I have seen a number of posts on these boards saying the torch would be a good weapon for necros to have. I find myself agreeing. Cremations are certainly in line with the feel of a necromancer, as is the gravedigger’s (or robber’s) lantern.
Here are my current ideas for skills:
#4: Ghoulfire
1/2 second cast
20 second recharge
Creates an area of spirit flames at the necromancer’s location, granting vigor to allies while damaging and chilling enemies.
600 radius
Duration: 3 seconds
Vigor duration: 1 second (per pulse)
Chill duration: 1 second (per pulse)
Combo field: Fire/Ice (have not decided)
- Summon Spectral Hunter
Cast time: 3/4 second
20 second recharge
Minion. Summons a Spectral Hunter that attacks your target. Spectral Hunters do not change target until their current target is dead, even if their target enters stealth.
Range: 600
->Chain
Seek
Cast time: 0 seconds
1 second recharge
Your Spectral Hunter teleports to your current target and adopts that as its new target.
Notes: Spectral Hunters have a very high base speed (faster than a person with Swiftness).
My thoughts:
This weapon is range-equivalent to an axe main hand, since the current off-hand options are either melee (warhorn) or 900 range (1200 for traited focus). This does not mean it is meant to synergize with the axe (the focus already does that fairly well).
It grants access to our much-needed Vigor as well as generating a snare area and improves our already strong zone control with Ghoulfire.
Spectral Hunter fulfills the desire some have expressed for a weapon-based minion skill while simultaneously avoiding the current AI troubles with not attacking. The hunter detects life force, so stealth doesn’t stop its assault. This provides a very interesting counter to stealth. It does not break the stealth on the target, nor does it allow targeting. It does not remove the possibility for an ambush from stealth either. What it does do is give away the stealthed foe’s position, letting AoE be targeted there. To stick the minion on the stealther (usually thief, but mesmers, stalker’s, and skelk do it too), the necro must target that opponent first, so thieves using long duration stealth to sneak up will still be able to do so. Likewise, thieves will still be able to get full offensive benefits from stealth, even if the Hunter is tracking them. Unlike other proposed stealth-counters, the stealther can remove the problem by killing the minion, though this is a tradeoff as doing so would remove any current stealth effect.
Thoughts? Comments? I’m really not sure about Ghoulfire right now. In some ways, it feels underwhelming, but the sheer area it covers is very powerful.
Dragonbrand |Drarnor Kunoram: Charr Necro
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