Phantasmal Warlock

It's kinda doofy for Phantasmal Warlock to increase its physical damage output for each condition on an enemy, using a condition weapon. What if, instead of a damage boost, it applied a "copy" of each condition on the enemy? For example, hitting an enemy that has Burning would apply an extra 5-second (or whatever duration) Burn. If the enemy has Weakness, it also applies another bit of Weakness. Extending the duration of conditions could be extremely overpowered on large-scale boss fights, but applying a flat condition based on what they already have (sort of like Engineer's Flamethrower Air Blast applying Burning to enemies that are already Burning) would give it the growth mechanism of the current Warlock while making it actually relevant to the builds most likely to run Staff.

I've always thought staff to be a hybrid/support weapon as opposed to strictly being condi. Boonshare Mes run staff for the utility, condi run it for the condi and I personally run it with my power shatter mes for not only bamboozles, but the IW's 10k+ crits. It really throws people off and I quite like it.

Since, Phantasmal Swordsman now is better for Power builds and Duelists are better for condi builds, I could see a rework for the Warlock. Your suggestion to be honest is too powerful, cause imagine a raid where you can copy every condi on the boss on intervals... Then again if it only copies one stack of each condition I see it could be balanced.

I don't even feel like I'm playing the game when I play staff I feel like I'm just autoattacking with a pretty low power auto. I feel like a missing character on my team yay I gave myself chaos armor yay I did a chaos storm for no damage yay I teleported and did nothing yay i summoned a phantasm whose only going to hit you once yay I can auto attack as its the only thing i got left to do.

@R E F L H E X.8413 said:I don't even feel like I'm playing the game when I play staff I feel like I'm just autoattacking with a pretty low power auto. I feel like a missing character on my team yay I gave myself chaos armor yay I did a chaos storm for no damage yay I teleported and did nothing yay i summoned a phantasm whose only going to hit you once yay I can auto attack as its the only thing i got left to do.

U should try it in pvp or wvw. Staff is not Really a pve weapon.I agree Staff feels unimpactfull when looking at every skill alone, but in combination it's a strong weapon. I'd still agree it shall loose some RNG and warlock could Change too.

Thats where I try it and feel like I'm a missing character on my team. I had a team tell me to stop auto attacking using gsword in pvp the otherday the guy that said something didnt see me on a ledge using many other skills and tried to say all I was doing is auto attacking although the gsword does a lot of autos if its the only weapon youre using and I play with auto off due to stealth and that weapon... I feel like staff only does auto even when i use auto a ton on gsword I dont feel the same way about the two weapons.

If I want to do something with staff to the enemy it almost feels like the only option is auto.

@R E F L H E X.8413 said:Thats where I try it and feel like I'm a missing character on my team. I had a team tell me to stop auto attacking using gsword in pvp the otherday the guy that said something didnt see me on a ledge using many other skills and tried to say all I was doing is auto attacking although the gsword does a lot of autos if its the only weapon youre using and I play with auto off due to stealth and that weapon... I feel like staff only does auto even when i use auto a ton on gsword I dont feel the same way about the two weapons.

If I want to do something with staff to the enemy it almost feels like the only option is auto.

Sorry but i dont understand this...

Staff is for me a defensive weapon before anything else, and afterwards that its a great shatter fodder weapon when you trait reduced CDs! I also see it as a hybrid weapon, and while Warlock is a bit odd, I enjoy its 5k to 6k crits in WvW on my power build! I dont want to see it turn into a more condi focus weapon! a buff to auto attacks attack speed will help it go a long way

Staff should be an aoe condi weapon. That's the one weapon niche mesmer is missing.

@Zenith.7301 said:Staff should be an aoe condi weapon. That's the one weapon niche mesmer is missing.

Axe on mirage if they manage to balance it right, will be a condition cleaving weapon, that can toss around some AoE condi and do ok combo with shatters, so I think we are good om AoE condi.Staff is far more intresteing as the defensive utility weapon

@FaboBabo.3581 said:

@R E F L H E X.8413 said:Thats where I try it and feel like I'm a missing character on my team. I had a team tell me to stop auto attacking using gsword in pvp the otherday the guy that said something didnt see me on a ledge using many other skills and tried to say all I was doing is auto attacking although the gsword does a lot of autos if its the only weapon youre using and I play with auto off due to stealth and that weapon... I feel like staff only does auto even when i use auto a ton on gsword I dont feel the same way about the two weapons.

If I want to do something with staff to the enemy it almost feels like the only option is auto.

3 of the skills arent damage or really even do anything to the enemy except the phantasm, 1 skill is damn near useless aoe and that leaves you with auto attack or shatter to damage the enemy I feel like its only use is auto attack. It makes me feel worthless. And shatter isnt a staff skill.

@R E F L H E X.8413 said:

@FaboBabo.3581 said:

@R E F L H E X.8413 said:Thats where I try it and feel like I'm a missing character on my team. I had a team tell me to stop auto attacking using gsword in pvp the otherday the guy that said something didnt see me on a ledge using many other skills and tried to say all I was doing is auto attacking although the gsword does a lot of autos if its the only weapon youre using and I play with auto off due to stealth and that weapon... I feel like staff only does auto even when i use auto a ton on gsword I dont feel the same way about the two weapons.

If I want to do something with staff to the enemy it almost feels like the only option is auto.

Chaos storm is an amazing AoE daze and great defensive setup spell, that both make people get outta your phase and combo great with skill 2 for getting an extra chaos armor! Skill 2 is probaly the best clone build attack, where you got a near 100% chance for it to spawn, while being a great kite and juke skill! While I do agree on the staff auto attack could use a bit of love and skill 4 could do with a lower cd, I really would't call the staff worthless!

@R E F L H E X.8413 said:Thats where I try it and feel like I'm a missing character on my team. I had a team tell me to stop auto attacking using gsword in pvp the otherday the guy that said something didnt see me on a ledge using many other skills and tried to say all I was doing is auto attacking although the gsword does a lot of autos if its the only weapon youre using and I play with auto off due to stealth and that weapon... I feel like staff only does auto even when i use auto a ton on gsword I dont feel the same way about the two weapons.

If I want to do something with staff to the enemy it almost feels like the only option is auto.

You're probably not playing enough PvP if you're not seeing how valuable staff is. It is not supposed to be a damage weapon. Staff's strengths lie in its mix of utility, mobility, and defense. Staff gives your 2 clones at range for quick Continuum Split combos. While GS also does this, it puts the clones and iZerker in melee range which makes it easier for them to be cleaved down. Your so-called 'useless' Chaos Storm is one of the best cleaves you have on a condi build (especially if you're not running sword) to put on a downed body or a teammate to res them. If you're running sword instead of scepter, Phase Retreat is the only way you don't become S/D Thief food. Good Mesmers will also use Phase Retreat as a low CD blink. Chaos Armor isn't great, but weakness and cripple are 2 really annoying and lifesaving cover conditions in higher PLAT games. Put weakness on a bunker Rev or Thief and all they can do is tickle you while blowing though their CDs to clear these condis.

Yeah the AA sucks, but the staff itself is far from bad in PvP/WvW.

I never said bad I know atleast subpar meta builds use it which should be more condi based im leaning more in the area of strange and hopeless offensive feeling. The stun on the aoe isnt that reliable for me to think its all that great on downs youre hitting for something extremely low like 200 damage or so.

I say subpar meta because even watching helseth play with portal and staff almost seems like they could replace that mesmer with something else and be better off.

@Zenith.7301 said:Staff should be an aoe condi weapon. That's the one weapon niche mesmer is missing.

Later cub!

(Not that I'd consider any current Mesmer weapon a viable AoE power choice...)

I use Staff in power builds as defensive back-up weapon with some area control.

I'd prefer staff to stay as a hybrid defensive utility weapon (yes it is a hybrid weapon best suited for hybrid stats).

Yes I'd like the auto attack to fly faster, yes I'd like the cast effect of iWarlock to be more unique and iWarlock's own attack to fly faster, yes I'd like staff 4 to be a proper skill (like trident 3...) and yes I'd even like to see chaos storm come down to 30s base cooldown.

But aside from that it's a solid tool and I don't believe it needs significant changes.

@Amadeus.5687 said:

@Zenith.7301 said:Staff should be an aoe condi weapon. That's the one weapon niche mesmer is missing.

Defensive utility that is worthless in PvE. Why does every weapon have to have specific PvP niche uses and accidental use in PvE?

I think of staff as a defensive weapon that bites back when approached. Every staff skill has to do with avoiding damage, and if someone gets close to you (IWarlock, chaos armor) or your chaos storm you hurt them back.

@Zenith.7301 said:

@Amadeus.5687 said:

@Zenith.7301 said:Staff should be an aoe condi weapon. That's the one weapon niche mesmer is missing.

I think the real question is why is open PvE so laughabel easy, that you dont need defensive tools! and AoE focused wespons are useless in the broader perspectiv of high end FoTM and raids, where its far more important to have a solid single target dps. And if you finally have to do some adds or trash killing a melee cleave weapon, like the axe, will be a better option

@Zenith.7301 said:

@Amadeus.5687 said:

@Zenith.7301 said:Staff should be an aoe condi weapon. That's the one weapon niche mesmer is missing.

Focus...