Illusionary Weaponry GvG Flag Runner Build

[superiorrunes]

Conjure Phantasm
Illusionary Weaponry [elite]
Illusion of Haste
Illusion of Weakness
Heal Signet
Flurry
Distortion
Leech Signet



This flag runner/ flagger-killer is made to be very self sufficient...can basically take out any unaided opponent flag runner, is immune to blind and cripple, the most common flagger counters, and strong vs armored/melee foes and rangers.

the extra health from illusion of weakness is your only real defense vs elemental spell damage tho, so leech signet is in there to interrupt the really dangerous spells cast against you.

[ZiegDivine]

No running buffs + nothing to slow down the other runner (who DOES have running buffs, thus can RUN AWAY from you) + no way to remove hexes (a lot of runners are water eles) = horrible runner.

[superiorrunes]

do you even know what illusion of haste does?

its 11 seconds of +33% run speed with a 5 second recharge.

no run skill outruns that. (13 seconds if you have enchant mod on your weapon, which you should)

[ZiegDivine]

Deep Freeze = GG.

EDIT: I'll expand my argument. It's simply not viable. You have an expensive running buff which leaves you crippled. Let's look at the skill:

For 5...10 seconds you are no longer Crippled, and you move 33% faster than normal. When Illusion of Haste ends, you become Crippled for 15 seconds.

Cost 10e Cast 1s Recharge 5 sec

It takes time to reach a flag runner. Even if the runner plays dumb and just runs away from you (doesn't hex/cripple etc.) you have about 1 or 2 swings with your weapon before illusion of haste wears off. Then you're crippled, and a 1 sec cast to get Illusion of Haste in. Assuming that the flag-runner just uses a speed buff, just in that time he can get away from you enough, that your +8% speed buff over his, will take a few seconds to get to him. So assuming you take even 2 swings every time you reach a runner (who just ignores you), which is every 11 seconds, you do a total of 84 damage. Every 11 seconds you do 84 damage. Do you understand how bad that is? You have no way to snare the other runner, this build isn't even good runner harrasement, because it has a fatal flaw ... it allows runners do what they do best ... RUN. So while you are constantly reapplying Illusion of Haste, and running out of energy the other team is getting a morale boost. GG, you just lost your first GvG.

If you really want me to give you a scenario where the other runner is a water/air hybrid (or a cripple ranger, the second most popular build), just give me a shout, I'll show you how 10 seconds of deep freeze will totally **** you over.

[MaximumSquid]

Sounds good, but I dont think you're reading Illusion of haste properly.

For 5-10 seconds you are no longer crippled, and you move 33% faster than normal. When Illusion of Haste ends, you become crippled for 15 seconds. So basically it will just remove any cripple condition you currently have, but it can easily be re-applied.

Also even with max illusion magic the spell, Illusion of Haste, will actually make you cover less distance in the long run.

That and it's just the how the guy would run in general.

Usually you want someone that can attack at range as your flag runner. . . Not a melee guy.

I can see an assassin with AoD as a flag runner, but that's the exception because it's a melee attack that can attack at range.

Nightfall PvP is going to premier this weekend. . . why don't you jump on that and see some of the skills. . .

I'm sure you can up with some cool new runner build then.

-------
edits:
-------

Yeah that's other thing. You'd probably want your runner to be able to counter other people's runners.

I'm pretty sure that water ele / monk is still a popular choice for runner so. . .

Deep Freeze = GG. this would be the gg:shocked:

[borkbork]

If you want to go the IW route, you should bring Imagined Burden just to slow down the enemy runner and give you some time to wail on them...

[Draygo Korvan]

Crippling Anguish > IW by a long shot.

Any competent emo build would beat the crap out of this one. Emo switches to a double fast recharge/fast cast items and blasts you with ice spells all day.

The reason that the E/Mo is popular (and not the Mesmer runner [ by the way a proper *ahem* mesmer running build can solo just about anything ] ) is the ability for the E/Mo to support the fight at the flag stand while running by casting spells such as heal party and extinguish, and pack some decent anti warrior mitigation.

[necrolemming]

do you even know what illusion of haste does?

its 11 seconds of +33% run speed with a 5 second recharge.

no run skill outruns that. (13 seconds if you have enchant mod on your weapon, which you should)
Do you know what Windborne Speed does?

[Selene Raseth]

Don't forget that it is hard to swing a sword if you've got your hands full of flag. It's one of the reasons casters took the role over from rangers. If you have to keep dropping it and picking it up, that's not too great a runner build. Won't be able to do anything in pitched battles around the stand, since putting it down will see it sent back right away. Phantasm won't go over great as the only damage when there is so much anti-hex in gvg right now. Eles usually carry a few damage spells that they can toss around while waiting to cap a flag stand.

[Dumah]

Same problem as with touch rangers... you'd get owned by a snare, which most enemy runners will have

[Foppe]

Wouldnt a windborne/armor of mist flag runner get owned by a snare too?

For illusion flagrunner I'd go for crippling anguish, the degen with it + conjure is good, better than the damage a IW will ever produce when ur with a flag in ur hand.

[ijack]

Wouldnt a windborne/armor of mist flag runner get owned by a snare too?

For illusion flagrunner I'd go for crippling anguish, the degen with it + conjure is good, better than the damage a IW will ever produce when ur with a flag in ur hand.

throw in a interrupt you got yourself a flag running killer

[Selene Raseth]

Wouldnt a windborne/armor of mist flag runner get owned by a snare too?

For illusion flagrunner I'd go for crippling anguish, the degen with it + conjure is good, better than the damage a IW will ever produce when ur with a flag in ur hand.
The difference is the ele would be able to do both, whereas this mesmer build only does one. Which would effectively make the mesmer a runner without speed skills comparatively.

[DutchSmurf]

If you look at speed, a mesmer is just as fast as an elementalist. Both have 33% faster, both can keep that up, BOTH LAST 13 SECONDS. Mesmer casts a little faster (you win 0.3-0.4 seconds here every 13 seconds, gg) and have a way to remove cripple on themselves. Elementalists can either cast it on others too, or get an armor buff. About equal here.
If you look at snares, mesmers have some nice once. Crippling Anguish being the best one because of the degen. But Shared Burden, Kitah's Burden, Imagined Burden and Ethereal Burden are options too. All have a high energy cost and an even longer recharge. And the only slow down for 50% (same as Crippled). Airele's have to do with a 0 damage Deep Freeze or with Gale. And we all know what the waterele has. Note that waterhexes slow a target down for 66%. Waterrunner beats mesmer, mesmer beats airrunner.
For selfheal, both ele's and mesmers have nothing, but the mesmer one is atleast a little usefull. Using your secundairy here works better. Equal here.
If you look at killing the other runner, I would pick a mesmer anytime in a 1vs1 fight. Their degen kills things faster then waterhexes, which aren't that dangerous. Combine that with an interrupt and you have an interesting fight. Mesmer wins here.

But now the point why people don't run mesmers. Runners are supposed to do more then running flags and slowing the other runner in a 1vs1 fight. You want some support. Ele's can use their energy to spam Heal Party and/or Blinding Flash. The mesmer has no way to do that, so its support is limited to its hexes. In an hexbuild you can consider that. Throwing in some of the longer lasting hexes when you come in can be very usefull then, even more because most of them are warriorcounters. But in every balanced build I would use a elerunner over a mesmer runner.

Short summary, mesmers are great as runners in hexbuilds, but lack support in all other builds.

[brassman]

Wouldnt bringing diversion compeltely remove their flag runner from the game for about 40+ seconds even with low dom magic?

[borkbork]

Wouldnt bringing diversion compeltely remove their flag runner from the game for about 40+ seconds even with low dom magic?

What do you mean by "removing" for 40+ seconds?

If I were running, I'd probably not even care if I saw Diversion come up. I'd just keep running.

[brassman]

You've gotta recast your 11 second run buff eventually right? and i can watch you cast it once, follow you for 9 seconds then toss up diversion.... if you tried to use ur speed buff again you'd be without it for 40+ seconds with minimal Domination magic.

Diversion is so strong and i'm sure the duration will be nerfed soon enough

[Nazpharoz]

You've gotta recast your 11 second run buff eventually right? and i can watch you cast it once, follow you for 9 seconds then toss up diversion.... if you tried to use ur speed buff again you'd be without it for 40+ seconds with minimal Domination magic.

Diversion is so strong and i'm sure the duration will be nerfed soon enough

Diversion isn't that strong on itself, the build around it can make it very strong. :wink:
And like others said, their are a lot off hex-removing used in GvG normaly. It last only 6 seconds out off the 10, the cast ime is 3 seconds. it has less then 50% coverage in normal use with 0 in fast casting. do you call that strong?

As it is a hex and with a long casting time, the other team can see it's been casting or the monk can see when it is hexed by that diversion. and knowing it last only 6 seconds, after that it is around 11 to 13 seconds later till it recieves next diversion on him/her. exceptions are when Mantra of Recovery, Serpent Quickness or Stolen Speed is used in that build. 2 out off thus 3 skills are elite mesmer skills, other one is a non-elite ranger skill.

[Selene Raseth]

One major problem; a runner chasing the other runner has crap for stealth casting ability. Unless you are playing the special school kids, that other runner will have you targeted. Diversion? Oh yeah, bet he doesn't see that coming :eyeroll: And the mesmer skills listed have 5 degen. Big whoop. That'll kill in 45-50 secs, provided it lasts that long and you can somehow follow them into base without getting killed, and they don't bother healing themself with anything. And even if that happens; you're all the way in the base. Now you have to run out, head back to your base, get past the enemy, grab your flag, and head back to try to cap the flag stand while the other runner is kicked back waiting to reclaim it right away. That'll go over real well.