Curse

Alecks Deeleyx · Jul 21, 2007, 12:25 AM // 00:25

I was wondering if any one can give me some advice to build a good blood necro ?

Stormlord Alex · Jul 21, 2007, 12:50 AM // 00:50

Ok... start out by not using Life Transfer. If you wanted to degen, Curses - and Reaper's Mark - is the way to go. Life Transfer, as a general rule of thumb, sucks.

Also, as a note... Yeah, I'm a tad biased. I don't think I'd ever run a pure Blood build - there's not enough in there to make it stand out, powerful by itself.
Likely, I'd use Spoil Victor [skill]spoil victor[/skill], combined with a couple of Blood magic DDs - I quite like Blood of the Aggressor, especially in PvE - then throw on a few nasty Curses to complement - stuff like Faintheartedness or Price of Failure. Combined with whatever other odds and ends of party support/utility would be suitable for the area you're in, stuff like Well of blood or Blood Ritual (in the highly likely event your PuG monks suck), an Ecnahnt removal if needed, and Signet of Lost Souls for energy-management, and you're good to go.

Mesmer in Need · Jul 21, 2007, 01:17 AM // 01:17

Lifebane/shadow strike are good direct damage skills that can heal you also, but they can get expensive. Unlike life transfer, life siphon has a short recharge and can be spread across multiple enemies and healing you also. Spoil is an excellent elite. If you add in awaken the bllod, you can make it really powerful. As for other skills, sig of lost souls is great for energy managment, and maybe vampiric gaze or barbed signet also fit great in a blood bar.

samcobra · Jul 21, 2007, 01:18 AM // 01:18

1) spoil victor is easily the best blood magic skill in the game. Use it and use life siphon to cover.
2) blood magic is weak by itself, but combined with hexes from the curses line becomes pretty efficient. Again, the point of a necromancer is not to do its pathetic little life stealing damage but to shut people down and annoy the RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GO out of them. Any of that 5 second recharge blood shit is diversion bait and ultimately way less damaging than say an ele or something
3) by sticking to shutting down, you do way more damage. For example, take [skill]spoil victor[/skill]+[skill]price of failure[/skill] + [skill]reckless haste[/skill] + [skill]life siphon[/skill] + [skill]parasitic bond[/skill] + [skill]signet of lost souls[/skill] + res and you have an amazing bar.

Div · Jul 21, 2007, 09:46 AM // 09:46

Run it based off spoil victor. Anyone who runs life transfer is silly with that long recharge with not great benefits...

Dr Strangelove · Jul 21, 2007, 06:03 PM // 18:03

Agree on spoil victor being completely awesome, there's a few other worthwile things, though

[/skill]dark aura[/skill][skill]aura of the lich[/skill][skill]blood renewal[/skill][skill]touch of agony[/skill][skill]wallow's bite[/skill][skill]signet of agony[/skill][skill]plague touch[/skill]rez

Not a pure blood build, and lacks a speed boost, but still fun as heck.

[skill]cultist's fervor[/skill][skill]enfeebling blood[/skill][skill]oppressive gaze[/skill][skill]vampiric swarm[/skill][skill]strip enchantment[/skill][skill]vampiric gaze[/skill][skill]well of blood[/skill]rez

Vampiric gaze can be swapped out for unholy feast if you like to live dangerously. Fun for the armor ignoring damage, actually not as terrible as you might think against hard mode enemies with massive amounts of armor (I'm looking at you white mantle knights)

Bloodborn · Jul 21, 2007, 11:49 PM // 23:49

I tried Cultist's Fervor last night in AB. Arcane Echo + CF + Lifesteal skills = spammtastic easymode killing spree.

pingu666 · Jul 22, 2007, 01:51 AM // 01:51

i used blood for abit on my survivor necro
sols
optional
blood of the aggressor
lifebane
shadow strike
vamparic swarm
demonic flesh
res

no elite because i was going for survivor, and in pugs, so i kept putting off taking a cap and stuff :\. got bip and lingering curse tho :\/
bip is pretty hilarious with 600-800 health.

but yeah, blood isnt that great :\. nice for a survivor cos of the life steal, tho now im using curses

pingu666 · Jul 22, 2007, 01:52 AM // 01:52

oh, well of blood is pretty nice

Corpselooter · Jul 22, 2007, 08:22 AM // 08:22

Instead of saying 'You don't.' you might want to try the dark aura bomber build, which is major fun in AB too.

Shuuda · Jul 22, 2007, 10:24 PM // 22:24

^That would normally be:

Aura of the Lich
Dark Aura
Touch of Agony
Wallow bite
Blood renewal
Comsume Corpse
Optional
Optional

Not really a full Blood, more of a Death/Blood combo, but tis fun

Fuzzy Taco · Jul 26, 2007, 01:36 AM // 01:36

i'm a n00b, so i like Bloodspike. This Build is infinitely fun, with Spoil Victor replacing Life transfer. also, as was posted earlier, blood + curses is a great way to go for shutdown.

jayce · Jul 26, 2007, 03:41 AM // 03:41

a loss of up to 294 HP in 3 seconds (336 in 4 on higher level) after casting only 2 armor ignoring skills on target, so i wouldn't really call blood weak and its extremly powerful in the right situation. this is serious energy taxing so it requires the upmost discipline and paticent. there is a reason why Arenanet doesn't screw with blood skills too much. curses gets the most love, followed closely by death.

Jayce Of Underworld

aigleborgne · Jul 29, 2007, 12:28 PM // 12:28

I have to disagree with some of you (I have played a blood necro for a long time)

All following statements are for PvE.
Pure blood is not very efficient, as spells are costly and damage is not that high.
But a mix of Blood/Death or Blood/Curse is very good.

In Blood, I recommand those spells:
- Blood of the Agressor
- Touch of Agony / Wallow Bite / Signet of Agony (in a dark aura build)
- Soul Leech (one of the best blood elite)
- Spoil Victor (godly on boss, but for normal monsters, they usually work for 1 or 2 hits, which is still good)
- Well of Power / Blood : on some situations, these are good
- Awaken the Blood / Demonic Flesh / Blood Renewal : Might be good depending on the build. Personally, I often run AtB

Life Transfer is not good in PvE but can be ok in PvP, couple with arcane echo. The point is not only the degen, but the regen.

I didn't test Cultist Fervor a lot, but I will.

All other direct damage blood spells don't worth a slot. Although I sometimes use Shadow Strike, Lifebane Strike, and Blood Drinker, but I don't like their 2s casting time... (and recharge are too long)

I usually run something like 13/13/11 blood/curse/soul. with AtB, I have 15/15 which is good enough to make almost any blood/curse build.

On a final note, arcane echo is usually a good skill on a necro build.
Area with many casters? Arcane echo, Soul Leech.