Learning Mirage

I'm looking for help with Mirage as an elite spec, as I've tried on my own to figure it out and I just can't. I am not sure if it's entirely the dodge, the fact that I don't hotkey or I'm supposed to have a higher reaction time to play the spec.

I've played chrono for a long while now (not since HoT launch but about 6 months or so afterwards), but mirage is so different that I just can't seem to get the hang of it, to the point that I'm frustrated I can't learn the spec. I've also tried power and condi specs and the end result is the same, I lose in any fight I get into with another player. Also playing it like a thief (which I know is some advice I've gotten) doesn't help me as I don't play thief.

What gamemode?

When you say you don't hotkey do you mean you double tap dodge? I would strongly advise binding dodge to a single key, especially for mirage so it is easier to use. Treat the dodge like a 1s F4, you can use it to cover cast anything you like, for mobility, remove conditions and stunbreak (elusive mind), initiate ambush, res/stomp, proc on dodge/evade traits such as deceptive evasion and so on.

Persist at it for a while - I'd recommend running around open world pve repeating combos to get a feeling of flow. It's just a case of something different, you have to unlearn the standard dodge habits because they no longer apply. I can't really say any more because it just requires practice - but once you get the hang of it it is the most powerful dodge in the game.

@Karnasis.6892 said:I'm looking for help with Mirage as an elite spec, as I've tried on my own to figure it out and I just can't. I am not sure if it's entirely the dodge, the fact that I don't hotkey or I'm supposed to have a higher reaction time to play the spec.

I've played chrono for a long while now (not since HoT launch but about 6 months or so afterwards), but mirage is so different that I just can't seem to get the hang of it, to the point that I'm frustrated I can't learn the spec. I've also tried power and condi specs and the end result is the same, I lose in any fight I get into with another player. Also playing it like a thief (which I know is some advice I've gotten) doesn't help me as I don't play thief.

Mirage plays fast. Everything is done on the move, lots of instant effects, frequent dodging, and unique to mirage: dodging while using other skills! If you're saying you click your skills, you won't be able to reach your full potential with this class. Then again, with the way things are going you might be able to stand there spamming ambush with staff and do just fine, so who knows?

I don't hotkey means that yes I double tap to dodge, I also mean that I don't hit the 1-0 keys to use my utilities and weapon skills (or the f1-f4 keys either). The only keys I have bound to my mouse (not a fancy mouse) are autorun and weapon swap. But I've been trying to learn it in WvW specifically, I've given up on sPvP learning it since it's so confined to what build you can use, but I should try some open world like running around VB.

Also, that's what I was worried about, that as we get more specs it feels like you have to press the skills in shorter and shorter amount of time, but hey I'll try more practice to see if I can play it and adjust (I'm not a slow skill clicker by any means, just feels like they want everyone to hotkey some of of the new specs :P)

Thanks :)

@Karnasis.6892 said:I don't hotkey means that yes I double tap to dodge, I also mean that I don't hit the 1-0 keys to use my utilities and weapon skills (or the f1-f4 keys either). The only keys I have bound to my mouse (not a fancy mouse) are autorun and weapon swap. But I've been trying to learn it in WvW specifically, I've given up on sPvP learning it since it's so confined to what build you can use, but I should try some open world like running around VB.

Also, that's what I was worried about, that as we get more specs it feels like you have to press the skills in shorter and shorter amount of time, but hey I'll try more practice to see if I can play it and adjust (I'm not a slow skill clicker by any means, just feels like they want everyone to hotkey some of of the new specs :P)

Thanks :)

Yeah that's going to be difficult then - mirage of all specs requires you to be able to do several things at once and/or in quick succession in order to excel. It's not as twitchy playstyle as core thief or daredevil, but you can't afford the time to be clicking skills - everything has to be fluid which only works with binding keys for all skills and dodge.

Bah that sucks, I guess Mirage will be out of my reach then. I don't have a mmo mouse/mmo keyboard so hotkeys are out of my reach (and I don't want to invest the money into that to learn I can't play like that). It is what it is, but I appreciate the tips and advice and I will still try some pve practise. Not fond of twitch gameplay (and why we need more of that in gaming I dunno)

@Karnasis.6892 said:Bah that sucks, I guess Mirage will be out of my reach then. I don't have a mmo mouse/mmo keyboard so hotkeys are out of my reach (and I don't want to invest the money into that to learn I can't play like that). It is what it is, but I appreciate the tips and advice and I will still try some pve practise. Not fond of twitch gameplay (and why we need more of that in gaming I dunno)

You don't need an mmo mouse to do it! :) A normal 5 button mouse will do. I have blink on one thumb button for example.

Just smart keybinds for important abilities such as Jaunt, dodge and so on.

As mirage doesn't have F5 you don't need to waste keyboard space for that keybind.

You can put shatters on 1-4, crucial abilities on things like Q, E, R, F, C and so on, and use modifier keys such as Shift+E to access more skills. You've got to spend some time playing around to feel the right positions for your hand - and also make sure you can execute combos fluidly without having to stretch your hand between keys or modifier keys.

You should easily be able to cover all the weapon skills and utilities this way.

Then it is a case of comfortable location for nearest target, next target etc, so you can change target at will.

Here is a simple key re-bind that I use that works for all of my characters.
Rebind strafe from Q and E to A and D.Rebind 6 to left ShiftRebind 7 to QRebind 8 to ERebind 9 to CI have an extra button on my mouse for the elite skill - 0.

Then pay attention to the skills you use the most/have the shortest cool downs. If I use it infrequently, or it is on a long cool down, that gets bound to the 9/C skill slot. The shorter ones go on the 7/Q and 8/E slots. The only down side to the arrangement is that when I want to ping something in chat...I inadvertently pop my heal skill. :)

Just making those changes bumped my gameplay up several orders of magnitude. And since I follow the same pattern with the bindings on all characters, playing necro doesn't 'hurt' my warrior gameplay - I'm always pressing C for my long-cool down skill, or I'm always pressing shift to pop my heal. And it isn't a difficulty to reach up and hit F1 or F2 for a shatter or burst skill instead of punching 1-5 for my attacks.

I use like a 8 button mouse plus a razor Tartarus. I’ve put all my movement keys onto the thumb stick and use the wasd placements as weaponswap, jump, heal and dodge.

Well worth the investment. It will change your life