Curse

CougarTheTall · Sep 09, 2006, 08:48 AM // 08:48

First post and first try at posting a build, so please be gentle.

I've been using the same build for quite a while and have had a lot of people ask me what I'm using, so here goes:

Armor:
All Infused
Luxon 15k Ascended.
Scar Pattern:Ragged-Blood +1 with Supierior Blood +3
Tunic: Cabalist Energy+8 with Minor Curses +1
Gloves: Revenant Energy +5 Health +5 with Major Soul Reaping +2
Leggings: Cabalist Energy +2 Energy Recov. +1 with Minor Death +1
Boots: Cabalist Energy +1 Energy Recov. +1 with Supierior Vigor +50

Weapon and Offhand:
Wayward Wand -Green- 11-22, 20% chance of halving recharge on Blood Spells
Bone Idol -Blue- Energy +12 Req 9 Curses, Energy +15, Health +30 Energy Recov. -1

Attributes:
Blood:16
Death:3
Soul Rep:12
Curses:9
Healing:1
Smiting:1

Skills:
Faintheartedness-23 sec Foes attack %50 slower and suffer -2 degen.
Life Siphon-25 Seconds Foe suffers -3 degen and I gain +3 regen.
Vampiric Gaze-Steal 63 heath from foe.
Lifebane Strike-Deal 50 shadow damage, if foe is above half heath, steal an additional 50 health. (Basically 100 damage if you time it right.)
Jaundiced Gaze-Steal 63 Health from foe.
-Elite-Offering Of Blood-Sacrifice 20% life, gain 21 Energy
Well Of Blood-21 seconds, allies in the well recieve +6 health regen.
-Optional-Usually a cap sig or res sig.

Basically this build deals alot of damage really fast, and can continue to do so as long as there is a sufficent energy supply (Hence Offering Of Blood) and with the Soul Reaping as high as it is, it usually isn't a problem. however, if you do run out, you're a stick in the mud until something dies. I'm usually always the last standing in a group because as long as I am attacking, I am healing myself and as long as there are bodies, I keep a Well of Blood up for myself and teammates. The motto I use with this build is "As long as I cast I live."

The hardest thing to get down about it, is when to use what skill and against what foes. Lead off with Faintheartedness followed by Lifebane against melee characters. Against casters, use Life Siphon>Life Bane>Vamp Gaze>Jaundiced Gaze, repeat, using OoB as often as possible to recharge energy.

The secondary profession of Monk is used in case I need to overhaul my skill-set to be a MM by request of a group or even a full blown monk (yes serveral times and quite well thank you), depending on mission needs.

However, I do invite anyone to make suggestions on improvement, particularly in Energy management. It normally isn't a problem but there are some situations where stuff isn't dieing fast enough or I may get in a hurry and deplete myself to quickly, thus leaving me standing there with a wand trying to fight off a warrior and waiting for the mana to recharge. Another thing is I can't quite come up with a solution to put all attributes in the Necro core attributes, there is always an odd number for some reason.

Another wonderful thing about this build is how effective it is with multiple people using identical builds. 2 Friends and I solo'd Arborstone with 3 of these characters and managed to get Masters. It's like a steamroller of Blood magic.

So, I hope some of you may build and enjoy a character like this as much as I have enjoyed mine, and like I said, I am completly open to suggestions if you have any. Thank you for your time.

-Cougar

Ensign · Sep 09, 2006, 10:46 AM // 10:46

Faint should be 12 specced, not 9. 3 pips on that skill is what makes it worth using.

Dark Pact is basically straight-up better than Jaundiced Gaze in PvE, you're spending 5 more energy for, what, 10 damage? The occasional lifesteal is hardly relevant. Parabond is strong in areas with hex removal, but it's hardly neccessary outside of PvP. The last slot (the Well of Blood slot) is basically a dump slot, I've run like a dozen skills there and don't like any of them.

Despite what you may think, this is not a high damage build. It's a fairly low to medium damage build that is very stable, with good resiliency. I run this sort of guy all the time in PvE when I want to guarantee a victory with henchmen, and I'd definitely recommend it for that, but don't play it if you're looking to steamroll monsters.

Peace,
-CxE

CougarTheTall · Sep 10, 2006, 12:15 AM // 00:15

Thank You Ensign.

Yes, this is primarly a PvE build, from which I have had great success, PvP on the otherhand has weilded mixed results, but I hardly play PvP so it doesn't matter that much to me.

I undertand what you mean about the -3 pip from Faintheartedness, and it used to be set that way, but I have found the extra energy boost I get from having Soul Reaping jacked up is more rewarding than the extra pip from the Faint skill. I might try to take all the extra attributes from Monk skills and lower SR a bit and see if Curses back up to 12 just to see which is better when I get home tonight. I will also replace Jaundiced Gaze with Dark Pact and give that a whirl as well.

Do you have any suggestions on weapons and offhands apart from what I already have or perhaps any other skills I don't have on there already?

Nessaja · Sep 10, 2006, 12:19 AM // 00:19

I normally run Lifebane/ Shadow/ Vamp/ Pact/ Oob/ Siphon / Faint / Sig

WoB is nice in some areas though.