Phantasm

This article is about the mesmer mechanic. For the NPC category, see Phantasm (race).

A phantasm is an illusion created by the mesmer. It is also the skill type of those mesmer skills used to summon phantasms.

Phantasms are temporary, translucent purple illusions in the caster's image, carrying weapons based on the skill that created them. While the attacks of phantasms cause more damage and are more durable than clones, they are not near identical duplicates of the mesmer and hold little value as distractions. When a phantasm is summoned, it will attempt to perform a special attack. When the attack is finished or interrupted, it will be destroyed and then replaced by a clone. This clone will be holding the same weapon as the mesmer at that moment and appears at the spot in which the phantasm disappeared. Phantasms cannot be shattered and do not count toward the limit of 3 active clones.

Mechanics

• Phantasms are unaffected by their own Might, as they inherit the main stats of the Mesmer itself.
• Phantasm damage is unaffected by upgrades and traits with % damage or accuracy effects such as Sigil of Force and Accuracy, Rune of the Scholar, and Fragility.^{[verification requested]}
• Created by any skill with a type of phantasm.
• Affected by boons, area effects, and conditions.
• Phantasms do not dissipate should the corresponding weapon be unequipped.
• Phantasms do not inherit Fury from the Mesmer.

Bug:

A phantasm loses its 'phantasmal' look upon being revealed.

List of phantasm skills

Weapon skills

#	Skill	Weapon			Description
Mesmer
4	Phantasmal Berserker	Greatsword	0.75¾	12	Phantasm. Throw an illusionary greatsword at your foe, removing boons from struck enemies. Create a phantasm that whirls through foes.
3	Phantasmal Warlock	Staff	0.75¾	18	Phantasm. Summon illusions that deal damage and inflict vulnerability.
5	Phantasmal Swordsman	Sword	1	15	Phantasm. Perform a sword strike and create an illusion that attacks your foe. If the sword strike hits, you gain might.
5	Phantasmal Warden	Focus	0.5½	20	Phantasm. Create a phantasm that throws axes at nearby targets and creates a defensive bubble, protecting itself and allies from projectiles.
4	Phantasmal Duelist	Pistol	0.5½	20	Phantasm. Fire multiple crippling bullets at your target and summon an illusion that unloads its pistols on your target.
5	Phantasmal Mage	Torch	0.75¾	30	Phantasm. Strike and burn nearby foes. Create an illusion that releases a massive wave of fire that burns, confuses, and interrupts foes.
3	Phantasmal Mariner	Spear	0.5½	10	Phantasm. Perform an evasive strike and create an illusion that evades while attacking your foe in a flurry.
4	Phantasmal Whaler	Trident	0.5½	5	Phantasm. Cast Siren's Call on nearby foes and create an illusion that confuses foes with a harpoon gun.
3	Phantasmal Rogue		0.5½	8	Phantasm. Summon a phantasmal rogue that deals increased damage from behind. If the rogue hits, the recharge of this skill is reduced.
Chronomancer
4	Echo of Memory	Shield	10.5½	30	Phantasm. Block incoming attacks for a short duration. If this skill fully channels, summon a phantasm that slows enemies and grants protection to allies. If an attack is blocked, Deja Vu is usable for a short time.
4	Deja Vu	Shield	10.5½		Phantasm. Block incoming attacks for a short duration. If this skill fully channels, summon a phantasm that slows enemies and grants protection to allies.

Utility slot skills

Skill				Description
Mesmer
Phantasmal Defender		1	40	Phantasm. Summon an illusion that taunts your target and all nearby targets while blocking. When it finishes blocking, the illusion explodes, dealing increased damage for each attack it blocked.
Phantasmal Disenchanter		1	20	Phantasm. Summon an illusion that removes boons from targets it hits. This attack deals increased damage against foes without boons.

List of phantasms

Phantasm	Skill used	Effect
Illusionary Avenger	Echo of Memory	Deals damage, causes slow, and grants protection.
Illusionary Berserker	Imagined Burden	Deals damage, cripples, and causes a whirl finisher.
Illusionary Duelist	Illusionary Unload	Deals damage and causes a projectile finisher.
Illusionary Mage	Backfire	Deals damage, causes burning, confusion, and interrupts foes.
Illusionary Swordsman	Illusionary Sword Attack	Deals damage and causes a leap finisher.
Illusionary Warden	Whirling Defense	Deals damage, destroys projectiles, and causes a whirl finisher.
Illusionary Warlock	Mage Strike	Deals damage, applies vulnerability
Illusionary Mariner	Mariner's Frenzy	Deals damage while evading attacks.
Illusionary Whaler	Whaler's Volley	Deals damage and causes confusion.
Illusionary Defender	Illusion of Defense	Taunt foes, blocks attacks and explodes, dealing more damage for more blocked attacks
Illusionary Disenchanter	Disenchanting Bolt	Deals damage, removes boons from foes. Unblockable
Illusionary Rogue	Phantasmal Rogue	Deals extra damage while flanking.

Related skills

See also: Illusion#Related skills

•   Signet of the Ether — Signet Passive: Heal yourself whenever you summon an illusion. Signet Active: Heal yourself and reduce the recharge of phantasm skills.

Related traits

See also: Illusion#Related traits

Trait skills that have the type Phantasm

•   Lesser Phantasmal Defender (Mental Defense) — Phantasm. Summon an illusion that taunts your target and all nearby targets while blocking attacks. It explodes when it finishes blocking, dealing increased damage for each attack blocked.

Traits that improve Phantasm

• Phantasmal Fury (Dueling) — Your phantasms have fury.
• Sympathetic Visage (Inspiration) — Phantasms take your conditions when they are first summoned.
• Protected Phantasms (Inspiration) — Phantasms spawn with aegis.
• Persistence of Memory (Illusions) — When a phantasm becomes a clone, it transfers its boons to you.
• Phantasmal Haste (Illusions) — Phantasms spawn with quickness. Gain quickness when you create a phantasm.
• Phantasmal Force (Illusions) — Phantasms deal increased strike damage for each stack of might you have. Gain might when your phantasms become clones.
• Chronophantasma (Chronomancer) — The first time a phantasm would become a clone, it instead resummons itself and attacks again. Resummoned phantasms inflict a percentage of the original's damage. (Resummoned phantasms are briefly dazed.)

Version history

Patch	Changes
February 06, 2018	Phantasms can no longer be shattered and no longer count toward your maximum illusion count. Phantasms are destroyed and then replaced by clones after completing their unique attack or if their attack is interrupted.
October 23, 2015	Heart of Thorns release: Fixed a bug in which incorrect damage values displayed in the skill facts.
June 23, 2015	Specialization update: Phantasm damage has been increased by 15%.
March 16, 2015	Phantasm Skills: These skills now correctly show their back items with the phantasm effect.
February 21, 2014	Fixed a graphic error on mesmer phantasms when wearing Zodiac armor.
February 05, 2014	Fixed a bug in which mesmer clones and phantasms would shatter prematurely if their target went into stealth.
August 20, 2013	The ghostly effect on phantasms should no longer fail to show up in low graphics settings.
June 25, 2013	Increased the phantasm base hit points by 55% in PvP and WvW. Increased the phantasm base hit points by 270% in PvE.
December 14, 2012	Phantasms now initiate combat after .25 seconds instead of one second.
December 03, 2012	Phantasms will now properly have all boons applied to them via player traits.
November 15, 2012	Phantasm skills must now be cast in line-of-sight of the target. These skills now behave as normal attacks that the mesmer must connect in order to summon the phantasm, and they will fail if the mesmer is blind or the ability is cast on an invulnerable target.
October 01, 2012	Updated all phantasms and clones available to the mesmer to ensure they activate within their range.
August 28, 2012	Game release: Phantasms have been added to the game.

Trivia

• All of the phantasm weapons have the misty, purple look of the phantasms themselves and can be acquired by players. While not a full weapon set, other weapons that look very similarly but are not wielded by phantasms are Spirit Links, Illusion and Mirage.

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Skill types and profession mechanics