[Merged] Interrupter Beginner's Guide

[bigsuxoringnoob]

*EDIT by Tsume*- This is not a formal guide, but rather a compilation of several threads and scores of worthy posts that all shed light on what is a popular question; 'How can I learn to interrupt better?'. I advise anyone who wishes to ask this question to read through this thread. Any further additions should be directed to this thread, but know that I will not permit any OT or derailed discussion to flourish in this thread, nor will I allow it to evolve to another topic (as I usually would, since it is natural progession). This thread is going to be a permanent Mesmer Forum Resource.

Much of this information was put forth updates upon updates ago, yet the essence and ideas remain valid and worthy of hearing. I have made several edits and footnotes to all the posts in this thread, where I deemed them relevant, to eliminate any outdated knowledge or clarify it. If its in this thread, it's still relevant. If you wish to add something, please do. But a comment like 'Thanks for the help' will be deleted, even though all people who offered their input would appreciate it, this thread will remain uncluttered. If you have a question, please do reply and ask in this thread and allow it to be answered sufficiently. I wan't to leave this unlocked so that questions and new ideas/strategies/info can be added. Don't abuse that decision.

I don't know if this kind of build will work, but I was thinking about the viability of using the skills that interrupt and deal damage or steal energy at the same time, like Power Leak, Power SPike, Power Drain, Clumsiness, etc., using Arcane Echo and maybe Echo to offset the recharge times. Skills like Backfire and the shatters might also be useful ... any thoughts?

[Tsume]

Well its very viable Big.

Interrupter builds are nothing new and amazing really, and what you listed is some of the normal considerations for one. Obviously, you want those interrupts that you listed.

Now if you are new to interruption, or depending on your opponent, you should consider investing just a lil into Illusion magic and taking Arcane Conundrum.

Alternatively you could do Domination, Illusion, Inspiration, and get Migraine + Conjure Phantasm for degen and slower Cast, as well as a protection hex for Migraine. Then go with your Interrupt setup, and possibly one or two Inspiration skills.

I would advise taking atleast Arcane Conundrum since it sounds like its your first stab at this type of build. Slow em down, then wreak havoc ^_-.

[Wrath of God]

Migraine and Arcane Conundrum is already overkill. If you do interrupt, use Migraine, if you wanna slow their chain cast by for times longer, use Migraine and Arcane Conundrum, then leave that monk alone. I know just a simple Migraine and Arcane Conundrum is nasty to a monk. As a monk, Signet of Devotion gets me killed a lot, because of its long cast time.

[Hokutan]

Well its very viable Big.

Interrupter builds are nothing new and amazing really, and what you listed is some of the normal considerations for one. Obviously, you want those interrupts that you listed.

Now if you are new to interruption, or depending on your opponent, you should consider investing just a lil into Illusion magic and taking Arcane Conundrum.

Alternatively you could do Domination, Illusion, Inspiration, and get Migraine + Conjure Phantasm for degen and slower Cast, as well as a protection hex for Migraine. Then go with your Interrupt setup, and possibly one or two Inspiration skills.

I would advise taking atleast Arcane Conundrum since it sounds like its your first stab at this type of build. Slow em down, then wreak havoc ^_-.

Where do you get Migraine ?

[Obsidian Titan]

Pytt Spitespew (Breeze Keeper) in the Ring Of Fire is where you get Migraine from. Above Abbadon's Mouth.

[Intrinsity]

I've been playing GW for about a month, and have done a bit of PVP. Sometimes I try to play an interrupt mesmer, but I feel I do a crappy job, missing here and there... if not, then I use Migraine to cheat XD; I find that I actually have to babysit a particular target, watching for whatever spells they try to pull through. If not, I can get a Meteor Shower handed to my butt, and I'd have no idea what just happened.

I hear people saying that's the newbie way of doing it: watching health bars and then interrupting.. but I don't know any other way. I read somewhere that people watch for animations on the battle field, but I feel I'd never click the target in time. Perhaps for restore life which gives an obvious animation (observing from henchies, hehe). Not to mention, a swirvel of the camera gets me disoriented.. then I have to hold Ctrl to see the names again, blah blah blah. >.<

So that's the question for expert interrupters out there.. how do you do it? Any tips on the matter? :p

[xRiptidex]

Think of it as an FPS when your playing with more than 3 interupts because obviously thats what your built on doing interupting, and the most effecient way I find is to mouse target but not click and sweep back and forth (head lvl simply because thats natural to any fps'r) more often than not you will see one cast every 1-2 sweeps (almost like trying to draw a 3d circle with you as the axis,unless ofcourse there is nothing behind you) you pretty much know off the bat who to watch more closely than others and there are sounds to listen to as well but anyways its really ez to catch even a flare to interupt it as long as you seen the start of the animation. Learn each players casting animation the best way to get accustomed to it is through playing that same class in pve for a little bit or pvp while focusing on what you look like. From then on you know the stance change for each class that comes with a cast albiet a .75sec cast or a 5 sec cast I pay no attention to the swirls/glyphs but it is also an indicator.Once you pick your target that is casting dont control select him his name is not relevent(not to mention it takes longer)just click on him and interupt.

[Tsume]

It is true that you can watch for spell animations, but everyone starts out by 'babysitting'.

And one side about animations is that many animations are shared, and some have only slight differences. The animation/movement of the character is the key to that. Casters only attack with wands and staves in one way. Any motion you see them make that is not an attack is the begining of a cast.

But dont feel bad for having to babysit at the moment. Even the keenest interrupters miss occasionally.

Cycle the targets you see, and press a number key to interrupt on key.

Dont try to waste them on rapid cast spells as your starting out. Stick the 2 seconds or longer, and slowly grow.

As for useing Migraine or Arcane Conundrum there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If nothing else those spells in themselves are a huge hassle to casters, and despite what people think about them (that they are for 'newb' interrupters), the 2 spells are very effective. Even the quickest cast can be interrupted with them. It's also worth being an interrupter and slowing someones casting time, interrupting them once or twice to make them be afriad to cast any moderate cast time spells and then turn to another target instead.

[xRiptidex]

As for useing Migraine or Arcane Conundrum there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. If nothing else those spells in themselves are a huge hassle to casters, and despite what people think about them (that they are for 'newb' interrupters), the 2 spells are very effective. Even the quickest cast can be interrupted with them. It's also worth being an interrupter and slowing someones casting time, interrupting them once or twice to make them be afriad to cast any moderate cast time spells and then turn to another target instead.

Quoted for truth.

[Sines]

I agree with the above. It's not a matter of being a noob, its more of an insurance policy. First off, no one is going to cast Meteor Shower if it has a 15 second cast time (HAH!) so Migraine effectively stops all long cast spells. And anyone who still tries is in for a world of hurt. Not to mention increasing the cast time means you can interupt spells whose cast times are no longer than the interupt. And of course all prevention aside, it's gonna be annoying as heck, and thats what being a mesmer is about.

What I wanna ask, is if there is a good place to get practice? I feel bad doing it in PvP stumbling around like a fool and being nothing but a burden. So I was wondering if there is a good place in PvE where you can find a bunch of enemies with moderate (1-2 Second cast times) cast times to practice on. Maybe not as good as PvP practice, but at least I'll be able to do something.

On a second note, watcing the person and all is fine, but is there a way to tell the difference between a near instant and a Meteor Shower? It'll be a shame if I keep trying to interupt Flares or Stone Daggers, and either missing or interupting a meaningless skill.