Assassin or Mesmer?

Lishy

Lishy

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2008

I'm almost at the goal I set for my Paragon. Once I reach that goal, I decided to move onto another character. The question is which? I have both a Mesmer and Assassin that are set up for PvE. But I cannot decide who to main.
Assassin has the versatility in weapons, shadow form, SY, and a great usage of PvE skills. But the mesmer has CoP, VoR, even better usage of PvE skills, and many gimmicky fun builds.
In terms of general usefulness to the team, farming, running, and fun, what would you recommend me?

Cookies Loves You

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2008

Mo/Me

sins there needed everywhere mesmers are and they can solo, opposed to the few mesmers can solo with a cheap 55 build most of the time

Tyla

Emo Goth Italics

Join Date: Sep 2006

In terms of usefulness, I'd go with the Assassin. Reason? Moebius / Death Blossom owns face.

Any profession can run CoP. If you like the shutdown style of the Mesmer though, go with that though.

faraaz

Banned

Join Date: Feb 2008

India

Hey Mallyx [icU]

A/

I say Assassin...I have both a Mesmer and a Sin, and between the two, my Sin gets way more play time than the Mesmer, although both of them are leet pwnz0r.

wetsparks

wetsparks

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2006

since you are used to owning pve with your paragon I'm sure you could easily make the switch to mesmer which owns pve also. domination magic and interrupts and casters will tremble in fear when they see you coming. your used to high armor with a paragon and with assassin's being front line and low armor you might have some trouble, and if your combo gets interrupted your screwed.

JDRyder

JDRyder

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2007

Great temple of Balthazar

Mo/Me

I say mesmer, they are more fun to play imo and VoR+backfire builds > pve atm

I dont like playing sin any more, after you play it for a few mins it gets old hitting c,1,2,3,4,3,4,3,4,3,4,c,1,2,3,4,3,4,3,4,3,4 etc

ZeAliX

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Sep 2006

Norway

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by JDRyder
I say mesmer, they are more fun to play imo and VoR+backfire builds > pve atm

I dont like playing sin any more, after you play it for a few mins it gets old hitting c,1,2,3,4,3,4,3,4,3,4,c,1,2,3,4,3,4,3,4,3,4 etc Maybe try another build? And besides, aren't most build constructed like that? that you should press buttons to use skills?

Anyway.. to the topic, I got sin as main and decided to roll mesmer as my secondary, but after playing a while with my mesmer I didn't find it fun at all because of the lack of dmg (bet I gonna be flamed for this one, but seriously..) and the problem with "tanking" or trying to bodyblock (to make any killing faster) with your mesmer. Anyway, you should be able to decide quite easily if you just play em equally for a while

troyismyname

Academy Page

Join Date: Nov 2005

in my house

ESA

W/

Try each for yourself. Decide which one you like.

Washi

Washi

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2007

Depends what you wanna do. If you want to farm, go Assassin. If you want to play the game go Mesmer.

@ZeAliX.... lack of dmg? Maybe you need to change the build? Besides you need to change your mindset, tank&spank doesnt make killing faster, it slows it down. To sum it up, you are doing it wrong.

-Lotus-

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2008

Assassin. there is almost no benifit to a mesmer primary in PvE. anything a mesmer can do well is either useless (in PvE) or a N/Me can do it better.

sad but true... they should really buff fast casting.

upier

upier

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Done.

[JUNK]

The assassin does everything the mesmer does and does it better - but I love the mesmer more.
So I'll be playing the mesmer.

Moloch Vein

Moloch Vein

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

Reactive Hexing Sucks

[Thay]

N/

Agree with all/most of the above.

You want a pve hexer, you roll a necro.

Actually, roll a necro.

Cebe

Cebe

The 5th Celestial Boss

Join Date: Jul 2006

Inverness, Scotland

The Cult of Scaro [WHO]

E/

Quote:
Originally Posted by upier
The assassin does everything the mesmer does and does it better - but I love the mesmer more.
So I'll be playing the mesmer. I'm signing this.

For aesthetics, Mesmer wins hands down.

The Moebius Blossom Assassin builds are formidable and high-damage in PvE, but frankly, after I ran it two or three times it got so boring and samey.

At the end of the day - it's not anyone's decision but your own...

ALF71BE

ALF71BE

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jan 2008

In your fridge, stealing your pickles. for mah subway

R/

Mesmers have cool armor, sins have cool damage...

I'd go for the mesmer based on that.

Avarre

Avarre

Bubblegum Patrol

Join Date: Dec 2005

Singapore Armed Forces

Mes for style.
Sin for more viability.

In the end neither choice is going to stop you from finishing PvE (unless you intend to rely on PUGs) so go with what suits your playstyle and seems cooler. If you do intend to rely on PUGs, Sin might be the better choice.

Give both a try, see what fits better and is more fun.

Xx Citrus Spike Xx

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2008

Go mesmer, They make hardmode easy. Plus at the mo , everyone and their dog is either a sin or ranger, plus their is a lack of mesmers in the game, but like a few peeps have said already, the choice is yours.

Lishy

Lishy

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2008

Quote:
Originally Posted by troyismyname
Try each for yourself. Decide which one you like. I already did. This is about maining.
And I am thinking of taking Assassin for SY onomnomnom.
What advantages do they have over a a mesmer?

Moloch Vein

Moloch Vein

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2007

Reactive Hexing Sucks

[Thay]

N/

They can do more damage, they have better energy management, they have better armor, they can farm better, but everyone will think you're a retard.

Cathode_Reborn

Cathode_Reborn

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Sep 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kain Fz
I already did. This is about maining.
And I am thinking of taking Assassin for SY onomnomnom.
What advantages do they have over a a mesmer? A mesmer without PvE skills can't really aggressively attack and do damage - most of their skills are conditional, or do damage over time. As a Domination mesmer, you'll often find yourself waiting for your enemy to do somethin in order for you to do damage. Besides Clumsiness/Wandering Eye, Illusion magic is very weak in PvE.

One is a caster based on shutdown. The other is a phys class who's role is pure damage. If you make a mes, be prepared to get some PvE skills you wanna dish out more unconditional damage.

Sins have the highest DPS out of all classes in the game (talkin PvE of course). They don't need PvE skills to do that. Using PvE skills only makes them even better. Combined with Asuran Scan, an MS/DB Sin can do ridiculous amounts of damage.

Now that I've brought up MS/DB, keep this in mind: If you're doing general PvE and you always wanna run what's most effective, you'll have pretty much no variety in builds since you'll find yourself running a typical MS/DB bar most of the time. For some it can be dull, but others enjoy the high damage they do.

Zahr Dalsk

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Aug 2007

Canada

Assassin. More fun, much more powerful. Everything dies, quickly.

upier

upier

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Mar 2006

Done.

[JUNK]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kain Fz
I already did. This is about maining.
And I am thinking of taking Assassin for SY onomnomnom.
What advantages do they have over a a mesmer? The assassin is a physical dude that can not only emulate all other physicals (because of his nice primary) BUT can also emulate all offensive casters (because of AP being built into the class).

JDRyder

JDRyder

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Apr 2007

Great temple of Balthazar

Mo/Me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kain Fz
I already did. This is about maining.
And I am thinking of taking Assassin for SY onomnomnom.
What advantages do they have over a a mesmer? VoR + backfire = lololol

as for mesmers conditional damage, its not like they are not going to be using any skills or w/e makes it conditional. I about pissed myself form laughing so hard the other day cause i put VoR and Backfire on a necro with bitter chill and he blew himself up XD.

squiros

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2005

so primary assassins can farm titles and items better. sins can acheive some of the highest dps in the game. they can also switch to partywide defenses with SY. they're also great runners for those missions that just aren't worth it. permasins are good aggro controllers as well as amazing caster shutdown - esp against pve spikers. sins make decent ursanways due to criticals. it can go ranged physical with critical barrage. sins have builds for certain tricky areas - ie shiro and the clubbing bear quests.

mesmers do not suffer from anorexia, however, the way the assassins do. the mesmer appearances are better fed than the bulemic sin counterpart, but. . . other than aesthetics, mesmers don't have many abilities that are exclusive to the class. furthermore, even with reflexes that borderline psychic, the AI can do it better.

Bobby2

Bobby2

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Jun 2007

Delayed in order to meet ANet's high standards

[MaSS]

W/E

[asuran scan][empty][empty][save yourselves][death blossom][moebius strike][empty][critical agility]

...is why you should choose Assassin