Curse

DarkSpirit · Mar 16, 2008, 07:43 AM // 07:43

I have been trying out an Aritifcer Interrupt build for the mesmer hero and this one seems to show some promise.

Me/Mo

See the revised build 2 posts down:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...10&postcount=3

blockkiller · Mar 16, 2008, 09:39 AM // 09:39

why u use retribution, there are better options i think

DarkSpirit · Mar 16, 2008, 03:19 PM // 15:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by blockkiller

why u use retribution, there are better options i think

I wanted something general and passive. You can use Strength of Honor if you have afew melee characters in your party.

If this is a human mesmer build, you can use Holy Wrath instead since you can weapon switch to renew your mantra, but not a hero.

A signet mesmer build has lots of energy to spare so I wanted an enchant with an upkeep and helps the party.

Unfortunately, Gwen seems to make use of attack signets more frequently than interrupt signets. But Signet of Distraction still works well on her. Here is my revised 7-signets build.

[build prof=Me/Mo box name="Mesmer Hero Artificer Build" fas=7+1 dom=5+1 ins=11+1+1 smi=11][Mantra of Inscriptions][Signet of Distraction][Signet of Judgment][Bane Signet][Castigation Signet][Signet of Disenchantment][Purge Signet][Resurrection Signet][/build] (bye bye spell breaker, obsidian flesh, shadow form, and vow of silence)

Smiting Prayers 11
FC 7+1
Dom 5+1
Inspiration 11+1+1

Template code: OQNEAnUz678AQ+mEUi1XudSEAA

Some Variant:

- Replace Signet of Judgement with Keystone Signet for a more frequent recharge of your signets.
- Replace Purge Signet with Hex Eater Signet for hex removal and extra energy.
- Replace Castigation Signet with Signet of Disruption for an extra interrupt.

Wield a Shield, for more armor, with +30hp and Run for your Life inscription since you dont need that much energy. This gives a total of 81AL (from armor) + 8 (from shield) = 89 AL and you get the +30hp and -2 damage reduction from the shield too.

=====================

This Me/N blood build works quite well and you can even set Gwen to Aggressive to spread Blindness and Bleeding around. I replace Sab's SS N/Rt with this and it seems to kill faster in general even without SS, Barbs, or Splinter Weapon. Since this build contains sac skills, you should not raise Gwen's max hp to be too high instead use Artificer Insignia for all of her armor.

[build prof=Me/N name="SoM Interrupt Blood" box fas=7+1 dom=5+1 ins=9+1+3 blo=12 cur=4][Signet of Midnight][Plague Sending][Mantra of Inscriptions][Signet of Distraction][Signet of Disruption][Barbed Signet][Signet of Agony][Resurrection Signet][/build]

Note that Plague Sending now only costs 1e, so as before, this build doesn't need much energy and she can wield a shield with -2 stance, for more armor.

===========

[build prof=Me/P box name="Cautery Interrupt Heal" fas=8+1 dom=6+1 ins=11+1+1 mot=10][Cautery Signet][Remedy Signet][Mantra of Inscriptions][Signet of Distraction][Signet of Disruption][Hex Eater Signet][Signet of Synergy][Signet of Return][/build]

This is a pure defensive build except for the interrupts with some healing, party condition and hex control.

This build is able to wield a Motivation shield for a total of 97AL.

DarkSpirit · Mar 19, 2008, 05:02 AM // 05:02

Anyone tried this out yet? Gwen cuts through HM like a hot knife through butter with this build, and she is tough as a nail.

tmr819 · Mar 19, 2008, 02:51 PM // 14:51

I use a very similar build but with my Mo/Me heroes, preferring to put the extra points into Smiting and Inspiration, but may try this one out with Gwen. (She's definitely prettier than Dunkoro!

)

DarkSpirit · Mar 19, 2008, 03:33 PM // 15:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmr819

I use a very similar build but with my Mo/Me heroes, preferring to put the extra points into Smiting and Inspiration, but may try this one out with Gwen. (She's definitely prettier than Dunkoro!

)

Interesting, but Dunkoro doesn't benefit from the extra armor that Gwen has by wearing Artificer's Insignia with this build. A 7-Signet build like this one gives +21 armor, which brings her up to 81 armor (similar to a Paragon, but not counting the shield). The extra 8 armor from the shield (since a signet build doesn't require much energy), brings her to 89 armor and -2 damage from stance.

tmr819 · Mar 19, 2008, 05:02 PM // 17:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkSpirit

Interesting, but Dunkoro doesn't benefit from the extra armor that Gwen has by wearing Artificer's Insignia with this build. A 7-Signet build like this one gives +21 armor, which brings her up to 81 armor (similar to a Paragon, but not counting the shield). The extra 8 armor from the shield (since a signet build doesn't require much energy), brings her to 89 armor and -2 damage from stance.

Ahh, good point! It makes me wonder if I should pull Norgu out of retirement as well.

This might be fun to try in Shards of Orr. I'll let you know how it goes.

tmr819 · Mar 20, 2008, 01:33 PM // 13:33

Just to follow up. I used your build on Gwen for the Fire and Pain quest in Sacnoth. I have to say I really liked it. She dished out a lot of pain and only died once (the team wiped once when Borgus Blisterbark and his Burning Spirit cronies snuck up on us).

EDIT: One thing I have noticed is that Heroes do not seem to use Mantra of Inscriptions very well. In fact, I almost always have to manually engage it myself. I wonder why that is.

DarkSpirit · Mar 20, 2008, 02:05 PM // 14:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by tmr819

Just to follow up. I used your build on Gwen for the Fire and Pain quest in Sacnoth. I have to say I really liked it. She dished out a lot of pain and only died once (the team wiped once when Borgus Blisterbark and his Burning Spirit cronies snuck up on us).

EDIT: One thing I have noticed is that Heroes do not seem to use Mantra of Inscriptions very well. In fact, I almost always have to manually engage it myself. I wonder why that is.

Cool!

As for the mantra of inscriptions, she seems to cast it on her own only when she needs to use a signet that is in recharge so you would have to cast it manually just before a battle.

You can bind it to a key to make that easier. After that first time, she should be able to renew it on her own when she needs to, during battle.

One variant is to replace Signet of Judgement with Keystone Signet. You lose a good offensive elite but that helps with the signet recharge so it kind of balances out. But once you have used your res sig, the hero would keep casting Keystone Signet whenever it can.

Aleron · Mar 24, 2008, 02:07 AM // 02:07

I'm looking forward to trying out this build. Just curious as to what other Insignias/Runes you are using (besides Artificer, minor FC, minor Dom, and I assume minor Inspiration that you put on her mask).

DarkSpirit · Mar 24, 2008, 04:48 AM // 04:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleron

I'm looking forward to trying out this build. Just curious as to what other Insignias/Runes you are using (besides Artificer, minor FC, minor Dom, and I assume minor Inspiration that you put on her mask).

Fill the rest up with Vitae and the best vigor rune you can afford.

One variant is to replace [skill]Signet of Judgment[/skill] with [skill]keystone signet[/skill], keystone signet would reduce of the recharges of all your other signet but sacrificing the knockdown and extra damage from SoJ.

Aleron · Mar 25, 2008, 03:12 PM // 15:12

Yep, that's what I did. I couldn't afford Superior, so I did major vigor.

This is an awesome build! Gwen's health rarely declines much and it's much easier getting through mobs now. I'll go cap the keystone signet and try it out. Have you submitted this to PvXwiki?

DarkSpirit · Mar 25, 2008, 07:09 PM // 19:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aleron

Yep, that's what I did. I couldn't afford Superior, so I did major vigor.

This is an awesome build! Gwen's health rarely declines much and it's much easier getting through mobs now. I'll go cap the keystone signet and try it out. Have you submitted this to PvXwiki?

No I haven't. It is just one of my ideas to help make mesmers more viable for PvE, especially now that FC boosts signet casting speed and Artificer Insignia (which is cheap), helps mesmers to be alot more robust. A signet build also helps with any energy problems, and knowing how much heroes like to spam skills, signets would help.

Super Igor · Apr 01, 2008, 11:43 PM // 23:43

Mesmer Heroes are frikin' viable in PvE for their interrupt skillz, human mezzez are also Imba with PvE only skillz.

~Super Igor

~

cyber88 · Apr 06, 2008, 02:19 AM // 02:19

How abt substituiting retribution for another signet like castagion signet or signet of rage. Castagion signet can be use if there are more casters den wars & it deals the same amt of dmg as bane signet juz it is energy gain instead of KD if target is attacking. For wars intesive areas. use signet of rage as it deals less basic dmg den castagion but it has a bonus of added dmg per aderaline skill carried by target.

Which ever way u slice the cake, with mantra, you can deal more dps with an additional signet then a passive skill. With retribution, you are assuming that the tank will be able to survive the gank while returning 33% of the dmg taken. When mobs ganked, they gank hard and this is especially true in HM. A hero or henhie tank just dun cut it. They will overload the healers & die before the 2nd or if you are lucky, the 3rd gank.

I play a signet smiter monk myself most of the times so I do feel that since you are using signests to boost ur armor, another signet wouldn't hurt & retribution is juz meh.

Antithesis · Apr 06, 2008, 02:39 AM // 02:39

Have your tried Judge's Insight? Given the rest of the bar is Signets, it's an option. Won't work with Signet of Distraction, but Rez Sig could be dropped for Ether Signet.

I haven't tried the build yet, just puttin' it out there

Super Igor · Apr 06, 2008, 12:55 PM // 12:55

Nice build, KD fails in pve imo, no?

~Super Igor

~

Antithesis · Apr 07, 2008, 02:18 AM // 02:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Super Igor

Nice build, KD fails in pve imo, no?

~Super Igor

~

No. KD serves a dual-purpose of interrupting and disabling for 3-4 seconds. Brawling Headbutt on a D-Slash warrior can keep anything that can be knocked down permanently on their butt. Meteor Shower can be used as an AoE interrupt on a Promise Nuker bar - 2 or 3 MS can be going off concurrently, easing a lot of pressure on the team.

DarkSpirit · Apr 07, 2008, 03:26 PM // 15:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by cyber88

How abt substituiting retribution for another signet like castagion signet or signet of rage. Castagion signet can be use if there are more casters den wars & it deals the same amt of dmg as bane signet juz it is energy gain instead of KD if target is attacking. For wars intesive areas. use signet of rage as it deals less basic dmg den castagion but it has a bonus of added dmg per aderaline skill carried by target.

Already using Castigation Signet, look at the revised build here:

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...10&postcount=3

I should have just changed my OP, my bad. Castigation works on casters too.

No space for Rage Signet since it is a 7-Signet build with one slot for mantra of inscriptions.

I am curious, do heroes use Signet of Rage correctly? For example, do they cast it only on warrior monsters? I doubt they use it correctly, which was why I didn't include it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antithesis

Have your tried Judge's Insight? Given the rest of the bar is Signets, it's an option. Won't work with Signet of Distraction, but Rez Sig could be dropped for Ether Signet.

I haven't tried the build yet, just puttin' it out there

This is a low energy build, so I would hate to make it more energy dependent, and decrease signet count further by adding a 10e energy skill (in a non-Artificer smiter build maybe but not this). MoI is more necessary.

No need for Ether Signet, as the only skill that needs energy there is Mantra of Inscriptions, since this is a 7-signet build, but MoI lasts for a quite awhile. There are signets in the build that depletes energy (i.e. Purge Signet and Signet of Disenchantment) but the trick is, even if you have 0 energy, they still work as intended.

There is a danger that you can have 0 energy just before MoI runs out so you can't re-cast MoI for a short while, this is highly unlikely but still possible. If that unlikely situation happens, hopefully, the mesmer's natural regen and castigation signet would bring the energy back up.

One limitation on Purge Signet, heroes tend to only use it when multiple conditions exist on an ally even though it gets rid of hexes too. Not a big deal, as you can still micro-manage a little, if that bothers you.

Antithesis · Apr 07, 2008, 10:05 PM // 22:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkSpirit

No need for Ether Signet, as the only skill that needs energy there is Mantra of Inscriptions, since this is a 7-signet build, but MoI lasts for a quite awhile.

Gotcha. Ether Signet was to cover Judge's Insight.