Impossible Nightfall Start out

Vex

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

Oregon

Is it me or are Mesmers WAY underpowered in Nightfall? Im sure they are great later in the game when you actual get skills that are worth a damn however when you start out in nightfall you mine aswell not bother. Again just my opinion I am sure I am not using a good leveling build or something odd like that. Just curious if I am missing something. Please dont flame me for this post I did a search but it was broken when I last tryed so I apologize if there are thousands of the same complaint I have.

jesh

jesh

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

San Diego, CA

Penguin Village

Mo/

What skills do you have available to you right now?
I have all three games, and lots of mesmer skills unlocked, so it wasn't too painful for me, but I'm sure that someone starting as a mesmer for the first time in NF, or with only NF and none of the other campaigns would sure have their work cut out for them.
This isn't the first time I've seen a complaint like this either, from what I've heard, the skill selection you're given to start off with is a little rediculous.

Utaku

Utaku

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2006

Paris, France

We eat pancakes [Yumy]

Me/

Here is what is given to mesmers :
Ether Feast, Empathy, Resurrection Signet "at birth";
Backfire, Conjure Phantasm, Drain Enchantment, Energy Tap, Imagined Burden, Shatter Hex just after.

No interruptions, no shatter dellusions, well, as usual, you will have to by a couple dozen skills...

LightningHell

LightningHell

(????????????)???

Join Date: Aug 2005

Hong Kong

Guildless

Mo/

I wouldn't say Backfire and Empathy were underpowered.

Vex

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

Oregon

Yeah they are the only 2 skills worth having though aswell, at that level. YOu have to basiclly go through untill 20 with those skills. I guess I better get to PvPing then eh?

LightningHell

LightningHell

(????????????)???

Join Date: Aug 2005

Hong Kong

Guildless

Mo/

Conjure Phantasm is a great spell as well. Shatter Hex is no skill to be looked over.

What secondary?

Vex

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2005

Oregon

Elementalist, Currently playing more like a pyro then a mesmer to get me through to a point where I can get somewhere with skills hehe.

azuresun

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Feb 2006

WV, USA

Spirit of Elisha [SOE]

Me/

That looks like a great set of skills to me. It would've been nice if they threw in an interupt for free, but I know you can atleast purchase the unlinked skill Web of Disruption from the skill trainer in Kamadan.

Hella Good

Hella Good

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

None, free and clear

Use degen in low-level areas. It's very powerful.

XvArchonvX

XvArchonvX

Forge Runner

Join Date: Nov 2005

R/

A class such as a mesmer that can be very situationally dependant can be held back to a certain degree when they only have access to only one campaign, but when in doubt, as Hella Good suggested, just stick to illusion type degen skills. They might not always pack as much punch as some domination skills, but are less situational (i.e. don't require target to cast, attack, etc.)

exo101

exo101

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Jul 2006

Somewhere...

[FU]

I started a mesmer in nf and took him through very easy. Just use degen till u get to the mainland then go capping and make a crip anguish degen build. ITs not very hard.

Terra Xin

Terra Xin

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Mar 2006

New Zealand

Me/R

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vex
Elementalist, Currently playing more like a pyro then a mesmer to get me through to a point where I can get somewhere with skills hehe. No no, stay away from pyromancy, you wont get into a group that way.

Backfire and Empathy are good staple skills used in any build, I use these two skills when I first started in Prophecies... they haven't let me down yet^^.

Shatter Hex will be your AoE, you won't need the elementalist line for damage, you can do enough as it is.

As Hella said, go degen... then add the necro secondary to your line to boost your array of degen capabilities.

Effigy

Effigy

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Aug 2005

Illinois, US

Heroes of Talia [HoT]

Mo/

Degen is good for the very early stages of the game. After that, I'd switch to Dom and start pumping out Empathy and Backfire. You don't have enough skills to make the perfect skillbar, but you've got enough to work with. Also, you've got 3 heroes to help you out as well.

Toutatis

Toutatis

Walking Wiki

Join Date: Nov 2006

Isle of Medication

Visitors from Aranna [VFA]

Me/E

As Terra Xin elaborated, Backfire and Empathy are a pair of really great skills. Especially in PvE, when monsters will ignore the hexes and keep casting/attacking and taking the damage. The other starting skills let you deal in basic hex manipulation, enchantment manipulation, degen, snaring and energy denial, so all in all you have a lot of options open with only those few skills at your command.

Take your time in working out what roles you need to play to be most effective in each area, and then only buy the skills that you actually *need* for your character. You can save resources that way by not having to buy skills that you won't be using.

Vahn Roi

Vahn Roi

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2006

[HiDE]

Conjure Phantasm is just evil against low level enemies.

skie88

skie88

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2006

Ex-CIS

Me/N

"I started a mesmer in nf and took him through very easy. Just use degen till u get to the mainland then go capping and make a crip anguish degen build. ITs not very hard. "

Im not even using an elite, and my survivor mesmer is still a survivor..
Im just using wastrels demise, empathy, backfire, and spiritual pain, the rest are skills from my secondary and a rebirth sig..Maybe ill put in esurge or edrain once i get them. :P of course theres always the signet of illusion as well..

Vahn Roi

Vahn Roi

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2006

[HiDE]

I too have been playing Domination from the beginning. Spend some faction/money to unlock spiritual pain :3

LordFFM

LordFFM

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Dec 2006

Here today, gone tomorrow

[STYX]/[STYX]

Me/N

Spiritual Pain comes only later in the game (I already was lvl 20 when I reached it)... But, sure, it rocks !

In the begining you won't be doing well with your mesmer... but you get some experience and your own way of playing, you will feel great...

During the first levels I used my heroes a lot (poor Koss), but know, they aren't doing much of the work anymore...

Chaos Herald

Chaos Herald

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Feb 2006

always changing.

Use Koss to take the brunt of the damage, then damage the enemies with things like backfire and empathy. Conjure Phantasm is good for all around, and Shatter Hex will help you against the Fanged Ibogas.