[As a casual player: Virtuoso, Chronomancer or Mirage?]

On 11/6/2023 at 7:46 PM, Mevelios.4809 said:

Since it's my favorite e-spec, I'm pretty confident I can disambiguate a few things about it:

• Mirage cloak is an offensive tool first to make use of ambush attacks, then with some experience it serves at the same time as a counterattack indeed. Still, you can simply use it as an offensive tool; ambushes vary depending the weapon and give each of them an identity.
• Sword is the melee counterattacker, but covers more than that - a tool of survival, a great clone summoning ability, and the boon bane. You can pump out a lot of shatter fodder that also builds up vulnerability stacks and rip boons from their targets; you can add an extra dodge ability; you can trigger every interrupt ability in your arsenal. My favorite! Mirage mantle pushes the boon ripping farther but I don't find any use for it in PvE thanks to the clones - I find Desert distortion to be more useful.
• Dagger is the ranged version of the counterattacker, but hits like a truck. You trade several of the options above to deal heavy direct damages that pierce, while retaining the daze on its ambush to again trigger any interrupt ability you may have. Unlike virtuoso, it can't be relied on as a condi weapon; mirage mantle provides three extra vulnerability stacks on it, which I find so-so considering there already are the stacks from the interrupts. I'd rather use desert distortion to pull off more ambush attacks.
• Greatsword is rather straightforward - direct damages, end of it. Might & vulnerability stacks to be pulled off from its ambush for self-buffing. Mirage cloak here only works as an offensive tool to pull off the ambush attack as often as possible, which is further reinforced by mirage mantle.
• Axe works similarly to the historical dueling spec+pistol offhand; a mix of direct & condi damages. Lots of finishers from it and a solid clone summoning; part of the faster-paced weapons that also offers some survivability like the sword (axes of symmetry against blurred frenzy). Mirage mantle is utterly useless in PvE on it.
• Scepter is a brute when you're the target of attacks, but falls a bit short without enemy attention. Mixes direct & condi damages too at range with a huge potential at generating clones (especially from its counter, the autoattack contributes too). But kitten, it's slow! Fully focused on channeling attacks, though mirage mantle gives quickness on ambush to make it act faster.
• Finally the staff - the most passive of them, since almost everything relies on its autoattack & ambush. Buffing potential, full focus on condi damages while offering both an ethereal field & finishers. Mirage mantle pushes farther the buffing with alacrity, but takes some careful positioning to be consistent.

Desert distortion turns our shatter 4 into an offensive ability, against mirage mantle for some more-or-less handy uses; Dune cloak works well on power builds to rip off boons regardless of the weapon used so the domination spec works its magic, whereas condi builds will favor Infinite horizon; Self-deception will pump out much needed clones, against Riddle of sand which I, uh, personally can't care less about since it's a condi trait when I'd rather bring more clones to cast their ambushes with me on such builds.

IMO, it's the most proactive gameplay. Easy to start with, harder to master to find the survivability the e-spec is known for; the effort is worth the reward, despite part of its numbers being hard to evaluate - counters mean facing an active target, not some idle golem. It's mobile and doesn't let up the pressure on its targets, it lets you choose between timing a counter or just going fully on the offensive, and ambushes give more depth to mainhand weapons to further refine your play style; but I'm biased, this is what I enjoy the most since PoF!

I play something similar with zerker gear and weapons and marauder accessories ..and its been a blast. Dagger/Sword with GS. 

[GEMSTORE REQUESTS: New Items; Items offered again - [Merged]]

I'd like to see Marjory's Shrouded Outfit return please. One of the few characters I think we reallllly get to be aronud on our journey's for the most part and the outfit if really fitting.