Me/E or E/Me? Which way and why?

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Between these two characters, which would you choose?

Basically, I want to see which people think is better, for both nuking and disruption/interruption.

In looking at the Mesmer's interrupts, many are 1/4 second or 3/4 second, which even with maxed out fast casting isn't that much of a benefit. So for those spells, a Elementalist primary would have no problems.

More and more I am having trouble seeing the benefit of Fast Casting as opposed to Energy Storage, anyone have any opinions?

Vwoss

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

Leader of Communist Communist Revolution (CCR)

I've been using a E/Me build that uses Mark of Rodgort and Fragility.

knives

knives

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2005

USA

Grenths Rejects [GR]

Me/

My air ele is e/me. I just have all air ele spells, and then I incorporate backfire + fragility in there to take out spell casters (esp. monks) faster. Everyone thinks they can cast through backfire..

I've gotten backfire put on me hundreds of times, I just run around while its on me, so no real hurt done. I always watch for it because I know I get it alot on my monk.

Vwoss

Frost Gate Guardian

Join Date: Jun 2005

Leader of Communist Communist Revolution (CCR)

Yeah, when I've been backfired, I've just ran around spamming distortion as I went.

Kaleban

Kaleban

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2005

Hot as hell Florida

[Wckd]

Me/

Right, but why do you guys pick E or Me for your primary? Is Fast Casting really not that useful?

knives

knives

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2005

USA

Grenths Rejects [GR]

Me/

Mesmers get targeted before eles. Also more energy = more stuff you can do.

Although, if we were to say, E/mo over Mo/E, I would def. pick Mo/E. Energy storage < divine favor. Fast casting is okay..but really, you can cast spells faster great, then you can sit around and do nothing while you wait for those spells to recharge.

Myodato

Myodato

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: May 2005

WOR

Mo/

It's a simple answer really. Casting a few spells really quickly is useless if you then have to wait to recharge your energy. Sure Mesmers have spells to help them regain energy, but when you're casting those, you're spending time on someting other than getting the vital spells off quickly.

This doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't go Me/E, but don't do it to try and speed up those high-energy, long cast-time spells that Ele's love so much. It's just not worth it.

Morganas

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2005

Alot of el aoe spells are slow casting, meaning you either have to be able to see into the future to target them right in pvp, or just have fast casting. And yes, you're more likely to be targeted first, but this can easily be turned to your teams advantage if you're smart (like the decoy smiter monk or invulnerable e/mo healer).

And about spending time doing things other then nuking... most mesmer energy replenishment spells have offensive side affects, like depriving the enemy of energy. You won't have energy problems if you have a few of these spells, and you'll be doing offensive good every time you interrupt a heal with power drain or other spells like that.

immolatus

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2005

FL

Gaelic Storm

W/

I like to look at it this way.
E/Me, more energy for those nice ele spells and those pesky hexes.

Me/E Fast casting of hexes and maybe use earth as secondary for def. They said it before, if you are a mesmer you will get targeted first or second, you are right up there with monks. Be a distraction and cast ward against melee and ward against elements, maybe armor of earth and cast those hexes while your team picked apart their monks and come back in time to rescue you.