Effective mesmer guide

= Synospsis =

This guide is divided in two primary sections in order to account for the fondamental differences of roles between a PvE mesmer and a PvP mesmer. This does not mean that the advices in the PVE section do not apply to PVP, just that they might apply less.

= General =

So you're a Primary Mesmer
As a primary Mesmer, you have access to Fast Casting, Mesmer armor and Mesmer Attribute Runes.


 * Fast Casting: Enables you to fire spells much quicker than any other profession.
 * Classic Mistake: Most beginner Mesmers forget that Fast Casting applies to any spells, as such, any spell-oriented profession (Monk, Elementalist, Necromancer and, to a lesser extent, Ritualist) will synergize well with it as a second profession.


 * Mesmer Runes & Headgear: Enables you to have up to 4 more ranks in a Mesmer Attribute than secondary Mesmers. The advantages should be obvious.

Do you really need to be a Primary Mesmer
Here are some signs that might indicate that Mesmer might be more suited as a secondary profession for you:


 * You're using repeatedly the most expensive Mesmer skills (be it Conjure Nightmare, Panic or whatnot).
 * Energy Storage could end up being more useful to you than Fast Casting.


 * None of your Mesmer Attribute is higher than 12 or You're not using Fast Casting.
 * Any of the other profession could make an interesting alternative.

Managing Energy
The Mesmer profession gives you all the tools needed to manage your energy level appropriately.

Conveniently, all of those are part of the Inspiration Magic line (minus the odd Shame and Guilt).

Learning to use those skills is one of the things that differentiate normal Mesmers and those that perform exceptionnally well for long fights.

Four of the five Inspiration elite skills deal with energy management of some sort. In order of popularity:


 * Mantra of Recall
 * Energy Drain
 * Power Leech
 * Lyssa's Aura

Some other popular and effective inspiration skills:


 * Drain Enchantment
 * Power Drain
 * Energy Tap
 * Channeling
 * Inspired/Revealed Hex

= PvE =

Being a Mesmer in PvE is mostly around leveraging the faults of the AI:
 * Ignore self-damaging hexes
 * Always flee DoT AoE
 * Always remove hexes (whenever possible)

Domination Magic
Backfire is the crux of a anti-caster PvE Domination Mesmer. The AI is too stupid to stop casting when hexed, use that to your advantage.

Empathy applies in the same way to physical attackers: Warriors, Rangers and, even more so, Assassins.

Use Chaos Storm to apply pressure to casters or to disperse melee attackers.

Illusion Magic
Use mobs equiped with hex removal skills to your advantage, by casting Phantom Pain on targets with low health.

AI Controlled opponents will always attack inbetween skills, therefore, Images of Remorse will often do its conditional damage, making it a cheap damage dealer skill couple with a quick recharging cover hex.

There isn't much other Illusion Magic tips that are PvE specific, just apply standard degeneration or anti-physical tactics, as needed.

Inspiration Magic
Pretty much all the AI controlled enemies will use physical attacks in between skills. Use this to your advantage with Spirit Shackles to shut down energy users. Perhaps throwing a little Mind Wrack on top.

Often, you'll know what kind of enemies you're going to encounter in advance. When dealing with elemental damage, you should always consider taking the corresponding protection mantra: Earth, Flame, Frost or Lightning.

The same applies, to a lesser degree, to Physical and Elemental damage.

= PvP =

Casual Casters
Casual casters are primary physical attackers using spells as support. Like the infamous Wammos, most Assassins and some Rangers (rarely).

Arcane Thievery/Larceny are your best tools against those, as they will rarely carry more than one or two spells.

Slow Casters
Most people think three seconds is a long casting time. Double the pain with Migraine and if that's not enough, Arcane Conundrum should be finish sending your opponent to the ground. Don't forget to cover those up with quick casting/long lasting hexes.

For fun, you can throw a little Overload while they waste an eternity casting their light afternoon shower.

Spammers

 * Diversion is your best friend against spammers of all sorts (Touch Rangers, ...).
 * Blackout is also a viable option.

Melee Attackers

 * Sympathetic Visage/Ancestor's Visage or Soothing Images to deal with Adrenaline-based attackers.
 * Empathy for generic harassement.
 * Spirit Shackles with Mind Wrack.
 * Warriors will ignore it (until Mind Wrack hits)
 * Assassins will loose a lot of attack power since Spirit Shackles effectively cancels the energy gained through Critical Strike and then some.
 * Use any of the slow down hexes and kite.

Degenerating
Illusion Magic FTW!

Energy Denying
Listed here are skills that cause your opponent to lose a discrete sum of energy. It doesn't include skills that cause energy degeneration.

Domination

 * Energy Burn
 * Energy Surge elite
 * Guilt
 * Power Leak
 * Shame
 * Signet of Weariness

Fast Casting

 * Arcane Languor

Inspiration

 * Energy Drain elite
 * Energy Tap
 * Ether Feast
 * Feedback
 * Lyssa's Aura elite
 * Power Leech
 * Spirit Shackles
 * Spirit of Failure