Mirage - Carrion Axe
The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good
Focused on: Condition damage, Control and Mobility
Designed for: PvP Conquest
Difficulty:
Hard
This build was last updated on December 05, 2023 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.
Overview
A low sustain, high condition damage Mirage burst build for PvP. One of the harder Mesmer builds to play, Carrion Axe can swiftly overwhelm enemies through quick bursts and interrupts, but its lack of sustain and damage outside of burst windows allows for few mistakes.
Skill Bar
Axe/Pistol
Sword/Torch
Utility
Slot Changes
Utility
While is mandatory with , some other utilities can be considered instead of :
- - an excellent and versatile skill, helps with condition management and adds more boon removal to the build.
- - doesn't break stun but helps you get out of dangerous situations with the repositioning and Mirage Cloak access, could also be used offensively to pressure or chase targets.
- - another source of stealth plus a stun break with a decent passive.
- - portal is a very powerful tool if a team utilizes it properly for map control, but it's not recommended for beginners and most solo players.
Template Code
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Specializations
Variants
- can be taken if you need more sustain, such as in 2v2s.
- can be taken for more ambushes and defense at the cost of less damage.
- can be taken if conditions are not a concern in the match and get extra boon strip instead.
Equipment
Axe
Pistol
Sigil
Sigil
Sword
Torch
Sigil
Sigil
Rune
Amulet
Relic
Equipment Variants
Sigils
- over Cleansing if you can afford to lose condition removal.
Relic
- - less bursty than Akeem but increases your condition diversity, and requires no setup to proc the poison while maintaining high healing reduction on enemies.
- - better defense against conditions.
- - higher
Vigor uptime which is the most important boon in the build.
- - refills half a dodge roll's worth of endurance whenever you heal, defensive relic with Mirage cloak synergy.
- - adds a CC to .
- - gives a lot of your skills additional torment, a way to remove blind, and a 10% damage boost.
Usage
Elite specialization basics
- Dodge rolling is replaced by Mirage Cloak, which is more or less the same thing but allows you to cast skills and grants access to ambush attacks over its duration: for Axe and for Sword. Ambush skills replace the autoattack of the weapons for 1.5 seconds.
- You can dodge while casting skills and performing actions such as rezing or stomping, but NOT while CC'd.
General
- While the build has several tools for dealing with incoming conditions, there's no skill that's only reserved for cleansing. Dodge rolling for example removes 2 conditions via , but blows all your endurance. removes 2 conditions but makes you use your only source of stealth. This means that against condition based specs you should play extra careful and alter your playstyle a bit to reserve your cleansing tools for the right time.
- is something of an exception to this rule and as such remains your ebst source of cleansing. While this skill could be used offensively to rip boons from enemies, it should be reserved for cleansing-only vs condition specs. In mirror matchups against other Mesmers the one who uses AT second usually wins the duel.
- Your strongest option against damage in general is , granting you immunity to any form of pressure including CC and conditions that are already on you.
- turns into an instant source for clone generation, provided that you already have an active clone.
- Shatter skills and interrupts remove boons from enemies.
- is amazing to cascade several cc onto your target provided several clones are active.
Mobility
- Use when moving between capture points, assuming you get your endurance back before making it to the next fight. Throwing in a for the Vigor from could help you recover endurance a bit quicker, further boosting your mobility by a small amount.
- Swapping weapons before the end of the animation cancels the portion of the skill that would stop you at the end of the leap, increasing your jump distance especially when you used the leap on the highground.
Damage
- Sustained damage is fairly low in this build, while burst damage is extremely high.
- Your goal is to roam the map, find a target that's out of CDs, and take them down in a matter of seconds before moving on.
- Axe is the primary offensive set while Sword is a bit more defensive.
- is the strongest shatter skill here when it comes to damage, followed by .
Burst combo examples
Axe/Pistol:
- , dodge in the middle of it
- (you could also Jaunt before doing the previous step to get an extra clone for Axes of Symmetry)
Sword/Torch:
- in melee range to begin stacking Burning
- to create a phantasm that goes off in a few seconds, about the same time you're finished with the chain
- to get a clone out there
- Dodge, but don't ambush just yet
- for the immob
- to create the second clone via and stack some extra conditions
Top Streamers
- Twitch: Lord Helseth
- Twitch: RIP
- Twitch: Misha
Ratings
You won't find a condi build with better burst damage and the Power Block Interrupts can carry it hard. That trait together with the mantra can completely negate enemy healing skills in some matchups. Sustain is incredibly low though, but at least there's some cleansing and A+ mobility so it could be worse.
Probably one of the hardest builds to play in PvP right now, but it pays off.
The recent buffs to The Pledge, Mirrored Axes, Axe getting a baseline CD reduction, and clones inflicting both bleed and torment on their first auto... This has given the build a bit of a buff. Arguably playable and capable of doing work again.
I once called this class unplayable some half a year or even a year ago. My rating was deleted even though I fully explained why I thought that was the case. Well I'm not gonna explain again, especially considering it's even worse now. Literally, actually unplayable after the 27th of June patchnote comes online. No offensive capabilities, no defense, no nothing. Virtually useless. Worse than core in every aspect
Second dodge when? Mirage is still the most fun build on mesmer but Anet kneecapped us hard a few years back and they still haven't fixed the spec. Everything about it is good, the damage, the mobility, the CC but that 1 dodge really holds it back. O well at least it's the most skillful build out there and despite it's flaws I still love playing it.
It's one tricky yet rewardng build. Mirage needs a strategic play style when capturing points and interrupting enemies including its timing for a sudden counterattack like the use of Jaunt as a prelude to your burst combos. The proper execution of burst combo really helps too especially when interrupting ranged classes like the Ranger. Its survivability is rather situational, but using your defensive skills (sword and torch) properly can instantly reverse the situation esp. when being pressured by the enemy team in group fights or even in 1v1. But this build compared to other Mesmer power builds is more sustained, thanks to its defensive utilities. Nevertheless, a great side noder that hugely contributes to gaining points faster with its mobility through Mirage Thrust. Its winning secret lies in interruption and elimination of enemies in a fast manner while they're in CD mode or being caught off guard. This build also leans more in condition damage with an additional power damage through Axe and Pistol.
Remains as the #1 mesmer build for high tier play, as it simply provides great condition dmg, better surviability than most power mesmers with the carrion health pool and a burst, that when executed properly almost compares to the power mesmers burst, although this burst doesnt have the same aoe pressure as the power chrono and especially power mirage with the split surge beams.
This very fun roamer build with extremely high burst damage; this build plays similar to thief, but with more damage but less mobility and stealth. This build can function a sidenoder as well, but only if you have most of your cooldowns ready. Although this looks like a condi build, this is more of a hybrid build, as it also has respectable power damage built into the shatters and axe. Although the healing isn't great, you have good sustain with F4, Sword 2, Torch 4, Sword thrust, Energy Sigil, and Signet. Interrupts with the Mantra, Pistol 5, and F3 could be potentially game changing. You can spam mantra on people trying to res downed enemies, which can be a pretty easy way to secure the kill.
TLDR: play this build if you want to roam but don't like playing thief
I am in love with this build. The burst combos and the CCs surely will help you in 1v1 especially in team fights. The CC skills of this mirage build is a bit OP if the opponent cannot negate properly or cleanse. Moreover, I am having fun how I sustain using this build. Pretty awesome tbh. Mirage is definitley an A tier in PvP nowadays if played right. To add, this is a bit squishy build, but if the sword and torch skills are properly use as defense it can have a good sustain in team fights. But again, the purpose of this build is to delete your opponents as fast as possible or interrupt the opponent especially in side nodes.
This build is actually great partnered with a good team meaning with a nice support in boons. Technically, this build is a bit hard to play but rewarding at the same time. The CCs with axe and pistol condi skills are your primary damager here with the sword skill 2 and torch skill 3 as one of your defenses. You can 1v1 with this Mirage build, but your sole function is to interrupt opponents especially when decapping in side nodes. A fast kill build that has a bit of a sustain, thanks to F4 shield skill it makes easy to counter opponents.
A side node build that allows really advanced players to outplay their opponents.
Great build, used by top AT teams and in upper tier Ranked games. Can side node well, plus fights easily, apply pressure on tanky builds, and rotate efficiently.
Mirage is still a great sidenoder and can hard carry but very difficult to play
Mirage is still a great Sidenoder, even with 1 Dodge. Lynx, Sword Ambush and Blink make this build very mobile. It can handle about all offensive sidenoders apart from those with strong Condition Cleanse, e.g. good Weavers - bunkers you shouldn't try if they're not out of CDs, as your burst is better spent elsewhere. It excels at taking out problematic classes in teamfights as the Condition Burst coupled with multiple Interrupt options drains even a Necro's life rather fast. It's not very resilient, though, so after Distortion, Signet of Illusions and another Distortion are spent, it's time to Disengange and move on. In fights against strong Condition Classes, I favour Mantra of Resolve, as the double Cleanse really adds up with The Prestige, Cleansing Sigil, Jaunt and Dodge.
edit: at the moment, I enjoy Mimic in the free slot. A Mimic before Signet of Illusions is a strong option for longer matches as properly chained, this allows for 3 Cry of Frustrations and 3 Distortions in a row.
edit2: For longer duels and more fighting on-node, I like to have Inspiration over Domination, with Sage Amulet and Adventurer Rune. Since this shatters a lot, the heal from Inspiration happens frequently. Signet of Domination or Signet of Midnight are both viable choices in the free slot, depending on the match-up.
I run a variation of this Build. Swap out Domination with Dueling, spec Duelist's Discipline + Blinding Dissipation + Ineptitude. In Illusions spec Phantasmal Haste over Maim the Disillusioned and Malicious Sorcery over Master of Fragmentation (for the faster Scepter 3). In Mirage spec Riddle of Sand over Self-Deception. Scepter + PIstol, Axe +Torch. Signet of Midnight + Blink + Mantra of Distraction. Very glass if played wrong, but a great dueler and +1. Focus on rotating Daze to punish casting and watch people kill themselves with 12 stack of confusion. The sustain in the build comes from properly interrupting and blinding, dodge should be saved for condi clear and proper ambush usage. As of today I am Top 100 in NA with this build.
An alright build but I swapped the torch over with the sword to combine The Prestige with Mirage Thrust for engaging with the flame burst proc or disengaging with stealth. With the endurance nerf to Mirage Cloak, Mirage doesn't hold the same place it once did. This build can still do some damage and with smart positioning and skill usage it can still win some duels and +1 targets while proving some mobility for rotations with Mirage Thrust. It has problems when getting focused and with outnumbered fights so keep it out of fights where you are outnumbered and rotate elsewhere.
Despite the strong nerf at the dodge, this build works very well. If you are experiencing sustain problems, replace illusion with inspiration. Avoid burn guard at x1. The rest of the classes you can handle well at x1 but it is not the focus of the build, always walk with the team.
Comments
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