Necromancer Discussion Thread

[Grable]

Need your opinion on this build for sPvP I made:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fQAQ...udk7sCZEyGjJGA

Just experimenting really, it's a rather strange build / setup, but works really nice in sPvP (haven't tried it in tournaments yet). Basically you're a Minion Master with lots of health (30k hp is lol) and the ability to be good at leeching life. On top of that, due to horn and scythe offhands, you bring A LOT of utility, you have several cripples and immobilizes, knockdowns (flesh golem charge) and interrupts. So basically you're a tank with lots of utility and the survivability is just incredible (and not reliant on long cooldown elite skills like Plague or Lich Form).
One of the important things to note is that you'll be switching weapon sets a lot more than other builds, even in combat, to maximize the utility of the offhands and to use the dagger lifeleech. You'll be using Axe/Warhorn to damage people and Dagger/Focus to keep yourself alive.

Tested it out yesterday, takes FOREVER to kill me. Damage is also decent, you can 1v1 and you're good in group fights.

Thoughts?

[VibrantViolet]

Excuse me?

Yesterday as I was closing on 80 in straits of desolation I was exploring south of the southern DE area and opened up my map looking around at where I had yet to explore. Something distracted me from the game for 30 seconds and when I came back and closed the map Fleshy had left me a present. The golem doesn't seem to have any problem dispatching same level mobs solo, and it regenerates health between fights. Yes it's a bit overeager in terms of wanting to kill everything in sight, but don't fault it for being weak. It also hits quite hard, I really notice it's lack of dps if he's ever despawned (yeah, unless you spec him he'll get raped by champions or DE veterans) or you fell into a puddle.

I really don't like those long CD elite abilities, they seem very lack lustre. I'd really love another well or passive (signet) ability for there if I wasn't going to use any minions. It seems like the opportunity cost is too high. When I'm in lich form, I'm not using any of my other abilities. It's one of the reasons I only go spectral for the AoE, then I'm back out again right away (unless I'm in trouble on health and am trying to avoid death). I want to be able to keep my weapons working. Having the Flesh Golem allows for almost passive damage and he's very useful against random veteran you encounter in the world. He can tank most Vets I've come across long enough for us to kill it.

It's weak in comparison to the other elite abilities. Lich Form and Plague do a lot more damage and are more viable, in my opinion.

[nighties]

I like using Flesh Golem, actually. Fleshy has a very reliable interrupt for smaller mobs and generally a better companion in open world questing/leveling.

In dungeons however Lich form provides the AoE that's much needed in my spec. Change elites depending on the situation.

[woodydave44]

No, the point being that you could use your super Lich Form that's got a nice long CD and suddenly one of your buddies is downed and you have to go help, or even worse, you are downed (I dunno, I'm just thinking hypothetically) and the usefulness of that ability is lessened. I really like the implementation of the signets, whereby while they are unsued they are providing a passive bonus, and when needed, you pop them and the passive goes away until recharged. That way if there's no decent opportunity, you are not wasting the skill slot.

This is like long CD abilities in early wow, Arcane Power and the likes, that you saved until Heroism or an opportune 'Burn' phase in the fight, and all all other times the ability was useless. And if something happened like you popped the ability and then couldn't use it properly, you were at a disadvantage. The Lich Form is kind of like that or more importantly, there's no alternative. I can't chose a passive ability to fit that slot if I don't like to use forms or minions.

I'm fairly open-minded about these things, but I don't like having things that I think might not get their full use (hence me not really liking our F1 ability for anything other than AoE and survival, and beign disgruntled by the fact that I can do much more damage out of it than sitting there letting 1 spam).

Considering lich forms vastly superior dps increase. Simply killing a mob in a couple more hits would raise your buddy. Considering lich forms Vastly superior hp increase, popping in turns you into a considerable tank. Normal mobs are not a problem as Well of Suffering is your best pve ability in the fact that using it with DS ability 4 makes stuff dead faster than minions can kill. Using a viable golem (traits) takes away from your superior killing abilities.

I'm not saying minions are bad, but their AI makes them not worth using at the moment.

[Lucas Ashrock]

K now i dinged 80, and most do too, it's time to work on exotics. So, PVE talking, what armor spec a necro pve should focus?
I guess power , condition damage and healing/toughtness if possible. Right?

[Grable]

K now i dinged 80, and most do too, it's time to work on exotics. So, PVE talking, what armor spec a necro pve should focus?
I guess power , condition damage and healing/toughtness if possible. Right?

Completely depends on your build?

[Lucas Ashrock]

Completely depends on your build?

Ye true, my question was too much generic. I meant a general use farming Orr, but it's ok. Seems there are billion opinions about it.

[Grable]

Ye true, my question was too much generic. I meant a general use farming Orr, but it's ok. Seems there are billion opinions about it.

Well, I'm a Conditionmancer so I prioritize +condition damage. I use a lot of +power and +precision, but that's due to cheap crafting mats I got. Think I would be better off with vitality and/or toughness, since +power and +precision doesn't really help with conditions.

[Lucas Ashrock]

Well, I'm a Conditionmancer so I prioritize +condition damage. I use a lot of +power and +precision, but that's due to cheap crafting mats I got. Think I would be better off with vitality and/or toughness, since +power and +precision doesn't really help with conditions.

Totally agree

[Deleted]

I tried out http://www.gw2db.com/skill-builds/87...ng-necromancer in a few dungeons yesterday.

I updated the build from my first attempt changing 3 things. I took the Elite skill Avatar of Melandru (duh) and changed my Blood magic Major trait from siphoning health (it only healed me) to 20% reduction in well CD and finally change well of corruption to well of power.

I bought green gear from TP all Cleric's Cabalist of Dwayna and Sapphire rings and Cleric neck. On my Axe I got a Life sigil and on my Focus I put Water sigil.

I had about 1200 +healing and almost 3k armour (I forget how much power I had).

Anyway, the build is pretty OP for dungeons, as long as your team knows what you are doing. As much as possible they should be hanging around you to get the benefit of wells. I was usually in the middle of melee, dropping down wells and using Reaper's Touch every possible CD. If things got hairy, I could pop the avatar or enter DS and do 4.

The runs went extremely smooth with people rarely entering downed, and if they did I'd get them up really fast (it would drop a blood well on them and give protection).

One key thing to note, if there are 2 people helping get someone recovered, you might not get the well proc (possibly if the other person gets the last tick). So let them know that if you are there ressing, others should only help if it's really needed, and try to stop before the person gets up full.

With Well of corruption and your axe skills, you still get plenty of damage done, but it's not something I'd go out solo in the world with. While you do have lots of power, you have only 4% crit and no condition damage increase.

All in all, I really enjoy it, and I think it's very very powerful in dungeons, especially in explore mode. I havn't tried it in a DE yet, I'll go to Orr tonight and find some difficult ones. Most DE's I've done so far have little to no healing requirement.

My next goal now is to upgrade to rare and exotic gear and see just how faceroll it becomes.

[Rooflesstoofless]

How are axes atm for PvE (and PvP)?

I was running one with my necro but switched over to scepter because I felt like I was just giving mobs paper cuts.

[Grable]

How are axes atm for PvE (and PvP)?

I was running one with my necro but switched over to scepter because I felt like I was just giving mobs paper cuts.

Subpar compared to other conditions and other professions.

[Bugg]

anyone tested Vampiric + Vampiric Precision + Bloodthirst?
I get back 29 hp when i hit a mob, and 59 when i crit.
that`s Shit when my HP is 25k.

what`s up with those skills

[VibrantViolet]

Can anyone suggest a good build using Wells to me? I'd prefer to use the axe/whatever offhand works best, and staff, although I am open to use something other then the staff. I just really enjoy using Wells, and want to build around that.

[Cempa]

http://www.gw2db.com/skills/calc/nec...9|48789|0|0|0|

Axe+Focus Spectral Power Build

Power 2429
Precision 1016
Toughness 1785
Vitality 1635

Attack 3476
Crit %9
Armor 2996
Health 25562

Any suggestions?

[Allyrion]

anyone tested Vampiric + Vampiric Precision + Bloodthirst?
I get back 29 hp when i hit a mob, and 59 when i crit.
that`s Shit when my HP is 25k.

what`s up with those skills

Last I heard is that life steal abilities are underwhelming because they are static numbers and do not scale. That was in the beta,but the wiki says that the heal increases 1 per point in compassion. So either the numbers need to be upped or you need to stack a lot of healing power to make it work.

I'm going for Bloodthirst + Vampiric + Vampric master. I don't have all the points yet to tell you how it works out, and this is with using 6 minions in my loadout.

[Bugg]

for how much does one Bleed tick for, if you are a condition build, good gear lv 80 necro ?

[VibrantViolet]

Going to bump this, since it seems to keep getting lost. >_<

[Cempa]

Official forums and other forums are filled with negative posts regarding Necromancer, Condition build or Power Spectral build or Minion build or Support build or getting bashed PvP and level 80 game play wise!

[Grable]

Official forums and other forums are filled with negative posts regarding Necromancer, Condition build or Power Spectral build or Minion build or Support build or getting bashed PvP and level 80 game play wise!

Well it is kind of true. It's pretty sad that Conditionmancer is the only PvP viable Necro atm, and by "viable" i mean just "viable", not "good" at it.

There's a reason why everyone plays Warrior, Mesmer, Thief or a Guardian.