User:Zaq/Build:Me/any Conundraspike

This is my entry for Nog64's elite skill contest. The "Conundraspike" is designed primarily for PvE but may work decently in unorganized PvP (AB, CM). It's reasonably fluid and can be changed depending on the situation.

Attributes and Skills
Change the optional skill depending on what you intend to face. Wastrel's Demise is good for finishing casters, Power Spike is good for the same purpose but takes a little more skill, as does Overload. Drain Enchantment or Discharge Enchantment are useful if you anticipate the target having multiple enchantments. This is rare in PvE, and you usually know ahead of time when a target will have multiple enchantments, but can be useful for hedging your bets. A self-heal or defensive skill, such as Distortion or Ether Feast, is a good choice for PvP. For higher damage with higher energy cost, replace Drain Delusions or the optional slot with Arcane Echo. Unnatural Signet or Spiritual Pain provide a good follow-up hit to further enhance the spike.

Equipment

 * Full Radiant (or Enchanter's) armor is advised. The minor runes of Illusion and Fast Casting may be swapped for Runes of Attunement if desired, but the other two should stay.
 * Most standard Mesmer weapon sets will work. A staff or offhand with "Master of my Domain" or "...of Mastery" to add +1 to Domination Magic is helpful but not strictly required. Since three attributes are used, "generic" HCT and HSR mods are helpful (for example a Swift staff head instead of an Adept staff head).

Usage
Find the target you wish to spike. It's easiest to target enemies who use exactly one enchantment. There's no shortage of such enemies; even within Margonites alone, there's Margonite Anur Kis, Margonite Anur Sus and Margonite Sorcerers. If you expect to be fighting an excessively large number of enemies with multiple enchantments, bring an additional enchantment removal skill, or bring Arcane Echo to copy Shatter Enchantment (the most damaging option, but also the most expensive). Hex them with Enchanter's Conundrum and Phantom Pain in that order. If they have any enchantments, remove them with Shatter Enchantment and/or your other (optional) skills. Use Drain Delusions and Shatter Delusions (preferably in that order) to remove Phantom Pain and Enchanter's Conundrum, dealing heavy damage + deep wound. If you opt for the more offensive variant, use Arcane Echo, Shatter Delusions, then the echoed Shatter Delusions to do an additional 79 damage. If you chose to place a direct-damage skill in the optional slot, such as Wastrel's Demise, Overload, Unnatural Signet, or Spiritual Pain, use whatever you have to cap off the spike. Use Power Drain to regain lost energy; other skills work well, but I prefer Power Drain. Power Drain is also very useful when targeting enemies who use multiple enchantments; if you get Conundrum on them before they cast their second enchantment, it is usually very easy to interrupt them. Power Spike is, like so many of the options in this build, another option for higher damage at the cost of more energy.

Counters

 * Energy denial hurts pretty badly. It's simple, as I've stated many times, to lean heavily towards higher damage or towards higher energy management, but be careful if you opt for the former.
 * Enemies which truly spam enchantments. These are rare in PvE, especially enemies who enchant their allies and not just themselves, but they do exist, so keep an eye out for an extra little green arrow popping up on your target's bar.
 * Anything which will shut down a generic caster will hurt this. Again, this is rare in PvE, but enemies with an overabundance of interrupts, anti-cast hexes, and the like will give you a hard time.