Guild Wars 2

I know Scholar is good for dungeons and stuff, where a solid group can keep their health high enough to make the best of it, but in HoT, especially the meta events, I find myself often falling below the health threshold.

What rune set would you guys recommend to maximize DPS?

I just noticed I had a Strength rune lying around, and I happened to have gotten a lucky drop out of the exotic equipment chest just now which gave me another one. Should I just shell out for 4 more of those?

Andred.1087:

I know Scholar is good for dungeons and stuff, where a solid group can keep their health high enough to make the best of it, but in HoT, especially the meta events, I find myself often falling below the health threshold.

What rune set would you guys recommend to maximize DPS?

I just noticed I had a Strength rune lying around, and I happened to have gotten a lucky drop out of the exotic equipment chest just now which gave me another one. Should I just shell out for 4 more of those?

ive been using strength since hot dropped and it works great if youre using soul reaper. However, I just switched to scholar and dropped soul reaping for blood magic and I find I stay above 90% hp and do a bit more damage personally. both work great though

Using 6x strenght myself. Tried Scholar, but couldnt stay high enough on life.

LucianDK.8615:

Using 6x strenght myself. Tried Scholar, but couldnt stay high enough on life.

Get high on life.

I will always swear by my trusty discounted Superior Runes of the Dolyak

Dolyak is love

Dolyak is life

moo <3

Wurm runes of course

Andred.1087:

I know Scholar is good for dungeons and stuff, where a solid group can keep their health high enough to make the best of it, but in HoT, especially the meta events, I find myself often falling below the health threshold.

What rune set would you guys recommend to maximize DPS?

I just noticed I had a Strength rune lying around, and I happened to have gotten a lucky drop out of the exotic equipment chest just now which gave me another one. Should I just shell out for 4 more of those?

I was kittenin with chronomancer until I quit, seems pretty legit bro.
I quit because I discovered life leech was no longer a necromancer only thing.
I can’t remember which class it was.. but I saw that it had a life leech 10x more powerful than a necromancer’s and for virtually no cooldown.

But yeah kitten with chronomancer runes for sure. 25 might stacks with sigil of strength and spite tree, guaranteed below 50% HP.

I use the super cheap infiltration runes for a bit stronger gravedigger spam – and loosing aggro when getting downed is a nice little thing

I’m not rich enough for Strength so I go with Flame Legion. It seems to work pretty well for a power reaper with Dhuumfire.

But, yeah, if you have the gold, Strength is best.

I run Strength runes on my Necro and I gotta say, I really, really like them. They make it very easy to maintain high Might stacks without relying on others and the +5% damage is extremely easy to maintain.

Scholar runes, I’m not a fan of. They’re a “win more” set, great for increasing your speed through content you already know you’re going to breeze through while rocking full Might from your team but comparatively terrible if you run into really any difficulty.

That said, Strength runes are also absurdly, unreasonably expensive, and I’m just glad I bought them back when they were 50s each. There are plenty of cheaper options that will work reasonably well and you shouldn’t feel bad about going for one of them. Hoelbrak runes are still pretty pricey, but they could be a nice option if you wanted to go a bit more defensive. Ogre runes are definitely not optimal but it could be a decent way to go.

For some really cheap and fun (if not optimal) options, Vampirism or Infiltration runes could be really interesting. You could see some really crazy Gravedigger hits with Infiltration runes, plus sticking stealth onto a Necro would be neat.

dont forget runes of ice
they’re super cheap, perma 7% dmg boost and you get 100% chill uptime without wasting chill to the bone/executioner scythe (which you should keep for breakbars)

without str runes i got 25might in no time in shroud anyway (spite+soul reaping), so they are a bit overkill imo (for raids other classes are prefered for power dmg. and even if you get in as power reaper, herald/ps warr will keep your might high enough)

How about Ranger runes?
Do minions like bone fiend/flesh golem activate the 7% dmg bonus?

I use strength runes as well as strength sigil for self mights. it might be a dps loss in case of good party support (mights from warrior or somthing), bit its still good enough and more than enough for raids. (I use it both as tank with cavalier and as dps with full zerker)

Even if you cant maintain the scholar bonus for much at all. Its still one of the best choices. Its the only runeset that has no wasted stats for necro and a damage modifier.

Strength runes are also fine. But the might duration is kind of useless in a group and you lose ferocity. Plus strength runes are over the top expensive.

spoj.9672:

Even if you cant maintain the scholar bonus for much at all. Its still one of the best choices. Its the only runeset that has no wasted stats for necro and a damage modifier.

^ this, you don’t have to maintain the 6th bonus at all times for them to be worthwhile.

Also, attempting to maintain the scholar bonus as much as possible can help to improve your game-play, as you will need to be more aware of things like positioning, Shroud management, which hits you can take and which you have to dodge etc.

Scholar is bad choice for anything outside PvE period.

Yeah… No idea why you saying that since this thread is obviously discussing PvE.

I didnt see that in neither title or text so…

Ravezaar.4951:

I didnt see that in neither title or text so…

Text talks about dungeons and HoT meta events. I don’t think any of those happen anywhere but PvE …

I was running Ice for a bit, but then I felt compelled to give a utility slot up to keep my 25% run speed and put in Travelers instead. They aren’t min-max, nothing I do ever is, but I really hate running at base speed.

Andred.1087:

I know Scholar is good for dungeons and stuff, where a solid group can keep their health high enough to make the best of it, but in HoT, especially the meta events, I find myself often falling below the health threshold.

What rune set would you guys recommend to maximize DPS?

I just noticed I had a Strength rune lying around, and I happened to have gotten a lucky drop out of the exotic equipment chest just now which gave me another one. Should I just shell out for 4 more of those?

Bolded the PvE only hints. Seems pretty clear to me. Some might seem less obvious at a quick glance. But in PvP you dont have single strength runes “laying around” you just use the pvp build creator. And you dont pay for them.

Donari.5237:

Ravezaar.4951:

I didnt see that in neither title or text so…

Text talks about dungeons and HoT meta events. I don’t think any of those happen anywhere but PvE …

I was running Ice for a bit, but then I felt compelled to give a utility slot up to keep my 25% run speed and put in Travelers instead. They aren’t min-max, nothing I do ever is, but I really hate running at base speed.

I rarely find signet of the locust to be a waste of a utility slot. Granted, it’s not the best utility skill you can put on your bar, but if there is more than one target to hit, it can be a solid secondary heal skill.

one question, i recently level a reaper to 80. I mostly want it for wvw (some pve maybe) and trying to build it tanky for frontline-zerg kinda enter and get out without dying (hopefully lol). Anyway my question is do rune of the trooper work with reaper shouts? i currently have traveler runes for the speed but meeeh, i am kinda wasting the condi duration-boon duration buff since i am a power build. Anyway i want to know if trooper runes work and if not, is there is other good option?

Quarktastic.1027:

Donari.5237:

Ravezaar.4951:

I didnt see that in neither title or text so…

Text talks about dungeons and HoT meta events. I don’t think any of those happen anywhere but PvE …

I was running Ice for a bit, but then I felt compelled to give a utility slot up to keep my 25% run speed and put in Travelers instead. They aren’t min-max, nothing I do ever is, but I really hate running at base speed.

I rarely find signet of the locust to be a waste of a utility slot. Granted, it’s not the best utility skill you can put on your bar, but if there is more than one target to hit, it can be a solid secondary heal skill.

This is my feeling on Signet of the Locust. There are better active effects one could slot, but it isn’t a total waste.

NemesiS.6749:

one question, i recently level a reaper to 80. I mostly want it for wvw (some pve maybe) and trying to build it tanky for frontline-zerg kinda enter and get out without dying (hopefully lol). Anyway my question is do rune of the trooper work with reaper shouts? i currently have traveler runes for the speed but meeeh, i am kinda wasting the condi duration-boon duration buff since i am a power build. Anyway i want to know if trooper runes work and if not, is there is other good option?

Trooper runes work with Reaper shouts.

Wurm. Due to precision not needed

HardRider.2980:

Wurm. Due to precision not needed

Wurm is a weak runeset over all. Many others are FAR stronger.

Sigmoid.7082:

HardRider.2980:

Wurm. Due to precision not needed

Wurm is a weak runeset over all. Many others are FAR stronger.

We don’t need precision, might is kitten easy to get on our own. Same with toughness and power.
Wurm helps boost your HP while more or less maxing ferocity. (Especially when you’re in a party. )

True, it’s not the best but no rune is “best”

It’s all about filling the holes in your build.

HardRider.2980:

Sigmoid.7082:

HardRider.2980:

Wurm. Due to precision not needed

Wurm is a weak runeset over all. Many others are FAR stronger.

We don’t need precision, might is kitten easy to get on our own. Same with toughness and power.

There is no such thing as too much Power. Damage scales linearly with power, which means passing it up is always a damage loss regardless of how much you had before.

Precision gives us more build freedom and makes our damage easier to set up, though you’re right that we need it much less than most professions.

As for Vitality, we start with the maximum amount of base HP, so stacking additional Vitality isn’t very important for us. If you want maximum durability, you need to aim for a ratio of 10 HP per point of armor, which (for the Necro) means stacking Vit and Toughness at roughly equal rates with a slight nod towards Toughness.

Now, I’m a proponent of building however you like. The Necromancer is a particularly interesting case where we can get away with running a bit more Vit/Toughness without losing too much damage, but we can also run a bit less Vit/Toughness without losing too much durability. Even in full zerker gear, a Necromancer will have a relatively easy time staying on its feet if you know what you’re doing.

Consequently, blowing your Runes on a Vitality set is non-optimal. It’s totally ok if you want to run them (I’m using non-optimal runes on many of my characters either for funsies or because I’m a cheapskate), but there are better options out there.

I use runes of the Traveler for,the movespeed.

Why? You have quickening thirst/locust signet/speed of shadows and potentially a lot of swiftness. Ive never understood why some necros still go for movement speed runes. It makes sense on some classes for QoL. But not on necro.

spoj.9672:

Why? You have quickening thirst/locust signet/speed of shadows and potentially a lot of swiftness. Ive never understood why some necros still go for movement speed runes. It makes sense on some classes for QoL. But not on necro.

At this point, they only really make any kind of sense for Guardians. Everyone else has access to at least one perma-speed boost.

That said, the Necro can make use of just about all the stats reasonably well and it would be nice to have a speed boost without giving up a Utility slot or having to take Blood. It’s certainly sub-optimal and unnecessary, but it doesn’t make me cringe as much as Traveler runes on, say, a Warrior or Thief.

Runes of Strength are kind of wasted on Reaper, really. I can keep 25might stacks at all time forever with scholars and without any food or buff increasing boon duration.

That is, unless you want to see yourself with 25 might stacks even after 20s the battle has ended

So I’m a baddy but I run zerker weapons/jewelry and valk armor with runes of the wurm… Works great for me as I like the little itty bitty bump to survivability.

Rune of the Privateer are the best dirt cheap power runes IMO. That parrot is great for soloing and they are just so cheap.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Superior_Rune_of_the_Privateer

Dristig.9678:

Rune of the Privateer are the best dirt cheap power runes IMO. That parrot is great for soloing and they are just so cheap.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Superior_Rune_of_the_Privateer

I would say runes of the ogre are better if only for the +4% damage boost, which is far more damage than the parrot will provide. The rock dog also seems to have better AI, and follows you more closely.

Quarktastic.1027:

Dristig.9678:

Rune of the Privateer are the best dirt cheap power runes IMO. That parrot is great for soloing and they are just so cheap.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Superior_Rune_of_the_Privateer

I would say runes of the ogre are better if only for the +4% damage boost, which is far more damage than the parrot will provide. The rock dog also seems to have better AI, and follows you more closely.

You missed the “dirt cheap” part in my post. 6gold is far greater than 12silver

Dristig.9678:

Quarktastic.1027:

Dristig.9678:

Rune of the Privateer are the best dirt cheap power runes IMO. That parrot is great for soloing and they are just so cheap.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Superior_Rune_of_the_Privateer

I would say runes of the ogre are better if only for the +4% damage boost, which is far more damage than the parrot will provide. The rock dog also seems to have better AI, and follows you more closely.

You missed the “dirt cheap” part in my post. 6gold is far greater than 12silver

Most average players can make 6 gold in an hour. I get that runes of the privateer are still cheaper, but the flat damage boost is worth it.

Edit: I forgot to mention that a huntsman can craft runes of the ogre for a bit less than they cost on the TP.

Quarktastic.1027:

Most average players can make 6 gold in an hour. I get that runes of the privateer are still cheaper, but the flat damage boost is worth it.

Eh, I’m not going to begrudge someone who doesn’t want to put an hour’s worth of gold into their armor. It’s probably worth it for their main, sure, but what if it’s an alt? As long as they don’t try to claim Privateer runes are numerically superior I won’t have anything against going with the cheaper option.

Blaine Tog.8304:

Quarktastic.1027:

Most average players can make 6 gold in an hour. I get that runes of the privateer are still cheaper, but the flat damage boost is worth it.

Eh, I’m not going to begrudge someone who doesn’t want to put an hour’s worth of gold into their armor. It’s probably worth it for their main, sure, but what if it’s an alt? As long as they don’t try to claim Privateer runes are numerically superior I won’t have anything against going with the cheaper option.

That’s essentially what I do. All my Alts have hilarious PARROT POWER!