User:Yorick Z/Illusory Denial

The illusory denial Mesmer takes advantage of low-recharge Mesmer hexes in order to maintain denial on most professions in a manner that cannot be achieved with the more punishing yet longer-recharging traditional Domination hexes (Empathy/Backfire/Visions of Regret). Specializing in the Illusion attribute also allows the Mesmer to take full advantage of Distortion, providing greater survivability against physical professions.

Attributes and Skills
[build prof=Mesmer/Any Illusion=12+1+1 Inspiration=10+1 FastCasting=8+1][Leech Signet][Power Drain][Ether Feast][Conjure Phantasm][Migraine][Spirit Shackles][Soothing Images][Distortion][/build]

Equipment

 * Highest affordable Vigor rune.
 * Survivor/Radiant/Vitae/Attunement insignias/runes as preferred.
 * High energy set (+30/-2 or +15/-1 depending on how much you plan on tanking with Distortion).
 * 40/40 Inspiration set.
 * 40/40 Illusion set.
 * General defensive set.

Usage

 * Cast Migraine on casters (especially healers), Spirit Shackles on Assassins/Rangers/Dervishes, and Soothing Images on Warriors/Paragons. Use Conjure Phantasm as cover hex and to add pressure.
 * Suggested order of hexing: 1) Assassin/Warrior/Dervish 2) Ranger/Paragon 3) Healer 4) Caster
 * Frontliners are likely to get in range first, so hexing them first at worst burns a hex removal (not that problematic considering the low recharge times of Spirit Shackles and Soothing Images).
 * Hexing Assassins and Rangers early on gives time for energy denial to work its magic.
 * Once the healer is hit with Migraine + Conjure Phantasm, s/he should go down fairly quickly as long as other members of your team are focusing on him/her. Migraine makes it fairly easy to interrupt most hex removals and even Word of Healing.
 * Remember Distortion can also block ranged attacks - so keep it up when you see a Ranger getting ready to attack (just in case) or when fleeing. Remember stances can be used even when you are knocked down or while casting - it helps greatly in surviving against knockdown Assassins/Warriors.
 * This build does not deal with shrines very well, so it's advantageous to have a shrine clearer on the team (fire nuker, Ray of Judgment nuker, Ritualist spiker, etc.)
 * Make sure that the team has enough general firepower and that you stick together, since you pretty much cannot kill anything alone. Having a healer on the team can be a mixed blessing for this build, since unless the entire team sticks together (and sometimes even then), the team may lack sufficient damage output.

Counters

 * Heavy hex removal (Peace and Harmony).
 * Touch Rangers (the only thing you have that hinders them in the least is Conjure Phantasm).
 * General anti-caster (daze, energy denial, Backfire, etc.)

Variants

 * Conjure Nightmare instead of Conjure Phantasm for added pressure if you have good energy management skills.
 * Signet of Humility to counter Peace and Harmony Monks.
 * Drain Enchantment instead of Ether Feast.
 * Mantra of Flames to protect against fire nukers.
 * Cry of Frustration purely for the additional AoE interrupt.