Curse

Zarketh · Apr 09, 2006, 07:16 PM // 19:16

Just a note to say I read tons of info on this and none of it worked. I tried every strategy that was suggested on the forum and found most of the info useless.
In the end, I think it was just luck that finally got me through. I had tried this particular build several times and it hadn't worked. Not sure why it finally did.

I made it through using backfire and empathy with max domination and fast casting. I had no other skills equiped and made sure my weapon was one that required domination magic to make sure that when I could fire, I was doind optimum damage.

Problems - I would appear in the hall with the computer already casting backfire on me. The only way I could ever get a spell off before the double was to use a 1/4 disrupt. Of course then that was used on me. After multiple failures, abandoned disrupt approach. BTW, I have high speed internet w 3meg download, dual 3 gig processors, 2 gigs ram and a smoking video card, so dont even think about trying to say it was connection or computer problems.
- went in with just backfire. Didn't stop him from firing at me. He just kept shooting knocking me down way more than the damage he was taking. Backfire alone does not work.
- Empathy with and without a second spell didn't work. Tried that several times. If there were no other spells, he wouldn't cast anything and just attack. Not sure what type of bow he was using, but he could kill me in just under 15 seconds no matter what I did. Was wearing Rouges armor for max physical protection and tried using Elemental Resistance a few times to see if that would help. Not much change.

Tried a variety of different strategies using one or two spells in combination to test how they worked. In every situation, the computer took substantially less damage than I did. When I did get through, I was down to 10hp and the DG was up over one third his total health. Not sure why I got through, but my conclusion is that the people who post their suggestions are full of crap, or that one of the recent updates to the game has substantially changed the mesmer double battle. Either way, the double battle was pointless and should be dropped from the game scenario. Where the rest of the game seems to be geared to promote teamwork and strategy, this section did nothing more than make me question the capabilites and mental status of the game designers and programmers.

Just my thoughts....

exodite · Apr 09, 2006, 10:10 PM // 22:10

Backfire
Wastrels worry
Shatter delusions
mantra of Recovery
Empathy

in order mantra, backfire, empathy
hehe now watch him die!

Megla Zero · Apr 09, 2006, 11:25 PM // 23:25

Or, if you're /Mo bring Heal Breeze with you... He won't use it if he does not have any degen. Then, just get some stupid LA Enchanters (if its there) or wherever the earliest is, and get yourself down low and set up for a 55 build. Mash on the Backfire skill as your going in (you can get of skills before you even fully load... I've tried it with my Necro to get SS on him before he got it on me) and then hopefully get Prot Spirit and HB up as fast as you can.

Terra Xin · Apr 10, 2006, 02:04 PM // 14:04

Someone pointed out... somewhere... sometime..,. that AI generally tend to use their skills from left to right. So having backfire at the very end will help out alot - that was the only advice i needed for a 10 second win^^. Try it again, backfire does work^^.

Oh god... dont give doppelganger distrupt spells... big no-no in any strategy.

remember, if the left to right doesnt work for you either, make sure you dont give him anti hex spells, and again, no interrupts. Wait until backfire runs out (10 secs), cast it on him, and watch. For those 10 seconds, you should be able to take his hits and still live.

I dont know why you needed backfire with the strategy you used, that spell requires other spells to be betterly effective

JR · Apr 10, 2006, 02:22 PM // 14:22

I have beaten the Doppleganger at level 5 with one skill. Empathy.

Hit him with Empathy, stay back and just strafe the arrows. Take Distortion if you must. It's called "The Empathy Dance".

Avarre · Apr 10, 2006, 02:35 PM // 14:35

Backfire, empathy, powerspike, <insert skills here>

Just make sure you stop his backfire with the spike, use some other spell as a sacrificial lamb to it, then let him die to backfire and empathy... Shatter hex would own as well but I can't remember if you get that before or after drok

quickmonty · Apr 10, 2006, 02:46 PM // 14:46

Backfire + a lot of useless skills.

You backfire him and he backfires you. He casts other skills and kills himself while you just stand there and watch, or use your wand.

I did it. It works!

Arcanis the Omnipotent · Apr 10, 2006, 04:44 PM // 16:44

If he's casting Backfire on you before you even get through, then you have alot of lag.

This is what you do. Bring Hex Breaker, and some hex you arent going to use except to defeat his Hex Breaker. Cast it on yourself before you stand on the last rock. That way, even if he get his Backfire off first, it'll break and you can go to casting your worthless hex on him to get rid of his. Then simply go about casting Backfire, Empathy, and sometimes I bring Chaos Storm cause he really doesnt move too often from AoE

Run Red Run · Apr 10, 2006, 06:22 PM // 18:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by JR-

I have beaten the Doppleganger at level 5 with one skill. Empathy.

Hit him with Empathy, stay back and just strafe the arrows. Take Distortion if you must. It's called "The Empathy Dance".

Same thing I did...don't see the point in taking more than you really need.

LouAl · Apr 10, 2006, 07:06 PM // 19:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarketh

Not sure why I got through, but my conclusion is that the people who post their suggestions are full of crap, or that one of the recent updates to the game has substantially changed the mesmer double battle. Either way, the double battle was pointless and should be dropped from the game scenario. Where the rest of the game seems to be geared to promote teamwork and strategy, this section did nothing more than make me question the capabilites and mental status of the game designers and programmers.

Just my thoughts....

I hope this will help

I don't think everyone was full of crap with their builds (I am sure that many are, and many people say " I killed him in x seconds" when really it was x+15 seconds).

IMO the reason why the doppleganger is there is to get you to think about the skills you are using and how to apply them, counter them, and how other will counter them. If you think about it, if you can't beat a copy of your build (a bad copy obviously) maybe you should figure out how to beat it.

You really just need to figure out what kinds of things have really screwed you over in the game (ie what skills destroy your build) and then what you can do to get around it. You also ned to figure out what others will do so that they are not screwed over by your build.

For example:

If you are taking backfire, you should make sure that you can bring spells that will trigger it. Also, you should try to interrupt Backfire when it is cast on you and let the dopple interrupt a conjure phantasm or similar (something that you can live without).

If you are taking empathy, I would advise against taking very many spells because the dopple will waste time casting (and not be hurt from empathy). A good combo would be empathy, distortion, and something to keep your energy up (like drain enchant and give the dopple an enchant like channeling). I have never tried that but it should work...

To dispel a myth: The doppleganger DOES NOT cast in order from left to right only. It will cast whatever spell/skill that works best in that moment. If you put backfire on the right it will likely cast backfire first anyway...

I would suggest to try and kill the doppleganger with your normal skill bar, although it would be easier to sub out some of the AoE skills in favor of more 1v1 skills. Before you fight the dopple, think about what you would do if you were alightly less intelligent (AI) and then how you could best counter that.

The doppleganger is more efficient than you, but it is also less inteligent. You can use those two facts to your advantage in order to be more effective than your Artificially Intelligent counterpart.

I am glad to hear that you did beat your mirror. Try and remeber what order you cast, what order the dopple cast, how it tried to counter you, and what you did to counter it...you may find something very valuable.

Good luck

PS sorry for the dissertation