Archive:Me/Mo UW Solo

This is a solo farming build for PvE Mesmers. Although it's quite rare, you can farm almost everything with a primary Mesmer. This is the build for effective Underworld smite crawler farming, with the use of the invinci-monk strategy. This build can be used effectively in both Normal and Hard mode.

Attributes and Skills
[build prof=Mesmer/Monk Fast=5+3 Illusion=12+1+3 Inspiration=2+3 Healing=9 Protection=8][Protective Spirit][Healing Breeze][Vigorous Spirit][Power Return][Sympathetic Visage][Illusionary Weaponry][Essence Bond][Balthazar's Spirit][/build]


 * Neither Sympathetic Visage nor Power Return is necessary, however removing them makes pain from the easy going farming run.
 * Sympathetic Visage and Ancestor's Visage are the very same, they are duplicates

Equipment

 * For armor, just buy a set of beginner armor for 100 gold and a few materials, since AL doesn't matter. (Now if you asked what level of armor is required, you shall read a 55hp guide. Or if you never tried one.) All pieces must have Superior Runes on it (Definitely NO Vigor Rune)
 * Weapon set #1: A +20% Enchantment Scythe with "I have the power!" inscription, damage and req are unimportant
 * Weapon set #2: 20% Enchantment Daggers with "I have the power!" inscription, damage and req are unimportant (used for killing single enemies, if left)
 * Weapon set #3: A maximum damage Illusion cane or staff with "Strength and Honor" inscription

Calculations
Although this section is an unusual one, it'll make it easier to compare with other builds. With these skills, you never have to wait for skill recharge, negating the biggest con for the nuker ele solo builds.
 * HP regen: HP gain equivalent of +12 regen without Healing Breeze, or +19 with HB
 * Energy regen: Depending on the number of foes, 2 energy gain from each hit, plus +2 pips of energy regeneration
 * Damage: On every foe, 24 dmg/sec (42 dmg/hit), dealing PBAoE damage to adjacents.
 * Time/Group: Without Aatxes: ~30 secs, with Aatxes 50-60 secs.
 * Enchant downtime: Never, except Visage skill.

Usage

 * When you enter Underworld, cast Essence Bond and Balthazar's Spirit and wait for energy recharge.
 * Aggro the Aatxes (2-3 is recommended, although more is possible, just more difficult), cast Prot. S.(Protective Spirit). Try to do this in the very same time, or at least Prot. S. should be up first. (Try to keep yourself away from the aatxes while pulling to reduce the chance of a Nightmare pop-up)
 * If a Nightmare appears, let it Rend you, it kills itself, and then just re-enchant yourself and continue.
 * After you gained your first hit, put up HB(Healing Breeze) and renew Prot. S.
 * Pull the aatxes where you want to kill them, cast Vigorous Spirit and IW(Illusionary Weaponry) right before you begin the attack
 * You don't have to renew Healing Breeze always, just when it's necessary (e.g.: moderate/heavy degen, etc.), Vigorous Spirit can keep you in the clear, you can have a virtual +12 hp regeneration just from that spell.
 * One recharge of IW kills everybody around you except the aatxes (thus they have ~1100 HP), but still, they'll have only about 30-40% health. Therefore, it's possible to kill everything in the group in 50 seconds. Like every 55hp, don't forget the enchantment upkeeps.


 * Move on through the Labyrinth, kill Aatxes the same way, interrupt Nightmare's spells, etc.
 * Once all Aatxes and Nightmares are dead, take the Lost Soul's quest. Graspings are still a very easy run, although it'll be the hardest part of the build. On the other hand: they aren't any threat.
 * WARNING: Graspings start with an interrupting hit, so don't try to recast enchants that time
 * Cast Visage spell, and make their "Fear me!" impossible to cast. Graspings must die in one round of IW, if not, only a few HP should remain, so they can be wiped out then with no IW at all.


 * Move to the Smites.
 * Aggro one group at a time; they are much easier to execute than Graspings or Aatxes.
 * Use Visage, prevent them of using Shield of Judgement. If you fail that, it will be a bit harder, but not a big deal at all.


 * Avoid Coldfires, but if you'd like it, you can engage them, one group at a time. They won't drop anything valuable, so it's a waste of time.

''This is where nearly all "UW RUN" build ends. Still, with this one, you can continue, because most of the mobs in UW aren't threatening you at all...''

Counters

 * The standard counters of 55hp monk cause pain here, too. But on the other hand, standard anti-melee stuff mean nothing due to IW.
 * Some unexperienced players might have serious problems when they pull a group of 5 smiters.
 * Due to the introduction of Skeleton of Dhuum soloing Underworld has become much more difficult; the Skeletons skills now hit through Protective Spirit.

Ascendant
The first edition of this build and the explanation I wrote above can be found on Guild Wars Guru's forum.

Video
A YouTube video of the build in HM iF1mo17bfHU