Guild Wars 2

Can someone explain to me in plain English what ‘death shroud’ is all about? I have read many pages on so-called explanations that leave me in the dark and confused.

Basic no frills answer: Extra health and attacks for necromancers.

A little more info: Unlike your regular health, you have “life force” when in Death Shroud. It’s different in that it depletes while you are in death shroud. (think of going into death shroud like the necromancer takes on a spectral form).
You can lose life force faster if you are taking damage (note: you do not lose actual health HP when in death shroud, only life force). Some actions will regain life force (killing a foe for exmaple). You can regain life force while you are in death shroud, but also while you are not in death shroud.

As a necro, I used death shroud for it’s life syphon skills, and it’s auto attack. I also used is a last resort button when my actual health was getting really low.

The necromancer specialization “Reaper” has what is sometimes called Reaper Shroud. It is the same thing as death shroud, but has different skills.

Hope that explains it.

Each of the nine professions has a profession mechanic. Death Shroud is the profession mechanic of the Necromancer profession. It is, essentially, a transformation which:

• Gives a Necromancer a new look (dark and wraith-like)
• Replaces the 5 weapon skills with Death Shroud Skills (attacks plus crowd control, mostly)
• Gives a secondary health bar.

Use it by hitting F1 (unless you rebind) or clicking the Death Shroud icon above the Weapon Quick Bar. There are two reasons to use it:

1. Damage taken subtracts from the Death Shroud Bar, rather than health. This can keep you going for a little while, giving you time to kill a target, buy time until your heal skill is off cool down, or maybe get away. The Shroud bar also depletes over time as you remain in Shroud, so you’ll eventually exit, regardless.
2. The Shroud skills, particularly the #1 attack, do a lot of damage for Power builds (direct damage as opposed to condition damage). There are traits that buff Shroud, and builds that focus on maximizing Shroud up-time to gain better DPS. You still benefit from all your stats even though you aren’t using your weapon.

Finally, Life Force is what increases the Shroud Bar. Some Necromancer skills grant life force when used (see the skill descriptions). Stuff dying near you grants it, as well.

Those are the basics.

Thanks very much guys, that has given me a good understanding of the mechanic.