Curse

Skyro · May 20, 2005, 04:49 AM // 04:49

Just looking for some constructive criticism or suggestions for improvements. So far works well in the arena and I know that's not a real good measure of build success but it is certainly not as gimped as people make it out to be. IMO it seems definitely viable so don't let all the nay-sayers tell you otherwise. Anyway my skillset is:

1) Deathly Swarm
2) Animate Bone Minions
3) Death Nova
4) Taste of Death
5) Shielding Hands
6) Shield of Regeneration (Elite)
7) Life Bond
8) Vengenance

Basically focus on prot spells early on (which is when such spells are most needed) and toss in Swarms when needed. Once you get some corpses the build just takes over as you life bond 2 or 3 party members (probably want to life bond you party's monk from the beginning) and soul reaping will be able to keep your mana up while the Taste + Nova combo keeps your health up and does some real carnage with damage and poison.

PvP reminds me much of a pendulum where once something tilts it is hard to grab the advantage back so Vengenance is used as a fail-safe in case one of your members are the first to fall. First raise some minions from their corpse, then revive with vengeance, nova your minions + the revived ally and in most cases that will actually give your party a small time frame where you have the advantage and can really turn the battle around. Plus it gives you another future guaranteed corpse to animate.

I also tinkered around with Smiting and Zealot's Fire since I figured it'd work well combined with death nova + taste of death combo triggering Zealot's fire twice but it didn't work well because I was not very useful before corpses fell. I was also thinking perhaps Shield of Deflection + Guardian might be better than Shield of Regen + Shielding Hands though I doubt it, and I'm not exactly sure how Deflection and Guardian would stack.

I was also thinking using the Infusion Condition + Martyr combo could work well on a situational basis (like vs a lot of rangers/warriors?), as well as a Malign Intervention + Verata's Gaze combo, though I don't know where I could fit it as I'd hate to give up any of my current skillset.

Anyway, opinions?

Virtuoso · May 20, 2005, 05:47 AM // 05:47

It seems like a pretty spiffy build, and I completely agree with the use of Vengence. It is a great skill and I use it for the same exact reasons you specified. I like how you slap a death nova on the character too, very effective. My question to you is, have you tried using any other skill besdies Shield of Regeneration? Personally, I think it is a waste of an elite skill as Healing Breeze is very similar. But, I understand you do not have any points in Healing. Still, the question stands, wouldn't you be better off with a different elite skill?

-Virt

Skyro · May 21, 2005, 01:59 AM // 01:59

True healing breeze is similar to shiled or regeneration but the 40 armor makes a big difference. Plus I don't want to spec in healing as I find the protection skills to be better suited for this build (I cannot imagine giving up life bond, it is too good

), and shielding hands, life bond, and shield of regeneration complement each other very well.

Skyro · May 25, 2005, 06:10 AM // 06:10

After tinkering around with some skills I switched over to smiting for a more offensive-minded spin. Necros are support classes through and through so with that in mind when choosing complementary skills I tossed in strength of honor and scourge healing to help with killing the enemy's monk, and shield of judgement to sustain the life and damage those focusing on your party's monk.

So now rather than sustaining your party's life which, in hindsight seems contradictary to a death necro build which requires corpses to be effective, (hough still effective if your party has sufficient offensive output) I now focus on getting those corpses ASAP, be it on their side or my side because of my more offense less defense approach. This also allows more situations where vengance comes into play, which I also like.