Scepter Redesign Concept, feel free to post your suggestions too.

I didn't want to come across as somebody who just criticises and doesn't give any ideas on how to improve certain things, so I decided to post this rework idea I came up wth some time ago (+ I'm more hopeful for reworks nowadays since Anet listened to us and fixed phantasm-shatter interaction).I've been playing my Necro in PvE for a while using Axe. The weapon is pretty similar to Mesmer's Scepter: mostly single target damage, sustainy resource generation (LF on Axe 2, Clone on Scepter aa 3), channeled skills (Ghastly Claws and Confusing Images). However imho, Necromancer's axe is way more fun and effective than Mesmer's Scepter. Axe's animations are more caster-ish and magical compared to Scepter's mindless stick swinging. So my idea of Scepter's redesign is kinda inspired by Necro's Axe.

1. AA - This skill would be basically Mesmer's version of Necro's axe's AA: identical casting animation, but mesmery visuals and effects (eg purple bursts of energy instead of dark claws). It would also be more Condi oriented. The clone generation is gone, but I believe it's a fair trade off for a more powerful autoattack.

Mind Torture - Strike your foe's mind twice, dealing damage and applying Torment with each hitDamage: (x2) 0.95Torment per hit: 1 stack for 4 secs.Range: 900Cast time: 1 sec

2. I dislike this skill a lot due to its on-single-block-trigger nature. I decided to shorten the block duration, but make the skill block all incoming attacks instead of just one. Additionally, this skill now always triggers after the block ends, but deals much higher damage if it blocks attacks (kind of similar to new iDefender). The animation during block would be identical to that of Full Counter, but again with more mesmery visuals.

Ethereal Shield - Block attacks for the duration. When the block ends, summon a clone and release an attack that inflicts damage + Torment on your target. Deal additional damage and torment per attack blocked.Damage: 1.0 (PvP), 1.5 (PvE)Torment: 4 stacks for 8 secs (PvP), 5 stacks for 10 secs (PvE)Damage increase per attack blocked: 20%Maximum damage increase: 100%Bonus Torment per attack blocked: 1 stack for 6 secsMaximum additional stacks: 3Range: 900Block Duration/Cast Time: 1 secCD: 10 secs (PvP), 6 secs (PvE)

3. This skill is the best one Scepter has to offer, but since the Confusion nerf, it's completely useless in PvE condi builds. The best solution would be reverting Confusion nerfs in PvE, but it's very unlikely. I fixed condi aspect of this skill by making it, as somebody suggested in the other thread, apply burning in addition to Confusion. I didn't want to make it OP in PvP though, so the Burn duration is PvP in almost non-existant (it's only there because it seems that Anet is unable to split functionality, and can only make numbers' changes). I also made Confusing Images AoE around the target, however other enemies take reduced damage from it. In terms of animations & visuals, I would love the channel animation to be identical to Necro Axe 2 (again :tongue: ) or similar to Skyforge's Witch's Ring of Fire. The AoE could be something like this: https://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/File:Wither_skill_screenshot.jpg

Confusing Images - Channel energy to damage your target. Also deals reduced damage to other foes. Apply confusion and burning to each enemy struck.Damage: (x6) 3.6Confusion: 6 stacks for 4 secs (PvP), 6 stacks for 8 secs (PvE)Burning: 6 stacks for 0.5 secs (PvP), 6 stacks for 3 secs (PvE)Damage reduction to other enemies: 33%Number of targets: 5Radius: 240Range: 900Channel time: 1.75 secCD: 12 secs

4. Scepter's trait no longer increases attack speed while wielding scepter. Now it increases the damage (both condi and power) Mesmer deals to foes who suffer from Torment.

Malicious Sorcery - (Optional: When wielding scepter,) Deal increased damage and condition damage to foes based on number of Torment stacks on them. Reduces recharge of Scepter skills.Damage increase per Torment stack: 1%Condition Damage increase per Torment stack: 1%Maximum increase: 10%Recharge reduced: 20%

I'm not sure about the numbers, especially PVP ones (I mostly do PvE stuff), so feel free to comment on that. Also, if you have any other redesign concepts, please post them too (if you want to, of course). Let's help Anet make Scepter good, pretty, and enjoyable.Thanks for reading, and have a nice day.Love :heart:

Honestly, imho scepter would be back in the competitive scene if the 2 skill is something like block attacks for 2 secs, flip overrride for 5 stacks of AoE torment upon blocked attack on a 10 sec untraited CD. There, competitive enough to give sword/axe a run for it’s money.

Here’s where I pulled that number out of my arse.Axe 3 detarget would take an average of about 1.5 sec for your opponent to retarget regardless of you being a pvp sensation or not plus the .5 evade slapped on the skill for good measure at 10 secs cd.Super defensive blur of sword 2 gives you 2.5 secs of “I live to fight another day” on a 12 secs untraited (or is it 10?) while outputting some serious DeePeeEs while still being able to reposition with Jaunt.

Sad state of affairs that nowadays "buffing a weapon skill" mostly means replacing or superceding the Confusion stacks it can deal. Because well, obviously Confusion is entirely useless now outside of a few select artificial duelling scenarios.

Easy scepter redesign - Malicious Sorcery updated to be 20% increased attack speed while wielding a scepter, all scepter attacks that apply confusion also apply half the stacks of burning, minimum 1 stack.

Not the most imaginative, but it would give it its damage back, if that is your goal

@Arlette.9684 said:Honestly, imho scepter would be back in the competitive scene if the 2 skill is something like block attacks for 2 secs, flip overrride for 5 stacks of AoE torment upon blocked attack on a 10 sec untraited CD. There, competitive enough to give sword/axe a run for it’s money.

2 secs of blocking on 10 secs CD (untraited) would be imo a little too much. Both Sword 2 and Axe 3 are melee and lock you in animation, whereas Scepter 2 is ranged and can be used while moving, that's why I believe it should have shorter block. It'd require testing in order to prevent making it either OP or terribad though.The flip/trigger on block idea, while being okay in PvP, is clunky in PvE, because it makes the skill useless on fights where you are not attacked constantly. This is the reason why I proposed that it should always trigger when the block ends, but have much stronger effect if it blocked attacks to reward smart usage.

@OriOri.8724 said:Easy scepter redesign - Malicious Sorcery updated to be 20% increased attack speed while wielding a scepter, all scepter attacks that apply confusion also apply half the stacks of burning, minimum 1 stack.

Not the most imaginative, but it would give it its damage back, if that is your goal

My goal was not only to give Scepter damage, my main goal was to make Scepter enjoyable and fun to use, to make skills it provides more reliable, and to give the weapon some caster/wizard spirit it currently lacks.

I'm not sure if the fix you've proposed would accomplish much to help the Scepter. Its skills would still remain unfun (bad & ugly AA, clunky skill 2, not a single AoE skill), and the weapon itself would become even more reliant on its trait.Plus, the only Scepter skills that inflict Confusion are skill 3 and ambush. So if I understand your idea correctly, that means Skill 3 would inflict 3 stacks of burning (because it does 6 stacks of confusion), and ambush with its rng based confusion would be like ~1-2 stacks of Burning per ambush, I guess? Not sure if it would help much, honestly. I might have got it wrong though, so correct me if so.

Edit: My redesign idea isn't that hard to implement too (not saying it's easy because every rework takes time and effort, but not extremely difficult as well). Animation/mechanic-wise, it largely borrows from things that already exist in the game (Necro's Axe animations, Full Counter animation, iDefender mechanic). It's visual & sound effects, and of course numbers that would require most work

I've never been a fan of the scepter. But I do like to have options. Mesmer to me is usually all about fast casting and the scepter always felt clunky and slow. The trait that was added to boost its attack speed doesn't really seem to be effective because even the cast times as well as the after cast are slow and drawn out. It could be kept the same for the most part but reduce the cast time by a huge amount and also do something with confusing images since confusing is back in its wet noodle stages. I've always liked the block but I think activated it before you get a block proc should be stronger since your forgoing some of your defense. Thats pretty much it for me.

Design space overload is the biggest problem here, IMO.

There's only so much room for more weapons. If Scepter is "the ranged condi weapon", then Staff cannot ever output serious damage, or they'd override one another. It'd be easy to design that way, in any case. If it is the "clone spam weapon", then by default other weapons will struggle in shatter throughput.All easy to design, if it's only 2-3 weapons per class. Make it 3 mainhand + 5 offhand + 2 two-handed and you're looking for trouble.

I would actually just refunction the lazer to a ground target 5 target cleave field tgat applies confusion and gives aegis to allies. Aetherfield ofcourse.And the block should protect an area similar to guard mace. Instead of just block an attack directly aimed at you.AA should hit additional targts around main target.

I hate the single target aspect of scepter and mesmer has no AoE MH weapon so i give it similar characteristics of guard mace but with range and more in mesmer style.

@"bart.3687" I honestly haven't used scepter in a long time and I thought that one of the skills in the auto chain applied confusion instead of torment, which would allow for pretty good burn stacks. I do get your point, but I disagree on your problems listed for scepter in your reply to me. First, the "bad and ugly AA" is very subjective, and the animations have no part in how good of a weapon it is. I think the AA is quite fine in its current state honestly, as it allows for easy clone generation that doesn't rely on any CDs at all (though granted this was more a bonus before the phantasm rework). To the scepter not having any AoE skills, well think about what kind of weapon it is. Scepter is primarily a dueling weapon. You have enough torment on it to continuously place pressure on someone trying to out-maneuver you, you have a 1 target block, that is followed up with a blind (and combos very nicely with our dueling focused lines), and then you have a single target skill that does decent damage to an enemy. On top of all of this, you have rather spectacular clone generation going on with scepter. Auto attack gets clones out fast, and illusionary counter also generates clones on a short CD if you can block an attack with it. Then you have malicious sorcery as a trait, which increases your attack speed.

Scepter is designed as a dueling weapon. It doesn't need an AoE, and tacking one on doesn't fit in its design scope.

Not only that, but there is already far too much AoE in this game in the first place. We honestly need to be taking AoE away, instead of adding yet more AoE.

All of that said, I do agree that my initial comment was not a great idea. It was pretty uninspired.

The only reason im bothering to give a honest comment on this is because you compared so manythings to necro's weapon skills.Perhaps the non mesmer perspective is good for feedback as well, yes?

I would like to point out a few things that would make your concept

• Unfair and busted in a few ways
• Unfun to fight against
• Covers even more of mesmers already small window of weakness

1. There is no way scepter 1 could be as fast as necro's axe 1.

   • The axe does not apply a damaging condition and that would be obnoxious to be able to just splatter out auto attacks fo torment like that along with everything else mesmer can already do behind its cover of illusions and phantom summonings.
   • Not to mention removing the projectile would be a 100% buff to mesmers deception when attacking form stealth or during all the chaos that they can spawn onto the screen.
   • Honestly axe and scepter are 2 different weapons of varying speeds the fact that you are comparing a what should be a slower casting weapon to faster power wepaon is fairly blunt. I could have understood if you compared it to Gurdian's scepter. Maybe even some points of ele scepter. but not something like necros's axe.

2. Skill 2

   • Being able to block more than one attack is acceptable maybe. But it just means you cover yourself even more when you are not doging, currently invunerable, in stealth, or using some other offensive weapon skill that also evades. Not to mention mesmer has far too many instant actions it can already take while currently performing any other cast.
   • Getting damage increased and torment increase per attacks blocked is not ok, especially when it comes to a counter attack that not only spawns a clone but also has evade frames and applies a hefty amount of condition at base. Too much reward for blocking attacks which will surely happen.
   • 10 second cool down is insane.

3. Skill 3Scepter 3 hits hard IT HITS HARD! Regardless of the confusion changes this skill is bursty against a single target.

   • Did i mention this skill already hits hard?
   • The confusion changes did hurt it in pve but thats not a real reason to suddenly throw burning on to this skill. Maybe if its changed to burning in pve only confusion in pvp can still tic hard provided enough stacks were applied and your foe is attacking. And 6 stacks of of it regardless of the duration os obnoxious.
   • Adding cleave to this skill might be a worth wild option but only if it became a ground targeted skill that could easily be walked out of.
   • Once again why did you compare this to necro axe skill. It darn near outperforms it as it is for a single target burst skill.

Im not trying to crush your ideas but this is inane to be honest. Mesmers already have alot of over tuned skills and excel in far more than what they should.What trade offs would be lost for gaining the benefits of your suggestion?

@"ZDragon.3046" said:

1. There is no way scepter 1 could be as fast as necro's axe 1.
   • The axe does not apply a damaging condition and that would be obnoxious to be able to just splatter out auto attacks fo torment like that along with everything else mesmer can already do behind its cover of illusions and phantom summonings.

Numbers on some skills might not be and probably aren't balanced. I just wanted to post a general idea I came up with.By the way, I've never said Necro's Axe is in ideal state (Frankly, I believe it should have more interactions with Vulnerability, but that's another topic), and I've never meant to make Scepter better than it.I just used Axe as an inspiration, because to me it has very nice, smooth animations I'd like to have on scepter, that's it.

• Not to mention removing the projectile would be a 100% buff to mesmers deception when attacking form stealth or during all the chaos that they can spawn onto the screen.

This seems to be about PvP/WvW, so I can't really speak about it, however removing projectiles should actually decrease visual clutter mesmer creates, and deception is limited anyway due to the fact that clones' attack rate is way slower. Idk tho.Also, clones should probably deal shorter durations of torment with their AA in pvp, but that's numbers balance again.

• Honestly axe and scepter are 2 different weapons of varying speeds the fact that you are comparing a what should be a slower casting weapon to faster power wepaon is fairly blunt. I could have understood if you compared it to Gurdian's scepter. Maybe even some points of ele scepter. but not something like necros's axe.

To my mind, mesmer's scepter has a lot more in common with Necro's axe than with anything else you've mentioned, but I'm not gonna argue if you think otherwise.

2. Skill 2
   • Being able to block more than one attack is acceptable maybe. But it just means you cover yourself even more when you are not doging, currently invunerable, in stealth, or using some other offensive weapon skill that also evades. Not to mention mesmer has far too many instant actions it can already take while currently performing any other cast.

It's a PvP issue again, but I don't think we should leave Scepter crippled in PvE because pvp Mirage (I'm guessing here, because that's the spec I've heard most complaints about) has some arguably unhealthy mechanics. Other builds (including core) and game modes exist too.

• Getting damage increased and torment increase per attacks blocked is not ok, especially when it comes to a counter attack that not only spawns a clone but also has evade frames and applies a hefty amount of condition at base. Too much reward for blocking attacks which will surely happen.
• 10 second cool down is insane.

PvP balance again, just wanted to point out that my rework removes evade frames during the counterattack animation. Also, this skill's current cd is 6 s (4 s untraited) for a single block with evade frames.

3. Skill 3Scepter 3 hits hard IT HITS HARD! Regardless of the confusion changes this skill is bursty against a single target.
   • Did i mention this skill already hits hard?

Yes I agree, that's I don't want more burst for it in Pvp.

• The confusion changes did hurt it in pve but thats not a real reason to suddenly throw burning on to this skill. Maybe if its changed to burning in pve only confusion in pvp can still tic hard provided enough stacks were applied and your foe is attacking. And 6 stacks of of it regardless of the duration os obnoxious.

The burn duration in PvP is 0.5 sec, so its damage there is non-existant. It could be made 1/4 s or even 1/100 s, I don't care. It isn't there for pvp purposes, only for pve. It has to be there because Anet appears to be unable to split functionality (ie they can't put burning on it in Pve and leave it without burning in Pvp, they can modify only durations/damage, it seems).

• Adding cleave to this skill might be a worth wild option but only if it became a ground targeted skill that could easily be walked out of.

I should have mentioned that AoE addition was meant mostly for PvE too, so in Pvp the damage dealt to other people could be reduced even further (say by 90%). It's again because of Anet refusing to split skills' functionality between modes.

• Once again why did you compare this to necro axe skill. It darn near outperforms it as it is for a single target burst skill.

The only comparison is that they both are channeled skills (I mean, it's obvious) and that I'd like Scepter 3 to have identical channel animation (ie spinning scepter). Idk about pvp burst, in pve afaik necro's Axe 2 deals more overall damage than mesmer's Scepter 3 if you compare them under identical circumstances.

Im not trying to crush your ideas but this is inane to be honest. Mesmers already have alot of over tuned skills and excel in far more than what they should.

Doesn't mean that we should leave certain things in garbage tier (okay, in wvw Scepter isn't garbage, but in pve it is). Meta pvp mesmer doesn't even use this weapon, so leaving it as it is has literally no impact on how meta mesmer performs.Mesmer's scepter is trash tier in pve, period. Of course, it's not the only one, other professions have weapons that could use a lot of buffing/redesigning too imo.

What trade offs would be lost for gaining the benefits of your suggestion?

1) no more global 20% actions' speed increase from Malicious Sorcery2) no more clone generation on AA3) no more evade frames on skill 2, so no more Evasive Mirror procs.

Thanks for your feedback anyway, it's nice to see some other viewpoints :smile:

@"OriOri.8724" Forgive me, but I'm too tired to write anything longer than a few sentences. I'm just gonna say that I agree that there is too much AoE (and instant casts too) in this game, but at this point I don't really see them reducing it, sadly.I simply compared Scepter to imo kind of similar weapons other professions have (ie Necro's Axe, Ranger's mh axe) and they both have some sort of AoE, whereas scepter does not.About AA, sure, "ugly" might be subjective, but I just don't know how can anyone find Scepter visually pleasing (it's basically a wand using mace animations, just saying). Sorry!And yes, Scepter does okay in WvW duels as far as I know, but I'm mostly talking about PvE where Scepter is simply bad. If nothing else, it should at least get more damage on its AA in this mode.

@bart.3687 said:Thanks for your feedback anyway, it's nice to see some other viewpoints :smile:

@"OriOri.8724" Forgive me, but I'm too tired to write anything longer than a few sentences. I'm just gonna say that I agree that there is too much AoE (and instant casts too) in this game, but at this point I don't really see them reducing it, sadly.

Anet just need to be more careful with what else they stack ontop of what already exist I dont think they need to remove or reduce it (by much).

I simply compared Scepter to imo kind of similar weapons other professions have (ie Necro's Axe, Ranger's mh axe) and they both have some sort of AoE, whereas scepter does not.About AA, sure, "ugly" might be subjective, but I just don't know how can anyone find Scepter visually pleasing (it's basically a wand using mace animations, just saying). Sorry!And yes, Scepter does okay in WvW duels as far as I know, but I'm mostly talking about PvE where Scepter is simply bad. If nothing else, it should at least get more damage on its AA in this mode.

Ahh ok thanks for the replies to my rebuttals on all of this it makes alot more sense now if you are looking from mostly a pve side yes what you say makes alot of sense. But trying to split this with pvp would be a nightmare.

Scepters with the exception of guardian and ele are clunky even necro scepter is clunky imo. Which is why i pointed those out but if you are just looking for a smoother animation and not specifically speed bursting torment that much more understandable.

Axe 2 will deal more damage depending upon how many vuln stacks a target has considering torment has a much higher cap than vuln doing the same thing on mesmers scepter 3 using torment without some kind of limit might be a bit unhealthy.

I get what you mean about the weapon being left behind i think every profession has at least 1 weapon thats just not working for it in over 50% of game modesMesmer scepter being the obvious one here. I think scepter is not used anymore because with mirage right now there is no need for it you get better options with other weapons. Before mirage i recall seeing plenty of scepter use at least in pvp maybe not in wvw or pve though.

I've used scepter a lot in wvw (probably around 4000 hours of roaming). I only played one pvp season to max rank, but I used scepter there as well.

It can feel a bit awkward without something to speed it up (either the Malicious Sorcery trait or Quickness). But the current design lets it fill multiple roles, so I would be bummed if it lost it's ability to create clones fairly quickly, the ability to block while repositioning, or the ability to have an attack that scales well with power (scepter 3 can hit pretty hard).

The change to confusion definitely hurt the damage output of scepter in pure condi builds, but (not including Mirage's axe) mesmer only has two-mainhand weapons. It would be a shame if scepter couldn't cover a variety of use cases - it allows for more interesting different builds.

Scepter is one of my favorite weapons. I like the dull animations and would not want to have the same as necro axe.

In PvE, trying to push axe (and staff) as a condi weapon is a hopeless case.Axe by design has to be the stronger condi dps weapon, as its melee range and comes with an e-spec that focusses around condi damage.Hybrid dps isn't a thing and pretty impossible to balance anyway.So unless you care about core builds (Anet clearly doesn't), why even try to push it?

In PvP scepter isn't even in that of a bad shape, if we ignore that condi and esp. confusion received so much hate recently.

Now to your suggestions

1. I agree that the clone generation on auto is dated, as there are so many other ways now, but I don't think it should be changed to a non-chain skill. Chain skills reward timing skills around it and I think they should just buff the power coefficient of the third attack. I don't think it should be pushed more towards condi.Also keep in mind - this attack will also be available to clones, so it should not pump out too many condis or we'll have another case of a broken no-shatter build.
2. Keep in mind this skill features not only a single block, but also a 0,5 sec evade upon sucessful block. Changing it to a full 1 sec block but almost doubling the cd feels more than a nerf, considering there are attacks that go through block.While I like your "punishing" idea, this is just something that doesn't work in PvE and in PvP it has the potential of being quite broken. With the amount of AoE, pets and clones going around, you'd have to balance it for almost always hitting max stacks, which again would mean the attack will be pretty meh in duels. You know duels, the one thing scepter is supposed to shine?
3. Putting burning on this skill isn't such a bad idea to make this weapon at least somewhat competitive in PvE. In PvP I have to agree, give it like 1/4 sec duration and it should be fine.I always wanted scepter to have a proper AoE, the current way you have to target the enemy farthest from you and the rest has to stand in line always struck me as unintuituve and just bad design. Making it just full AoE also seems too strong.Why not just mirror the power damage from the skill to foes around the enemy? That should be enough.
4. Changing the trait from one passive damage increase to another passive damage increase (yeah it has some stacking to it, but still) feels pointless. I'd rather see this trait gone and replaced with something completely different. Weapon traits are always bad, but those on GM spots also have to be so strong, you're almost forced to take them when you want to work with the weapon.

To sum it up:Scepter should keep it's hybrid nature with decent power coefficients and a more "bursty" condi application.In PvE by all means buff scepter to give maybe 80% of the condi damage of axe, so core mesmer also has at least an alternative.In PvP definitely avoid creating another broken build.

@"Bod.8261" said:(...)Yeah, animations/visuals/sounds might be subjective matter, but liking current animations is... quite special to me. :wink:

Now to your suggestions

1. I agree that the clone generation on auto is dated, as there are so many other ways now, but I don't think it should be changed to a non-chain skill. Chain skills reward timing skills around it and I think they should just buff the power coefficient of the third attack. I don't think it should be pushed more towards condi.

Sure, if nothing else I'd be more than happy if they increased power coefficents on the AA in PvE, however not only on the third attack as it already has the highest power damage. It's part 1 and 2 of the aa that are extremely poor and should get buffed. About the condi output, yeah, it's probably okay in PvP environments, but in PvE I'd really like increased durations for mesmer only (not clones), or at least part 3 should always apply torment.

Also keep in mind - this attack will also be available to clones, so it should not pump out too many condis or we'll have another case of a broken no-shatter build.

Yeah, that's why clones should apply condis for reduced durations, just like Axe and Scepter ambushes do.

2. Keep in mind this skill features not only a single block, but also a 0,5 sec evade upon sucessful block. Changing it to a full 1 sec block but almost doubling the cd feels more than a nerf, considering there are attacks that go through block.While I like your "punishing" idea, this is just something that doesn't work in PvE and in PvP it has the potential of being quite broken. With the amount of AoE, pets and clones going around, you'd have to balance it for almost always hitting max stacks, which again would mean the attack will be pretty meh in duels. You know duels, the one thing scepter is supposed to shine?

About the CD, when I made this concept I wasn't aware that they were going to reduce the CD of this skill to 6 secs in WvW. It was 8 secs back then, so I just increased it by 2 secs, which I thought was a fair tradeoff for being able to block all attacks for the duration.However, I can see that this idea might not be the best. Personally, I wouldn't mind seeing this skill replaced with something entirely else, because (as I've already stated 34563 times) I hate the on-block-trigger skills in PvE, but I know that people like this skill in PvP/WvW, so I tried to merge both viewpoints to maintain this skill's blocking nature and make it more convenient to use in PvE. The on-block damage/condi increase is just a bonus I thought would be fun & give the skill some depth.It's not the best skill concept, I agree, yet I'd still enjoy it way more than the current one.

(...)

4. Changing the trait from one passive damage increase to another passive damage increase (yeah it has some stacking to it, but still) feels pointless. I'd rather see this trait gone and replaced with something completely different. Weapon traits are always bad, but those on GM spots also have to be so strong, you're almost forced to take them when you want to work with the weapon.

Yep, it was just a fast idea I made to indicate that increased Attack speed from Malicious Sorcery is gone. I wanted to make the scepter trait more optional, because right now it feels mandatory due to the fact that it is a fix to the weapon's otherwise poor attack speed.

To sum it up:Scepter should keep it's hybrid nature with decent power coefficients and a more "bursty" condi application.In PvE by all means buff scepter to give maybe 80% of the condi damage of axe, so core mesmer also has at least an alternative.In PvP definitely avoid creating another broken build.

I agree.

@bart.3687 said:Yeah, animations/visuals/sounds might be subjective matter, but liking current animations is... quite special to me. :wink:Tbh when I was using scepter it was on an asura using a Princess Wand, so the whole thing being over the top and silly was kind of the point B)

Sure, if nothing else I'd be more than happy if they increased power coefficents on the AA in PvE, however not only on the third attack as it already has the highest power damage. It's part 1 and 2 of the aa that are extremely poor and should get buffed. About the condi output, yeah, it's probably okay in PvP environments, but in PvE I'd really like increased durations for mesmer only (not clones), or at least part 3 should always apply torment.The power coefficients for the three autoattacks are 0,5 / 0,5 / 0,75 and the cast times are 0,5 / 0,5 / 0,75 -> currently they all do about same damage. They should be something along the lines of 0,5 / 0,75 / 1,25 to reward actually completing the chain.And yes, if you do away with the clone, always apply torment on the third hit or give it some other kind of utility.

It's not the best skill concept, I agree, yet I'd still enjoy it way more than the current one.How about buffing Counterspell instead?Increase the power coefficient by 0.1 for every 0.1 second you are blocking, up to a max coefficient of 1.1.This way you can start blocking and if you don't get hit within second, you can throw counterspell and still get some damage in.Obviously blocking an attack is still stronger, so this should not be an issue in PvP.Or maybe this is still too clunky?

Autos should insta hit the target just like nercros scepter. Ambush skill changed to 3 attacks but they explode on impact (this weapon needs some aoe) and it would also insta hit just like the autos. Scepter 2 is good as is, no complaints. Scepter 3 is pretty trash. Instead of this single target long animation crap, change it to a 1sec casting time chaos ball that explodes on impact and applies 3stacks of burning for 2sec and 3 stacks of confusion for 3sec, the animation would be similar to staff ambush skill.

When we've got GS that cleaves, Sword that cleaves, Axe that cleaves, Staff that has aoe... and then scepter which feels like it belongs in a different era. It's still good in 1v1 but scales badly and in my opinion is at a disadvantage in mesmer vs mesmer matchups.

Scepter 2 could do with being a channeled block with flipover skill rather than single block - would at least make it better in group situations. I like your idea of a purple full counter style animation and effect.

Scepter 1.. I dunno - I don't want it to be aoe like everything else - maybe it should be instant hit removing the awkward nature of the projectiles.

Scepter 3 definitely needs easier aoe rather than this awkward line cleave - maybe have the beam split to nearby targets like GS beam. And seeing as they're removing confusion from everything, may as well remove confusion from this too and replace it with torment. :> (/s)