[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~).

Guild Wars 2 Weapon Table: Greatsword

Weapon Table for the Greatsword

Master Post: Weapon Tables & Combo Tables

One-Handed:

• Axe
• Dagger
• Mace
• Pistol
• Scepter
• Sword

Off-Hand Only:

• Focus
• Shield
• Torch
• Warhorn

Two-Handed:

• Greatsword
• Hammer
• Longbow
• Rifle
• Shortbow
• Staff

Aquatic:

• Harpoon Gun
• Spear
• Trident

Combos:

• Fields
• Finishers

[29] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Guardian: Zealously Radiant Greatsword Vanquisher (Signet) Build | PVE

By: Soul Step (Updated 9/12/2012)

(View Build)

Last of the signet builds for the challenge. I hope you liked the ridiculously long title :) The signets here strengthen your damage and support abilities.

Weapon Set:
Primary: Greatsword
Secondary: Mace/Torch - provides nice support while your greatsword skills are on cooldown.

Healing, Utility, Elite Skills:
Healing:
(6) Signet of Resolve

Utility:
(7) Bane Signet - passive makes your damage stronger

(8) Signet of Judgment - a good tank-like skill

(9) Signet of Wrath - passive makes your condition damage stronger

Elite:
(0) Renewed Focus

Traits: Build output is 30/30/10 which focuses on strengthening your greatsword and signets. Also makes your Power and crits better.
Zeal:
(V) Shattered Aegis - extra utility trait for Aegis

(VII) Greatsword Power - extra damage when using your greatsword

(XII) Zealous Blade - healing power for your greatsword skills is a nice touch

Radiance:
(II) Signet Mastery - a must as it reduces your cooldowns

(IX) Inscribed Removal - a great utility trait for your signets

(XII) Perfect Inscriptions - improvement to your passives are a must.

Valor: putting 10 points here provides you with some extra survivability
Two options for the Adept trait:
Option 1:
(IV) Strength in Numbers - useful in group settings
Option 2:
(VI) Retributive Armor - a little extra precision

[22] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Ranger: Greatsword & Dual Axe "Signet" Build |PVE

By: Soul Step (Updated 7/9/2012)

(View Build)

I like the Ranger profession because you're not restricted to only using bows. Along with Signets, this build will use the Greatsword and Dual Axes as weapons

Weapon Set:
Primary: Greatsword
Secondary: Dual Axes

Healing, Utility, Elite Skills:
Healing:
(6) Healing Spring - regenerate health and remove conditions. The removing of conditions works well with Signet of the Beastmast trait.

Utility:
(7) Signet of Renewal - great survival skill to have

(8) Signet of the Hunt - another great survival skill with its passive and a nice damage boost to your pet on the active.

(9) Signet of the Wild - for the passive, provides another means of healing. The active makes your pet more useful.

Elite:
(0) Rampage As One - A good steroid boost for you and your pet.

Traits: Build output is 30/15/0/25/0. It's not often where I'll put points into trait lines up to a minor trait, but this output will maximize your damage.
Marksmanship:
(IV) Signet Mastery - a must have for signet builds to recharge them faster.


(IX) Beastmaster's Might - a damage booster when using a signet.


(XI) Signet of the Beastmaster - Gaining the active effect from the signet is a huge plus.


Skirmishing:
(V) Companions's Might - great trait for your pet to have.


Minor Trait:
(15) Furious Grip - gain a boon for weapon swapping is great. Use your axe skills at mid range then weapon swap into greatsword for the kill.


Nature Magic:
(V) Strength of Spirit - With 25 points in Nature Magic, you'll gain 25 extra points in power.


(IX) Two-handed Training - Increase your greatsword damage.


Minor Trait:
(25) Bountiful Hunter - Another damage boost, which works well with the Furious Grip and Beastmaster's Might traits.


With this build you and your pet will be able to a lot damage as the Signet skills provide you survivability.

[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