Talk:Arcane Mimicry

Copying Elites...

I assume you can use Arcane Echo with this. Could it be possible for 3 Necromancer/Mesmers to have the three elite skills Aura of the Lich, Cultist's Fervor, and Vampiric Spirit - EACH? This sounds like it would be loads of fun. You'd just need some energy management, which comes nicely with the mesmer secondary, right? I was thinking of making a team build like this and namingit "triple triple threat", but that last comment on the page seems to worry me, wouldn't this skill prevent you from having duplicates of the same elite skill? --T-Lo 04:58, 6 July 2007 (UTC)

-> I've tried checking on this a bit, using triple mimicry (with Arcane Echo/Echo); if multiple elites are present, the one chosen is NOT chosen at random. For instance mimicrying someone with Echo, Arcane Languor and Mind Blast got me Echo all three times. Possibly your idea can be done, if done in proper sequence. Do keep in mind you only keep the skills for 20 seconds, in your example you'd then have the enchants on you for 20 seconds, then 40 seconds of waiting (even assuming you time perfectly). Also energy will be a big issue, your chain would require 60 energy before cultist's fervor is up, pretty high cost for the average necro. Finally,you càn duplicate your own elite this way from someone else.--Tenshi 00:54, 26 December 2007 (UTC)

Echo

If you use Arcane Mimicry to get Echo, and then use Echo on another skill, then that skill will last its 30 seconds before reverting back to AM. Echo resets Am's duration and sets it to 30 - overriding it. :) (Terra Xin 15:22, 2 October 2007 (UTC))

BUG

If you copy Ursan blessing or other blessings with Mimicry, the copy of blessing will NOT go away.

Tested this, it goes away now, however the blessing will not work for me, this may due to not owning EoTN, will update once i get it.

Dual Attunes

I'd think this skill would work best with a pair of elementalists, one running a SF build and Mimicry, the other running a generic PvE Dual Attune Air build. Seeing as with a +20 enchant mod, Elemental Attunement would be able to last as long as the recharge for Minicry, you could have a Dual Attune SF Ele, which would be something fearsome. Anyone fancy trying this in game with me? This gimmick (yes, it's a gimmick) would possibly be viable in AB as well (little experience in other areas of PvP), but could be stomped by Enchant removal.

Why is this Allowed to Work on Blessings

Blessings turn you into a bear, wolf, raven in theory. This skill allows UW farmers to pull Ursan Blessing from an ally and exploit they're unthinkable power. How about we see these skills become forms or at least make Arcane Mimicry unable to copy them anyway? A couple problems solved, short of getting rid of the blessings all together Spawnlegacy 12:39, 2 July 2008 (UTC)

The blessings are forms, it specifies not working on them. Maskeus:The more you win, the more you cheat. 18:12, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

O.K. Listen!

After testing 20 times In one day. Even though this skill copies allies elite...It does not mean it will be as powerfull. Skills work Dependent on Attrubites OR Rank. That means that even if someone copied a R10 Norn while they only had R4 Norn...The power of it would be reduced. Thus...making this skill as not as good as many of you think as soon as you think this. Also...Please sign your comments with 4 ~'s please. 70.121.168.43 15:25, 20 July 2008 (UTC)

Exactly right! 122.106.48.7 05:48, 10 September 2008 (UTC)

I understand from what you are saying the rank in terms of norn, deldimore, norn, asuran, luxon, kurzik, and sunspear are dependent on the character's level in these ranks when using Arcane Mimicry. Does this mean that a hero using AM will have <zero> attribute points if copying an elite skill in which they have no attribute in? For instance, Mesmer-Monk hero uses Arcane Mimicry to copy the elite of my Savannah Heat build Elementalist. The Fire Elementalist has level 13 when using SH. Will the Mesmer-Monk (with no points in fire magic) using the non-attribute dependent Arcane Mimicry cast Savannah Heat with the ability to deal the full 270 damage (assuming battlefield conditions are perfect enough to cause target to take the full amount) or will the Mesmer-Monk have zero points in SH when casting it? For simplicity sake, let's assume in this example: I'm playing PvE Elementalist, and running with ONLY my Mesmer-Monk hero (no other heroes or henchmen.) thank you :) cecil 15:39, 7 October 2009 (UTC)

Ursan/avatar?

I was thinking about a derv build (avatar/ursan), it sounds pretty cool, but you'd really only be able to do it with an ursan based party. (arcane mimicry an ursan, use ur avatar, use Ursan Blessing). The Idea of dwayna or melandru sounds pretty good to me.

Two problems, you can only have one form, and second, mimicry doesn't work on forms. Maskeus:The more you win, the more you cheat. 18:16, 7 July 2009 (UTC)

Maintained Enchants

What happens if you use this skill to copy an elite maintained enchantment spell from an ally? Does the enchant drop once AM expires or does it persist? Anyone know? When I get a chance I will try it in game already have a combo in mind....Loki207.71.50.165 12:56, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

If for example you copy Life Barrier from an ally, and use it on someone, life barrier will still stay maintained even after the echo vanishes. --MageMontu 14:35, 29 July 2008 (UTC)

Heroes dont want to continue maintaim after Arcane Mimicry ends. Does anyone know way to order them it? Is seems to be very powerful combo with Healer's Covenant and Glimmer of Light.

Well, no. You can only force them to maintain enchantments that they are using by disabling them and you manually using them. Justin6 03:25, 10 October 2008 (UTC)

On players however, your maintained enchantments don't end if you lose the skill. 145.94.74.23 12:58, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

In fact, heroes continue maintain UA, but cansel Covenant after AM expire. I see no way to deal with it. 95.84.128.150 20:28, 17 October 2009 (UTC)

Hero AI Question. o:

Let's say I have two Monks. Let them have UA and HB. One's Mo/E with GoLE [UA], and one's Mo/Me with AM [HB]. Can Dunkoro [example] safely use AM on Tahlkora to get UA, without me micromanaging him? I'm a Mesmer, and I don't want him copying my Signet of Illusions or Echo, or my MOX's Wounding Strike. Or any henchmen's elites, for that matter. I guess my question is, are the heroes smart enough to use AM on skills that assist them, HB using AM to get UA, or do I have to micro to keep the HB from AM'ing... Searing Flames, or something retarded? o~o;; Kuro Tenshi 22:11, 10 November 2008 (UTC)

I run Arcane Mimicry on my Fast Casting Echo RoJ Nukers, (mesmers) and they Mimic each other very well.. so im thinking its dependent on their current attributes.Sloh Em Oshun 02:14, 29 April 2009 (UTC)

I tested this out with my monk, I went to kill some monsters while wielding HB on my monk and put arcane mimicry on Dunkoro. Also, I took Sousuke with Savannah Heat, Koss with Quivering Blade, Cynn, Lo Sha, Herta and Devona. Dunkoro obediently copied my HB each time and I didn't have to micro him at all to do that. - Tulen elementti (talk) 15:10, 22 June 2009 (UTC)

PvE-Elites

Can this copy a PvE-only elite for a hero to use? 145.94.74.23 12:56, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

The only PvE-only elites so far are forms which cannot be granted via Arcane Mimicry. Ɲoɕʈɋɽɕɧ 13:03, 17 December 2008 (UTC)

And that wurm skill elite? 86.80.183.215 16:53, 3 January 2010 (UTC)

Wouldn't work. Jummundu Skills overwrite every skill, see|Killer demon 19:18, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

Except sig of cap. But after you cap a skill, then Junundu skill overwrites the Elite you capped. –alistic 19:20, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

Those responses do not answer the question of whether or not you can copy the Junundu's elite, btw. As for the answer, I don't know and I'm too lazy to test it. It might be possible. -~=Sparky (talk) 19:28, 17 January 2010 (UTC)

Order of copied elite skills

I added some information about what elite is copied if many are available in the same skillbar. There is another usefull note that could be added about the fact heroes use Arcane Mimicry if and only if they have spent attribute points matching the copied elite. Elephant 10:42, 9 May 2009 (UTC)

Concise description

Is not concise at all! 61.69.199.123 09:40, 26 April 2010 (UTC)

Concise =/= shorter! Lolwho 19:04, 1 June 2010 (UTC)

60s Recharge hurts so bad

Suggestion: No/low recharge, but when you use the copied skill it has a significant downside like losing extra energy/adrenaline, taking longer to recharge, having to maintain an enchantment or you lose the copied skill, or casting the copied spell at a reduced ability score than you actually have. Would make it useful for more than just maintained enchantments and gimmicks. Necromas

No. I do not want extra penalty when I run HB and borrow the UA's UA but's pretty much the only use for this skill. Also, having a any fire ele with any mix of MB/SF/DD/SH ready at their disposal would be WAYYYYYY too OP. Also, this is where you you put your suggestions. Ox rider 22:57, 8 November 2010 (UTC)

UA mimic

Ok, let me state my problem. Putting mimicry on heroes determines them to copy UA, under the right circumstances. After mimicry ends, they continue maintaining UA, but when mimicry recharges, they use it AGAIN, even if they already have UA on effects monitor and don't use the copied skill( UA ). Etc etc the point is that heroes always want to have UA on their bars, even if they're not using it, being already enchanted with it. PLEASE Anet fix this. It would mean a GREAT hero healers combo. Thank you ... lol Magnum 18:01, 28 June 2011 (UTC)

When I read this on the Hero behavior page I said Nooooo Nooooo Noooooooooo.

I dont like to take Arcane Mimicry because if the UA dies and the HB with AM had dismissed it before the UA's death... the HB cannot rez.

But still...why do you think its inconvenient for the HB with mantained UA to copy it again? On the contrary, I find it very wise.

I know that the Hero behavior page was not edited by yourself.

To whoever else reads this... I believe such note on the Hero behavior page is a threat. Yoshida Keiji talk 08:45, 17 February 2012 (UTC)

The question is: should a monk spend a significant portion of their energy to mimic a skill for an active enchantment? The first post suggests this is a waste outside of combat, while the second post says this is essential during combat lest the team lose a rez. ANet can program the AI to meet both ideas, if they choose.

However, I would argue that effective use of mimicry requires making a judgment call beyond the scope of any AI available to MMOs/RPGs. Players have to recognize the limitations of any AI and that certain hero/team builds will require micromanagement under certain circumstances. ANet decided, in this case, that it's better to over-mimic and allowing players to choose to under-mimic by disabling that skill in the HB's skillbar. The alternative would be harder for players to adjust: if the hero naturally under-mimicked, players would have to constantly micro use of Arcane Mimicry during combat. – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 11:26, 17 February 2012 (UTC)

hero copying question

will the heroes copy according to their attribute or is it class? ive noticed that my monk will use it on another monk. but say im bringing a ua, hb with this, and idk a prot one with some prot elite...will the hb still target the ua every time or randomly get the prot skill *with no points into protection*?AurenXneruA 18:31, 7 July 2011 (UTC)

Hero copying v2

I've updated the notes on what elites the heroes copied. I've done some limited testing, so we might have to update the section again.

• Heroes will copy secondary profession elites (the article used to say they did not).
• They never copy elites unless there are some points in the relevant attribute (the article says 6 is the minimum — I haven't tested the breakpoint, but I can confirm that 0 points means never).
• They never copy an elite from a tertiary profession (i.e. not their primary or secondary), although to confirm, I'll need to do more testing with zero-attribute elites
• They prioritize primary profession elites over non-primary, regardless of the number of attrib points.

How tested #1: (A) UA monk; (B) non-UA monk with Arcane Mimicry plus points in Divine + Inspiration; (C) Lyssa's Aura mes; (D) Panic mes; other profs.

• (B) always copied UA if (A) was alive.
• (B) never copied Panic.
• (B) always copied Lyssa's Aura if (A) was dead and (C) was alive.
• (B) never copied anything else if (A) and (C) were dead.

How tested #2: (A) UA monk; (B) non-UA monk with Arcane Mimicry plus points in Divine + Inspiration; (E) Panic mez with AM; (F) Psychic Instability Illusion mez with AM

• (B) copied UA when (A) was alive, never Panic (from E) or PI (from F).
• (E) would copy PI from (F), but (F) didn't copy Panic from (E).
• No hero copied anything from a third profession.

– Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 20:59, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

That's odd. I did some tests before my last edit, but couldn't get them to copy skills from the secondary profession. Though maybe that was due to the attribute requirements I hadn't yet discovered at that point.

The cap of 6 points has been tested extensively, with different runes and skills. As soon as I increased the effective attribute above 6, the hero started copying. This applies to skills from the primary profession as well.

I just got W/Me Koss to copy Cautery Signet, Glyph of Renewal and even Quick Shot, so the only thing that matters appear to be attributes. I'll edit that part.

Also, be very careful with tests about priorities. The AI will often prioritize by party slot, i.e. check whether party member #3 has a suitable skill, then check party member #7, then #2 etc, and acting on the first suitable target. While that order appears random, it remains fixed as long as you keep the current party order. If you can switch the skillbars of two party members and it'll still grab the same skill from the other guy, then you have a point. Otherwise, it may just be random chance. Tub 22:27, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Fair enough about priorities: my testing was not exhaustive and so doesn't really prove anything. But I'm reasonable sure it's not random either (even your e.g. above is non-random, although ferreting out the logic might be tough with our limited test tools). – Tennessee Ernie Ford (TEF) 22:52, 26 November 2011 (UTC)

Combining with Echo

similar to the behavior of the Signet of Capture on the Time Eater (NPC) - if you use Arcane Mimicry on an ally who has used Echo/Arcane Echo to copy a non-elite skill, then Arcane Mimicry will not find the elite + just recharges. -Chieftain Alex 21:40, 2 March 2013 (UTC)