Curse

Iraka · Apr 13, 2008, 02:40 AM // 02:40

I'd like to say a few words about myself, before getting into my question. I have been playing Guild Wars since pretty much day one (Maybe not exactly, but close enough.) and have been struggling to keep interest. I have came back and forth a couple times now, usually with 4-6 month breaks.

Anyway, as I clearly enjoy the game enough to keep coming back .. I'd like to try to get myself immersed and be able to enjoy it without getting bored in a couple of weeks (even days). Despite trying to tell myself to start a new character, I seem to really stick to my necromancer. Since I rolled her, I started off day one as a SS necro. It was very fun, but now is getting very repetitive and boring. Today, after beating EoTN, I decided to try MM for a change, but I question how useful this will be down the road.

I'd like to get myself into a higher-end PvE guild despite my lack of experience, but I'd like to know what I'd expect to see. I know SS is good in HM, but is it the only option? Is Minion Master viable? Or even a Minion Bomber? I don't want be running a gimp build, but I'd like to stray from SS if at all possible.

TLDR Version: What are necros like in High-End PvE? What builds are viable, I don't want to be stuck doing SS the whole time since I've been doing it all my necro's career.

TempusReborn · Apr 13, 2008, 02:47 AM // 02:47

There's always a N/Rt if you want to try some Healing: Tho to be Honest if by High End PvE....and the only two that spring to mind that wouldn't say "Ursan up now" are the Deep and Urgoz: And there I always thought an SS was best with Ether Nightmare and CoP. However if its still realy not your Cup of tea Im sure non one would say no to a Jagged Bones Style Build.

Iraka · Apr 13, 2008, 02:50 AM // 02:50

Perhaps High-End PvE wasn't the correct term, but perhaps "harder" PvE like hard mode, dungeons etc...

Also, it's not that SS isn't my cup of tea, it's that after probably 6 months of using the same build on my necro, it's getting very old.

Sunyavadin · Apr 13, 2008, 04:06 AM // 04:06

We raep everything. In every possible way imaginable, and in every orifice.
There's a near-limitless amount of options open to us. Hell, there are 2-3 ways you can focus builds purely based around each of our attributes, for a total of about 10 different generic build styles before you even begin to factor in secondary professions.

It's gotten to the point where my guildies and I will often just play with a 4-6 man necro team in HM, everyone focusing on a different angle. Quite often Myself, Olias, Livia and Master of Whispers will make up half a team for vanquishing...

Div · Apr 13, 2008, 04:19 AM // 04:19

SS, MM, or Wail.

Dr Strangelove · Apr 13, 2008, 04:23 AM // 04:23

Most of the fun stuff for necros is non-elite. Elites tend to be something I throw in to fill the slot, not something insane, even SS.

However, between stuff like foul feast, putrid bile, enfeebling blood, and damn near everything else in the curses line, necros really don't lack for variety in builds.

_Nihilist_ · Apr 13, 2008, 05:44 AM // 05:44

I'd have to agree with the other replying posters here - a Necro has so much to offer, why are you getting bogged down by focusing on your Elite skill?

Just a few suggestions...

If you aren't running with an Ursan group or a Minion Bomber, try being a support Necro by running Orders. Order of the Vampire = dmg boost+vampiric self-healing. Taking along a Monk secondary helps you to keep yourself AND your team up, meaning that your Monkey(s) can catch a breath or two themselves.

If you are in an area with lots of fleshy enemies, try running a Conditioner Necro with a Mesmer secondary and using Epidemic and Hypochondriac to spread conditions around the mobs, reducing their effectiveness and adding degen DPS to the mix.

Necros have so many skills that aren't used in the game, but by continually mixing and swapping skills, you can find full skillsets that don't even USE Elites, and still have a blast and kick ass at the same time.

If you are getting bored with your standard, standby SS build, then don't get bored, get BUSY. Take a night or two to sit down, troll the 'Net, go through your skills, and start forming alternate builds... What works against Casters/Melee/Healers/Counter-casters etc.

There is absolutely NO reason whatsoever for you to get so bored with your Necro, let alone GW as a whole for you to set the game down for 6 months at a time. There is simply too much to do, to many WAYS to do it, and too many skills to let sit there collecting dust while you focus on your SS boredom.

If there is absolutely nothing else for you to do, CHALLENGE yourself by making builds that you don't think are going to work. Play through some areas/missions with builds that make no sense, play like an Uber-n00b, and just ENJOY the fact that your toon has endless possibilities, some better than others. Find your strengths, find your weaknesses, test your limits, and have FUN.

Hope this helps,

Nihilist

Moloch Vein · Apr 13, 2008, 06:07 AM // 06:07

If you want to do something decently fun with your necromancer, you should begin with trying to design hero builds for your other three necromancers. Then complete all the 4-man missions in Hard Mode using only heroes. Will give you something to do.

Arkantos · Apr 13, 2008, 06:17 AM // 06:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by holymasamune

SS, MM, or Wail.

Don't forget the bitch roll of order/support.

Lord Xivor · Apr 13, 2008, 06:36 AM // 06:36

[Arcane Echo] + [Mark of Pain] + Minion Master Hero = lots of yellow numbers. :-)

I would go for a support build, using what I listed above as the main damage.

It's A Me · Apr 13, 2008, 07:48 AM // 07:48

yeah, high end pve, if it isnt ursan then ur gonna be running SS pretty much all the time. i was mucking about with the AP+MoP build that i think Moloch posted, that was good fun, better damage than ss (although thats not too hard) and lots of pretty yellow numbers.

Lots u can do, check into secondary profession elites if ur bored of necro ones.

Infectious · Apr 13, 2008, 08:26 AM // 08:26

why does everyone always forget blood magic ><
spoil victor > everything in the game

Carinae · Apr 13, 2008, 08:48 AM // 08:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by Infectious

why does everyone always forget blood magic ><
spoil victor > everything in the game

Because it's a single target spell in a line that isn't that useful otherwise. When facing mobs of monsters there is a strong motivation for AoE skills, even if their effect is smaller per target.

Spiteful Spirit
Reckless Haste
Enfeebling Blood
Weaken Armor (which wasn't usefull at ALL until it became AoE)

ALL are AoE, and that's why they are ALL commonly on the same bar at the same time.

Even Spoil Victor is overshadowed by Pain Inverter in virtually EVERY situation. There is only one situation I can think of where you need SV, specifically due to it's lifestealing nature: Shiro

SV is tailored specifically to defeat Shiro. It's not a coincidence that SV and Shiro are both from Factions.

Cathode_Reborn · Apr 13, 2008, 09:01 AM // 09:01

It really depends on who you're teaming with.

If you H/H, use what's most effective or somethin that at least will work.

In a pug for "high-end" pvp, you're gonna be asked to Ursan of course.

With a guild, depends on their skill. If they're average, they might want SS/MM/Ursan. If they're good, they might have you run somethin more specific. They'll be able to supply a build.

No matter what though, necs are one of the best pve classes so it's always easy to find a group. In Ursan-populated areas though, they're basically just like any other class.

Turbobusa · Apr 13, 2008, 10:03 AM // 10:03

I use a modified triple necromancer build. fun fun fun. Not optimized, could use some tweaks on the player builds.

[build=OABDUrpnS7Z3g6BlB2kWCYc7OA]
[build=OANFUshH1znTMreoHCI1hjKaENA]
[build=OABDUstnNxsj6VAPUV1DCg6A]
[build=OAhkUkG4RFyUMz4k00w0kjdwFTCI]

wailof doom works also, I just don't like it much in pve
Heroes got major +1 DM runes

netniwk · Apr 13, 2008, 11:56 AM // 11:56

I use a Icy veins/Putrid bile+wards build when playing with 3 sab's necro,We just roll through PvE.

zling · Apr 13, 2008, 03:14 PM // 15:14

Signet of Midnight+Plague Sending anyone? yeah that Me/N or N/Me is lame when its in TA for for PvE it just keeps melee mobs always blinded

Plague Signet+Foul Feast+conditions anyone? spread condition love to the mobs around you!
Assassin's Promise+your favourite high recharge necro skills anyone? great energy management and recharges all your skills when you kill your foe! mix with any bar you like!
AotL+Dark Aura anyone? the Aura bomber/tank hits again! you can tank as a necro you know, and do some nice dmg too!
OoV+BR support necro anyone? you melee will just love you!
OoA+BR enchantment killer anyone? all those enchantments annoying you too much? strip them!
FoC+Desecrate+Defile anyone? yes a necro nuker!
N/Rt healer anyone? works wonders in PvE...

those are just a few options without going SS, there's always the MM builds, AFG, AotL(in MM build), JB, OoU, etc.

necro is just so versatile, you can do so many things with it! dont limit yourself just to SS!

Chthon · Apr 13, 2008, 06:32 PM // 18:32

1. Curses. Highly effective AoE melee shutdown from EB + RH/SoF plus fantastic armor-ignoring damage from Barbs+MoP. SS used to be the elite to go on a curse bar, but recently AP (which I consider viable, but don't really like as much as SS) and WoD (which I consider totally overrated in PvE due to Shiny New Toy Syndrome) have been used too.

2. Minion Master. Still a force of nature. Perhaps unnecessary if you've got a team full of high-DPS physicals who maintain SY coverage and know how to stay on target, but definitely the best possible addition to a team filled with lesser teammates.

3. Minion Bomber Hero. Provides expendable targets to draw fire off the team, SR for the curse necro, and procs Barbs/MoP. I also stick infuse condition + foul feast on him to get remarkable condition removal. Definitely inferior to a good human minion master, but those can be hard to find.

4. SR Abuse. You've got a better energy supply than other cast classes, so you can take over any of their roles that don't depend on their primary attribute or having a 13+ spec. You can also use SR to power PvE-skills perhaps more effectively than any other class.

5. Orders/Support. Kinda died after Tombs b/p runs lost popularity. Perhaps it could make a comeback on physical-heavy teams tossing out orders, party buff PvE-skills like EBSoH and great dwarf weapon, and maybe ritualist skills like spl;inter and ancestors.

freaky naughty · Apr 16, 2008, 10:10 PM // 22:10

Well I agree with the above posters with Soul Reaping the necro becomes one of the most versatile classes. What I usually run is my curses necro with SS, reckless haste, enfeebling blood, barbs (works great with lots of physicals and an MM), Mark of Pain, Great Dwarf Weapon, Finish Him, and a res. If you don't feel a res is necessary put in rip enchants or rend enchants. There's so much a necro can do and really the elite is usually not too important.

angmar_nite · Apr 19, 2008, 04:56 PM // 16:56

Someone in my guild runs a nifty N/RT with melee support such as splinter weapon. Mixed into some healing and I can see it being efficient. I've also seen a n/mo smiter with skills like strength and honor.