Mirage - Carrion Axe

• Twitch: Lord Helseth
• Twitch: RIP
• Twitch: Misha

Slot Changes

Utility

While is mandatory with , some other utilities can be considered instead of :

• - an excellent and versatile skill, helps with condition management and adds more boon removal to the build.

• - doesn't break stun but helps you get out of dangerous situations with the repositioning and Mirage Cloak access, could also be used offensively to pressure or chase targets.

• - another source of stealth plus a stun break with a decent passive.

• - portal is a very powerful tool if a team utilizes it properly for map control, but it's not recommended for beginners and most solo players.

Equipment Variants

Amulets

• - more of a pure condition approach, good burst but slightly lower survivability.

Sigils

• over Cleansing - if you can afford to lose condition removal.

Relics

• - usually less bursty than Akeem (assuming you get value out of Akeem's Confusion stacks), but procs more frequently and can't be cleansed.

• - adds frequent access to with extra healing reduction, improving your condi variety while making it harder to recover from your bursts.

• - higher uptime which is the most important boon in the build.

• - refills half a dodge roll's worth of endurance whenever you heal, defensive relic with Mirage cloak synergy.

• - adds a CC to .

Elite specialization basics

• Dodge rolling is replaced by Mirage Cloak, which is more or less the same thing but allows you to cast skills and grants access to ambush attacks over its duration: for Axe and for Sword. Ambush skills replace the autoattack of the weapons for 1.5 seconds.

• You can dodge while casting skills and performing actions such as rezing or stomping, but NOT while CC'd.

General

• While the build has several tools for dealing with incoming conditions, there's no skill that's only reserved for cleansing. Dodge rolling for example removes 2 conditions via , but blows all your endurance. removes 2 conditions but makes you use your only source of stealth. This means that against condition based specs you should play extra careful and alter your playstyle a bit to reserve your cleansing tools for the right time.

  • is something of an exception to this rule and as such remains your ebst source of cleansing. While this skill could be used offensively to rip boons from enemies, it should be reserved for cleansing-only vs condition specs. In mirror matchups against other Mesmers the one who uses AT second usually wins the duel.

• Your strongest option against damage in general is , granting you immunity against any form of pressure including CC and conditions that are already on you.

• turns into an instant source for clone generation, provided that you already have an active clone.

• Shatter skills and interrupts remove boons from enemies.

• is amazing to cascade several cc onto your target provided several clones are active.

Mobility

• Use when moving between capture points, assuming you get your endurance back before making it to the next fight. Throwing in a for the Vigor from could help you recover endurance a bit quicker, further boosting your mobility by a small amount.

Variants

• offers better sustain.

• significantly boosts the effectiveness of your , adding new defensive and offensive functionalities.

• is a greedy high damage option. It's the only trait in that slot that doesn't increase your sustain in some way.

• can be taken if conditions are not a concern and you want more damage.