Guild Wars Mesmer Introduction

The Mesmer is a class that is unique to the world of Guild Wars. Although it borrows from classic elements of Illusion and Manipulation Magic in other fantasy genres, the Mesmer class as a whole is a subtle combination of magic as an artform, a force to be controlled and composed. Mesmers resemble thespians of the classical kind, harkening back to stage actors, gypsies, and jesters.

But their magic is far from only performance art. The heart of Mesmer magic is the control of Energy and the ability to turn an enemy’s magic against itself.

The name Mesmer probably comes from the word “mesmerize”, which in turn comes from the name of German physician Franz Anton Mesmer (1734 – 1815), who discovered what he called “animal magnetism” and others often called mesmerism, the precursor to hypnosis. Indeed, the Mesmer seems to be able to manipulate its opponents in subtle and unusual ways, similar to hypnosis.

The Mesmer is probably the most challenging class to play in Guild Wars. Many of their strengths require much skill and quick timing on the part of the player. If you enjoy shutting down other spellcasters, countering their every move with subtlety and finesse, you will enjoy playing a Mesmer.

I am writing this guide as a personal challenge to create the best Mesmer guide that I possibly can. By no means will this guide be a definitive final word, especially for a class as complex and subtle as the Mesmer. I will do my best to keep this guide up-to-date, but there are hundreds of ways to play a Mesmer and thus one should read this guide with an critical, but open, mind.

Why Should I Play a Mesmer in Guild Wars?

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* Not only do Mesmers have great Energy Regeneration (just like the other spellcasting classes), they also have many skills for Energy management, giving them the ability to replenish their Energy almost at will.

* Mesmers have the largest number of interrupts, allowing them to disrupt other

people’s skills with ease.

* Mesmers have a large number of Damage Over Time (DOT) spells, including the

iconic DOT spell, Conjure Phantasm. DOT spells ignore armor, making them very

useful for weakening heavily armored opponents.

* Mesmers have the unique primary attribute of Fast Casting, which allows them

to cut down on the long casting times of many spells.

* Mesmers have excellent Hex and Enchantment removal, giving them a leg up on

enemies that rely too heavily on spells.

* The long-lasting Mantras are some of the best stances in the game.

* Mesmers make an excellent secondary profession, as many of their spells have

great utility for any build.

Why Shouldn’t I Play a Mesmer in Guild Wars?

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* Mesmers have the worst armor in the game, tied with Monks. They are quite

vulnerable to both physical and elemental attacks, although damage can be

reduced by the various protective Mantras that they have.

* While Mesmers do have a few high-damage spells, overall they will inflict

less damage per second than other classes. Their main utility is preventing

damage or healing by stopping enemy spellcasters, rather than dealing out

large amounts of damage.

* While Fast Casting is sometimes useful, it is not as beneficial as other

primary attributes. You have to sink many points into Fast Casting to notice

a substantial improvement, and there is only one skill linked to it.

* Mesmers lack a good self-heal compared to most other classes. Only the

Elementalist has worse self-healing capability.

* Several Mesmer skills do not appear to be useful without a lot of thought and

experience in playing a Mesmer. It is the least straight-forward of all the

classes in Guild Wars.

* Using interrupts requires split-second timing and a careful eye, which gives

the Mesmer a steep learning curve compared to other classes.

* In the holy trinity of “Fighter/Healer/Mage”, Mesmers are often ignored, as

most people are looking for either a Monk or an Elementalist. This is less

true in PvP (where Mesmers really shine in shutting down PC spellcasters),

but it can be difficult to find a group to do missions and quests in PvE.

* The Mesmer /dance emote leaves something to be desired, unless you are a big

fan of Riverdance. *grin*

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