Curse

bhagwad · Jul 03, 2011, 10:49 PM // 22:49

I'm a Keystone mesmer and I have great fun with large tightly clumped foes like those in the Mallyx quest chain. But almost every PUG asks only for Panic and refuses to look at everything else. So I ran a panic build for a while and I still prefer Keystone for the following reasons:

1. Keystone has great reliable damage
2. Guaranteed Interrupts regardless of whether or not foes use a skill
3. Improves your armor with Artificer's insignia
4. Symbolic celerity really ramps up the effectiveness of the signets
5. Mantra of Inscriptions/Mantra of Signets has excellent synergy for faster recharge/better health and armor.

Panic of course is very neat too and a worthy elite. My question is, why are most people so hung up only on Panic and why don't they consider another build like Keystone with AoE interrupts and one of the best mesmer damage builds in the game?

Outerworld · Jul 03, 2011, 11:14 PM // 23:14

Probably because Pugs just don't know any better.

Siver · Jul 03, 2011, 11:21 PM // 23:21

Keystone works great, my only problem with it is you have dedicate your whole bar to nothing but. On top of that U cant interrupt your target with keystone so in that regards its no better than panic at all.

Basically panic enables U to set and forget, than concentrate on using Utility or damage. Your not stuck trying to interrupt a group of foes, who long ago split from the ball and are chasing down your monks.

i.e. its more PUG friendly

marmar256 · Jul 03, 2011, 11:21 PM // 23:21

^ sounds about right

But I spose Panic to interupt only needs to be cast one 1 foe then it hexes them all. The spell interupts other nearby foes when one foe uses a skill. Since this effect occurs when each of the hexed foes uses a skill I suppose it equals more interupts per recharge.

Panics range is also larger than Keystone Nearby > Adjacent, and therefore has an advantage there to mitigate more damage and rupt more.

But as you said. I dont see why Keystone is bad and why Panic is prefered. They both rupt, and keystone gives some dps.

Just run what you like if they dont like it, heroes dont mind what you run

Smars

Str0b0 · Jul 04, 2011, 01:20 AM // 01:20

I infinitely prefer Keystone to Panic. The e managment is just way easier for Keystone and Keystone provides some single target damage for when the foes break out of the ball. Every group, especially pugs, will have at least one hard core aggro break which will more or less negate the benefits of panic and leave most panic bars,I say most not all, sitting on their hands. Keystone can spam a couple of damage signets at the very least and provide some team benefit.

Lishy · Jul 04, 2011, 01:23 AM // 01:23

Keystone is meant for general pve, wheres elite builds in DoA are tailored towards very specific strategies. In this case, panic is needed.

thetwistedboy · Jul 04, 2011, 03:04 AM // 03:04

Keystone Mesmers can deliver a very powerful spike in coordinated teams. Panic is there in Frostway or else spells end up doing too much damage

I Perma Mobs · Jul 15, 2011, 04:18 PM // 16:18

I just don't understand why compare 1 to the other?
Panic= Utility skill
Keystone= Offensive skill, for AoE output.

It's like I'm comparing RoJ to Aegis(PvE), except that aegis isn't elite

Get what I mean?

AndrewSX · Jul 15, 2011, 04:43 PM // 16:43

I guess that the common point where they're compared is the fact that KS rupts mobs adiacent to target, making it a rupting machine like Panic (in right conditions).

Imo is all matter of areas/needs...