Since the patch I have had quite a bit of fun in WvW, and thought I would put together a video of some of that.
Currently I am running a 30/20/10/10/0 build in full rabid gear.
UPDATE:
Newest video
Special thanks to my roaming buddy (Vezin) who is in most of the video. He tanks for me, and keeps me up and running.
Older: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M-PVnU36RPc
For the build/traits:
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fQAQNArYWjMat7pbeb8bKEpCPzUhvB6xugLgYkijJYA-j0xAINBRqCAhIi5wioxWfLiGr6GTHTEVLFAEzBA-w
A little explanation on the build:
Spite Tree (30 points): Burning as it stands right now is great single target, and I make liberal use of epidemic, so having tried multipe builds since the patch, it seems just foolish not to take this. Also 30% longer conditions is nothing to sneeze at. The master and adept level traits I picked in this tree are fairly standard, as there are not amazing traits really in those slots for a condition user.
Curses (20): This I struggled with this for a while, as dropping 10 points from this tree is reducing my overall condition damage by 100. However, with the extra 30 points in spite, I no longer feel like I really need lingering curses in WvW. The 25 point minor is also basically useless for me in full rabid. Terror is a lock for condition builds, and with the buff to weakness, and our close quarters combat, I feel weakening shroud is very powerful, and worth taking.
Death Magic (10): No choice here. Thanks greater marks.
Blood Magic (10): Here is where I make up for my lost survivability from losing points in Soul Reaping. The minor and mark of evasion give me great uptime on regen without forcing me into staff before I want to go into staff. It makes a massive difference, and synergizes very well with weakening shroud, works in plauge form. The extra bleeds are of course welcome as well.
This trait setup can also be easily swapped around for zerg vs. zerg, which is another reason I like it. I may do another video about that some other time.
I use the cheaper crystals, because I am cheap, and rare veggie, because it is the only food a condition user should ever consider.
A little note about why I use nightmare instead of undead. Taking nightmare runes lowers your condition damage by about 90 or so from full undead, lowers your toughness a little, but raises your condition duration 10%, and gives you a mini-doom when someone attacks you.
The proc rate is not amazing, but you do notice it, and it does help on occasion. The real reason why you want nightmare though is to break the 74% fear threshold, while maximizing condition damage. Any other option to get above 74% is going to lower your overal damage (giver’s weapons for instance).
At 80% duration from food and runes, the sigil of paralyzation lets you get 3 doom ticks at close range, and 2 fear ticks at long range. The guarantee of these extra ticks is huge, especially if your fear procs on a clean condition player. Using this sigil, it allows your 80% duration to all, to break 100% duration on fear also.
Earth for sceptor is also a lock for me, because it can proc often (once every 2 seconds), and will proc off some utilities too. I also lean very heavy on my sceptor.
As far as utilities, epidemic and BIP are the two damage utilities that allow me to take on large groups, but also reduce any chance of boon removal or survival. That is why the new spectral wall works great in bridging that gap.
I mentioned it in other posts, but for roaming, the most important thing is you team comp and knowing when to run. The last patch made necro so powerful, running isn’t so much of an issue unless a huge force is around, but its still important to not overcommit. I also roam with a friend on mumble who runs a res-pet utility on ranger, because I get focused quite a bit when we duo and trio roam. We lack any kind of practical stomping, as you may have noticed, but we get by. His conditions also get amplifeid by my condition damage with epidemic.
Best of luck on roaming, it is doable on necro and quite fun if you get the hang of it.
(edited by Rennoko.5731)