Curse

Whey · Apr 20, 2006, 03:53 PM // 15:53

Okay, so there is only one skill that sacs health directly. But anyways, after playing around with the build for awhile as R/N, eventually realizing (after Huntmaster suggested it) that N/R is better, I have revised this build a little. It works surprisingly well in RA, and I'm wondering if it would be any good anywhere else.

The build consists of:
Death Nova
Dark Aura
Blood is Power (Elite)
Consume Corpse or Putrid Explosion
Taste of Death
Edge of Extinction
Animate Bone Minions
Ressurection Signet

Death Magic 12 + 3 + 1
Beast Mastery 12
Soul Reaping 3 + 1

After realizing that Predatory Season and Malign Intervention don't help whatsoever, I replaced those two skills with Animate Bone Minions and Taste of Death. This build is somewhat different than the earlier one, and battles in RA now go like this:

Wait until everyone is somewhat close together, use EoE, then use Death Nova on all allies followed by Dark Aura on self. Then, wait until someone on either team dies and summon minions. Use death nova on both minions, but do not use taste of death. When another person inevitably dies, raise more minions. Use death nova on those minions too. Then, have the minions run into a group of people, and spam taste of death. Everyone should be dead.

If someone on the enemy team is at about 2/3rds health and is one of the last people standing, make sure Dark Aura and Death Nova are on, then spam Blood is Power on an ally. This should kill them no matter what.

If a group of people just got AoE'd by an ele, immediately run up to them spam BiP on an ally while Dark Aura and Death Nova are on. This should wipe everyone out instantly. This actually happened a few times.

If an ally dies in a group and Death Nova triggers on all of them, EoE and Death Nova combined should do enough damage for BiP spam with Dark Aura and Death Nova on to kill them.

Also, I have gotten into a group with a monk that had Unyielding Aura, and found that I could sac bomb people every 15 or so seconds.

This build seems to be very situational, but I'm sure other people can come up with more ideas.

Edit:
I feel like adding numbers, so I will.

If an ally dies with Death Nova on followed by Putrid Explosion with EoE out, damage is 105+127=232+43=275. If poison lasts 15 seconds with 8 health per second, it deals 120 damage. So, assuming poison lasts, the total damage would be 395. All of this damage pierces armor and is AoE.

If you spam BiP while Dark Aura and Death Nova are on you and EoE is out, damage is 53*3=159+105=264+43=307. Although poison is usually removed quickly, the total damage including it would be 307+120=427. Again, armor piercing AoE damage. The downside to this is that you die horribly.

If an ally dies while Death Nova is on and EoE is out, you raise minions from their corpse, cast death nova on them, then spam Taste of Death, total damage is 105+43=148+(105*2)=358. Again, with poison damage the total would be 358+120=478. Downside to this is that it takes quite a bit of time to get set up.

If you raise 4 minions (use Animate Bone Minions twice) and use Death Nova on all of them, then follow up with Taste of Death spam, damage is (not counting the people who died) 105*4=420. And of course the poison damage which will probably never last for its full duration brings the total to 420+120=540. 420 damage alone is enough to kill some people, because of their superior runes. However, seeing as it is PvP, chances are no one will be at full health by the time you have used Animate Bone Minions twice, making this an AoE 1-2 second kill, not counting the preparation time. Also, EoE takes off 43 health per person that dies, causing 86 damage total to everyone. Problem with this is by the time you have raised bone minions and used Death Nova on them, followed by taste of death, you will only have 5 energy left, assuming there is time between two people dying.

This is something that probably won't happen, but if two allies with Death Nova on them die while EoE is up, you raise 4 minions, use Death Nova on all of them, spam taste of death, run up to the enemy with Dark Aura and Death Nova on, then spam BiP on an ally, total damage would be 105*2=210+(43*2)=296+(105*4)=716+(53*3)=875+105=98 0. With poison, that is 1100+ damage. This might be useful in PvE somewhere, but I can't think of a logical PvP application.

Yarr. Math. I'm happy now.

ender6 · Apr 20, 2006, 04:45 PM // 16:45

This build requires a lot of IF's to be useful. Seems like it would be better suited for a TA where you can ocherstrate battle plans with team mates, as opposed to RA where what you get is never what you want.

But if you say it works then stick wid it...

Whey · Apr 20, 2006, 05:32 PM // 17:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by ender6

This build requires a lot of IF's to be useful. Seems like it would be better suited for a TA where you can ocherstrate battle plans with team mates, as opposed to RA where what you get is never what you want.

But if you say it works then stick wid it...

I suppose it does, but I personally haven't been in a match where people haven't died. That is what makes this build somewhat effective in RA. I considered taking it into TA, but then I realized that not only are there not many people there, there aren't really any people open to new build ideas. My guild is more of a PvE guild, and I therefore can't turn to them, either.

This build would probably be even more effective with two necros running it, and two monks with Unyielding Aura, but chances are no monk will willingly put UA on their skillbar in TA, and no necro will want to sac himself to de...Oh, wait. *looks at RA*

ender6 · Apr 20, 2006, 07:28 PM // 19:28

Sounds like it would be more effective if you brought some low level pets into the mix, to gaurentee that you get a quick set of minnions.

So get rid of Rez and Consume Corpse (off set this with an increase in soul reaping) and then add Charm animal and res animal (comfort animal i think).
go to ascalon and capture a low level pet.

Just a thought.

holden · Apr 20, 2006, 08:37 PM // 20:37

dont you sacrifice 33% with blood is power? that with the loss of health for dark aura is pretty costly just to add a little damage.

Whey · Apr 21, 2006, 09:33 PM // 21:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by holden

dont you sacrifice 33% with blood is power? that with the loss of health for dark aura is pretty costly just to add a little damage.

Well, yes, that is a problem with this build. But there is no other sac skill that has no cooldown and casts in 1/4th of a second, which of course makes me sad. However, it is not just a little damage, as shown by the math.

Any other sac skill might work if they are used in combination, but that would take up more skill slots and be much easier to counter. Nobody expects a necro to run up to them and start spamming BiP, damaging them all.

I believe I am going to try this build again when factions comes out. If there are any skills that help this build, I will add them, and try this build out in the 12vs12 arenas.

And frankly, I don't want to lower beast mastery to put points into soul reaping so I can use a pet. That would basically change this build into a glorified minion factory.