Curse

Kelthien · Sep 01, 2011, 06:31 PM // 18:31

Hey everybody!

SO excited for GW2, I'm digging out my old GW 1 characters to (finally) play through the remaining content. By far, my Mesmer is my furthest character along and I'd love to find a solo PvE friendly build to finish out EotN, maybe a little farming, and the two non-Prophecies story lines as well.

At the moment, I'm running a Panic/Wastrel's build which was recommended by a friend. However, I feel that my damage output is pitiful, and my survivability is low.

I've been looking at the Illusion and Keystone Signet builds on PvX which seem more favored for solo PvE content there, and on here as well.

However, gathering the skills for both costs more gold/time than I have, so I'd love to hear a recommendation from any experienced players on which might be more successful, or what the comparative weaknesses are.

The Illusion build I'm looking at is the one on PvX: http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:Me/any_PvE_Illusion_Mesmer

And the Keystone one is: http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:Me/any_Keystone_Mesmer

As for my goals, I'd like to be able to solo without too much craziness... Right now with a Panic build, my most common trouble spots are fast casting mobs that invalidate Wastrel's (and therefor most of my DPS), and groups that spread out so Panic is rendered useless. These seem pretty common in end-game areas, and my Heroes are bad at wrangling!

Any help would be great. Thanks again! Sorry my post is so long!

TLDR: Panic, Illusion, Keystone, or Other for the casual solo player looking to relax and enjoy the story without too much horrific death.

Outerworld · Sep 01, 2011, 06:55 PM // 18:55

Panic is a fairly overated skill; it only shines truly against fiarly large enemy mobs and there are better sources of damage than the two Wastrels skills imo.
If you're planning to run that Illusion build then Ineptitude or Shared Burden are the elites of choice. That said I'd recommend Fevered Dreams, Fragility and the various useful PvE skills that inflict conditions, such as http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/You_move_like_a_dwarf, as an alternative.
Not a huge fan of Keystone personally but it works well in certain High End areas.

AndrewSX · Sep 01, 2011, 07:23 PM // 19:23

As solo player mesmer, the most used builds are:
-Panic, Esurge, VoR for Dom;
-Ineptitude, Shared Burden, FDreams for Illu;
-PInstability, KSignet for FCasting.

That said, each one have his own pro and cons (panic is great only in large mob areas, FD can incur in problem with heavy cond removal and so on), but are the most used out there.

If you're just looking for a simple build advice, Esurge (plus arcane echo and all te dom dmg stuff) is a very newbie friendly build, with high dmg out put in right hands.

Denar · Sep 01, 2011, 07:25 PM // 19:25

Yeah Fevered Dreams is excellent, it's what I usually go with on my Mes when playing solo;

http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:Me/any_Fevered_Dreams

Blind and daze the mob so they can't do anything, deep wound and cracked armor them so they die quicker, also keep cripple and weakness and any other condition etc etc on them all. Lotsa fun.

Kelthien · Sep 01, 2011, 08:22 PM // 20:22

I hadn't seen the Fevered Dreams builds much, they look nice though! I don't think I have any of the Norn abilities, so I'd definitely have to poke around in-game to get them. I think I've done much of the quest line, so maybe I have the guy available to me to train them. That's good to hear that they're nice DPS and solid control; that sounds like a good combo.

As for ESurge, I have it, but haven't really used it. The cooldown and activation times scared me away. I could try pairing it with an Arcane Echo to help that out... I'll have to hunt down a build!

LifeInfusion · Sep 01, 2011, 08:37 PM // 20:37

As long as there is no "Ignorance" Keystone is the most robust since it has interrupts and reliable AOE damage.

You could also try Me/A assassin's promise + you move like a dwarf + Ebon vanguard assassin support + finish him!. It's the trendy thing to do.

Kelthien · Sep 01, 2011, 09:02 PM // 21:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

As long as there is no "Ignorance" Keystone is the most robust since it has interrupts and reliable AOE damage.

You could also try Me/A assassin's promise + you move like a dwarf + Ebon vanguard assassin support + finish him!. It's the trendy thing to do.

I'd really thought the Keystone Signet builds looked nice... but how's the single-target damage?

I think I'm the furthest behind in the Keystone build. I've only got 3-4 signets. :-/

Denar · Sep 01, 2011, 09:12 PM // 21:12

The single target in keystone can be alrite depending on how you've chosen your signets - I mean, Unnatural and Clumsiness signets will be on your bar, which have guaranteed damage in PvE, and the optionals for a human player are the damaging signets from that wiki page (bane, sorrow etc) ~ all of which are armor ignoring.

But, I would say that being a Keystone Mesmer for solo play is a bad idea. You sacrifice control for damage - damage that relies on the foes to be balled up to be effective (which will hardly happen when you're the only human player). If you're after large numbers still (cos it's not like that's a bad thing!) Ineptitude would be your next best bet (a hero could take Panic then, because heroes can use panic fine - you'll be pinging the centre of the mob when you engage)

Balthazar Blessed · Sep 01, 2011, 09:37 PM // 21:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by LifeInfusion

As long as there is no "Ignorance" Keystone is the most robust since it has interrupts and reliable AOE damage.

You could also try Me/A assassin's promise + you move like a dwarf + Ebon vanguard assassin support + finish him!. It's the trendy thing to do.

I'm using this guild a lot! It is really strong, and Ebon spam also provides defense (shield and kd). Take echo for Ebon vanguard and auspicious for e-management. Fragility on this bar is also a very useful.

AndrewSX · Sep 01, 2011, 09:59 PM // 21:59

Yeah, i forgot of AP. Is a cool one too.

(OT: Hilarious how that sin elite is perfect for almost any caster thanks to insta-recharge + ene return

)

Btw, don't be scared when you see 2 or 3 sec cast spell or not really short cooldown: remember that Fast Casing will cut both. @ 10 is a 30% less on cast and recharge, which you have to take in account when reading descriptions.

Premium Unleaded · Sep 01, 2011, 10:06 PM // 22:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Denar

which will hardly happen when you're the only human player

Unless you're playing with competent teammates (ie. almost never outside of trusted friends/guildmates/etc.), balling and blocking will rarely happen when playing with other people.

Kelthien · Sep 01, 2011, 10:13 PM // 22:13

I looked at the AP builds, and I think I made a conscious choice to see if I could avoid them. :-/ It felt a little weird and hacky to do the whole... EVAP thingy. I might reconsider when it gets close to the release of GW2, but I'd like my mesmer to use mostly mesmer skills. Totally understand that I'm gimping myself for "RP" reasons

Spiritz · Sep 02, 2011, 12:37 AM // 00:37

A panic mes in my books isnt about dmg but a role of hindering your foes skills which means team can contrate on taking foes down quicker with less dmg taken.

godis · Sep 02, 2011, 05:30 AM // 05:30

Are your heroes properly runed ?
Use 2 healers and 1 protector if you have problem staying alive.
It's a little slower but a lot safer. I always try to pick up all the white,blue purple weapons that drop. Thats the easiest way to get money without farming.

mage767 · Sep 02, 2011, 07:24 AM // 07:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spiritz

A panic mes in my books isnt about dmg but a role of hindering your foes skills which means team can contrate on taking foes down quicker with less dmg taken.

Same applies for FD mes. In most game areas, FD >>>>>>>> Panic. I didn't exaggerate the arrows, it's true. FD mes in the hands of an able player is the ultimate AOE shut-down.

Add fragility to your bar and on heroes, and giggle your way through HM.

Arctica · Sep 02, 2011, 10:42 AM // 10:42

I don't recommend using Panic, unless you are out in the wild with a team of players. Panic and several other interrupt skills serve you better in the hands of a hero.

That said, I'd use Illusion magic stuff: Clumsiness, Wandering Eye provide huge AoE damage and Arcaine Conondrum is an excelent source of energy management. Top that with Ineptitude and you are done

Also, Fevered Dreams combined with fragilty combined with an AoG dervish and a blood necro in your team is deadly, too.

I pesonally don't like Keystone builds.

Kelthien · Sep 02, 2011, 02:52 PM // 14:52

Wow! I can't believe I hadn't even thought of a FD build as being 'serious'.
I think that and the Illusion build seem about equally encouraged, so I'm going to make it my goal to get the skills for both and try them out!! You've all been a huge help and prevented me from (1) crying over the weakness of a Panic build in solo PvE and (2) spending a bunch of time Keystone signet gathering when I probably wouldn't like it much anyways.

Thanks again! you all rock

Mig Coconut · Sep 02, 2011, 03:26 PM // 15:26

FD is super fun and effective. VoR/Panic are only good for large mobs. Keystone isn't very useful vs spread out mobs and the lack of emanagement makes it boring to play (imo). Inept is very good for more melee based mobs.

The most well-rounded is esurge. Easy to play, awesome damage output, and lots of room for great optional skills - empathy, backfire, shatter hex, etc.

Gwendolyn the Jinx · Sep 02, 2011, 06:13 PM // 18:13

I've never used Fevered Dreams personally and I play my Mesmer as my main. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just that my team comp never really built on daze/blind so didn't seem worth it. Also it just seems to still need your enemies to clump to some extent though I really don't have a feel for how close they need to be for conditions to spread.

Before Panic got buffed, I used to run arcane echo, e-surge, empathy and backfire, along with drain enchants and Power Return. It served me well in HMs & VQing. Before Power Return was available I used to take Blackout to shut down monk bosses while my team killed them with very little effort. I believe after its cost got fixed, I started taking Chaos Storm too.

I love Panic. But as others have mentioned it doesn't do much if they're not clumped up. I use Cry of Pain and Unnatural Signet to deal some damage. Something I've been really happy with is using Web of Disruption + Shatter Delusions for an extra interrupt (controlled expiry on Web) and some nice damage. I personally do not like either Wastrel spells.

Just remember that as a mesmer your main concern is to harass, dealing damage is something ANet was kind enough to add in in much later updates. I think Cry of Pain was the first step in that direction, although non-mesmer abusers ruined the fun for us

.

Just food for thought for you guys here: I feel like the new Stolen Speed is underrated, though I don't use it that much myself. It seems like it would really shine in specialty groups where the majority are casters.

mage767 · Sep 02, 2011, 06:42 PM // 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gwendolyn the Jinx

I've never used Fevered Dreams personally and I play my Mesmer as my main. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just that my team comp never really built on daze/blind so didn't seem worth it. Also it just seems to still need your enemies to clump to some extent though I really don't have a feel for how close they need to be for conditions to spread.

Before Panic got buffed, I used to run arcane echo, e-surge, empathy and backfire, along with drain enchants and Power Return. It served me well in HMs & VQing. Before Power Return was available I used to take Blackout to shut down monk bosses while my team killed them with very little effort. I believe after its cost got fixed, I started taking Chaos Storm too.

I love Panic. But as others have mentioned it doesn't do much if they're not clumped up. I use Cry of Pain and Unnatural Signet to deal some damage. Something I've been really happy with is using Web of Disruption + Shatter Delusions for an extra interrupt (controlled expiry on Web) and some nice damage. I personally do not like either Wastrel spells.

Just remember that as a mesmer your main concern is to harass, dealing damage is something ANet was kind enough to add in in much later updates. I think Cry of Pain was the first step in that direction, although non-mesmer abusers ruined the fun for us

.

Just food for thought for you guys here: I feel like the new Stolen Speed is underrated, though I don't use it that much myself. It seems like it would really shine in specialty groups where the majority are casters.

FD ranks #1 in harrassment.
Fragility causes a burst of small damages.

To enjoy this gameplay style to the max, you need to tune your team build around your main. Sadly, most GW players are unable to tune their heroes using their brains.