Guild Wars 2

I want to go over each of the Trait lines at some point but I feel they each will require their own discussion. So I’m going to start with blood magic as I feel this is still the worst line to take. Although its improved from before, I still don’t feel it has the value it could have compared to the other lines. Cursing is also going to be a major problem and I’ll get to that in the near future but for right now lets focus on Blood magic.

Not much has changed over all for this line over all. We still have many of the same problems as before. The major Difference I see is that powermancer will spec into this line purely for the wells and not much else. There is minor play with Minions as well. Anet seems to think that the minion change their one of their minors will be a bit too powerful, but I honestly don’t see it being any better or worse then it was before hand.

Lets look at the grandmaster traits because this is were a bit problem starts. We have Vampiric Rituals which will just be an auto include into any build and the other two will never be used. Before hand Deathly Invigoration really wasn’t a trait you wanted to take and with the changes you still don’t want to take it. The healing is… Fine.. I guess, but it just doesn’t do enough for your party, even with transfusion. Then there is unholy Martyr. This trait is still bad. It doesn’t do what it should be doing and I’ll go into more detail about that.

Unholy Martyr is supposed to be a supportive trait. But like Plague signet, you don’t take plague signet for its condition transfer on allies. You take Plague signet for signet builds or to transfer large amounts of conditions. Unholy martyr has neither of those function and might help you stick in DS a bit longer but its not going to be supportive. My personal suggestion would be for it to transfer a condition from each ally in the area and gain 2% life Force for each condition transferred to you. It should also either apply Resistance to you for one second for each condition transferred or should make your life blast transfer a condition to a foe on hit. This could make it compete with Vampiric ritual for a spot for powermancer or even tempt condi necromancers into using it with conjunction with dhuumfire.

Another change I’d do is with Deathly Invigoration. I’d probably just remove it entirely. This isn’t a good trait. Especially for a Grandmaster. It wasn’t good enough for a master and should have been a adept trait it doesn’t deserve grandmaster status especially with it being flipped. I’d Replace it with something like, Vampiric Spirit: Life stealing now works while in death shroud. When you enter death shroud, allies in the area of you gain the benifit of your passive life stealing traits for 5 seconds. This is something that is sorely needed for the necromancer. Being able to not just have life stealing be completely cut when in death shroud. It might need tweaking but with the changes in other areas this is could help make a vampiric necromancer a real thing.

I can’t remember all the changes right now but We can discuss what we’d like to see further. Tell me what you think.

I would note that they mentioned Deathly Invigoration getting a big buff to its healing, which could make it attractive. However, otherwise I’d tend to agree. Blood Magic got nice changes, and was buffed. Here is a link to the list of changes.

My biggest issue is that, while I liked the changes overall, they weren’t enough. Its like if they added 5 damage/HP to Vampiric its a buff, but it isn’t enough of a buff. My guess is Blood Magic will be used by some power builds (though Curses is looking really good too, with increased crit chance), and MM. It still just isn’t enough to make the trait line really competitive, and if anyone takes it it isn’t so much that blood magic is great, but that once you’re down to a third choice you can afford something somewhat subpar.

Bhawb.7408:

I would note that they mentioned Deathly Invigoration getting a big buff to its healing, which could make it attractive. However, otherwise I’d tend to agree. Blood Magic got nice changes, and was buffed. Here is a link to the list of changes.

My biggest issue is that, while I liked the changes overall, they weren’t enough. Its like if they added 5 damage/HP to Vampiric its a buff, but it isn’t enough of a buff. My guess is Blood Magic will be used by some power builds (though Curses is looking really good too, with increased crit chance), and MM. It still just isn’t enough to make the trait line really competitive, and if anyone takes it it isn’t so much that blood magic is great, but that once you’re down to a third choice you can afford something somewhat subpar.

But Deathly Invigoration doesnt heal the necro anymore, which is in my opinion a big let down.

If it would still heal the necro and its healing is heavily increased it would be alot better.

Bhawb.7408:

I would note that they mentioned Deathly Invigoration getting a big buff to its healing, which could make it attractive. However, otherwise I’d tend to agree. Blood Magic got nice changes, and was buffed. Here is a link to the list of changes.

My biggest issue is that, while I liked the changes overall, they weren’t enough. Its like if they added 5 damage/HP to Vampiric its a buff, but it isn’t enough of a buff. My guess is Blood Magic will be used by some power builds (though Curses is looking really good too, with increased crit chance), and MM. It still just isn’t enough to make the trait line really competitive, and if anyone takes it it isn’t so much that blood magic is great, but that once you’re down to a third choice you can afford something somewhat subpar.

Thanks for the link. The big problem is still the same as it was before. Nothing new really. Only that Power builds might want to go down it seeing as cursing will almost exclusively be for condi builds and nothing else. So that leaves them with Death and Blood as their third option.

I’m not sure, I think curses might actually do okay with power builds, the only problem is the GM slot being mediocre/bad. Looking at it I think the curses GM should be re-thought a bit, because it is otherwise a really good tree for power.

But I agree, it is just not enough of a change to Blood Magic to make it good enough, except Vampiric Rituals being pretty good now.

Make Blood to Power ( final minor trait) let us heal ourselves in death shroud. VOILA the whole line is usefull!
Except Unholy Martyr.

Bhawb.7408:

I’m not sure, I think curses might actually do okay with power builds, the only problem is the GM slot being mediocre/bad. Looking at it I think the curses GM should be re-thought a bit, because it is otherwise a really good tree for power.

But I agree, it is just not enough of a change to Blood Magic to make it good enough, except Vampiric Rituals being pretty good now.

Yeah. one of the Curse grand masters should be moved. Where? I’m not sure but as is its basically you take Terror on a Power build not because you want to but because its your best choice.

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:
Here is my idea for the Curses problem:
1. Merge Terror with Master of Terror. Move to the Grandmaster Soulreaping slot.
2. Move Dhuumfire to Master tier for Soul Reaping.
3. Add a new, non-condition damage focused Grandmaster trait in Curses.

This needs to happen

The only redeeming factor of Deathly Invigoration was that on exit it gave you a little padding of HP to heal if you were stalling for your heal… Beyond that and even now, its garbage…

Also very disappointed Training of the Master is freaking mutually exclusive to Death Nova.

I don’t think it matters though, after listening to the thief and Engi ones I’m not really sure it’s going to matter for me. :S

Maybe they didn’t want Deathly Invigoration to be redundant with Unholy Sanctuary.

Either way, it’s a pretty boring GM trait.