I am having a lot of fun with my necromancer. I’ve been trying to run him as a more supportive character (considering this is my first traditional MMO, it’s been mostly trial and error), and while I think I’m getting there, I’d like your advice on how to build him—what weapons, what specializations, etc., etc.
Necros arent really a supporter profession unless you see the non damage conditions as support also you consider debuffing as support. I dont, so keep that in mind when i talk about support.
That said necros do have some unique support traits. Transfusion, to my knowledge, is the only thing in the game that can move downed allies and get them out of a dangerous spot. Necros also are the only profession that can stop the natural degen in downstate and have a lifeleech aura. But thats only one traitline.
The lack of a support weapon/shroud and medicore support utility skills make it impossible to make dedicated support necro.
Though i think at some point we will get a necro support elite spec, with support shroud and support weapon etc.
Well, full support would make running around PvE kind of difficult (one reason I’ve been using the dagger/focus; it makes things easier.) But that Transfusion note is something I don’t think I actually, well, noticed, and would be great for me/my playstyle.
a guildie of mine was messing around with that idea last night. He came up with the idea of using crusader stats with monk runes along with transference and water/force sigils to increase the healing that vampiric aura provides to the group. I believe the build looked something like this:
The idea of the build is to pop into shroud as often as you can and use transfusion as much as possible, relying on reaper’s onslaught to reduce its cd every time you kill something, while also providing an extra dps and healing boost to the party via vampiric presence. The 2 wells that are on are there for dps, feel free to swap them out with plague signet and/or well of power for some condi control if it’s needed. You can also trait in blood bond if you can get bleeding stacks from somewhere to proc a lesser vapirism signet every 20 sec or so.
edit: grammar and spell check
p.s.
the ranger’s search and rescue also moves downed allies
Oh, wow, that looks very clever! I’ll need to look into it, though it’ll be about 40 levels before I can use the Reaper specialization/greatsword. I do already have Vampiric Presence, at least. And right now, instead of blood bond, I’ve been using Ritual of Life—I’ll have to test Blood Bond since I like using the staff. I guess I would have to test out the scepter/dagger combo for that.
Necromancer’s support… I’d like to say : “wait for a new E-spec, hopefully they will try to do something about it”
However, if you really want to support as a necromancer here is the reliable tools you got :
- Staff : mark of blood grant regeneration to up to 5 allies in the radius
- Well of blood : heal surrounding allies
- Well of power : convert condition of surrounding allies into boon
- Corrosive poison cloud : block incoming projectile
- Blood is power : for a short lasting increase of might stacks
- Blood magic traitline.
Everything else is more or less selfish or very unreliable as support.
No core profession should be balanced around an optional elite specialization.
1. Traited wells for when groups stack consistently.
2. Transfusion w/ max shroud and shroud skill CD reduction for res’ing and healing loose groups.
3. AoE like shouts, greatsword, RS chills, etc. that provide CC.
4. Minions for drawing aggro.
Just watched WP’s video. I use those same traits for build 2, though I use cleric’s gear and rune of the grove. The protection duration can work with spectral utilities or wells.
Support Necro would be better if Reaper’s Onslaught triggered the cooldown reduction better in PvE. As it stands it only triggers on normal enemies and certain few ones in events (specifically the enemies that give you exp). Makes Transfusion and even Path of Corruption worse than they should be in PvE.
Use support builds in casual open world or pug dungeons. Here are some examples: Jormag gets a cleric wells build (1) because shroud forces a bundle drop, Orr temples get either a zerker or cleric shroud transfusion Reaper (2) to heal after AoE, Heart of Maguma event chains get zerker shroud shout with plenty of CC, and minions (4) occasionally get pulled out when soloing champs.
Watched the video, made me sad. He shows me this awesome synergy between traits that pumps out incredible heals, then goes on to explain why it will never work.
Doc Von Doom – Asuran Necromancer
Gate of Madness
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