Patch 11 May 2021
On May 11, 2021, a major balance update for Guild Wars 2 was released. As part of this patch, it became possible to play a new support build for the mirage elite specialization of Mesmer. This build can provide the entire 10-player raid group with might and alacrity.
This build is still experimental and subject to change. So check back often to keep up to date with the latest build. Follow the guide to get all the updates.
This build was made possible by the changes to the Staff for Mesmers from the May 11, 2021 update and provides an alternative for the Alac revenant support.
This build is capable of consistently buffing the full raid group (10-person) with alacrity and 25 stacks of might.
Additionally, you add large amounts of Torment and Confusion. Therefore, it is especially suitable if the raid boss is vulnerable to Confusion.
These are in particular:
However, classic revenant builds should be more effective on slow attacking bosses. These in particular are:
Armor
Since this build requires very little boon duration, play with fully Viper's armor.
Weapons
As a weapon you play two viper's staffs.
If you have more than one Condi Mirage support in your party, you can use Superior Sigil of Bursting instead of Superior Sigil of Concentration in both staffs and increase your damage even more.
Jewelry
You play with completely viper's jewelry.
Buff Food
If you are the only alacrity source of your party, you need +100 concentration and +70 expertise as food:
Otherwise, you can use +100 expertise and +70 condition damage as food:
As a supply effect, you need condition damage from power and precision:
Traits
Dueling
You get vigor for 5 seconds when you critically hit.
This build is not designed for many critical hits, but you still have about a 35% chance of getting critical hits. Therefore every third hit gives you vigor.
Your phantasms have fury.
Phantasms and clones inflict a stack of bleeding for 5 seconds on critical hits.
Your F1-F4 skills also add a stack of blindness for 3 seconds.
You gain fury for 5 seconds every time you hit an enemy that has less than 75% health. Combined with your boon duration, you can therefore keep fury on you continuously from the moment the enemy's health drops below the threshold.
When you deal breakbar damage to an enemy, you also deal Blindness to them for 5 seconds.
When you inflict Blindness on an enemy, you also inflict two stacks of Confusion for 5 seconds.
Chaos
You get regeneration for 10 seconds if you get hit while you have less than 75% health.
You also create a weaker version of Chaos Storm (Staff 5) each time you use False Oasis (Healing Skill 6).
As long as you have regeneration, you deal 10% more condition damage and suffer 10% less condition damage.
Your staff skills recharge 20% faster.
You also get +240 condition damage for using staffs.
As long as you have regeneration, you get +250 concentration and +250 expertise.
When you hit your opponent with interrupting skills, you reduce the cooldown of one of your staff skills by 5 seconds.
Mirage
Instead of dodging, you get Mirage Cloak. When you receive Mirage Cloak, you can use Chaos Vortex (Dodge Staff 1) for a period of 1 second.
If you use a deception skill while you have a clone, you gain an additional clone.
You gain 3 seconds of vigor when you use an F1-F4 skill.
As long as you have vigor, you get +150 condition damage.
Illusions that you shatter with F4 become mirage mirrors.
When a mirage mirror is touched, it deals damage and weakness to enemies and you get 0.75 seconds of Mirage Cloak.
Whenever you give yourself Distortion, you can use Chaos Vortex (Dodge Staff 1) for 1.5 seconds.
As long as you have mirage cloak, you move 66% faster.
When you get mirage cloak, your illusions also get mirage cloak and will use chaos vortex (dodge staff 1) once.
Skills
You shoot a projectile that bounces twice between enemies and allies. It inflicts a stack of Torment for 5 seconds on the enemy with the first hit, and a stack of Confusion for 5 seconds on each subsequent hit. Allies hit receive a stack of Might for 5 seconds and Fury for 3 seconds.
As long as you have Mirage Cloak, your Staff 1 skill is Chaos Vortex.
You shoot a projectile at enemies in front of you that inflicts bleeding, burning, and torment. Additionally, up to 10 nearby allies gain 8 stacks of Might for 15 seconds and Alacrity for 3 seconds.
This build is based on giving the entire party alacrity and 25 stacks of might throughout.
You teleport away from your target, creating a clone.
You summon two phantasms that inflict damage and vulnerability.
After the attack, the phantasms become clones. Ideally, you should always use this skill just before an F1-F4 skill to quickly get clones again afterwards.
You inflict Blindness and Confusion on nearby enemies and gain chaos aura for 5 seconds.
As long as you have chaos aura, you randomly get boons and inflict random conditions when you get hit.
You create an area where, every second for 5 seconds, up to 5 allies each receive Aegis, Resolution, or Swiftness, and up to 5 opponents each receive Chilled, Poison, or Weakness.
Gives you 5 seconds of vigor and heals you over a period of 3 seconds.
Also creates a clone through Self-Deception if you already have a clone.
Summons 6 projectiles that move towards the center of the target, dealing damage and one stack of confusion for 4 seconds to all enemies they touch.
You should aim as centered as possible on your enemy so that they get hit by all projectiles.
Also creates a clone through Self-Deception if you already have a clone.
You passively receive +180 expertise.
You passively receive +180 condition damage.
You take a shadow step towards the target and inflict 3 stacks of Confusion on nearby enemies for 6 seconds.
This skill has 3 charges.
Also creates a clone through Self-Deception each time you use it if you already have a clone.
Inflicts some damage and a total of one stack of torment. You get vigor for 3 seconds.
Inflicts a total of 6 stacks of Confusion, one stack of Torment, and one stack of Blindness. You get vigor for 3 seconds.
Deals up to 300 breakbar damage and a total of one stack of torment to your opponent. You get vigor for 3 seconds.
You gain Distortion, which protects you from all damage for 1 to 4 seconds.
When used on 3 clones, you gain access to Chaos Vortex (Dodge Staff 1) twice in a row.
You also inflict a total of one stack of Torment. You get vigor for 3 seconds
The most important thing about any Guild Wars 2 build is rotation. You can have the perfect gear and carry the right skills, if you don't master rotation, a player with worse gear and better rotation will always do more damage/DPS than you.
Your most important task is to distribute alacrity and might. To do this, you'll have to use Chaos Vortex (Dodge Staff 1) as often as possible. You'll also generate clones to be able to use Cry of Frustration (F2) wisely. Fill the remaining time with skills that inflict large amounts of confusion.
Basic concepts
Chaos Vortex
Your most important skill is Chaos Vortex (Dodge Staff 1). You should always use it when it is available.
Dodge
You should always have used a charge of Dodge that you can benefit from vigor and use Chaos Vortex more often.
Weapon switch
By using the weapon switch you get 50 endurance. You can therefore dodge again immediately after the weapon switch.
Shatter
The next priority is to shatter 3 clones with Cry of Frustration (F2). This is a very strong damage skill as it inflicts large amounts of confusion.
Creating clones
In order to use your shattering skills effectively, you need to get 3 clones as soon as possible.
If you don't have a clone yet, you should use Phase Retreat (Staff 2) to get your first clone.
If you already have a clone, there are several ways to create the other two:
Damage Skills
The following skills are particularly suitable for inflicting damage thanks to their conditions:
Mirage Mirror
You create Mirage Mirrors with False Oasis (Heal 6) and Crystal Sand (Utility 7).
When you touch an Mirage Mirror, you gain access to Chaos Vortex (Dodge Staff 1). If you can, you should pick up Mirage Mirrors and use the additional Chaos Vortex (Dodge Staff 1).
Opener