Spell / Signets | 1.30 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Sustained
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 90
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Description: While sustained, this signet increases the percentage of your health that each of your newly-created illusions receives by 0.
When you deactivate this signet (which takes no time) it resets the cooldowns on Mind Wrack and Decoy.
The effects will increase with your Strength.
Commentary: Superficially similar to the "Resilience" talent for Summoners, but with a different passive benefit calculation. Since Mesmers cannot really wear any armor and have low health, they primarily survive by avoiding damage and by having their illusions take damage for them. As a result, this talent, which buffs illusion health by 5-25%, may actually be closer to "Shielding", which buffs damage shields by 25-60%. Signet of Illusions
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Sustained
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 90
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Description: While sustained, this signet increases the arcane, light and physical damage you deal by 0.41%.
When you deactivate this signet (which takes no time) it stuns all foes (power 12) within radius 1 for 3 turns.
The effects will increase with your Strength.
Commentary: Mesmers primarily deal arcane, light and physical damage. The scaling (3% per talent level) falls between "Hymn of Shadows" (5-25% over five levels) and "Wildfire" (2% per talent level). Signet of Domination
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Sustained
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 90
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Description: While sustained, all temporary beneficial effects applied to you have their durations increased by -1 turn(s). Each temporary effect instance can be extended only once. The duration increase is applied whenever you take an action, so ephemeral beneficial effects that last at most one turn (such as Mesmeric Dodge) may not be extended.
When you deactivate this signet (which takes no time) it blinds all foes (power 12) within radius 1 for 3 turns.
The effects will increase with your Strength.
Commentary: This "boon duration and synergy" effect has no general equivalent in ToME. There are talents that increase the durations of particular effects (e.g., only damage shields or only regenerations). This Signet increases all beneficial effects that last more than one turn. This has a pleasant synergy with default Mesmer staff powers, but the clever player will find other fruitful combinations (e.g., buffs from inscriptions or charms, etc.). Signet of Midnight
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Sustained
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 90
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Description: While sustained, your movement speed is increased by 1%.
When you deactivate this signet (which takes no time) it creates a burst of celerity, increasing your movement speed by 22% for 1 turn(s). Any actions other than movement will cancel the effect. Note: since you will be moving very fast, game turns will pass very slowly.
The effects will increase with your Strength.
Commentary: The passive speed benefit follows "Celerity" (but does not include free item set switching). The burst speed benefit is half as strong as "Lightning Speed". Mobility is critical for Mesmers, and this is the only Mesmer power that increases raw movement speed. Signet of Inspiration
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Sustained
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 90
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Description: Every three turns while this signet is sustained you heal 0.00 per illusion you control.
When you deactivate (which takes no time) this signet it creates an ethereal burst, healing you for 13. In addition, the burst resets the cooldowns on the Mirror Blade, Phantasmal Berserker, Phase Retreat, and Phantasmal Warlock talents.
The effects will increase with your Strength.
Commentary: This ability helps Mesmers when they need it most: in the middle of a tough battle that requires multiple illusions. When the illusions are gone, the deactivation power resets some of the cooldowns needed to summon more. The passive healing rate scaling (3.0 per illusion per talent level every 3 turns) loosely follows "Fast Metabolism" (about 3.0 per talent level every turn), assuming you can keep three illusions alive. Signet of Ether
| 0/5 |
Spell / Mesmer staff | 1.30 |
Effective talent level: 2.6
Use mode: Activated
Range: 6
Cooldown: 3
Travel Speed: 800% of base
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Is: a spell
Description: Bounces an orb of kinetic energy between foes and allies that applies random beneficial effects to allies and harmful conditions to foes.
Damage to foes: 11.78 physical damage, plus one of:
either 35.35 illusion arcane damage over 4 turns
or 35.35 illusion light damage over 4 turns.
In addition, weapon "on melee hit" effects can trigger.
If illusion damage over time would be applied to a victim already suffering from that type of ongoing illusion, the resonance causes the entire previous illusion damage to be dealt at once before the new illusion effect is applied.
Effect to allies: Mesmeric Overload (+10% to all damage per application, max 20%) for 5 turns.
After the attack the mesmer steps back one square away from the target.
The bolt can bounce to a creature within range 6 of the last target up to 3 times. A creature cannot be struck by multiple bounces from the same use of this talent. Note that because of the bouncing you can profitably aim this talent at a friendly target, such as an illusion. The effects increase with Magic and the critical chance is based on your spell crit rate.
Commentary: This is one of three staple Mesmer powers. It reinforces a focus on ranged attacks and mobility. The cooldown and damage follow "Flame", except that Flame is dealt over 3 turns while this is dealt over 4 (further encouraging mobility). Stacking Mesmeric Overload from illusions can result in a substantial damage increase during long-running fights, but requires investment in this talent to raise the cap. Winds of Chaos
| 2/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 3
Cooldown: 15
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Is: a spell
Description: Teleports you to up to 3 tiles away, to a targeted location in line of sight.
In addition, an illusionary clone will be created at your old location. The illusionary clone has 1% of your health, deals 0% of your damage, never moves, and knows the talents Winds of Chaos, Spatial Surge and Ether Blast at the same levels you do. Newly-created illusions are invulnerable for one turn. Illusions disappear after five turns without an enemy target. It serves largely to distract foes.
This spell takes no time to cast.
Commentary: An iconic Mesmer ability, Phase Retreat is commonly used to escape melee foes as well as to dodge projectiles and area-of-effect attacks. The cooldown is the same as "Phase Door" and the instant perfect control follows "Dimensional Step", but the range is significantly lower than both. Phase Retreat
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 4
Cooldown: 18
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Is: a spell
Description: Summons an illusionary clone of you in an empty square in range 4. After the summoning the Mesmer steps back one square away from the target.
The illusionary clone has 0% of your health, deals 50% of your damage, never moves, and knows the talents Winds of Chaos, Spatial Surge and Ether Blast at the same levels you do. Newly-created illusions are invulnerable for one turn. Illusions disappear after five turns without an enemy target.
When using Winds of Chaos, the illusion deals an additional 10% damage to a foe for each detrimental effect currently afflicting that foe.
Commentary: Phantasms have more health and deal more damage than normal illusionary clones. Between the Mesmeric Overload buff from Winds of Chaos and this phantasm's bonus based on enemy conditions, this talent has the potential to double your damage output -- if it can be kept alive. Phantasmal Warlock
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 35
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Is: a spell
Description: Surround yourself with chaos armor for -20 turns. When you are struck, you receive a random beneficial effect and your foe receives a random detrimental effect.
Beneficial: Heal for 10.
Beneficial: Earthen Barrier (reduces incoming physical damage by 14%) for 5 turns.
Beneficial: Out of Phase (increases resists by 14, reduces incoming negative effect duration by 14%) for 5 turns.
Detrimental: Confused (50% chance) for 5 turns.
Detrimental: Crippled (30% melee, spell and mental speed) for 5 turns.
Detrimental: Blinded (power 14) for 5 turns.
Effects increase with Magic.
Commentary: An iconic Mesmer power. The healing scaling follows "Healing Light". Commonly used when a tough foe has cornered the Mesmer and is in melee range. Be careful, however: if you are a Mesmer and foes are hitting you repeatedly, you are probably already about to lose. Chaos Armor
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 6
Cooldown: 35
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Is: a spell
Description: Summon a chaotic magical storm of radius 0 for 6 turns. Each turn the storm applies a beneficial effect to allies. Each turn the the storm applies damage and one random detrimental effect to foes.
Damage: 1.85 physical. In addition, weapon "on melee hit" effects can trigger.
Detrimental: Stunned for three turns (power 14.00).
Detrimental: Frozen for three turns (power 14.00).
Detrimental: Poisoned for 5.56 damage over three turns.
Detrimental: Weakened for three turns (power 33).
Beneficial: Mesmeric Overload (+10% to all damage per application, max 0%) for 5 turns.
After summoning the storm the mesmer steps back one square away from the target.
The effects will increase with your Magic. This talent does not generate critical hits.
Commentary: An iconic Mesmer power, and their only real source of area denial and true area-of-effect control. The damage to foes is immaterial compared to the crowd control effects, which are re-applied every turn as foes sit in the storm: forcing a foe to walk through a Chaos Storm is a significant advantage. Dually, sitting in one's own Chaos Storm can yield growing damage bonuses from stacks of Mesmeric Overload. Chaos Storm
| 0/5 |
Spell / Mesmer greatblade | 1.30 |
Effective talent level: 1.3
Use mode: Activated
Range: 12
Cooldown: 3
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Conjures a spatial disturbance beam that can hit multiple foes. The damage increases with your Strength and your distance to the target. The critical chance is based on your physical crit rate. After the attack the mesmer steps back one square away from the target.
Range 8+: 37.14 physical damage
Range 7: 33.43 physical damage
Range 6: 29.71 physical damage
Range 5: 26.00 physical damage
Range 4: 22.28 physical damage
Range 3: 18.57 physical damage
Range 2: 14.86 physical damage
Range 1: 11.14 physical damage
In addition, weapon "on melee hit" effects can trigger.
Commentary: This is one of three staple Mesmer powers. It reinforces a focus on long-range attacks and mobility. The cooldown and damage follow "Lightning", but the damage total is based on distance instead of being based on chance. Spatial Surge
| 1/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 10
Cooldown: 8
Travel Speed: 800% of base
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Bounces an illusionary greatblade between foes and allies. The weapon applies random beneficial effects to allies and harmful conditions to foes. After the attack the Mesmer steps back one square away from the target.
Base damage to foes: 4.31 physical damage. The damage will increase with Strength and the critical chance is based on your physical crit rate. In addition, weapon "on melee hit" effects can trigger.
Extra effect to foes: Weakened for three turns (power 33).
Effect to allies: Mesmeric Overload (+10% to all damage per application, max 0%) for 10 turns.
The bolt can bounce to a creature within range 6 of the last target up to 3 times. No creature will be struck twice by the same bolt.
In addition, an illusionary clone is created adjacent to your current location. The illusionary clone has 1% of your health, deals 0% of your damage, never moves, and knows the talents Winds of Chaos, Spatial Surge and Ether Blast at the same levels you do. Newly-created illusions are invulnerable for one turn. Illusions disappear after five turns without an enemy target. It serves largely to distract foes.
Commentary: The damage scaling follows "Flameshock". This does not stun but does have a lower cooldown and creates an illusion. Mirror Blade
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 10
Cooldown: 12
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Slices an illusionary greatblade through the target area. Each foe within a radius -1 of the target is struck for 7.23 physical damage and has up to 0 beneficial temporary effect(s) or sustained talent(s) removed. In addition, weapon "on melee hit" effects can occur. After the attack the Mesmer steps back one square away from the target. The damage increases with Strength and the critical chance is based on your physical crit rate.
Commentary: The damage scaling follows "Fireflash", but the radius here is smaller and the cooldown is higher. Removing beneficial effects from foes is thematic to the Mesmer. Mind Stab
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 8
Cooldown: 20
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Summons an illusionary clone of you in an empty square in range 8. After the attack the mesmer steps one square away from the target.
The illusionary clone has 15% of your health, deals 50% of your damage, never moves, and knows the talents Combat Accuracy and Illusionary Death Dance at this level. Newly-created illusions are invulnerable for one turn. Illusions disappear after five turns without an enemy target. Illusionary Death Dance can be used every other turn: the illusion attacks all foes in radius 2 for 140% of weapon damage and cripples them, reducing their speeds by 33% for one turn.
Commentary: Phantasms have more health and deal more damage than normal illusionary clones. Illusionary Death Dance follows "Death Dance" but with radius 2 (recall: illusions cannot move) and an additional cripple. This is the only Memser talent that uses attacks to inflict direct weapon damage; the illusion can miss. Phantasmal Berserker
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 28
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Push back all foes in front of you with waves of magical energy. Sends out three consecutive blast waves in a 1 radius cone to foes. Each wave separately deals 1.51 physical damage, applies weapon "on hit" effects, and knocks victims back by two squares. The blast waves usually hit foes more then once, depending on the radius and the knockback effect.
After the attack the mesmer steps back one square away from the target.
The damage will scale with your Strength.
Commentary: The radius and damage loosely follow "Repulsion Blast", but with a 50% damage increase (instead of Paradox scaling) and 700% cooldown increase. This is typically a last-ditch talent for Mesmers who are out of mobility talents. Illusionary Wave
| 0/5 |
Spell / Mantras | 1.30 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 10
Cooldown: 1
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Is: a spell
Description: Meditate, charging a spell that will distract your target.
You store up the energy to use mantras slowly, gaining one charge every 30 turns after last use of any mantra. Once charged, Mantras have no other cooldown and can be used rapidly. Mantra effects increase with Magic.
Mantra of Distraction confuses (power 50%) and dazes all foes in radius 2 for 2 turn(s) and takes no time to use. Dazed targets cannot move, deal half damage, and have half defense, saves, accuracy, and power. Any damage will break the daze.
You currently have 0 out of 0 stored charges of Mantra of Distraction.
Commentary: This Mantra acts as an ersatz mobility power, buying the Mesmer precious turns to escape or heal during a fight. The radius scaling is similar to "Bellowing Roar", but this talent deals no damage. Mantra of Distraction
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 10
Cooldown: 1
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Is: a spell
Description: Meditate, charging a spell that will damage your target.
You store up the energy to use mantras slowly, gaining one charge every 30 turns from last use of any mantra. Once charged, Mantras have no other cooldown and can be used rapidly. Mantra effects increase with Magic and the critical chance is based on your magical crit rate.
Mantra of Pain deals 3.73 arcane and 3.73 light damage to one target and takes no time to use.
You currently have 0 out of 0 stored charges of Mantra of Pain.
Commentary: Mesmers typically deal slightly less damage than other "squishy" classes (Archmages, Oozemancers, etc.). This Mantra provides additional damage when other talents are unavailable but does not directly smooth out the Mesmer weapon swap cooldown cycle. Mantra of Pain
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 1
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Is: a spell
Description: Meditate, charging a spell that will grant you stability.
You store up the energy to use mantras slowly, gaining one charge every 30 turns from last use of any mantra. Once charged, Mantras have no other cooldown and can be used rapidly. Mantra effects increase with Magic.
Mantra of Concentration grants you free action for 1 turns. This prevents all stuns, dazes, and pinning effects. Mantra of Concentration takes no time to use.
You currently have 0 out of 0 stored charges of Mantra of Concentration.
Commentary: This is the free action effect from "Infusion: Movement", but without the wild speed movement bonus. Mesmers have no innate way to gain resistance to stunning, dazing or pinning, so talents that remove such effects are critical. Mantra of Concentration
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 1
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Is: a spell
Description: Meditate, charging a spell that will free you of harmful effects.
You store up the energy to use mantras slowly, gaining one charge every 30 turns since last use of any mantra. Once charged, Mantras have no other cooldown and can be used rapidly. Mantra effects increase with Magic.
Mantra of Resolve removes 1 detrimental effect(s) currently afflicting you, chosen at random. It takes no time to use.
You currently have 0 out of 0 stored charges of Mantra of Resolve.
Commentary: Mesmers have no innate way to gain elemental resistance or resistance to stuns, dazes and the like. Talents that can remove control or damage-over-time effects are thus critical. Mantra of Resolve
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 1
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Is: a spell
Description: Meditate, charging a spell that will restore your health.
You store up the energy to use mantras slowly, gaining one charge every 30 turns since last use of any mantra. Once charged, Mantras have no other cooldown and can be used rapidly. Mantra effects increase with Magic.
Mantra of Recovery restores 29.76 health. Mantra of Recovery takes no time to use.
You currently have 0 out of 0 stored charges of Mantra of Recovery.
Commentary: The scaling is the average of "Arcane Reconstruction" and "Healing Light". As befitting a high-level talent, this acts as an emergency "get out of jail free" card, but note that the low health and lack of armor on a Mesmer mean that one-shots remain a danger. Mantra of Recovery
| 0/5 |
Spell / Mesmer shortblade | 1.30 |
Effective talent level: 1.3
Use mode: Activated
Range: 4
Cooldown: 3
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Assaults nearby foes with a two-stage attack.
First, the mesmer creates a range 4 beam that deals light damage to all foes, possibly pinning them. The effects increase with your Strength and your physical crit chance. The mesmer then teleports to the last square in the beam.
Second, the mesmer creates a radius 4 cone that deals arcane illusion damage to all foes, possibly stunning them. The effects increase with your Magic and your spell crit chance. The mesmer steps back one square away from the cone.
Beam Damage: 13.92 light damage
Beam Effect: Pinned for 1 turn(s) (power 12)
Cone Damage: 14.60 arcane illusion damage (over 4 turns)
Cone Effect: Stunned for 1 turn(s) (power 14)
In addition, weapon "on melee hit" effects can trigger.
Commentary: This flexible talent can either serve as a short-range escape or as a source of disabling and damage. It requires careful positioning to be as damaging as Winds of Chaos or Spatial Surge, however. At low talent levels the mesmer must be dangerously close to foes to be effective -- this is a 'quadratic'-style talent that becomes much more effective around talent level 4. The damage follows "Invoke Darkness" with the addition of pinning and stunning. Ether Blast
| 1/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 2
Cooldown: 12
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Controls an area with a two-stage attack.
First, the mesmer creates a cone of radius 2 that pins foes. The mesmer then steps back one square.
Second, the mesmer creates a spinning trap of light anywhere in radius 2. The trap spins with incredible speed, typically enough to hit each nearby creature twice over about 8 turns. The trap harm foes and help friends in radius 6 (but not those standing directly atop it).
Cone Effect to foes: Pinned for 0 turn(s) (power 14)
Cone Effect to foes: Weapon "on melee hit" effects can trigger
Beam Damage to foes: 3.50 light damage to foes
Beam Effect to foes: Push 1 square
Beam Effect to allies: Mesmeric Overload (+10% to all damage per application, max 0%) for 5 turns
Cone effects increase with Magic. Beam effects increase with Strength and use your physical crit chance.
Commentary: The created trap follows "Aether Beam" in total damage but with double the radius. While not as effective as Chaos Storm, this talent can serve as reasonable area-of-effect control and damage. However, the relatively long time it takes to deal full damage means tha the mesmer must find other ways to stay alive in the interim. Vortex
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: melee/personal
Cooldown: 10
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: instant
Description: Protects and retaliates with a two-stage defense.
First, the mesmer creates a personal illusionary shield for 1 turns. During turn 1, the shield keeps you out of phase with reality (100% resist all, 100% detrimental effect duration reduction).
Second, the next 0 time(s) a source of damage would be applied to you, this shield attempts to create an illusionary clone adjacent to the attacker. After each such attack you take one step away from the attacker.
The illusionary clone has 1% of your health, deals 0% of your damage, never moves, and knows the talents Winds of Chaos, Spatial Surge and Ether Blast at the same levels you do. Newly-created illusions are invulnerable for one turn. Illusions disappear after five turns without an enemy target. It serves largely to distract foes.
This spell takes no time to cast.
Commentary: Note that distance and line-of-sight are not required for this talent to function. However, unlike other effects that create illusionary clones, this one is not entirely under the Mesmer's control: you must take a hit from a foe to trigger it. It is thus difficult to use proactively, for scouting, or to draw early fire. Illusionary Counter
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 10
Cooldown: 25
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Controls an area and manipulates cooldowns with a two-stage attack.
First, the mesmer projects a distoring sphere of radius 2 in range 10. Enemies within the sphere are damaged and pulled toward the center. Allies within the sphere are pushed out.
Second, the mesmer creates a temporal curtain: a wall up to length 9 in range 5 with thickness-radius 1. Whenever a foe interacts with the curtain, up to 0 of that foe's available talents (chosen at random) are placed on a 0 turn cooldown. For each such talent placed on cooldown, one of the mesmer's cooling-down talents (chosen at random) has its timeout reduced by 0 turn(s). Whenever a friendly illusionary clone or phantasm interacts with the wall, one of the illusion's cooldowns is reduced by 1 turn. The wall lasts for 2 turn(s).
Sphere Damage to foes: 5 light illusion (over 4 turns)
Sphere Effect to foes: Weapon "on melee hit" effects can trigger
Curtain Effect to foes: 0 separate 0-turn cooldown transfers
Curtain Effect to foes: Crippled (30% melee, spell and mental speed) for 3 turns
Sphere effects increase with Strength and use your physical crit chance.
Commentary: The sphere effect follows "Gravity Spike". With careful placement the sphere can separate the Mesmer from nearby enemies, allowing the wall to be placed between them. The mesmer has the flexible choice of filling the wall with friendly illusions (allowing them to attack faster) or leaving the wall empty so that foes will walk through it (allowing the mesmer's talents to recover faster). If this talent does not appear to be reducing your cooldowns, recall that most normal foes do not have actionable talents. Temporal Curtain
| 0/5 |
Effective talent level: 0.0
Use mode: Activated
Range: 8
Cooldown: 20
Travel Speed: instantaneous
Usage Speed: 1 turn
Description: Summons an illusionary clone of you in an empty square in range 8. After the attack the mesmer steps one square away from the target. This illusion is uniquely adaptive: it is the only mesmer illusion capable of moving on its own. It cannot take advantage of "free step" movement built into certain Mesmer powers but can spend its turn to walk after foes.
The illusionary clone has 12% of your health, deals 50% of your damage, CAN move, and knows the talents Winds of Chaos, Spatial Surge and Ether Blast at the same levels you do. Newly-created illusions are invulnerable for one turn. Illusions disappear after five turns without an enemy target.
Commentary: Phantasms have more health and deal more damage than normal illusionary clones. This is the only illusion with even a hint of movement, admitting a range of summoner tactics (e.g., sending the illusion into a foe-filled room you cannot see). Phantasmal Bladefighter
| 0/5 |