I’ve been having a difficult time putting my finger on what is wrong with the necro or at least how to word it but i think I’ve figured it out. Necros might be the only class where the MAJORITY of their dmg comes from their utilities instead of their weapons, effectively locking the most effective specs into using these damaging utilities.
So firstly we have the damage Necro weapons do, which is rather pathetic compared to other classes. Necros #2 on Axe and Dagger are supposed to be our major burst abilities, yet they hit for sub-3000 in full Berserker comparatively Warriors Thieves, Guardians, Rangers etc are all hitting well over 10,000 with their respective #2’s regardless of the ability being ranged or melee.
Now this is not to say Necros cannot do burst in almost equal if not higher capacity to other classes, using Well of Suffering and Well of Corruption in conjunction with dagger or axe auto attacks can produce somewhat impressive numbers. Except no other class is dependent on utilities as their main source of damage, and in fact most of their utilities modify or make using their Weapon abilities more advantageous.
Warriors don’t need a utility to use 100 blades.
Thieves don’t need a utility to pistol whip.
Mesmer’s don’t need a utility to summon phantasms and illusions
Rangers don’t need a utility to summon a pet or rapid fire.
etc etc
Yet, Necros need utility to use pets, they need separate utilities to use Wells, and again separate utilities for Condition control. It feels like Conditions are the only working weapon “utility” as we have weapons that actively apply conditions, while no other weapon incorporates anything else we are suppose to do as Necromancers. Nothing in the Necro’s arsenal of utility will make their power based attacks hit any harder, and nothing will modify how strong the pets are, as of course the pets take those slots up even if it were an option.
What we end up with is if you want to do direct damage, either you will do very little or you will use Wells. If you want to use pets, you use pets, and if you want to use conditions you must use the corresponding utilities to maintain those conditions and spread them. In the end leaving us with a realistic 1 utility slot available for customization and actual “UTILITY”. Sadly even our elites are predetermined.
Compared to a Warrior for example, you see a GS warrior, Without even having a single utility or elite the class is complete, it has everything incorporated into the weapon to make it effective in any aspect of the game, high damage and high mobility to facilitate maintaining that damage. Or a Hammer Warrior, they don’t need to have bull’s charge and kick and throw bola to be disruptive, its built into the weapon. Every utility picked adds flavor and uniqueness to that class and helps emphasis an area or counter their own weakness.
Necro do not have this freedom or the option to even try really. Look at what Necros are capable of without utilities, not much.
I feel like the problem is definitely tied to the Necros available weapons it almost feels like all of our main utility abilities should have been incorporated into our weapon attacks to begin with while allowing for other things, like actual UTILITY to be accessed from those aptly named slots instead of what are now mandatory skills.
Weapons should have a unique summon attached to them (perhaps #3 combos like thieves get).
There should be a weapon that focuses on wells
There should be a weapon that focuses on minions
There should be a weapon that focuses on conditions
There should be a weapon that focuses on life siphon
There should be a weapon that focuses on life force
I know that this sounds rather demanding but it just makes sense to me, every other class works this way, their weapons are the focus not their utilities and if it were the same for necros i believe the class in general would be in a much better place.