Curse

arcanemacabre · Apr 12, 2006, 09:49 AM // 09:49

I normally run an MM, but I was wanting a change of pace and possibly a good alternative. When I started and until the Desert, I used a Blood/Death build, paying no mind to my secondary (Ele at the time). I changed my secondary to Mesmer, then finally Monk to take advantage of Heal Area.

When I got to ThK, I ran into a few problems. The problems seemed to lie more with my not having any knowledge of the layout and what to do and less with my build, but I felt the need to alter it anyway. I had no problem beating it with my wife and some henchies after making this build, and it seemed really fun, but I can't help to think I'm missing something.

I would just like some advice on what I should do. I'm not sure exactly what I'm going for, but I can say that I do most everything with my wife's character (R/Mo sometimes Trapper, Interrupter, or both), and we like to compliment each other, of course.

Here it is: (N/Mo)
Death - 16 (12+1+3)
Blood - 12 (11+1)
Soul Reaping - The rest (+1)

Enfeeble
Virulence (These two are left over from my MM build, never fail me

)
Well of Blood
Well of Suffering
Rebirth
Soul Feast
Shadow Strike
Vampiric Gaze

For this I use Kole's Torment for my weapon. Kinda low on funds so if you suggest a weapon, make sure it's fairly inexpensive to buy/make.

This becomes a great degen damager, as the Well of Suffering gives -6, and with Virulence giving Poison and Disease, each -4 degen conditions, the disease spreads and causes all mobs in the area to have -10, and the target -14 (I know -10 is max, but it does count against regen).

Well of Blood seriously helps me and my team out when help is needed, of course, while Shadow Strike and Vamp Gaze make great immediate heals and great finishers (or starters for shadow strike). Soul Feast can go, as I rarely if ever use it.

I am by no means a master of builds, as you can see... but I definately like where this one is going. Haven't acquired Well of Power yet, but not sure if I'd want to give up my Virulence. Eh, but what do I know?

Edit: As a side, this character is strictly PvE.

-Six- · Apr 12, 2006, 04:35 PM // 16:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcanemacabre

Soul Feast can go, as I rarely if ever use it.

I agree...if you want to "spend" corpses on wells, Soul Feast doesn't really fit.

Murder In China · Apr 12, 2006, 04:59 PM // 16:59

I wonder where you can check.

I'm pretty sure there's no stickies to look at.

Garka Dark · Apr 12, 2006, 05:26 PM // 17:26

Just to let you know...Disease spreads to creatures of the same type..so i wouldn't recommend using this in PvP unless you hated your team ^_^

Murder In China · Apr 12, 2006, 05:52 PM // 17:52

Or you have a Tainted Necromancer.

arcanemacabre · Apr 13, 2006, 04:56 AM // 04:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garka Dark

Just to let you know...Disease spreads to creatures of the same type..so i wouldn't recommend using this in PvP unless you hated your team ^_^

Yeah, quite well aware of that. But this is a PvE build as I stated, so shouldn't run into too many problems there.

To Murder In China: I read through the stickies before posting, and didn't see any builds that struck a chord with me, much less any build that utilized the Well of Blood and Well of Suffering, or was much like this build at all. Call this a new build/strategy. Say I'm presenting this new build to all and if someone wants to use it, they can.

All I'm asking for is a little help in perfecting it (if that's at all possible). So far, I have removed Soul Feast for Strip Enchantment, and Shadow Strike for Deathly Swarm. Hunting a little in Perdition Rock with this build and I'm really liking it.

Current Build as is:

Enfeeble
Virulence
Well of Blood
Well of Suffering
Rebirth
Strip Enchantment
Vampiric Gaze
Deathly Swarm

ender6 · Apr 13, 2006, 05:22 PM // 17:22

So this is exclusively for PvE? well then I suppose anything goes. I am not too fond of wells myself. I would prefer a good MM using the corpses to a wells Necro any day. Have you tried the classic SS necro build out? You'll have to switch your secondary to Mesmer. I think you should experiment with a few of the PvE classic builds, if only one time, so you can gain an appreciation for the varying builds. Might get your juices flowing, and a new build might come out of it.

arcanemacabre · Apr 13, 2006, 07:20 PM // 19:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by ender6

So this is exclusively for PvE? well then I suppose anything goes. I am not too fond of wells myself. I would prefer a good MM using the corpses to a wells Necro any day. Have you tried the classic SS necro build out? You'll have to switch your secondary to Mesmer. I think you should experiment with a few of the PvE classic builds, if only one time, so you can gain an appreciation for the varying builds. Might get your juices flowing, and a new build might come out of it.

Yeah, I've tried a few out. In fact, I've tried most of them out. Honestly, though, I don't like to copy. Besides, I was quite successful with my MM build, and I discovered later that it was a lot like most of the MM builds out there (then again, with limited spells, how could it not be?). I just wanted something new.

I find that the wells, when done in the order of Suffering > Blood, is quite effective in taking down mobs and keeping the team alive. It's not a solo build, by far, but it does seem to be quite effective in an organized team (that's not so hell bent on proven tactics like the book trick or B/P and the like).

I guess my 'downfall' is I like to strive for uniqeness in a game with limited -good- options. I wish more of the skills had a better use than they do. Ah, but in a perfect world, everything would be balanced from the get-go. Eh, I stick with what I said about this being a fun build.

Cadmann · Apr 13, 2006, 10:33 PM // 22:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcanemacabre

<snip>
I find that the wells, when done in the order of Suffering > Blood, is quite effective in taking down mobs and keeping the team alive. It's not a solo build, by far, but it does seem to be quite effective in an organized team (that's not so hell bent on proven tactics like the book trick or B/P and the like).

I guess my 'downfall' is I like to strive for uniqeness in a game with limited -good- options. I wish more of the skills had a better use than they do. Ah, but in a perfect world, everything would be balanced from the get-go. Eh, I stick with what I said about this being a fun build.

And I have absolutely no problem with you asking. I've frankly been getting bored with all the templated builds running around (raises hand - guilty sir!). I think the necro is my favorite because it can be an out-right damage dealer, as well as an *excellent* support character. Personally, I love wells as long as there's no PVE MM to compete with (otherwise I feel like I should only use them in emergencies). I've never done much with well of suffering, but now I'll have to give it a swing.

I'll look at your build later tonight in detail and see what I can suggest. I've played many variations on necro so maybe something will pop up.

Cadmann

Cadmann · Apr 14, 2006, 01:11 AM // 01:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by arcanemacabre

Here it is: (N/Mo)
Death - 16 (12+1+3)
Blood - 12 (11+1)
Soul Reaping - The rest (+1)

Enfeeble
Virulence (These two are left over from my MM build, never fail me

)
Well of Blood
Well of Suffering
Rebirth
Soul Feast
Shadow Strike
Vampiric Gaze

I know you posted a modified version, but I'll work from this one first. I presume your wife inflicts the condition needed for virulence to take effect.

Dark Pact is usually a nice combo for Shadow Strike, as Shadow Strike balances the Dark Pact's sacrifice.

I like enfeeble, but since you are using well of suffering and virulence, I expect that you are tending to like PVE enemies that clump near each other. I'd recommend considering Shadow of Fear (lasts longer than enfeeble). I've gotten a lot of benefit from it in supporting the team that's fighting in the mix. Enfeebling Blood might be an alternative (same duration as enfeeble), but its another sacrifice. Or, instead of replacing enfeeble with either of these, replace Soul Feast with one of them. On the other hand, enfeeble only costs 5 and has a 1 second regen....spammy spammy and they don't have to be adjacent....

I kind of envisioned you working this build (and my revisions of it) like this:

- stay back until the enemy is engaged around the fighters/tanks
- cast enfeeble/enfeebling blood/shadow of fear on the enemy/group
- spam shadow strike/dark pact/vampiric gaze to help drop enemies
- cast well of suffering as soon as a corpse is down
- follow with well of blood (or reverse the order if team needs health first)

All of these work nicely from a nice, safe aggro circle distance I believe.

Of course, if this is not how you play it, then my comments are probably junk.

Another alternative would be to replace Soul Feast with Spinal Shivers. You are maxed on Death, and probably have a cold weapon. Since your have nothing in Curses, Shivers will only last 10 seconds, but if you've never cast Shivers on a Monk boss and then started hitting them with your staff's cold dmg, well, it's plain old fun. Some people worry about the energy management, but I've not had an issue with it.

As for your updated version, I think most of my comments still apply. I'd still consider Shadow of Fear/Enfeebling Blood as alternatives for Enfeeble, but that's just me, and you've got me rethinking it. I also like Strip Enchant.

Weaknesses off the top of my head: use of curses with no Curses points. Also, there is a general feel for attacking enemies that are adjacent, and some PVE areas that doesn't happen as much as it does in others.

As for well of power, I really like it even if its a pain to cap in mineral springs if you don't have the right party. However, I only carry it if my build is not built around another elite. If I'm only carrying well of blood and no other elite, then well of power it is.

I may try a version of this one, but I'll have to introduce the condition for virulence myself.

G'luck,

Cadmann

arcanemacabre · Apr 14, 2006, 04:13 AM // 04:13

I just want to say first off, that I really appreciate you taking the time to reply and help me with this build. Now onto the meat of the matter:

Quote: