Guild Wars 2

So I havent played in about a year, and am excited that anet is adding the use of additional existing weapons to current classes. Who knows when it will be implemented.
I recently got to thinking on how different weapons can work on the necromancer.
I would want a new and different play style, but have it still scream necromancer, so I came up with…..

@Long Bow.

The idea I had is the necromancer uses the arrows shots to transfer evil spirits to whoever the arrows connects with causing damage and conditions. I was thinking when the arrow connects for a brief second it can show the spirit materialize, attack, then vanish. Each skill will have a different evil spirit connected to it.

Also maybe when using the same attack in succession, this will cause the evil spirit to draw life force from the wounds of the victim and have enough energy to linger around the target causing torment for several seconds or until destroyed (similar to how you can destroy the rangers vine elite skill).

@Greatsword or @Sword

I was thinking that instead of the character using the sword, there can be a shadow Fiend controlling the your sword, infront of you. Would be awesome if it shows the Fiend as a shadow figure that flickers in and out when attacking.

The idea is to have the sword on your back, but when in battle the shadow fiend takes the sword and starts fighting with the sword. Your character would look as if its guiding the demon with every attack you initiate.

So not really a pet, the shadow fiend just acts as an extension using the sword for you.

Or maybe use this idea with a Main hand @Torch while using it to guide the Shadow Fiend to attack with his bare hands/claws.

So what do you guys think? Too farfetched? Or can we see it happening?

My only nitpick is the model itself. I really love how the mesmer GS functions as a ranged weapon that uses magic. I wish necromancer had a similar type of weapon that was a melee model but used sorcery at range. I do like your shadow-fiend idea though.

I despise the idea of using a melee model as a ranged sorcery weapon. I hate the Axe for this reason and the Mesmer GS. It’s about as stupid as sword chucks. Now having a mix of melee and ranged attacks like our D/D set is different. Ele D/D is tolerable in a similar sense.

I’ve always liked the idea of Necromancer with Longbow. There needs to be more Longbow classes and not many classes can fit the bill. I think there is enough fantasy and mmo lore behind the idea of it. For instance WoW’s Dark Rangers or UO’s necro archer builds.

My idea for a Necro Longbow would be to make it minion orientated. That is, it has skills that summon and command minions. The minions would be our ‘pets’, tying in to that Dark Ranger lore. Perhaps a 5 skill that summons a flesh golem. A 4 skill that does a barrage type skill, and where the arrows land, rat minions pop out and start attacking anything nearby. A 3 skill that commands all minions to attack a certain target, and immobilizes that enemy. Attack 2 could be a life force building channel and attack 1 could be condition oriented chain attack like bleed bleed poison.

Personally, my vision of a necro sword is like the UW spear/Dagger, attacking, but that actual hits connecting trough special spectral effects at a bit higher range than the actual physical attack (and for sword id use the ripple like effects you see on DS Axe aa and spear 1c) in a cone; think cho gath feral scream, but green and more ripple like.

I’m not sure I can envision longbow necromancers, since they’re already casters. I could maybe see the use of swords, maces, and torches (which latter of which would be counter-intuitive since most of the death/underworld motif in the Guild Wars universe focuses on cold). Swords could be made similar to axes in that they would be a short-mid-range option with a focus on torment and bleeding/poisoning, maces could be made similar to daggers as a close-range option with a focus on chilling and dazing/weakening.

But, to preserve weapon balance imo, necromancers would need another long-range weapon. Maybe a possible bringing of underwater weapons up for land use with similar yet different skills?

Can we make Longbow work? Yes. Necromancers already only really use their weapons (except dagger auto) as ritual tools, not as literal weapons. This could easily be applied to a bow, not to mention we aren’t wussy casters like other lores often have magic users be.

I see no reason a longbow couldn’t be put in properly. I don’t know that this is the skillset I would have it use, but longbow itself could be done.

I could easily imagine a bow work.

1. would be a bounce spell or a slow moving ground target aoe
2. would be a channel skill of some sort with good damage and chill
3. would be a targeted skill that deals damage and roots the target if it doenst get out of a tether range fast enough
4. would be a short lived minion, either shot or summoned, that can be activated for a second effect
5. would be a short duration well with some effects.

Generally a power based AOE weapon that uses some utility skills families to spice things up.

No for 2 reasons:
R/N from GW1 being the equivalent of a bearbow/permastealth thief/PU mesmer/Sissyrun warrior

We are lacking in the melee control department more than in the power ranged one and our profession mechanic kinda does define that point.

If Necros got longbows, I don’t think we’d be shooting arrows. Maybe something like… mini-undead-wurms. That explode. Think Engi pistol auto-attack. The #5 could be something like you summon undead archers next to you, and it makes a squarish aoe of longbow (re)death. I also like the idea for the sword/greatsword being a demon, or a puppet. It gives off a kind of “voodoo” vibe, and voodoo necro sounds cool.

Andele.1306:

We are lacking in the melee control department more than in the power ranged one and our profession mechanic kinda does define that point.

600 range (for decent damage) auto attack with pretty heavy need to support it in other ways does not qualify as a ranged power weapon.

MatyrGustav.6210:

So I havent played in about a year, and am excited that anet is adding the use of additional existing weapons to current classes. Who knows when it will be implemented.
I recently got to thinking on how different weapons can work on the necromancer.
I would want a new and different play style, but have it still scream necromancer, so I came up with…..

@Long Bow.

The idea I had is the necromancer uses the arrows shots to transfer evil spirits to whoever the arrows connects with causing damage and conditions. I was thinking when the arrow connects for a brief second it can show the spirit materialize, attack, then vanish. Each skill will have a different evil spirit connected to it.

Also maybe when using the same attack in succession, this will cause the evil spirit to draw life force from the wounds of the victim and have enough energy to linger around the target causing torment for several seconds or until destroyed (similar to how you can destroy the rangers vine elite skill).

@Greatsword or @Sword

I was thinking that instead of the character using the sword, there can be a shadow Fiend controlling the your sword, infront of you. Would be awesome if it shows the Fiend as a shadow figure that flickers in and out when attacking.

The idea is to have the sword on your back, but when in battle the shadow fiend takes the sword and starts fighting with the sword. Your character would look as if its guiding the demon with every attack you initiate.

So not really a pet, the shadow fiend just acts as an extension using the sword for you.

Or maybe use this idea with a Main hand @Torch while using it to guide the Shadow Fiend to attack with his bare hands/claws.

So what do you guys think? Too farfetched? Or can we see it happening?

i actually like the idea of the greatsword. i’d however tweak it to perform like the ranger’s version. auto attack 1 and 2 could be similar, but chain 3: turn into a shadow and strike your foe, while evading an attack.
GS2 could perform like ranger’s gs2. a large swiping animation but taking the form of an aatxe.
GS3 shouldn’t have a 1100+ leap though, it should be around 600(still something we need drastically.)
not sure about 4/5.

i do kind of like the sorcery end a bit more. lolinb4deathray.(sorry) it could perform exactly the same way that mesmer’s gs performs. it would be a power based weapon, with like exploding minions or something. a cone fear on gs5 would be cool, or put lich form’s#3 on gs#5, using mesmer’s animation. the GS3 skill could be like mesmer’s, only it stabs the ground summoning a bone minion at target location, exploding after the animation is over.

I would prefer shortbow because the models are nicer!

Really, I don’t have any problem with necromancers getting a weapon that’s used as an actual weapon. Arrows are basically tiny daggers on the ends of pieces of wood, anyway. A bow could fit very well with a ‘spirit’ aesthetic; Spirits are revered by the Norn, Norn use bows, therefore a “traditional” necromancer norn would use a bow. To shoot spooky ghosts at people. But yeah. A 900 or 1200 range power weapon would certainly not be unappreciated in my books; a 900 range shortbow with a set of skills that take inspiration from Ritualist skills and Spectral skills would be pretty cool.

On a Longbow, or any other weapon being a “minion oriented” weapon; for the most part, I don’t think that a build should be locked into a specific weapon, especially not a generalist build like MM. As MM, you can currently work more or less ‘effectively’ using any weapon, because pretty much all of your traits are dedicated towards boosting your minions- The only actual damage increaser that you can afford to get is Spiteful Talisman. I think that if one weapon were introduced that were intended to be the definitive MM weapon, MM would be worse off for it.

If a Necro weapon were built around supporting allies, and in solo play those allies just happened to be minions? I think that would be fine. But that’s a support weapon, not a minion weapon.

Does anyone have a link to where they say they’re adding new weapons?

Xomic.5792:

Does anyone have a link to where they say they’re adding new weapons?

“Now let’s talk about the specifics Colin and I chatted about during our call”.//// “What’s more is that the team is also working very kitten finding a way to make it so that every profession has access to every weapon”

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/473/feature/7597/Guild-Wars-2-ArenaNets-Master-Plan-for-2013.html

I personally want Necro’s to have torches more than anything. Now, before people say it’s against the lore, I agree, so hear me out.

Torch (Mainhand):
1. Visceral Ignition “Ignite your targets from inside with a magical flame” Damage 125 Recharge (1/2s)
2. Phantom Flames “Haunt your target with a ghastly flame, causing chill and removing 1 boon if the target is already chilled” Chill duration 1 1/2s, Damage 245 (Recharge 10s)
3. Breath Of Winter “Breathe a snowy wind at your target and surrounding targets, causing chill and additional damage for each foe it hits” Chill duration 2 1/2s, Damage (x2) 220, Number of targets: 6 (Recharge 15s)

Torch (Offhand):
4. Path Of Oblivion “Slide forward leaving a trail of frozen earth behind you, knocking down foes who touch it” Damage 125, Range of slide 400units, Evade 3/4s Recharge (18s)
5. Tormented Earth “Ignite an area at your feet with a chilling flame, causing 2seconds of Torment for each second your target stands within the flame” Chill duration 1 1/2s, Damage 140 Recharge (20s)

I think a lot of these (although obviously subject to name change and damage alterations) give the Necromancer much needed utility. Such as a method of escaping combat, “Path Of Oblivion”, cleaving damage with “Visceral Ignition”, which I would envision to act similarly to swords, more debuffs and lots of access to chill allowing you to effectively keep your targets at range.