Necromancers help me please

[Glaukus]

How is the minion AI for Necromancers at the moment? I'm leveling one up as my first char and im only at level 6 right not going either Wellomancer or minionmancer, and I want to know if minions are a good choice

[Valeron]

I much prefer wells on my Necromancer. Mine is only level 40 at the moment so I'm sure someone else can give you a better opinion but I find using wells make the fights go a lot quicker. Plus when you fight the Dredge (so irritating) and you are able to turn their boons into conditions, makes them die so satisfying.

[Glaukus]

Ok then I have another quick question. What weapon should you use if you are taking the well route? I'm very unfamiliar with this game. Also, I have 2 skill points to put in but there is only 1 well (well of suffering) available to me. Am I supposed to just save my other point?

[Gadgette]

How is the minion AI for Necromancers at the moment? I'm leveling one up as my first char and im only at level 6 right not going either Wellomancer or minionmancer, and I want to know if minions are a good choice

I started leveling one the other day and only got to level 10, but I will say the AI for Necro minions seems to be rather wonky. By that I mean most of the time (aside from my blood fiend) the bone minions and bone fiend don't regularity attack. Far too often they just kind of stand there chilling out watching me fight. I've watched other necro's around and haven't noticed theirs doing what mine do, so not sure if it's an issue with me or if it's normal AI for everyone.

[Imhullu]

I started leveling one the other day and only got to level 10, but I will say the AI for Necro minions seems to be rather wonky. By that I mean most of the time (aside from my blood fiend) the bone minions and bone fiend don't regularity attack. Far too often they just kind of stand there chilling out watching me fight. I've watched other necro's around and haven't noticed theirs doing what mine do, so not sure if it's an issue with me or if it's normal AI for everyone.

You need to love them more.

On a serious note, the AI for minions is wonky, and it was something that's been stated that they are working on.
I think I was reading the pages for upcoming changes and pet AI was listed there for coming in one of the january or february updates.

[BlairPhoenix]

I started leveling one the other day and only got to level 10, but I will say the AI for Necro minions seems to be rather wonky. By that I mean most of the time (aside from my blood fiend) the bone minions and bone fiend don't regularity attack. Far too often they just kind of stand there chilling out watching me fight. I've watched other necro's around and haven't noticed theirs doing what mine do, so not sure if it's an issue with me or if it's normal AI for everyone.

Haven't used bone fiend yet, but for bone minions and shadowfiend, you really need to start off with your 1 attack first to get the minions rolling. I haven't had too much issue yet at level 20, besides a few times where my minions randomly decided they wanted to kill something, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before their AI royally screws me.

[VibrantViolet]

Minion AI is terrible. I would suggest a wells build, I used it for leveling and found it far more effective.

[Meledelion]

Wells for lvling since you can clump up big epic numbers of foes and slow/dmg them all in one go.

[Hanyuu]

I am only level 22 and have been leveling with minions primarily. Their ai is as other people said, a bit lacking. That being said, the biggest issue is they die constantly...as fast as I can resummon them. They just aren't good enough to hold to survive very long, but they do give me time to do damage myself. I am hoping the flesh golem is strong enough to take a hit. I've heard he heals out of combat quickly, something the rest can't do. For awhile I was thinking about trying a ranger and hope for a better minion that way.

[kelevandros]

Any people with indicative builds for wells? I would appreciate it.

[Valeron]

If I were to play a minion dominate build, I would play it as a minion bomber (blow them up at appropriate times).

[Zilong]

One of the best Necromancers I've ever fought was a minion one. Im not really sure what he was doing it, but he was kicking my ass. Just once in a "duel" I won, the rest would take up to 2 or 3 persons to kill him. But that's PvP.

As for PvE, honestly never had a real problem with them, but they aren't really as helpful as I wanted them to be. Im waiting for improvements on that area.

[Gadgette]

Haven't used bone fiend yet, but for bone minions and shadowfiend, you really need to start off with your 1 attack first to get the minions rolling. I haven't had too much issue yet at level 20, besides a few times where my minions randomly decided they wanted to kill something, but I'm sure it's only a matter of time before their AI royally screws me.

I have tried with both using a staff and with the scepter/dagger and it still happens more often than not. Maybe they resent the fact I blow them up constantly...
My biggest complaint with pets/minions is that horrible running way ahead and stopping thing they do consistently. I cannot count the times mobs have been pulled by accident, and I'm way too paranoid to run any dungeons with my Ranger because of that >.<

[Deleted]

Wellmancer in WvWvW and minion master in Spvp? I only do the latter (not max level yet) but I find my minion build very fun and I can easily take on 2+ non tanky chars and come out over 50% health.

Its actually so much fun, even more so at all the juicy tears I get in chat. And honestly the AI is not as bad as people make it out to be, but would not do it in anything other than public games

Edit: Also since you are new, it would be such a fun entry level build to get used to sPvP in, if you are so inclined to do that aspect of the game