Guild Wars 2

So I admit this profession themed mechanic confuses me a bit. I get that the damage scales from power (sometimes?) and the healing off healing power (again, sometimes?), but the stats doesn’t seem to have much of an effect on it. Also, sometimes bypasses armor? Does it work while you’re in shroud? If you give life steal to others, is it your stats or theirs that matter? Someone break this down for me. I want to understand how it works.

(Please, no shorthand opinions of the mechanic without some well-reasoned explanation of why you think that at the least. Looking for factual information here.)

Edit: and yes I looked at the wiki, but that just confused me more.

Depends on the siphon. If it’s from food, sigils, or runes, it does not scale with Power on the damage component, nor does it heal through Shroud.

From Necromancer traits and skills, the siphon will scale with Power for the damage portion, Healing Power for the healing portion, and will heal through Shroud.

Exact numbers on scaling vary with the source.

Vampiric Presence scales off of the stats of the Necromancer supplying the aura.

All siphons (except Dagger 2, which I believe is coded specially) ignore Armor and damage reduction of any kind.

and the healing portion is based on healing power, I’m guessing. Is the scaling from power and healing power significant enough to be considered? (Power you’re gonna stat for anyways, but wondering if healing power scales well for this.)

bearshaman.3421:

and the healing portion is based on healing power, I’m guessing. Is the scaling from power and healing power significant enough to be considered? (Power you’re gonna stat for anyways, but wondering if healing power scales well for this.)

On Vampiric and Vampiric Presence, not really. Combined they give every hit a .9% Healing Power coefficient. Vampiric Rituals isn’t really worth building Healing Power for either, as it only scales at .5%

I don’t know the scaling on Vampiric’s minion siphoning effect. I will calculate that in-game and get back to you. It’s better than the self-siphon, though.

Soul Eater: 4% Healing Power/Gravedigger hit
Augury of Death: 2% Healing Power/Shout hit

Signet of the Locust has a 50% Healing Power coefficient/target. Blood Bond/Signet of Vampirism have 24% Healing Power/stack. Both give great returns when you get more than one hit.

Life Siphon (Dagger 2) is 10% Healing Power/hit (up to 9 hits). 90% Healing Power coefficient on a 12 second cooldown is higher return than most Healing skills. Keep in mind that this doesn’t behave like most siphons, since the damage it deals is subject to armor and other damage reductions. However, also unlike other siphons, it can crit. It’s really a “hit 9 times, gain health each time you hit” rather than a siphon.

The following are gear/food and as such will not heal through Shroud:

Sigil of Blood scales with Power at 7.5% and Healing Power at 10%.
Sigil of Draining scales with Power at 7.5% and Healing Power at 20%.
Sigil of Leeching doesn’t scale with your stats at all.

Food does not scale with your stats at all.
Runes of the Vampire and Runes of Scavenging do not scale with your stats at all.

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

All siphons (except Dagger 2, which I believe is coded specially) ignore Armor and damage reduction of any kind.

Actually dagger 2 isnt the only one that doesnt ignore armor and dc. SoL and our downstate auto life leech also get effected by armor and dr. Those skills also can crit, which other siphons cannot do.

Thanks for the info! So now I’ll ask more of an opinion: Is it worth statting healing power for?

Edit: I’m mostly looking at PVE stuffs, though WvW may be a thing at some point. PvP isn’t my thing.

No, stacking healing power is not worth stacking especially in pve.

Muchacho.2390:

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

All siphons (except Dagger 2, which I believe is coded specially) ignore Armor and damage reduction of any kind.

Actually dagger 2 isnt the only one that doesnt ignore armor and dc. SoL and our downstate auto life leech also get effected by armor and dr. Those skills also can crit, which other siphons cannot do.

Signet of the Locust is armor ignoring and can’t crit. It’s a true siphon.

Spear 3 is like Dagger 2 and Downed 1, though.

In PvE, Healing Power on Necros is never really worth it. Our group heals just aren’t that great overall (even if they do have absurd scaling, they are too infrequent). I do it, but only because I don’t want to invest in yet another set of armor for my Necro.

In PvP and WvW, it can really throw off your opponents. I have had people lay enough damage into me to kill me three times over and I’m still healthy. They just don’t have cooldowns left after that, usually.

Got it. Thanks again.

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

Muchacho.2390:

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

All siphons (except Dagger 2, which I believe is coded specially) ignore Armor and damage reduction of any kind.

Actually dagger 2 isnt the only one that doesnt ignore armor and dc. SoL and our downstate auto life leech also get effected by armor and dr. Those skills also can crit, which other siphons cannot do.

Signet of the Locust is armor ignoring and can’t crit. It’s a true siphon.

Thats wrong it can crit and it doesnt ignore armor. Test it if you dont believe me i am 100% sure of it.

You’re correct. Had to go into the Training Area to test it, but you are correct.