Curse

Essence Snow · Oct 07, 2010, 05:43 AM // 05:43

I'm not sure if anyone has ever noticed but the vast majority of PUG necros seem to use SS as their elite. Since the mesmer update, I have found that most PUGs tend to have a Panic mesmer, which makes SS almost useless. That being said what leet skill do ya'll think would make a better contribution to a PUG group given there will probably be a Panic mes in the midst?

WhiteAsIce · Oct 07, 2010, 06:39 AM // 06:39

Albeit it's a PuG and people don't listen to you, tell the Mesmer to always ping the Panic. Once you figure that out, you toss SS on something that didn't have Panic on it.

In reality, the Mesmer won't listen to you and randomly cast Panic on something, even if it's alone. Best bet would be Mark of Pain with Assassin's Promise for a modified SS. This requires multiple sources of physical damage though. MoP works like SS in that it does damage to adjacent foes. However, its long recharge needs either Arcane Echo or AP, of which the latter is much better since it will recharge other things you may have used like EVAS.

Arctica · Oct 07, 2010, 07:22 AM // 07:22

Quote:

Originally Posted by WhiteAsIce

In reality, the Mesmer won't listen to you and randomly cast Panic on something, even if it's alone. Best bet would be Mark of Pain with Assassin's Promise for a modified SS. This requires multiple sources of physical damage though. MoP works like SS in that it does damage to adjacent foes. However, its long recharge needs either Arcane Echo or AP, of which the latter is much better since it will recharge other things you may have used like EVAS.

This. I would use a MoP nuker with EVAS and AP as the elite. Especially, if you have a minion master in the team.

Spiritz · Oct 07, 2010, 08:02 AM // 08:02

Id say make the necro more versatile , why be stuck as ss when there are many other uses for a necro which can be great - energy battery for the casters , mop caster , life transfer.The limitation is your bar - and yes in a few cases the dmg output of team may be a bit lower but with bip ( for eg ) you can ensure the casters have enough energy to screw the foes , even go n/mo and add a bit of healing or n/rt for some healing.
Something i found usefull is to check out on pvx quite a few team builds and see what skills the necros use with mesmers in the team and that will give an idea of what works/helps.
Remember necros have always been usefull regardless if they use ss or anything else and many teams switch to mesmer as its the meta and only by changing necro skills do new metas come into play so experiment and have fun

HigherMinion · Oct 07, 2010, 08:29 AM // 08:29

MoP or Orders if your team has alot of physicals. Not much else to run unless you want to run an MM bar, which most lazy bast*rds seldom do.

Calista Blackblood · Oct 07, 2010, 08:58 AM // 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Essence Snow

I'm not sure if anyone has ever noticed but the vast majority of PUG necros seem to use SS as their elite. Since the mesmer update, I have found that most PUGs tend to have a Panic mesmer, which makes SS almost useless. That being said what leet skill do ya'll think would make a better contribution to a PUG group given there will probably be a Panic mes in the midst?

Assassin's Promise - Mark of pain - Rigor Mortis(in blocking areas) Ebon Vanguard Assassin - Barbs

You could always throw in:

Mindbender

Enfeebling Blood

Defile Defenses

Rend/Rip Enchantment

Desecrate/Defile Enchantments

Other choice skills

Or a resurrect.

This will get around the Panic Interrupts and allow you do do spammable,unblockable damage which at 15-16 curses is much more than SS is capable of. Panic really does negate the use of SS but at the same time,It might take a while for the average pug to catch onto the fact.

aspi · Oct 07, 2010, 10:17 AM // 10:17

I also take one of the vanguard wards. And never ever leave an outpost with out enfeebling blood.

I don't agree on barbs, while I still take it, i just keep on forgetting to change the skill on my bar. Most things besides bosses in HM are just dead before I can cast this on a foe. I would take a faster skill instead of this one imo.

Calista Blackblood · Oct 07, 2010, 11:26 AM // 11:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by aspi

I also take one of the vanguard wards. And never ever leave an outpost with out enfeebling blood.

I don't agree on barbs, while I still take it, i just keep on forgetting to change the skill on my bar. Most things besides bosses in HM are just dead before I can cast this on a foe. I would take a faster skill instead of this one imo.

Necrosis could replace it as there are plenty of hexes around so targets are plentiful :P

Xenomortis · Oct 07, 2010, 11:49 AM // 11:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by Essence Snow

Since the mesmer update, I have found that most PUGs tend to have a Panic mesmer, which makes SS almost useless.

Not really. You get fewer triggers, but not significantly so.
It's still a valuable skill for teams that can't kill anything at a half decent rate.

Of course the Necs could spit on the Mesmers again and run Fevered Dreams. That'd be amusing.
Or just run an MM build if it concerns you so.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Calista BlackBlood

Necrosis could replace it as there are plenty of hexes around so targets are plentiful :P

The Norn shouts should take priority. They're far superior, especially with AP.
If you still don't want Barbs then Enduring Toxin and Mark of Death are pretty much it - quick casting spells in Deadly Arts.

Calista Blackblood · Oct 07, 2010, 12:04 PM // 12:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xenomortis

The Norn shouts should take priority. They're far superior, especially with AP.

I forgot about them

Šiljo · Oct 07, 2010, 01:05 PM // 13:05

go aoe dmg,
aoe hex,foc,des/def enchts,urals,mindebender,energy sig

I Hate Chips · Oct 07, 2010, 01:07 PM // 13:07

How about FoC?
+ Arcane Echo?
+ Suffering?

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Feast_of_Corruption

Skye Marin · Oct 07, 2010, 01:17 PM // 13:17

I'd recommend:

Assassin's Promise
"You Move Like a Dwarf!"
Mark of Pain
Ebon Vanguard Assassin Support
Ebon Vanguard Standard of Honor
Enfeebling Blood
Rip Enchantment
Meekness / Shadow of Fear / Rigor Mortis / Weaken Armor

Monks will love you for Weakness, Physicals will love you for Mark of Pain, and other casters/nukers will love you for EVSoH.

Gypsie Ettin · Oct 07, 2010, 01:25 PM // 13:25

Icy Veins kkthxbai

Calista Blackblood · Oct 07, 2010, 01:30 PM // 13:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gypsie Ettin

Icy Veins kkthxbai

Show us an actual viable,working build that warrants such a high spec into a terrible skill line.

Šiljo · Oct 07, 2010, 01:34 PM // 13:34

IV and 7 resto skills

Calista Blackblood · Oct 07, 2010, 01:38 PM // 13:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Šiljo

IV and 7 resto skills

We have a winner! Collect your prize at reception

Xenomortis · Oct 07, 2010, 02:39 PM // 14:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by I Hate Chips

How about FoC?
+ Arcane Echo?
+ Suffering?

http://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Feast_of_Corruption

You are joking I hope.
I think a standard SS bar with the more tasty Curses stuff is superior to this, regardless of team composition, but I'm not too certain. I say that because you simply won't have the energy to cast anything actually good or useful after spending 60 energy just for two castings of FoC and some degen. A decent SS bar (ignore the oxymoron) only wastes 15 energy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Šiljo

IV and 7 resto skills

Replace Icy Veins with Wail of Doom and you have a better bar. Or just take Spirit Light Weapon over Icy Veins - there's no reason to take that crap in PvE.

Glints Bane · Oct 07, 2010, 05:21 PM // 17:21

[QUOTE=Xenomortis;5262383]Not really. You get fewer triggers, but not significantly so.
It's still a valuable skill for teams that can't kill anything at a half decent rate.
[QUOTE]

QFT

SS is still viable seeing as the majority of players in PuGs are still bad I've seen many put panic on single physical targets, single targets, and more. even if you have a half decent mesmer SS can still get a good bit of dmg off.

Essence Snow · Oct 07, 2010, 07:16 PM // 19:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glints Bane

Quote:

Originally Posted by Xenomortis

Not really. You get fewer triggers, but not significantly so.
It's still a valuable skill for teams that can't kill anything at a half decent rate.

QFT

SS is still viable seeing as the majority of players in PuGs are still bad I've seen many put panic on single physical targets, single targets, and more. even if you have a half decent mesmer SS can still get a good bit of dmg off.

Ofc there can be bad Panics and bad SS's. but going in assuming that your Panic is bad in a pug is no real reason to chance SS. Both benefit from adj. foes, so inturn both will be cast into mobs with that criteria. This will result in SS not triggering enough to be a sufficient elite. So if the chance happens (which by design it should) that the Panic casts in the same group with adj foes as the SS the SS will be the one not doing anything relevant. Even with some SS hits getting through.....they will be so diminished in numbers that SS becomes weak when compared to other options.