Hi,
I want to make a suggestion for the current Deathshroud mechanic. As I just heard that Deathshroud was the former down state of the necro, I realized why the skills are they way they are now.
Right now we have following situation of F1-F4 special abilities in classes:
Guardian F1-F3: Passiv Defensive/Acctive Offensive with cooldown; usable with drawback of cooldown passive
Warrior F1: Mostly Offensive; usable without drawback
Thief F1: Mostly offensive “Random enhancement”; Usable without drawback
Ranger F1-F4: Offensive/Defensive; Usable without drawback
Engineer F1-F4: Offensive/Defensive; Usable with drawback “weapon skills gone”
Elementailist F1-F4: Stance change; Pretty neat
Mesmer F1-F4: Offensive/Defensive; Drawback “Need of Illusiones/Phantasm”
Necromancer F1: Offensive Defensive; Drawback of just 4 skills
I never played the Engeneer, but I think I remember, that he can still use all utility skills and so on when using his F1-F4 class mechanic.
This leads to the necromancer, as the only class, where you actually have situations when the class mechanic is bad (except thief steal in range combats…).
When you jump in DS, you get more health (or rather another health bar). But you can just use 4 defined skills of which Number 4 is actually very strong (very in AoE). Number three is a one target fear (should at least be AoE). Number 2 being a chill with teleport to target (not useful in PvE), and the number 1 being an autoattack (not strong enough without traits).
Being ripped of all Utility skills, the necromancer class mechanic is a joke, especially if it is not traitet and/or if you are playing condition damage/support/MM.
Suggestions
1. Change the DS to be an enhancement, rather then a new form:
You can go into DS with F1 and then have the healthbar and all other skills on F2-F4, while still being able to use all weapon skills and utility skills.
This might be a little bit to strong as one might be able to stay all time in DS without losing any real health. Therefore decrease the Deathshroud HP by half and decrease natural DS HP decrease by half or increase the incoming damage by factor of two. So that it gets worn off fast in PvP when gaining damage, because you have the means to increase the DS green power while in DS with Marks and so on.
2. Optionals
Give us a F2 an-F4 utility that is different from deathshroud, but uses the DS Power as well.
Like F2 is summoning a strong minion with Minion HP being DS HP (all green DS points being used on summon), who loses HP per time. This would make up for MM.
F3 is summoning an Necro acolyte (how about resurrecting Livia
), having HP as DS HP while summon (all green DS points being used) and casts condition skills (HP being used per cast).
F4 should be a AoE Heal (Something like well of blood, staying around you, walking with you), that heals per second xxx, gives protection/rnd buff traited (every 2 seconds maybe), and can be cancelled. This skill should use 20% DS power per second or so. So that you can use it 7 1/2 seconds maximum if traited.
These choices would give every build something:
Power: DS like now, being tanky
MM: Strong minion
Conditions: Reanimate a second conditionmancer
Support: Give heal and buff support for the team
It would also mix very well in the play scenario of necromancer, being a jack of all traits. The mechanics don’t have to be game braking, but you should actually have the feeling, that you gain something for using it, instead of losing all of your utility for a health bar. Right now, DS is just needed as a bridge for HP to use while waiting for heal/utility/weapon cooldown to come off.
Furthermore. Make plague and Lich so that we can still use utilities… I hate it to give up everything of my char for elite. they are not strong enough for that (well plague is very very strong in PvP, but you actually lose everything else for it).
Also, let thiefes use steal from far away, if they have euipped a bow, or pistol in firsthand.
Greetings