Copy of Build:Mesmer_-_S/S_/F_/P Test

THIS IS A COPY OF http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Mesmer_-_S/S_/F_/P that I have added uncase it goes missing from the mainsite

Overview

This build achieves one of the maximum DPS parses possible for the Mesmer profession and emphasizes support and group utility. Influenced by the Mesmer community and the top speed running guilds of Europe and North America. A Mesmer is a worthy addition to a party, if it employs its portal tricks, reflects, or stealth maneuvers during the run. It is extremely rare to benefit from having more than one Mesmer in a party (but there have been dungeon records broken with that composition).

Skill Bar

Sword/Sword

Healing

Utility

Elite

x/Focus

Situational

x/Pistol

Slot Changes

•  Signet of the Ether
   can be changed to 
   Mantra of Recovery
   for short fights when casting phantasm is a waste of time. It's a 3% personal DPS boost for 10 seconds with the trait 
   Harmonious Mantras
   when you use a mantra charge.
•  Time Warp
   can be changed to 
   Mass Invisibility
   for skipping something you have a hard time skipping with, for example Arah P1 skips are rather brutal for inexperienced players.
•  Null Field
   group condition cleanse and enemy boon stripping suited the best for boon heavy or condition heavy encounters (i.e. dredges). Being an Ethereal Field, this skill can mess up badly a Might stacking rotation using a Fire Field so use it carefully.
•  Mimic
   to immediately recharge the next utility skill you use. Very useful for double 
   Blink
   or double 
   Portal Entre
  . You need to use 
   Mimic
   then use the skill you want to use twice. For 
   Portal Entre
   you need to use 
   Mimic
   just before opening the 
   Portal Exeunt
  . It is also useful for a double 
   Feedback
   if your party lacks reflect uptime.
•  Blink
   to increase mobility and ease skipping.
•  Portal Entre
   to allow creative use of mechanics. See the Portal section below for further details.
•  Signet of Inspiration
   spreads the boons you have to rest of your party and as such helps achieve a desired amount of Fury and Might to your team. However, if your team can not achieve a medium amount of might on its own (<5 Might), you should reconsider the cost of the utility slot. Also you can just take 
   Illusionary Inspiration
   to have the signet activate when you cast a phantasm.
•  Mantra of Pain
   Good damage output and low recharge. It's a 4% personal DPS boost for 8 seconds with the trait 
   Harmonious Mantras
   when you use a mantra charge. You can remove it from your bar if you need both stability and condition cleanse mantras.
•  Mantra of Concentration
   group stability and an extra stunbreak. It's a 3% personal DPS boost for 10 seconds with the trait 
   Harmonious Mantras
   when you use a mantra charge.
•  Mantra of Distraction
   Vulnerability stacking and interrupting. It's a 3% personal DPS boost for 10 seconds with the trait 
   Harmonious Mantras
  when you use a mantra charge.
•  Mantra of Resolve
   group condition cleanse suited the best for short fights. It's a 3% personal DPS boost for 10 seconds with the trait 
   Harmonious Mantras
   when you use a mantra charge.
•  Phantasmal Defender
   for damage heavy encounters such as level 50 fractals. It's usually not used though as it takes the place of one of your phantasms.
•  Signet of Midnight
   paired with 
   Blurred Inscriptions
   for an on demand Distortion for tough encounters. Usually not needed as Mesmer has many way to avoid taking damage. When using the Reflect Variant, you get an AoE Distortion when using this skill, which can replace the Guardian Aegis.

Specializations

The main DPS version is used in most dungeon paths. The reflect variant is for most encounters in Caudecus's Manor, Sorrow's Embrace, and The Ruined City of Arah.

Domination

Variant

• Taking 
   Power Block
   is also a viable option.

Dueling

Illusions

Variant

• Taking 
   Master of Fragmentation
   is also a viable option.

Reflect Variant

Replace Illusions with Inspiration:

Inspiration

Variant

• Use 
   Illusionary Inspiration
   if your party lacks 25 stacks of might and a decent fury uptime at the start of the fight.

Weapons

First Weapon Set Main Hand Sword Stats: Assassin (Precision/Power/Ferocity)  Superior Sigil of Force  Precise Infusion Off Hand Focus Stats: Assassin  Superior Sigil of the Night  Precise Infusion	Second Weapon Set Main Hand Do NOT equip a main-hand weapon for this set! Off Hand Sword Stats: Assassin  Superior Sigil of the Night  Precise Infusion

Sigil Variants

If you're not in a night time dungeon swap 

 Superior Sigil of the Night

 for:

⇒

 Superior Sigil of Accuracy

 for day time dungeons/fractals.

⇒

 Superior Sigil of Undead Slaying

 for The Ruined City of Arah.

⇒

 Superior Sigil of Justice

 for Caudecus's Manor and Cliffside.

⇒

 Superior Sigil of Icebrood Slaying

 for Honor of the Waves.

⇒

 Superior Sigil of Frailty

 can be an alternative for day time dungeons/fractals.

Note: It may benefit you to keep a separate weapon for each variant in your inventory as swapping sigils over time can become expensive.

Equipment

Armor Assassin's stats (Precision/Power/Ferocity);Ascended equivalent "Saphir's" Head  Superior Rune of the Scholar  Versatile Precise Infusion Shoulders  Superior Rune of the Scholar  Versatile Precise Infusion Chest  Superior Rune of the Scholar  Versatile Precise Infusion Hands  Superior Rune of the Scholar  Versatile Precise Infusion Legs  Superior Rune of the Scholar  Versatile Precise Infusion Feet  Superior Rune of the Scholar  Versatile Precise Infusion

Accessories Berserker with Assassin's earrings

Equipment Variants

• For a more extensive comparison betwen Berserker's and Assassin's, check Frifox's thread on Official Guild Wars 2 forums here.
• You should consider getting a running set as Mesmer is pretty slow. The stats on the armor for the running set do not matter. What matters is that you use 
   Superior Rune of the Centaur
   on that armor set, so each time you use a healing skill, you give swiftness to yourself and nearby allies. The best healing skill for the running set is 
   Mantra of Recovery
   for its low cooldown and multiple charges.

Food/Potions

• Always carry the 10% foe specific nourishment buffs. For a full up to date list look here: General Dungeons and Fractals

• In Ascalonian Catacombs use 
   Superior Sharpening Stone
   or 
   Master Maintenance Oil
   if you reach the Power cap (720 in AC explorable)

• A cheaper alternative 
   Hardened Sharpening Stone
   / 
   Quality Maintenance Oil

•  Bowl of Curry Butternut Squash Soup

• A cheaper alternative 
   Plate of Steak and Asparagus
• A even more expensive alternative 
   Bowl of Seaweed Salad
   but requieres you to be fully mobile at any given time.

•  Dragon's Breath Bun
   for dungeons where you can have a great uptime on the active effect.
•  Slice of Candied Dragon Roll
   for pressure heavy encounters
•  Skale Venom
   if your party needs the extra Weakness and Vulnerability (i.e. Fractals)

Usage

• Your main source of damage is a conjunction of your personal damage and your phantasm's damage (about 40%/60% respectively). You should be in melee using your sword to its full potential, primarily doing damage with the auto attack and using 
   Blurred Frenzy
   to mitigate damage instead of dodging.
• If you are using sword offhand, 
   Illusionary Riposte
   will counter enemy attacks. This is the most damaging counterattack in the game and is both a defensive and offensive skill. Keep in mind that it spawns a clone and the damage might not apply to a too distant target.
• The only times you should be stepping out from the thick of combat short of a near death experience is to cast Phantasms.
• Your skill rotation in most fights for max damage is as follows: Start with 
   Phantasmal Warden
  , then immediately upon casting switch to your secondary set (if you do this before the warden attacks you won't be in combat and can switch back freely), then cast either 
   Phantasmal Duelist
  or 
   Phantasmal Swordsman
   depending on your weapon set, then use 
   Signet of the Ether
   and summon another of the second phantasm. If for whatever reason a phantasm dies right away, you can swap back to focus and use your second Warden to replace it.
• In some situations, reflect is more desirable than direct damage If you want more reflect uptime, start with 
   Phantasmal Duelist
   or 
   Phantasmal Swordsman
  , switch to 
   Phantasmal Warden
  , cast 
   Signet of the Ether
  , wait a few moments for the first warden to approach the end of its attack cycle and cast the second 
   Phantasmal Warden
  . This ensures a constant projectile absorption through wardens if using 
   Phantasmal Haste
   and a 66% reflection uptime if using 
   Warden's Feedback
  .
• Use 
   Feedback
   to nullify any sort of projectile for 6 seconds
• Phantasms will act as a consistent source of damage during boss fights, so avoid shattering them. However, you can finish off your targets by using 
   Mind Wrack
   since illusions tied to it will be destroyed.
• Avoid using 
   Illusionary Leap
   as the clone it generates will override one of your phantasms (assuming you have 3).
• If you have a guardian in your party. Wait for their 
   Wall of Reflection
   to run out before you use 
   Feedback
   to keep a cooldown synergy within the team.
• Use 
   Into the Void
   to pull up to 5 enemies to the side or a room and allow your team to cleave them down at the same time.
• Daze your targets to either interupt their key skills or inflict 5 stacks of vulnerability (You don't need to land an Interrupt for the vulnerability to apply). This equals to a 5% damage boost to your whole party.
• If your party decides to range something, use a Greatsword.

Portal mechanic usage

• Use the combined power of 
   Blink
   and 
   Portal Entre
   to allow for faster group movement and skips.
• Some techniques require a reverse 
   Portal Entre
  , first place 
   Portal Entre
   then waypoint back to place 
   Portal Exeunt
   for your team.

• 

  Skip to the 5 Scepter pieces event in AC P1
 
• 

  Skip the Flame boulders in CoF P1
 
• 

  Reversed Portal for dead members who have issues doing the Path 1 and Path 2 skips

Video Guides

• YouTube: 
  Zui (DnT)'s guide

Text Guides

• DnT Forums: DnT Mesmer Build Guide by Zui
• GW2 Forums: How To Mesmer in Dungeons by maxinion
• Dulfy: GW2 Mesmer PvE Class Guide by Sanderinoa
• French guide by the guild LEET

Gameplay

• YouTube Playlist: 
  Mesmer PoVs by Jerem
• YouTube Playlist: 
  Mesmer PoVs by Deathly

Streamers

• Twitch: Yui (Vis Invicta)
• Twitch: Sanderinoa (Retaliate)
• Twitch: Jerem (Snow Crows)