Mirage or Scourge?

I'm not normally one for condition builds and I've recently decided screw it and got a basic condi set for both Mirage and Scourge. Normally I like to do supportish builds that were power such as guardian, Chrono, Ele, etcI like both of these classes but I like to support, and overall it seemed Scourge's damage is much higher but I heard it's due to a shade bug that applies damage multiple times.So my question which would be better for my playstyle and for fractals, dungeons, etc. Not raids and such. Thanks!

Scourge only, Mirage is virtually worthless compared to both chrono and Scourge. If you want flavor at the cost of effectiveness, a full condi dps build isn't horrible. Just inferior, with no support outside portal.

If you like support, go with Scourge. The Mirage is an utterly selfish spec that does little more than convoluted damage. The Scourge provides condition cleansing and good barrier automatically as part of its rotation, and it can be edited to give out might, block projectiles, and even spread damage around with epidemic.

As someone who's been playing Mirage, I would have to agree with Arachnid. Mirage is a much more power-based profession that focuses on burst damage and dodging, whereas Scourge, from what little I've played, is more of a pulsing AoE conditions user. It takes a bit of time to learn it, but once you do, it can be devastating. I prefer the damage and flexibility of the Mirage, but I usually play it when I'm soloing in PvE. The best way I play support with it is if I'm adding more targets for my foes or using my shatter skills to damage/daze/confuse enemies; it's otherwise pretty useless to support.

Both are fun. Scourge makes it easy to cheese because it has support, great condition damage, epidemic and when your in down state you res your self easily. Mirage has great condition damage and if traited and geared correctly you can have close to infinite dodge.

Mirage is a duelist with high Mobility a lot interruptuts and nice sustain. In pvp and wvw very usefull. Scourge is useful in all modes right now

Mirage seems as thoug it's where arenanet wants it at (mid field, low utility). Scourge might be facing some more rebalance (that's a pretty solid "will face rebalance").

I'd give this one to Scourge even though it might get some tuning. Reasons as follows:

• Necromancer,Reaper and Scrouge are all solid as condition builds. You can use the same gear on all 3
• Necromancer destroyes open world content. You are a god in Vipers gear
• dungeons and fractals work quite well on necromancer

Upside of mesmer:

• very demanded for high tier fractals (but as power, not condi)
• both chrono and mirage are very tanky in open world, not as much as necromancer but the class works well with condi builds
• lots of utility like portal
• should you want to raid you could easily find groups on mesmer

All Mesmer types suffer in open PvE content because of extremely long damage buildup time and problematic target switching.I have started PoE as Mirage (I have weak spot for Mesmer - it was my first lev 80 GW2 char 5 years ago) but gave up before moving to second map.... switched to Scourge and having blast since. Hell I have enjoyed Renegade&Spellbreaker more then Mirage - and both of these specs are questionable at best.

IMHO there are two specs in PoE where devs did really great job by creating something new, fresh, with different playstyle which is also working good: Scourge and Firebrand.

I've had great fun with both. But Mirage is pure DPS, whereas Scourge is both dps and support. So if support is what you're looking for, go Scourge.

Scourge just got gutted. RIP.

Scourge is now a worst class in game :/ No support (barrier id a joke) and now no dmg.

Neither class is in a gd spot, PVE wise. At least, the base mechanics for scourge are somewhat functional and scourge are getting a buff in a future patch, mirage mechanics are utterly broken and there's no word from the devs at all.

Mirage is supposed to empower clones via the use of ambush skills, but becuz ambush skills are so pathetically weak and undertuned, no one bothers using it in PvE, mirage players just falls back on the core mesmer's strategy, relying on phantasms to output dmg. This makes the whole mirage spec moot, Players are playing Mirage like a regular condi mes, the spec is not functioning the way it's meant to function, it's mechanically unsound !!!