My Mesmer Build

I want some thoughts on the build I made for my PvE Mesmer. I went down the shatter build with torment, doing the most damages. I need some thoughts on traits, skills, and what stats I should go with. I'm thinking either full Viper or Sinier or Carrion with Bringer. http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PiABc+trlRwUYdMJmJOOXtvOA-zRJYmxfR0VF49A-e

Your build is good, depending on what content you aim on doing.Phantasmal defender is not that great and Illusionary Ambush is a PvP/WvW skill, yes it gives you mirage cloak and an ambush, but in PvE that's not a good "damage increase".

Might i suggest something like this?

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PiABc+trlRwUYJMEmJe0XtvPA-zRJYkxfZ0VFkZK49A-e

Use Trailblazer instead of Viper with Chaos traitline because of Chaotic Transferrance, it'll give you more condition damage based on toughness and with signets, you'll have more than with viper's. Plus, with energy sigils, you have more ambush attacks, and with Riddle of Sand, you have more confusion stacks that reset after each shatter. Signet of Illusions will help you with that, to reset your shatters and use them frequently. Then you can have tons of ambushes with weapon swapping which will inevitably deal more damage than your Viper's because of the Signets and Trailblazer's, while still being tanky.

You can use Domination, but boon ripping in PvE is a waste, and that's what that trait line is base on. Yes, you have that trait that makes shatters deal more damage but that's flat damage, while in Chaos, Bountiful Disillusionment will give you Might and more damage on the F1 shatter (which is an ammo skill as well and can be used twice in succession). You have nice CC options with Signet of Domination and a neat defensive one with Signet of Midnight. Both contribute to Condition damage and duration.You can see the Might difference in the build editor, on your build (which has no might generation) your condition damage is 1348, while Chaos with might on a Trailblazer gets you 1980.

And i only suggest Trailblazer because you have tormenting runes, i think those fit better on a tankier build.

From what i could test while playing my Mesmer, Mirage doesn't really get a lot of damage from Viper's, they're very much condition damage focused. Viper's and Trailblazer's are more or less simmilar. It just depends, do you want to be tanky or are you ok with being squishy for that little extra damage Viper's does?

But... If you want to use Viper's, you can still use it with the build i suggest, same strategy, energy sigils for endurance (means more ambushes), Signets, all the stuff. But then instead of Chaotic Transferrance choose Auspicious Anguish because that'll be better. Definitely get chaos on viper's too for might.

EDIT: Forgot, you can take Phantasmal Force instead of Master of Fragmentation, especially if you use Trailblazer's, that will give you more might instead of some crit chance and cripple on shatters. On Viper's i'd take Master of Fragmentation though.

Dire is always a good low cost option to try out too if you want more sustain. You can get it cheap, but it lacks the expertise which really makes trailblazer and viper's shine. I only mention it because I'm not sure what you have immediate access to gear wise.

@Moradorin.6217 said:Dire is always a good low cost option to try out too if you want more sustain. You can get it cheap, but it lacks the expertise which really makes trailblazer and viper's shine. I only mention it because I'm not sure what you have immediate access to gear wise.

That's a good point yes, but if OP has access to Viper's they probably have access to Trailblazer's as well.Maybe through stat selectable armor rather than crafting, idk...

Anyway, yeah, Dire, Carrion and Rabid are all good substitutes, as well as Sinister. None of them have expertise but they're really cheap to make or buy.

@Veprovina.4876 said:

@Moradorin.6217 said:Dire is always a good low cost option to try out too if you want more sustain. You can get it cheap, but it lacks the expertise which really makes trailblazer and viper's shine. I only mention it because I'm not sure what you have immediate access to gear wise.

Yea I was just throwing it out in case they have like one set of armor they can buy/craft/select for vipers/trainblazer's. I some times suggest to people to experiment with a cheap exo set first.

Also if he is crafting trailblazer uses mag lilies which are like 6g each last I looked. So I just thought Id mention dire.

@Moradorin.6217 said:

@Veprovina.4876 said:

@Moradorin.6217 said:Dire is always a good low cost option to try out too if you want more sustain. You can get it cheap, but it lacks the expertise which really makes trailblazer and viper's shine. I only mention it because I'm not sure what you have immediate access to gear wise.

Yeah, crafting Viper's and Trailblazer's is pretty expensive. So indeed, experimenting with cheaper condi gear is a good start to see how builds are doing.I mean, if they're doing good on Dire or whatever, they'll do great on Trailblazer's. Same for Rabid/Viper's.