My Fragility Build

[bruteherbs]

I regularly visit the gwonline forums, but this is my first post
I haven't seen a distinctively similar build to it, so I'm posting it here. Feel free to criticize/flame away :D On a side note, I don't have any characters past ascenscion, so I might be missing pertinent skills that would be better suited for this PVP character.

Class: Ele/Mes (Its mainly mesmer, so relax, its in the right forum :)

Illusion Magic: 12
Fire magic: 4 (3 + 1 from Flame's eye"
Energy storage:12
This puts the attribute points usage to a full 200.

Fragility [15,1,15] - For 18 seconds, target foe takes 28 damage each time that foe suffers or recovers from a new condition.

Immolate [10,1,5] - Target foe is struck for 17 fire damage and is set on fire for 2 seconds.

Arcane Echo [15,2,30] - If you cast a spell in the next 10-26 seconds, Arcane Echo is replaced with that spell for 20 seconds. Arcane Echo ends prematurely if you use a non-spell skill.

Conjure Phantasm [10,1,5] - For 12 seconds, target foe experiences health degeneration of 5.

Ethereal Burden [15,3,45] - For 10 seconds, target foe moves 50% slower than normal. When Ethereal Burden ends, you gain 20 energy

Glyph of Lesser Energy [5,1,30] - Your next spell costs 15 less energy to cast.

Ressurection Signet [NA,3,NA]

Illusion of Weakness [10,2,30] - You lose 202 health. Illusion of Weakness ends if damage drops your health below 25% of your maximum. When Illusion of Weakness ends, you gain 202 health.

This build feels like an intermediate between a DOT build, and a nuker. One of the bigger perks to this build is that, in the random pvps in which I play, I tend to not get targeted much. Most spells have no fireball, and no need for LOS, meaning that my targets feel the damage, but they're not really sure where it's coming from.

I start the match with illusion of weakness, essentially pumping up my hp to an impressive 700+, unless someone feels like shattering the enchantment while i have 300+ hp. As I get close to the enemy groups, I use the glyph of lesser energy, and then cast Ethereal burden on the closer melee, preferably a W/Mo.
Depending on the situation, I then used the following "combo" on some target.
First, I cast fragility, followed by archane echo, and then immolate. With the low amounts of fire magic, the burning wears off after 2 seconds, dealing 17+(14*2)+(28*2)= 101 damage. I follow up with Conjure Phantasm. When Conjure phantasm is finished casting, the burning would have wore off, allowing me to cast the arcane echoed immolate. I know the damage doesn't stack past 10 degen, but it's still nice that it can counteract healing breeze/troll unguent, and on top of that, buffers the Fragility so it can't be shattered.

[Nobleman Azure]

fragility burning build eh?

Mark of rodgort would be of good use here (i hate advising cookie cutters but this skill really helps fragility) each time u throw a flaming ball at the poor man hexed with this spell, hell be in flames for a few seconds triggering fragility.

I like your idea of immolating with arcane echo.

[Feynt]

Immolate is probably superior to Mark of Rodgort, as (in the short term at least) it costs less energy and a fire wand doesn't trigger Mark of Rodgort like we wish it would (shoots too quickly apparently). A fire bow with a really low timed burn (1 second) would possibly work.

[Nobleman Azure]

a fire wand triggers rodgort the way it should if you try to time it and not just click and wait.

the reason why rodgorts cost more is because its not a one-time spell, it triggers everytime the conditions specified is met, in this case being hit by fire damage.

[Feynt]

I'm aware of this, I'm also aware it lasts up to 18 seconds versus Immolate costing a grand total of some 30 energy over that period of time (or 55 energy at least if you use Arcane Echo and the second copy of Immolate). But at least Immolate won't accidentally keep enemies alight like Mark of Rodgort and Ignite Arrows or a fiery dragon sword (common as they are) will.

[bruteherbs]

Mark of rodgort does look good, but it doesn't feel like it fits!
The thing is, mark of rodgort seems like its *made* for burning
It's point feels like it's for continued burning for constant 14 damage per second.
Secondly, the shots following up mark of rodgort's needs LOS, and can be adverted by running around objects, and higher ground

These, combined with the fact that it'd need to be carefully timed as to NOT prolong the burning, immolate feels better.
With the build, I have 70+ energy, and it feels like enough when im playing in game for half dot/half nuke damage.
It can't sustain constant nuking however

[Nobleman Azure]

well of course immolate works better, thats why i did not suggest you REPLACE it with mark of rodgort. Builds are personal, people who follow word for word what other people advise on will fail on making a siccessful build. Hence i gave an idea of mark of rodgort. Now, since you said it yourself (or implied for that matter) that you dont feel adequate with MoR, advisors will shift and give a different sort of advice, this is truly how this forum works.

Back to work, now you say you cant sustain damage. How about bringing aura of restoration seeing as you have 12 on energy storage.

[bruteherbs]

The healing is okay from aura restoration, but with some of the casting times and recharge times, it doesn't feel enough to survive too long versus a w/mo's dps :( So I think I'll leave healing to the monks, and throw in distortion instead! Spammable, and with the large amounts of energy i deal with, I can be on the run until the monk's not busy/ressing someone/ whatever

[Nobleman Azure]

The healing is okay from aura restoration, but with some of the casting times and recharge times, it doesn't feel enough to survive too long versus a w/mo's dps :( So I think I'll leave healing to the monks, and throw in distortion instead! Spammable, and with the large amounts of energy i deal with, I can be on the run until the monk's not busy/ressing someone/ whatever

1. As you can see he has no way of regaining lost energy, distortion will just terribly mess up his build because hell spend his energy dodging than dealing damage and doing his job.

2. The point of self-protection is to prolong your life and buy some time, not to entirely prevent death. Not alot of characters can survive focus fire, its all about how long will you survive in it.

3. "Leave the healing to the healers" is exactly why monks are getting mad nowadays, they get blamed when the party dies. Each individual or at least most individuals in the party is responsible for his own safety, healers are support, not an extra bag of HP. Help them by protecting yourself with either skills or techniques such as dodging or running or not stupidly running into mobs.

[ZariusZero]

One thing i noticed is that you dont' appear to have an elite in there. If i may recommend one, i'd go with Fevered Dreams, once you get it. That addition to the cast chain would make those seconds of flame light up everyone near the enemy. And 14 health lost a second will certianly keep their enemy monks busier, thus perhaps taking focus off healing the person getting smacked by fragility.

[bruteherbs]

mmm, fevered dreams does sound good
The reason i don't have any elites is that i can't find a coherent group for elona's reach.. ever =I
It's definitely an interesting idea, and perhaps instead of the dual immolates, I could echo the fragility, to have two fragile burned targets :D Thanks for the suggestion

[jamesmackswell]

Kind of off-topic but...can someone explain to me exactly how arcane echo works? Do you cast arcane echo first, and then cast immolate, so its like casting 2 immolates? Or do you cast immolate first and then echo, which acts like you're casting immolate?

[Irving]

Kind of off-topic but...can someone explain to me exactly how arcane echo works? Do you cast arcane echo first, and then cast immolate, so its like casting 2 immolates? Or do you cast immolate first and then echo, which acts like you're casting immolate?

2nd one I think, you cast an echo then use a spell, the echo now becomes that spell, fully recharged and ready for use, basically giving you two bites at the apple

Im pretty sure how that works, I have arcane echo but dont use it

[Tsume]

Irving, Kudos on the build.

This is a great first post in my oppinion buddy.

The most common use of Fragility is with the Rangers elite flame arrows (no skill points in it).

I'm glad to see someone useing Fragility and thinking outside the box, though I'm a bit worried bout yoru energy mate. You might be wise to invest into inspiration or perhaps go Ele/Me with energy storage and maybe another damage spell or two instead, though you wanna keep the duration of burning low to trigger fragiliity rapidly.

I have one I call Fragile Warrior, uses Bleeding, Deep Wound and hamstring at lvl 0 swordsmanship. Hes a fun lil bugger but hitting for 2 damage a sword swipe definatley has its....ermm....down side.

[bruteherbs]

HEY! : P It's my fragility burner build, and its MY box that i'm thinking out of ;)
Damn you Irving for taking my credit *shakes first*

Oh, and incase you didn't notice tsume, the build has maxed energy storage, and is Elementalist/mesmer : P

[Irving]

Yeah not sure how I managed to steal your build there mate, you can have it back as long as I can use it, cos it looks really good. Im not sure if etheral burden can really supply all the energy you need. Im personally tempted to take Energy Drain as my elite and steal 18 energy with a 20 second downtime. Instead of taking 20 energy and effective downtime of 45 seconds.
Echo instead of arcane echo as well perhaps, uses less energy and shorter cast time.

[Zijian]

I'm just wondering, Mark of Rodgort causes burning for 3 seconds, right?

So, if I were to stick the foe within the 3 seconds, I would renew the condition, causing another fragility damage trigger?

If it's so, spamming Flare would cause quite a lot of damage. Or using a fire staff.

[Irving]

I spose so yeah, personally haven't tried it but I dont see why not

[this_barb]

Fragility Rangers aren't that good in pvp at all.

[Yanna Fairhame]

i just thought id say this that fragility isnt really a build that you can have one person in the party take care of. Idealy you'd want atleast each person in the party that going to attack called target to be able to cause a condition or two..

Ranger= poison, fire, cripple, daze, blind, bleeding
Mesmer= Fragility with mantra of persistance + maybe blind, deepwound might not be possible if phantompain will now be 20sec and target will die in that time

Warrior= bleeding, deepwound, weakness, cripple, daze,
Necromancer= disease, poison, bleeding weakness
Elementalist= Fire, weakness, blind


have mesmer run in and fragility then use signet of midnight buffers fragility with another hex maybe feavered dreams.

Ranger causes poison, and cripple

Elementalist causes burning

Necro uses virelance elite for weakness and disease for 3 sec

warrior causes bleeding, deep wound,

8x35= 280damage from fragility#1 give or take 5sec or soo most of these will ware off or be cured and he/she will take up to another 280damge. Then take another 280 damge when these conditions are placed back on target again. Damage is also not including the dot the conditions themselfs cause, it would be roughly 20hp a sec for 3sec tops. for when they are on target.

the key ability for this to be pulled off correctly would be Crystal Wave.
Description: Foes near you are struck for 10-82 damage, but are cured of any negative conditions. This spell ignores armor and magic resistance.
Energy Cost: 15
Activation Time: 3/4ths of a Second.
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds.
Linked Attribute: Earth Magic. Increases damage dealt.
Skill Type: Spell.

if your elementalist times it right you could deal 100damge from crystal wave and force 280 more damage from fragility. just food for thought

Fragility is not a good job for one person to try and tackle.. but if you can get your team to slightly change there builds or the might all have these skills onthem at the moment to focus fire, you could easily kill sombody with it with little effort.

[Irving]

wow that is an awesome idea, im gonna have a deeper look at that build, see if it really works