Curse

theclam · Jun 06, 2005, 04:44 AM // 04:44

Ok, I've got a couple questions for my Mo/N17.

First, I'm doing very well in PvE. My question is, how should I use my Necromancer secondary? When I solo (with henchmen), I use Bone Horrors very effectively. However, when I play with a group, I never have the time and I don't usually have the mana to use summons. I liked using summons with my Warlock in WoW, but with the constant life degen, the high mana cost, and the constant casting, it's just too much, considering that I have to be healing as well. Plus, there's often another Necromancer who could more effectively use the corpses. However, I do have the time and mana to use spells that are a bit less costly and time consuming. I've tried using Dark Pact, Vampiric Gaze, and Shadow Strike, or Deathly Swarm and Vile Touch to nuke, but I don't find that very interesting. I haven't used Curses at all. So, how can I get the most out of my Necromancer secondary?

SPOILERS!!!!!
Should I try out another secondary, and if so, how much longer will it be before I can do that (I believe I'm just after the mission where you find out that the White Mantle is sacrificing the chosen; if you can tell me without revealing spoilers I would be grateful).
SPOILERS!!!!!

Secondly, I'm having a hard time surviving in PvP (random Arena battles, not organized guild PvP). Is the random Arena too much of a crapshoot to do anything about it, or is there some sort of strategy that I can use to last longer? I was thinking about using my strategy that I have used soloing (without henchmen), which is Balthazar's Spirit, Mending, Retribution, combined with Healing Breeze and Orison of Healing (I used Smiting skills soloing, but I'd probably add Signet of Devotion, Resurrect, and another spell), but I haven't tried it yet. Is there some way that I can use my Necromancer secondary to increase my survivability?

Immortal Flame · Jun 06, 2005, 04:52 AM // 04:52

Monks secondary usually dont matter much, since all your energy will be needed for healing. Exception might be mesmer for its inspiration line. And the reason you die so fast if because everyone attacks you first, obviously...you are the healer. Changing your sec is still a long way off, btw.

mmcmain · Jun 06, 2005, 04:35 PM // 16:35

I like the Necro secondary. There are a lot of options for your necro spot:

Well of Blood If you like death

Shadow of Fear If you like curses (my choice).

Shadow of Fear is nice for when you get swarmed in PvP to take the edge of their damage for 30 seconds. If you get swarmed by more than 2 or 3 then you will likely not have the time to cast it though.

Another nice one to get is:

Plague Touch

This one is great when a sword warrior charges you. By transfering his bleed back to him you take away one of his skills.

Don't let anyone tell you that necro secondary is irrelevant. There are plenty of times I use 1 necro slot and only a few times I go out with all Monk skills.

Epinephrine · Jun 06, 2005, 06:20 PM // 18:20

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmcmain

I like the Necro secondary. There are a lot of options for your necro spot:

Well of Blood If you like death

Umm, rather unsurprisingly, Well of Blood is in Blood.

I'd have to agree that Curses are better for most monks than the others are - after all, reducing the damage your tanks are taking by cursing the opponent casters is a good thing. I suspect that protection magic combines well with curses as well, since it gives you an easy way to further reduce damage. Well of blood is nice, but then again if there is a blood necro in the party he/she'll likely run it with a good 5-6 pips of regeneration, and most of blood is pretty bad for a monk with the exceptions of Offering of Blood and the two wells.

Axehilt · Jun 06, 2005, 08:06 PM // 20:06

My Mo/N often used Well of Blood and Blood Ritual . Anytime you have a second healer in your party, Blood Ritual is awesome - you do less healing personally, but it doesn't matter cuz your second monk has an almost permanent +3 to energy regen. Even without a second monk, it's a great method of indirectly increasing your team's damage output if you have an Elementalist to cast it on.

Speaking of which, both Order of Pain and Order of the Vampire are outstanding party-wide damage buffs if your party is heavy on physical damage. They're both found a bit later in the game from where the original poster is, though, and occupy a lot of your time and energy.

And much later in the game Well of Power is a superb elite spell for Mo/Ns.

Curses are good too. Shadow of Fear and either Enfeeble (singletarget) or Enfeebling Blood (aoe but sacrifice life to use) are a potent combination against physical damage enemies. Faintheartedness is nice too, it pairs a small DoT with reduced attack rate. Weaken Armor is decent, but a bit weak in PVE. And lastly, Suffering is a nice way to put an AOE -2 degen on all the enemies as a battle-starting skill.

Death magic is okay, but you're very limited in which spells you can use if you still want to be a primary healer. The tanking and damage supplied by high level Bone Horrors means you won't need to heal as often. Putrid Explosion is a pretty decent tool, but you'll have to be very tactical about where you use it (since by its nature you're going to use it later in the battle, when Energy for healing is in high demand.) Dark Aura is a surprisingly awesome way to provide damage if you coordinate with a frontline necro who sacrifices life a lot - low energy cost, low amount of time spent casting it, and very high damage if you get it on a fanatical sacrifice-happy melee-range Necromancer.

Aug · Jun 06, 2005, 08:23 PM // 20:23

As a primary healer/protector, you really don't need a secondary. The only purpose a secondary has for a dedicated healer is for a touch more survivability. In which case, Warrior with Bonetti's Stance is probably the best (any Elem can (and should) run Ward Against Melee/Element).

In random 4v4, I generally only bring in Monk skills. Mend Condition, Remove Hex, Divine Boon, Reversal of Fortune, Orison of Healing and a rez take up 6 of your 8 slots. The last 2 spots can be given to either another heal, like Breeze, or Prot enchantment like Protective Spirit or Mark of Protection or maybe even Pacifism (this takes some communication to use effectively), or secondary class skills like Bonetti's Defense and "Watch Yourself!".

Lady Leara · Jun 06, 2005, 10:16 PM // 22:16

Where do you get Remove Hex?? I hate those backfire from mesmer