User:Lazuli9561

I daresay this seems to be my user page.

About Me
I am a moderately experienced Guild Wars player with an emphasis on pve and casual pvp. In other news, wiki links fascinate me. My favorite professions are Assassin, Mesmer, and Dervish, in that order.

Assassins are delightful for their ability to tank while still dealing filthy damage. And they have the potential to use any weapon better than the profession for which it was originally intended.

Mesmers are enjoyable in casual pvp for their ability to completely mindrape those too stupid to pay attention. They can also fake it and nuke just fine in pve. Most importantly however, the Mesmer is the most fabulous profession. In playing as a Mesmer, you gain a certain sense of entitlement. You feel superior.

Dervishes are obnoxiously badass. Although talented Dervishes are few and far between, the temptation of such power is hard to ignore.

Saint Saffron
My main character is Saint Saffron, an Assassin.



And now to the discussion of her typical build. I'm sure a similar one can be found at pvxwiki. Rest assured that I did not find my inspiration for this build there. I developed it on my own.

Golden Phoenix Strike is a tempting replacement for Golden Fox Strike and Wild Strike, but I see two problems with such a choice. First of all, its recharge is too long for my taste. Sure, Moebius Strike could ameliorate the situation, but I find that my henchmen and heroes often kill things too quickly to finish the chain. Secondly, it can be blocked. The "blockability," shall we say, becomes especially problematic when combined with its long recharge. Therefore, although choosing Golden Phoenix Strike would clear up another slot for, say, a resurrection option, second dual attack, or a shadow step, the risks are too great.

Mystic Regeneration, despite nerfs, remains an excellent self heal when combined with this build. I have enough energy from my daggers to cast it whenever I need to. More importantly, it doubles as a cover enchantment. Experienced pve players gradually develop a sense for when enchantments will be removed. When facing enemies that I know have enchantment removal, I will use Mystic Regeneration to guard my more valuable enchantments and send in my henchmen and heroes first.

There's no room for a shadow step in this build, and nor is there a need. Offense-based shadow steps in pve are largely vanity and nothing more. It takes about three seconds to close the gap between you and your foe. Save yourself the room on your skill bar. Of course pvp is a different matter.

This build succeeds or fails based on the amount of critical hits it achieves. In pve, where most enemies are six to ten levels higher than the players, critical hits can be difficult to achieve. Luckily, henchmen and heroes are stupid, and even the monks set to Avoid Combat will decide that tanking is a good idea. When they kite away from enemy frontliners, simply target the pursuing enemies and stab their backs for free critical hits.

As far as equipment goes, Blessed insignias are best. Make sure that at least one healer in the group always carries Protective Spirit because your hit points will be relatively low. Weapon swapping is not especially essential to dagger Assassins because the base damage from daggers is low enough to be negligible. Therefore you don't need to worry about switching over to elemental daggers when fighting warriors. Pywatt's Talons work perfectly with this build, and even look nice with most Assassin armor dyed black. In an earlier, more defensive version of this build, where Critical Strike was the dual attack instead of Death Blossom, I found Daggers of Xuekao to be the ideal choice. As it stands, you will probably need Zealous daggers for energy management.

The attribute points are largely a matter of preference, but I find Critical Strikes should be exactly 15. Your Dagger Mastery attribute should be 13 and your Earth Prayers should be 3 so long as you have at least two healers in the group. If you have a shortage of healers or favor a more defensive style of play, drop points from Dagger Mastery and put them in Earth Prayers, raising it to 8.

Ever Daine
Ever Daine is my first character. It turns out that learning how to play Guild Wars with a Mesmer can be a bit of a trial. He didn't see much use until I discovered AB.



This is the build I most commonly use in AB. It combines a number of Mesmer abilities including energy denial, shut down, damage, and interrupts. Although many domination based Mesmer builds inevitably look similar, I claim a degree of originality on this one.

Energy Surge is a controversial choice for an elite, and one I would not choose in pve. I use it in AB because it helps me cap and still punish monks who hide too close to their teammates. Although I have always been tempted by the siren song of Power Block, the consistent lag in AB prevents me from focusing too heavily on interrupts.

Diversion is the real reason to play a pvp Mesmer. Most people in AB have no idea what Diversion is. For example, I am running with my team through the Grenz Frontier when I notice a lone enemy Warrior standing on a cliff overhead. I casually throw Diversion on him as we pass by. Suddenly he uses Apply Poison for no particular reason. Imagine my surprise. But Diversion really shines when you spam it on unwitting monks. My only problem with Diversion is that I have a tough time deciding just what to interrupt and what to divert on the fly. If an enemy is casting a spell through Diversion, should I interrupt it anyway? The answer varies on the skill and can be hard to determine in the heat of battle.

In AB, Dash is the best self heal in the game. Although it doesn't actually heal you, it helps you avoid damage at a level on par with Mark of Protection. Dash renders at least 90% of AB Assassins, Warriors, Dervishes, and the odd Sword Ranger completely harmless. Try and get a few of them on you at once. If you're successfully kiting away from more than one enemy, it's a net win for your team.

For other defensive options, keep an eye out for Aura of Displacement. Whenever an enemy uses it, banish him or her with Shatter Enchantment. Suddenly you're a protection Monk!

For equipment, I carry a 40/40 (I know it doesn't actually stack that way) wand/focus for Domination and Inspiration, a +60 health staff, and a caster's Fellblade for avoiding Backfire from NPC Mesmers. Survivor's insignias and around 15 Domination magic are all you need for runes, although I am considering adding a Fast Casting one.



This is another option for AB. It's a lot of fun, but isn't terribly effective. I only use it on home maps.

Azrael Imari
Azrael Imari is my Dervish. Because I can claim no mastery in Dervish build designing, his skills are in constant flux.



My biggest problem with Dervishes is energy management. Why do so many enchantments have to cost 10 energy? And so Channeling sometimes finds its way onto Azrael's bar, typically in place of Mystic Regeneration to free up points from Earth Prayers. But to use Channeling effectively you need to be almost completely surrounded by enemies. You'll swiftly realize that more enemies carry melee interrupts than you previously suspected. Who knew? Another option is to take along an Orders hero. Although when you have Aura of Holy Might active you will not gain the benefit of extra damage or life steal, the constantly ending enchantments will keep your energy at optimal levels. It's something to consider, at least. Perhaps swap out Aura for Whirlwind Attack. That's a fun one. Throw in a dash of Symbiosis for a truly delicious combination.

Because of my difficulties with Dervish energy management, I find myself favoring the Scythe 'Sin instead. But Dervishes have something that Scythe 'Sins never will: beautiful attack animations. While Scythe 'Sins sweep blindly back and forth like they're fanning an obese monarch, Dervishes spin, slash their opponents' legs, and carry out graceful gestures of death. Oddly enough, beautiful animations were also responsible for my unfortunately long love affair with Ritualists.

For use in AB, I trade out Aura for Dash and Eremite's Attack for Crippling Sweep. Wounding Strike, after the bleeding buff, is now the perfect cover/companion for Crippling Sweep. The two of them together have slain many a Monk. Just watch out for Restore Condition. It will ruin your day unless you have a good Mesmer backing you up.

For equipment, consider Dwayna's Grace or a similar substitute. I know most experienced players shun Sundering weapons, but I find scythes attack too slowly to take full advantage of Vampiric or Zealous weapons unless you have successfully grouped together your enemies. The enchantment lengthening mod is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, you won't have to cast your enchantments as often, saving you energy. But on the other hand, they won't end as quickly, denying you the Mysticism bonus. There are no easy answers, I'm afraid. Bring along an elemental scythe for coping with Warriors. Because I am in love with enchantments, I find Windwalker's insignias to be the best option. Survivor's is unnecessary because of the Dervish's built in life bonus.

Get Earth Prayers to 8, Mysticism to 12, and use what's left for Scythe Mastery. A minor rune of Mysticism will allow you to comfortably raise your Earth Prayers to 10.

Other Characters
These characters all have their uses, but for whatever reason they don't see as much action as the aforementioned three.

Angelo Imari

Azmira Imari

Madeleine De Mara

Morio De Mara

Saint Scion

Saint Soren

Saint Sylph

Top 5 Skills
Here we have the five skills that I feel are the best Guild Wars has to offer. Naturally, this is just one man's opinion. These skills are based on various criteria. As a general rule, no profession can have more than one.

#5

Vow of Silence is a skill whose downsides threaten to outweigh its benefits. Using Vow of Silence requires meticulous preparation. Of course, your group's healers should be informed of your decision to bring along this skill. But you must also carry a cancel.

There are numerous options for cancels in Dervish skills alone. Pious Assault and similar enchantment stripping attack skills are tempting options, but they require a foe to be within reach before they can be used. If you're taking heavy damage while under Vow of Silence, odds are good there will be a foe within reach, but you might be knocked down or interrupted. Signet of Pious Light is probably the most obvious answer, but its activation time is a bit on the long side. Pious Fury is the fastest and safest way of removing Vow of Silence. Additionally, it's tied to the same attribute as Vow of Silence.

Vow of Silence shines in pve. It can be used for farming and running, depending on the situation. But the real reason Vow of Silence is on the list is for the sense of power you gain while using it. Combine it with a blocking stance to feel truly untouchable. It is a sexy skill that takes preparation and talent to use effectively.

#4

Assassin's Promise, like Vow of Silence, can be difficult to use effectively. When putting Assassin's Promise on your bar, ask yourself one question: "Am I using this bar in pvp?" If the answer is yes, remove Assassin's Promise immediately. There is absolutely no better way to broadcast your intentions than slapping a Promise on someone before you even start attacking. And if you ignore my warning, bring a snare. If you don't, any person with half a brain will simply run away. Who cares if you have a shadow step?

But in pve, Assassin's Promise can lend itself nicely to an unstoppable Assassin, nuker, and many other bastardized creations. Try combining Promise with "You Move Like a Dwarf!" and "Finish Him!". Having trouble with Margonites? Build a slow recharging spike. Start it with a Promise and end it with a gaze. Rinse and repeat.

Just be careful of hex removal. Bring along a hero to lay down some Suffering or similar bait.

#3

Glyph of Renewal, despite being an Elementalist skill, serves little purpose on an Elementalist's bar. There are plenty of better elites for pvp and pve, respectively. But when you combine Glyph of Renewal with otherwise slow recharging Mesmer skills, you have a formidable shutdown build in the works. But it is not just for shutdown. Glyph of Renewal's true glory is made manifest in its adaptability. Taking damage? Try two Ether Feasts in rapid succession. Low on energy? Tap it twice. Energy Tap, which is otherwise a somewhat feeble skill, becomes a potent tool for energy management and energy denial.

Although you could feasibly copy the Mango Hydras (yes, I know they're not really called that) and summon two Meteor Showers, wouldn't a single shower coupled with a Savannah Heat be a better option? Probably. So combine Glyph of Renewal with spells from other professions.

#2

Surprising, I know. It's a smiting skill, after all. But in groups where the majority of the damage is coming from physical frontliners, you can probably afford to bring a smiting hero. Judge's Insight is most effective when cast on others. Pouring enough points into Smiting Prayers on an attacker is generally a bad idea. But when a smiter is sitting in the backlines, spamming Reversal of Damage and similar skills, why not throw Judge's Insight on the bar?

As a bonus, Judge's Insight isn't even elite. Although human monks generally shun Boon Signet as a deplorable waste of an elite, it works well on heroes when combined with Judge's Insight. Everyone knows heroes can't manage energy to save their souls, so Boon Signet ameliorates that problem somewhat.

Maintain this on Dervishes and other scythe wielders for maximum effect. It isn't such a good idea in a group where your frontliners are Assassins are sword Warriors (or Rangers). And if you're up against the undead, it's practically criminal not to bring it.

You can get some use out of this skill in casual pvp even if you're casting it on yourself. It's satisfying to hit a kiting monk for almost 200 damage with a scythe, after all.

#1

Unlike #2, this one should not come as a surprise. Diversion is good enough to justify changing it to an elite skill, but that would shaft Mesmers pretty badly.

There is no better way to have fun in casual pvp than to be a Diversion Mesmer. Throw Diversion on a toucher running up to you in AB and gasp in amazement as he ignores it and touches you anyway. Kite for a few seconds and cast it again to divert the other touch. Congratulations. You have neutered a toucher! He won't be bothering anyone for a minute. It's especially fun to use on those annoying Geo Tanks. Oops! Your one offensive spell has been disabled for a minute. Have fun not doing damage. Try timing Diversion to land during your enemy's skill activation. It's like an interrupt that doesn't interrupt.

Diversion is more difficult to use than the plebian Mesmer hexes (Backfire and Empathy). Therefore using it gives you the right to act superior and condescend to the Mesmers that deign to use such cheap magic.

Holy Veil can throw a wrench in the gears, so shatter it. The 100 damage from Shatter Enchantment will entice your target to use a heal. With any luck, your Diversion will land just as his or her heal finishes.

Wish List
In no particular order...

#0 A unique animation just for Vow of Silence involving a "Shh" gesture.

#1 More Assassin IAS options, and not just in pve. Perhaps an enchantment that sets an activation time for all dagger attacks. Say, 3/4 of a second or so. Or just more dagger attack skills with activation times.

#2 A scythe attack skill with built in armor penetration, a la Sundering Attack. Hot.

#3 Improved Hero AI, something like we see in FFXII. I would like to be able to set a hero's AI for every single skill on its bar. For instance, don't bother using Dismiss Condition to remove blind from the Elementalist when the Dervish on the front lines is crippled and weakened. Or never, ever, under any circumstances, use Protective Spirit on an animated undead minion. And imagine the possibilities for Assassin heroes. Use Shadow Prison immediately after I use Death's Charge, then follow it with these four skills in rapid succession. Assassin heroes are pitiably stupid now. Their only practical purpose is huffing. Throw them a bone, please.

#4 The ability to bring along more than 3 heroes, perhaps based on a title (not the Commander title track though). Mhenlo is great and all, but oh wait, no he isn't.

#5 Heroes based on account, not character. This would save me so much money. You would still have to unlock them for each character, of course. But I'd really rather not have to buy 30 +3 Fire Runes. Or just make it so you can craft pvp items for your heroes. That would be swell. They can use all your unlocked skills, after all.

#6 Use other characters on your account as heroes. Whoa there. But think about it. You would still choose a character as normal, and then you could bring any character along with you as a hero provided a certain requirement was met. And maybe you could even switch control between characters. I'm not talking like popping up the hero skill window and using skills manually. I'm talking about actually possessing the other character while the character you originally chose is taken over by revamped hero AI.

#7 Remove the higher than normal energy regeneration from pve foes. Let Mesmers into pve. We've all seen bosses spamming high energy skills without anything even remotely resembling energy management. Give them better builds and drop the regeneration.

#8 More dual-profession enemies. It spices things up.

#9 Formation buttons for henchmen and heroes. Even if we can't have vanguards and circles, at least give us a scatter button so facing a fire Elementalist enemy doesn't spell instant death for half the party.

#10 Flags for henchmen, not just heroes. I would love to send Talon into battle first. With the current setup, even Lina will be doing her best to keep pace with him, despite his superior armor. And can we please put Mhenlo and Lina on avoid combat? Please?

#11 Minion Master henchmen. They all talk about it. Give Eve the chance to back it up.

#12 Have Mhenlo and Togo auto-resurrect in Factions missions and quests like the Eye of the North allies. I shouldn't be punished if the bald duo decides that tanking with 60 AL is a good idea.