Different Illusionary Weapons Mesmer (alot of dmg)

After trying several Illusionary Weapons builds (Me/R Tigers Fury, Me/W Flurry/Frenzy and others) and not really being pleased by em, a friend of mine came up with a clever idea, we played with the build and variants and found it both very fun and interesting to play.

Mesmer/Monk - Illusionary Smiter

Skills:

Illusionary Weapons (E)
Balthazars Aura
Symbol of Wrath
Illusion of Haste - to reach your foes
Illusion of Weakness - fire it up before the map starts
Etheral Burden - to slow running foes (and energy management)
Res Signet / or any other Ressurect Skill you like

Optional Skills:

Bane Signet / Leech Signet (for interrupts and energy drain)
Distortion (you will live longer)
Zealots Fire (extra dmg)

Attributes:

Illusion Magic 14-16
Smiting Prayers 12
Fast Casting 6-10 (depends on ya Illusion Skill)

Equipment:

Be sure to get a +20% longer enchantments weapon, that will help alot. Armor is due to personal choice, I prefer Enchanters Attire for example, my friend likes Rogues more.

No Shield (as you dont have Tactics or Strength). Illusion Chakram with + Energy - Energy regen helps, but the +1 Illusion Magic 20% is also nice (exspecially to get you Illusion of Weakness enchantment a boost).


Tactics: Fire up you Illusion of Weakness at start, when enemies get near cap one with Etheral Burden and fire Illusionary Weapons and possible Illusion of Haste if he is running already. If ya start wacking the foe get up either Balths. Aura or Symbol of Wrath depending on if the foe is running or not. Normaly one smite and a IW is enough for one foe.

Pros: Alot of dmg, its fun to see Warriors die in seconds in they Comp. Arena, cause the dont fear a near combat mesmer and dont even realize you are smiting. Can get any running foe.

Cons: Will probably suck in the Tombs, not sure about that tho, cause I couldnt try it there. Has no healing potential, you are dead dead dead if you come up with no Monk (even more if you are wearing Enchanters), as Illusion of Weakness normally only rescues you once. Enchantment Strippers/Smiters/Render will rule you.

What ya think?

Got to have an IAS. Thats the point of IW. Without it you are doing far to little dmg IMHO.

Yea, but that is what most other IW builds are designed on. I was unhappy with the dmg, I like the extra dmg from the smites. Give it a try...

I could see it working of course. The smiting fits nicely with what you are trying to do but its 25 energy for balthazars on a build that is already energy heavy. Ethereal burden is too short

He probably make up for the loss of IW damage from lack of IAS with the smite skills. Not sure which one is more effective since the smite build presented lacks the defense a typical IW has.

Sidenote, a mesmer is already a top priority target. Going into melee fights with little defense seems abit...extreme :P

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i see no improve attack speed, the reason why people use it is because it always the same dmg so you might aswell swing as fast as possible

This makes it even more weak to Enchant kill...

At least increased attack speed works without IW [it's pathetic damage but again, it works]

You do your smite and IW and one rend means you're out of the fight for keeps...

I'd have to take out Balths her, and put in Flurry. It just makes IW so much better. IW is generally used as Anti Warrior, so using Soothing Images, or whatever that anti adrenline mez tech is called is super awesome.

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try this

TF
IW
barb trap
flame trap
dust trap
troll unguent
storm chaser
Ethereal burden

mass conditions + mass degen + dmg of IW Improved with better ias

just an idea, but wouldn't it be good to arcane echo IW to be more protected against rend and the likes?

I always take drain enchant into random/team arena and although I dont see that many folk taking enchantment removal, I still think it would be prudent to invest in a cover enchantment like sympathetic visage. This will cover up your IW, as will your illusion of haste, but it has the benefit of denying warriors their adrenaline and draining energy.

I love the fact that warriors lose energy when they hit because sooner or later their mending will fall off and they will be left with no energy to throw on that healing breeze or other like skills that all these paladins seem to pack.

I havent played necro in random/team arena so I cant say for sure but I wouldn't be overly concerned with being rended. Most necros that I have fought with and against seem to prefer to take strip enchantment if they are running any enchantement removal skills. Hope this helps and good luck with the build.

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well... if someone plans to rend it, i assume it will be during the first 20 seconds, but i get your point...

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just go the traditional Me/W way, i find it the best
skills
IW
Flurry
Deadly Riposte
Imagined Burden
Conjure Phantasm
Sympathetic Visage
Res Signet
IoW

Use deadly riposte then conjure phantasm :P and he will have lots of degen