Elementalist or Mesmer?

[Vinny.5624]

Hi folks,

I'm coming back after a very long break, I want to solo level up and not have to issue and just have fun. Which of these two classes will be better for that?

 

Thanks!

[Gehenna.3625]

Elementalist has a very low health pool, so that might not be ideal when you just came back from a very long break. At level 80 you can choose celestial gear to solo with but leveling up to 80 tends to be a bit frustrating with an elementalist. Sure, if you know the class...but then I suspect that's not the case for you 🙂

Mesmer has clones and that is very handy when soloing imo.

So yeah, if I were in your position and I had to pick between the two, I'd pick mesmer.

[Ruisenior.6342]

I would say pick whatever you want, but in my opinion elementalist is way more fun to play.

 

If you go with something like this, you wont have any trouble while leveling and you will do it pretty fast. The only downside of this setup is the elementals when you mount theyll disapear.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PGgAgilJwmYUsKGJWqWeA-e

 

Start with arcane and then  take the air traitline, if you struggle with conditions take the cantrip heal but i think you wont need it if you sumon the elite golem on water atunment. Elementals; fire for dps and earth to tank, the elite on water for the heal upon activation and condi cleanease.

Edited March 18, 2023 by Ruisenior.6342

[PepeLePewPew.2107]

My first and main character is elementalist and my second (and second most played) character is a mesmer.  Elementalist is squishy, but that's not a big problem in GW2 if you enjoy the class.

 

One thing I would consider is whether you prefer melee or ranged.  I tend to prefer ranged and elementalist is disappointingly melee heavy while mesmer has more full-on ranged options.  I still have more fun with elementalist because of the variety of spells vs. mesmer, but I do wish it was less of a melee class.

 

If you have an 80 boost, try each at Silverwastes before deciding.  Then just level up without it if you prefer.

[Vinny.5624]

Thank you for the replies

[Funky.4861]

It depends on what you find fun. Ele is very flashy and i'd argue has more build options, but mesmer is the shenanigan class. As you're levelling up from scratch, you'll quickly discover that you lean on your class mechanic a lot more on mesmer than you do on ele, and that there's a bit of a learning curve regarding types of clones and when to shatter. I think i found ele easier to level on, but i wouldn't say i know the class deeply as i wasn't pressured into that kind of exploration when levelling beyond learning what each element mainly does.

[Tren.5120]

Mesmer is going to out-solo Elementalist with ease and far less effort put in.  It isn't even close, IMO, especially once you open up the Elite Specializations.

 

The GS build is easy to gear and will shred almost anything.  The Condi builds will outperform Elementalist with ease for any rusty/novice player.  There are some really good low skill floor builds for Mesmer where you can just camp one weapon/skill set and own all solo content - predominantly from 900-1200 range and with fast stacking high Condi Damage or good power damage and frequent illusions to pull agro off of you.

[Doggie.3184]

Elemeowntalist. 😺💦👹

[Funky.4861]

@tren5120 Bear in mind that this is for levelling, and that sceptre mesmer is sad so you have to buy your weapons asap unless you wait for a good drop. Saying that, buying gear for levelling is cheap until you hit the 70's, assuming that you go for exotics. This also means no access to elite specs.

[Bucheese.2481]

13 hours ago, Tren.5120 said:

Mesmer is going to out-solo Elementalist with ease and far less effort put in.  It isn't even close, IMO, especially once you open up the Elite Specializations.

 

The GS build is easy to gear and will shred almost anything.  The Condi builds will outperform Elementalist with ease for any rusty/novice player.  There are some really good low skill floor builds for Mesmer where you can just camp one weapon/skill set and own all solo content - predominantly from 900-1200 range and with fast stacking high Condi Damage or good power damage and frequent illusions to pull agro off of you.

well once you unlock elites, u will be already 80 😄 core elementalist is much worse for solo exp than mesmer.  Im mesmer main. But if i should choose what is better overall for comeback player and what is more complex in the future expansions. Then i would say ele.Its harder, so u will get the mechanics u can later use on the other classes. Because once u unlock the elites. Ele has much more varriety while mesmer is basicly the same (keep using same weapons, even the ambush mechanic only adds a small piece to his gameplay in pve on mirage spec) until you hit the cantha and unlock virtuoso spec.  Ideal class for comeback and experience expansions is ranger or guardian. Both are easy to exp 1-80 and then both have very special varriety of elite specs that you really want to try out. 

 

Just my opinion.

[Klowdy.3126]

I haven't had to level a class in years, but of the 2, I would choose mesmer. I tend to go melee (though GW2 sees me using range a lot), so my ele uses hammers, which you wouldn't get until 80, but something about mesmer with the GS is really fun.

 

If you're having a tough time deciding, maybe take both into the PvP lobby, and test out their elites to see which one you will like the most, and level that base class first. One of the best things about GW2 is being able to jump into the new story release with any max level character, so if you do decide to change classes later, you can easily swap characters if you like to have options.

[Buran.3796]

On 3/18/2023 at 6:27 PM, Vinny.5624 said:

Hi folks,

I'm coming back after a very long break, I want to solo level up and not have to issue and just have fun. Which of these two classes will be better for that?

   I recently "manually" leveled a Mesmer, since I wanted to swap the race of the one I had, and chose to not use a boosters or tomes of knownledge. I knew some basics of the Mirage, but never played a Mesmer from 0. I did chose greatsword + staff as weapons, and bough cheap gear at level 30 and 61, running a condition build, and was extremely easy. You have plenty of cc, projectile blocks, clones to tank and most of your damage is at range, very safe and relaxed to play. 

   I plan to do the same with an Ele soon, but based on my experience doing the same recently with a Rev and a Thief...  The Ele probably will be harder: really low base HP, and despite having some ranged weapons, most of the choices are AoE mele skills. This doesn't mean that one choice is better or more fun to play than other, es matter of choices and tastes, but Mesmer is arguably easier to level...   Ele gained downstate meme tier category for a reason.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Buran.3796

[Tren.5120]

On 3/19/2023 at 1:47 PM, Bucheese.2481 said:

well once you unlock elites, u will be already 80 😄 core elementalist is much worse for solo exp than mesmer.  Im mesmer main. But if i should choose what is better overall for comeback player and what is more complex in the future expansions. Then i would say ele.Its harder, so u will get the mechanics u can later use on the other classes. Because once u unlock the elites. Ele has much more varriety while mesmer is basicly the same (keep using same weapons, even the ambush mechanic only adds a small piece to his gameplay in pve on mirage spec) until you hit the cantha and unlock virtuoso spec.  Ideal class for comeback and experience expansions is ranger or guardian. Both are easy to exp 1-80 and then both have very special varriety of elite specs that you really want to try out. 

 

Just my opinion.

Anyone coming back to the game is either going to be 80 or have enough tomes to just boost anything else to 80.

I literally skipped all of HoT, bought PoF and had enough tomes to level two characters to 80 immediately.  It isn't really that big of a deal.

On 3/19/2023 at 10:17 PM, Buran.3796 said:

but Mesmer is arguably easier to level

Not really arguable, it just is.  Lol

I don't see a point in burdening yourself with the 1-80 "grind."  There is no point.  It is a waste of hours of your time.  Most core builds are dead outside of a choice few in PvP, and so many others have such distinct playstyle that you don't actually gain much from playing through the core content.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Tren.5120

[Tren.5120]

Dupe.  Ignore.

Edited March 27, 2023 by Tren.5120

[Buran.3796]

3 hours ago, Tren.5120 said:

I don't see a point in burdening yourself with the 1-80 "grind."  There is no point.  It is a waste of hours of your time.  Most core builds are dead outside of a choice few in PvP, and so many others have such distinct playstyle that you don't actually gain much from playing through the core content.

   I'm not against either options (boosting or leveling playing) since both have advantages. Boosting allows you to have a character ready to play in any map, so if you already known the class is perfect for alts. Manually leveling a character while playing the game and discovering the maps is also great, since you'll slowly unlock the skills and traits and that will allow the player time (~24 hours of gameplay) to become familiar with how the skill works. You also learn a lot about to deal with different OW foes,

   I have like 10 stacks of 250 tomes of knownledge and recently have been re-booting some old characters (some of 8-9 years old) playing manually instead of boosting them because is fun the contrast between how I played and striggled with them at the game release and how now can rise them 1 to 80 with almost no gear without much troubles. Yes, is most proficient IN GOLD using my 80s fully geared in legendaries tio farm Drizzlewood, Dragonfall, etc., BUT I'm just having FUN wrecking foes in a 60 level map with a core character wielding level 30 gear with only two trait lines available. 

[stormemperor.3745]

On 3/18/2023 at 8:27 PM, Vinny.5624 said:

Hi folks,

I'm coming back after a very long break, I want to solo level up and not have to issue and just have fun. Which of these two classes will be better for that?

 

Thanks!

Elementalist is bait.