Mesmers and Thieves

[Chief.7143]

Just curious if there is a good way to target them? The tab target system seems pretty bad in that respect. ie. Mesmer clones take prio from tab tageting and now, even your called self target is wiped on stealth.

Its so unfun to fight them for this reason.

[Gotejjeken.1267]

Mesmer just have to look for the one that's trying to act like a clone (and also has buffs on its bar) and hope you get lucky enough to actually manually click it....

Yeah, it's annoying. 

[Last Crab.6054]

i wonder if show all player names in the option would help, and snap to current target + auto targeting would help

[Hotride.2187]

Somewhere on the forum I read you can set the "target previous enemy" hotkey to use against mesmers. I've not used it myself, no idea if it helps.

For thieves not being able to target them is usually a problem when theres already 1-2 people on you other than the thief, you are usually dead then anyway unless you do jumping puzzles.

[WingSwipe.3084]

For theives I usually switch to free aim to get some quick damage off.

For mesmers I cleave, hard. You cant really hide from an Arc Divider or warrior Axe 5 while grouped. Does wonders for me.

[arazoth.7290]

8 hours ago, Gotejjeken.1267 said:

Mesmer just have to look for the one that's trying to act like a clone (and also has buffs on its bar) and hope you get lucky enough to actually manually click it....

Yeah, it's annoying. 

Once you found him or have found him before going with clones, Put a big red dot on him or a personalized target dot that other players can't see.

And then hoping he doesn't stealth to make it disappear 

[Eddbopkins.2630]

Having classes/skills/traits that detarget the enemy is a very useful utility that only a very few select classes have. It's something either all class should get or none. Another reason why this game never made it more then a few short months in the ESL

 

Edited July 26 by Eddbopkins.2630

[Azure The Heartless.3261]

13 hours ago, Chief.7143 said:

Just curious if there is a good way to target them? The tab target system seems pretty bad in that respect. ie. Mesmer clones take prio from tab tageting and now, even your called self target is wiped on stealth.

Its so unfun to fight them for this reason.

I tab target anyway. 

Tab targeting system prioritizes whatever is closest to  a cone of line of sight, the center of which is your camera (at least, this is how it feels in practice) so while I am monitoring clones I look for any behavior clones can't do (like backpedaling, jumping, moving in any direction that isn't -toward- me and non auto animations, like the prestige) while I am cycling clones with tab. The moment I see any buttons that don't belong on a clones hotbar, that's my target. If I see nothing, i cleave to remove the mesmer's ability to shatter for significant dmg.

It's fun for me until they slot power block, at which point I also have to factor in line of sight.  It's doable with time, keep practicing. 

Thief is similar. Some skills track stealth or give boons or other readable info when you hit something.  (For example, cyclone axe gives you fury  when you hit a target, most auto skills flip over. )  

I deal with these by moving into their black powders if I don't see them to tank any leaps, firing cc before their leaps complete to track stealth, and bursting air if I get indication that a thief is in front of me and may be otherwise disabled (ex: a bulls charge connected at the end of a leap, cyclone axe procced fury so the thief is in front of me, I'm bursting there to force a stunbreak and counting whichever one I see). If they're running something that dictates their movement like sword, I keep an eye on whether they have infil return up and move away from then if they do, which gives breathing room. You can't reliably catch thieves that want to escape if their buttons are fresh, but if you know they want to fight you, where you are dictates generally where they will be, and it's possible to move in ways that exhaust their stealth buttons until it becomes difficult for them to disengage when you pounce on them. 

Target breaks are frustrating but if it's doable on axe war it's doable on most things (mesmer has an arguably worse time with thief if it doesn't counterbuild.)

Edited July 26 by Azure The Heartless.3261
God my phone loves misspelling

[UncreativeGreen.2019]

3 hours ago, Azure The Heartless.3261 said:

 

Tab targeting system prioritizes whatever is closest to the a cone of line of sighy, the center of which is your camera (at least, this is how it feels in practice)

That’s how it use to be and was very responsive. But ever since they added ally targeting I feel like it’s been messed up. Quite frequently you can have an enemy point blank in front of you, directly in your line of sight, hitting you… and tab targeting will target something1200+u away, and to the far right of your character. Then tab target again and it’ll switch to targeting an ambient plant in the corner of the room. Until finally your tab targeting pick up the thing smacking you point blank that you’ve been staring at for the last 10s. 
 

I remember how good it use to be where you could manipulate tab targeting. There was definitely a priority system based on field of view and distance. But ever since a certain patch a long time ago, it feels like it’s been screwy. 

[Waffles.5632]

Spam AOE to destroy their clones. Easiest way.

You can also treat clones like ranger pets too, so you can abuse line of sight and jumping.

[arazoth.7290]

I wish they had a keybind for rotating between closest enemy players and closest ally players/recently also.

 

Aint hard I guess to add this as option and targeting would be easier then by clicking. Less bothersome by rotating between clones and pets... . It would make it less bothersome when you yave to react fast or target some for help

[Saiyan.1704]

I normally just run the opposite direction.

[Asuran.5469]

15 hours ago, Chief.7143 said:

Just curious if there is a good way to target them? The tab target system seems pretty bad in that respect. ie. Mesmer clones take prio from tab tageting and now, even your called self target is wiped on stealth.

Its so unfun to fight them for this reason.

use target next not just target close

target next will look through clone right at mes

[Endo.1652]

Eventually as you play, you kind of just gain an "eye" for it. People will use skills in a general area where they try to predict where a stealthed enemy is. These kind of fights are more focused on mind games and trying to bait and predict.

Best thing to do vs these classes is never panic. Keep an eye out for any tells. Some people are kind of predictable in how they play too. Also learn spots to stand on that deny things like teleports and clones. Learning jumping puzzles in pvp maps are very important for surviving any of these when they seem like they are about to outnumber you.

[Terrorhuz.4695]

18 hours ago, Chief.7143 said:

Just curious if there is a good way to target them? The tab target system seems pretty bad in that respect. ie. Mesmer clones take prio from tab tageting and now, even your called self target is wiped on stealth.

Its so unfun to fight them for this reason.

Can't speak for thieves, for mesmers just bring AoE. Cleave the clones and the mesmer at the same time if you can. Terrain usage (like going behind some rock) will go a long way; it will prevent the mesmer from dealing damage to you, and it will gather all clones for fast cleave.

[Sahne.6950]

When i am fighting a mesmer i just attack whatever.

Killing the clones is something you should do.... just saying....

 

But generally speaking.... there will come a point where you can instantly identify whose a clone and who is the real mesmer.   Its one of those: "once you see it, you cant unsee it."- things.

The clones all move in a VERY predictable way.   While most mesmer players dont even try to act like a clone.

Edited July 29 by Sahne.6950