User:Defiant Elements/Saving Vetted PvE Mesmer Builds

= Me/any PvE Domination Mesmer = This build utilizes high, unconditional damage from the Mesmer's Domination Magic line to deal fast, heavy damage in PvE areas. With many Area-of-Effect damage skills, this build allows for the user to be able to provide ample "Nuking" style damage, comparable to many other popular PvE builds.

Equipment

 * Max AL armor with Radiant Insignias are necessary for the extra energy.
 * Runes of Superior Domination Magic, Superior Vigor, Minor Fast Casting, Minor Inspiration Magic.
 * An Insightful staff is recommended for the additional energy gain.

Usage

 * Begin by precasting Arcane Echo.
 * Follow up, targetting usually the center of a party, with Energy Surge or Spiritual Pain.
 * Activate Auspicious Incantation, then cast the copied version of the previous spell for a quick boost in your energy. This will negate the longer recharge of that skill, since it will only stay for the remainder of the effects of Arcane Echo.
 * Lastly, cast the skill which has been left last.
 * Energy Burn should be used on generally standalone targets.
 * Whenever encountering a Boss monster, do not use the previous combo. Simply spam Wastrel's Worry for extremely high, unresisted damage. On most end-game bosses, you can easily outdamage any other character by simply using this skill.
 * Ether Feast can be used for a quick heal.
 * Remember that in areas that contain Spirits, it is better to use Arcane Echo on Energy Surge, since Spiritual Pain will recharge instantly.

Counters

 * If relying on Auspicious Incantation for Energy gain, beware of skills that remove enchantments. This usually won't be a problem with Fast Casting.
 * Being Dazed can pose a threat, but with the skills available, its threat is limited.
 * Diversion can be hazardous if more than one skill is hit, but it should not be too much of a problem in most areas.

Variants

 * The open secondary profession provides additional flexibility with this build.
 * If your secondary is Elementalist, you can take advantage of Glyph of Lesser Energy for energy conservation.
 * Ranger secondaries can speed up skill recharge with Serpent's Quickness.
 * With a Paragon, Ritualist, or Monk secondary, different resurrection options are available to you.
 * Backfire is almost always recommended for areas where casters are plenty. It is especially potent if used in combination with Arcane Echo. In combination with Auspicious Incantation, this provides even higher Energy Gain.
 * Another option is Empathy, which is excellent against fast attackers.
 * Your Energy Recovery skills are quite flexible. If you dislike Auspicious Incantation, you may wish to choose from other skills from your Inspiration Magic line.
 * A skill such as Power Drain can quickly refill your Energy pool, providing you make the interrupt.
 * Energy Tap provides less energy gain, but it is unconditional. Beware of interrupts if using this skill, since its cast time is quite lengthy compared to your other skills.
 * In areas where Monster Skills are used, and they just happen to be Hexes or Enchantments, you will want to use Inspired Enchantment/Revealed Enchantment, or Inspired Hex/Revealed Hex.
 * Element-based energy recovery can be useful in specific PvE areas, so you may want to use Mantra of Frost, Mantra of Flame, Mantra of Earth, or Mantra of Lightning.
 * In combination with party members' evasive stances or blinding, Spirit of Failure can provide excellent energy gain in PvE situations.
 * Ether Feast can be dropped entirely if your team provides ample healing, but it is always nice to have a means of self-healing.
 * Using Mistrust can be deadly in end-game zones. Energy Burn should be replaced here.

= Me/W Illusory Forge Runner = The Illusionary Forge Runner is, perhaps, the oddest of Forge running builds. It is optimized for the Beacon's Perch to Droknar's Forge route, but is in principle adaptable for any running situation. By echoing classical Warrior stances, shouts, or hex-removers it is possible to run with greater efficiency and longevity.

Armor

 * Charlatan's Armor (+10 Armor (while enchanted))
 * Rogue's Armor (+10 Armor vs Physical)

Runes

 * Superior or Major Rune of Vigor

Weapons

 * Any one-handed weapon that increases enchantment duration, and energy:
 * 1) Rajazan's Fervor
 * 2) Totem Axe
 * 3) Alternatively: Sword of Enchanting [+5 Energy, +20% Longer Enchantments Mod]
 * A shield with maximum armor (+16) with attribute requirement in Tactics:
 * 1) Grognar's Defender - The Runner's Best Stance Shield Choice.
 * 2) Malinon's Shield - Preferrably the first choice because you stay in Illusion of Weakness most of the time.

Usage
Attention: This build needs a relatively high knowledge of the spawns at Lornar's Pass, and average to high skills at aggroing and evaluating the NPCs' aggro behavior (e.g. Allowing Avicara Guile to cast his last Death Swarm to lower his aggro moral; Worm aggroing). It is not possible to run every Lornar's Pass spawn with; though it is not too difficult to run with a death penalty of 15-30% Dreadnought's Drift and Snake Dance.

General
The Mesmer is an enchantment runner: making him a perfect target for enchantment-stripping foes like Avicara Guiles or Grawls. Try to avoid these groups, and rather run through groups of Ice Golems or Pinesouls. Echoing the skills of your choice is a powerful weapon if used to your advantage. The Mesmer Runner is one of the characters with the worst healing abilities - always stay in Illusion of Weakness. Two or an echoed extra hex-remover round off the build for a reliable Droknar run.

Running Sequence

 * Use Illusion of Haste as your primary running skill.

Echoing

 * Use Echo and duplicate the skill of your choice.
 * Duplicate Balanced Stance for running through the Worm Tunnel or along the Worm Pass. With Echo it is possible to use BS three times.
 * Duplicate "Shields Up!" for extra armor - possible to use three times without a gap then.
 * Duplicate Inspired Hex for an extra hex-remover.

Healing

 * Stay in Illusion of Weakness at all times.
 * Use Healing Signet in safe spots to heal yourself.
 * Use Illusion of Haste for countering crippled.

Countering Hexes

 * Use Inspired Hex or Revealed Hex to remove a hex.
 * Echo one of the hex-remover for an additional one.

Lornar's Pass
Note: In case of your Echo gets interrupted escape from the dangerous situation, and begin a new pass-through after Echo has recharged. Note: Avicara Guiles will quickly strip your Illusion of Haste. Recast it as soon as possible for you will be crippled and motionless without it. Practice and experience will be of good advantage here.
 * You can remove up to two (plus 1) hexes quickly, so never aggro more than three Ice Imps at once.
 * At the mouth of the first cave, wait until you have a clear path before aggroing the Avicara.
 * Echo Balanced Stance and try to cross the cave in a single Illusion of Haste. With Echo you can use BS three times (3 x 18 secs of BS) without a gap in-between.
 * Generally run in a straight line away from Frost Wurms. The 33% increase in movement speed ensures that you can outrun any given wurm.
 * Run straight through all Avicara and Grawl spawns, then heal with Healing Signet. You can easily regain up to 215 health automatically when your health drops below 25%. This should give you enough of a buffer to make it to safety before recasting Illusion of Weakness.

Dreadnought's Drift

 * When engaging Tundra Giants, activate Balanced Stance and use "Shields Up!" - feel free to echo BS for a straightforward run-through without stops.
 * Take time to heal. It can get tricky towards the end if you don't have enough health to run straight through all the Giants and Blessed Griffons.

Snake Dance

 * You rarely have to worry about hexes here.
 * Concentrate on staying in Balanced Stance through the large groups of Tundra Giants and Azure Shadows.
 * At the Mountain Troll cave, you might consider Inspired Hex to avoid being slowed down in a tricky point. Try to lure the trolls out of the cave first.
 * A good way to lose a train of trolls is to run them to a spawn of Stone Summit Herders.
 * Use "Shields Up!" when running through the Troll Tunnel.

Camp Rankor

 * Replace Inspired Hex with a low energy cost cover enchantment such as Channeling to try to protect your Illusion of Haste from being stripped too quickly.

Talus Chute
The only difficult area is near the beginning where you have to run through two groups of Azure Shadow spawns and a large Avicara group immediately after.
 * Begin with Echo, Balanced Stance and chain cast Illusion of Haste to run through the groups of shadows. Just before running through the Avicaras, recast Illusion of Haste and immediately cast your cover enchantment, then run through the group of Avicaras.

Variants

 * Expel Hexes can replace Echo and provide the best hex-remover with a fabulous recharge time. Use Hex Breaker, Inspired Hex, and Expel Hexes. Be aware of the loss of an echoed Balanced Stance.

= Me/N Incetol Farmer = This build is intended to obtain the unique healing offhand, Incetol%27s Focus, quickly by soloing Incetol%2C Devout of Depths himself.

Equipment

 * Enchanter's Armor is recommended for the extra energy.
 * Savant's Armor is also effective due to Distortion.
 * A 20/20 Staff of your attribute choice.

Usage

 * See map for directions to Incetol.
 * Once at Incetol, there are usually 2 separate patrol groups, along with Incetol's envoy. It is suggested that at least 1 of these patrols be defeated, otherwise Incetol may be difficult to separate from the mobs.
 * There is a spawn of Onis just SW of the resurrection shrine, against the wall, which are hostile to the Outcasts.
 * There are 2 methods of isolating Incetol: pulling the patrol and his escort to the Onis, or pulling/re-pulling Incetol until he separates from his escort.
 * You can also isolate and solo individual Outcasts, since you'll find only Assassins, Warriors, and Deathhands (Sword-wielding Necros) in the groups.
 * Once Incetol is alone, begin this casting chain:
 * Distortion, Reckless Haste, Spirit of Failure, Parasitic Bond, Spirit Shackles, Price of Failure, Spiteful Spirit


 * Try to time the durations and recast as necessary. Be sure to keep Distortion up as much as possible, especially while setting up.
 * It is necessary to keep Incetol's energy as low as possible, which Spirit Shackles+Reckless combine nicely.
 * Despite having multiple hexes and you having Distortion on, Incetol may wand you for as much as 100 damage each hit. Parasitic Bond will heal you every 20 seconds, and use Ether Feast when needed.
 * Incetol will eventually wand himself to death, and possibly drop the desired focus.

Pure Mesmer

 * This variation uses only mesmer skills, where the main source of damage is from Empathy, Wastrel's Worry, and Spirit Shackles+Mind Wrack.
 * Note the blind caused by Ineptitude will only last half its cooldown duration, so remember to activate Distortion after the blind wears off.
 * Since this variation lacks Reckless Haste, it may take longer for Spirit Shackles to drain all of Incetol's energy.
 * Once Incetol has about 0 energy, cast Mind Wrack and Wastrel's Worry freely.

Necro Primary

 * For those players who do not have a mesmer primary.
 * The 2 major differences are the increased damage from Spiteful & Price of Failure, and the longer casting times.

Equipment

 * Savant's Armor for the +10 armor in a stance
 * 20/20 domination wand, 20/20 inspiration focus

Usage

 * Keep Mantra of Recovery up at all times. At 15 Fast cast, it should last 20 seconds with a 20 second recharge time. No skills are over 20 recharge, which means all skills have less than 10 second recharge under this stance.
 * Watch out for wild blow warriors, wild throw paragons, and wild strike assassins. They will end the stance!
 * Use Power Spike on spells you think you can interrupt. This deals damage.
 * Use Power Drain on spells you think you can interrupt when low on energy. This gives a net energy gain when you use it.
 * Use Cry of Frustration when there is a non-spell skill you want to interrupt. Do not use this on spells as its damage is pitiful for the energy compared to Power Spike.
 * Use Drain enchantment for energy and to remove an enchantment from your target. This gives a net energy gain when you use it.
 * Use Draw Conditions frequently, that avoids burdening your monks.
 * Use Remove Hex for hexes that may hurt your party. With Mantra of Recovery and 15 Fast Cast, it should have roughly a 1 second cast and 4 second recharge.
 * Always be the first to resurrect, because you have the fastest cast time.

Counters

 * Wild Blow, Wild Strike, Wild Throw (stance breakers)
 * Mass poison/condition based health degeneration. On the other hand, your team will be safe from these.
 * High Spike damage such as Elementalist and Ritualist bosses' spike damage

PvE

 * Use Shatter Enchantment instead of Drain Enchantment for a more offensive build. Do keep in mind you lose one of your energy management skills.
 * Shatter Hex instead of Remove Hex for a more offensive (but more energy intensive) build. This is not recommended because of the extremely high energy cost of Shatter Hex.

PvP

 * Complicate, instead of Cry of Frustration. It will disable signets of the foe for a short duration so it is best to save this for signets (especially Healing Signet or Resurrection Signet).
 * To participate in a spike, exchange two interrupts with Energy Burn and Shatter Enchantment.

= Me/E Flashfire = This build relies on the Mesmer's primary ability of Fast Casting, coupled with the power of Auspicious Incantation and Echo, to produce a quick spike of highly damaging Fire Magic spells.

Attributes and Skills

 * For PvE play take a Resurrection Signet.
 * For Competitive Missions and Alliance Battles take Fire Storm

Equipment

 * Enchanter's or Radiant armor is needed for the extra energy. In addition to the Fast Casting and Inspiration runes, use the best Vigor rune you can afford and an Attunement rune. For the last slot use either a rune of Recovery or another Attunement rune, depending on how often you find yourself Dazed.
 * Use a +15/-1 energy Fire Wand with a 20% chance to halve the recharge of Fire Magic spells (such as the Fire Wand crafted by Honglei Sun) and a Fire Magic Focus with a 20% chance to add +1 Fire Magic and a 20% chance to halve the recharge time of Fire Magic spells (such as The Kindlerock). Swap to another weapon set when not in combat to regain the extra pip of energy regeneration.

Usage

 * Keep Fire Attunement up at all times, without it energy management becomes very difficult. Beware of enemies with enchantment removing skills.
 * When facing small mobs cast Echo and Fireball, then spam Fireball. When you get down to 30 energy cast Auspicious Incantation followed by Rodgort's Invocation - after these spells you'll have around 50 energy. Auspicious Incantation and Rodgort's Invocation will be disabled for 50 and 45 seconds, respectively.
 * When facing a large mob cast Echo, Meteor Shower, Rodgort's Invocation, Auspicious Incantation and finally the Echoed Meteor Shower - at the end of this chain you will have a full energy bar of around 50 (due to the energy lost to exhaustion). This allows you to keep Meteor Shower up for 18 consecutive seconds, and immediately follow it up with Fireball, Breath of Fire and Fire Storm (in Competitive Missions/Alliance Battles).
 * Use Breath of Fire (and, if you have it, Fire Storm) as your standard damage over time spell - Meteor Shower should only be used when absolutely necessary due to its high energy cost and exhaustion.

Variants

 * If you find yourself often interrupted use Mantra of Concentration as the optional skill.
 * Auspicious Incantation can be swapped for Glyph of Lesser Energy. This makes the build easier to run at the cost of a slight reduction in energy management capabilities.
 * Breath of Fire can be swapped for:
 * Fire Storm (in PvE), which costs 5 more energy but causes more total damage over time (assuming enemies don't break aggro).
 * Lava Font, if you find yourself often surrounded by foes.
 * Immolate, for more damage against one enemy.
 * Glowing Gaze, for more energy management. Echo Rodgort's Invocation rather than Fireball or Meteor Shower if you bring this spell.
 * Mark of Rodgort, for less direct damage but more degeneration through burning. If you bring this spell consider using Glowing Gaze in the optional slot.
 * For Competitive Missions and Alliance Battles consider swapping Breath of Fire and Fire Storm for Immolate and Glowing Gaze. This increases the amount of spike damage you can do at the cost of reducing the area of effect damage you can cause.

= Me/E Air Spiker = This Mesmer build is a powerful air spiker that utilizes the Mesmer's Fast Casting ability to quickly spam spells to take down opponents.

Usage

 * Maintain Air Attunement, covered with Channeling at all times.
 * Precast Glyph of Lesser Energy, followed by Invoke Lightning and Lightning Orb for a cheap spike.
 * Lightning Strike is to be cast outside of main spikes.
 * Knockdown enemies with Gale
 * Resurrect fallen party members with Resurrection Signet.

Counters

 * Any massive damage or degeneration will kill you in a matter of seconds. The build is best suited for teams containing monks or other support characters to offset the health loss.
 * Anti-spamming skills such as Backfire or Spiteful Spirit.
 * Enchantment removal will shut-down the build for a long period of time.

Equipment

 * A 20% HCT/HSR Air Magic Staff with a 20% Enchantment mod would be ideal.
 * Charlatan's for the +10 armor while enchanted.

Variants

 * Blinding Flash can replace Channeling for more defense against attackers, but beware when replacing Channeling, as you will remove your only option for a cover enchantment.
 * Lightning Javelin can be used for interruption.
 * Arc Lightning can serve as a replacement for Channeling; sacrificing longer recharge for less energy spent.
 * Lightning Bolt can also replace Channeling to fill intervals and hit moving foes.

= Me/A Shadow Runner = This running build uses Illusion of Haste as the speed boost, while using Shadow Form to run past difficult areas with ease, with Arcane Echo to lengthen its duration to allow a longer distance to be run while under its effects. Particularly suitable for running in the Southern Shiverpeaks.

Armor

 * Suggested armor pieces:
 * 1) Enchanter's Armor - Number of pieces from this set depending on your preference.
 * 2) Charlatan's Armor - Basically you will be under the effects of an enchantment 100% of the time.

Runes

 * You may replace the Superior Rune of Illusion Magic with a Minor Rune of Illusion Magic giving 10 + 1 + 1 (12) Illusion Magic, trading off 1~1.2 seconds off duration of Illusion of Haste for +75 maximum HP.
 * Alternatively, you may also choose to use a Major Rune instead with Illusion Magic 11 + 1 + 2 (14) with Fast Casting at 6 + 1 (7), trading off a little bit of fast casting for +40 maximum HP while maintaining the same duration for Illusion of Haste.

Weapons

 * Any one-handed weapon that increases enchantment duration, preferably with increase to energy too:
 * 1) Rajazan's Fervor
 * 2) Totem Axe
 * 3) Fiery Flame Spitter
 * Any +12 energy focus items with attribute on Illusion Magic or Fast Casting. Examples include:
 * 1) The Rockmolder - Relatively easy to find, and gives 10% chance of half skill recharge for all spells.
 * 2) The Time Eater (focus) - Suitable if you decide to use a Superior Rune of Illusion Magic. Only 9 Fast Casting or more gives you the +12 Energy of this focus.
 * 3) Forgotten Fan - Alternatively, you can also choose to sacrifice 5 maximum energy for +30 maximum HP and +5 armor.

Usage

 * Keep Illusion of Weakness on at all times, especially while Shadow Form is active.
 * Use Illusion of Haste as your main running skill.
 * Feigned Neutrality is your self heal. However don't attempt to make any attacks while you are running.
 * Even though the speed increasing effects of Dark Escape don't stack with Illusion of Haste, it is still useful for cutting your received damage into half while Shadow Form isn't up. This includes armor-ignoring damage such as Azure Shadows' Signet of Judgment.
 * Cast Arcane Echo then Shadow Form to run past difficult areas.
 * Try to get into a safe zone when Shadow Form expires, if possible.
 * Cast your arcane echoed Shadow Form just before the enchantment or copied skill expires (whichever comes first depending on your weapon mod).
 * Health loss from Shadow Form does not trigger Illusion of Weakness. It will trigger when you receive a non-lethal hit of less than 40 damage. When your final copy of Shadow Form is just about to expire, cast Shadow Refuge to begin healing and use Dark Escape to half your received damage to maximize your survivability so Illusion of Weakness can be triggered.

Possible Routes

 * Southern Shiverpeaks:
 * Camp Rankor -> Deldrimor War Camp -> The Granite Citadel -> Copperhammer Mines -> Iron Mines of Moladune -> Marhan's Grotto -> Thunderhead Keep

Counters
While using Shadow Form, you must beware that...
 * The following monsters can knock you down while you're under the effects of Shadow Form:
 * Wurms, such as Frost Wurm
 * Monsters with Giant Stomp, such as Tundra Giants
 * Azure Shadows with Signet of Judgment
 * Warrior Wardens with "None Shall Pass!"


 * The following monsters uses certain skills that can remove your Shadow Form and put you in grave danger:
 * Monsters with Chilblains, such as Grawl Crone
 * Creeping Carp with Expunge Enchantments

Variants
Inspired Hex can be replaced with: This build could also possibly be run by Assassin primaries too with the same skillset.
 * Dark Prison for an extra teleportation skill
 * Revealed Hex is the same as Inspired Hex
 * Dash for extra speed, and lose any foe fast
 * Arcane Mimicry for a Dual Me/A or A/Me run.

=Me/A Neutral IW= The Neutral IW uses Illusionary Weaponry to deal armor-ignoring damage and chance of double strike, while staying alive by keeping Dark Escape and Feigned Neutrality up constantly. This gives the Mesmer 150 armor (60 + 10 + 80) and +7 health regeneration while dealing substantial damage. Designed for PvP but can be used effectively in PvE.

Equipment

 * Max armor with +10 when enchanted
 * Superior Rune of Illusion Magic
 * Superior Rune of Vigor
 * Rune of Purity
 * 2 Runes of Vitae
 * Crippling (for Return) Daggers with of Enchanting suffix and "I have the power" +5 Energy inscription (because none of the +damage% mods will affect the damage from IW)

Usage

 * Start by casting Illusion of Weakness and followed by Feigned Neutrality to heal if no monk.
 * Choose your target, Armor level does not matter.
 * Against Normal Opponents: Cast and Maintain Illusionary Weaponry, Deadly Paradox and Feigned Neutrality (in order) then attack. Cast Death's Charge after Deadly Paradox if you need to close the gap.
 * Against Armor Ignoring Opponents: Cast and Maintain Illusionary Weaponry, Deadly Paradox, Dark Escape and Feigned Neutrality. Always remain in Dark Escape stance. Since Deadly Paradox will no longer affect Feigned Neutrality it will be used half as often.
 * When reapplying enchantments, casting Death's Charge can be a good healing boost before Feigned Neutrality.
 * You should be almost indestructible, but if for whatever reason Illusion of Weakness triggers then fall back using Return and heal.

Counters

 * Enchantment removal.
 * Energy denial.
 * Kiting.
 * Interrupting or removing Illusionary Weaponry will make this build useless.
 * Heavy health degeneration such as Burning, Poison or Conjure Nightmare.
 * Life Stealing and other armor ignoring damage.

Variants

 * For Alliance Battles Resurrection Signet isn't important, so Illusion of Haste give you ways of kiting.
 * Assassin primary; lower damage but stronger.
 * Exchange Return for Distortion. This will sap energy but can be more effective at protecting yourself.
 * Replace Return for Shadow Refuge to help further counter degeneration.
 * Add Caltrops to snare kiting foes.
 * For PvE, consider bringing a scythe (with the same preferred mods as the daggers) in a second weapon slot. The scythe will do a steady 24 DPS instead of the average 36 DPS of the daggers (32 if you don't count double strikes). However, if two or three foes are adjacent you do a nice 48 or 72 DPS respectively. Change between the daggers and scythe as the situation warrants.
 * Death's Retreat can also be used instead of Return, or with Return to retreat further back.