The Mesmer: old speculation & new reveal talk

[Alaris]

Less emphasis on super quick reaction, to me, means that interrupting longer-cast spells can still play a significant role. Proactive also means more interrupts like "next spell fails" rather than "current spell fails". So you anticipate and interrupt in advance.

[shivafang]

I'm seeing mesmers something like this atm:

Main hand: Sword, Wand
Off hand: Focus, Dagger
2-hand: Staff

Sword + Dagger: Anti Melee skills + Domination type skills
Sword + Focus: Anti Melee skills + Illusion type skills
Wand + Dagger: Anti Caster skills + Domination type skills
Wand + Focus: Anti Caster skills + Illusion type skills
Staff: AoE interupt and damage skills.

^^ This fits the playstyle of the original Mesmer very well (except most of the AOE were elite).

Pistols: Armour ignoring direct damage and mana burn.

Mesmers were always my favourite class, but I was never good at interrupts. (Cry of Frustration was the only interrupt I used) I used a lot of disablers, armour ignoring damage, and spell steal/blockers. Mesmers were so much my favourite class that it spoiled me for other MMOs because nothing comes close, so when this game comes out, Mesmer will be #1 on my list to try.

They don't realize you can use interrupts to disrupt offense as easily as disrupting defense?

Yeah, this quote confused me too. In Guild Wars, monks were impossible to interrupt (fast healing skills, part of the reason I didn't use interrupts on my bar, because I was the one dealing with the monks and I found it better to divert and arcane theivery than to try to intterupt). Interrupts were to target Eles.

[Thalanor Thornhale]

Mesmers were always my favourite class, but I was never good at interrupts.

We will have some fun discussions then when GW2 comes out and if Mesmers will make it into GW2. Remember, this class has not been explicitly confirmed yet.

Btw, I see you recently signed up and this is your first post as well. So I just wanted to welcome you to the GWonline community!

You'll find that this community tends to be more relaxed and more mature than some other places.

This being your first post, I look forward to reading more from you in the future.

[Akirai Annuvil]

Yeah, this quote confused me too. In Guild Wars, monks were impossible to interrupt (fast healing skills, part of the reason I didn't use interrupts on my bar, because I was the one dealing with the monks and I found it better to divert and arcane theivery than to try to intterupt). Interrupts were to target Eles.

Not what I meant. I meant that interrupts were useful for their flexibility in disrupting both offensive and defensive tactics. Also barring patient spirit you should have been able to interrupt all healing skills when cast. Most had 3/4-1c, the exact timeframe where mesmer rupts shine.

I'd also welcome you but I'm part of the initiation squad. Have you died in a typhoid induced fire yet?

[shivafang]

Most had 3/4-1c, the exact timeframe where mesmer rupts shine.

Maybe most in the game, but most that were actually used were instant. I did a lot of GVG pre-Factions (I got very burnt out by factions release, mostly because I had been playing since Alpha Test and I got to the point where I had had enough of the game, oh and my guild pretty much fell apart around that time.) I played a little during Factions and Nightfall, but I was no longer doing much GvG. Anyways, so if the meta changed after Factions, I don't know about that, but I'm used to fighting off instant spells where interrupts are totally useless. Since I was the only solid Mesmer player in our guild, I was always on Monk duty, with the standard Fast-Casted hard monk rez when morale was low.

[Enenion]

Making mesmer skills more visual on the battlefield wouldn't be very hard IMO. You just need to add some cool effect to the skill. For example, the hex Conjure Phantasm from GW1, if indeed it makes a return, could simply have the image of the phantasm appear above the player or holding on to the player it is cast on. It is after all an illusion and, while being visually appealing, that doesn't really change the mechanic of the skill at all.

The same can be said about interrupts. If the enemy can be heard cursing after being interrupted or the spell fails in a spectacular manner, like an explosion or something else, that too is pretty visually stimulating and what has happened is pretty obvious.

Less emphasis on super quick reaction, to me, means that interrupting longer-cast spells can still play a significant role. Proactive also means more interrupts like "next spell fails" rather than "current spell fails". So you anticipate and interrupt in advance.

I think that is the case too. I get the impression that they are trying to make the game easier to pick up by more people and the mesmer profession or at least it's interrupt role wasn't very friendly to new players. Also with their talk of wanting proactive support instead of healing, why not have proactive interrupts?

[shivafang]

Also with their talk of wanting proactive support instead of healing, why not have proactive interrupts?

This always makes me think of Diversion, which disables the next skill used. (Smart players will use it on something they don't need, but every once in awhile you can tag a critical skill).

Diversion always had a place on my bar (pvp) if I was even marginally specced Domination.

[Akirai Annuvil]

Maybe most in the game, but most that were actually used were instant. I did a lot of GVG pre-Factions (I got very burnt out by factions release, mostly because I had been playing since Alpha Test and I got to the point where I had had enough of the game, oh and my guild pretty much fell apart around that time.)

Yeah rupting divine boon backline was hella annoying. A pblock on mend ailment was very nice though.

Anyways, so if the meta changed after Factions,

During Factions monks ran Blessed Light (1 second cast) for healing, NF brought Light of Deliverance (1sec) and nowdays it's WoH (.75c)+Patient Spirit (.25c). The relative effectiveness of interrupts increased proportionately.

This always makes me think of Diversion, which disables the next skill used. (Smart players will use it on something they don't need, but every once in awhile you can tag a critical skill).

Diversion always had a place on my bar (pvp) if I was even marginally specced Domination.

The suggestion is more like shame, guilt or mistrust. Diversion never interrupted a skill it just heavily penalized its use. Try it with Glyph of Sacrifice, insanely fun.

Personally I'm just hoping for a backfire spell- "If target foe casts a spell, that spell is interrupted and all players in the area take damage and are knocked back."

[powercozmic]

This video has a male mesmer (who looks a lot less "gaey" then the GW1 male mesmer btw) at 4:13 to 4:18

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_RxPXsOSNA

[Enenion]

Personally I'm just hoping for a backfire spell- "If target foe casts a spell, that spell is interrupted and all players in the area take damage and are knocked back."

Backfire was always fun to use, though making it damage enemies in an area may be a bit much but who knows. Less emphasis on reaction time could also mean more skills that disable enemy skills like blackout or skills that really discourage using the skill, like backfire.