Please rework the Scepter Anet

[chripsy.1027]

I play Mirage. The scepter just seems like a very substandard weapon. Let's compare it to the staff for example since this is another condition-based weapon:

- The damage is better on the staff

- The staff targets 5 enemies, scepter only 1......

- Staff gives multiple boons to 5 allies, scepter gives none

In what setting would I ever use scepter over staff? Even having it on a second weapon set as an 'option' again, why would I ever want to use it over the staff and completely nerf my damage?...

[Mell.4873]

1 hour ago, chripsy.1027 said:

I play Mirage. The scepter just seems like a very substandard weapon. Let's compare it to the staff for example since this is another condition-based weapon:

- The damage is better on the staff

- The staff targets 5 enemies, scepter only 1......

- Staff gives multiple boons to 5 allies, scepter gives none

In what setting would I ever use scepter over staff? Even having it on a second weapon set as an 'option' again, why would I ever want to use it over the staff and completely nerf my damage?...

I think Arena Net know this since they reworked the Scepter trait recently. 

They also changed a few non-mesmer weapons away from a pvp focus like Ranger Sword so let's hope other weapons follow suit. 

[Mevelios.4809]

2 hours ago, chripsy.1027 said:

In what setting would I ever use scepter over staff? Even having it on a second weapon set as an 'option' again, why would I ever want to use it over the staff and completely nerf my damage?...

In PvP or WvW roaming, I'd rather use the scepter. The counter is punishing, the beam cannot be neutralized/reflected, and the autoattack is a reliable source of clones for shatters.

As a side weapon in PvE, I couple it with the pistol (axe/torch + scepter/pistol). The brief burst from it since the CD reduction is decent over 10s (counter > beam > ambush > counter > ambush > beam > counter under alacrity, fill holes with autoattack cycle/deception skills) although obviously not OP compared to the axe+Mirrored axes. What's horrible in scepter right now IMO is the sustain from the autoattack, especially if you use it to generate clones since Ether clone only inflicts torment if you have all clones out (even in this case, it's a single stack).

Then again it doesn't compete with Mirrored axes' effect, so you still want to stick to the axe in mainhand whenever you can. Using the illusions spec instead of chaos (The pledge/Main the disillusioned/Malicious sorcery) can produce decent results thanks to the scepter's high clone output (you still want to use primarily the axe when you can help it), however chaos has the upper hand - just like utilities you want raw stats before anything, so the signets are better over other mirage utility skills and Illusionary membrane/Chaotic potency (even if you don't use the staff, and if you do it's indeed even better)/Chaotic persistence produce better results than anything brought by illusions spec.

[Teknomancer.4895]

Honestly my only problem with the scepter is the big cast-time slowdown for step 3 of the AA chain. Paired with OH sword, you can spam out lots of illusions like no other combo can since it has two clone-generating skills where other weapons have only one. The problem with that on Mirage is that you typically want your clones to hang around instead of just being shatter ammunition, so it ends up being a sub-optimal choice.

[Strider.7849]

3 hours ago, chripsy.1027 said:

I play Mirage. The scepter just seems like a very substandard weapon. Let's compare it to the staff for example since this is another condition-based weapon:

- The damage is better on the staff

- The staff targets 5 enemies, scepter only 1......

- Staff gives multiple boons to 5 allies, scepter gives none

In what setting would I ever use scepter over staff? Even having it on a second weapon set as an 'option' again, why would I ever want to use it over the staff and completely nerf my damage?...

To answer your question, scepter is great in sPvP and WvW. It also has the highest clone production available of any weapon on mesmer and can be used in healing based builds (PvE) as well as heavy shatter builds.

It's not as powerful an option on mirage after the restoration of two dodges as it was before and virtuoso doesn't need it with its ability to regenerate blades rapidly, but its a very strong option for core and chrono.

[Dadnir.5038]

You might not like scepter but I do like it. It got high clone generation and it's decent both offensively and defensively.

NB: Also, on a power build, confusing image is a short CD skill that hit like a truck in PvE.

[Roadkizzle.2157]

Scepter is surprisingly good used on a power build. 

I used it quite a bit on my Power Chrono in the open world at least.

The Auto Attack does pretty much the same Strike damage as the Dagger Auto Attack but also generates clones and conditions (they are only base damage though).

Illusionary Counter does decent strike damage as well as the conditions, block, and clones.

Scepter 3 hits like a semi when Power is buffed.

 

The problems with Scepter is the Counter is a reactive skill so it's difficult to use, that it's single target only, and a projectile.

I found fighting Chak with it in HoT was a death wish because of the amount of projectile reflects I kept almost killing myself.

You have to rely on Shatters and AOE skills like the Wells to kill groups quickly. But with Power builds those are also buffed up.

 

 

 

[Curunen.8729]

The main problem for me is the single target auto/ambush.

Staff has easy "aoe", axe has cleave and puts you in melee range for shatter, sword has cleave, dagger has obscene piercing ambush, GS laser discos everything. It's extremely easy to casually damage anything with other weapons even if not directly targeted, whereas scepter feels like its living in vanilla gw2 with the comparative effort required.

That and the scepter ambush animation is like having had multiple cans of red bull or similar xD

[ShadowKatt.6740]

29 minutes ago, Curunen.8729 said:

The main problem for me is the single target auto/ambush.

Staff has easy "aoe", axe has cleave and puts you in melee range for shatter, sword has cleave, dagger has obscene piercing ambush, GS laser discos everything. It's extremely easy to casually damage anything with other weapons even if not directly targeted, whereas scepter feels like its living in vanilla gw2 with the comparative effort required.

That and the scepter ambush animation is like having had multiple cans of red bull or similar xD

So what would you suggest then, a fan of projectiles from each clone and yourself? Because I can get down with that. Just one for each target or simply have a stream of projectiles for everyone similar to the GS?

Actually, out of not wanting to overstep on other weapons like the greatsword, what if the scepter ambush spawned small AoEs with swirling or raining projectiles. Just one second long, but it could hit multiples if they were close together.

[Micah.3789]

6 hours ago, ShadowKatt.6740 said:

what if the scepter ambush spawned small AoEs with swirling or raining projectiles.

Giving scepter ambush the Dragon's Tooth treatment would be cool. An aoe that tracks the target but can splash to nearby enemies, raining a series of bolts down on them.

[Curunen.8729]

14 hours ago, ShadowKatt.6740 said:

So what would you suggest then, a fan of projectiles from each clone and yourself? Because I can get down with that. Just one for each target or simply have a stream of projectiles for everyone similar to the GS?

Actually, out of not wanting to overstep on other weapons like the greatsword, what if the scepter ambush spawned small AoEs with swirling or raining projectiles. Just one second long, but it could hit multiples if they were close together.

It could stay as it is but maybe higher damage/condi on single target, to go further in that niche.

That or maybe the auto could have some splash effect like rifle, but damage instead of healing. Maybe the third auto does 1 stack confusion in small radius on hit.

[xellink.7568]

On 12/28/2023 at 5:37 PM, chripsy.1027 said:

I play Mirage. The scepter just seems like a very substandard weapon. Let's compare it to the staff for example since this is another condition-based weapon:

- The damage is better on the staff

- The staff targets 5 enemies, scepter only 1......

- Staff gives multiple boons to 5 allies, scepter gives none

In what setting would I ever use scepter over staff? Even having it on a second weapon set as an 'option' again, why would I ever want to use it over the staff and completely nerf my damage?...

Heal chrono uses sceptre.

[phokus.8934]

OG malicious sorcery should've made its way baseline for scepter.  Otherwise it's a good weapon.

[ZephidelGRS.9520]

25 minutes ago, phokus.8934 said:

OG malicious sorcery should've made its way baseline for scepter.  Otherwise it's a good weapon.

I know a lot of people want this, myself included, but making it baseline means it will then stack with Quickness for a 70% reduction in total. Which might not be something Anet wanted, considering that they didn't allow the effects to stack before. 50% from Quickness seems to be their max tolerance for the reduction.

That's likely why the Scepter Ambush got self-Quickness, too.

[Mevelios.4809]

1 hour ago, ZephidelGRS.9520 said:

I know a lot of people want this, myself included, but making it baseline means it will then stack with Quickness for a 70% reduction in total.

It wasn't working like that, the attack speed buff was only effective when missing quickness - in other words it wasn't cumulative, quickness was overwriting it completely making it only a CD reduction trait in group play. That was part of the notes in the former wiki entry, which has been removed. 🙂