Power Mirage sPvP / WvW

[Mhina.1827]

Hey guys, 

I'm primarily a bladesworn, D/D soulbeast, and ex thief player. I've been practicing power mirage recently and it's a hell of a lot of fun, but I feel like I'm missing something. In sPvP/WvW, are there specific combos or priority skills that I should be concerned with rotating through/landing to do big ticket damage? At times it seems like the amount of damage/pressure I have is criminally low from a numerical perspective despite the number of actions pressed and the associated screen clutter. I'm determined to make it work because I do find it very fun, but I think I could use my guidance with the mechanics of the class. I feel a small bit stronger in WvW than sPvP for what that's worth.

Regarding the build I'm using, I'm currently using Vallun's ambush mirage build from guildjen. 

Dueling > 333

Inspiration > 123

Mirage > 211

 

[Lincolnbeard.1735]

1 hour ago, Mhina.1827 said:

At times it seems like the amount of damage/pressure I have is criminally low from a numerical perspective despite the number of actions pressed and the associated screen clutter.

Welcome to mesmer, sustain damage is crap, doesn't matter what you use and what skills you press.
You've to rely on burst to kill something, the old mirror blade f3 f1 gs3 combo.

Drop inspi, it's crippling your damage. Dom or illu. No chaos or inspi garbage.

 

[Ronald McDonald.8165]

3 hours ago, Mhina.1827 said:

Hey guys, 

I'm primarily a bladesworn, D/D soulbeast, and ex thief player. I've been practicing power mirage recently and it's a hell of a lot of fun, but I feel like I'm missing something. In sPvP/WvW, are there specific combos or priority skills that I should be concerned with rotating through/landing to do big ticket damage? At times it seems like the amount of damage/pressure I have is criminally low from a numerical perspective despite the number of actions pressed and the associated screen clutter. I'm determined to make it work because I do find it very fun, but I think I could use my guidance with the mechanics of the class. I feel a small bit stronger in WvW than sPvP for what that's worth.

Regarding the build I'm using, I'm currently using Vallun's ambush mirage build from guildjen. 

Dueling > 333

Inspiration > 123

Mirage > 211

 

Vallun's builds are pretty bad. They look good because he is an experienced player killing your average WvW player which clicks their skills with their mouse. They are far from optimized for killing. 

Dueling 113

Dom 111 or 113

Mirage 111

[Waffles.5632]

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PiwAwqFlRwQYSsLmJO6L/vKA-z5IeINKEyUFEyEwxDAA

This is my build for sPvP.

Edited July 14, 2023 by Waffles.5632

[Mhina.1827]

Thank you for all of the recommendations. I'm going to reflect on how I can tailor my playstyle around Domination because every mesmer I've talked to both here on the forums and in game has said I should be running it. 

[Cenzurat.7013]

Power mirage? What year is this? 

Thats like using a pressurized tank of toxic gas to bonk pple with. 

[Mhina.1827]

1 hour ago, Cenzurat.7013 said:

Power mirage? What year is this? 

Thats like using a pressurized tank of toxic gas to bonk pple with. 

I'm certainly open to suggestions of what I should be doing lol

[Exciton.8942]

 

18 hours ago, Ronald McDonald.8165 said:

Vallun's builds are pretty bad. They look good because he is an experienced player killing your average WvW player which clicks their skills with their mouse. They are far from optimized for killing. 

Dueling 113

Dom 111 or 113

Mirage 111

+1 on this. Only change I'd made is Mirage 211 since you have plenty of clone from deceptive evasion already. 

You are built for in-and-out burst not for any sustain.

[Cenzurat.7013]

1 hour ago, Mhina.1827 said:

I'm certainly open to suggestions of what I should be doing lol

Can't help cause i haven't played power mirage in years and its not the same, I just play condi, which is why it feels strange to me, but im happy now it can kinda exist again cause the dmg used to be worse a while ago. 

[Mhina.1827]

Just now, Cenzurat.7013 said:

Can't help cause i haven't played power mirage in years and its not the same, I just play condi, which is why it feels strange to me, but im happy now it can kinda exist again cause the dmg used to be worse a while ago. 

How's condi mirage doing?

[Cenzurat.7013]

2 minutes ago, Mhina.1827 said:

How's condi mirage doing?

I do alright with it, im fine with the dodge, i hate immob but i can deal with it somwhat, but i should prolly get more cleanse in general. I wish scepter was a little better, I do not like using axe at all in pvp and if im not just going in for the lols its usually sword+torch/staff. Its what worked best for me to keep myself alive. And i change my traits and utilities all the time, cant recommend one build that fits all, cause frankly nothing is that good. 

[Lana Del Bae.7156]

unarmed, no equipment, shatters are only source of damage

 

Edited October 29, 2023 by Lana Del Bae.7156

[Mhina.1827]

11 minutes ago, Cenzurat.7013 said:

I do alright with it, im fine with the dodge, i hate immob but i can deal with it somwhat, but i should prolly get more cleanse in general. I wish scepter was a little better, I do not like using axe at all in pvp and if im not just going in for the lols its usually sword+torch/staff. Its what worked best for me to keep myself alive. And i change my traits and utilities all the time, cant recommend one build that fits all, cause frankly nothing is that good. 

Cool, maybe I'll try sword + torch / staff in WvW then. With trailblazer gear or something. Power mirage is starting to become a bit too humbling for me lol maybe I just don't have the hands for it. 

[Mhina.1827]

1 minute ago, lanadelbae.6029 said:

I'm an inspiration enjoyer who also plays that build except without dueling. The inspiration Blurred Inscriptions trait when paired with desert distortion & sword gives you stupid levels of chase/escape potential that I really enjoy. Granted I've only been playing mes for like a month and a half so take it with a grain of salt. 

On mirage I run Domination 113, Inspo 323, Mirage 211. On chrono I run one of berry's builds: Domination 111, Inspo 323, Chrono 131. 

As a mes noob I fight on power mirage by using mirage thrust to build 25 vuln on my target using Dazzling (dom trait), fingers crossed that my opponent uses most of their cooldowns while I'm doing this. With infinite horizon the vuln comes instantly and you can triple shatter while you're repeatedly generating clones with your mirage thrust. Remember that mirage thrust also combos with power block. When you get bored of this, swap into greatsword and begin split surging and mirror blading to maintain the vuln stacks while kiting and using standard mes gs combos. If you're 100% screwed, or the target is running, run by chaining mirage thrusts back to back with blurred inscriptions and desert distortion. This is probably a meme way to play and it does feel a bit cheesy, but it's the sort of thing you play because you find it fun. 
Ether sig, midnight sig, blink, illusions sig, jaunt.

 

Thank you for your insight. I considered doing inspiration + domination but I never heard anyone else mention it, so I figured it wouldn't be worthwhile. I'm excited to hear that you've found a playstyle that works for you, and because we were both running inspiration, it sounds like the way I was trying to play when I initially posted this is the way you are successfully playing. I will try this out as well. This has certainly been a humbling experience, and I'm accepting that I'm worse at the game than my wins on bladesworn and d/d soulbeast would have me believe. I am struggling hard on mes lol 

[Lana Del Bae.7156]

On 7/14/2023 at 8:55 PM, Mhina.1827 said:

Thank you for your insight. I considered doing inspiration + domination but I never heard anyone else mention it, so I figured it wouldn't be worthwhile. I'm excited to hear that you've found a playstyle that works for you, and because we were both running inspiration, it sounds like the way I was trying to play when I initially posted this is the way you are successfully playing. I will try this out as well. This has certainly been a humbling experience, and I'm accepting that I'm worse at the game than my wins on bladesworn and d/d soulbeast would have me believe. I am struggling hard on mes lol 

same

Edited October 29, 2023 by Lana Del Bae.7156

[Cenzurat.7013]

19 minutes ago, Mhina.1827 said:

Cool, maybe I'll try sword + torch / staff in WvW then. With trailblazer gear or something. Power mirage is starting to become a bit too humbling for me lol maybe I just don't have the hands for it. 

Imo cele is better if u like being annoying and that's what mesmer is all about, aside from being an occasional suicide bomber. U get lower cooldowns, better heals, dmg is meh but u can't have everything,  as a mesmer at least, like some other specs. 

Edited July 14, 2023 by Cenzurat.7013

[Cenzurat.7013]

3 minutes ago, lanadelbae.6029 said:

Yeah power mes was culture-shock to me as somebody who is almost exclusively used to fire/arcane sword weaver where the playstyle is basically just sticking to the target like glue. It was only with the return of mirage's 2nd dodge and watching the skills section of this video did contending with people become actually realistically possible for me. Again, play it like this, but instead with domination and it's ability to generate tons of vuln. I also can't imagine playing any GS mes without running Bountiful Blades in dom. As with any ranged damage class with a teleport, make liberal use of blink to get yourself into elevated locations to irritate opponents with GS skills and survive better. He doesn't play mirage but if you're new to power mesmer at all you should check out berrybadplayer on yt to learn some generally transferable tips. 

Oh yah, berry is one of the few pple that still play mesmer and make content about it. He's also good at power mesmer, mirage too. 

[Mhina.1827]

Man I think I want to stick around the mesmer forums, you guys have been so helpful, and I've enjoyed all the responses. 

[Mhina.1827]

36 minutes ago, lanadelbae.6029 said:

I'm an inspiration enjoyer who also plays that build except without dueling. The inspiration Blurred Inscriptions trait when paired with desert distortion & sword gives you stupid levels of chase/escape potential that I really enjoy. Granted I've only been playing mes for like a month and a half so take it with a grain of salt. 

On mirage I run Domination 113, Inspo 323, Mirage 211. On chrono I run one of berry's builds: Domination 111, Inspo 323, Chrono 131. 

As a mes noob I fight on power mirage by using mirage thrust to build 25 vuln on my target using Dazzling (dom trait), fingers crossed that my opponent uses most of their cooldowns while I'm doing this. With infinite horizon the vuln comes instantly and you can triple shatter while you're repeatedly generating clones with your mirage thrust. Remember that mirage thrust also combos with power block. When you get bored of this, swap into greatsword and begin split surging and mirror blading to maintain the vuln stacks while kiting and using standard mes gs combos. If you're 100% screwed, or the target is running, run by chaining mirage thrusts back to back with blurred inscriptions and desert distortion. This is probably a meme way to play and it does feel a bit cheesy, but it's the sort of thing you play because you find it fun. 
Ether sig, midnight sig, blink, illusions sig, jaunt.

 

 

I do have a question though, do you not find yourself missing the clone generation from deceptive evasion in the dueling trait line?

[Lana Del Bae.7156]

On 7/14/2023 at 9:28 PM, Mhina.1827 said:

 

I do have a question though, do you not find yourself missing the clone generation from deceptive evasion in the dueling trait line?

yes

Edited October 29, 2023 by Lana Del Bae.7156

[Mhina.1827]

2 minutes ago, lanadelbae.6029 said:

Deceptive evasion is one of those things that scares you initially when you change off of it, but then after a few minutes you learn it's actually not that bad. Mirage thrust itself generates a clone, meaning that as long as you're using it you're getting clones. You can punch distortion with 3 clones and keep using your mirrors to continually mirage thrust over and over again to just be really, really irritating for the sake of it. Gaining evades this way means your dodge bar will be easily refilled. On domination, Bountiful Blades means that GS 4 will generate two clones. You also have signet of illusions filling in the gaps. I leave signet of illusions always on passive unless I really, really need a mind wrack fast to secure a kill.

Pistol 4, sword 3, and then a mirage thrust gives you three clones. Distort, then smash mirage thrust into the target for vuln and begin picking up the mirrors while thrusting. Doing this will upkeep vuln and be generating an overflow of clones that you should mind wrack in order to get the most value out of them, so long as the opponent isn't in a block or invuln of their own.

Makes sense! You articulated your case for domination/inspiration quite well 🙂  I'm excited to try this way because like I said, it's way closer to what I've been practicing 

[Lana Del Bae.7156]

On 7/14/2023 at 9:45 PM, Mhina.1827 said:

Makes sense! You articulated your case for domination/inspiration quite well 🙂  I'm excited to try this way because like I said, it's way closer to what I've been practicing 

don't sleep on sword auto

Edited October 29, 2023 by Lana Del Bae.7156

[Lincolnbeard.1735]

1 hour ago, Mhina.1827 said:

 

I do have a question though, do you not find yourself missing the clone generation from deceptive evasion in the dueling trait line?

Deceptive evasion isn't the most important trait. Depending on the playstyle you use superiority complex. But apart from that, dueling has  Critical Infusion and Master Fencer minors and these ones are important for power. Hence when playing power by giving up dueling you lose too much.

Of course you can play power even with inspi/chaos/mirage and make it work but the damage will be so low it will take an eternity to kill anything.

[WhoWantsAHug.3186]

On 7/13/2023 at 5:56 PM, Ronald McDonald.8165 said:

Vallun's builds are pretty bad. They look good because he is an experienced player killing your average WvW player which clicks their skills with their mouse. They are far from optimized for killing. 

Dueling 113

Dom 111 or 113

Mirage 111

Same but go Dom 123 instead. You don't need the boonrip on shatter because you aren't shattering all that often and egotism pumps your split surge dmg up considerably. 

Also you can take Superiority Complex over Deceptive Evasion if you want. 

[Leonidrex.5649]

Sup complex is one of if not the strongest dps trait in the entire game. If you play power, you take it.
If I was to play power mirage this is what I would run : http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PiwAw+FlRwUYJsLmJW6WpvKA-zZIPkMVB9KBSYI44BA
Advantages of the build : 
1 sup-complex massive crits
2 you have 2x F1, 3 if you count signet, 4 if you take extended trade, to put it into perspective, dry 0clone shatter can crit for 5k.... you can very easily drop people with just F1 rotation
3 quickness from phantasms
goal of the build is to wait out pressure with stealth, and engage and do massive dmg pressure with quickness from phantasms followed by 10k+ F1 shatter spam, you can easily do 2-3 back to back.
Keep in mind this build has 92% crit rate on F1 with suplex 25% dmg bonus, its nutty.