Mesmer WvW | Fun Staff, Scepter/Torch | Roamer PU with Confusion on Clone Death & Travelers Runes
Table of Contents
Summary
Intro
This is a variant of the standard 20/20/30/0/0 PU roaming build. The core of it is the same as the standard PU build - Aegis/Protection/Regen during Stealth, with Cripple + Random Condition on Clone Death, with Clone spamming via dodge. However it trades a few things to add Confusion on Clone Death and direly needed run speed via Travelers Runes.
This guide assumes you're familiar with standard PU builds and doesn't bother to re-explain everything about them. If not, just search for "PU mesmer" or "Prismatic Understanding" here, official forums, Youtube, Guildwars2guru.com, or reddit, plenty of guides and discussions.
Where it diverges
- This build swaps Cleansing Conflagration (Torch cd, Torch removes conditions) for Confusing Combatants (Clones cause Confusion on death).
- Since the build now has a reliable source of Confusion, it also swaps Runes of Perplexity for Runes of the Traveler for +25% run speed.
- But since the build also loses standard PU's only source of condition removal (traited Torch skills), it replaces Blink with Mantra of Resolve. No more get-out-of-jail teleports, you have to use your Stealths and movement speed if you get in trouble.
- It also adds two Mantra traits - Mantra Mastery (-20% cd), and Protected Mantras (+600 Toughness while channeling a Mantra). With a base of 2800 Armor, these traits give you 3400 Armor for 2.75s every 16s, which is useful since you're somewhat vulnerable when channeling a mantra (esp if Decoy is on cd).
- Mantra of Resolve on 16s cooldown actually provides better condition removal than traited Torch - the Mantra removes 4x conditions every 16 + 2.75 seconds, vs 2x every 24s. The cost of that is losing Blink, and Prestige having a 30s cooldown instead of 24s.
So, a bunch of tradeoffs there, are they worth it to add Confusion on Clone death?
What you gain
- Confusion on Clone Death, in addition to Cripple and a Random Condition. Factor in Torment from Sigil procs, and you have 4 AoE conditions easily applied and maintained.
- Easier Confusion application - All conditions are AoE. Just spam Clones and Crit, and you apply AoE Confusion, Cripple, Random Cond, and Torment. Whereas Perplexity Runes set bonuses are both single-target, one with 15s cooldown (2x bonus), and one requiring interrupts to apply (6x bonus).
- Better map travel speed. Standard PU is slooooww.
- Arguably better movement in combat too. You lose Blink, but gain the ability to move further and faster while stealthed, which gives you better battlefield management.
- Better condition removal. Cleanse 4x every 18.75s vs 2x every 24s, cleanse without using up other critical skills (like Prestige), instant-cast uninterruptable cleanses (though recharging the mantra is interruptable).
- More Armor. About 100 more base Armor thanks to Traveler's stats, and short bursts of +600 Armor thanks to Protected Mantras.
What you lose
- Over 100 Condition Damage
- Blink
- 6s on Prestige cooldown
- Longer duration Confusion from Runes of Perplexity (both the base duration of Confusion applied via the 2x and 6x set bonuses, plus the 4x bonus duration increase)
You'll have to judge for yourself if it's worth the tradeoffs, I'm just putting this out there as an alternative.
I. Weapons and Skills
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- 0Crippled: 3 s
- 0Crippled: 3 s
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- 0Crippled: 3 s
- 0Crippled: 3 s
-
- 0Crippled: 3 s
- 0Crippled: 3 s
-
- 0Crippled: 3 s
- 0Crippled: 3 s
-
- 0Crippled: 3 s
- 0Crippled: 3 s
-
- 0Crippled: 3 s
-
- Power Cleanse1Remove 2 conditions.Range: 1,200
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- 0Crippled: 3 s
-
- 0Crippled: 3 s
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- 0Crippled: 3 s
II. Traits
Domination
Dueling
Chaos
Inspiration
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 16282 (+360)
- Vitality 952 (+36)
- Armor 2733 (+897)
- Toughness 1813 (+897)
- Attack 2251 (+224)
- Power 1140 (+224)
- Critical Hit 47% (+47%)
- Precision 1913 (+997)
Secondary Stats
- Boon Duration 45% (+45%)
- Condition Damage 1062 (+1062)
- Condition Duration 60% (+60%)
- Critical Damage 22% (+22%)
- Damage 1111 (+0%)
- Defense 920 (+0)
- Experience from Kills 20% (+20%)
- Ferocity 336 (+336)
- Healing Power 36 (+36)
- Movement Speed 25% (+25%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
IV. Food, Armor, Trinkets & Upgrade Items
Food Nourishment
Condition Duration: 40%
Condition Damage: 70
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- Condition Duration: 40%
- Condition Damage: 70
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Utility Nourishment
Gain Condition damage equal to 6% of your toughness
Gain Condition damage equal to 4% of your vitality
Experience from Kills: 10%
- (30min)
- Gain Condition damage equal to 6% of your toughness
- Gain Condition damage equal to 4% of your vitality
- Experience from Kills: 10%
Armor & Runes
- Defense: 73
- +8 to All Stats
- Boon Duration: 5%
- +12 to All Stats
- +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
- +16 to All Stats
- Movement Speed: 25%
- Defense: 73
- +8 to All Stats
- Boon Duration: 5%
- +12 to All Stats
- +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
- +16 to All Stats
- Movement Speed: 25%
- Defense: 314
- +8 to All Stats
- Boon Duration: 5%
- +12 to All Stats
- +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
- +16 to All Stats
- Movement Speed: 25%
- Defense: 133
- +8 to All Stats
- Boon Duration: 5%
- +12 to All Stats
- +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
- +16 to All Stats
- Movement Speed: 25%
- Defense: 194
- +8 to All Stats
- Boon Duration: 5%
- +12 to All Stats
- +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
- +16 to All Stats
- Movement Speed: 25%
- Defense: 133
- +8 to All Stats
- Boon Duration: 5%
- +12 to All Stats
- +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
- +16 to All Stats
- Movement Speed: 25%
Armor Stat Totals
- Defense 920
- Power 34
- Precision 36
- Toughness 36
- Vitality 36
- Condition Damage 36
- Healing Power 36
- Ferocity 36
- Boon Duration 15%
- Condition Duration 10%
- Movement Speed 25%
Rune Bonuses
Superior Rune of the Traveler- +8 to All Stats
- Boon Duration: 5%
- +12 to All Stats
- +10% Boon Duration; +10% Condition Duration
- +16 to All Stats
- Movement Speed: 25%
Accessories & Jewels
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
- Precision: 25
- Condition Damage: 15
- Power: 15
Accessory Totals
- Precision:490
- Toughness:340
- Condition Damage:570
- Power:90
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 985-1111
- Condition Damage: 239
- Precision: 171
- Toughness: 171
- Weapon Strength: -
Weapon Set I
Superior Sigil of Torment50% chance on critical hit: Apply AoE torment (5 seconds, 180 radius). (Cooldown: 5 Seconds)
- Weapon Strength: 895-1010
- Condition Damage: 120
- Precision: 85
- Toughness: 85
- Weapon Strength: 789-926
- Condition Damage: 120
- Precision: 85
- Toughness: 85
Weapon Set II
Superior Sigil of Torment50% chance on critical hit: Apply AoE torment (5 seconds, 180 radius). (Cooldown: 5 Seconds)
Sigil of Superior Accuracy+7% crit chance.
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Condition Damage: 120
- Precision: 85
- Toughness: 85
- Weapon Strength: 905-1000
- Condition Damage: 120
- Precision: 85
- Toughness: 85
Water Weapon I
Superior Sigil of Torment50% chance on critical hit: Apply AoE torment (5 seconds, 180 radius). (Cooldown: 5 Seconds)
Water Weapon II
Superior Sigil of Torment50% chance on critical hit: Apply AoE torment (5 seconds, 180 radius). (Cooldown: 5 Seconds)
Upgrade Item Details
Dire armor (CnD/V/T) for tankiness, Rabid (CnD/Pr/T) weapons and trinkets for Crit procs (Vigor, Torment). Feel free to change that up if you feel you need more Crit or more survivability or whatever.
Also feel free to use Sigil of Earth instead of Sigil of Torment if you prefer Bleeds to Torment. Bleed stacking does more damage, but is single target. Torment does less damage but is AoE. Torment also adds a separate condition making condition clears less effective.
V. Basic Gameplay
Spam clones, overwrite them when possible. When clones are killed or overwritten they apply AoE Cripple, AoE Bleeding/Vulnerability/Weakness, and AoE Confusion. Crits from your weapon apply AoE Torment. Stealth and move to confuse enemies and gain Aegis/Protection/Regeneration. When out of stealth, stand still and autoattack for as long as possible (eg act like a clone) to confuse your enemies which is the clone and which is the player. They'll figure it out quickly, but every second counts.