——————————–
- Mesmer-only Themes (gwmeg5a) -
——————————–

Rather than defining builds by certain skillsets, I will attempt to explain the
combinations of skills that are effective “Themes” when designing a mesmer
build.  While there will be examples of full skillset builds, these are only
used for illustration purposes and should not be considered a definitive build.
The Mesmer is a complicated and versatile class on its own, and hopefully, the
sample builds and the themes will give you inspiration to create your own
effective Mesmer build.

Anti-Caster Shutdown
====================
Mesmers shine the most when put into an anti-Caster role, as they can punish
and shutdown spellcasters with just a few hexes.

Sample Build: The highest attribute should be in Domination Magic, as that
provides the most bang for your buck against casters.  Some points in
Inspiration Magic may be helpful as well.
1) Backfire - Punishment
2) Chaos Storm - PvE AoE damage
3) Power Block (Elite) - Shutdown
4) Power Leak - Interrupt
5) Guilt - Interrupt/Punish
6) Shame - Interrupt/Punish
7) Ether Feast - Self heal
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Other useful skills: Arcane Conundrum, Arcane Thievery, Migraine (Elite)

Anti-Warrior Shutdown
=====================
This theme is designed to minimize the impact of Warriors and to a lesser
degree, Rangers. By reducing the Warrior’s effectiveness through anti-Adrenaline
spells and removing the Warrior’s ability to hit a target, Anti-Warrior Mesmers
can easily take the Warrior out of the game until his/her teammates can deal
with them.

Sample Build:
1) Soothing Images
2) Sympathetic Visage
3) Distortion
4) Signet of Midnight (Elite)
5) Spirit of Failure
6) Spirit Shackles
7) Empathy
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Other useful skills: Clumsiness, Ineptitude (Elite)

Damage Over Time
================
This theme utilizes Illusion Magic to max out the Damage over Time on an
opponent. Illusion Magic excels in the early PvE game, due to the low health of
Monsters and the prevalence of good Illusion spells given to a starting Mesmer.

Sample Build: This build focuses mostly on Illusion Magic, as high as you can
afford to go.
1) Conjure Phantasm - Main skill
2) Phantom Pain - More DoT
3) Crippling Anguish (Elite) - Snare and DoT
4) Shatter Delusions - Ending Phantom Pain
5) Imagined Burden - Snare
6) Distortion - Defensive skill
7) Illusion of Weakness - Self-heal
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Other useful skills: Migraine (Elite)

Energy Thief
============
This theme uses skills that drain an opponent of Energy, either giving the
Energy to you or damaging the enemy in the process.

Some of these builds use Arcane Echo to copy Energy Burn or Energy Surge.  Most
builds also invest a few points into Fast Casting to improve the spellcasting
speed of the Energy Burn/Surge attacks.  Mind Wrack is often cast first as a
“prep”, anticipating the removal of all of the opponent’s Energy.

Sample Build:
1) Signet of Weariness - drain energy
2) Energy Burn - Damage, drain energy
3) Energy Surge (Elite) - Damage, drain energy
4) Mind Wrack - Damage
5) Energy Tap - drain energy
6) Power Leak - Interrupt, drain energy
7) Ether Feast - Self-heal, drain energy
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Other useful skills: Wastrel’s Worry (damage them if they can’t do anything),
Guilt, Shame, Energy Drain (Elite), Ether Lord

Interrupter
===========
The ultimate anti-spell Mesmer, the Interrupter focuses on countering spells
and the occasional non-spell utility skill (with Cry of Frustration or Leech
Signet).

Sample Build:
1) Leech Signet
2) Power Block (Elite)
3) Power Drain
4) Power Leak
5) Power Spike
6) Cry of Frustration
7) Diversion
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Other useful skills: Hex Breaker, Guilt, Shame, Migraine (Elite), Arcane
Conundrum

———————————
- Mesmer/Elementalist (gwmeg5b) -
———————————

The ability to combine the Mesmer’s Fast Casting ability with Elementalist
spells is quite tempting.  While the Elementalist primaries generally have an
Edge as far as Energy, much of this can be alleviated by Inspiration magic and
wearing the Enchanter’s set of Armor (since Elementalist armor does not have an
inherent Energy bonus beyond the usual caster Energy +10).  However, where the
primary Elementalist really has an edge is the fact that they can use Runes and
Headgear that augment their attributes.  Getting the most out of any of the
Elementalist attributes means sinking many valuable points into maxing out a
single attribute, and even then, you will never be as effective as a primary
Elementalist at Elemental spells.  You will be able to cast them faster, and
augment your Energy and Mesmer skills much more effectively.

I am a Rock
===========
This theme focuses on the excellent Stances provided by the Mesmer line and the
defensive spells offered by the Elementalist line.  In short, you can become
the “ultimate” tank.

Sample Build:
1) Spirit of Failure
2) Ward Against Melee
3) Ward Against Elements
4) Kinetic Armor
5) Armor of Earth
6) Physical Resistance
7) Elemental Resistance
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

————————-
- Mesmer/Monk (gwmeg5c) -
————————-

It is said that there is no such thing as a bad Monk secondary, and it is true
with the Mesmer primary class as well.  The extra Resurrect spell and healing
is very appreciated in many teams, and the Monk secondary also provides decent
self-heals, of which the Mesmer is lacking.

The Ringbearer
==============
This unusual theme focuses on using Mantra of Inscriptions and Signets to great
effect.  Since Monks and Mesmers have a large amount of Signets, you can
effectively construct a build around the use of Signet rings.  It’s a fun build
to play with, as you’ll never really need Energy (unless there is a rare chance
of running across Primal Echoes).

Sample Build: This build mainly does damage using Smiting Prayers.
1) Leech Signet
2) Signet of Judgment (Elite)
3) Bane Signet
4) Signet of Weariness
5) Purge Signet
6) Signet of Humility
7) Mantra of Inscriptions
Ressurect (or Res Signet, if you really want to go with the theme)

——————————–
- Mesmer/Necromancer (gwmeg5d) -
——————————–

Necromancers also have good Damage over Time spells, and have several useful
hexes.  A Mesmer-Necromancer combination has probably the largest arsenal of
hexes available to any single character.  This also means that the Mesmer and
Necromancer combination can seem mostly redundant, but there are several unique
skills in the Necromancer line that prove to be useful.

Plague Touch/Plague Sending
===========================
Mesmers have two skills that cause conditions to themselves, Illusion of Haste
and Signet of Midnight (Elite).  Plague Touch and Plague Sending allows the
Mesmer/Necromancer to take these self-applied conditions and spread them to an
opponent.  This is a good combo for Signet of Midnight (Elite), especially,
since you can blind two Warriors instead of just one.

Virulence (Elite)
=================
This skill has a cheap Energy cost, and applies both Disease and Weakness on an
enemy who already has a condition applied.  There are many ways for a Mesmer and
Necromancer to apply a condition, but a good tactic is Phantom Pain followed by
Shatter Delusions, which will apply a Deep Wound. The only real problem with the
skill is the fact that it’s an Elite.

Virulence apparently does three “attacks” when combined with Fragility, making
it a very powerful skill in a Fragility build.  Not only would you apply the
effects of Weakness and Disease, but you’ll also do a lot of damage through
Fragility.

Sample Build: Death Magic is kept intentionally low to have a low Virulence
duration.
1) Fragility
2) Phantom Pain
3) Shatter Delusions
4) Virulence (Elite)
5) Conjure Phantasm
6) Energy Burn
7) Arcane Echo
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

The casting order is pretty much as listed in the Sample Build.  Arcane Echo
can be used to copy Energy Burn, if you have the Energy. This build deals an
extreme amount of damage to the hapless target.

—————————
- Mesmer/Ranger (gwmeg5e) -
—————————

There is considerable overlap in the role of the Anti-caster Ranger and the
Anti-caster Mesmer.  However, with the Ranger class, a Mesmer also gains Troll
Unguent (a great self-heal skill), along with many ways to apply conditions
through either traps or bow attacks.  You can also drag a pet along to help you.

Unfortunately, a Mesmer-Ranger combination does not get access to Expertise,
which locks out many useful Ranger skills like Throw Dirt and Whirling Defense.
All in all, it is a good mix, although there are many skills that you may find
to be redundant between the two classes.

Damage over Time, Redux
=======================
While Mesmers are pretty good at dealing DoT alone, a Mesmer-Ranger has both
conditions and spells to easily apply a massive amount of DoT very quickly.
Typically, the core of this theme centers around Conjure Phantasm and Apply
Poison/Poison Arrow (Elite).

Sample Build:
1) Conjure Phantasm - Main DoT skill
2) Apply Poison - Poison preparation
3) Hunter’s Shot - Bleeding
4) Epidemic - Spreading conditions
5) Distortion - Defensive skill
6) Troll Unguent - Self Heal
7) Illusion of Weakness - Self-heal
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Fragility
=========
Fragility is an Illusion Magic spell that does damage whenever the hexed foe
has a condition applied or removed.  Since Rangers have the greatest variety of
ways to apply conditions, Fragility can be used quite effectively with this
class combination.

Sample Build: This particular variant uses Incindiary Arrows (Elite).
Ironically, you may want to have low points in Wilderness Survival for this
build so that you maintain a 1 second burning time and thus maximize the
effectiveness of Fragility.
1) Fragility - The basis of this build
2) Pin Down - Cripple
3) Hunter’s Shot - Bleeding
4) Incindiary Arrows (Elite) - Burning!
5) Barbed Trap - Cripple/Bleed
6) Dust Trap - Blind
7) Troll Unguent - Self-Heal
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Other useful skills - Signet of Midnight (Elite), Throw Dirt, Phantom Pain,
Concussion Shot, Crippling Shot (Elite), Spike Trap (Elite), Apply Poison,
Poison Arrow (Elite)

Mantra of Concentration/Resolve
===============================
Both of these stances are very useful to a Trapper character, since Traps are
so easily interrupted.  They both also have decent duration.  Use these stances
to lay down traps without fear of interruption.  They are probably less useful
than a defensive stance or the Blind condition, but Trappers tend to be highly
specialized characters anyway.

Dryder’s Defenses
=================
An alternative to Distortion, Dryder’s Defenses is certainly more efficient in
terms of both duration and Energy consumption.  It also applies bonus Elemental
armor, useful for weathering Elementalist spells.  It is linked to Wilderness
Survival (unlike most defensive stances in the Ranger line), and thus is
accessible to the canny Mesmer player.

Greater Conflagration (Elite)/Winter
====================================
Greater Conflagration (Elite) is a Ranger Nature Ritual that turns all physical
damage to Fire damage.  Winter is a Nature Ritual that turns all elemental
damage to Cold.  while most primary Rangers utilize specialized armor to take
advantage of these damage types, Mesmers can also take advantage of these
spirits by bringing along the appropriate Mantra or Elemental Resistance.

—————————-
- Mesmer/Warrior (gwmeg5f) -
—————————-

The warrior skills have very little to offer to a Mesmer.  While the added
protection of the Tactics line is nice, Mesmers generally don’t do well as
front-line combatants, lacking the armor and the tanking abilities of a warrior.
Still, Mesmers are always full of surprises, and there are several ways that
one can integrate Mesmer abilities with Warrior skills and melee combat.

The Illusionary Weaponry build
==============================
This is the iconic Me/W build… when you have a Me/W, this is the build that
people will expect you to use, simply because IW meshes so well with the various
Warrior skills.

Sample Build: Max out your Illusion Magic for the most damage per strike.
1) Illusionary Weaponry (Elite) - The basis of this build
2) Arcane Echo - Copy Illusionary Weaponry to buffer/extend the duration
3) Distortion - Defensive stance
4) Physical Resistance - Tanking stance
5) Flurry - Speed-up stance
6) Sympathetic Visage - Anti-Warrior Adrenaline drainer
7) Illusion of Weakness - Self-heal enchantment
Free Slot (Res Signet or Signet of Capture)

Other useful skills - Frenzy, Soothing Images, Cyclone Axe

Any axe or sword with an “of Enchantment” upgrade is helpful due to extending
the duration of IW.

———————————–
- Mesmer as a secondary (gwmeg5g) -
———————————–

Because very few people rely on Fast Casting as a primary attribute, Mesmers
make an excellent secondary class, especially for primary spellcaster classes.
The utility spells in the Mesmer line add versatility to pretty much any
spellcaster build, and there are quite a few skills that do not require much of
a point investment to be effective (like the Interrupts, for example). Another
benefit from the Mesmer skills that help nearly any primary class is the wide
selection of Energy management skills, particularly from the Inspiration line.
The long-lasting Mesmer stances often do not require much of a point investment
in Mesmer attributes, and can be used with “while in a stance” modifiers on
magical items.  Finally, the Mesmer secondary class gives many anti-Hex and
anti-Enchantment skills, including the useful Hex Breaker stance.

—————————–
- Things to Avoid (gwmeg5h) -
—————————–

Mesmers can be a difficult class to play, at times, because to utilize them
effectively, the player needs a good grasp of all spells available to all
classes (mostly to counter them).  Mesmers also have a wide variety of spells
that are attuned to different tactical situations, making them somewhat of a
Swiss Army Knife of utility spells.  Here’s some advice on some things to avoid
when you first start playing a Mesmer.

You can’t counter everything
============================
Because Mesmers have a versatile and wide array of skills designed to shut down
all classes, some players are tempted to try to counter everything.  However,
with only 8 skill slots, this simply isn’t possible.  You’re either going to do
a half-hearted job at shutting down a variety of people (which is easily
countered by Hex removal) or a good job at shutting down a specific group (for
example, Anti-caster or Anti-Warrior). A Mesmer who tries to counter everything
will quickly find him/herself being able to counter nothing.  Focus your build
at shutting down casters, or preventing hexes, or interruption, or any of a
variety of niches that can be filled by a Mesmer.

Static Skillbar
===============
Another common problem is trying to come up with a perfect build that you never
have to change.  While it may be convenient and lazy to do so, most Mesmers
should probably take stock of their situation in either PvP or PvE and determine
the most effective skills for any given location.  In other words, change up
your skills depending on the situation.  If you know that there are going to be
lots of Hexes due to a high amount of Necromancers and Mesmers, then bring
along Shatter Hex and Inspired Hex.  If you know that the current metagame
favors Earth magic, bring along Mantra of Earth.  An adaptable Mesmer is a good
Mesmer, and Guild Wars is designed such that one can always adjust their build
to any given situation.

Don’t be afraid to be a Pure Mesmer
===================================
Mesmers have a wide variety of skills and are quite versatile.  While all
characters are required to carry a secondary class, you are not required to
utilize it.  Some situations may call for a selection of skills from both your
Mesmer and secondary classes, but you can always go along with a Pure Mesmer
build, choosing the right skill combinations for the situation.  Half of the
fun in making builds is figuring out how well a primary and secondary class can
mesh together, but concentrate on being a good Mesmer first, and worry about
your secondary when all of the basics are covered.  Mixing a secondary is more
of a problem with the Ranger and Warrior subclasses than the other spellcasting
classes.