Guild Wars 2

As we all know for necros the only two sources of pulsating stability are Plague and Lich Form and we also lack of the ability to survive focus fire.
So what do you think about creating a Signet as elite skill that gives invulreability for few seconds (like elite meditation of the guardian) when actived and as passive ability 1 stack of stability for 2 sec each 3 seconds.
In my opinion a new skill like this could help necro to fit more in the role eating-damage machine and could also fit with the reaper because “Slow heavy damage skill” it’s the path…

theres a well that give stab and dshroud when traited give stab.

Kotte.2460:

theres a well that give stab and dshroud when traited give stab.

The well gives a single second of stab, and for the trait we need more than just 3 seconds of stab every 7/10 seconds. Especially since it means any builds that don’t take SR or don’t want FitG don’t get it, leaving a lack of options.

I like the idea. I really think stability fits perfectly in the necro theme. I just wonder if everyone would not end up using this in PvP. Plague is already mostly used as a defensive tool in PvP, so this would probably just completely replace it.

Passive stability on a signet would be bad. I think the best thing would be to rework Lich and Plague to be effects like Reaper of Grenth or Rampage as One, instead of being transforms which in this game never really work well. None of the current transforms are used in a mechanically interesting way, they are either OP, useless, or involve pressing WASD for 20 seconds.

Then, if they are reworked, they can still pulse their stability while giving either a defensive or offensive boost, but without locking us out of our actual kits.

I’d prefer Lich or plague form would work like kinda like a transform that leeches off LF instead of a high CD. An example is like how Rev elites work.

2 sec of stab every 3 sec constantly from a signet would be very broken and you dont even need to activate anything to get stab

Ice Furl.4982:

2 sec of stab every 3 sec constantly from a signet would be very broken and you dont even need to activate anything to get stab

The flamethrower engineer has access to zero skill permanent stability and engineers follow a similar design theme to necros (point defence, no teleports, etc):

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Juggernaut

In my opinion, Foot in the Grave is garbage because it’s only 1 stack. You can’t stomp or rez in team fight with that. We really have only one elite, Plague form…

Well a point it’s pretty clear necros mainly lacks of mobility and stability, since Anet doesn’t want us to be blinky things like mes and thieves and we can’t have warriors or elementalist move abilities, the only thing that it’s important is stability.
I still think that a signet like the one that I’ve proposed could solve many issues of necros but also I can’t deny that a GOOD rework of transformations could also be better.
So what do you want from a complete rework of transformations?
Here’s my opinion:

Plague:

As many others have already suggested Reaper of Grenth could be a great alternative but of course it should be remain a corruption skill with a lower cooldown and it should also give pulsating stability maybe 2 stacks instead of three.
So basically it should work like an “aura” that chill and poison foes while giving stability and let us use our weapon skills and utility and for death shroud just our main skills.

Lich:

This spectral skill could become a set of utility skills while we’re in deathshroud
(Actually this could be open a new way of using deathshroud.)
But i’ve no idea about what these utility skills should do.

I’d be happier if FitG was 2 stacks for 4", to make it good for stomping, but I think it’s more urgent that we get some longer-lasting stability that’s not tied to DS. And while I agree with Bhawb that the elite transformations are a bit boring, and they could be reworked to provide that role, I think a utility skill would be better.

I reall don’t think it should be pulsing though, that would make whatever you give that to pretty much a compulsory utility! You could add it to the active of a signet possibly. 2stacks/5" on Locust could work. Or maybe Undeath, but when you start the activation (like Well of Power) rather than when you finish the cast, to help you get off its ludicrously long cast time (which should also be shortened, frankly).

How bout this though: change Spectral Attunement to “Spectral skills grant additional boons” instead of giving you the measly 5% LF. You could give retaliation to Armour, stability to Walk, and possibly might to Wall?

thats a good idea actually, no need to remove the 5% lf

I really liked the elite suggestion of a forum member a while ago:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/necromancer/Unruly-Death-Silly-Elite-Idea/first#post5247848

Axelwarrior.9084:

I really liked the elite suggestion of a forum member a while ago:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/necromancer/Unruly-Death-Silly-Elite-Idea/first#post5247848

:D

stab problem would be solved if spectral armor give 6 sec of stab also.
For the elite i think plague is ok but need a buff in damage, lich need to work like warrior ramapage for it to be better and ds should not interupt actions. I think i just fix the necro XD

Bhawb.7408:

Passive stability on a signet would be bad. I think the best thing would be to rework Lich and Plague to be effects like Reaper of Grenth or Rampage as One, instead of being transforms which in this game never really work well. None of the current transforms are used in a mechanically interesting way, they are either OP, useless, or involve pressing WASD for 20 seconds.

Then, if they are reworked, they can still pulse their stability while giving either a defensive or offensive boost, but without locking us out of our actual kits.

+1

When they reworked guardian’s tome I had so many hope that Necromancer’s transformation would be reworked in a similar way. There is nothing in lich that feel like a spectral skill and there is nothing in plague that feel like a corruption.

I guess removing the poor animation of the lich transformation mean to much work while getting rid of a floating book is ok. At the moment the lich form is so gutted that barely anyone use anything else than the auto attack.

On the other way, the splendid way they introduced Plague into the corruption realm showed how much testing there have been when they imagine this thing. Player had a lot of fun killing themselve for naught. (don’t bother, I know that they already nerfed this stupid thing)

Like Bhawd said, reworking Lich and Plague to be effects like Reaper of Grenth or Rampage as One wouldn’t be a bad thing. They could even give them a Necromancer’s taste so it doesn’t feel like something we see on another profession (My sarcasm is really high here…)

Let’s say :
Lich : For 10 second your attacks do 20% more damage and drain 1% life force per hit. Grant 1 stacks of stability every 3 seconds for 3s. Cool down 90 seconds.
With these changes, Lich become a life force engine with a welcome damage buff that would allow people in DS to actually do what lich form do at the moment : bursting down ennemies. I’m not saying that 20% ain’t a bit to much but on the paper I don’t see how it wouldn’t fit an elite spot.

An other way to change Lich : For 10s when you drain LF via attack you do additional damage equal to the life force drained. While in lich form gain 1 stacks of stability every 3 seconds for 3s. Cool down 90 seconds.
These change would introduce another form of siphon based on damage instead of survivability. This could also help some unpopular weapon.

Plague : For 10 seconds you are engulfed into a dark cloak that poison, weaken and blind foes around you every second. Grant 3 stacks of stability every 3 seconds for 3s. Cool down 120 seconds.
With these changes, Plague transform the necromancer into a withering machine that corrupt nearby foes, crippling their damage and ability to heal themself. The skill keep it’s defensive purpose without hindering the necromancer.

NB.: Cool down and stacks of stability are thougt in way that Lich have a damaging purpose while Plague is more defensive. (traits are also taken into account)

A well that gives protection+retaliation+might+resistance makes more sense for a necro.

striker.3704:

A well that gives protection+retaliation+might+resistance makes more sense for a necro.

You’re right (and I would support the idea) but if you’re still not aware of it, Dev seem to think that boons isn’t “necro theme”.

The lack of stability always baffled me with the necro really. I was highly suspecting that the Reaper would be the class with the defiance bar given it’s “Unstoppable slow movie monster” theme as well.

The game mechanics are designed around reactive combat, dodging, evading, blocking, interrupting etc… so it is no surprises that the classes at the top are the ones with the most instant cast abilities, and the ones are the bottom have the longer casts. I would’ve thought these would be the ones to gain stability (especially with the lack of mobility) so that they are harder to interrupt and only evade. The lack of it simply makes the long casts even more of a negative.

As for elite changes in general, I’d love to see the transforms changed to something more like a Reaper of Grenth effect (was considering rerolling to human for that anyway), supplementing not replacing, as it stands I don’t think I’ve activated my elite in WvW in weeks.