Mesmer or Ritualist?

[Arxis]

I have made 7 charcaters of all different professions except for Paragon, which I will not be making. It all comes down to these last two professions; Mesmer and Ritualist. I'm still quite new to this game and not too familar with these professions. The decision of which profession I choose will be determined by the overall balance of having fun and owning. However, the former is more important. Although if you do think about it, the two factors coexist, because owning noobs can be fun as well :)

What are the awesome things a Mesmer and a Ritualist can do? Which profession do you choose over the other and why should I also choose that one?

[Termia]

A ritualist uses spirits alot. I'm not a huge fan of them myself, cuz of the spamming, but I know my ranger uses /ritualist to do more damage. Ritualists are good at both soloing and working as support in a group. I've got to say I haven't really played ritualist, except for some pvp, so not alot more I can say.

Mesmer is a class I've recently begun touching. They use skills to interupt foes, do damage when foes use skills/spells/attacks and basically mess us enemy teams. Not the best at soloing, but great in a group as a shutdown for those monks/elementalist/ritualists/whatever caster and nice for the tanks as they make enemys slower and even harm themselves whenever they attack. Personally I love them cuz of the messing with opponents minds, but to each their own.

[virpyre]

Rt/Me Glaive Bomber: OAWjMwiM5QEbLBOOeTkiAAmAwlA

http://guildwiki.gamepedia.com/Skill_template

[Hymykuoppaorava]

Mesmer
More usefull in runs, dungeons Spped clears and better class after all :p

[c0Zm1c]

I prefer Mesmer but I never really experimented much with Ritualist. I have Ritualist characters but I only really use them for farming. My main character is in fact a Mesmer. Depending on how you choose to play it can be a very interesting profession: players tend to go pure damage, often at the behest of group leaders who don't understand the Mesmer's capabilities and strengths, but there's more to it than that. My typical build is a hybrid caster/melee interrupter. Interruption, and other methods of shutting down the enemy, is good because it takes pressure off your healers (less damage to allies, the less they need to heal), which can be more useful to the group than being just another straight damage-dealer.

[Undead Rufus]

Ritualist is my preferred class for farming, and it's a devastating support class if you have an otherwise solid party. However, mesmer is probably the better "general use" class.

That said, I don't particularly like the mesmer and actually deleted mine, whereas I still have my old ritualist.

[Arxis]

I decided to choose mesmer. With 8 character slots, I will not be able to play a Ritualist and Paragon, and most likely will not be buying the additional character slots. Also, I can't help but perceive paragons as people who are motivational speakers or something lol, but then again I lack knowledge of that profession.

[c0Zm1c]

Motivation is one of the Paragons attributes actually (along with Leadership, Command and Spear Mastery). They can use shouts and chants to apply minor healing and buffs to allies. But the profession has long been in need of an update. Many people play as just an Imbagon and consider it to be the only good build the profession has.

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Imbagon

[Hymykuoppaorava]

Just Saying IF u buy new slot make rit because paragon = not use anywhere. imbagon is not more rly usefull when there is sin / ranger who can tank for u : /

[c0Zm1c]

It's a shame because the concept of the Paragon is really good. It just needs some reworking which sadly, at this point, is never going to happen (Arena Net even joked about it in one of their April Fool's fake updates - not cool). Ideally, "Save Yourselves!" needed nerfing along with a rework. I know it's a Warrior skill but it's long been OP anyway.

[Hymykuoppaorava]

Yea thats true those warrior skills are good but when basic Pve u can do just afk with u heroes hm with discord way + panic+inept+ sos+ st (btw ST is most broken rit build for hero..)
basicly with this hero setup u can do most of dungeons hm and nm