Illusions or Chaos Chrono

So with distortion out the window, what realistic reason is there to keep Domination in the build(besides self distortion)?

I know, everyone flocks to Inspiration as replaceable trait line but the main source of distortion was Domi with quite a lot of lackluster traits. Illusionary inspiration is still very powerful and needed to keep to permanent quickness without TW (on all those fights where we run Moa).

That said, Illusions brings some nice buffs to the table:

• Compounding Power - 9% bonus damage
• Illusionist's Celerity - faster Illusions means more boon copy
• Phantasmal Haste - shield phantasms that attack faster, sign me up
• Phantasmal Force - more damage to phantasms, yay

Chaos (Teapot had a build with this one way back already):

• Illusionary Defence - less damage as tank, shouldn't be needed but an interesting option
• Chaotic Transference - minstrel chronos now get free 200-230 condi damage
• Chaotic Persistance - boon and condi duration in the range of 15-21%, yes please
• Bountiful Disillusionment - more fury uptime if needed or resistance. better with copying

That said, Chrono running Illusions, Inspiration and Chronomancer could put out some increased damage numbers while getting even better at what he was doing so far.

Any ideas?

Note that I don't raid, but I would personally take Illusions over chaos if I did. To me, chaos is a very selfish line, and you shouldn't be worried about more defense in a good group in the first place. Not to mention, Illusions does make it significantly easier to keep up quickness and alacrity.

That said, chaotic persistence makes it cheaper to gear up a chrono, as you could get away with 15% less boon duration and still be capped (or even less than that), which would make chaos a solid choice for the lesser funded chronos. Chaos line also has some uses as you pointed out if your group is struggling with fury uptime. But Illusions seems, to me, to be a solidly superior choice assuming you don't change your gear.

And for the bonus damage each line brings, well its not like chronos are doing that much damage in the first place, and now that raid groups have 1-2 more DPS slots anyway, I don't think that should be in anyone's head unless they are going for speed clears.

I wouldn't totally rule out domination as aegis is just as good as distortion in many cases. However illusions will definitely be used in a few more places like vg, chaos will still only be worth using if you really want more tankiness.

@OriOri.8724 said:Note that I don't raid, but I would personally take Illusions over chaos if I did. To me, chaos is a very selfish line, and you shouldn't be worried about more defense in a good group in the first place. Not to mention, Illusions does make it significantly easier to keep up quickness and alacrity.

That said, chaotic persistence makes it cheaper to gear up a chrono, as you could get away with 15% less boon duration and still be capped (or even less than that), which would make chaos a solid choice for the lesser funded chronos. Chaos line also has some uses as you pointed out if your group is struggling with fury uptime. But Illusions seems, to me, to be a solidly superior choice assuming you don't change your gear.

And for the bonus damage each line brings, well its not like chronos are doing that much damage in the first place, and now that raid groups have 1-2 more DPS slots anyway, I don't think that should be in anyone's head unless they are going for speed clears.

Agreed, though don't underestimate what Illusions brings, back with my static one of our main mesmers (I was running cPS back then) would occasionally exchange Domi for Illusions when no distortion was needed and would get 15k+ damage numbers with Chrono.

I guess we will have to wait and see how all the patch changes work out and if Firebrand and Revenant are an actual alternativ.

@ArthurDent.9538 said:I wouldn't totally rule out domination as aegis is just as good as distortion in many cases. However illusions will definitely be used in a few more places like vg, chaos will still only be worth using if you really want more tankiness.

Oh yeah, I was more thinking along the lines of when not needing aegis or distortion.

Still think double chrono will remain meta, in that case pulling 10k more (5k per chrono) would be insanity. Obviously not on fights where chronos are currently running minstrel. We'll have to wait and see.

I’d probably say illusions for the same reasons outline by Arthur Dent and likewise not rule out Domi either.

Kitty's personally liked chaotic shatterchrono a lot since she started playing it 1,5 weeks ago. Yush, it does have about 10-15% lower alacrity output on most bosses, but in exchange, it gives pretty much full prot, regeneration, fury and vigor uptime (and high retaliation uptime) on squad while also throwing some nice supplementary heals around and is quite capable of carrying the squad thru the fights.Btw, with most chronos, squad's average boon count is 6,0-6,5. With shatterchrono, it's usually above 8 and if Kitty doesn't totally misremember, she's had 9 boon count on herself on some fights, which means 27% boon duration from that chaos trait.

add one more benefit to illusion lineshorter cs cd .btwwith chaos line , Arcane Thievery may see more use since cdr trait in fractal .