Welcome back, my fellow Mesmer friends! I hope you’ve been enjoying your time in the world of Tyria and are keeping your enemies confused and guessing. Last week we discussed leveling your new Mesmer from 1-40. One note that should be mentioned is that this is just my recommendation on how you can build your character. If you want to play things differently, then by all means feel free to do so; it’s your character, after all! This week let’s take a look at the level 41-80 range and work on making it to the maximum level!

Before we jump into discussing these levels, let me first suggest something that is very easy to overlook: buy your Master’s Training Manual. While it may be expensive, costing one gold, it is very much worth it because it allows you to level up to master level traits. It also provides you with a full reset of all your trait points, meaning that you can immediately trait into the higher level items if you so desire. This is the build I’ll be working with from level 40 on. As you can see, we’ve moved out of Inspiration and maxed out the dueling line in order to get our Master level major trait. For that slot I chose to go with Deceptive Evasion, which creates a clone each time you dodge. This really helps keep the clones coming and it makes Shattering at three Illusions a guarantee.

Since we now have Deceptive Evasion, we no longer need Mirror Images as a utility skill. If you want to have a high shatter build, then by all means keep using it; but in most situations you’ll have plenty of clones and phantasms up and running. For a little more survivability, because our health pool has gone down, go with the Signet of Midnight to provide a blind and improved boon duration.

Levels 41-50

Since we’ve reset our traits and now have no points in Inspiration, I’m going to suggest that we spend the next 10 points here. At five points you’ll have Vengeful Images, which will grant retaliation to your Illusions. With the build I’m suggesting you should have clones and phantasms out… all the time. Every weapon has a means of producing illusions; you can use utility skills to create illusions, and now when we dodge we create clones. Giving our Illusions retaliation makes killing them at least return some of the damage back to the foe that did so.

For your major trait, there are a couple of very useful options, and I would pick the one the works best for you. When running with a group of friends, or in a dungeon, consider going with Medic’s Feedback, which creates a bubble that reflects projectiles for a few seconds when you are reviving an ally. If you need condition removal instead, which is always a good idea, then consider Mender’s Purity, which will remove a condition every time you heal.

Levels 51-60

For these next 10 levels, putting points into the Domination line will improve your Power and Expertise (condition duration). This allows us to hit harder, and we want that because we’re not going to be able to stand toe-to-toe for very long! Hitting the enemy hard, controlling the fight and making sure the foe goes down quickly is the name of the game.

At 15 points in Domination, you’ll pick up the Dazzling trait, which provides a much-needed method of applying vulnerability. You can use the active portion of the Signet of Domination to apply this very useful condition, or you could use the utility skill Mantra of Distraction, which will apply a daze as well.

For the second major trait, use Signet Mastery to get the most out of the two utility signets that I’ve suggested. This will make sure that your signets are available to use more often, and you should be activating them frequently. The temptation is to have them sit for the passive bonus, but if it’s a matter of life or death, don’t be afraid to utilize those skills.

Once you have reached level 60, the Grandmaster’s Training Manual will be available for 2 gold. Purchasing this will enable you to spend trait points up to the grandmaster level and unlock the final major trait slot.

Levels 61-70

Since we like precision and prowess so much, we’re going to be spending the next 10 points in the Dueling line. When you reach the 25-point mark the Confusing Combatants minor trait unlocks. Confusion is a very nice condition, as it causes the enemy to take damage whenever they try to attack. In PvE, this is perfect because the mobs will attack without thought, and Confusion will do a fair amount of damage as a result.

 For our last major trait, either of the top-tier options is very valuable. Empowering Mantras gives you an additional 4% damage for each readied mantra. If you are using Mantra of Pain and Mantra of Distraction, then this is a very good choice because you’ll be doing an additional 8% damage when both of them are readied. If, however, interrupting the enemy and shutting them down is more your style, then Furious Interruption is nice because of the fury boon it gives. Pick the one that works best for you and your play style.

Levels 71-80

This is the home stretch, the last 10 levels! Once you’ve reached level 80, the world is your oyster and you’ll be free to go wherever you want, have all your traits and skills available, and begin pushing your way into Orr for the final fight against Zaitan. Getting there, though, we have 10 more trait points to spend.

So far, we’ve put a good amount of our focus into doing more critical hits and making those crits hit harder. We’ve also beefed up our regular hits and made our conditions last longer. For these last 10 points, I’m going to suggest that we focus on surviving. We could put all 10 of those points into the Inspiration line and give ourselves another major trait to use, but let’s be a little crazy.

Move on over to the Chaos line and start adding your points there. This will give you additional toughness (more armor) and increase boon duration. At 5 points you’ll get Metaphysical Rejuvenation; this will grant you 10 seconds of regeneration when your health goes down to 75%. This is pretty nice for only 5 points.

Use the last 5 points unlock the first major trait in the Chaos line and put Descent into Madness there. Don’t think about it, just do it. You want a reason? Okay, fine, this trait reduces your fall damage by 50% and sets off a chaos field when you do take fall damage. I like to jump off of things, and I like the jumping puzzles that are found throughout the game, so taking this is a must as it helps keep you from dying when you miss that step in that one jumping puzzle and plummet to the ground below.

Here is the final build in all its chaotic glory!

Congratulations on making it to level 80! Now go out there and wreak havoc on the world and, as always, keep ‘em guessing!