Guild Wars 2

The Necromancer seems really underpowered in PvE group-encounters.

The group-healing (even when specialized in the trait-tree that’s based upon it) seems to be worse than what other professions have access to for free. And this seems to be the reality for most of the support, including a loss in damage-output that’s a lot milder to other professions. Offensive boons aren’t all that plenty even when traited for and isn’t shared with the rest.

I really like the profession, but I play it as my fifth alt, so I’d think that it’s not one of these cliche cases of “wining about ones main profession needs a buff”. I’m also not extremely knowledgeable about the profession.

So here’s a question I’d like to ask: Why hasn’t the Necromancer seen improvements in party support and utility?
Surely it could be done by simply making a lot of the traits and skills less selfish. Things such as making the boons gained from Reaper’s Might and Furious Demise -traits party wide perhaps?

A stack of might for everyone on each Life Blast, and some Fury for everyone whenever you enter DS. That ought to be a step in a healthy direction for the profession.

Am I wrong? If not, why hasn’t these kind of changes been implemented? Can’t be all that hard to patch in. I mean, looking at the threads on this forum creates an image that Necro-players love the profession but despite the poor state it’s in.

Phadde.7362:

The Necromancer seems really underpowered in PvE group-encounters.

The group-healing (even when specialized in the trait-tree that’s based upon it) seems to be worse than what other professions have access to for free. And this seems to be the reality for most of the support, including a loss in damage-output that’s a lot milder to other professions. Offensive boons aren’t all that plenty even when traited for and isn’t shared with the rest.

I really like the profession, but I play it as my fifth alt, so I’d think that it’s not one of these cliche cases of “wining about ones main profession needs a buff”. I’m also not extremely knowledgeable about the profession.

So here’s a question I’d like to ask: Why hasn’t the Necromancer seen improvements in party support and utility?
Surely it could be done by simply making a lot of the traits and skills less selfish. Things such as making the boons gained from Reaper’s Might and Furious Demise -traits party wide perhaps?

A stack of might for everyone on each Life Blast, and some Fury for everyone whenever you enter DS. That ought to be a step in a healthy direction for the profession.

Am I wrong? If not, why hasn’t these kind of changes been implemented? Can’t be all that hard to patch in. I mean, looking at the threads on this forum creates an image that Necro-players love the profession but despite the poor state it’s in.

Necromancer players love the profession.
However, ANET’s design/update cycle regarding professions is very slow, and they seldom visit/comment on threads in here. Instead, they post in general forums, where terribad Hambow Warriors and Permastealth Thieves whine loudest, so significant beneficial changes are made.

PvE is just awful in this game in general. It pretty much just needs completely revamped, as the only thing that matters in any aspect of it is doing more DPS.

Apathy.6430:

PvE is just awful in this game in general. It pretty much just needs completely revamped, as the only thing that matters in any aspect of it is doing more DPS.

I have to say that I love the PvE content in this game, much more than I have in previous MMOs. Playing support in this game is much more enjoyable than healing, even though it’s mostly redundant when playing with fairly skillful players, it really makes a big difference when playing in most PUGs and such. But support could definitely have a bigger role in PvE.
And Control as a mechanic in PvE is actually tragic.
… And, even though 5 man content is really great, something a bit bigger, more epic and perhaps more Guild-oriented and really challenging is something which, in it’s absence, leaves a big gaping hole in the PvE experience.

Balefire.7592:

Necromancer players love the profession.
However, ANET’s design/update cycle regarding professions is very slow, and they seldom visit/comment on threads in here. Instead, they post in general forums, where terribad Hambow Warriors and Permastealth Thieves whine loudest, so significant beneficial changes are made.

It seems ridiculous to suggest that ANet almost forgets about the reality for some professions, but what other explanation is there? I mean, take the recent balance patch preview that they recently released in a thread; They basically fixed a few (random) minor things, but it seems to me like any reasonable person in that tread could’ve pointed out much more important issues that are burning to be solved, and kind of though that this was all borderline idiocy.

It feels like pure idiocy.

Phadde.7362:

Playing support in this game is much more enjoyable than healing, even though it’s mostly redundant when playing with fairly skillful players, it really makes a big difference when playing in most PUGs and such. But support could definitely have a bigger role in PvE.

You’ve just convinced yourself that is the case, as the lesser DPS professions are kind of forced to do to make themselves feel worthwhile. I did it too for awhile, it’s an easy trap to fall into. Then you try one of the zerkers and you wonder how the hell you managed while rocking a “support” class.

You’d be better off shaving a minute off the fight by going DPS rather than “support”. The most supporting thing you can do in the game is revive people when they go down, but you don’t need to build for that, just dodge and press F.

Apathy.6430:

You’d be better off shaving a minute off the fight by going DPS rather than “support”. The most supporting thing you can do in the game is revive people when they go down, but you don’t need to build for that, just dodge and press F.

Well, if you play in groups where people usually die quite a lot and have to sacrifice more damage for the sake of defense (the general PUG), the group can provide a lot more damage output if you can successfully provide enough support to basically remove those concerns while still making a good amount of DPS.
And the runs becomes very, very much smoother in my experience.

By the way, I also main a Warrior and a Guardian, but I still don’t choose them for PUGs since I find my two other professions to be much more useful.