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How would you redesign the mesmer?


Lonami.2987

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  • 11 months later...

The mesmer has always been hard to deal with, but I think I'm finally into something solid.

I'm sacrificing illusion quantity in exchange of illusion quality. I'm also isolating the illusions as a profession mechanic, so future elite specializations don't have to rely on them that much, opening the way for alternative mechanics. Well, let's get into it.


Mesmer

  • Shatters have been removed. Weapon skills, slot skills, and trait effects summoning phantasms or clones have been removed or adjusted to no longer involve them. Some of these skills and effects have been integrated into the skills of the new profession mechanic.
  • Phantasms and Clones have been replaced by Illusions, the new profession mechanic. Summon individual illusions by using mechanic skills F2, F3, or F4, and use the same skills again to command each of them independently. Skills F2 and F3 are determined by your main-hand weapon, while skill F4 is determined by your off-hand weapon. Mechanic skill F1 lets you command all active illusions at once, and has a different effect depending on the number of active illusions, being determined by the main-hand weapon while there's zero or two, and by the off-hand while there's one or three. Using skill F1 while there's zero active illusions will summon three illusions at once.
  • Illusions are tougher than their original counterparts, making them more meaningful in combat. They mimic the mesmer at real time, swapping weapons when he does. Illusions also have the same exact appearance as the mesmer by default, swapping to a phantasmal look only when your enemy applies the revealed effect to them. The maximum number of active illusions is three, and they are no longer locked to specific targets.
  • Original clone and phantasm slot skills have been replaced by Elixirs.
  • Glamour slot skills have been reclassified as Consecrations.
  • Manipulation slot skills have been reclassified as Tricks.
  • Mantras and Signets keep most of their functions intact.
  • Main-hand pistol, warhorn, and rifle have been enabled for the core profession.
  • Base health gained per level has been decreased, from a total of 5,922 to 1,645, leaving mesmer in the light health tier.

Chronomancer

  • The Illusion mechanic has been replaced by the Chronomancer Aura. Mechanic skills F2, F3, and F4 contain aura skills now. Use once to activate the passive effect (Aura), and again to consume it and trigger an active skill (Overload). F2 applies quickness, F3 applies alacrity, and F4 applies vigor. Quickness, alacrity, and vigor have been redesigned to stack intensity instead of duration. Overload skills are determined by the active weapons, in the same exact way as the illusion mechanic. Mechanic skill F1 lets you activate and consume all auras at once, unlocking a bonus effect.
  • Continuum Split is no longer a profession mechanic, and its effects have been moved into the Well of Precognition utility skill, which has been reclassified as an elite skill. The former Gravity Well elite skill has been renamed as Well of Gravity, and reclassified as an utility skill.
  • Shield keeps most of its functions intact.

Mirage

  • Ambush skills have been removed, since their role is already covered by the new core profession mechanic.
  • New mechanic skill F5 lets you summon two additional illusions at once, its effect determined by the off-hand weapon.
  • Mechanic skill F1 has new effects while there's four or five active illusions, determined by the main-hand while there's four and by the off-hand while there's five.
  • Off-hand axe has been enabled, letting mirages wield two axes at once.
  • Mirage Cloak keeps most of its functions intact, as do main-hand axe and deception skills.

If you've checked the other profession redesign threads, you'll know my primary goal is to normalize core mechanics, and build elite specializations from a dual profession viewpoint, mechanic-wise. Chronomancer uses auras, the new guardian core mechanic inspired by herald facets, and mirage is a double mesmer.

Some new elite specialization ideas to see how the changes could affect them, based on the new core mechanics of the engineer (kits), the necromancer (swarm), and the revenant (relic):


Balladeer

  • New mechanic skill F5 lets you equip the Balladeer Harp Kit, replacing your weapon skills when activated. Mechanic skills F1, F2, F3, and F4 gain new effects while the harp is active, giving your illusions their own musical instruments to play with. These instruments are determined by the slot of the mechanic skill the illusions were summoned with, these being a Flute for F2, a Lute for F3, and a Drum for F4. Time the rhythm of your actions to unleash powerful combos against your enemies.
  • Shortbow is the new weapon, and Shouts are the new slot skills, both used in synergy with the harp.

Dreamcatcher

  • The Illusion mechanic has been replaced by the Illusory Swarm. Activate mechanic skill F1 to summon one illusion for every nearby enemy. These normal-sized illusions will be replaced by two medium-sized illusions when they are destroyed, which will in turn be replaced by two small-sized illusions when they are destroyed as well. Use mechanic skills F2, F3, and F4 to shatter all your active illusions of one specific size, destroying them in exchange of a powerful attack, its effects increasing the more illusions of said size were shattered. Skills F2 (shatter normal) and F4 (shatter small) are determined by the main-hand weapon, and F3 (shatter medium) is determined by the off-hand weapon.
  • Spears are the new weapons, and Traps are the new slot skills, both letting you slow down your enemies before they get surrounded by the swarm.

Stargazer

  • The Illusion mechanic has been replaced by the Stargazer Astrolabe. Use mechanic skill F1 to place the astrolabe in the nearby ground. Mechanic skills F2, F3, and F4 let you manipulate boons and conditions using the magic of the astrolabe. F2 corrupts boons of nearby enemies, F3 converts conditions of nearby allies, and F4 consumes both boons of nearby allies and conditions of nearby enemies, applying unique effects of varying strength depending on the duration and stacks of the consumed boons and conditions.
  • Daggers are the new weapons (modeled after throwing cards), and Corruption are the new slot skills, letting you manipulate boons and conditions even further.

Well, took quite a long time, but there it is. Hope you liked it!

And remember, this thread is just for fun, so feel free to post any ideas you have, even if you believe there's no way they could be happening.

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core mes - bring back aoe boons on bountiful disillusionment since soi is dedchronomancer - wells pulse 2sec of each boon, revert distort and cs changemirage - lower the confusion output so it's less ebola in pvp and less overpowered on pve raids in particular fights. in compensation, improve torment and bleeding output. also make axe 2 work like DD staff 2 and not send you through enemies.

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