Let's talk about off-hands

[whoknocks.4935]

Hey guys,

I mainly play power mirage (full zerk) in WvW roaming, I don't play the usual mantra stun with domination traitline, but I run inspiration and sometimes chaos when I wanna have fun with CI.

I am bored of using torch off-hand even tho it seems the best off hand weapon, with the new recent marked buff it's less effective.

I am trying out focus off-hand and it's not bad if traited to reflect projectile, and focus4 pull offers pretty good combo setups and caught lot of people off guard.

I am trying sword off-hand as well in a sword/sword and the extra block evade makes sword/sword set even more defensive.

I didn't try pistol in a power build yet, but seems to be mainly a condi or hybrid weapon.

Do you guys still think torch oh is still number 1 weapon to use for 1vs1s, roaming and whatnot?

[Magolith.9412]

imo the stealth from torch is just too good to pass up in a roaming context; Good for juking, escaping, buying time during a fight, doing a bit of damage, dropping a condi, etc.

[apharma.3741]

@Magolith.9412 said:imo the stealth from torch is just too good to pass up in a roaming context; Good for juking, escaping, buying time during a fight, doing a bit of damage, dropping a condi, etc.

Pretty much this. Even shield isn't really that good considering the amount of unblockable stuff around atm (soulbeast, full counter, prime light beam, FS/LS spam) for roaming. I also find berserker isn't that rewarding for mesmer, you have to trait for damage to get a 10k+ burst off with mind wrack and even then you need some decent set up. Your sustained damage is still a little behind the current roaming specs that use marauder (except thief) and sure you have great mobility but many other classes can match you (excluding portal) and even stealth is abundant on other classes.

I just find power mesmer roaming is requiring more risk for no real reward when you see a rev one shot 3 people because phase traverse + shackling wave is so dumb or a spellbreaker runs into a pack of players, some idiot hits FC and you take a 7k hit. Holo barfs out 6-10k damage with all holoforge skills and isn't lacking on damage outside of it and don't get me started on the ridiculousness of soulbeast and druid (CA is still 10s CD in WvW).

Edit: Did I mention how phantasms will die before attacking and I've frequently had melee clones die on spawning because someone is just spamming 1? Fun effin times.

[whoknocks.4935]

@apharma.3741 said:

@"Magolith.9412" said:imo the stealth from torch is just too good to pass up in a roaming context; Good for juking, escaping, buying time during a fight, doing a bit of damage, dropping a condi, etc.

Pretty much this. Even shield isn't really that good considering the amount of unblockable stuff around atm (soulbeast, full counter, prime light beam, FS/LS spam) for roaming. I also find berserker isn't that rewarding for mesmer, you have to trait for damage to get a 10k+ burst off with mind wrack and even then you need some decent set up. Your sustained damage is still a little behind the current roaming specs that use marauder (except thief) and sure you have great mobility but many other classes can match you (excluding portal) and even stealth is abundant on other classes.

I just find power mesmer roaming is requiring more risk for no real reward when you see a rev one shot 3 people because phase traverse + shackling wave is so dumb or a spellbreaker runs into a pack of players, some idiot hits FC and you take a 7k hit. Holo barfs out 6-10k damage with all holoforge skills and isn't lacking on damage outside of it and don't get me started on the ridiculousness of soulbeast and druid (CA is still 10s CD in WvW).

Edit: Did I mention how phantasms will die before attacking and I've frequently had melee clones die on spawning because someone is just spamming 1? Fun effin times.

I don't know, I like my full zerk power mirage for roaming. Even tho maybe I'm considering to add marauder pieces on my trinkets probably.The only thing you should do to win fights is baiting and time all your skills.If you see an enemy and you gs4, gs2 blink, F1, F3, gs3 you already "wasted" half of your cooldowns, and if the enemy is good he will be still at 100% health because dodged and blocked everything and you will be countered easily.You don't have to be afraid to spam lot of gs autoattacks which are your main sustain damage output.

Right now I am playing a gs sword focus build with inspiration dueling and mirage, inside inspiration I chose the trait to reduce focus cd and focus skills reflect projectiles, focus 4 wall is so good to counter rangers and deadeyes and so you don't need to run the reflect trait inside dueling but can choose blind on shatter.Focus4 is basically a stronger copy of what wall of reflection of guardian is, plus it cripples enemy running onto it and plus it's an aoe 600 range pull which allow you to interrupt or setup your burst skills very nicely.Focus5 is good setting up burst skill which can land heavy damage is the enemy is not careful, plus reflect as well.

[apharma.3741]

@whoknocks.4935 said:

@apharma.3741 said:

@"Magolith.9412" said:imo the stealth from torch is just too good to pass up in a roaming context; Good for juking, escaping, buying time during a fight, doing a bit of damage, dropping a condi, etc.

Pretty much this. Even shield isn't really that good considering the amount of unblockable stuff around atm (soulbeast, full counter, prime light beam, FS/LS spam) for roaming. I also find berserker isn't that rewarding for mesmer, you have to trait for damage to get a 10k+ burst off with mind wrack and even then you need some decent set up. Your sustained damage is still a little behind the current roaming specs that use marauder (except thief) and sure you have great mobility but many other classes can match you (excluding portal) and even stealth is abundant on other classes.

I just find power mesmer roaming is requiring more risk for no real reward when you see a rev one shot 3 people because phase traverse + shackling wave is so dumb or a spellbreaker runs into a pack of players, some idiot hits FC and you take a 7k hit. Holo barfs out 6-10k damage with all holoforge skills and isn't lacking on damage outside of it and don't get me started on the ridiculousness of soulbeast and druid (CA is still 10s CD in WvW).

Edit: Did I mention how phantasms will die before attacking and I've frequently had melee clones die on spawning because someone is just spamming 1? Fun effin times.

I don't know, I like my full zerk power mirage for roaming. Even tho maybe I'm considering to add marauder pieces on my trinkets probably.The only thing you should do to win fights is baiting and time all your skills.If you see an enemy and you gs4, gs2 blink, F1, F3, gs3 you already "wasted" half of your cooldowns, and if the enemy is good he will be still at 100% health because dodged and blocked everything and you will be countered easily.You don't have to be afraid to spam lot of gs autoattacks which are your main sustain damage output.

Right now I am playing a gs sword focus build with inspiration dueling and mirage, inside inspiration I chose the trait to reduce focus cd and focus skills reflect projectiles, focus 4 wall is so good to counter rangers and deadeyes and so you don't need to run the reflect trait inside dueling but can choose blind on shatter.Focus4 is basically a stronger copy of what wall of reflection of guardian is, plus it cripples enemy running onto it and plus it's an aoe 600 range pull which allow you to interrupt or setup your burst skills very nicely.Focus5 is good setting up burst skill which can land heavy damage is the enemy is not careful, plus reflect as well.

Yeah I don't just do the normal shatter burst as soon as I see someone, I'll usually cancel cast the berserker so they waste a dodge and cast mirror blade to hit at the end of the dodge or force a double dodge. I use the GS trait so mirror blade is on a very low cool down and mind stab can cripple them to slow down their kiting.

The issue is that the "main burst" of mirror blade into mind wrack is very old and fairly easy to see and defend against and clones don't last very long unless ranged where melee die almost instantly. Except if playing mirage clones travel at base speed so anyone with swiftness can infinitely kite a shatter or kill them as they come to you. So generally if you want your clones to hit (assuming you're not lame and use IH) you have to expend a dodge when sending them to shatter to give them 1s superspeed except since ANet nerfed vigor uptime on core and mirage you're at a dodge deficit vs holo/soulbeast and MMR warrior.

I really don't rate focus against anyone who knows focus skills and the phantasm is hot garbage after the change, not that it was good before, I've yet to see it do any meaningful damage against anyone/anything that can't be considered a golem. I'm not sure if temporal curtain still suffers from the same height bugs that it used to, I think Pyro or someone who keep up to date on it would probably know. I'd rate sword offhand more than focus.

[Pyroatheist.9031]

Temporal curtain is a fairly reliable reflect unless you're getting pewpewed from a cliff or something. Even then you can stand directly on the curtain and it'll still work.

That being said, I can't recommend using focus while roaming. One skill is strong but quite niche, the other is trash.

[phokus.8934]

I kind of wish pistol off-hand was slight modified. It just doesn’t feel pistoly enough with the phantasm and just a semi-long cd stun.

Or maybe a mainhand pistol would compliment it well...

[InsaneQR.7412]

Pistol isnt bad for power just inferior for roaming.Focus is dev made trash since the mesmer rework.The phantasm needs a ground target and its old effect back.

[Justine.6351]

Phantasmal Warden was good until earlier this year when they randomly decided to remake it into some weird turret phantom that basically split its old cleave damage among multiple targets.So long as the reflect trait is in the Inspiration traitline, focus is going to continue to be a weak offhand.

Solutions,

• make reflect baseline for focus skills or move the trait out of inspiration.
• revert Phantasmal Warden to the old cleaving attack along with its thrown immobilize axe.