Post by Indigo on Sept 21, 2015 13:50:19 GMT 1
Originally inspired by some wardrobe design for my Charr Necromancer, I decided to keep the theme going in my actual build. The result, a stupidly tanky build which doesn't do much damage but can be useful in certain situations. I present -
The Anti-Necro
Bonus Pet Rock!
For a more visual look at the build check it out at Into The Mists - HERE
Before I start, I should note this is a "fun" build. Try not to take this too seriously, I was having fun creating this build and playing it and I think I have optimized it well based on the way I play. But if you try this, you may find different things work out for you.
Bonus Pet Rock!
For a more visual look at the build check it out at Into The Mists - HERE
Before I start, I should note this is a "fun" build. Try not to take this too seriously, I was having fun creating this build and playing it and I think I have optimized it well based on the way I play. But if you try this, you may find different things work out for you.
Weapons and Skills
Staff | Axe & *** (I use Warhorn for the daze and swiftness but it's personal preference.)
PvE and Roaming
Heal - Consume Conditions. With the tankiness of this build and the signet and the corruption you'll end up with a decent amount of conditions on yourself if you're fighting with a group of players.
Utility 1 - Blood Is Power. 8 might stacks for you and 5 allies, especially useful in dungeons. At a cost of 2 stacks of bleeding, you should have little issue cleansing.
Utility 2 - Plague Signet. Constantly grabbing allies conditions, if you're fighting an enemy who sends a lot of conditions you'll be grabbing most of them. The active is very nice also as you send 5 conditions to the targeted enemy. It also give you 3 might stacks and is a stun break.
Utility 3 - Personal Preference. This is situational, I find most of the time I lack swiftness so I use Spectral Walk for the 30s of swiftness. it's also an additional stun break In a battle situation switching to Corrosive Poison Cloud for more outgoing conditions. Signet of Undeath is a cool left field option also.
Elite - Personal Preference again. Right now I prefer Plague for the constant stability whilst tagging everything in the area. Lich Form would also work, it's up to you.
WvW Zerging
Heal - Well Of Blood. Here you're offering healing for the zerg. As I'm not grabbing all the conditions there's no need for Consume Conditions. Well Of Blood offers more.
Utility 1 - Well Of Suffering. Standard damage well for the Zerg, constant damage ticks and enemy vulnerability stacks. Swap for Well Of Power for more zerg utility with the condition conversion and the extra aoe stability.
Utility 2 - Well Of Corruption. Extra damage ticks and the conversions of boons to conditions on enemies is nice utility you can offer the zerg. Swapping this for Well of Power would also work.
Utility 3 - Spectral Walk. Mainly this is for personal swiftness but it also offers us a stun break and a quick teleport to original position to get out of those tight situations. Swap out for Signet of Undeath if your party/zerg is providing you plenty of swiftness. An additional mini battle standard is cool to have in fights.
Elite - Plague. Lots of tagging, lots of stability. This is a pretty cool move to pull on an enemy zerg if your group is dominating the fight. For best effects when an enemy zerg is trying to regroup. Death Shroud (F1) then Dark Path (2) in the middle of the zerg and pop Plague as soon as you're in the middle of them. It can cause a disorganized group to scatter, just make sure your melee train is following you so you don't get focused.
Specializations
The following choices are based on the way I play this Necromancer build. I'll go into how I play a bit further down.
Blood Magic
Ritual of Life is a nice utility trait when reviving allies. Swap for Quickening Thirst if you've equipped a dagger.
Vampiric Presence offers some life stealing for a group of allies. Life from Death is a good option also for a more pure healer.
Transfusion, this is offers a really nice group heal (4500+ easily) It also partially revives dead allies and allows you to move downed players to you. When used correctly you can do some great work for a group.
Spite
Spiteful Renewal is a nice mini condition cleanse and heal.
Rending Shroud for vulnerability stack on enemies when entering a shroud, which is something you should do fairly often.
Signet of Suffering for the reduced Signet recharge meaning we can transfer conditions or revive allies more often. Plus some bonus might stacks on activation.
Soul Reaping
Speed Of Shadows is chosen mainly for the Shroud recharge reduction, but the extra 25% movement speed inside the shroud is a benefit as well.
Vital Persistence again is a specific choice to allow your time in shroud to last a lot longer and have the skills off CD quicker.
Foot In The Grave is my personal choice for the last soul reaping specialization as it's an extra stun break and some free stability, but Dhuumfire could also work here for a more condition based build.
Equipment
This is where we go hard or go home.
Armour
Full Nomads/Ventari (Toughness+, Healing Power, Vitality)
Runes
Melandru (Toughness, Vitality, - Incoming Condition Duration, - Incoming Stun Duration)
Trinkets
Full Nomads if possible (Problem here being it's not easy to acquire all the nomads trinkets without doing Living Story Season 2 achievements) Soldiers would work here no problem too.
Weapons
Nomads/Ventari Staff | Nomad's/Ventari Axe/*** (I use Warhorn, but swap it for personal preference)
Sigils
Most of this is personal preference, I doubt this is optimal at all you may find other sigils work better for you.
Staff : Bloodlust for a bit of power to help out, you could swap for Momentum or Life to get a different kind of stacking bonus. Hydromancy, this was inspired by the fact the Reaper is coming out and it's base on the Chill condition and as you maybe in the middle of an enemy zerg during the weapon swap this can be very useful. Swap out for Energy for a more standard sigil.
Axe : Restoration, it just adds to the tanky feel of the build getting some life back on a kill
*** : Strength, the chance of extra might stacks could prove very useful. Swap out for Renewal for a more Healer based feel.
Foods
As I said at the start, this is a fun build so I don't buy top of the line food. My food of choice is usually Loaves of Raspberry Peach Bread (+80 Vitality, +60 Toughness, 10% Exp) with Hardened Sharpening Stones (Power = 5% Toughness, Power = 3% Vitality, 10% Exp). If however you wanted to splash the cash, Loaf of Omnomberry Bread (+100 Vitality, +70 Toughness, 10% Exp) and Potent Superior Sharpening Stones (6%, 4%, 10% Exp) would be my choices.
TP Prices - (Buy Now prices per 1)
Raspberry Peach Bread - 67c
Hardened Sharpening Stones - 1.85s
Omnomberry Bread - 8.49s
Potent Superior Sharpening Stones - 19.78s
The Numbers (Potentially)
These are estimated numbers based on having Ascended Nomad/Ventari equipments in all available slots. As you can see the potential health is stupidly high for a Necromancer whilst offering no amazing damage stats.
How I play The Anti-Necro
PvE varies quite a bit from WvW zerging as I stated above so I'll split the two.
PvE and Roaming WvW
The best way I've found to play this build is to be a Utility player for a group of players. Solo the Anti-Necro isn't too useful, the build does next to no damage. You can quickly offer a party 8 might stacks, keep conditions on you and off your allies and provide a pretty large heal in combat. An example utility rotation might be with your party close, Blood Is Power, then Plague Signet on a target. (This is the quick might stacks for everyone and you get 4 stacks of bleeding onto a target plus whatever other conditions you grabbed off your allies.)
Move with the group and don't be afraid to engage with them. In the middle of a group of enemies feel free to pop Plague and get some conditions on to them, being sure to cycle through all of the conditions. If the party is looking like they maybe getting low, enter Death Shroud, open up with some Tainted Shackles followed quickly by Life Transfer for a big heal on the party. Whilst in fights use the Staff marks to be more annoying than anything else, engaging with the Chill mark and save the Fear mark for emergency situations like if an enemy is trying to stomp an ally or you have a lot of enemies focusing you. Switch to Axe/*** when in closer combat, one of the reasons I chose Warhorn is because of the Daze it can offer.
When I play, I am wanting to be in Shroud using Life Transfer as often as possible to keep your party alive. Staying close to group members to keep conditions on you and giving them the might stacks when possible. It really is about being a utility player out there and working for the party rather than damaging enemies as much as possible.
WvW Zerging
I play this slightly differently. Necromancers in zerg fights tend to be popular targets, they can do a lot of damage to a large group of enemies very quickly, it makes sense. So I try to use that to my advantage.
On an initial engagement. I'll often engage to the side of a friendly zerg making myself more of a target. I'll make it look like I'm playing fairly standard placing marks and wells down, offering more utility for the zerg than damage, looking like a Necromancer with poor positional play. I'm actively trying to be a target choice for focus groups.
On the second engagement or an attempted enemy regroup. I'm engaging with the melee train from the side popping my Plague as soon as I'm in the group. Don't be afraid to engage with your melee train, you're a tanky bastard, you can still die if an entire zerg focuses you. But if you time it right you should have no issues getting in the middle of the melee madness. I'll keep the plague going for as long as I can survive it, if my HP is looking low, it's time to hop out and enter Death Shroud, Life Transferring as I escape and regroup.
This is usually where I have the most fun with the build as I'm just jumping in very deep and people will try to kill me thinking, "He's a Necro, he'll just die quickly" and I just... don't. I'm focused primarily at being an active target for the enemy whilst offering as much utility as I can to my zerg. It's all in the timing and causing as much chaos as possible.
Feedback
I'll take any feedback on the build and the write up itself. Did I miss anything? Got any fun variation ideas on the build? I highly doubt this is optimal but it's what I've found fun to play. It takes a class normally well defined and brings a more left field approach to it. I have a lot of fun playing The Anti-Necro and it's more designed to inspire something different. I hope you enjoyed the write up
Staff | Axe & *** (I use Warhorn for the daze and swiftness but it's personal preference.)
PvE and Roaming
Heal - Consume Conditions. With the tankiness of this build and the signet and the corruption you'll end up with a decent amount of conditions on yourself if you're fighting with a group of players.
Utility 1 - Blood Is Power. 8 might stacks for you and 5 allies, especially useful in dungeons. At a cost of 2 stacks of bleeding, you should have little issue cleansing.
Utility 2 - Plague Signet. Constantly grabbing allies conditions, if you're fighting an enemy who sends a lot of conditions you'll be grabbing most of them. The active is very nice also as you send 5 conditions to the targeted enemy. It also give you 3 might stacks and is a stun break.
Utility 3 - Personal Preference. This is situational, I find most of the time I lack swiftness so I use Spectral Walk for the 30s of swiftness. it's also an additional stun break In a battle situation switching to Corrosive Poison Cloud for more outgoing conditions. Signet of Undeath is a cool left field option also.
Elite - Personal Preference again. Right now I prefer Plague for the constant stability whilst tagging everything in the area. Lich Form would also work, it's up to you.
WvW Zerging
Heal - Well Of Blood. Here you're offering healing for the zerg. As I'm not grabbing all the conditions there's no need for Consume Conditions. Well Of Blood offers more.
Utility 1 - Well Of Suffering. Standard damage well for the Zerg, constant damage ticks and enemy vulnerability stacks. Swap for Well Of Power for more zerg utility with the condition conversion and the extra aoe stability.
Utility 2 - Well Of Corruption. Extra damage ticks and the conversions of boons to conditions on enemies is nice utility you can offer the zerg. Swapping this for Well of Power would also work.
Utility 3 - Spectral Walk. Mainly this is for personal swiftness but it also offers us a stun break and a quick teleport to original position to get out of those tight situations. Swap out for Signet of Undeath if your party/zerg is providing you plenty of swiftness. An additional mini battle standard is cool to have in fights.
Elite - Plague. Lots of tagging, lots of stability. This is a pretty cool move to pull on an enemy zerg if your group is dominating the fight. For best effects when an enemy zerg is trying to regroup. Death Shroud (F1) then Dark Path (2) in the middle of the zerg and pop Plague as soon as you're in the middle of them. It can cause a disorganized group to scatter, just make sure your melee train is following you so you don't get focused.
Specializations
The following choices are based on the way I play this Necromancer build. I'll go into how I play a bit further down.
Blood Magic
Ritual of Life is a nice utility trait when reviving allies. Swap for Quickening Thirst if you've equipped a dagger.
Vampiric Presence offers some life stealing for a group of allies. Life from Death is a good option also for a more pure healer.
Transfusion, this is offers a really nice group heal (4500+ easily) It also partially revives dead allies and allows you to move downed players to you. When used correctly you can do some great work for a group.
Spite
Spiteful Renewal is a nice mini condition cleanse and heal.
Rending Shroud for vulnerability stack on enemies when entering a shroud, which is something you should do fairly often.
Signet of Suffering for the reduced Signet recharge meaning we can transfer conditions or revive allies more often. Plus some bonus might stacks on activation.
Soul Reaping
Speed Of Shadows is chosen mainly for the Shroud recharge reduction, but the extra 25% movement speed inside the shroud is a benefit as well.
Vital Persistence again is a specific choice to allow your time in shroud to last a lot longer and have the skills off CD quicker.
Foot In The Grave is my personal choice for the last soul reaping specialization as it's an extra stun break and some free stability, but Dhuumfire could also work here for a more condition based build.
Equipment
This is where we go hard or go home.
Armour
Full Nomads/Ventari (Toughness+, Healing Power, Vitality)
Runes
Melandru (Toughness, Vitality, - Incoming Condition Duration, - Incoming Stun Duration)
Trinkets
Full Nomads if possible (Problem here being it's not easy to acquire all the nomads trinkets without doing Living Story Season 2 achievements) Soldiers would work here no problem too.
Weapons
Nomads/Ventari Staff | Nomad's/Ventari Axe/*** (I use Warhorn, but swap it for personal preference)
Sigils
Most of this is personal preference, I doubt this is optimal at all you may find other sigils work better for you.
Staff : Bloodlust for a bit of power to help out, you could swap for Momentum or Life to get a different kind of stacking bonus. Hydromancy, this was inspired by the fact the Reaper is coming out and it's base on the Chill condition and as you maybe in the middle of an enemy zerg during the weapon swap this can be very useful. Swap out for Energy for a more standard sigil.
Axe : Restoration, it just adds to the tanky feel of the build getting some life back on a kill
*** : Strength, the chance of extra might stacks could prove very useful. Swap out for Renewal for a more Healer based feel.
Foods
As I said at the start, this is a fun build so I don't buy top of the line food. My food of choice is usually Loaves of Raspberry Peach Bread (+80 Vitality, +60 Toughness, 10% Exp) with Hardened Sharpening Stones (Power = 5% Toughness, Power = 3% Vitality, 10% Exp). If however you wanted to splash the cash, Loaf of Omnomberry Bread (+100 Vitality, +70 Toughness, 10% Exp) and Potent Superior Sharpening Stones (6%, 4%, 10% Exp) would be my choices.
TP Prices - (Buy Now prices per 1)
Raspberry Peach Bread - 67c
Hardened Sharpening Stones - 1.85s
Omnomberry Bread - 8.49s
Potent Superior Sharpening Stones - 19.78s
The Numbers (Potentially)
These are estimated numbers based on having Ascended Nomad/Ventari equipments in all available slots. As you can see the potential health is stupidly high for a Necromancer whilst offering no amazing damage stats.
How I play The Anti-Necro
PvE varies quite a bit from WvW zerging as I stated above so I'll split the two.
PvE and Roaming WvW
The best way I've found to play this build is to be a Utility player for a group of players. Solo the Anti-Necro isn't too useful, the build does next to no damage. You can quickly offer a party 8 might stacks, keep conditions on you and off your allies and provide a pretty large heal in combat. An example utility rotation might be with your party close, Blood Is Power, then Plague Signet on a target. (This is the quick might stacks for everyone and you get 4 stacks of bleeding onto a target plus whatever other conditions you grabbed off your allies.)
Move with the group and don't be afraid to engage with them. In the middle of a group of enemies feel free to pop Plague and get some conditions on to them, being sure to cycle through all of the conditions. If the party is looking like they maybe getting low, enter Death Shroud, open up with some Tainted Shackles followed quickly by Life Transfer for a big heal on the party. Whilst in fights use the Staff marks to be more annoying than anything else, engaging with the Chill mark and save the Fear mark for emergency situations like if an enemy is trying to stomp an ally or you have a lot of enemies focusing you. Switch to Axe/*** when in closer combat, one of the reasons I chose Warhorn is because of the Daze it can offer.
When I play, I am wanting to be in Shroud using Life Transfer as often as possible to keep your party alive. Staying close to group members to keep conditions on you and giving them the might stacks when possible. It really is about being a utility player out there and working for the party rather than damaging enemies as much as possible.
WvW Zerging
I play this slightly differently. Necromancers in zerg fights tend to be popular targets, they can do a lot of damage to a large group of enemies very quickly, it makes sense. So I try to use that to my advantage.
On an initial engagement. I'll often engage to the side of a friendly zerg making myself more of a target. I'll make it look like I'm playing fairly standard placing marks and wells down, offering more utility for the zerg than damage, looking like a Necromancer with poor positional play. I'm actively trying to be a target choice for focus groups.
On the second engagement or an attempted enemy regroup. I'm engaging with the melee train from the side popping my Plague as soon as I'm in the group. Don't be afraid to engage with your melee train, you're a tanky bastard, you can still die if an entire zerg focuses you. But if you time it right you should have no issues getting in the middle of the melee madness. I'll keep the plague going for as long as I can survive it, if my HP is looking low, it's time to hop out and enter Death Shroud, Life Transferring as I escape and regroup.
This is usually where I have the most fun with the build as I'm just jumping in very deep and people will try to kill me thinking, "He's a Necro, he'll just die quickly" and I just... don't. I'm focused primarily at being an active target for the enemy whilst offering as much utility as I can to my zerg. It's all in the timing and causing as much chaos as possible.
Feedback
I'll take any feedback on the build and the write up itself. Did I miss anything? Got any fun variation ideas on the build? I highly doubt this is optimal but it's what I've found fun to play. It takes a class normally well defined and brings a more left field approach to it. I have a lot of fun playing The Anti-Necro and it's more designed to inspire something different. I hope you enjoyed the write up
