Mesmer - S/S /F /P

The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good.

Focused on: Direct damage, Utility.

Designed for:

Fractals

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

Slot Changes

• Signet of the Ether

  1

  35

  Signet of the Ether

  Signet Passive: Gain health every few seconds, based on the number of active illusions you control.
  Signet Active: Heal yourself and refresh all phantasm skill recharges.

  Healing: 5,560

  Passive Heal - 3 Illusions: 980

  Passive Heal - 2 Illusions: 660

  Passive Heal - 1 Illusion: 340

  Interval: 3 seconds
  can be changed to
  Mantra of Recovery

  2¾

  10

  Mantra of Recovery

  Mantra. Meditate, charging a spell that will instantly heal you when activated.

  Extra Toughness While Channeling: 600

  Number of Casts: 2
  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

  ¼

  180

  Time Warp

  Glamour. Create an area that warps time, granting you and your allies quickness while slowing enemies.

  Quickness (1s): Skills and actions are 50% faster.

  Slow (1s): Skills and actions of enemies are 50% slower.

  Number of Targets: 5

  Pulses: 11

  Duration: 10 seconds

  Radius: 360

  Combo Field: Ethereal

  Range: 1,200
  can be changed to
  Mass Invisibility

  1¾

  90

  Mass Invisibility

  Manipulation. You and all allies gain stealth for a short time.

  Stealth (5s): Invisible to foes.

  Number of Targets: 10

  Radius: 1,200
  for skipping something you have a hard time skipping with, for example Arah P1 skips are rather brutal for inexperienced players.
• Null Field

  ¼

  32

  Null Field

  Glamour. Create a field of energy that rips all boons from foes, and cures all conditions on allies.

  Number of Targets: 5

  Duration: 5 seconds

  Radius: 240

  Combo Field: Ethereal

  Range: 1,200
  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

  ¼

  90

  Mimic

  Manipulation. The next utility skill you use recharges faster.

  Echo (10s): Your next utility skill will rehcarge faster.

  Recharge: 1 second
  to immediately recharge the next utility skill you use. Very useful for double
  Blink

  30

  Blink

  Manipulation. Teleport to a target location.

  Breaks Stun

  Range: 1,200
  or double
  Portal Entre

  72

  Portal Entre

  Glamour. Create an entry portal at your location that teleports allies to your exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 60 seconds
  . You need to use
  Mimic

  ¼

  90

  Mimic

  Manipulation. The next utility skill you use recharges faster.

  Echo (10s): Your next utility skill will rehcarge faster.

  Recharge: 1 second
  then use the skill you want to use twice. For
  Portal Entre

  72

  Portal Entre

  Glamour. Create an entry portal at your location that teleports allies to your exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 60 seconds
  you need to use
  Mimic

  ¼

  90

  Mimic

  Manipulation. The next utility skill you use recharges faster.

  Echo (10s): Your next utility skill will rehcarge faster.

  Recharge: 1 second
  just before opening the
  Portal Exeunt

  Portal Exeunt

  Glamour. Create an exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 10 seconds
  . It is also useful for a double
  Feedback

  32

  Feedback

  Glamour. Create a dome around your foes that reflects projectiles.

  Shield Duration: 6 seconds

  Radius: 240

  Combo Field: Ethereal

  Range: 1,200
  if your party lacks reflect uptime.
• Blink

  30

  Blink

  Manipulation. Teleport to a target location.

  Breaks Stun

  Range: 1,200
  to increase mobility and ease skipping.
• Portal Entre

  72

  Portal Entre

  Glamour. Create an entry portal at your location that teleports allies to your exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 60 seconds
  to allow creative use of mechanics. See the Portal section below for further details.
• Signet of Inspiration

  ¾

  30

  Signet of Inspiration

  Signet Passive: Grants swiftness and an additional random boon every ten seconds.
  Signet Active: Copy all of your boons to nearby allies.

  Aegis (10s): Block the next incoming attack.

  Fury (5s): 20% Critical Chance

  Might (20s): 35 Power, 35 Condition Damage

  Protection (3s): -33% Incoming Damage

  Regen (5s): 650 Heal

  Retaliation (5s): Reflect incoming damage back to its source.

  Always receive - Swiftness (5s): 33% Movement Speed

  Vigor (5s): 100% Endurance Regeneration

  Number of Targets: 5

  Range: 600
  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

  2¾

  1

  Mantra of Pain

  Mantra. Meditate, charging a spell that will damage your target.

  Extra Toughness While Channeling: 600

  Number of Casts: 2
  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

  2¾

  25

  Mantra of Concentration

  Mantra. Meditate, charging a spell that will break stuns and grant stability to nearby allies.

  Extra Toughness While Channeling: 600

  Number of Casts: 2
  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

  2¾

  20

  Mantra of Distraction

  Mantra. Meditate, charging a spell that will daze your target.

  Extra Toughness While Channeling: 600

  Number of Casts: 2
  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

  2¾

  20

  Mantra of Resolve

  Mantra. Meditate, charging a spell that will cure conditions for you and nearby allies.

  Extra Toughness While Channeling: 600

  Number of Casts: 2
  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

  1½

  25

  Phantasmal Defender

  Phantasm. Summon an illusion that gives Illusion of Defense to nearby allies when it attacks.

  Damage: 98

  Illusion of Defense (5s): Half of incoming damage is transferred to the Illusionary Defender.

  Number of Targets: 5

  Range: 900
  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

  30

  Signet of Midnight

  Signet Passive: Improves condition duration.
  Signet Active: Blind nearby foes.

  Condition Duration Increase: 20%

  Blindness (5s): Next outgoing attack misses.

  Number of Targets: 5

  Radius: 360

  Breaks stun
  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.

Variant

• Taking
  Power Block
  is also a viable option.

Variant

• Taking
  Master of Fragmentation
  is also a viable option.

Reflect Variant

Replace Illusions with 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 Superior Sigil of Force +5% Damage Precise Infusion Off Hand Focus Stats: Assassin Superior Sigil of the Night Superior Sigil of the Night Outgoing damage is increased by 10% at 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 Superior Sigil of the Night Outgoing damage is increased by 10% at night. Precise Infusion

Sigil Variants

If you're not in a night time dungeon swap

Superior Sigil of the Night

Superior Sigil of the Night

Outgoing damage is increased by 10% at night.

for:

⇒

Superior Sigil of Accuracy

Superior Sigil of Accuracy

+7% Critical Chance

for day time dungeons/fractals.

⇒

Superior Sigil of Undead Slaying

Superior Sigil of Undead Slaying

+10% Damage vs. Undead

for The Ruined City of Arah.

⇒

Superior Sigil of Justice

Superior Sigil of Justice

+10% Damage vs. Outlaws

for Caudecus's Manor and Cliffside.

⇒

Superior Sigil of Icebrood Slaying

Superior Sigil of Icebrood Slaying

+10% Damage vs. Icebrood

for Honor of the Waves.

⇒

Superior Sigil of Frailty

2

Superior Sigil of Frailty

50% Chance on Hit: Inflict Vulnerability (10 seconds). (Cooldown: 2s)

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 Superior Rune of the Scholar (1): +25 Power (2): +35 Ferocity (3): +50 Power (4): +65 Ferocity (5): +100 Power (6): +10% damage while your health is above 90%. Versatile Precise Infusion Shoulders Superior Rune of the Scholar Superior Rune of the Scholar (1): +25 Power (2): +35 Ferocity (3): +50 Power (4): +65 Ferocity (5): +100 Power (6): +10% damage while your health is above 90%. Versatile Precise Infusion Chest Superior Rune of the Scholar Superior Rune of the Scholar (1): +25 Power (2): +35 Ferocity (3): +50 Power (4): +65 Ferocity (5): +100 Power (6): +10% damage while your health is above 90%. Versatile Precise Infusion Hands Superior Rune of the Scholar Superior Rune of the Scholar (1): +25 Power (2): +35 Ferocity (3): +50 Power (4): +65 Ferocity (5): +100 Power (6): +10% damage while your health is above 90%. Versatile Precise Infusion Legs Superior Rune of the Scholar Superior Rune of the Scholar (1): +25 Power (2): +35 Ferocity (3): +50 Power (4): +65 Ferocity (5): +100 Power (6): +10% damage while your health is above 90%. Versatile Precise Infusion Feet Superior Rune of the Scholar Superior Rune of the Scholar (1): +25 Power (2): +35 Ferocity (3): +50 Power (4): +65 Ferocity (5): +100 Power (6): +10% damage while your health is above 90%. 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

  Superior Rune of the Centaur

  (1): +25 Power (2): +10% Swiftness Duration (3): +50 Power (4): -50% Incoming Cripple Duration (5): +100 Power (6): +20% Swiftness Duration; When you use a heal skill, you and all nearby allies gain swiftness for 10 seconds. (Cooldown: 10s)
  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

  2¾

  10

  Mantra of Recovery

  Mantra. Meditate, charging a spell that will instantly heal you when activated.

  Extra Toughness While Channeling: 600

  Number of Casts: 2
  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

  Superior Sharpening Stone

  Nourishment (30 m):

  Gain power equal to 3% of your precisionGain power equal to 6% of your ferocity+10 Experience from kills

  Consumable
  or
  Master Maintenance Oil

  Master Maintenance Oil

  Nourishment (30 m):

  Gain Concentration equal to 3% of your PrecisionGain Concentration equal to 6% of your Healing Power+10% Experience from Kills

  Consumable
  if you reach the Power cap (720 in AC explorable)

• A cheaper alternative
  Hardened Sharpening Stone

  Hardened Sharpening Stone

  Nourishment (30 m):

  Gain power equal to 2% of your precisionGain power equal to 4% of your ferocity+10 Experience from kills

  Consumable
  /
  Quality Maintenance Oil

  Quality Maintenance Oil

  Nourishment (30 m):

  Gain Concentration equal to 2% of your PrecisionGain Concentration equal to 4% of your Healing Power+10% Experience from Kills

  Consumable

• Bowl of Curry Butternut Squash Soup

  Bowl of Curry Butternut Squash Soup

  Nourishment (30 m):

  +100 Precision+70 Ferocity+10% Experience from Kills

  Consumable

• A cheaper alternative
  Plate of Steak and Asparagus

  Plate of Steak and Asparagus

  Nourishment (30 m):

  +80 power+60 precision+10% Experience from kills

  Consumable
• A even more expensive alternative
  Bowl of Seaweed Salad

  Bowl of Seaweed Salad

  Nourishment (30m):

  60% chance to gain swiftness when you kill a foe+10% damage while moving+10 Experience from kills

  Consumable
  but requieres you to be fully mobile at any given time.

• Dragon's Breath Bun

  Dragon's Breath Bun

  Nourishment (20 m):

  +200 power for 30s after killing an enemy+70 Ferocity+10% Experience from Kills

  Consumable
  for dungeons where you can have a great uptime on the active effect.
• Slice of Candied Dragon Roll

  Slice of Candied Dragon Roll

  Nourishment (20 m):

  66% to steal life on critical.+70 precision+10 Experience from kills

  Consumable
  for pressure heavy encounters
• Skale Venom

  Skale Venom

  Skale Venom (10m):

  You have a 10% chance to inflict weakness and vulnerability for 5 seconds when you hit a foe.

  Consumable
  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.
• If you don't need the defensive abilities of
  Phantasmal Warden
  always try to maximize your number of phantasms that do more damage.
  Phantasmal Swordsman
  deals the most damage, followed by
  Phantasmal Duelist
  with
  Phantasmal Warden
  doing least. As only
  Phantasmal Warden
  does any AoE damage, it becomes the strongest against multiple opponents.
• 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

  30

  Blink

  Manipulation. Teleport to a target location.

  Breaks Stun

  Range: 1,200
  and
  Portal Entre

  72

  Portal Entre

  Glamour. Create an entry portal at your location that teleports allies to your exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 60 seconds
  to allow for faster group movement and skips.
• Some techniques require a reverse
  Portal Entre

  72

  Portal Entre

  Glamour. Create an entry portal at your location that teleports allies to your exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 60 seconds
  , first place
  Portal Entre

  72

  Portal Entre

  Glamour. Create an entry portal at your location that teleports allies to your exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 60 seconds
  then waypoint back to place
  Portal Exeunt

  Portal Exeunt

  Glamour. Create an exit portal.

  Range Threshold: 5,000

  Duration: 10 seconds
  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

Text Guides

• GW2 Forums: How To Mesmer in Dungeons by maxinion
• Dulfy: GW2 Mesmer PvE Class Guide by Sanderinoa