Changing perspective - Mirage - Vigour/Cloak/Mirrors/Deceptions

[Curunen.8729]

Following on from this post, I’ve been thinking about how mirage could be further scaffolded into this framework.

First of all let me acknowledge it goes without saying that:

• Infinite Horizon should be Grandmaster Minor
• Speed of Sand should be merged into Adept Minor
• Clone ambush damage should largely be shifted to the player

Everything below is taking these three points as standard.

Additionally there is still scope for F1-F4 to be modified, though it's unlikely to be more than minor changes similar in the way of Chrono, so I'm going to ignore talking about those skills here.

To state again, I am considering the point of view below:Mirage: "lose the ability to dodge entirely, which is replaced by a new skill with 10s base cooldown (mirage cloak) that provides unique defensive and offensive benefits (evade at any time, and access to ambushes)"

This is taking into account a potential global single charge skill as it currently is in wvw/pvp since the patch (ie not two charges/ammo as would be analogous to two normal dodges, currently the case in pve), though the number of "charges" on the endurance bar is somewhat irrelevant to the concepts outlined below.

Then it is a matter of looking at the UI in a different way.

• Endurance bar is effectively a skill box with cooldown as endurance regen and x number of charges (currently 1 in pvp/wvw and 2 in pve)
• Deception utility skills can be seen as “dodges”

Backward (defensive) dodge – Sand through GlassForward (offensive) dodge – Mirage AdvanceUtility dodge – Illusionary AmbushStationary (offensive) delayed dodge – Crystal SandsStationary (defensive) delayed dodge – False OasisRelocation without evade frame – Jaunt[spec weapon dodge (offensive/utility) – Axes of Symmetry]

The idea being that you would want to dedicate one or two slots out of skills 6-0 (heal, utilities, elite) to be the analogue of “dodges” on any other spec.But the following changes would help to solidify the use of Deceptions in this way:

1. All Deception skills that don’t directly gain Mirage Cloak create a Mirage Mirror (ie Illusionary Ambush directly gains Mirage Cloak so doesn’t need to create a Mirror):
   • Jaunt – leaves behind a Mirror at the starting location
   • Mirage Advance – leaves behind a Mirror at the starting location
2. Some Deceptions gain ammunition mechanic analogous to having two dodges:
   • Sand through Glass – 2 charges (30s cooldown)
   • Crystal Sands – 2 charges (20s cooldown)
3. Additional tweaks:
   • Mirage Advance – gains 3/4s evade frame on advance (in line with Axe 3)

This would increase the availability and access to Mirrors while also encouraging use of at least one or more deceptions as pseudo-“dodge” utilities.

On this note, you might be think what is the point of leaving Mirrors behind you when they may not be useful when running in a straight line for example. To me this is actually fitting thematically with a mirage being a localised phenomenon - intangible but within a given area. Therefore it makes sense that Mirage has good in combat intangibility, but not straight line mobility as compared with something like thief. You could argue that a mirage is always on the horizon, but we have the tools to be able to satisfy this concept in terms of kiting.

In terms of Mirage Cloak cooldown via endurance, the following can be considered:

• Vigour is analagous to Alacrity
• Weakness endurance regen rate reduction is analagous to Chill cooldown rate reduction

Given the blurring of lines between what can be considered a "skill", it would be interesting in the case of Mirage for anything affecting endurance regen rate or direct regain could also have additional effects on "normal skills". For example, Vigour already gives 150 condi damage for mirage - a simple stat boost.

But, if Deceptions are as if dodges, then why not expand the effects of Vigour to directly affect their cooldown rate. For example:Elusive Mind: Gain 1s vigour when Mirage Cloak ends. While under the effects of vigour, Deception skills recharge faster (ie 25%)

The entire middle (defensive) set of major traits could become (with a small addition to Mirage Mantle):Renewing Oasis - Regen on Cloak and 20% reduced damaging condi durations while under RegenMirage Mantle - Protection after Cloak, and 20% reduced incoming disable effect duration while under Protection (stun, daze, knockdown, push, pull, etc...)Elusive Mind - Vigour after Cloak, and x% increased recharge rate for Deception skills while under Vigour

Now as it is possible to be under both the effect of Vigour and Alacrity at the same time, for the UI perhaps the background colour of a Deception on cooldown could change to a different colour under Vigour (eg orange or purple), while Alacrity governs the cooldown timer colour being Green.

On the flipside, Weakness could directly increase the recharge rate of Deception skills.

This is a lot of possible interactions between effects on normal skills, between two boons and two conditions, and may be too difficult to make work with the UI. But it's still interesting to think about.

Regarding direct endurance refills, firstly energy/adventurer need to be standardised between pvp and wvw/pve so we don't crutch on this gear so hard as at present.Then there could be possibilities of adding direct endurance refills somewhere to Mirage. For example:New Trait: Gain x endurance (ie, 5) when you hit with an ambush attack (player only). Player ambush damage is increased by y% (ie, 15%)

As this is quite an offensive trait, rewarding the player for landing ambushes, I believe it could be put in place of Dune Cloak on the Bottom line, grouped together with Riddle of Sand and Mirrored Axes. Dune Cloak can be moved to the Top line as utility in the vein of Self Deception and Desert Distortion.

So the entire spec could read:Top (utility) - Self Deception, Desert Distortion, Dune CloakMiddle (defensive) - Regen+buff, Protection+buff, Vigour+buffBottom (offensive) - Riddle of Sand, Mirrored Axes, New Trait (outlined above)Minors - Cloak+Superspeed, Nomad's Endurance, Infinite Horizon

Of course the one big loss is condi cleanse, by changing Elusive Mind, but I think trait wise it could be interesting to have that as a downside to the spec, or have other cleanse baked into Deceptions - ie Jaunt, and maybe other skills. StG could remove immobilise/cripple/chill for example.

Sure none of the above is concrete - there are many holes, and I am open to many possibilities that have reasonable chance of becoming reality, so this is just envisioning one of the ways Mirage could go from now to make it more coherent. And probably many things I want to edit this post with but can't think of at the moment.

[Leonidrex.5649]

never seen someone post so much shit to say nothing.all this post does1 IH is baseline2 some utilities get mirage mirror for free3 vigor is useless unless you trait for it to do something4 you still have 1 dodge so its clunky and trash5 energy sigil no longer usable

Instead of doing this RePlAcE eNdUrAnCe you can go and make IH baseline, add some mirrors randomly and thats all you did.

[storm.3120]

@Curunen.8729 said:Dude, playing with 1 evade on a spec that made to be evasive... and we have a drd who have better evasion skills and gave 1 more instead of 1 less... Anet makes no sense in their changes and its not so wise to negotiate with psychopaths

[Curunen.8729]

@"Leonidrex.5649" said:never seen someone post so much kitten to say nothing.all this post does1 IH is baseline2 some utilities get mirage mirror for free3 vigor is useless unless you trait for it to do something4 you still have 1 dodge so its clunky and trash5 energy sigil no longer usable

Instead of doing this RePlAcE eNdUrAnCe you can go and make IH baseline, add some mirrors randomly and thats all you did.

Small steps, because that's all we are likely to get - therefore packaging it with plenty of flavour talk in a way that is palatable for devs to potentially make further changes. The way you have summarised could sum up every balance patch since pre HoT specialisation patch.

I said it's irrelevant whether 50 or 100 endurance, though the post is taking into account a future where we are stuck at 50.

How would energy sigil no longer be usable? WvW is still 50 refund, all I'm suggesting is it should be standardised to 25, and Adventurer to 25, following the general slower pace of the game. Give the trait line some dedicated options instead of necessitating fixed gear.

As said this is hardly comprehensive and has plenty of room for improvement/additions/changes. What it is, is a collection of thoughts as to how one or two improvements can be made to benefit the spec from this point. Even if it is "NoTHiNg".

I get why yourself and most mesmers here are in a sour mood because of this patch, but no reason to lash out. It is best to work with what we've got and problem solve further changes. It is almost certain Anet will not go backwards with the 50 endurance change, so there's no point holding on to it.

@Odik.4587 said:

@Curunen.8729 said:Dude, playing with 1 evade on a spec that made to be evasive... and we have a drd who have better evasion skills and gave 1 more instead of 1 less... Anet makes no sense in their changes and its not so wise to negotiate with psychopathsA bit extreme, but if someone there happens to read something that plants one seed of thought which allows something good to come of it, then it will be for the best.