (aka Multiburn), i was expecting an echo surge+burn+mistrust chaos nuker! ah well

When I read it, I expected something like
Ether Renewal | Burning Spirit | Fire Attunement | Aura of Restoration,
and perhaps some new Dervish Earth Prayers for Mirage Cloak and other flash enchantments.