Guild Wars 2

Hi,

Could you point me to a recent WvW/PvE clip of 30/0/10/0/30 Axe+Focus / Staff in action…

I like the idea and how it plays and was wondering what you all think of its performance in various situation?

Thanks

I’ve noticed that there’s not a lot of WvW Necromancer videos compared to other professions.

I don’t see a lot of Axe + Focus/Staff users in PvE or in PvP, but assuming you’re full Berserker and you’re very adamant with Axe+Focus/Staff, I’d say you’ll do ok in PvE (Don’t know about WvW/Roaming/1v1 though, but I’d assume poorly).

Rok.5260:

I’ve noticed that there’s not a lot of WvW Necromancer videos compared to other professions.

I don’t see a lot of Axe + Focus/Staff users in PvE or in PvP, but assuming you’re full Berserker and you’re very adamant with Axe+Focus/Staff, I’d say you’ll do ok in PvE (Don’t know about WvW/Roaming/1v1 though, but I’d assume poorly).

Its mostly Knight+Soldier with a very high power and gets most of the damage in DS (+50% crit).

Minimum 1600 Toughness, with about 6x% crit damage and and abour 21 – 22 k hp with 25xx – 26xx power.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fQAQNAndWjMah7VbKbM8JEpCPD0j3rWcGqHwD78hA-jEyAYMBRyCIVIQJwioxW4KiGreBTZSEV7PKiWtUARMGA-w

I’d say you’ll do Ok-ish in PvE but I believe you won’t succeed much in WvW Roaming 1v1. But you can try though, I might be wrong.

This is the only footage I can find and its a great one…mid way Staff/Axe+Focus

Rok.5260:

I’ve noticed that there’s not a lot of WvW Necromancer videos compared to other professions.

I don’t see a lot of Axe + Focus/Staff users in PvE or in PvP, but assuming you’re full Berserker and you’re very adamant with Axe+Focus/Staff, I’d say you’ll do ok in PvE (Don’t know about WvW/Roaming/1v1 though, but I’d assume poorly).

It is primarily because not that many people play necro in WvW outside of zergs. A direct result will be less videos. Zerg videos are also very boring to watch.

Roaming people don’t like to lose, and they don’t like to be forced to engage. If you roam with necro, you are going to lose, and you are forced to engage, so many people don’t like that. No one wants to make sure they have a friendly camp at their back to guarantee success when you are outnumbered.

If you play thief for 5 minutes roaming, you come to terms with why everyone likes to roam with thief. Unless you actively overextend, put yourself in harms way, etc, you are not going to have to respawn and walk back.

That being said, necro roaming is still way more fun. The aoe potential is much higher, and it is always more rewarding to win a fight knowing you didn’t have the option of running away like a little girl.

Cempa.5619:

This is the only footage I can find and its a great one…mid way Staff/Axe+Focus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMhEAXwSaJc

I guess I was proven wrong haha.

Cempa.5619:

This is the only footage I can find and its a great one…mid way Staff/Axe+Focus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMhEAXwSaJc

We need more good necros like that in our wvw tier lol. He needs to stop playing against those baddies and move to a higher tier, good skill like that is hard to find.

I have power video footage but its 30/15/10/0/15. Its dager/focus and staff. Its couple months old but link to the videos are in my sig if u want to see them.

The problem with necro roaming is the lack of mobility – there will be times when the enemy simply outnumbers you too heavily and there’s nothing you can do about it. Every other profession has at least some tool they can use to escape.

Of course, it’s still doable, you just have to think ahead and always be prepared in case twenty people suddenly show up.

Cempa.5619:

This is the only footage I can find and its a great one…mid way Staff/Axe+Focus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oMhEAXwSaJc

As a Necro running this build I equally love and hate this video.

Thieves are the one class that I dread facing as a Necro.

I also want to point out how important it is for the support cast.

I down plenty of people but I really need someone with stability to stomp them while I work on the next guy. When I hook up with random groups it is very frustrating to down players knowing they will be right back in the fight because random players tend to chase and spread out so much.

There is a large difference in facing T1 players vs lower tier players regarding armor. In my experience I notice a lot more PTV gear in T1 groups but at the same time I see far more Guardians and Mesmers rolling around on those servers. As a Necro relying heavily on the DS 1 Lich 1 skills for damage you really notice the players with defensive gear and or builds.

I love this build and find that I can’t play a Necro any other way now that I have put in the time to use this build and play style. It is good for solo roaming but certainly not great. Like we saw in the video a Necro can be very strong but is exponentially stronger with good support.

A few comments here since the video is mine.

I agree with some of the comments above. It can be a fun build to play. It can do fine in 1v1s against some classes/builds. In a group setting you are generally going to need help.

The comment on the damage you can do with respect to how defensive your target is built is dead on. The damage range you see from LF 1 and DS 1 is huge depending on your target. So, it’s great for clearing out people who aren’t built for survivability. Not so great for fighting a group of people built for survivability.

My guardian can pretty much face tank lichform with no danger of dying. Necros don’t have good sustain. So, as a power necro, if you don’t kill someone within a relatively short period of time the chances of winning a fight against good players decreases very quickly.

Bottom line: Fun to play but not effective against good groups. Conditions are still far better.

When facing thieves, i drop WoS then enter DS. From DS, i always use DS#3 and then immediately DS#2 to chill them and decrease their mobility, because then my mobility will increase, then DS#1 to death.

If DS runs out, pop Focus#5, Axe #2, Focus#4 and then back into DS for a while, that’s what i personally do 1v1 but find out what works best for you!

I ran 30/0/10/0/30 full bers build just last night in t1, it is definitely doable. Killing won’t be the problem, the problem will be (as it’s always been): stomping and combat mobility.

Moaning Marv.2194:

I ran 30/0/10/0/30 full bers build just last night in t1, it is definitely doable. Killing won’t be the problem, the problem will be (as it’s always been): stomping and combat mobility.

I agree.

Just want to add in that I was not trying to say this build is not doable in T1 just that the larger organized zergs and groups often run very tank heavy upfront in T1 more so than what I notice against lower tiers.

The direct result of this is that fewer of them drop or at least feel the consistently heavier damage of the DS 1 and LF 1 shots because of this.

I don’t run with Zerker gear very often in WvW though, I use a defensive set tweaked with runes to bring my crits up to a relative sweet spot to my liking while allowing me to survive those initial large group clashes.

I also want to explain why I find this build suffers against thieves more than most (for me);

In groups they often attack you after you have used one of or more of your best thief breaking skills, and moreover in groups if you have more than one thief focusing you especially while in LF you will drop fast.

In one on one with a Thief this build is about generating Life force to keep DS up as needed and often. DS 1 is your auto attack skill and is what is really going to make people drop. You have almost nothing in condition damage unless your weapons, sigils, and runes are providing it so direct power damage is where it is at.

Thieves will work down your Life force to zero. If you don’t have mobs around or something dying to get any back the fight is most likely already over. The reason is because thieves are in stealth for 90% of the fight and you will not hit them as often as you will any other class which makes getting that precious Life Force back very hard.

Condition builds are superior to this build against most classes because you can stack them fast and burn the thief down so much faster while they are in stealth most likely doing more damage than what they can regenerate and keeping more conditions on them if they are trying to stay in stealth to cleanse. (if a thief stays in stealth for the entire duration to heal and cleanse, he is most likely not hitting you or getting into a position to hit you.)

Many of these things are debatable and just my opinion. I am not Gods Gift to the Necro and do not pretend to be some sort of Pvp master. I just wanted to give my perspective as a player that runs this build every day in just about every situation possible.

As the OP was curious about potential pitfalls the ones have brought up are the most notable.

Thanks.

I just wanted to pop on and say that I thoroughly enjoyed this thread so far. The video was quite entertaining, especially since it tries something different in the face of how good condis are.

Also, bonus points for the vid if the slow-motion zooms are at least partially facetious because the player is just spamming 1. I’m a huge fan of exaggerated/bombastic editing in vids. It makes me miss the Frenzy Warrior one that was out a while back. Might have to go look that one up again.

Moaning Marv.2194:

I ran 30/0/10/0/30 full bers build just last night in t1, it is definitely doable. Killing won’t be the problem, the problem will be (as it’s always been): stomping and combat mobility.

This is on point. I have been running this build with mostly zerker (some cavaliers and kinghts trinkets) for the last 2 weeks and its a great damage dealer. While fighting in zergs it really comes down to positioning and timing. If you get hit with a well timed stun and don’t have DS or plague up, you’re probably going to die. Most the time mid zerg fight stomping is out of the question unless you can time DS stomps constantly. While fighting I find my self ducking in and out of the bulk of players and not in the middle of everything like I would in other more tanky builds.

IMO this is one of the most fun builds I’ve played in a long while. I wouldn’t go and say its the best for ZvZ because your missing out on a lot of the support options that Necros can have but its a blast to play.

Cogbyrn.7283:

I just wanted to pop on and say that I thoroughly enjoyed this thread so far. The video was quite entertaining, especially since it tries something different in the face of how good condis are.

Also, bonus points for the vid if the slow-motion zooms are at least partially facetious because the player is just spamming 1. I’m a huge fan of exaggerated/bombastic editing in vids. It makes me miss the Frenzy Warrior one that was out a while back. Might have to go look that one up again.

I make two types of movies. Edited and unedited. The edited movies are mostly just for entertainment. I actually make fun of spamming 1 at the start of the movie below.

Oozo.7856:

Cogbyrn.7283:

I just wanted to pop on and say that I thoroughly enjoyed this thread so far. The video was quite entertaining, especially since it tries something different in the face of how good condis are.

Also, bonus points for the vid if the slow-motion zooms are at least partially facetious because the player is just spamming 1. I’m a huge fan of exaggerated/bombastic editing in vids. It makes me miss the Frenzy Warrior one that was out a while back. Might have to go look that one up again.

I make two types of movies. Edited and unedited. The edited movies are mostly just for entertainment. I actually make fun of spamming 1 at the start of the movie below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BJYOwrrhSo

Hands down one of te most entertaining necro clips evaaaa…

How would improve gear?

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fQAQNAndWjMah7dbKbM8JEpCPD0j3rWcGqHrD78hA-jEyAYMBRyCIVIQJwioxWJLiGreBTXSEV7xLiWtUARMGA-w

Oozo.7856:

Cogbyrn.7283:

I just wanted to pop on and say that I thoroughly enjoyed this thread so far. The video was quite entertaining, especially since it tries something different in the face of how good condis are.

Also, bonus points for the vid if the slow-motion zooms are at least partially facetious because the player is just spamming 1. I’m a huge fan of exaggerated/bombastic editing in vids. It makes me miss the Frenzy Warrior one that was out a while back. Might have to go look that one up again.

I make two types of movies. Edited and unedited. The edited movies are mostly just for entertainment. I actually make fun of spamming 1 at the start of the movie below.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1BJYOwrrhSo

That’s that delicious sauce. Thanks for delivering.

I personally dont like using a staff in a 30/0/10/0/30 build the dps from a dagger/dagger/horn only helps you kill that target faster and enfeebling blood reduces their dps output, which is why I like 30/15/0/0/25. Get fury and enfeebling blood with a quick ds flip. However, I do run knights gear and an equal mix of zerker/pvt trinkets with the ruby orb oh and I run with well of darkness now so that I can stomp people as well as help kill their dps

Dylninja.4216:

I personally dont like using a staff in a 30/0/10/0/30 build the dps from a dagger/dagger/horn only helps you kill that target faster and enfeebling blood reduces their dps output, which is why I like 30/15/0/0/25. Get fury and enfeebling blood with a quick ds flip. However, I do run knights gear and an equal mix of zerker/pvt trinkets with the ruby orb oh and I run with well of darkness now so that I can stomp people as well as help kill their dps

if you enter DS whilst holding a staff your attacks do more damage than if you entered with a dagger

axe (with trait)>staff>dagger>scpter>axe (the last three is debatable… dagger is the most stable, axe has the highest possible-out of the three)

… im also unsure as to whether sigil of force would affect deathshroud…

I do fine with 30/0/10/0/30 in wvwvw, no complaints. I dont roam solo because a zerg will kill me but I skirmish plenty when its a few vs few near camps etc.

With the recent patch, to deal with theives all I need to do is switch to shroud and shackle, siphon (which I can do without target), fear and a few blasts and they are usually on their back. If not greater marks will have them running or dead.

Mind you 2 really good players can be a handful especially if they prey on your lack of stability. You can build for this with wells however.

I’m kind of set on Axe+Focus and Staff but not sure about armor+trinket and gems? Id like a minimum toughness of 1600 though.

I run with 1400 toughness, seems ok.

-Trinkets zerker all the way, great zerker efficacy.
-3 smaller armor pieces are berzerker (can go knight with these and not lose as much for more toughness if you want)
-Helm/coat/legs 2 soldier and 1 knight – not as much bang for buck on going zerker with these so best place to get your toughness and vit.
-Similarly weapons is poor mileage for berzerker so these are good as knight.

I find axe-focus and staff very efficient. First is great for stripping boons, second is great aoe and conditions.

It’s also much easier to build lifeforce with staff than dagger in most WvW situations. Using dagger requires you to expose yourself to great risk in any kind of group fight.

For a duel or duo fight, I prefer dagger. For 5v5 or anything higher where you have to be really careful with positioning, staff.

well now that the staff marks base radi has been changed i may have to try staff again in this build

Dylninja.4216:

well now that the staff marks base radi has been changed i may have to try staff again in this build

One interesting thing about it is that you can run 30/10/0/0/30 and grab ground targeted Wells.

Throw down Wells and enter Death Shroud and Reaper’s Precision does it’s magic to make the Wells crit a ton.
Of course you won’t have Well cooldown reduction, but it’s still pretty nice.

LastDay.3524:

Dylninja.4216:

well now that the staff marks base radi has been changed i may have to try staff again in this build

One interesting thing about it is that you can run 30/10/0/0/30 and grab ground targeted Wells.

Throw down Wells and enter Death Shroud and Reaper’s Precision does it’s magic to make the Wells crit a ton.
Of course you won’t have Well cooldown reduction, but it’s still pretty nice.

Thats exactly what Im doing now.

Have you seen my shrouded bomber vid? Its at the bottom of my sig.
That was pre-patch.
I know its not traited for zerker but still same principal

As a norn necro, I can just take Snow Leopard for when i want to solo roam. Gets you away from zergs.

Do you play this spec? I like the spec its fun but depends heavily on DS, and I have no stability at all, so CC me and blow through my life force and my dmg is a joke :/

I don’t know if you were talking to me, but since my comment is right above I’ll assume you were. My spec is in the post your build thread. Probably still the last one on the list. 3.2k attack, 2.6k armor 94%, crit chance in Death Shroud, 100% crit Damage. Flesh wurm and spec walk help you kite if you run out of LF. And they are also good for Necro blink rofl stomping ppl.