Core Mesmer

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Following build is designed to guide you through your first playthrough, or simply offer you a decent and reliable Core build if you are on Free to Play account.

Mesmer is very unique profession, being master of illusions and deception they will try to disorient an enemy with their clones while dealing massive damage both from afar and at close range.

This build is oriented around summoning powerful Phantasms enhanced with boons and buffing your own damage in the process with very good Vulnerability application and high uptime of Fury, Quickness and extremaly good Might generation.

Build Fundamentals

Mesmers can summon up to 3 Clones that can later be shattered with skills F1-4, more illusions you have, the better effect of the shatter skill will be, and your shatters are:

1. Mind Wrack
2. Cry of Frustration
3. Diversion
4. Distortion

Use Mind Wrack for damage whenever you have 3 Clones, other shatters have different applications, Cry of Frustration is useful for condition damage builds, but Diversion is a useful and strong Crowd Control skill, and Distortion is extremaly strong defensive ability.

While leveling, Mirror Images is a reliable source of Clones you can unlock early, but this build will be mostly summoning Phantasms instead, much stronger versions of Clones that perform specific attacks and shortly after disappear and are replaced with regular Clone.

Note: Clones despawn when your target dies.

Your Phantasms will be the bread and butter of your damage. During fights against stronger enemies, you might want to follow engage combo to abuse Phantasms generation utilizing Phantasmal Warden from the Sword/Focus weapon set and using Signet of the Ether to reset all the Phantasms, but when fighting multiple weaker enemies, just stay on your Greatsword as it alone deals massive damage.

In this build, you can generate Phantasms with Phantasmal Warden, Phantasmal Berserker, and Phantasmal Disenchanter.

As far as weapons go, your Greatsword will be your main one, the auto-attack (Spatial Surge) alone is a very powerful damage skill, especially against further enemies.

Mirror Blade and Mind Stab should be used off-cooldown, keep in mind that Mind Stab will interrupt most of your other skills, so make sure to let your previous attack finish casting. Additionally Mirror Blade is a great attack when facing multiple enemies, as it gives you a very good Might ramp-up when bouncing between targets.

Illusionary Wave can get you out of a rough spot by knocking back your enemies.

Sword/Focus offers very good cleave damage with Blurred Frenzy which is also long evasion, so it’s relatively safe to use in melee range, if you are facing multiple enemies, pull them in one place with Temporal CurtainInto the Void and use Blurred Frenzy for very good damage spike. You can then Weapon Swap, use Mind Stab on the group and Illusionary Wave to give you some space to then continue attacking at range.

Skills

Your skills are a mix of offensive and defensive tools. Phantasmal Disenchanter is your highest damage utility skill, not only dealing damage but removing boons from enemies, which will be useful later in the game. Your Mantra of Pain is another good instant-cast damaging utility applying a good amount of Vulnerability, you should use it off cooldown.

Build lacks healing as Signet of the Ether is used to reset Phantasms skills, so you have to rely on other defensive abilities from weapons and utilities like Blink for a quick escape (and breaking out of any hard Crowd Control effects like knockback). The high uptime of Vigor this build offers will also help you to counter some pressure.

Your elite skill can be changed to anything really, Mass Invisibility is a nice disengage ability and a good tool to go through enemies Stealthed if you don’t want to fight them, and Signet of Humility is extremely powerful Crowd Control skill that should always be taken when fighting enemies with Defiance Bar (Breakbar).

Crowd Control

• Signet of Humility
• Illusionary Wave
• Temporal CurtainInto the Void

Alternatives

Skills

Any skill other than Phantasmal Disenchanter and Signet of the Ether can be changed to best suit your current need.

Traits

If you need more support for your group, or you simply struggle with using abilities fast enough and enemies are killing you easily, try swapping Dueling for:

Gearing tips

Since this build is designed to be your entry point to Guild Wars 2 world, let’s start with the basics, if you haven’t checked the guides below, give them a read to make yourself familiar with game basics.

Game basics – first steps in Tyria

This short guide contains answers to the questions you might have on the first days of your adventure, such as where to look for tips, how to look for a group (LFG), what are the most important parts of the interface, and more!

Game systems and mechanics

Downstate, dodging, skills tied to weapon types, heart quests, and meta events, it all can be overwhelming for the new player. This guide attempts to answer all your questions, even those you don't yet know you have.

Gearing guide for PvE

This guide aims to teach you about the easiest, fastest, and most importantly, cheapest methods of acquiring your first entry-level equipment for instanced PvE content.

Introduction to the Mesmer

Mesmers are a unique profession in the MMORPG world, They are masters of illusions and deception, powerful mage-fighters that create clones of themselves and manipulate reality to distract the opponent.

Don’t try to invest in Runes and Sigils before you acquire proper level-80 Exotic gear with Berserker’s stats as transferring upgrades is not possible without destroying the item, and retrieving them during the process has a small chance with most salvage kits.

From drops, crafting and level-up rewards pick items with Power, and on later levels supplemented by Precision and Ferocity.

Unlocking skills

If you’re looking up this build as you’re leveling through the wide world of Tyria we recommend unlocking Mantra of Pain and Mirror Images.

The first specialization at level 21 should be Domination as it offers the most useful traits in early levels. At level 45 get Illusions and finally at level 71 unlock Dueling or Inspiration depending if you need more damage or struggle with surviving.