Guild Wars 2

This is my first post on the forums, but I’ve got almost 500 hours on my necro and wanted to make some suggestions to changes on several of the weapon sets. Currently most necromancer builds are defined by their utilities, which reduces build diversity. My suggestions try to reduce this by giving weapons a more clearly defined role in the game.

Dagger (main hand):
This weapon is headed in the right direction, but doesn’t do enough to keep necromancers alive. Giving the auto-attack a new animation, making it cleave, and making the life force gain scale to the amount of hits would increase how necromancers defenses scale with the amount of enemies. Reworking dagger 2 to siphon health from multiple sources, similar to life transfer, would again help our scaling against multiple enemies. It also needs to scale more drastically with power and healing power. If you have a ton of healing power it should heal you for a lot with 5 targets around. If you have a ton of power it should do a good amount of damage to everyone in the area. Dagger 3 is a good skill where it is at.

Staff:
Honestly the staff sucks, it is supposed to be our group support with soft cc, but it doesn’t do that. It also doesn’t do condition damage well, and the auto attack is useless. I would change the auto attack projectile to have twice as fast movement, and inflict 1 stack of 3 seconds of torment. Torment is both a dot and a soft cc due to how it works and this goes well with the debuff theme. Staff two should be reverted to having 3 bleed stacks and regeneration as it’s the only staff skill that isn’t on a long cooldown. Before the recent nerf it was completely fine. Staff three should inflict the chill it currently has along with the poison field, but should also grant allies 3-5 seconds of retaliation. Putrid mark has been nerfed into the ground recently. The skill needs to be balanced as it’s a long cooldown that only transfering three conditions from yourself, which doesn’t fit with group support. Instead of 3 conditions from the caster it should transfer 1 condition from all allies in the area and transfer 1 boon from all enemies in the area. The coding for this would be difficult, but the skill would have great usage for good teamplay. Staff 5 seems good until you realize it is on a 40 second cooldown. If you have terror, 100% terror duration and hit 5 targets with conditions it’s still only 10k damage to five people every 40 seconds. This seems like a lot until you realize other attacks do a lot more. Keep the fear, but add 5 seconds of protection to all allies in the area.

Axe:
The axe wants to be a ranged power weapon, it really does, but 600 range is terrible and leaves you at the most awkward distance. Increase the range to 900. Then reduce the cast time on rending claws to 1/2 a second as it is already way slow. Buff the damage to ghastly claws to be around 1/3 of hundred blades. Ghastly claws has 1/2 the cast time so it comes out to 2/3 of the damage of hundred blades per second. This makes since because it is a ranged weapon. Axe 3 is actually in a good place for this setup. It cripples, removes a boon, and gives you retaliation. All things that lend themselves to a ranged power weapon.

Scepter:
This is our ranged condition weapon that everyone knows (notice I didn’t say loves). The auto attack is good, but replacing 1 stack of bleeding with one of torment would diversify the amount of conditions on enemies. We need this considering our total condition damage has gone down since before dhummfire. Nemesis went over this in his video and it is really quite sad. Grasping dead is a pretty great skill and should remain the same as it has been. Scepter 3 is where I begin to wonder what they were thinking. A skill that does no condition damage at all, but increases the damage done based on how many conditions where on the target. This sound good, but scepter scaling with power and precision is really weak. Changing the skill to still give you life force, but instead of increased damage adding 1 stack of 3 seconds of bleeding per condition on the enemy would give necros nice burst condition damage.

Dagger(offhand):
Honestly this weapon fits the them of the class and has multiple uses. I wouldn’t change a thing as it’s pretty well balanced.

Warhorn: The skills look great on paper, but don’t do enough to justify their large cooldowns. Wail of doom should give a buff along with the daze. 3 stacks of might for 10 seconds

[edit]:Focus: Focus 4 should give protection instead of regen. Spiteful Talisman needs a shorter cast time [edit]

Underwater weapons:
Nah just trollin no one goes underwater.

Future weapons:
If something similar to what’s above was done the only thing missing would be a condition melee weapon. I like the idea of two swords, a hammer, or a mace, but that is for arenanet do decide.

Obviously I realize most people would call this overpowered, but changes to axe and staff are a must. Axe simply isn’t strong enough and staff doesn’t know what it wants to be kind of like this class. The main point of this post is to gain a good look at how overly diverse our weapon sets are and how changes need to be made. Thanks for the read.

Good changes. Especially given they are just tweaks to existing stuff – and not totally unrealistic overhauls.

You forgot the focus :P

Btw, staff – axe/warhorn (the worst possible combo according to your assessment) is a popular choice for wvw zerg well builds. Also, I use those weapons in a hybrid build, so I very much disagree that they are as bad as you make them out to be.

Necro has a few weapons gaps; Cleave, Torment, 2H short and medium range, high direct damage (minimal AoE and conditions) long range. There are others, of course, but these stand out to me. Tequatl really highlights the staff’s shortcomings when it comes to single targets with a lot of condition resistance. Most of the rest of the land weapons are condition-heavy and include AoE.

flow.6043:

You forgot the focus :P

Btw, staff – axe/warhorn (the worst possible combo according to your assessment) is a popular choice for wvw zerg well builds. Also, I use those weapons in a hybrid build, so I very much disagree that they are as bad as you make them out to be.

Thanks I put the focus up there. I’m not saying they are bad weapons, but they don’t have a solid direction. Axe by itself simply can’t stand up to the power weapons of other classes. It is good for building life force in many builds, but can’t deal out the direct damage it needs to. Also, the range is awkward. I realize you have more experience than me, but it does have shortcomings. The changes I posted aren’t game breaking, but make the weapon stand on its own better.

Warhorn is a solid stun and gives swiftness. The swiftness is the main reason people have it in wvw because they don’t want to use a utility. This is due to how dependent a build is on the utilities it uses, which is one of the things I was addressing.

We don’t have any other options currently for 1200 range weapons, support weapons or large aoe weapons, which is why staff is very popular in the necromancer community. Despite this it lacks cohesiveness and isn’t strong on its own.

Axe Auto needs work. More damage/faster/added effect/etc.
Dark Pact needs work on dagger. Longer range/faster cast/more damage.

Draehl.2681:

Axe Auto needs work. More damage/faster/added effect/etc.
Dark Pact needs work on dagger. Longer range/faster cast/more damage.

Won’t happen. Axe was designed as a vulnerability (condition) application tool meant to be used with minions or allies.

I agree that Necro weapons need some work. I would like to see Dagger/Dagger become kind of a Necro version of Ele Air Dagger/Dagger give us some in combat movement a version of Ride The Lightening would be very welcome.

It just feels rather boring as Necro, you stand still most of the time, no movement or anything. Where as i LOVE the movement, the action and everything that Dagger/Dagger ele offers – just a shame its attached to a class that i am rather bored of now.
These would be my skills:

Dagger #1 : Pretty much stay the same bar a buff here and there. Change to so that it so that the Auto attack chain grants a total of 10% this would be like 1.5% increase on its current status – 2%, 2%, 6% would be reasonable. Damage could be buffed a tad.

Dagger #2: Basically think this should be a health version of Life Transfer of DeathShroud. Buff the standard Siphon health a bit. Make it so that its all targets in 600 Range, Increase the cool down to say 20 seconds

Dagger #3: Changed. Not quite what to but this is just a terrible skill imo.

Dagger #4: Change so that WE become a Deadly Swarm and go forward hitting all targets in range of our target – deals more damage based on number of conditions they have. (Basically a Necro version of RTL) This is something we NEED, we have pretty much no combat movement and if they insist on not giving us buffs to help counter this then it should be removed.

Dagger #5: Great skill, make it a target skill that affects those around the target.

Axe wise:

Add something else to Auto, i find it rather meh, even its making it an attack chain the animation sucks Maybe it could be a “weakness” condition set and give Vul and weakness.

Chain 1: Vul 1 stack 9 seconds
Chain 2: Weakness 1 stack 2 seconds
Chain 3: Vul 1 stack 9 seconds

Ghastly Claws, solid skill could do with a range increase so it can be better used as an opener.

Unholy Feast. Solid skill, maybe buff the Retaliation duration a bit

if we ever get new weapons, i would like to see Greatsword or Hammer both of these would be great with the right skills attached to them of course.

Anchoku.8142:

Draehl.2681:

Axe Auto needs work. More damage/faster/added effect/etc.
Dark Pact needs work on dagger. Longer range/faster cast/more damage.

Won’t happen. Axe was designed as a vulnerability (condition) application tool meant to be used with minions or allies.

But it’s actually the best power weapon for DS Necros.

Axe + Axe Training is the highest dps for LifeBlast spam.

It feels silly to be doing high power damage in DS, then come out of DS and do high power damage with Axe#2, and then have pitiful Axe#1 vuln application until the cooldowns are back up.

(of course the downtime is used for other stuff like wells etc)

Imo the Vunerability application should be moved to staff auto. Staff 2-5 apply conditions anyway, and synergise better with minions given staff#2 can heal them.

Then maybe Axe could buffed with cleave like the power weapon it is.

Or buff Staff auto. We desperately need a ranged power weapon. For power builds. Not in DS.

Yeah I should have mentioned a range increase would be needed for Axe too.

I would hate for staff to be our ranged power weapon.

Staff 2-5 are all conditions. There’s currently quite a few open world bosses you need to range at some stage… and it’s not fun just auto-attacking with staff because 2-5 are all marks that won’t trigger at all on structure bosses.

i dont think axe needs a range increase… we just need a valid ranged weapon (600 really is fine) that does respectable damage. i honestly run axe on my build for Unholy Feast chasing in WvW. The main draw is being able to have two offhands with a Dagger as the primary weapon. I feel like I could get by nearly as well with the scepter…

Draehl.2681:

Or buff Staff auto. We desperately need a ranged power weapon. For power builds. Not in DS.

They could add another weapon for range Power builds, Staff is to much of a condition weapon for it to make any sense.

ArmageddonAsh.6430:

Draehl.2681:

Or buff Staff auto. We desperately need a ranged power weapon. For power builds. Not in DS.

They could add another weapon for range Power builds, Staff is to much of a condition weapon for it to make any sense.

If we’re to assume that more new skills are in the works, and that some of them will weapon skills, then I think this would be the logical next step for the Devs, though I don’t know which in-game weapon would really fit Necros thematically while fulfilling this role.

Balefire.7592:

If we’re to assume that more new skills are in the works, and that some of them will weapon skills, then I think this would be the logical next step for the Devs, though I don’t know which in-game weapon would really fit Necros thematically while fulfilling this role.

From what i remember reading something months and months ago – they plan/planned on opening up every weapon to every class, Though i highly doubt that will happen i mean they cant even make 8 balanced heal skills, how the heal are they going to release EVERY weapon with more skills for every class.

They cant even balance the ones they have…

the problem is we all talk about these great ideas in hope that a dev might take notice but we all know, deep down, that they couldn’t give a rats kitten .

great ideas though, just wish they could be implemented

Elvahaduken.3609:

the problem is we all talk about these great ideas in hope that a dev might take notice but we all know, deep down, that they couldn’t give a rats kitten .

great ideas though, just wish they could be implemented

You can bet if we were as played as say Warrior then we would be seeing a lot of love…

The axe, Scepter 3, and maybe focus 4 changes are the only ones that aren’t blatantly OP.

I would like it if Axe would hit in an arch style, instead of single target, like all other Axe wielding professions. Going thru a zerg and applying vulner to everyone you meet would be nice. Shorten the range a bit and make it the melee weapon it is meant to be for pete’s sake.

yeah id like a hammer… give it a cleave auto attack, troment aoe, single target fear and a stun…why not.

Between DS and my daggers, there isn’t much room for staff. If I’m lucky I can begin and end fights with it otherwise I will rarely use it. First sight of a power based 2 hand weapon on necro will have me shelfing it.

My ideas for 2 new weapons (Hammer and Greatsword)

Hammer:

Hammer #1:
Chain 1: Damage your foe, 130range, 1/2second cast time. 2% Life Force

Chain 2: Damage foes in range, 130 Range, 1/2second cast time. 3% Life Force

Chain 3: Smash Ground, Create Well of Blood*, 6 Second Regen, 3stack Blood 6seconds 1.5second cast time. 5% Life Force

• Basically a Mark of Blood that can trigger when you are on it.

Hammer #2: Furious Bash – Damage foes with a ground attack, Inflict Weakness(5seconds) on all in range, 180 Radius, 300 Range. Combo field: Blast. 3/4second cast. 9second cool down. Gain 3% Life Force for each foe inflicted with Weakness

Hammer #3: Necrotic Wave – Send out a wave towards your target that deals damage and inflicts Torment to all foes between you and your target, Further away the targets the more stacks of Torment they are inflicted with. 1second cast time, 20second cool down 1,200range Gain Life Force based on How far away foes are

<100Range = 1stack of Torment, 2seconds 5% Life Force
100 – 250Range = 2 Stacks of Torment 5seconds 4% Life Force
250-500Range = 3Stacks of Torment 8seconds 3% Life Force
500-1000Range = 5Stacks of Torment 10seconds 2% Life Force
1000-1200Range = 6stacks of Torment 15seconds 1% Life Force

Hammer #4: Steal boons and launch your foe depending on the number of boons stolen. 1second cast time, 30second cool down.

1-3 Boons = 500 Launch
4-6 Boons = 750 Launch
7-9 Boons = 1000 Launch

Hammer #5: Ring of Decay – Creates a ring around the Necromancer that foes cant enter, they get knock back and random condition every time they touch the ring of Decay. foes inside the ring cant not escape, touching the ring will result in damage and random conditions being applied. Necromancer steals boons from all inside every 1 second. 1second cast time, 10second duration, 60second cool down

Conditions: Bleeding, Poison, Torment, Chill

GreatSword:

Greatsword #1:
Chain 1: Weakening Strike: Damage your foe and inflict Vul(5seconds), 1/2second cast time
Chain 2: Fury Strike: Damage your Foe steal a boon and gain a random Boon, 1/2second cast time (Fury 2.5seconds) or Might(5seconds)
Chain 3: Corrupting Strike – Damage Your foe and convert 1 boon into a condition, 1/2second cast time

Greatsword #2: ???

GreatSword #3: ???

GreatSword #4: ???

GreatSword #5: Binding Pain – Throw your blade at a Target dealing damage, the target becomes tethered and deals extra damage over time and inflicts stacking Torment every 1second. 900 Range, Maximum duration 10seconds. 30second cool down

Greatsword: #5.1 Pull – Pulls Your target back to you and remove torment stacks, 3/4second cast time

1-3second tether: 3 stacks of Torment, 5seconds
4-6second tether: 6 stacks of Torment, 7seconds
6-9second tether 9 stacks of Torment, 8seconds
10second Tether, 10 stacks of Torment, 10seconds

I think the offhand dagger skills are fine how they are. Yes dagger 5 isnt that great in terms of damage when you go with a dagger power build, it does however help with survival by putting weakness on the target and you get some bleeds as well. Dagger 4 blinds and transfers conditions on you. Dagger 3 should be changed to be something other than a hobble, maybe something like warrior sword leap or just a shadow rush.

If they are trying to make all weapons usable by all professions then we might see cleave with the sword like the mesmer has. It should most likely by the power weapon of choice for aoe. Maybe have something like what reavers had in rift where you create shadow around you that damages people and maybe some other effect that lasts for the duration and the number 3 ability can be something for staying power.

I wouldnt mind playing a power necromancer but there arent really any options at the moment that live up to other power builds on other professions. If I were Anet, after the new year I would possibly try to introduce 1 new weapon for every class or at least try to. I do think that hammer should be the first weapon to be released since only 2 professions can use it right now if im not mistaken.

Axe is pretty much fine as it is, I wish other classes would have so balanced weapon in their kitten nal instead of ridiculously OP weapons. #3 could just give fixed amount of retal, though.

Dagger itself is fine except #2 needs that something either faster heal or stability with trait while channeling or whatsoever. You channel that heal but while doing that you die. There’s a little Paradox there. Also it is difficult to build up LF with dagger sometimes.

Dagger also needs a new main hand companion since axe just doesn’t cut it.

Staff is fine as it is.

Scepter too.

Off-hand dagger is probably okay, except that it’s also good for power builds while that aoe bleed is useless and #5 skill itself difficult to aim and doesn’t want to activate if there’s even tiny lag. Also #4 could just cleanse more conditions tbh with this current pvp meta where you have 20 conditions on you and you remove lol 3?? c’mon.

focus is fine except #4 should be near instant and give better regen. And less dependant on amount of enemies and friedns. LESS RNG.

horn is fine too.

What I hate about necros is this RNG hit X enemies to get more effect and get Y if something dies. It is really problematic in small scale PvP in WvW or sPvP. Also melee survivability is just laughably difficult for zerkers. You actually need to know where buttons are if you want to stay alive. Shatter incoming use your 6th sense to Dodge! (in case you have energy left)

Dagger #5 needs to be a blast imo. Being able to get might from fire fields would be fantastic.
Staff #4 is a blast, but you need to have an enemy walk on the mark for it to be activated so it’s really not useful for blasting might unless you’re in a boss fight.

Axe 2 ground targeted cleave 2014