Would you like to see Shatters replaced/reworked for the next elite specialization?

[Me Games Ma.8426]

Keep in mind that a replacement/rework to shatters would require the traits that we have to work:

• apply Vulnerability/Confusion/Torment
• remove boons
• grant boons
• deal more damage
• heal you and cleanse a condition
• F1 has +25% crit
• F2 can cripple
• F3 can hit multiple targets
• F4 can reflect in some way

[Refia Montes.3205]

it should make sense. Like how I made my fanmade elite.

[Ithilwen.1529]

Shatters are fundamental to the "modern" Mesmer. I am not confident that it would be handled well if they were reworked at this point. You'd essentially be making a new class. Rather, you'd be making 3 new classes. It would take years to get them de bugged and balanced, if ever.

I would like to see slot skills that can buff and/or move phantasms and clones. The "SoS" Ritualist, which closely mirrors the current Mesmer, uses those skills extensively. Without them, phantasms and clones under perform badly. A build with such skills would be far less reliant on shatters.

[bart.3687]

@"Ithilwen.1529" said:Shatters are fundamental to the "modern" Mesmer. I am not confident that it would be handled well if they were reworked at this point. You'd essentially be making a new class. Rather, you'd be making 3 new classes. It would take years to get them de bugged and balanced, if ever.

I'd say Shroud was fundamental to necromancer too. It got reworked for scourge, yet scourge still feels like a necro, not like a totally new class. About bugs, well, they happen even when Anet don't change profession's core mechanics (see: pre-bugfix Mirage). Same goes for balance.

Yes, I'd love to see Shatters changed for the next mesmer specialization. Another spec with base shatters would be a huge disappointment to me.

@Refia Montes.3205 said:it should make sense. Like how I made my fanmade elite.

I really like your concept. Please Anet, check it out.

[Hibiskus.8294]

I didn´t vote....you dont have an "other" poll option....First of all: i would like to see F2 - F4 replaced with the next elite, then i really love F1, so i would never replace it,also it depends for me wich weapon (s) we get as next elite....

I hope for a power / cc pistol mainhand with good clone generation so that i can use F1..... this elite should have a healing skill with 12 - 15 sec CD(so far we got chrono with 30 sec and mirage with 25 sec)....also i hope for pistol mainhand that mainhand has the same range as offhand (1200)...and i hope that this new elite gets (like every other weapon exept shield) a CD reduction Trait...i mean:

every weapon has the option to reduce the CD, but shield not..(ok the trait we have for pistol is nothing with 20 sec CD reduction but i like it,i still hope they let that trait (seriously dont touch "Duelist's Discipline" )be like it is and the new eilte gets a normal 20 sec skill CD reduction trait).

My last hope is that the auto attack has not a cast time from 3/4 or more....1/2 should be for the auto attack enough....(i can say it not enough: no auto attack should have a cast time from 3/4 or more....and that counts for every class!!!!)

[Zelse.9780]

every class other then mesmer got a change to their F abilities either in HoT or PoF and mesmers F skills were never changed other then chrono which got an extra F ability I still wouldn't count that as a change.

[Carighan.6758]

No, because frankly this isn't an issue an elite specialization should fix.

This is a baseline issue. It should be fixed there. At the base class. Yes, that means Chronomancer and Mirage need to be re-built partially (granted very little in the case of Mirage, which just goes to show how disconnected the design is), but so be it. Shatters (and the whole Clone/Phantasm/Shatter triangle) just don't work the way they do. It's time to rethink them.

And frankly, I'd be fine with all 3 ways of collapsing the triangle into a line:

• Clones + Shatters: Pure pet-bomber. Animists with bomber spec in DAoC were fun. If well-made, it'd be an endless stream of Asura running at the enemy to explode. Now that I think about it, not the most politically correct approach to balance. :tongue:
• Phantasms + Clones: Pet-class! Separate the phantasms, we can only have one, it's super strong, but looks exactly like a clone. Finding the real one would be our main PvP mechanic, damage comes from the 1 Phantasm, there are X clones to hide it among, they all play the same attack animations but only one has an effect.
• Phantsms + Shatter: Variable power output. The trickiest, it'd need good stable DPS from Phantasms at the same time as serious burst from shattering and very lengthy re-summon times. Leading to burst which kills players but leaves the Mesmer open for a while

[Menaka.5092]

The biggest problem, at least for me, is that shatters require illusions to actually work "decently". And in large (WvW) fights illusions are obliterated by the aoe in nanoseconds. So our class mechanic is basically totally useless. Still my main problem as a group-oriented WvW mesmer since 2012.

[Derenek.8931]

Shatters are so bogus. Phantasms and Clones should just explode on death like necro minions. The fx keys should be retooled to either multiplying the numbers of clones out already or buffing the phantasms into actual DPS, healers, or Tanks

[Ithilwen.1529]

@Derenek.8931 said:Shatters are so bogus. Phantasms and Clones should just explode on death like necro minions. The fx keys should be retooled to either multiplying the numbers of clones out already or buffing the phantasms into actual DPS, healers, or Tanks

I agree. Sadly, clone death was removed from the game completely. This crippled PU and multiple other Mesmer builds in the core game.

[Xaylin.1860]

@Carighan.6758 said:This is a baseline issue.

Might be. But they sure won't rework it for baseline Mesmer. Don't waste your energy...

@Carighan.6758 said:

• Clones + Shatters: Pure pet-bomber. Animists with bomber spec in DAoC were fun. If well-made, it'd be an endless stream of Asura running at the enemy to explode. Now that I think about it, not the most politically correct approach to balance. :tongue:I miss DAoC, Hibernia and my totally screwed Light Enchanter. Of course, it had its flaws. But I really enjoyed it. <3

[Carighan.6758]

Had an absolutely silly - but incredibly fun - Mind Mastery Mentalist, back when the spec was so terrible that the Albion team leads sent in questions asking when MM Mentalists will be buffed. :grin: Fun times...

It was always interesting to be this well known, I think when Tess was Mentalist TL we had 6 known MM Mentalists in the game. People knew I could - in theory - handle healing fine in DF or so, I just had issues with group damage, made up for in single target output.

[Xaylin.1860]

Light Enchanter still sucks if I remember correctly :/ . My guild made me play Bard or Light Eldritch in RvR instead.

But getting back to a GW2-Animist... It should have spawned Choyas. Not Asuras. At least 3 traits would have referred to fruit salad. What a missed opportunity.Does sound very much like a pre-nerf MM Necro or Turret Engi, though.

[MrMojoRisin.7364]

re-work or strengthen the Greatsword. it looks so cool. definitely my favourite looking weapon, but i run around with a staff, axe and torch! wish i could breakout the GS...

[steki.1478]

Imagine something like this - new 2H weapon with no illusions on it, but F skills are replaced by stronger versions of phantasms - more damage, tankier, but attacks are a bit slower (lets call them phantoms).

F1 phantom does direct damage in medium sized aoe (hits 3 times in fast bursts). F2 does similar as F1 but with confusion+torment instead. F3 pulses daze to 1 target (chain lightning that bounces 4 times when traited). F4 pulses distortion or a mix of stab, prot and aegis to nearby allies (magnetic aura when traited maybe).

Increased illusion cap per target to 4 (but at least 1 phantom must be included -> target can have 3 illusions or 3 illu+ 1 phantom or 2+2 or all 4 phantoms etc). Illusions (or maybe just phantoms) can be casted on multiple targets (since you cant shatter them anyways).

All of the traits you mentioned can be applied on attack. Additionally F skills will be affected by illusion traits too.

The big problem I see here is that F skills would be able to get resetted by 2 signets (which sounds a bit too strong) and the +stat/effect per illusion might lead to some crazy numbers. Also, it's not very useful for pvp, but mesmer doesnt really have problems when it comes to that.

[glenndevis.8327]

I've been waiting for ages for shatters to be replaced or reworked. First spec didn't c hange much to the core shatters. 2nd one didn't either.So yeah i'm looking forward to something diffirent.

[Jokubas.4265]

I might have wanted Shatters to be replaced on the base class myself at some point, but the upcoming rework makes that unlikely. However, it definitely means I'd like to see something now that puts a spin on the F skills for an Elite Specialization.

[Zekvich.6701]

it would be great if the next elite spec changed shatters to something like guardian tomes, instead of shattering you become one of your phantasms and have a different skill bar but it depends how well things will work without requiring a complete rework for traits I suppose. Looking at shatter traits though show that most are pretty basic and could stay the same as long as there remains the 4 shatter buttons converted but stays as active skills and ability to keep up illusions.