more mesmer blocking

4 files changed, 99 insertions, 1 deletions

diff --git a/blocking/blocking.tex b/blocking/blocking.tex
index fdf8463..51cb6cf 100644
--- a/blocking/blocking.tex
+++ b/blocking/blocking.tex
@@ -43,6 +43,9 @@
   }
 }
 
+
+\newcommand{\skill}[3]{\emph{#3} (#1 #2)}
+
 % Metadata
 \title{Triple Trouble Eggblocking Guide}
 \author{Peter Parker IV \& others}
@@ -247,7 +250,7 @@ You can theoretically run around naked without any blocking problems.
 What you should consider however is that no gear or low-level gear will make you more vulnerable to the wurm's attacks if you get hit by one, and to the Veteran Jungle Wurms that will spawn throughout the event.
 For the start, you can consider running more defensive gear (for example, gear with \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Attribute_combinations}{toughness and vitality} like Soldier's).
 
-If you feel more confident in your ability to evade the wurm's attacks, you can run more offensive geaar, like Berserker's.
+If you feel more confident in your ability to evade the wurm's attacks, you can run more offensive gear, like Berserker's.
 This will provide you with a little damage boost during burn phases.
 
 Keep in mind though that your main job as a blocker is to block eggs/husks - don't worry about the damage if it negatively impacts your blocking!
@@ -267,6 +270,7 @@ Alternatively, you can also use the Mirage elite specialization, which allows yo
 
 
 \subsubsection{Basic Mode - Eggblocking}
+\label{sss:mesmer-basic-eggblocking}
 
 With the very basic Mesmer eggblocking, you will be able to block every egg spit.
 The only two important skills are Mimic and Feedback.
@@ -274,5 +278,99 @@ If there is a spit happening, and you can't be sure that it is husks or eggs, us
 If the spit was an egg spit, you have successfully blocked it.
 If it was a husk spit, you will have Feedback ready for the next spit.
 Keep in mind the cooldowns of the spits - 45 seconds for the egg spit, 90 seconds for the husk spit.
+This means that the usual spit sequence is \texttt{E/H - E/H - E - E/H - E/H - E - ...}, as every second egg spit can line up with a husk spit.
+
+For this basic build, you do not have to worry about any traits or weapons.
+You can run whatever you want.
+
+
+\subsubsection{Advanced Mode - Blocking Eggs \& AoEs}
+
+We want to keep the build from above in mind, and make some improvements to allow you to block more stuff.
+The goal is to arrive at a build that can block eggs and AoEs (and later husks), but also give you an understanding of why things are chosen the way they are.
+
+First of all, let's take a look at the weaponset:
+For eggblocking only, you do not need a specific weapon on a Mesmer.
+However, for this build, we're going to go with a \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Sword#Mesmer}{Sword} main hand.
+The two important skills here are \skill{Sword}{2}{\href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Blurred_Frenzy}{Blurred Frenzy}} and \skill{Sword}{3}{\href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Illusionary_Leap}{Illusionary Leap}}.
+Blurred Frenzy is an evade, which is very useful to mitigate the wurm's spins.
+It allows you do dodge them while not moving from your position.
+Illusionary Leap is used for clone generation.
+This is not important for core Mesmer egg blocking, but it will be important later when we take a look at husk blocking.
+
+For the off-hand weapons, a good choice is a \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Shield#Chronomancer}{Shield} (requires the Chronomancer elite specialization).
+The reason for that is access to another block in the form of \skill{Shield}{4}{\href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Echo_of_Memory}{Echo of Memory}}.
+Echo of Memory is a long channeled block, and if you successfully block an attack, you will be able to re-cast the skill to block for a second time.
+
+For the second weaponset, we're going to take a \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Focus#Mesmer}{Focus} off-hand.
+The reason for this is the skill \skill{Focus}{4}{\href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Temporal_Curtain}{Temporal Curtain}}.
+On its own, this skill is not very useful for blocking, but we will combine it with the trait \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Warden%27s_Feedback}{Warden's Feedback} (Inspiration, middle column up).
+This trait will turn Temporal Curtain into a 5 second reflect.
+You will usually not need this, but it is good to keep in mind:
+If you mess up somewhere, swap to Focus and use Temporal Curtain as a reflect!
+
+Now we can take a look at the utility skills.
+We already know that Mimic and Feedback are set, which leaves us with a healing skill, a single utility skill and the elite skill.
+
+For the elite, we don't need that for blocking.
+You can bring \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Time_Warp}{Time Warp} in order to help out with Quickness during burn phases, but it doesn't affect your blocking.
+
+For the healing and utility slots, we want a \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Signet#Mesmer}{Signet}.
+The reason for this is the synergy with the \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Blurred_Inscriptions}{Blurred Inscriptions} trait (Inspiration, last column down).
+This trait will give us one second of invulnerability whenever we use a Signet.
+This is very useful to block spins, especially as it will also block the AoEs that are being released after a small spin.
+As such, you want to choose \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Signet_of_the_Ether}{Signet of the Ether} as your healing skill, and \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Signet_of_Midnight}{Signet of Midnight} as your utility skill.
+The reason why we choose Signet of Midnight over the other signets is that is has no cast time.
+As such, timing the Signet of Midnight is way easier than timing the other signets.
+In addition, it has the second-lowest cooldown, which means it is available every 30 seconds.
+
+This means we've chosen Inspiration and Chronomancer as our traitlines now, which leaves us with a third one to pick.
+For this build, Dueling offers some utility through \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Fencer%27s_Finesse}{Fencer's Finesse} (Dueling, middle column down).
+This trait reduces your sword skill cooldowns (such as Blurred Frenzy) by 20\%, which means you can use it more often to evade.
+
+As for the actual blocking, it is \emph{exactly the same} as the base Mesmer egg blocking described in Section \ref{sss:mesmer-basic-eggblocking}.
+All we've done so far is to add some utility, which can help you stay in place (on the Sweet Spot) and block some AoEs through the use of Signets.
+
+\begin{figure}[ht]
+  \centering
+  \includegraphics[width=0.5\textwidth]{images/mesmer-traits.png}
+  \caption{Traitlines for Mesmer blocking, with important traits selected.}
+\end{figure}
+
+\begin{figure}[ht]
+  \centering
+  \includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{images/mesmer-skills.png}
+  \caption{Utility skills for Mesmer blocking.}
+\end{figure}
+
+
+\subsubsection{Professional Mode - Chronomancer Full Blocking}
+
+In order to full block on a Chronomancer, we're going to take the same build as in the previous section, but we're gonna modify it slightly.
+
+This build relies on the invulnerability that you get from using Distortion (F4) in order to block husks.
+Since the invulnerability lasts longer the more clones you have up, you want to keep generating clones with your \skill{Sword}{3}{Illusionary Leap}.
+In addition, we want to take the trait \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Illusionary_Reversion}{Illusionary Reversion} (Chronomancer, middle column middle).
+This trait will automatically generate a new clone if you shatter 3 of them at the same time, which means you will start with 1 clone instead of 0 after you've used Distortion.
+
+As for the skills, we're going to swap out Feedback for \href{https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Signet_of_Illusions}{Signet of Illusions}.
+This Signet allows you to recharge your Distortion.
+
+The idea behind this build is the following:
+If you don't know if a spit is a husk or an egg spit, you use your Distortion.
+If the spit was a husk spit, you have successfully blocked it, and you can use Feedback on the next egg spit.
+If the spit was an egg spit, you can use Signet of Illusions to recharge Distort, and you can Distort the next spit again.
+
+In the second case, you should generate some clones fast, as you will need them for the increased invulnerability duration.
+However, Illusionary Reversion and Signet of Illuisions (due to Blurred Inscriptions) will give you one clone each, so you can generate the third one by just using Illusionary Leap once.
+
+This method of blocking requires you to be on the Sweet Spot, so make sure to use your evading tools and your invulnerability from Signets to avoid moving too much.
+You should be able to block every big spin with either \skill{Sword}{2}{Blurred Frenzy} or \skill{Shield}{4}{Echo of Memory}, and every small spin with either Signet of the Ether or Signet of Midnight.
+
+\begin{figure}[ht]
+  \centering
+  \includegraphics[width=0.3\textwidth]{images/chrono-skills.png}
+  \caption{Utility skills for Chronomancer blocking.}
+\end{figure}
 
 \end{document}
diff --git a/blocking/images/chrono-skills.png b/blocking/images/chrono-skills.png
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diff --git a/blocking/images/mesmer-traits.png b/blocking/images/mesmer-traits.png
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