Guild Wars 2

I’ve tried many different builds and it seems like this patch hasn’t done much for this type of playstyle. Wells got reduced but people still move out of them. We still have no cleave, and our survivability through DS is still lacking. I feel like this patch has made the spotlight for conditions even brighter, and I’m wondering if power builds is just plain inferior now or is it just the builds I’m making. I’m not a huge expert, but I’m also not incompetent.

Is anyone else having a better time than I? This is regards to WvW roaming,havocs, and spvp btw.

ooo we got buffed in some ways im enyoin my power build so much atm

Is this a joke?
Powermancers got so many buffs it’s hard to type them all out.

Kiriakulos.1690:

Is this a joke?
Powermancers got so many buffs it’s hard to type them all out.

•Necrotic Bite: Increased the life force gain from 4 to 6
•Wail of Doom: Added an unblockable skill fact.
•Well of Corruption: Reduced the cooldown to 40 seconds
•Well of Suffering: Reduced the cooldown to 35 seconds
•Ghastly Claws: Increased the life force gain from 8 to 10
•Dagger Mastery: This trait now grants a 20% recharge reduction.
•Vampiric: This trait now scales up 6 additional points with power for its damage and healing for its healing per attack.
•Axe Training: This trait has been moved to the Master tier

That’s so many buffs?

Deathly Perception, the signet of spite change, Ground Target wells, and Spectral changes all buffed Power builds, along with Deathly Shackles since it actually hits for decent damage while Immobilizing. Then there is the Increased radius of Warhorn 5, Weakness change, and Boon stripping via AOE of axe (Unholy Feast) . Reaper’s Touch was also ‘fixed’.

Necromancer power build got significant buffs because DS got huge upgrades, axe got buffed, wells got buffed.

SnyderHall.7263:

Necromancer power build got significant buffs because DS got huge upgrades, axe got buffed, wells got buffed.

People still move out of wells, and DS still lasts about 3 seconds in a fight.

I’m still getting the same results pre patch. Blow your load and if they are still alive you are screwed. Perhaps that I’m in PVT gear is this issue? Are you ‘power build is amazing now’ people in zerkers?

nope, he’s not dead, live and kicking but struggling, he’s fun to play but as you say if you have a smart oponent you will get in deep trouble, those buffs was most needed thou and thats why its fun to me right now.

..so fun that i gave him my first legendary last night, Incinerator.

You’re not supposed to just let them choose to walk out of those wells, you immobilize them first, and possibly fear as well if you’re feeling particularly mean.

Deathly perception is a godly trait and DS is now so strong it’s not even funny. With the new and improved Life Blast you can now spam max damage Life Blasts with 100% crit chance. Doom fear lasts 1.5 seconds, which is enough to convince me to grab the + fear duration trait. Not to mention the silly amount of AoE you now have with the increased crit chance for Life Transfer and the addition of Deathly Shackles.

Sustain was also buffed with the increased Life Force generation (just try not to facetank with it unless you absolutely have to), though I’m not sure about PVT gear. I should probably test it, but my gut instinct says you want more damage – you’ll survive longer than before, but you’ll still go down eventually, which means you want to be able to kill before you’re killed. Maybe mix it with Knight’s or something? Depends on what you’re trying to do, of course.

TL;DR version: I don’t know about you, but I’m a powermancer and I was buffed. And nope, we’re not dead.

Wail of doom was always unblockable as I’ve said before, they just added it to the tooltip.

Also I don’t understand how people have trouble with keeping targets in your wells, we have so many options for holding people in them, if you actually choose to use them.

I thought this patch would be a killer on my mobility, luckily Anet buffed power necros by allowing us to AoE loot.

Condition-mancers wished they looked as good.

Sororita.3465:

Condition-mancers wished they looked as good.

Offtopic but: My eyes burn, holy kitten that’s ugly.

With the 20% reduction of daggers, and Tainted Shackles, you can keep players in your wells better than ever. DS 1 gives you a very viable ranged attack, and Dagger 5 / Weakening Shroud increases your survivability.Spectral Skills now work in DS. SA has a 60 second cd untraited. Wells lower CD and easier access to ground targetting. Powermancer more viable than ever.

I get what the OP is saying. I’ve always run power on my necro. This patch made everything I do on my power necro even more powerful, but I’m still plagued with the same issues I had before with in combat mobility. That said, I can remedy that if I would just take the stability instead of that 50% crit in ds! I’ve played both condi and power post patch and I feel like condi is a better overall spec, but I just love the playstyle on my powermancer much better.

koopatroopa.5360:

People still move out of wells, and DS still lasts about 3 seconds in a fight.

That’s what chills and immobilizes are for.

Also, DS1 is obscenely good for Powermancers right now. Our damage is always what it used to be at max LF and 43% better at long range.

koopatroopa.5360:

I’m still getting the same results pre patch. Blow your load and if they are still alive you are screwed. Perhaps that I’m in PVT gear is this issue? Are you ‘power build is amazing now’ people in zerkers?

The PVT is probably it. My Necro’s power armor is a mix of Zerkers and Knight’s (though some Valkyrie would probably work as well) and I hit like a TRUCK.

What’s your build? If you could give us a link with the whole thing, it might be be easier to give suggestions. Also, where are you running it?

+2 Life Force on Weapon attacks. (Axe is 6.5 sec CD even with 20% CD trait)
5% Faster CD on Dagger trait.
10sec faster CD on some wells. Well of Power Brake Stun (OH YES)
+6 Dam per hit with Vamp
Can use Axe Training & Close to Death together.
DS now works off range instead of how much LF in tank.
1/3rd downed life fixed, so you don’t get insta-dead in WvW etkitten
ch Form, doesn’t go on multi-min CD if intrupted.

So Im loving it. Mostly because buggy downed/transforms don’t hinder me. Axe is viable for slight ranged, more mobility. (And stacks Vuln which is nice for group dps).
40sec Stun Brake, is much better, and cond clean on groups is very nice polish.

Even tho, dagger would be a much better weap for 1v1 etc. As it’s more dam if in range, and lots more heals, and a ‘stand in my well’… Having Well of Suffering at nearly 30sec CD, lets me drop it to keep people off control points in sPvP or hurt if they don’t. Without feeling like a huge letdown of a long CD if they not stuck in it.

Anyway, I’d have to say, I use Power build most. Enjoy it more than ever. I also have the bonus of, not worrying if Anet listens to the warriors and such trolling the forums saying necro’s need burning & fear spectral wall removed.