Abilities
Shattering illusions is the mesmer's special ability. Shattering destroys the mesmer's illusions and applies a secondary effect. The four shatter skills are:
Mind Wrack (does damage to nearby foes),
Cry of Frustration (applies confusion to nearby foes),
Diversion (dazes targets of illusions),
Distortion (causes caster to evade attacks).
Illusions come in two types: Phantasms and clones. Phantasms are illusions that look like the caster but have their own names, have a purple color and carry special illusionary weapons, which look different and have specific behavior. Phantasms cause a substantially larger amount of damage and are more durable than clones, which are most effective for distracting enemies and powering shatters. Clones look exactly like the mesmer and display the same name.
Mesmers also enjoy a wide variety of skills which allow them to avoid attacks, either by blocking and counterattacking, or by using stealth magic.
Mesmers are adept at causing confusion on their enemies — a condition which causes the mesmer's enemies to take damage each time they use a skill and stacks in intensity.
Skills click the link to see a list of mesmer skills.
Special skill types
Traits
The mesmer has the following trait lines:
Equipment
The mesmer is a scholar profession, and thus wears light armor.
Weapons
Crafting
The following crafting disciplines can create items that are useful to the mesmer:
Shattering illusions is the mesmer's special ability. Shattering destroys the mesmer's illusions and applies a secondary effect. The four shatter skills are:
Mind Wrack (does damage to nearby foes),
Cry of Frustration (applies confusion to nearby foes),
Diversion (dazes targets of illusions),
Distortion (causes caster to evade attacks).
Illusions come in two types: Phantasms and clones. Phantasms are illusions that look like the caster but have their own names, have a purple color and carry special illusionary weapons, which look different and have specific behavior. Phantasms cause a substantially larger amount of damage and are more durable than clones, which are most effective for distracting enemies and powering shatters. Clones look exactly like the mesmer and display the same name.
Mesmers also enjoy a wide variety of skills which allow them to avoid attacks, either by blocking and counterattacking, or by using stealth magic.
Mesmers are adept at causing confusion on their enemies — a condition which causes the mesmer's enemies to take damage each time they use a skill and stacks in intensity.
Skills click the link to see a list of mesmer skills.
Special skill types
- Illusions — Physical representations of the caster. Most require a target and are dispelled when the target dies or if the Mesmer uses a Shatter skill. Up to three illusions can be maintained. There are two types of illusions:
- Clones — Have the caster's appearance, main-hand weapon, and name. Clones have decent amounts of health, but do very low damage and will use the slot 1 skill associated with the caster's weapon (with the special effect [if any] associated with the slot 1 skill).
- Phantasms — Appear as ethereal images of the caster, but take up the name of the skill (e.g. Phantasmal Duelist) instead of the caster's name. They have their own weapons that range in different appearances and behaviors. Phantasms have higher damage and health than clones.
- Mantras — Mantras are healing or utility skills which must be prepared before use. This offset of long preparation time is rewarded with sequence skill which can be activated instantly and even in a middle of another action.
- Glamours - Glamours are utility skills which create shining fields on the ground, which have helpful effects on allies or harmful effects on enemies.
- Manipulations - Manipulations are utility skills used to evade attacks, mislead opponents, redirect forces or to simply escape from a deadly situation.
Traits
The mesmer has the following trait lines:
- Domination increases Power and Condition Duration, and grants additional effects on interrupting enemies, and has traits which benefit use of greatsword and torch.
- Dueling increases Precision and Critical Damage, and favors single combat and use of sword and pistol, and mantras.
- Chaos increases Toughness and Boon Duration, and grants increase in survivability and support abilities, especially when using staff.
- Inspiration increases Vitality and Healing Power, and benefits use of phantasms, and can increase effectiveness of scepter and focus weapons.
- Illusions increases Condition Damage and Shredding Recharge Rate, which reduces recharge time of shatter skills. This trait line offers many traits which affect a single type of skill or effect, as well as the shatter skills themselves.
Equipment
The mesmer is a scholar profession, and thus wears light armor.
Weapons
- Two-handed
- Greatsword — Functions as a ranged weapon, good for a balanced mix of ranged combat and area damage.
- Staff — Focuses on giving conditions to foes and boons to allies. Like the Greatsword, it is good at dealing with multiple targets.
- Off-hand
- Focus — Offers help with movement. Its Phantasm protects from projectiles.
- Pistol — Offers a multi-target condition attack. Its Phantasm causes high single target damage.
- Sword — Offers further defense via another block ability. Its Phantasm jumps in and out of melee combat, making it more difficult to hit.
- Torch — Gives an area blind and burn attack which also makes you briefly invisible. Its Phantasm confuses enemies and helps allies.
Crafting
The following crafting disciplines can create items that are useful to the mesmer: