GS viability in the condi meta

GS viability in the condi meta

in Necromancer

Posted by: Kadin.2356

Kadin.2356

[Question] If matched against only power builds, is greatsword still considered to be “not viable”?

If yes, then the weapon set itself needs some love, if no, then it’s conditions in general that need some looking at.

I’m not partial to Anets style of balance via tweaking the amulet stats in PvP. That just ends up as bandaid balance in the vacuum of PvP while letting the problem run rampant in WvW. I understand that may be a much easier fix, but it does not help the health of the game in the long term.

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Dadnir.5038

Dadnir.5038

Well, strictly speaking GS is a skill set that give you :
- a burst skill (Gravedigger)
- a sustain skill (Deathspiral)
- a defensive field (Nightfall)
- a gap closer via a grap (Grasping darkness)

We can say that It’s a whole weapon that answer a lot of issues that the necromancer suffer. The fact that it doesn’t feel satisfying when we use it do not enter in the equation.

As for whether it’s good or not against a condi meta, one must admit that nothing would be balanced if it was good in any situation. The niche of the GS is found against mele power creeps in group fight. It is a satisfying weapon in this kind of situation.

No core profession should be balanced around an optional elite specialization.

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Shadelang.3012

Shadelang.3012

Reapers GS works better when covered by the clutter of large scale combat that is definetly true. (Assuming you aren’t hit by repeated blind spam) But if that was the intention I feel that the GS should be reworked a little with that in mind. Having hte effect of nightfall for example be centered around the reaper AS he moves. A mobile and growing blind field would actually help alot and lend a GS reaper more weight in the front line as well as offer some more reliable defense.

Adding a boon strip to Grasping Darkness or making it unblockable without the use of Nothing Can Save You would both help alot in large scale fights. Where projectile destruction and stability is the norm.

As it is the GS tops out as “nice to have” in those situations IF you run a power build at all. Similar to how the longbow on a ranger is “nice” to have. but their is a reason druids base their builds around STAFF and not the longbow. Like the GS on reaper the longbow on ranger is also VERY easy to negate once your conscious of its existence.

This only becomes more of a problem the smaller scale you are. While the tell for grasping darkness can be hard to see once it IS seen then there is hardly any reason to get hit by it unless the user FORCED you to dodge some how. Which is hard for them to do when your at range because their gap closer is incredibly telegraphed, their in combat movement speed is atrocious, and unlike condition reaper power reapers simply don’t have an effective way of forcing an enemy to engage you at close range.

Power reapers are also much more vulnerable to boon strips and weakness then their condition counterparts. Which is part of the reason why Condi Reaper acts as a soft counter..possibly even a hard counter among equally skilled players… for power reaper.

They are also MORE vulnerable to resistance than their condition counterparts rather than less. Due to the fact that power reaper relies heavily on the use of vulnerability for a large portion of their damage (even NOT counting decimate defenses), the use of chill and cripple to keep the enemy in melee range, and the use of blind as a defensive mechanic (Power Reapers tend to spend more time in shroud). All of this while having fewer skills that can strip enough boons to eat through cover boons. Making whether or not you strip resistance off that berseker as much a matter of RNG as skill. Which is a pretty big deal when you want to land that gravedigger.

Tl;DR I feel the Greatsword is a well designed weapon with a few flaws. But I feel bigger flaws are present in the base POWER Reaper itself than the weapon and if those flaws were addressed the greatsword would be better in relation to general combat as well.

Ghost Yak

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Nefarius.9702

Nefarius.9702

I’m curious and I need a bit of help:

I have a necromancer – he’s equiped with zerker gear; after the most recent big patch it seems that “condi” is meta in fractals and raids now, and I’m pretty much rejected by serious groups, which is a problem.

I’ve tried out the condi stuff in PvP and it’s not bad; but the reason why I love the power build so much is the possibility to kill foes in open world VERY quickly.
Yet I’m in a kinda “dilemma” – should I switch all my (ascended) gear to viper stuff and hence focus on conditions BUT risk having “less” fun especially in Open world (which I play a lot).

So here’s my question: If I run around with hybrid stat equip, is it, let’s say, still possible to equip a dagger /WH OR GS in one weapon set and STILL bring down foes pretty quickly? Or is that idea nonsense?

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Dadnir.5038

Dadnir.5038

I’m curious and I need a bit of help:

I have a necromancer – he’s equiped with zerker gear; after the most recent big patch it seems that “condi” is meta in fractals and raids now, and I’m pretty much rejected by serious groups, which is a problem.

I’ve tried out the condi stuff in PvP and it’s not bad; but the reason why I love the power build so much is the possibility to kill foes in open world VERY quickly.
Yet I’m in a kinda “dilemma” – should I switch all my (ascended) gear to viper stuff and hence focus on conditions BUT risk having “less” fun especially in Open world (which I play a lot).

So here’s my question: If I run around with hybrid stat equip, is it, let’s say, still possible to equip a dagger /WH OR GS in one weapon set and STILL bring down foes pretty quickly? Or is that idea nonsense?

The short answer is : “you’ll do less damage but in open world that is hardly an issue”
The long answer… is to long to be developped today

No core profession should be balanced around an optional elite specialization.

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Nefarius.9702

Nefarius.9702

I’m not worrying if it’s “an issue”; I’m just curious whether equipping a mainhand dagger / or grandsword is still effective with viper stats to bring down OW foes quickly.

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Shadelang.3012

Shadelang.3012

In viper stats? No. Niether greatsword or dagger off anything to condition builds. And no condition geared build will use those weapons.

Ghost Yak

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: akaCryptic.2389

akaCryptic.2389

I’m not worrying if it’s “an issue”; I’m just curious whether equipping a mainhand dagger / or grandsword is still effective with viper stats to bring down OW foes quickly.

No that would suck. Convert your stuff to vipers, then get a second exotic zerker set. Ascended doesnt matter in open world.

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Zenith.7301

Zenith.7301

[Question] If matched against only power builds, is greatsword still considered to be “not viable”?

If yes, then the weapon set itself needs some love, if no, then it’s conditions in general that need some looking at.

I’m not partial to Anets style of balance via tweaking the amulet stats in PvP. That just ends up as bandaid balance in the vacuum of PvP while letting the problem run rampant in WvW. I understand that may be a much easier fix, but it does not help the health of the game in the long term.

Power necro is just a crappier warrior without the CC, worse survival against burst and CC, and far less mobility and damage.

Your greatsword won’t be hitting anything before you’re getting rooted/pinballed around.

Axe mainhand damage is terrible, it’s just people are too dumb and think the final number on a long channel means it’s good DPS.

Reaper Shroud autos tickle people, they actually are less DPS than greatsword autos, and greatsword autos are already bad.

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Lahmia.2193

Lahmia.2193

Having the effect of nightfall for example be centered around the reaper AS he moves. A mobile and growing blind field would actually help alot and lend a GS reaper more weight in the front line as well as offer some more reliable defense.

Oh baby, I love that idea. And many professions already have mobile fields as it is.

Surrender and serve me in life, or die and slave for me in death.

GS viability in the condi meta

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Posted by: Anchoku.8142

Anchoku.8142

Greatsword seems tuned for good dps when in a crowd where its AoE damage scales up. Also, Necromancer’s low mobility and other weaknesses affect melee a lot more than ranged giving scepter a natural advantage.

Since the chill duration nerf, well…