Necromancer Discussion Thread

[Deleted]

While I don't think we need any more stability, I do feel the need to mention that we get it from a Grandmaster trait, and get the recharge timer (of Ds skills at least) and such upgraded as well from other traits, similarly to how you could upgrade the warrior stability signet via traits

Don't compare un-traited skills with traited ones for the sake of argument please.

[DrakeWurrum]

While I don't think we need any more stability, I do feel the need to mention that we get it from a Grandmaster trait, and get the recharge timer (of Ds skills at least) and such upgraded as well from other traits, similarly to how you could upgrade the warrior stability signet via traits

Don't compare un-traited skills with traited ones for the sake of argument please.

Read that wiki again. Just because you get it from a grandmaster trait and an elite only, doesn't change the fact that you have it better than certain other professions.

Thieves can only get it from Dagger Storm, which is a 90 second CD elite whose main focus is dealing damage, rather than survivability. We don't get to use other skills during it.

Rangers can get it from an Elite, or traiting for their signets, and you still have it better than them.

[Deleted]

Read that wiki again. Just because you get it from a grandmaster trait and an elite only, doesn't change the fact that you have it better than certain other professions.

Thieves can only get it from Dagger Storm, which is a 90 second CD elite whose main focus is dealing damage, rather than survivability. We don't get to use other skills during it.

The warrior ones that got listed give stability, regardless of traits though, and so can their recharge times be reduced. That's what I meant.

[DrakeWurrum]

The warrior ones that got listed give stability, regardless of traits though, and so can their recharge times be reduced. That's what I meant.

Not to 10 seconds. Some professions just have it better than others, period. I would mark Necromancer as "average." Not everybody is going to be as good at stability as others.

If you really feel like it's that terrible, get a Guardian ally to shout for you.

(For the record: http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Stance

No recharge reduction.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Signet

Only 20%, which brings Dolyak Signet to 48 seconds.)

[Deleted]

Not to 10 seconds. Some professions just have it better than others, period. I would mark Necromancer as "average." Not everybody is going to be as good at stability as others.

If you really feel like it's that terrible, get a Guardian ally to shout for you.

I... I was actually the one saying we didn't need any more stability, where have I said that I've felt it is anywhere near bad?

I was only saying that whilst Necros/Engineers, for example, have to use Grandmaster traits in order to get said boon, other classes get it regardless. Obviously they won't have the same duration/recharge given the different ways of obtaining it, which can lead to unfair comparisons between the skills. I didn't say it was better or worse.

[DrakeWurrum]

If they pick those skills, you realize, they're not picking other skills. O_o

I'll admit I'm surprised there isn't a Well that gives stability, but it's not really that bad to have it come from a grandmaster trait.

Engineer only gets it from a Grandmaster trait that also comes with drawbacks, unless they hope for a certain toolbelt skill to get lucky on the random boon it procs.

[Durzlla]

I... I was actually the one saying we didn't need any more stability, where have I said that I've felt it is anywhere near bad?

I was only saying that whilst Necros/Engineers, for example, have to use Grandmaster traits in order to get said boon, other classes get it regardless. Obviously they won't have the same duration/recharge given the different ways of obtaining it, which can lead to unfair comparisons between the skills. I didn't say it was better or worse.

Actually eng also can throw Elixir S to get stability (or stealth) for the allies in the area...

And I'd say a grandmaster trait that gives 3s of stability every 10s (5s traited) is a really fuckin good trait lol

[DrakeWurrum]

And I'd say a grandmaster trait that gives 3s of stability every 10s (5s traited) is a really fuckin good trait lol

Fully agreed!

(except i'm pretty sure that traiting Death Shroud to 5 seconds is a Grandmaster trait in the exact same trait line, so you can't have both - something tells me that 60% uptime on stability is OP)

[Durzlla]

Fully agreed!

(except i'm pretty sure that traiting Death Shroud to 5 seconds is a Grandmaster trait in the exact same trait line, so you can't have both - something tells me that 60% uptime on stability is OP)

Lol that's probably the case, I knew they were both grandmaster, just assumed they were in different trees lol

[DrakeWurrum]

I personally look forward to trying out this build, and I'm not even 100% solid on certain traits.

[Deleted]

Actually eng also can throw Elixir S to get stability (or stealth) for the allies in the area...

And I'd say a grandmaster trait that gives 3s of stability every 10s (5s traited) is a really fuckin good trait lol

Even if it'd be available to get them both most of the Death Shroud traits have an 8-9s internal CD (which is a bug I guess) so you won't remove a condition every time you step into Death Shroud but every 2nd time (if used on CD, and this was an example. Applies to other traits also)... :S - Hopefully fixed though!

[Divinism]

What spec do you necromancers plan to use for leveling? During all my tests I've only done sPvP and zero leveling. I played with a condition build, does it provide the fastest downtime in PvE, or should I rather use a power/crit build (axe, staff)?

What about minions? I'm aware that their AI sucks at the moment, but is it more forgiving in a PvE environment?

[Verazh]

For lvling I think minions are a solid choice. They tank for you, and the CD to resummon is fairly short.

Edit:

anyways, I was testing this build in sPvP: http://gw2skills.net/editor/en/?fQAQ...bNuak1s6YQw8CA to great success. Did 6 games, all of which had me in first place on my team.
48 secs cd on SW means a 62,5% swiftness uptime. If they get close you have WoS which does huge damage, and CB is just an awesome utility skill. I really did good damage with this build without being a glass cannon, which was what I was hoping for. I escaped from impossible situations with SW and clever DS use. Loved it.

[Deleted]

Still a bit unsure on what to play after this stress test. I like the necromancer's feel and I prefer light armor, but they did make engineers really fun, which was my first option after BWE1. So many different and viable combinations.

Is anyone else here interested in the Necromancer having doubts on what to play? Just curious, could ask this for any profession really.

[Keldrath]

What spec do you necromancers plan to use for leveling? During all my tests I've only done sPvP and zero leveling. I played with a condition build, does it provide the fastest downtime in PvE, or should I rather use a power/crit build (axe, staff)?

What about minions? I'm aware that their AI sucks at the moment, but is it more forgiving in a PvE environment?

Minions are nice for leveling, not essential but they do seem to make things feel easier.

There's no real downtime in pve for anyone in the game to speak of really. So that's pretty much a non-issue.

I do think axe works really well imo. I preferred it when leveling. good damage. The other weapons feel kind of slow on mobs. I liked to switch to a staff for aoe groups because the number 1 skill ends up dishing out a lot of damage multi target.

as for traits idk just whatevs. There doesn't really seem to be a downside to picking just whatever suits your fancy and changing later if you don't like it. doesn't really make or break the game in pve at the very lest pre-30ish. Just whatever seems to synergize with what your doing i guess.

[CaboWabo]

Still a bit unsure on what to play after this stress test. I like the necromancer's feel and I prefer light armor, but they did make engineers really fun, which was my first option after BWE1. So many different and viable combinations.

Is anyone else here interested in the Necromancer having doubts on what to play? Just curious, could ask this for any profession really.

I had a very similar thought to this - my main was going to be a mesmer for the longest time, but quite frankly I find it easier and more fun to play PVE with a necromancer. So I have to decide whether to play which class I like the idea of (mesmer looks and sounds crazy, which I love) or the class that better fits my playstyle and came more natural too me (necromancer).

Main issue I have with mesmer in PVE is the difficulty in using illusions effectively because mobs die so quickly. Seems to require a lot of organization and concentration, not the frantic randomness the mesmer's abilities imply. But the necro - man just stacked with great skills. All the AOE marks are great in PVP and PVE and Death Shroud is like having this awesome second life, etc.. (I like the class!)

I know my experience is quite the opposite of yours (being a necro convert) but I've decided to at least main what playstyle feels more natural and more fun - Necromancer! Will definitely roll a mesmer too, just not first.

[Deleted]

Has anyone toyed with a siphon life/well build? I had a go but I don't want to reveal my hand because it will no doubt kill my credibility with how wrong it is, but anyone else have some input to share? 30pts in blood magic was pretty much a given

[Deleted]

I had a very similar thought to this - my main was going to be a mesmer for the longest time, but quite frankly I find it easier and more fun to play PVE with a necromancer. So I have to decide whether to play which class I like the idea of (mesmer looks and sounds crazy, which I love) or the class that better fits my playstyle and came more natural too me (necromancer).

Main issue I have with mesmer in PVE is the difficulty in using illusions effectively because mobs die so quickly. Seems to require a lot of organization and concentration, not the frantic randomness the mesmer's abilities imply. But the necro - man just stacked with great skills. All the AOE marks are great in PVP and PVE and Death Shroud is like having this awesome second life, etc.. (I like the class!)

I know my experience is quite the opposite of yours (being a necro convert) but I've decided to at least main what playstyle feels more natural and more fun - Necromancer! Will definitely roll a mesmer too, just not first.

I'm sort of a necro convert as well, but I find myself going back to my engi roots :P. Thing is really like to use dark magic as a weapon, but I love the variety in building an Engineer. They were ok in bwe1 and bwe2, but I find them really fun now, as opposed to the necromancer which I found fun at first but now I'm a bit unsure. I also prefer light armor, which makes it a bit more difficult to pick.

[Deleted]

i recently bought gw2 and was in for the third beta weekend, and i simply loved the necromancer! I went with a axe/focus build and got some condition utility skills.
My question is, how viable is axe/focus and should you spec into power mainly as necromancer or something else?

[Swishz]

Has anyone toyed with a siphon life/well build? I had a go but I don't want to reveal my hand because it will no doubt kill my credibility with how wrong it is, but anyone else have some input to share? 30pts in blood magic was pretty much a given

I attempted it briefly during the latest stress test, but it ended up turning into "blow people up in Well of Suffering". I wasn't satisfied at all with the low damage you put out when fully traited and geared for life siphon/healing power, and going for a low healing power setup just made the life siphons feel even more anemic. I may have been building it wrong, but mostly I just found it boring from a gameplay standpoint.

I had a ton of fun using Spectral Grasp to pull people into Well of Suffering and absolutely destroying them though .