Guild Wars 2

My guild has had several discussions regarding the role of the Necromancer in large, organized group play in WvW (I differentiate this from a zerg in the sense that zergs are not necessarily organized). Perhaps it might be better to think of it in a GvG scenario, but I digress.

Necromancers are the “tanky” caster in the sense that they can take a lot more damage than Eles and Mesmers and live to tell about it. And they don’t even need to spec for it necessarily; good use of Deathshroud, and timing your cleanses and transfers will get you pretty far.
Moreover, many of our skills and traits provide huge benefits to the front line. For example, if we were to only consider wells, we could possibly grant AoE protection, AoE conditions stripping, AoE boon corrupting, AoE healing, AoE blinding, and light and dark fields. We also have Plague, and PBAoE vulnerability.

On the other hand, Necros have very few escape mechanisms, and, in the thick of things, you might get blasted down pretty quick. Also, if we look at most of the benefits outlined above, several of them can achieved at range with only minor losses in effectiveness. Most of our AoE can be fired off at range, and our hardest hitting attack (Life Blast) is ranged and can be traited to pierce. I also personally also find it a lot easier to make good use of Epidemic, arguably our best WvW skill, at a distance, because I’m not screwing around in the killzone and can be more selective with my targets.

As a guild, we have a fairly good idea of what we’re doing now, and we have designed several Necro builds for large group play. However, I’m interested in knowing where the community thinks the Necromancer best fits.
So, where do you find yourself, the front line: back line, or somewhere in between?

Usually in the middle.

-Trying to get off that amazing Epidemic hit: But half a second after the target goes into downed state or is completely cleansed.
-Using weak staff skills to try and stack conditions which are cleansed or barely move enemies health :/
-Tossing well placed wells and marks just for them to be evaded.
-Spamming lich form skills.

Then I switch to D/D and attempt to be front lined and actually do better till im targeted to find out i cant tank worth crap. 2 seconds of death shroud and interrupted life transfer.

I have no idea of the role for a necro mancer, Everything is just so backwards with this game that its confusing.

I don’t know that its the best as I’m still a bad necro but when I’m running with a zerg I like to spam conditions like blind (traited for chill) and weakness, more then doing damage. I like to think this helps the group mitigate a lot of damage which in the long run would probably help more then the damage I would be doing.

iKeostuKen.2738:

Usually in the middle.

-Trying to get off that amazing Epidemic hit: But half a second after the target goes into downed state or is completely cleansed.
-Using weak staff skills to try and stack conditions which are cleansed or barely move enemies health :/
-Tossing well placed wells and marks just for them to be evaded.
-Spamming lich form skills.

Then I switch to D/D and attempt to be front lined and actually do better till im targeted to find out i cant tank worth crap. 2 seconds of death shroud and interrupted life transfer.

I have no idea of the role for a necro mancer, Everything is just so backwards with this game that its confusing.

Supposedly movement is to take the place of defense and control in this game, but that means that they have in essence created a third person shooter masking as a RPG.