New Elite Specialization - Mentalist (Concept)

[Kencu.5846]

Hello everyone! I came up with a concept for a new mesmer elite spec. It draws ideas from the original idea of a mesmer (a profession which tricks and confuses the opponent), from GW1 skills and I tried to address some issues all mesmer specs are missing as of today. The stats are obviously just there for reference and it's most likely quite imbalanced but I'd like to know what you guys think about the core idea. I added some Cantha-based lore, just for fun:) Also there is a new condition, called hysteria which causes damage to foes NOT activating a skill. In my "vision" this would be a powerful condition, not something you just spam mindlessly but you really consider when and how you use it. Since it causes damages when you are not using skills or dealing any damage, it forces you to do something. But if you panic, you just end up making it worse . Torment forces you to stop, hysteria forces you to do something.

New condition: HysteriaDamage over time if you are NOT activating a skill or dealing any damage. Stacks duration.

New game mechanic: Hex. Hexes are powerful spells which causes the a negative effect. They work similarly to Deadeye Marks and conditions. Only one hex can be applied to a target by the same caster. If you apply a hex which is already applied to a target, it's duration is increased. (For example: Mesmer1 applies hex 1 to the target. Mesmer2 applies hex 2 to the target. Then mesmer3 applies hex 1 to the target. In this case the original hex 1's duration is increased by half (5 seconds since each hex lasts 10 seconds). So if there were 2 seconds remeaining from the original hex 1, the new hex by mesmer3 adds 5 seconds, making it 7. Or something like that. In theory it would require a lot of mesmers to maintain hexes on one target whic might only be viable in situations like raids but in my "vision" for it to be a viable option to use in some scenarios, there must be just enough trade-offs to prevent abusing it. Hex removals would be available to certain professions to further balance it (just like how "revealed" balances "stealth".

New game mechanic: Chaos Zone. Chaos Zones work similarly to combos. If you apply Hysteria to a hexed foe, it creates a Chaos Zone. Chaos Zone: Foes in the zone receive the conflicting condition instead of the boon they would receive. Stacks duration.

So here is the whole spec description:

The Mentalist (I don't insist on the name - or any of the names I gave)

The mentalists are highly effective Canthan illusionists who studied Mordremoth's mindgames. They combined their newly found knowledge with the deceptive ways of Shiro Tagachi to utilise a powerful way of altering the mind: the hexes. They use a focus in their main hand to cause madness and agony all around them.

New main hand weapon: Focus. Gain access to wielding a focus in its main hand. Dual wielding 2 foci grants access to Phantasmal Summoner skill.

Weapon skills:

SLOT 1: (chain autoattack)

Temporal Pain - shoots a beam of energy that damages foes.

• Damage: 450
• Number of targets: 5
• Range: 1,200

Temporal Agony - Shoots a beam of energy that damages foes and inflicts a random condition.

• Damage: 600
• Number of targets: 5
• Range: 1,200
  • Blind (1 second)
  • Chill (1 second)
  • Cripple (1 second)

Temporal Torture - Summons a Phantasmal Torturer at your location which casts Temporal Agony every second.

• Damage: 750
  • Number of targets: 5
  • Range: 1,200

SLOT 2:

Bittersweet Blessing (recharge 12 seconds)Manipulation. Give your foe a random boon for 3 seconds. Deal increased damage for each boon on foes.

• 1 boon damage: 1000
• 2 boons damage: 1500
• 3 or more boons damage: 2000
  • Radius: 180
  • Number of targets: 5
  • Range: 1,200
  • Unblockable

SLOT 3:

Chaos Field (recharge 25 seconds)Glamour. Shoot waves of energy in front of you that damages, blinds, dazes and slows enemies.

First wave:

• Damage: 300
• Blinds enemies in front of you (2 seconds)
• Range: 450
• Cone radius: 180
• Number of targets: 3
• Combo field: Dark

Second wave:

• Damage: 600
• Dazes enemies in front of you (1/2 second)
• Range: 900
• Cone radius: 360
• Number of targets: 5
• Combo field: Lightning

Third wave:

• Damage: 900
• Slows enemies (5 seconds)
• Range: 1200
• Cone radius: 600
• Number of targets: 10
• Combo field: Etheral

Pulse interval: 1 secondFoes affected by all 3 pulses are damaged again and gain Hysteria.Damage: 1200Hysteria (5 seconds)

SLOT 3 (if dual wielding 2 foci):

Phantasmal Summoner (recharge 45 seconds)Phantasm. Summons a phantasm that summons another phantasm based on your offhand weapon every 10 seconds. When the Phantasmal Summoner dies, instead of a clone, it summons a Phantasmal Protector.

Phantasmal Protector: Casts a Chaos Zone which grants nearby allies boons and absorbs 50% of all incoming damage near the phantasm. Foes inside the Chaos Zone receive the conflicting condition of any boon they would receive. The Phantasmal Protector's effect also occours at your location.Boons granted:

• Protection (duration: 5 seconds)
• Resistance (duration: 5 seconds)
• Retaliation (duration: 5 seconds)
  • Radius: 300
  • Range: 1,200
  • Duration: 5 seconds

HEAL SKILL:

Twisted Agony (Recharge: 30 seconds)All damage and condition damage you deal becomes healing instead. Any healing above your maximum health creates a barrier (max 20% of your original health). All nearby allies are healed for 50% of the healing you receive from Twisted Agony. Give barrier to nearby allies if they have maximum health.Duration: 5 secondsRadius: 600Number of allied targets: 10

UTILITIES:

Involuntary gift (recharge: 45)Hex. Transfer a boon to a random foe and receive its conditions.Boons transfered: 1Conditions absorbed: 1Duration: 10 secondsInterval: 1 secondRadius: 1200Range: 1200

Empower Enemies (recharge 40)Hex. Gives nearby foes 2 seconds of superspeed and 100% critical chanceRadius: 360Range: 1200Duration: 10 seconds

Clumsiness (recharge 50)Hex. The next 5 attacks have a 100% chance to miss.Range: 1200Duration: 10 seconds

ELITE:Paranoia (recharge 90 seconds)Hex. Apply one of the following every second:Taunt (1 second)Daze (1 seconds)Slow (5 seconds)Weakness (5 seconds)Hysteria (5 seconds)Blind (5 seconds) Cripple (5 seconds)Chilled ( 5 seconds)Fear (1 second)Weakness ( 1 second)Immobilize (1 second)

• Range: 1200
• Number of targets: 5
• Radius: 360
• Duration: 10 seconds
• Interval: 1 second

F1: Sudden Torture (recharge 12 seconds)Shatter. Destroy all your clones, damaging nearby foes. Deal increased damage to foes not activating a skill or dealing damage.1 Illusion: 306 (1.15)2 Illusions (2x): 426 (1.6)3 Illusions (3x): 558 (2.1)Damage Increase vs. Foes not activating a skill or dealing damage: 33%Number of Targets: 5Radius: 240Range: 1,200

F2: Limitless suffering (recharge 20 seconds)Shatter. Destroy all your clones. Gain increased condition damage and decreased power for clones shattered for 5 seconds.1 Illusion: + 50 condition damage, -50 power2 Illusions: + 150 condition damage, -100 power3 Illusions: + 300 condition damage, -200 power

F3: Disfunction (recharge 38 seconds)Hex. Foes are damaged each time they gain or lose conditions.Damage: 200Duration: 3 seconds

F4: Transmission (recharge 75 seconds)Mantra.Transfer all conditions on you to foes around you. (Radius: 180)Transfer all incoming damage to foes around you (Radius: 360)Transfer all incoming profession-mechanic skills to foes around you (Deadeye Marks etc.) Radius: 540Duration: 3 seconds

TRAITS:

MINOR

• Hexmaster: Gain access to Hexmaster shatter skills and hexes.
• Pain everywhere: Gain increased ferocity and expertise if you are dual-wielding weapons. (+150 ferocity, +150 expertise)
• Averted Trauma: Triggers damage reduction when you receive damage over 50% of your maximum health in a 5 seconds period.
  • For the next 5 seconds, all incoming damage is reduced by 50%. (recharge 90 seconds)

MAJOR

ADEPT

• Enfeeble: Gain vigor for each Phantasm you create. Your Phantasm attacks inflict weakness. (Vigor, Weakness: 3 seconds)
• Mind Fortress: Gain Toughness for each boon on you (+30 for each boon). Hexes cannot be applied to you if your health is above a threshold.*Health threshold: 90%
• Rapid Disfunction: Reduce recharge of hex skills. (-20%)

MASTER

Resilent Phantasms: Phantasmas are stronger. Phantasms you create have 50% more health.Anguish: When disabled, summon a Phantasmal Hexmaster to attack your foe.Phantasmal Hexmaster: Phantasm. Channel a beam of energy that damages foes in its path. Deals increased damage to hexed foes.

• Damage: 800 over 3 seconds, 1600 over 3 seconds to hexed foesHysterical Destruction: Hysteria you apply scales based on your power instead of your condition damage. Apply 3 seconds of Hysteria every time you successfully hex a foe.

GRANDMASTER

Reversed Torture: Clones shattered by Sudden Torture (F1) deal no damage, but heal allies instead.Sudden Torture:

• 1 Illusion heal: 306 (1.15)
• 2 Illusions heal (2x): 426 (1.6)
• 3 Illusions heal (3x): 558 (2.1)
• Healing to allies who has Hysteria and/or a hex on them: 33%
• Number of Targets: 5
• Radius: 240
• Range: 1,200Outbreak: Hexes transfer between foes. For 3 seconds after applying a hex to a foe, it transfers the hex to foes nearby. (recharge 180)
  • Radius: 180
  • Delay: 1 second
  • Number of targets: 5Fake Death: After reaching a critical health threshold, you create an illusion where you appear to be downed. If you die during the time period, the illusion ends and you return to life with 50% of your health. If you’re downed when the illusion ends, you return to life with your health when the illusion started. If you get revived during the illusion, you return as if the illusion never happened. (recharge 180)You are dazed for ½ second.Health Threshold: 5%

Conclusion: With hexes and new phantasms/mechanics added, mesmers can be more viable in situations they were kind of useless. Playing with hexes can cause big problems to a blom stacking on each other in WvW. Healing shatters can bring some more support opportunities for mesmers in small or big scale fights. With the new condition and added CC the mesmer can be a great duelist who forces the opponent to "shut down" and change its tactics drastically (as it was the original purpose of many mesmer builds in GW1).

Possible further developement: Hex removals. I imagine it as "revealed" to counter stealth. Accessible, but not as much as condi cleanses.

Possible problems: Playing against it for example in sPvP. Although with proper balance it could be countered. The whole idea is that if you play against the Mentalist, you need to adapt and change your tactics. You should outsmart the opponent instead of just going through your usual skill rotation.

Also, just as a side note, here are a few ideas about some mesmer updates I would love to see:

Warden’s Feedback trait change:Only offhand focus (only makes sense with the Mentalist implemented)

Null field change:Null field (recharge 25 seconds)Glamour. Create a field of energy around you that rips boons from foes and cures conditions on allies, one more with each pulse.Boons Removed: 1, 2, 3Conditions Removed: 1, 2, 3Number of Targets: 5Pulses: 3Duration: 3 secondsRadius: 300Combo Field: EtherealRange: 1,200

Phantasmal Warden change:

Phantasmal Warden:Phantasm. Create a phantasm that absorbs all incoming damage from you and your illusions for 3 seconds. The phantasm spawns with 1 second of distortion. When the phantasm dies, it realeses the absorbed energy.Damage: 1800Number of targets: 5Radius: 180Range: 1,200

So that's it. Let me know what you think!

[Lincolnbeard.1735]

I like it a lot. Some of the stuff is over the top tho, clumsiness and the elite for example.Would like an hex shatter kind of like drain delusions from GW1, shatter an hex deals x damage. And some hex to deplete and negate endurance. Think it would fit here nicely.Still awesome job.

[Kencu.5846]

Yeah well I didn't spend a lot of time on the balance. It's always broken in this game anyway. But yeah F3 could be a hex shatter, I didn't think about it, good idea :)

[Kencu.5846]

I saw in different concepts that people want to get rid of the clones but I don't think Anet would do that. I would personally like to try a cloneless mesmer though.

[Kencu.5846]

Anyone else, thoughts?