Newbie Mesmer needs help!!!

Yanman.be

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

My fault. It should read TO experiment. With builds.

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

Okay, one more question. When and where might I run into this and have the opportunity? I haven't seen anything like that as of yet.

gamecube187

gamecube187

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jun 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFuzz
Okay, one more question. When and where might I run into this and have the opportunity? I haven't seen anything like that as of yet.
What opportunity? Do you mean getting new skills? If so you can already get them from npc's that have [skills] after their name. I'm pretty sure that there is only one on the island you are on and thats in the shing jea monstery.

You said you can't find armor npc's? There is one in shing jea. Sometimes towns are too big to see all of the npc's by just standing in one spot and holding alt down (shing jea is one of those places). You have to be running around the city while holding alt sometimes to find what you are looking for.

Also, didn't you say you had monk as your secondary? If so, then you should have had an easy time doing the survive for two minutes, as one of monks main jobs is to heal (in fact that's just about the only thing they are used for...).

If you have the money, I would suggest buying prophecies, as more than half of it is for lower leveled characters, and it is much easier to learn how to play before you get to hard quests/missions/areas. In fact, they don't really start getting hard untill about the middle of the game. Factions on the other hand gets starts to get hard by the third mission (if you didn't get better armor by then) or the fourth mission (from this mission on, you basically have to have gotten better armor).

Oh and welcome to GuildWars.

felinette

felinette

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Mar 2006

Girl Power [GP]

Me/

Any time you're in a town or outpost, you can hit the 'H' key and adjust your build. A box will open displaying your character's attributes and such. You can play around with builds by increasing and decreasing the points you've allocated to each attribute line until you find something that works for you. Note that when you do this, you'll probably want to change the skills you take out with you, too. There isn't a quest to do it or anything like that. You can do it anytime. You did it when you were trying to figure out how to get your mesmer insignia. You played around with your build (attribute points and skills) until you found something that worked. You can continue to do this throughout the game. You'll probably change your build for certain areas, once you become familiar with them. For example, eles will take fire magic if they know they'll be up against lots of ice creatures.

Doug Clifton

Academy Page

Join Date: Jul 2006

Oceanside, CA

The Shadowed Assassins [DaRk]

W/Mo

Hang in there, Guild Wars was my first MMORPG too just stick it out and you will be great

Quinn

Quinn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2005

[Away]

Me/R

I think the key to this is to just take it easy. There's a lot to learn and do in the game and you can't learn it all in the first week or so. I understand you started out with GW: Factions (chapter 2), and with all the helpful people in this thread I'm sure you'll be fine. Just wanted to add, that if you really like the game but want to learn it more thouroughly and have a less steep learning curve, you could get the original GW: Prophecies (chapter 1). Admittedly, I've progressed slower than most players but I've learned a lot about skill use, crafting materials, runes etc. etc. Prophecies will take you by the hand and teach you most, and friendly players teach you the rest

Oh and I also started out as a mesmer because they seemed fun, and after finding out it's one of the least played professions, I liked it even more You'll be fine. Just don't rush things.

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

While I've got you on the line, I've got several runes (mesmer runes of minor domination, illusion and inspiration magic) as well as 4 monastery credits. How do I use the runes, and what do I do with the monastery credits?

hoyalawya

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: May 2006

Here is how to use ruins - http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Rune

I was a noob not so long ago ago. Honestly, wiki helped me out a lot.

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

Aha, that was easy enough. Thanks for the link!! Wish I'd read that page earlier! Looks like I need to find a major or superior rune to really get the rune effect, but we'll have to start with my minor ones. Too bad you can't stack them. Guess I can sell the others to a rune trader though?

tommarrow

tommarrow

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Shyft Machine [MYTH]

E/

Be careful how many major or superior runes you use since they have a -35 or -75 to your hit points. If you have questions in game look me up.
Monastery credits trade with quartermaster.










<----IGN

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

For clarification, does that mean I'm doing 35-75 less damage with each attack? I am using a superior rune, and if it's making me less effective, then I'm going to get rid of it. (It's a superior rune of domination magic).

Also, anyone have any good strategies for the battle at Zen Daijun? I've made about 6 tries with Henchies, and have made it to the bridge crossing the final gap to the Monastery, but that's the closest I've come. I figure barring strategy, getting a human lvl 20 to go with is the best thing, and finally got an elementalist one time that was kicking some serious butt, and of course I lost my internet connection. FRICK, FRACK and something spelled different too!!!

Canadian Bacon

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Ontario, Canada

Kingdom of Tyria [KoT]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFuzz
For clarification, does that mean I'm doing 35-75 less damage with each attack? I am using a superior rune, and if it's making me less effective, then I'm going to get rid of it. (It's a superior rune of domination magic).

Also, anyone have any good strategies for the battle at Zen Daijun? I've made about 6 tries with Henchies, and have made it to the bridge crossing the final gap to the Monastery, but that's the closest I've come. I figure barring strategy, getting a human lvl 20 to go with is the best thing, and finally got an elementalist one time that was kicking some serious butt, and of course I lost my internet connection. FRICK, FRACK and something spelled different too!!!
It doesn't make you deal less damage, it takes away form your health. I don't know what level you are at now, but I wouldn't adise a superior rune until lvl15 or higher, simply because your health would be too low otherwise. Low health may be the reason your having survivability issues. I would suggest droppign the henchies are trying to get a group of real people. If you fall victim to the Mesmer Hate mentality of other people, then form the group yourself. That way they can't kick you out

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

Aha! That's why I'm dying so easy! After my last attempt with Little Kodiak (who by the way pretty much carried us), I thought about changing my character's name to "the fall guy" because that's all I was doing. Falling down! Arrgghh! We made it to the final battle with the farmer and Ying, but even with a lvl 20 Ritualist with me (Little Kodiak), we still didn't make it through. *sigh*

For clarification on my audio Bacon, I have a Plantronics DSP 500 USB headset, that acts as it's own audio device. When I switch to it, any program I launch after I switch will use it for the audio. Any I launched while the Audigy was enabled still try to use the Audigy, but since it's been turned off and the Plantronics turned on, I lose sound for that app. I can turn the Plantronics on and launch TS and will have sound in TS, but I lose my Guild Wars sound since it was launched using the Audigy. Hence why I have to close the game and restart it after I switch to the Plantronics.

I've got a Dr's appointment right now, but today is my first day off after a 64.5 hour work week, and I plan on relaxing and playing some more later. Maybe I can catch you online and enlist your assistance. If I finish this mission, I should hit level 16 and move on to where I can get some better armor, and maybe might finally become an asset instead of a liability and be welcome in a party!

lightblade

lightblade

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Etereal Guard

Me/Mo

You shouldn't be playing mesmer as your first character!

You need knowledge about all the skills in the game in order to play mesmer effectively. For example, many of the mesmer spells interrupt "spells" but enemy casters don't use "spells" all the time, so not everything can be interrupted.

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

I found that out a little late, being new to the game, and had already created a mesmer. Now I've got numerous hours invested in a level 15 Mesmer, so I'm just doing my best to try to make the character work and become more proficient at using her skills properly.

Canadian Bacon

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Ontario, Canada

Kingdom of Tyria [KoT]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFuzz
I found that out a little late, being new to the game, and had already created a mesmer. Now I've got numerous hours invested in a level 15 Mesmer, so I'm just doing my best to try to make the character work and become more proficient at using her skills properly.
Once you get a handle over the Mesmer, everything else is cake.

Run Red Run

Run Red Run

Academy Page

Join Date: Apr 2006

Colorado

Rally Opposing Fears [ROFL]

I know what you're going through. GW was my first MMO as well, and for some strange reason, I picked Mesmer as my first character too. It's frustrating at first, but a few friends really helped me out and kept my interest. Now i'm a PvP junkie and play this game way more than I really should...

It's good that you're asking questions and there are plenty of people on these forums that will lend a helping hand.

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

I've got to give Baconator credit. I was ready to give up on Guild Wars and call my self an FPS gamer, but with his help I was able to complete several missions I couldn't have otherwise and rekindled my interest in the game.

Now if I can just get past this bloody Zen Daijun mission, I'd be much happier. This mission is a proverbial b**ch!!!! I've even had lvl 20 human help and can't get through it!

Canadian Bacon

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Ontario, Canada

Kingdom of Tyria [KoT]

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFuzz
I've got to give Baconator credit. I was ready to give up on Guild Wars and call my self an FPS gamer, but with his help I was able to complete several missions I couldn't have otherwise and rekindled my interest in the game.

Now if I can just get past this bloody Zen Daijun mission, I'd be much happier. This mission is a proverbial b**ch!!!! I've even had lvl 20 human help and can't get through it!
Da Da DADA!!!! Guild member to the rescue!!! (<--damn forum doens't have a Superman smiley, a Ninja will have to do)

Next time I see you online I'll give 'em a taste of my MM, or maybe my Wammo.

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

Yay, thanks to Bacon and 2 other real peeps, I finally got through Zen Daijun! Learned several more valuable lessons tonight too.

1. Bravery and instigating a fight are not a good idea for a mesmer!
2. Always bring your resurrection skill when you have a henchie healer.
3. Storage agents actually serve a purpose.
4. Using a superior rune of domination on level 15 armor is NOT a good idea!

Bacon showed me a slew of other stuff tonight too. I feel like young padawan, being taught by the master. Except it's backwards since I'm crusty and he's not.

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

Correction on my last post. Bravery and starting a fight aren't good ideas when you are a level 12 mesmer. Got my little mesmer up to lvl 20 and she's a BA now!

That said, I still feel like I'm behind the curve. I've been going up against lvl 20 mesmer's now on the mainland, and they have nuker spells, at least that's what I'm calling them. I haven't been able to see what spell they are using since it's always been in the middle of a battle and I'm trying to stay alive, but they are using something that is knocking my entire party on it's butt. I found the ultimate skill vendor on the mainland with about every memer skill on the planet, and read through the descriptions but I didn't see any that fit that bill. Am I going to have to capture that skill from a downed lvl 20 mesmer or something?

Quinn

Quinn

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Nov 2005

[Away]

Me/R

Are you sure it's the mesmer monsters doing the damage and knocking you down? It sounds like e.g. an elementalist's Dragon's Stomp or something.

If you get far enough in the game, there will be skill vendors that sell all regular mesmer skills, but if it's an elite skill you're after, then you can only capture it from a dead boss of your profession (primary or secondary profession).

Smasher/Devourer

Academy Page

Join Date: Dec 2005

Omaha, NE, USA

SuperFuzz: I'm pretty sure Quinn is right about this one. The mesmer skill set doesn't include anything that will produce the effect you described.

taffette

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Apr 2006

Sunny ol' Manchester

The Trumpet Blowers

R/

Take backfire - one of my faves (although it may be called something different in Factions) - sounds like you're heading down the Domination route anyway then cast that on these pesky mesmers before they hit you with anything. The stupid ones won't notice and kill themselves, the clever ones won't be able to cast for however many seconds.
Also, if this spell is knocking your entire party down, spread out - area of effect spells are only effective when played against bunched groups.

Hope you stick with it, I love my mesmer although it took me months to figure out how to play her properly

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

It very well could be an elementalist doing it I suppose. I just assumed it was the mesmers, because I've been going up against elementalists all through the game, and I never ran into this type of attack until there was a mesmer in the group. That said, there were also elementalists in the group. so maybe it's just that they are a higher skilled group than what I was going against previously.

As for skill direction, I started out heavy on domination and am using a customized domination staff, but have moved towards illusion lately. The skill set I've been using to great success recently includes Empathy, Images of remorse and Conjure phantasm and several others. I've been starting with conjure phantasm, then hitting them immediately with remorse and then empathy, and that is drawing them down very quickly. If they have a healer, I target the healer first, then go after the others. I also have backfire in there, and have been using backfire on the necromancers and elementalists pretty well, but haven't had much success with that one on monks and mesmers. I topped it off with bane signet, clumsiness, cry of frustration and resurrection.

I haven't had much success with cry of frustration though, and had a question on it. The description says that it knocks 30 health of all baddies in the area where the spell was cast. Does that mean all of them in the area of the targeted enemy when I cast the spell, or any baddies standing next to me when I cast the spell?

luxor9

luxor9

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2006

W/N

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFuzz
I haven't had much success with cry of frustration though, and had a question on it. The description says that it knocks 30 health of all baddies in the area where the spell was cast. Does that mean all of them in the area of the targeted enemy when I cast the spell, or any baddies standing next to me when I cast the spell?
cry of frustration interupts any skill. If it works that foe and any foes near him will take damage. So it hit's enemies surrounding him not you. ; ]

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

Okay, got another question here. I've finished off lvl 20 points accumulation twice, but it doesn't cycle to lvl 21 and doesn't give me any more attribute points to plug in. Okay, easy enough. lvl 20 is as high as you can go obviously. But what is the point in continued xp accumulation if it doesn't do anything for you? Is there any benefit or inscentive to take all these side quests now aside from the money?

Francis Demeules

Francis Demeules

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada, Qc

[Holy]

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by SuperFuzz
Okay, got another question here. I've finished off lvl 20 points accumulation twice, but it doesn't cycle to lvl 21 and doesn't give me any more attribute points to plug in. Okay, easy enough. lvl 20 is as high as you can go obviously. But what is the point in continued xp accumulation if it doesn't do anything for you? Is there any benefit or inscentive to take all these side quests now aside from the money?
Gaining Skill point to buy skills and Capture Signet to cap elite skills

Canadian Bacon

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Ontario, Canada

Kingdom of Tyria [KoT]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Francis Demeules
Gaining Skill point to buy skills and Capture Signet to cap elite skills
Ya, every time you buy a skill from the Skills NPC it costs you 1 Skill Point. You gain a skill point each time you level, even after 20, so that you can always buy skills and capture signets as Francis mentioned.

Francis Demeules

Francis Demeules

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada, Qc

[Holy]

Me/Mo

Yep and remember each time you buy a skill or Signet of Capture, the cost increase. The max a skill costs is 1k. So at the end, each skill will cost 1 platinum each

SuperFuzz

SuperFuzz

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Idaho

W/Mo

That is good to know! I thought I was using up 1 attribute point to buy skills, so I haven't been buying any! So I should have theoretically 22 skill points to spend since I've leveled twice since lvl 20? Also, where can you purchase the capture signets? From the skill vendor or somewhere else?

Any tips on good me/mo skills to capture from bosses? I captured Ray of Judgement from a mutated Monk boss, and it deals 70 damage (with 10 smiting prayers and a 10-19 domination staff) to the entire enemy party, however it disables all of my spells for 10 seconds after I cast it. Are there any more deadly elites for me/mo and or any that don't have that 10 second casting penalty?