Curse

Necromonger · Nov 11, 2007, 12:18 PM // 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moloch Vein

People claiming necromancers are useless because SR has been nerfed make me laugh. Yes, SR has been nerfed, and it was an ugly nerf at that. The first nerf was a disaster. The second is simply ugly. That said there is no stronger PvE class in the game.

Play other characters much?

Listen, my first character (from when we only had prophecies) was a Necro, I still play him, I never said the Necro is useless, but to even make a statement like the "strongest PvE class" ???

I'm going to have to assume we are taking versatility here? because it can't be damage output, or ability to C - Space through the game, because they are a lot easier classes to play/beat the PvE environment with

Moloch Vein · Nov 11, 2007, 02:05 PM // 14:05

For the PvE setting:

When it comes to mass AoE damage there is no single character capable of coming close to the damage output of an SS necromancer versus mobs.

When it comes to focused damage there is no single character capable of dealing as much damage to a single target as an SV necromancer.

When it comes to interrupts a necromancer can play a better Psychic Distraction than a mesmer due to energy benefits.

When it comes to shutdown, no class is better suited to disable large hordes of pve foes than necromancers - be it physicals or casters.

For better or worse the necromancer class has the energy-support function almost completely monopolized in PvE.

When it comes to synergy between party members there is nothing equaling the synergy of a minion-powered all-N team. I think an all-Paragon team comes closest, and the functions that class can play are somewhat more limited.

The only job the necromancer is eminently ill-suited for in PvE is true high-level tanking.

Apart from a few areas reliant on very specific builds (and actually, I am only talking about Domain of Anguish here), the necromancer is the strongest and most resilient class in the game. It thrives on the one thing that is a constant in almost all PvE, death. Where there is death, necromancers prosper.

So, yes, I am talking about versatility, as well as about much, much more.

Longasc · Nov 11, 2007, 04:24 PM // 16:24

Mark of Pain always gets forgotten.

In combo with Minions and physical attackers (I prefer Rangers for that, they do not even need to have Triple Shot, Heroes do well enough) it becomes an orgy of floating 42's.

Play more with Rangers - an be their N/Rt, not Healer, but provide them with Ancestor's Rage, Splinter Weapon, Vampiric Weapon and other Weapon Spells.

In fact Soul Reaping gives you the power to be much more durable than a primary rit, just take a Soul Reaping Staff, 14 SR (16 is not really necessary) and put the Rest in Channeling and/or Restoration.

Besides that, as Factions got released, I got tired of my Warrior - have not been playing him much besides doing the Campaigns and going back to the Necro, which became my new favorite char.

It might be that you just prefer other classes and playstyles at the moment. Then just play it.

But actually, I see little point in playing another than the main char at the moment. And it does not seem as if your Necro is your main. I play to add to my HoM at the moment, doing 1 dungeon or vanquishing one area per day.

Red_Dragon56 · Nov 12, 2007, 05:28 PM // 17:28

[skill]order of undeath[/skill][skill]animate Vampiric Horror[/skill]

Very fun combo IMO if only for the large damage increase and the sfact that you don't lose health this way.

[skill]spiteful spirit[/skill][skill]reckless haste[/skill][skill]price of failure[/skill]

I love using this against dumb physicals. If they hit, they take damage, miss, theyt take damage. Their attacks not only have a high chance to miss, but a large amount of damage is dealt to them.

I feel that farting around with different builds is the best part about Necromancers.

I still want to try out my Wells Necro again

.

Longasc · Nov 13, 2007, 08:35 AM // 08:35

Price of Failure is now 15 energy and 20 seconds recharge. From 10 and 10 recharge... say THX, PVP.

Moloch Vein · Nov 13, 2007, 09:56 AM // 09:56

Yes, it's a horrible nerf. Devastatingly bad.

imafake · Dec 01, 2007, 09:03 PM // 21:03

making builds is fun and if u wanna challenge be a necro/ele its fun trying to make a gd build for it and fun to play it. Once you master the prf comb ull be amazing

blue.rellik · Dec 02, 2007, 12:43 AM // 00:43

[skill]Spiteful Spirit[/skill] is my favorite skill in HM

Nothing an elementalist has can match it's damage

Zookie · Dec 02, 2007, 01:15 AM // 01:15

Here's what I've been running lately:

N/Rt weapon buffer

[skill]icy veins[/skill] or [skill]reaper's mark[/skill]
[skill]splinter weapon[/skill]
[skill]great dwarf weapon[/skill]
[skill]necrosis[/skill]
[skill]ebon battle standard of honor[/skill]
[skill]signet of lost souls[/skill]
optional
[skill]flesh of my flesh[/skill] or [skill]death pact signet[/skill]

attributes:
14-16 soul reaping
12 channeling

I'll usually run this with 2-3 barrage rangers depending on how much defense I need and just keep them buffed, drop the ward on the rangers and watch them blow stuff up. If I run some melee in the build I'll take ancestors rage, if no melee I'll add another weapon spell.. warmongers or nightmare weapon or something. With 16 in soul reaping (or 14, I'm too lazy to change rune to minor) you'll get tons of energy, it's not normally a problem.

Edit: I was just testing this and noticed that the barragers don't actually use barrage all that much. Still works very well, but I wasn't aware of any issue with the heroes not using barrage correctly. Maybe I'll try with paragon and or R/P spear builds to buff and see how that goes.

frojack · Dec 02, 2007, 03:35 PM // 15:35

Screw mm's. Blow up those corpses with Putrid, blow up mobs with Rising Bile and Putrid Bile, take either Toxic or Icy Veins and just... Blow shit up.

Way more fun, way more effective, and hearing MM's whine about corpses is priceless...

John Panda · Dec 02, 2007, 03:56 PM // 15:56

why heal your minions.. when you can blow them up..

[skill]death nova[/skill] no blood of the master or anything

upier · Dec 02, 2007, 06:32 PM // 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Longasc

[skill]Mark of Pain[/skill] always gets forgotten.

In combo with Minions and physical attackers (I prefer Rangers for that, they do not even need to have Triple Shot, Heroes do well enough) it becomes an orgy of floating 42's.

My kind of man!
Add the freaking godly [skill]Barbs[/skill] to that and PvE just explodes!
Plus something like [skill]Shadow Of Fear[/skill] and [skill]Enfeebling Blood[/skill] and watch the yellow numbers fly while at the same time negating insane amounts of damage!!
And the best thing - one didn't even come near the elite slot yet!

Marverick · Dec 03, 2007, 12:31 AM // 00:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Panda

why heal your minions.. when you can blow them up..

[skill]death nova[/skill] no blood of the master or anything

Because having minions blow up when there's nothing around to blow up on is bad?

Lourens · Dec 03, 2007, 10:05 AM // 10:05

[skill]Touch of Agony[/skill][skill]Wallow's Bite[/skill][skill]Dark Aura[/skill]

> dont die to quick

[skill]suffering[/skill][skill]arcane echo[/skill][skill]Feast of Corruption[/skill]

Ensign · Dec 03, 2007, 12:28 PM // 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moloch Vein

When it comes to shutdown, no class is better suited to disable large hordes of pve foes than necromancers - be it physicals or casters.

What do you use to disable casters with a Necromancer?

Lourens · Dec 03, 2007, 01:05 PM // 13:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

What do you use to disable casters with a Necromancer?

maybe he/she means [skill]Lingering Curse[/skill][skill]wither[/skill][skill]Soul Leech[/skill] or [skill]Depravity[/skill]

Pyro maniac · Dec 03, 2007, 01:08 PM // 13:08

[skill]Mark of Subversion[/skill]
but it's bad ..

Ataxia · Dec 03, 2007, 05:21 PM // 17:21

Mystic Orders can be fun as well =P

http://www.pvxwiki.com/wiki/Build:N/D_Mystic_Orders

Not very good but... fun =).

boogerboy72 · Dec 03, 2007, 06:14 PM // 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moloch Vein

That said there is no stronger PvE class in the game.

quoted for truth.

we have excelent e-mangement compared to that of an ele or even worse, a monk,

what other class can deal aoe damage like we can, while reducing an enemies effectiveness.

oh, and for my build,

[skill]necrosis[/skill][skill]barbs[/skill][skill]spiteful spirit[/skill][skill]mark of pain[/skill][skill]desecrate enchantments[/skill][skill]pain inverter[/skill][skill]signet of sorrow[/skill][skill]signet of lost souls[/skill]

i will change out barbs for enfeelbing blood if im not playing with an mm, and change mark of pain for IP

btw, were also the only class that can carry 2 elites at the same time

Moloch Vein · Dec 03, 2007, 11:11 PM // 23:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ensign

What do you use to disable casters with a Necromancer?

Depends on what you mean by disabling them. Does killing them count? Not being sarcastic, just that if you can make SV stick on an enemy monk while hammering his allies that does tend to solve that problem fairly quickly.

Energy denial works very badly vs monsters in most general (read "non-farming") cases in PvE. Thus we're left with interrupts and flat out killing them. As you know primary N interrupts are few and far between.

For interrupts I'd use either Shivers or Psychic Distraction. Shivers if I just wanted a shutdown button for a monk on an otherwise general Curses bar. PD if I wanted to dedicate the bar to interrupts and disabling.

Generally speaking a necromancer can run a PD build better than a mesmer in PvE. Due to the passive Soul Reaping benefits he is more unlikely to run out of energy in the blackout windows where he is dedicated to the elite spell.

Suggested bar:

Psychic Distraction - Cry of Frustration - Power Spike - Signet of Lost Souls - Mirror of Disenchantment - Gaze of Contempt - Well of the Profane - Resurrection Signet

Soul Reaping 11+1+1
Domination Magic 12
Death Magic 6

Obviously tweakable to your heart's content. Guilt/Shame can be added if that's to your liking, Diversion isn't such a great idea though due to the hideous casting time for a necromancer. Attributes are also open to debate. Domination interrupt signets can be added with a moderate investment in Inspiration and Mantra of Inscriptions...

Well of the Profane is an excellent and underused spell in PvE since monsters don't even bother moving out of it.

Since we don't generally concern ourselves with trying to E-deny our big bad monsters, Power Return is also a viable N interrupt at 0 FC. for N/E, Maelstrom and Deep Freeze is a pretty strong combination that works despite exhaustion concerns, if you time and place it properly.