new to game: is distortion really good for a mesmer?

input

input

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2006

i've been looking at some mesmer/assassin builds for a while and noticed that some have a skill called "distortion".

Distortion (Illusion Magic) 10/ 0 / 5
For 5 seconds, you have 75% chance to evade attacks. Whenever you evade an attack this way, you lose 4-1 energy or distortion ends.

i see that it helps you evade attacks but is there more to it? why is evading really good?

please reply and explain.

thanks.

Toxic RD

Toxic RD

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

Vancouver, B.C.

Seers of Serpents

Mo/Me

Mesmers have really weak armor, and as such warriors generally go after them before other characters, and since mesmers can shut down entire teams they are sometimes the #1 target, evading attacks means you have a good chance not to take 50 dmg every time from a beefy warrior

LightningHell

LightningHell

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

Join Date: Aug 2005

Hong Kong

Guildless

Mo/

Is Distortion good?

Definitely. Three energy is definitely worth that fifty-to-hundred-and-ten damage that your monk will have to heal. Obviously, watch for adrenaline buildups of the guy you're Distorting, and kite.

Doesn't make much sense, does it.

nimloth32

nimloth32

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Oct 2005

Celestial Order

W/Mo

well, if you indeed lost the energy when someone hit you..you can always gain the lost energy by for example, energy tap..keke

LightningHell

LightningHell

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

Join Date: Aug 2005

Hong Kong

Guildless

Mo/

Or Spirit of Failure. Pure evil...

Hella Good

Hella Good

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

None, free and clear

If you build for Illusion, Dist comes cheap. Even if you build Domi you can easily knock it down to 2. This way or the other, Dist is always on my skill bar (unless I'm playing someone elses build for GvG/HoH or whatever and they don't provide for it). Why I was saying in another thread I can't wait for the new mesmer armor, so I can mix and match and get high armor stats. Mesmers need a break from adrenal and elemental spike.

SnipiousMax

SnipiousMax

Perfectly Elocuted

Join Date: Sep 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by input
i've been looking at some mesmer/assassin builds for a while and noticed that some have a skill called "distortion".
Distortion is pretty much glued to my skill bar.

JR

JR

Re:tired

Join Date: Nov 2005

W/

I even run Distortion on my WoH monk. :<

Peewee

Peewee

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

London, England

I Uprising I [RAGE]

R/

Distortion was better, they had to nerf it, but even then its a skill you should ALWAYs take if you have the attributes to hand. Why is it so kick ass? Well, you cut dmg from warriors by over three quarters, as they find it impossible to build up adrenline on you. Secondly interupt rangers will hate you. I faced a team in gvg. They all had distortion, and we couldnt touch them

As for nrg issues, try using distortion and spirit of failure. They attack you, you lose nrg, they miss, which is pretty much all the time, you gain about 4 nrg. You can pretty much spam distortion that way.

Avarre

Avarre

Bubblegum Patrol

Join Date: Dec 2005

Singapore Armed Forces

Quote:
Originally Posted by input

Distortion (Illusion Magic) 10/ 0 / 5
For 5 seconds, you have 75% chance to evade attacks. Whenever you evade an attack this way, you lose 4-1 energy or distortion ends.
5/0/5, actually.

It's a maintainable 75% evade, it can generally be activated whenever you need it, it's fairly cheap, the energy cost doesn't hurt too much (especially on primary mesmer).

Distortion rocks, in pvp and pve.

Shadow-Hunter

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

Denmark

[HH] [Hax]

Mo/

o used it alot when i had my E/Me, with dual attunement the Elemental skills dont cost that much, and with a High energy pole you can use Distortion like all the time xD also as a War player i can say that that skills is piss annoying.. =/ If you go for a easy kill and then the dude slap on Distortion then it takes over 4 times as long to kill him -.-

~Shadow

art_

art_

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

<3 distortion

Valkyries

Valkyries

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Mar 2006

AoM

Quote:
Originally Posted by art_
<3 distortion QFT

Distortion is just simply awesome.

In fact it drives me crazy when Im playing heavy Dom with FC and I cannot put many attribute points to into Illusion so it makes me not use Distortion in this case (Talkin PVP here)... I find its absolutely amazing and has saved me more times than I can count.

mariano

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by input
Distortion (Illusion Magic) 10/ 0 / 5
For 5 seconds, you have 75% chance to evade attacks. Whenever you evade an attack this way, you lose 4-1 energy or distortion ends.

i see that it helps you evade attacks but is there more to it? why is evading really good?
In my view, Distortion, really, is not a great skill... but, it is the main skill that mesmers have for self/defense from warriors and rangers.

It is not great since at 8 illusion you lose 2 energy for each attack evaded, thus you run easely out of energy. You may use Distortion plus Spirit of Failure, Spirit of Failure gives you back 4 energy; this way you are using two slots of your bar and this way you may keep bussy a not prepared warrior.

So, unless you are going to use Illusion Magic, I think that, for some purpose, like starting playing a domination mesmer, it may help to put those 8 points on Earth Magic and use Armor of Earth, a more simple way of playing if you have the back up of a monk. Well, Armor of Earth is an enchantment which may be dispelled.

But, Distortion does not protect you "necessarily", as there are also warrior's attacks which cause damage on being evaded, say Griffon's Sweep; attacks which can not be evaded, say Irresitible Blow; and attacks which affect moving targets, so that as you wish to run away, may be because you do not want to keep losing energy with Distortion, you may be knocked down because moving.

Am I right? At least a bit

Hella Good

Hella Good

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

None, free and clear

Meh.. 8 illusion is nothing. Mesmers almost always have excess of skill points. Inspiration works only to a point (if I'm using E-tap I barely ever pump it above 8); Fastcast has diminishing returns making it less and less reasonable to pump it up above say 8-10 (too many skill points for too little a benefit); and Domination is barely ever worthwhile above 14 (the point at which the most frequently used Domi skills reach their cap).

In fact, I was just running a build the other day that had:
15 domi (e-denial)
8 inspa (tap)
8 illusion (dist)
8 fast cast
8 tactics (100health heal sig)

So... really... 8 points in Illusion is not a big deal for a Mes. And nrg drain isn't too much if you have some form of nrg management.

As for Dist not evading everything well doh... if it did they might as well make it an elite.

mariano

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Hella Good
[...] Inspiration works only to a point (if I'm using E-tap I barely ever pump it above 8
[...]Domination is barely ever worthwhile above 14 (the point at which the most frequently used Domi skills reach their cap).

In fact, I was just running a build the other day that had:
15 domi (e-denial)
8 inspa (tap)
8 illusion (dist)
8 fast cast
8 tactics (100health heal sig)

So... really... 8 points in Illusion is not a big deal for a Mes. And nrg drain isn't too much if you have some form of nrg management.
I like to have 16 domination + 1 domination magic 20% chance in Off-Hand.
This gives for Energy Surge, and Energy Burn, a chance to reach -11 energy, and 88 damage and Signet of Weariness -11 energy.

When I put 8 in Illussion Magic I use Distortion and wish to use Phantom Pain too (with Shutter Delusions).

If I try to use Ether Lord, I wish to have 12 in Inspiration, for Ether Lord +3 and -3. And with 16 in Dom. I can not have 8 in Illusion.

In my view, mesmers' need one more protection or healing skill within Inspiration Magic.

Well, that is what I was thinking.

Hella Good

Hella Good

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

None, free and clear

Well, it really depends on what build you are running... spending all those skill points for a 20% chance that one of you skills will drain 1 more nrg seems a bit unreasonable to me, but it's cool, it's your game- you choose how to play it. I don't use EL on a Surge denial build, and that's what I was actually referring to, I use EL mostly on Panic denial builds. When I run Panic denial I do, in fact, pump up my Domi to 16 and my Inspi to 13. But I also don't use Dist with Panic, I prefer to MoI Sig of Humility and Weariness. So... Again, it depends on your play style, I don't have a problem with 8 Illusion.

Elurian

Elurian

Academy Page

Join Date: May 2005

Infection X [HacK]

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariano
I like to have 16 domination + 1 domination magic 20% chance in Off-Hand.
This gives for Energy Surge
, and Energy Burn, a chance to reach -11 energy, and 88 damage and Signet of Weariness -11 energy.
Is 1 more energy on each of these skills worth 20 attribute points? Especially since 80% of the time it will be the exact same effect?

Quote: Originally Posted by mariano When I put 8 in Illussion Magic I use Distortion and wish to use Phantom Pain too (with Shutter Delusions). Ok I don't see what this has to do with distortion being a "bad" or "subpar" skill.

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariano
If I try to use Ether Lord, I wish to have 12 in Inspiration, for Ether Lord +3 and -3. And with 16 in Dom. I can not have 8 in Illusion.

In my view, mesmers' need one more protection or healing skill within Inspiration Magic.

Well, that is what I was thinking. You use ether lord?

Distortion completely and utterly rocks. If you know how to use it. I play with distortion on my bar for my Mes and my Ranger. Can't tell you how many times it has completely saved my hide from the warriors or other distraction rangers. The key is knowing when to use it and when not to.

mariano

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Aug 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elurian
Is 1 more energy on each of these skills worth 20 attribute points? Especially since 80% of the time it will be the exact same effect?
I was trying to explain that putting 16 in Domination does make a change in some energy denial skills if used together with a pertinent Off-Hand.

In my view, the question, may be, is: either I put 14 points in domination or if I put 16 points in domination then I take a 20% chance of 17 with an Off-Hand.

How much chance do I have to trigger at 17 domination. If I have 5 domination skills in my bar which I cast in a row, I have a 100% chance to trigger at 17 domination one of them.



Quote:
Originally Posted by Elurian Ok I don't see what this has to do with distortion being a "bad" or "subpar" skill. Distortion is a main way of self protection that a mesmer has, were Distortion an Inspiration Magic skill I would think that it is great.

Quote: Originally Posted by Elurian You use ether lord? I do not use Ether Lord, because I do not know a good build to make it fit.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Elurian
Distortion completely and utterly rocks. If you know how to use it. I play with distortion on my bar for my Mes and my Ranger. Can't tell you how many times it has completely saved my hide from the warriors or other distraction rangers. The key is knowing when to use it and when not to. May be you know how to use it in an awesome manner. In my case, Distortion is a leak of energy, as a protection it is good, in my view, it is not great.

P.S.:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hella Good
I don't use EL on a Surge denial build, and that's what I was actually referring to, I use EL mostly on Panic denial builds. When I run Panic denial I do, in fact, pump up my Domi to 16 and my Inspi to 13. But I also don't use Dist with Panic, I prefer to MoI Sig of Humility and Weariness. Thank you for this ideas!

Hella Good

Hella Good

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

None, free and clear

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariano
Thank you for this ideas! You welcome. Just make sure you run your nrg really low by using stuff like Panic/Wrack/Burn/MoI then hit with EL, use your Sigs, and finish with Energy Tap. Works better in larger teams.

qwe4rty

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Texas

Brewed to Perfection [BtP]

Another good point to make is that Distortion lasts 5 seconds, and recharges in 5 seconds. Its the only stance that does that. So, you'll never get caught in a situation where you can't use it because it's "recharging"

sno

sno

Look into the Eye.

Join Date: Oct 2005

Detroit, Mi

Oh No Not These Guys [uhoh]

Mo/

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariano
I do not use Ether Lord, because I do not know a good build to make it fit. I do run ether lord on my edenial build, which leaves me strapped for points (16 dom and 12 inspiration, the rest to FC.) It's easy to drain the monk to nothing with surge/burn/sig and then shame, so as soon as shame kicks in, use ether lord. He'll have nothing to save himself with, as he'll be totally without energy, and he'll likely have +0 energy regen for 9 seconds, if he has boon up. It's great for sustained edenial, because you can use those 9 seconds to recharge, and just when he's almost ready to heal again slap on more edenial

I'd run distortion, but I can't afford the points in illusion to make it work

Francis Demeules

Francis Demeules

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada, Qc

[Holy]

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by qwe4rty
Another good point to make is that Distortion lasts 5 seconds, and recharges in 5 seconds. Its the only stance that does that. So, you'll never get caught in a situation where you can't use it because it's "recharging" *COUGHCOUGHFLURRYCOUGHCOUGH*

For mesmer only, ok but not in the game (I mean all stances, including those to attack faster).

-Six-

-Six-

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Mar 2006

Colorado

I have a NeMe and I'v been thinking a lot about distortion because I know it works great, but the energy loss is killer to my build.

Are many people *actually* using spirit of failure(10-3-10) with it? Aside from the brutal 3s cast, I figure I'll lose at least 24-26 energy (2 distortions, 1 SoF, and various mob wiffs) for <10 seconds of coverage.

swordfisher

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Sep 2005

Spirit and Price of Failure are long casts, and for that reason I prefer to run them on a mesmer. Nine points in Fast Cast bumps a second off the cast time of each.

Anyway, the initial investment isn't that steep (10 for Spirit, 5 for Distortion), and the returns are pretty good. Six points in inspiration return 3 energy per miss, and the hex has an unlinked duration of 30 seconds. Spirit of Failure and Distortion together cause the hexed mob to miss something like 81.5% of the time (number pulled from memory, possibly inaccurate). Even a low specced spirit of failure can make distortion break even, if you're fighting only a few enemies at a time.

Francis Demeules

Francis Demeules

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

Canada, Qc

[Holy]

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by -Six-
I have a NeMe and I'v been thinking a lot about distortion because I know it works great, but the energy loss is killer to my build.

Are many people *actually* using spirit of failure(10-3-10) with it? Aside from the brutal 3s cast, I figure I'll lose at least 24-26 energy (2 distortions, 1 SoF, and various mob wiffs) for <10 seconds of coverage. 3 sec is a pain when you're not mesmer. If you want to gain more energy, shot at the beginning SoF, use Distortion and cast to another melee SoF. Now you will gain more energy each time they miss.

Eaimirth Etaivella

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Aug 2005

Seekers of the Apocalypse

E/

To put it shortly; if you are running illusion magic there is basically no excuse for not running distortion. I can only think of one at the moment, at that was when I needed some giant jaw bones for this one collect...you get the idea. I needed mantra of persistence more than distortion-melee-illusion magic-kite-indefinatly. Yet several times I still wished I had distortion on my bar for the times I goofed (and everyone goofs)

LouAl

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Dec 2005

Quote:
Originally Posted by mariano
How much chance do I have to trigger at 17 domination. If I have 5 domination skills in my bar which I cast in a row, I have a 100% chance to trigger at 17 domination one of them. that sounds cool but is actually not true. The off-hand doesn't activate on every 5th skill of that line (or every 5th skill of any line), it has a 20% chance of activating with each skill used it doesn't stack from skill to skill. It is basic statistics. If you flip a coin you have 50% chance of getting either side, but after 100 flips you will almost never get 50 of ome side and 50 of the other, the odds are 50% for each flip and are not cumulative.