Curse

LifeInfusion · Jun 19, 2007, 10:12 PM // 22:12

An Introduction
There are few nonelite Mesmer hexes (if any) targetting multiple foes and the only two are Arcane Conundrum, Soothing Images.
Arcane Conundrum is fine, but the 20 recharge is hefty unless you are running Mantra of Recovery like most other Mesmers out there. That's all fine and dandy until the Hard mode mobs with their Wild Throw smash your stance to bits and pieces and you end up waiting 20 seconds for your Mantra to recharge.
Such a dilemma was the instigator of this build idea.

A Rationale to the Madness
Most Mesmer skills have moderate recharges of between 15 to 30 seconds. That is balanced for PvP since in PvE most mobs don't last 15 seconds when pommeled by multiple elementalists and copies of SS, among other things like physical attackers beating them down as well (idiots that use less than the req of their weapon need not apply).
PVE warrants a low recharge build (See Spiteful Spirit's 10 recharge, Barrage's 1 recharge, Searing Flames' 2 recharge for examples) and the Mesmer profession is unforgiving in that respect.
It is tempting to go Domination with Mantra of Recovery, given that with the Mantra the majority of the skills are cut down to about 5 recharge (e.g. Empathy, wastrel's Demise).
Thankfully, Clumsiness' recent buff adds a glimmer of hope for the mesmer situation, without delving into such frippery as Echo chains.
In addition, the Soothing Images skill is one I have long used on my N/Me for debuffing warriors along with SS back when FoW was old (before Factions and all that stuff) and I'm surprised that nobody has realized its potential.

The build
Mesmer/Monk
Level: 20

Fast Casting: 11 (10+1)
Illusion Magic: 13 (11+2) or 15 (11+3+1) if you are inclined to take Superiors
Inspiration Magic: 11 (10+1)
Protection Prayers: 1

- Clumsiness (Illusion Magic)
- Soothing Images (Illusion Magic)
- Auspicious Incantation (Inspiration Magic)
- Shatter Storm [Elite] (Mesmer other)
- Images of Remorse (Illusion Magic)
- Web of Disruption (Mesmer other) /Remove Hex (Monk Other)
- Ether Feast (Inspiration Magic)
- Resurrection Chant (Healing Prayers)

Sideboard:
- Empathic Removal [Elite] (Monk other) instead of Shatter Storm, for more hex and condition removal with a Ritualist healer instead of a monk healer; Discharge Enchantment (Inspiration Magic) should be subbed in for Ether Feast if this is the case since you will have no enchantment removal
-Drain Delusions instead of Auspicious Incantation for a faster recharge energy buff

The Theory
Using Soothing Images on a Necromancer back in the days of the old Soul Reaping was possible since Soul Reaping funds the 15 energy cost. Now it is not so easy...

Auspicious Incantation (or Drain Delusions after hexing) is used to fuel Soothing Images. of Course Drain Delusions is used when a mob is almost dead, whereas Auspicious Incantation is an enchantment applied beforehand. Given the 176% energy cost gain, AI gives 26 energy return on your 5 energy investment and 15 energy spell.

Soothing Images basically shuts down Paragons and Warriors, since it prevents adrenaline gain, stagnating the adrenaline pool of the targets. In short, it is like the popular Ancestor's Visage/Sympathetic Visage without having to rely on Enchantments, which are by far easier to remove than hex stacks are. Compare this to Visions of Regret and you will see that Soothing Images is superior in the utility sense but inferior as a damage dealer.

That brings us to Clumsiness. Anyone who has Clumsiness with a 4 recharge knows this is basically the "kill switch" on any melee or physical attacker, and even on casters that like to fling their wands at you. Clumsiness acts as a damage dealer and also damage mitigation. Not to mention that even when Clumsiness is not put on a melee attacker, the damage will be decreased since all adrenaline attacks are "turned off".

Images of Remorse is just damage fluff when Clumsiness is on cooldown, it isn't anything spectacular (sort of like Wastrel's Demise) and helps with Dervishes and Assassins that don't rely on adrenaline. It can be replaced with Cry of Pain for some serious hurt with Soothing Images' AoE. But relying on PvE only skills isn't fun is it?

Web of Disruption is one of the most reliable interrupt when it comes to the mesmer interrupts and the interrupt at the end of the hex is a plus, especially if you run Drain Delusions. It doubles as being able to interrupt nonspell skills, which has always been one of the minor triflings of the mesmer with Power block or Power drain/spike (not being able to interrupt echoes, preparations, glyphs, and signets). If you got an interrupt ranger in the team, you could probably drop it for Remove hex, especially since nonelite hex removal sort of sucks...and as a mesmer you really take the cast time limitation of the skill out.

Ether Feast is your heal, a generous heal of 117 HP that takes 1.3 seconds to fire off. Pretty neat if you target a foe with 3 energy.

Shatterstorm is your skill for those pesky enchantment stackers known as prot. monks and Dervishes. The only other skills that rival it are Rend Enchantments and gaze of Contempt. Save it for those situations where the target is really stacked with protection, not just targeting anything that your team could've slaughtered in 10 seconds.

Resurrection Chant is for the unfortunate case if someone dies. You know, it does happen and it is best if someone with the artistry of firing off a 4 second res does the job.

As far as sideboard skills go, if you are out-of-the-box enough to go running around with a Ritualist instead of a monk healer, you could carry the recently Empathic Removal to help with the hexes flying around. Ritualists really are bad with hexes by nature, you know.

P A L P H R A M O N D · Jun 20, 2007, 01:27 AM // 01:27

I like Inspired Hex and Revealed Hex, though probably for fun more than utility, because of the long recharge. Since your theme is AoE, how about Shared Burden or Fevered Dreams as your elite, I think they might be more effective in some cases than Shatter Storm. If you have a condition Ranger or something like that, you can coordinate. Of course, like most Mesmer builds I suppose it needs tweaking from place to place! Ill try this build once I get on, seems fun!

I'm using Shatterstorm on Wroth Yakslapper!

LifeInfusion · Jun 20, 2007, 01:40 AM // 01:40

b/c Shared Burden is an inferior elite, especially when you have things like Ice Spikes and Deep Freeze. Also, I am not fond of the 15 energy and 25 recharge...

Fevered Dreams pretty much ends when the target is dead and relies on your team bringing useful conditions. It's not a bad skill, but it really reliant on how good your team is. It could probably be one of those Sideboard kind of skills that hinges on whether your team brings daze/blind. Poison/Disease/Bleeding aren't worth wasting an elite to spread when you can epidemic them.

It's more of a flavor thing and personal taste whether to carry Fevered Dreams.