Feedback:User/TschuMe/Mesmer Shattering by absorbing clones

Mesmer Shattering by absorbing clones
User	TschuMe
Categories	Mechanics

Research and facts

Since I missed out on posting in to the beta forums, I thought I could write it here. I read so many different suggestions about shattering mechanics, phantasms and clones. So I decided to create a suggestion which was inspired by all the suggestions already written here and in other forums including mine.

Its a fact that illusions (clones) are nearly useless in a lot of the dynamic events (Area damage)(opponent die within seconds) or in mobs in WvW because they don't last a second. So there isn't any time to shatter your illusions at all. The Shattering is based on illusions, what I find is pretty cool and unique afterall. But since illusions are so short living its hard to trigger even shattering once. And having traitet into phantasms forces you to sacrifice shattering at all. So I got some thoughts on Phantasms as well.

Shattering by absorbing

The main problem is not to summon up enough illusions, but more by keeping them alive for shatters, which is hard if they get instantly killed all the time.

This is how I thought it might work:

• every shatter skill has to charge up first by absorbing clones "absorbing mode".
  • this is done by summoning up clones and absorbing them with one of the shatter skills (each shatter skill needs to be charged seperatly)
  • a maximum charge up is reached by absorbing 3 (or more) clones (each shattering skill could need an specific amaount of absorbed clones if there are balancing issues. but to keep it simple, i go further on with 3)
  • shatter absorbing has a recharge of 5 seconds (could be traitet?)

• As soon the shatter skill has absorbed three clones it will turn into active mode (like mantras)
  • In active mode they grant every ten second (or more) a boon to the mesmer and to players near it
  • Mind Wrack's activ mode = every 10 sec might for 5 sec
  • Cry of Frustration's active mode = every 15 sec retalation for 2 sec
  • Diversion's aktiv mode = every 15 sec protection for 2 sec
  • Distortion = every 20 sec regeneration for 5 sec

(makes it more attraktiv for teamplay in pve but it also could be overpowerd this way and hard to balance, so boons during acitv mode is optional, maybe just a glow around the mesmer to warn the oponent that there is something going on)

• by activating the shatter skill in "active mode" clones will appear next to the target and shatter (or a clone leaps to its target and shatters). (1 sec to perform shatter after their appearance which are not destroyable but evadeable, reflectable and blockable)
• shattering skill in "active mode" got the normal recharge time (so absorbing is blockt for the used shatter until it's recharged)

note: The charged up shatters will not reset after battle and could be saved for the next oponent but it will reset after death. The player can store all 4 shatters in aktiv mode if he likes to.

This way players got more control of their shatter skills and don't need to be afraid of the clones getting destroyed at the way to its shatter point, which (if reached) also takes one second to perform. They can decide now to leave them in the world by the risk they get 1-hit-ed or to absorb them and summon new ones. But in either ways the shatter mechanic would defenetly be used more often. I think shattering needs to be more flexible at this action based fights. Shattering at it's current state is always performed on the target the clones were summond on and won't switch target if the player does. At basics attack it actually doesnt matter, since they don't deal worth mentioning damage, but by shattering them its annoying.

More research on clones and shattering them

What I also read is to make clones attackable but not killable (player will miss them all the time), since they don't do any damage and are just mindmessing there won't be a balancing problem I guess. Only if the mesmer decide to shatter them, they blink to their oponent and shatter. Seems pretty great and simple to me but maybe I overlooked something in this kind of mechanic.

Elite Skill

The Mesmer got following Elite skills:

• Moa morph
• Mass invisibility
• Time warp

They actually are great but just don't feel like mesmer (just my impression)

I actually would rather see more actionbased Elite skills for mesmers

• Master of Illusion
  • Transform yourself into a phantasm (just for an example) which allows you for 20sec to use your shatterskills without recharge time. Your endurance and Skills that summon up clones are recharged 75% faster.
• Lyssa's child
  • all your weaponskills are replaced by mighty offensive and support skills (20sec)
    • Shame: strike your enemie inflicting a random condition (auto attack)
    • Spirit Shakels: pull all enemies to the maintarget and immobilize them for 2sec. (10sec recharge)
    • Epidemic: spread target's conditions on to enimies around it.
    • Reverse Hypochondria: remove all conditions from enemie, for every condition removed, your allies near you and yourself gain boons
    • Auspicious Incantation: heal allies for every boon on them

just some Suggestion of spreading panic to enemies when they see mesmer elite skills

Phantasms

At first I would thought of making them utility skills (like guardians ghost weapons.) but after reading some good points here, "phantasms should have a chainskill", I overthought my theory since it seemd easier not to reevent new skills for the weapons. But still, at current state just calling a phantasm seems a bit boring. (sorry, i find them great, but there is so less to do with them)

Suggestion:

• they won't be shattered when using the shatter skill. (Traits can be more individual without having the feeling on missing out shattering , when skilled on phantasms)
• They only die if an enemies kills it or if the player is out of battle.
• After summoning them a chainskill will be avaible as long the phantasm is alive (means that there only can be one of the same phantasm out in the world summoned by the same mesmer)
• Each phantasms chainskill is like a shattering but in a supporting way

• • Phantasmal Berserker: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you might
  • Phantasmal Warlock: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you regeneration
  • Phantasmal Swordsman: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you fury
  • Phantasmal Warden: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you swiftness
  • Phantasmal Duelist: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you Vigor
  • Phantasmal Mage: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you retaliation
  • Illusionary Mariner: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you might and fury
  • Illusionary Whaler: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you regeneration and protection
  • Phantasmal Defender: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you aegis
  • Phantasmal Disenchanter: Activating its shattering gives you and allies near you protection

My thoughts on this

Players got more freedom to choose their play style as a mesmer (like other professions). At the moment, every 4th or 5th weapon-skill is a phantasm and if a player would like to play more with a shatter-skill based build, they get no profit of summoning a phantasm. Compared to a clone skill they only summon a phantasm and nothing else. (no blinking back, no blocking, no leaping, no attacking... just summoning)

I really hope I could give you an idea of what I meant in this text since my English grammar is really poor. (Enlish is not my 1st language) but at least I tried ;)

But I'm certain that the mesmer is going to be fine, just had the feeling this might help and didn't wanted this idea to be unspoken.

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