Arcane Mimicry

"AM" redirects here. For the mission, see Abaddon's Mouth.

Spell. For 20 seconds, Arcane Mimicry becomes the non-form elite skill from target other ally.

Arcane Mimicry

• 15
• 2
• 60

Profession

Mesmer

Type

Spell

Campaign

Core

Animation

Click to view

Spell. For 20 seconds, Arcane Mimicry becomes the non-form elite skill from target other ally.

Concise description

Spell. This skill becomes target ally's elite skill (20 seconds). Cannot self-target. No effect if target's elite skill is a form.

Acquisition

Skill trainers

• Prophecies
  • Avena (Maguuma Stade)
  • Tengsao (The Amnoon Oasis)
  • Dakk (Ember Light Camp)
• Factions
  • Michiko (Kaineng Center)
• Nightfall
  • Medando (Yohlon Haven)

Hero skill trainers

• Nightfall
  • Warden of Whispers (Chantry of Secrets)

Hero Usage

• Heroes prioritize which elite they copy as follows:
  1. Elites from the hero's primary profession.
  2. High rank in the relevant attribute.
  3. No Attribute Skills.
  • The AI will never choose to copy an elite unless they have at least rank six in the required attribute (including any modifications). No Attribute Skills can always be copied.
• Heroes will use the copied skill as they normally would do.
  • Maintained enchantments that heroes would dismiss can be disabled to be maintained for the duration of the copy effect. When the copy effect ends the enchantment will be dropped as soon as the AI dictates it to (i.e. the hero is not in a situation where it would normally maintain the enchantment).
• Players can manually chose which skill will be copied. This can be done in the following manner:
  1. Disable Arcane Mimicry on the heroes bar, as otherwise they will use it on cooldown.
  2. Select which party member you want the hero to copy.
  3. Order the hero to cast Arcane Mimicry.
  • While this does allow player control, this requires a significant amount of micromanagement to achieve similar results to the hero AI.

Notes

• When using Arcane Mimicry on an ally that has more than one elite skill, the first elite skill from the left on their skill bar is copied. Accordingly, keep Arcane Mimicry to the right of any intended elite skill(s) if the team build requires mutual mimicry.
• If used on an ally without a non-form elite skill, Arcane Mimicry recharges instead.
  • Heroes (and presumably other NPCs) cannot use this skill to copy any PvE-only skill.
• A successful Arcane Mimicry does not recharge like other skills: after the copy effect ends, the skill is disabled for 60 seconds.
• Maintained enchantments, skills that last indefinitely without an upkeep or skills that renew themselves copied with Arcane Mimicry will continue to be maintained, active or renewable even after expiration of Arcane Mimicry copy effect.
• Signet of Illusions or Symbols of Inspiration can be used to boost the attribute rank of a relevant copied elite.
• Players are able to copy elite skills which are not available from their skill list, but use them only when certain conditions are met:
  • if the skill is a core skill or belongs to a campaign available on the account, the player (and their heroes) can use it even if it has not been unlocked.
  • if the skill belongs to a campaign unavailable to the account, it will be copied to the skill bar but cannot be used by the playable character (remaining locked like PvE-only skills are in a PvP area).
  • heroes are able to copy and use skills from any campaigns available and unavailable to an account, but the player cannot force the use of skills from campaigns unavailable to them.

Anomaly.No effect if target's elite skill is Junundu Siege.

• Good synergy with Assassin's Promise and Air of Superiority to bypass the high recharge time.