[45] Guild Wars 2 Build - Mesmer: Staff and Greatsword |PVE

By: teaandbickies (Updated 8/4/2012)

First of a couple builds from teaandbickies :)

.: Mesmer Build :.

Main Weapon: Staff

Alt. Weapon: Greatsword

.: Utility Skills :.

Ether Feast

• Heal yourself.  Gain additional health for each active illusion.

Signet of Inspiration

• Passive: Grants a random boon every ten seconds.
• Active: Copy all of your boons to nearby allies.

Signet of Domination

• Passive: Improved Condition Damage.
• Active: Stun your foe.

Null Field

• Create a field of energy that removes all boons from enemies, and removes all conditions from allies.

Mass Invisibility

• You and all allies gain stealth for a short time.

.: Traits :.

Domination – 20 points

Attribute Bonuses:  +200 Power, +20% Condition Duration

Adept

Minor Trait: Illusion of Vulnerability

• Inflict 5 seconds of vulnerability when you interrupt a foe.

Major Trait: Mental Torment (I)

• Mind Wrack causes 20% more damage.

Master

Minor Trait: Dazzling

• Inflicting daze causes 3 seconds of vulnerability.

Major Trait: Halting Strike (II)

• Deal damage when interrupting an enemy.

Dueling – 15 points

Attribute Bonuses:  +150 Precision, +15 Critical Damage

Adept

Minor Trait: Critical Infusion

• Gain 1 second of vigor on critical hits.

Major Trait: Desperate Decoy (V)

• Cloak and leave a clone of yourself behind at 25% health.

Master

Minor Trait: Deceptive Evasion

• Create a clone at your current position when you dodge.

Chaos – 5 points

Attribute Bonuses: +50 Toughness, +5% Boon Duration

Adept

Minor Trait: Metaphysical Rejuvenation

• Gain 10 seconds of regeneration when your health reaches 75% (30-second cooldown).

Inspiration – 0 points

N/A

Illusions – 30 points

Attribute Bonuses:  +300 Condition Damage, +30% Guile (Shatter Skills Recharge)

Adept

Minor Trait: Illusionist’s Celerity

• 10% faster cooldown on all illusion-summoning skills.

Major Trait: Master of Misdirection (V)

• Confusion you inflict lasts 33% longer.

Master

Minor Trait: Illusionary Retribution

• All shatter skills inflict confusion.

Major Trait: Illusionary Invigoration (VI)

• Recharge all of your shatter skills at 50% health (90-second cooldown).

Grandmaster

Minor Trait: Shattered Strength

• Shattering illusions gives you might.

Major Trait: Illusionary Persona (XI)

• Shattering illusions creates the shatter effect on you as well.

.: Commentary :.

Conditions and illusions, that’s what basically this build entails.  I wanted to maximize illusion-summoning potential, the damage and effects shatter skills have on foes, and the duration and damage associated with conditions.  I also wanted to make sure that my foes would be confused all the time with trying to figure out which ‘me’ is an illusion/phantasm and which is real.  Thus, the Illusionary Persona trait would prove very useful as it would show a shattered effect around my character as well as my illusions—not to mention that it’ll look really cool too!

Other than that, this build seems pretty straightforward, focusing on adding/prolonging conditions, making shatter skills stronger, and confusing foes with multiple illusions and adding a shatter effect on myself.  Also, my utility skills are based on support and survivability, as well as weakening foes by removing all boons from them with Null Field.  In terms of weapons, I primarily use my staff for this build, though I also have a greatsword equipped in case I need some extra attack power (not to mention that I just love the mesmer skills I get from it~).

[26] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Mesmer: Illusionary Signets Build |PVE

By: Soul Step (Updated 7/11/2012)

(View Build)

It's been a while since I've looked at the Mesmer profession. ArenaNet has done a lot over the last 2 betas, that I really want to wait what the finalized options are. However, I did want to post this as part of our Signet challenge. This build is balanced between offense and defense/support as your Illusions will be playing a lot of the offensive role and your Signets offering great support.

Weapon Set:
Primary: Sword/Pistol - Illusionary Leap and Illusionary Duelist will grant you two Illusions off the bat.
Secondary: Staff - You get another Illusion skill with Illusionary Warlock. Switching to staff will make it easier for you to play the support side of a fight.

Healing, Utility, Elite Skills:
Healing: 
(6) Ether Feast - This will heal you a lot since you'll be using your Illusions often.


Utility:
(7) Signet of Inspiration - a free boon granter skill is a good support skill

(8) Signet of Midnight - the passive works in conjunction with Signet of Inspiration. The active can be used as an escape/dodge

(9) Signet of Illusions - passive beefs up your Illusions, while the active gives you a chance to use your shatter skills more often.

Elite: Honestly, the elite skill here is personal preference
(0) Time Warp - It's a nice boost for you and your allies as it is a good support skill.

Traits: Build output is 20/30/10/0/10 with traits focusing on strengthening your Signets and Illusions.
Domination:
(III) Empowered Illusions - makes your Illusions hurt more

(VIII) Signet Mastery - your cooldown trait and must have for a signet heavy build.

Dueling: 
(VI) Sharper Images - adds another dimension of damage for your Illusions

Two Options for the Master Trait slot:
Option 1:
(IX) Duelist's Discipline - increases the pistol attack range for both you and your illusions. More beneficial you plan not to fight close range often.
Option 2:
(X) Blade Training - the +50 Precision is a nice boost that will increase your critical-hit chance and damage. Choose this if you plan on being more offensive.

(XI) Blurred Inscriptions - gives your signet a condition as Distortion is really useful for a squishy class like the Mesmer.

Chaos:
(IV) Illusionary Defense - makes you a little bit less squishy when you have your Illusions out. It's a nice survival utility trait.

Illusions:
(III) Compounding Power - increases your damage will you have your Illusions out.

With a high precision build, you'll be able to dish a good amount of damage between you and your Illusions. The signets will give you a better chance at survival or switch to a support role to keep a battle in your favor.

[5] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Mesmer: Greatsword & Staff - Phantasmic 2-Handed Illusion Shatterer |WvWvW and PVE

By: Soul Step (Updated 7/11/2012)

(View Build)

(Reworked 7/11/2012)
This build revolves on spamming your Phantasms to do damage and then use your shatter skills. 

Weapon Set:
Primary: Greatsword
Secondary: Staff

Healing, Utility, and Elite Skills:
Healing:
(6) Ether Feast - Works with this build as you'll be Illusion spamming.

Utility:
This rework has focus on continuously having max Phantasms out to deal as much damage when you use a Shatter Skill.

(7) Phantasmal Defender - a nice survival skill.

(8) Phantasmal Disenchanter - good support and survival skill.

(9) Signet of Illusions - good utility skill for your Shatter skills and Illusions.


Elite: Honestly, the elite skill here is personal preference
(0) Time Warp - It's a nice boost for you and your allies as it is a good support skill.

Traits: Build output is 20/10/0/10/30 with a focus in strengthening your Shatter skills and Phantasms.
Domination:
(VI) Shattered Concentration - this makes your Shatter skill a boon negator.

(X) Greatsword Training - +50 in Power will help with your damage output.


Dueling:
(II) Phantasm Fury - gives your Phantasm a chance to hit harder

Inspiration:
(V) Persisting Images - beefs up your Phantasm so they can take more hits.

Illusions:
(III) Compounding Power - increases your damage will you have your Illusions out.


(VI) Illusionary Invigoration - good utility to have especially when you'll be using shattering skills often

(XI) Illusionary Persona - A nice AOE trick to have when you have melee aggro on you. It also intensifies the use of Shatter skills.


With this build, you should be able to maintain a great sustain damage with bursts through your Shatter skills.

Examples of Illusion to Shatter combos:

Staff: Feigned Escape --> Illusionary Warlock --> Winds of Chaos (until Feigned Escape recharges) --> Feigned Escape --> Shatter

Greatsword: Mind Stab --> Mirror Blade --> Phantasmal Berserker --> Spatial Surge --> Mirror Blade --> Shatter

You can also mix the combo between the 2 weapons, but I'll leave that up to your imagination :D