Guild Wars 2

Its fine a new player in gw2 to start with a necromancer and enjoy the class to level 80, but after that if he’s looking ahead for an endgame will be disappointed.The class has no place in pve, wvw and maybe pvp(its still ok).People will ask you to change class if you want to do fractals and the reason is just that doesnt bring any utility for the group (that is a sang song i dont agree) other classes are capable to deliver(might stack, reflect or stability).
A new player will like that class and then see he was trolled by the game developers mistakes, which are gamebraking(minios – 6 utility skills with their traits useless) for almost a year old and still no fix.
Im playing this class mainly cos of fun only and will do till the day anet admits they never wanted necromancer to look this way, so it will be over with it, or some total makeover.
My advise is dont bother with the necro. Stick with the living story stuff!

We are amazing in WvW and we’re fine in PvP. And unless you are doing group PvE content the game is so easy it doesn’t matter (not that group is hard, but I prefer to not hold my team back).

Necromancer is Strong in every game mode.

Barring dungeons and Fractals.

Are we capable of doing fair in there and can we bring DpS?
Absolutely.

but that is the catch.

If, … IF, the only thing that mattered was DpS We would have a place in the Dungeon Meta.

Lopez.7369:

I’d go one step further than Bhawb: we’re not just fine in PvP; we’re amazing in it. The only reason we’re rare in tournaments is because none of the good necromancers participate in them, even in the more active European scene.

I wonder why that is. But another problem, is that Anet seems to have a habit of saving Necro changes till last, and then implementing them right before a major tournament. That’s a big problem for pvp, since often things get broken in these patches, and you’d preferably not find out about that during the tournament.

Necros are just in a bad spot in PVE, and it’s a problem that mostly pops up against bosses, and in dungeons. We have little to no group support, there’s the condition cap, condition immunity and condition resistance, and of course defiant. For a class that is focused on conditions and control, that is a big problem.

For WvW, I’d say we can be very useful, but it’s our sustain that is a big problem. Our Death Shroud doesn’t scale with larger numbers of players, which means that under focused fire, it can instantly be destroyed. Our complete lack of any invulnerability skill, and poor access to stability, tips the scales unfairly in the favor of other classes. Especially for those moments where you quickly have to flee into a nearby keep, it’s the classes that have these skills that make it out alive. We also have some of the poorest downed state skills.

But this has been a balance problem since day one: Stability, Invulnerability, Downed State. Back in GW1, I already brought up that Anet should never have introduced invulnerability to begin with, since you inevitably run into balance problems when not every class has access to it. But in GW2 invulnerability is even more widespread than in GW1, which unbalances the game even further.

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

Lopez.7369:

I’d go one step further than Bhawb: we’re not just fine in PvP; we’re amazing in it. The only reason we’re rare in tournaments is because none of the good necromancers participate in them, even in the more active European scene.

I wonder why that is.

I wouldn’t say “non of the good necros”, but this is actually an issue for all classes. There are hundreds of awesome players who aren’t part of a pvp team.

Necro are good in Zerg WvW, no other part of WvW tbh. And we are sub-par in the rest of the game aspects, find it abit wierd when old-time necs are this disillusioned about there own class.

Bhawb.7408:

We are amazing in WvW and we’re fine in PvP. And unless you are doing group PvE content the game is so easy it doesn’t matter (not that group is hard, but I prefer to not hold my team back).

I would say we are fine in WvW and amazing in PvP.Im not going to write a wall of text for the bad and the good tools we have in PvP, cos there are guides for that.Not going to compare classes or QQ, thats not im trying to say.
As i love necro i have to close my eyes when going to pug dungeons, when someone says: “we are 2 necros, shall i switch?” or when i join the “easy” fractals: “LoL, why necro?”.
I can live with that, but the problem is that necromancer has been full of bugs to skills, traits or something since game launched and after so many patches things are even worse.I feel anet doesnt care of forgotten this class, or they are not able to fix it.
After the recent patch minions now not only they stare at the flowers on the ground and cba with combat, but they dissapear while summoned cos of a trait “fix” and in the mean time ranger spirit getting buff with no internal cooldowns and stuff.

I just generally dislike the lack of viable build/trait/utility options.

I mean, on my Guardian it’s like being a kid in a candy store – always swapping and changing stuff around, but my 2 Necro builds have barely changed since i made them – it gets stale after a while.

Also, i think the profession mechanic works against us so much of the time. Once you’re in DS you have no access to stuns or condition clears and you just get stun-locked or chain immobilised and then you die.

True story.

OP is just un educated and would better serve another class form with these idiotic posts. I main a necro and do amazingy with it I survive more than anyone else except maybe a well played guard. In all game types. I run any and all forms of PVE from open world to world bosses and dungeons and fractals and have never had a complaint about my being there. In WvW lol all I can say is l2p cause necro is a beast same goes for pvp. So this just don’t feed the trolls if your not trolling then take your own advice and see yourself out the door. Necro community is just fine without you insulting the class on every level stating fallacies like its no viable in the game.

In wvw, necro is the loot bag machine only lose to the class called arrow cart.

For PVE this statement holds water. In pvp right now, I feel stronger than I have since before the patch, and we’ve been very strong in WvW for a long time.

I feel the weakness is PvE is 90% attributed to various boss buffs negating a large portion of what necro is designed to do

rapthorne.7345:

I feel the weakness is PvE is 90% attributed to various boss buffs negating a large portion of what necro is designed to do

Pretty much. That and the reliance on older bosses of super hard-hitting attacks that come juuuuuust too quickly to dodge them all with no vigor.

There are four professions in WvW you never hear people say, “we have too many of.”

1. Warriors
2. Guardians
3. Elementalist
4. THE NECROMANCER

Reason: Necromancers are your top source of damage. We corrupt our enemies and make them suffer until they drop all their bags of loot.

Guardians use hammer #3 to immobilize the enemy.
Elementalist uses shockwave to immobilize the enemy.
Necromancer drops wells on the immobilized enemy.
Warrior hammer stuns the enemy since well of corruption removed their stability.

This is called synergy and necromancers have a very important role in it.

rapthorne.7345:

I feel the weakness is PvE is 90% attributed to various boss buffs negating a large portion of what necro is designed to do

WTF are you talking about. I am going to get some recording software and make a vid of me pathing all of AC maybe a few other dungeons showing how a necro is just fine as long as it is not played but an idiot running a condition spec. That is all.

mikeew.8607:

rapthorne.7345:

I feel the weakness is PvE is 90% attributed to various boss buffs negating a large portion of what necro is designed to do

WTF are you talking about. I am going to get some recording software and make a vid of me pathing all of AC maybe a few other dungeons showing how a necro is just fine as long as it is not played but an idiot running a condition spec. That is all.

Because what you’re describing can be done by everyone else as well. And they also do more in the same builds.

Necro has builds where they do unique and valuable things, but enemy design renders it moot.

It’s not that necro is “weak” in PvE, but rather that everyone else is simply better.

And if you played any profession but Necromancer your AC run would be more efficient.

You can run dungeons naked, “viable” in PvE in this game is determined by how useful you are to your team, not by whether you are able to finish the content or not. So Necromancers being bad in PvE doesn’t mean we can’t complete PvE content, but replacing us with someone else will always be better.

I’ve fallen in love with my necro, but the only place I’m really feeling powerful is WvW. I’m not a fan of PVP so yeah..

But WvW… wow, drop the wellbomb watch the bags fly at you, pop into DS to survive the push while you ds5/4 come out and plague to chill/blind the remaining force while you mop up and pick up your bags. It’s excellent.

I wish they had a niche in PVE as thats my main place but all I see is some vuln, some blinds possibly, and damage. The damage doesn’t seem to be anything super special and the vuln is easily outclassed by other professions as is the blind. So I guess I’m saying they seem ok, but I think I’d alway prefer something else if it were an option. It use to be engi/ranger/necro being looked down on but I think that has changed with the updates to ranger and the nerf to FGS. Now rangers are great for frostspotter/vuln, and engi are great for vuln/might/stealth, where necro’s only niche would be boon removal which simply isn’t needed often and when it is it’s needed in a way that isn’t so much necros forte but more mesmers (fast reapplication of boons rather than a lot of boons at once)

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

snip

People just ignore it and try to have fun with broken toys, even after they’ve been fooled publicly multiple times.

The fact that Necros has 1-2 “decent” builds is a miracle after 2 years of negligence and a total absence of a smart design.

In PvE I love how i cap Vulnerability AoE, in a way its a form of offensive support.
I know it’s not as good as reflect and party wide buffs, but in a way we do have support.
We do not have many options for support in PvE because vulnerability and conditions are all we have.
Vulnerability can be given by others who have more forms of support along with it making us weak in that aspect.

This is the problem with PvE necromancer, not anything else. And, yes, we are viable in all game modes, just not best in PvE… if you can’t recognize this then get off.

Maybe some beneficial changes in the future could be:
BiP: increase the self-caused bleed by two stacks and add five might to party members.
Spiteful Spirit trait could be given a reflect effect somehow.
Maybe dark aura 5sec?: destroys projectiles but hits target with Retal*(3 to 5?) as long as you have the retal buff.
Then the small amount of retal it gives would be justified, so the dark aura doesn’t do damage for it’s full duration unless a party member gives you it.

Jerus.4350:

(( hugs da fellow dungon runner)))

welcome to the fold.

where we love our Necromancers enough to know when to shelve them. ((cries))

Necro is not focused on conditions. Every class (except guard) is focused on both. Direct and condition dmg.

Necromancer problems are missing, or not needed support. Or just hard to use (because of high cooldowns).
Controll is ok, CC is pretty strong in dungeons/fractals. Longer CC (in PvE only) could help necros too.

hi, new player here, anyone knows the wvw build that focuses on wells?

Tormod the Fox.2368:

In PvE I love how i cap Vulnerability AoE, in a way its a form of offensive support.
I know it’s not as good as reflect and party wide buffs, but in a way we do have support.
We do not have many options for support in PvE because vulnerability and conditions are all we have.

If you want to deal any kind of reasonable DPS you won’t stack vuln well. An engi will out damage you while stacking a lot of vuln.

Which leads to the issue: everything Necro can do someone else can do better (PvE).

One thing they could do to improve the necro’s place in PVE, is to go back to the basic design from GW1. The way Spiteful Spirit worked in GW1 ensured that you’d always have a place in teams, because it amplified the damage of other players. And a lot of necro spells worked this way. They turned the attacks of enemies against them, and there was synergy between these curses.

In GW1 the necro could stack Price of Failure (25% miss chance, and damage upon missing) with Reckless Haste (50% miss chance, but 25% faster attack speed), or Reckless Haste with Spiteful Spirit (damage to enemy and surrounding enemies upon using a skill/attacking) to make an enemy kill himself and his allies faster.

Mark of Pain could be used to amplify the damage done by your allies to foes adjacent to the target of the spell. And Barbs could be used to amplify the damage done to one specific target.

It’s easy to see how all of these spells benefit your allies, and how they can easily be combined. This is what the necromancer in GW2 is missing, and it’s due to a flawed design. It seems to me that they just didn’t think the necro through very well for GW2.

As of the last big patch, necromancer is in a terrible spot now. Plague and Lich are now even bigger jokes than they already were, and Flesh Golem can’t even do decent damage with its Charge anymore. While we got a few neat little changes (dagger cleave and Spectral Armor’s faster recharge as examples), they couldn’t be bothered to fix some of the issues we already have.

On top of that, this is still the only profession that has no reflects/blocks, or any form of nullifying projectiles, while the Ranger got theirs buffed. Guess what happens most of the time those two get in a fight?

Add that to the subpar status we have in dungeons, and it’s a waste of time bothering with one. You might as well roll an engineer or mesmer now, they can dish out conditions even better than necromancers can at this point and are far more versatile/support for groups.

Its funny that so many state we have nothing to offer in PVE, cause I stack vuln like a beast I have superior aoe burst dps, I am highly survivable compared to most other classes. I have been in pugs where almost full wipes occurred and me and maybe one other were left to down said boss and did. I stack bleeds which also helps other classes who benefit from the dmg % increase on conditions applied to enemy. I can pop in to lick and aoe cleanse an area. Not sure what necro you guys are playing and what 1 button super win = #yoloswagintantkillgodmode you are looking for. Maybe its not the class so much thats the issue as the players playing them. Ever hear the saying it’s not the car, its the driver (same same). Also there are interrupts and stability fields boon stripping. Not sure wtf else ppl want. Learn to play a bit more is all I can say.

Nilkemia.8507:

As of the last big patch, necromancer is in a terrible spot now. Plague and Lich are now even bigger jokes than they already were, and Flesh Golem can’t even do decent damage with its Charge anymore. While we got a few neat little changes (dagger cleave and Spectral Armor’s faster recharge as examples), they couldn’t be bothered to fix some of the issues we already have.

On top of that, this is still the only profession that has no reflects/blocks, or any form of nullifying projectiles, while the Ranger got theirs buffed. Guess what happens most of the time those two get in a fight?

Add that to the subpar status we have in dungeons, and it’s a waste of time bothering with one. You might as well roll an engineer or mesmer now, they can dish out conditions even better than necromancers can at this point and are far more versatile/support for groups.

You shouldn’t be running a condition build in a dungeon in the first place it is entirely sub optimal. Maybe you just need some handholding and a hug. A pat on the back perhaps and a it’ll all be alright there little guy. LOL I would hate to run with you though if you carry that attitude the door is that way —→

mikeew.8607:

Its funny that so many state we have nothing to offer in PVE,

-In comparison to the other classes! As stated before, it’s not that the necro doesn’t work in PVE (you can play through PVE naked after all), but that they don’t bring as much to the table as ANY other class.

Now you mentioned boon stripping, but boon stripping is one of those things that the necro excels at, yet is pretty much irrelevant in PVE. This is because:

• Most foes in PVE don’t use boons to begin with.
• Foes have boons that have such short durations, that they often run out in the same time as casting a boon removal.
• Foes replenish boons so fast, that removing them is a waste of DPS.
• Bosses have boons or buffs that can’t be removed.

to be honest the open poster makes it sound like he never actually tried necromancer properly :I

in wvw necromancers are amazing be it condition or power, both has their own places they excels at. proper power necro can really melt people in groups when played properly especially with wells added to the mix.

sadly havent done spvp for ages so cant say anything of that.

pve wise who cares? the dungeons are so easy anyway and the groups who wants only “speedruns” are usually the elitists you wouldnt want to be with anyway, games are made to have fun instead of make them feel like its a dam work :P

edit: oh and plague in wvw, that alone pretty much makes necros amazing in mass team fights :P

I have a guardian, thief, mesmer, warrior and a necro. Necro is still, hands down, my favorite class to play. WvW power wellomancer has unreal damage + fantastic survivability + tons of bags / tears.

mikeew.8607:

Its funny that so many state we have nothing to offer in PVE, cause I stack vuln like a beast I have superior aoe burst dps, I am highly survivable compared to most other classes. I have been in pugs where almost full wipes occurred and me and maybe one other were left to down said boss and did. I stack bleeds which also helps other classes who benefit from the dmg % increase on conditions applied to enemy. I can pop in to lick and aoe cleanse an area. Not sure what necro you guys are playing and what 1 button super win = #yoloswagintantkillgodmode you are looking for. Maybe its not the class so much thats the issue as the players playing them. Ever hear the saying it’s not the car, its the driver (same same). Also there are interrupts and stability fields boon stripping. Not sure wtf else ppl want. Learn to play a bit more is all I can say.

1) You stack vuln worse than engineer while doing less DPS (this is a fact)
2) You only have good burst DPS for a tiny amount of time, after that a staff ele will completely destroy your AoE, and they can do it forever, also I have a feeling that FB 4 will out DPS a Necro.
3) My full zerker ele lives through dungeons in a full zerker pug group just fine, survivability only matters if you need it, and you shouldn’t need it
4) That isn’t proof of anything except that your pug group was awful. I’ve solo’d bosses before with my MM build, its still an awful build for any decent group
5) Literally any group should have conditions going around. We aren’t unique to getting bleed on crit
6) And when you see a Honda Civic win a major racing event, then we can talk about drivers being what matters. Until then, even the best driver in an awful car is going to lose. And that’s the issue with Necro, no matter what player you put on the profession (for PvE), they will underperform compared to every other profession.

The problem in PvE is conditions are either capped or ignored by bosses. This is why Necromancers need a new weapon or two specifically designed to circumvent condition limits at range. Staff is not appropriate in boss fights. Dagger is but that places the Necro inside the shiny burst halo.

Also, I want even more viable builds. The spectral changes last patch help.

Conditions are bad because the DPS is bad, not just those other issues. Unless they solve the fact that direct damage is very significantly higher DPS, it won’t matter what else they do.

True but Necro was more useful before defiant.

I agree with both those points Bhawb and Lopez. That is what needs to change. Bosses should be better balanced to make conditions worth while, and the cap really needs to go (but we’ve been yelling that since release).

But this isn’t really about making conditions better than DPS. What we need is a system in which both have a place, and are equally effective. So what I would like to see, is a system for boss combat, in which you alternate between using DPS, and using conditions. But that would require an overhaul of boss mechanics.

I would also like to see a better role for boon removal in boss battles, and general combat. For example, bosses could have boons that severely reduce the damage they take from DPS, which can then either be stripped, or countered with conditions.

I’ve found that the fastest TA runs I’ve ever had were with two guardians and three necromancers. It’s what you make it, really. I’ve also taken my necro into Arah and done fine. If you worry about min/maxing, then of course you’re going to be stringent on that kind of thing down to what class you play. It’s not like doing things becomes impossible the second you roll a necro. Get some friends and work with each other.

Ropechef.6192:

Jerus.4350:

(( hugs da fellow dungon runner)))

welcome to the fold.

where we love our Necromancers enough to know when to shelve them. ((cries))

:D

It’s kinda sad because a few buffs/tweaks here or there could make them pretty decent… maybe not great, but could have a spot in regular groups. But it’s just not going to happen because such changes would probably cause havoc in PVP I’m assuming.

And just to mention, at least for warrior you can do about as much damage with a Rabid (i think it was) condi build as you can with full zerk. Conditions as a whole have potential, it’s mainly the group viability and the stacking issues that just render it useless in most PVE situations.

Jerus.4350:

It’s kinda sad because a few buffs/tweaks here or there could make them pretty decent… maybe not great, but could have a spot in regular groups. But it’s just not going to happen because such changes would probably cause havoc in PVP I’m assuming.

It’s exactly this pvp-centric design philosophy in GW2 that will forever hold us back, unless they change the way they balance skills.

I also feel it’s a direct result of PVE and pvp being so wildly different from each other. PVE does not respect the normal rules of the game, and thus the two modes grow apart.

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

Jerus.4350:

It’s kinda sad because a few buffs/tweaks here or there could make them pretty decent… maybe not great, but could have a spot in regular groups. But it’s just not going to happen because such changes would probably cause havoc in PVP I’m assuming.

It’s exactly this pvp-centric design philosophy in GW2 that will forever hold us back, unless they change the way they balance skills.

I also feel it’s a direct result of PVE and pvp being so wildly different from each other. PVE does not respect the normal rules of the game, and thus the two modes grow apart.

Normal rules?

When I mean normal rules, I mean the rules found in pvp. The rules in which skills, traits and class mechanics are some what balanced. In PVE there are a lot of enemies that completely negate what ever balance there was. Enemies have insanely long fear durations, which makes necromancers wonder what they are wasting all their effort on. Toughness works fine in pvp, but doesn’t scale up to the insane damage levels of enemies in high end PVE. Bosses have condition immunities and defiant. Boon removal is completely useless.

A lot of the PVE content is inconsistent with the overall balance philosophy, as used to balance players against players. Why have they not adapted the same philosophy when balancing players against monsters?

You can’t balance the game for PVE with a PVP focus, while not using the same rules as in PVP for PVE content. It’s inconsistent. You can’t have more than half of the bosses in the game be immune to control skills, and conditions, and then pretend that a condition+control focused class is balanced in that game mode. Players aren’t immune to conditions and control, so neither should monsters be. It’s as simple as that.

Monsters should also not have 4 times as long fear durations than players, unless they are an Elder Dragon, then it’s fine to make an exception. Just walking around in Orr I run into common trash enemies fearing me halfway across the map.

But now I’m completely off track. The point I was trying to make, is that PVE doesn’t respect the balance of the game, yet the classes are balanced as if it does. Signet of Vampirism is an excellent example. To make it a useful healing skill against PVE monsters, it would have to be a lot more potent, but that might make it too powerful in PVP. This is an inconsistency that could have been avoided with consistent design.

Yeah, going to have to agree about necro being awesome and amazing in WvW/PvP. PvE is meh… Condi builds are hurt by the condi cap, and lack of group utility does make them less then desirable for speed runs. But power necros can actually be fairly decent, if you know how to play it.

I use my necro condi build in WvW and PvP, and do much better then my warrior. I love watching the stacks of bleeds just melt people. A well placed well of darkness and corruption can be VERY helpful in a zerg, as well as small group havoc/roaming. Also Boon Corruption has saved my behind more times then I care to admit. Yeah necros are fine.

Mad Queen Malafide.7512:

When I mean normal rules, I mean the rules found in pvp. The rules in which skills, traits and class mechanics are some what balanced. In PVE there are a lot of enemies that completely negate what ever balance there was. Enemies have insanely long fear durations, which makes necromancers wonder what they are wasting all their effort on. Toughness works fine in pvp, but doesn’t scale up to the insane damage levels of enemies in high end PVE. Bosses have condition immunities and defiant. Boon removal is completely useless.

A lot of the PVE content is inconsistent with the overall balance philosophy, as used to balance players against players. Why have they not adapted the same philosophy when balancing players against monsters?

You can’t balance the game for PVE with a PVP focus, while not using the same rules as in PVP for PVE content. It’s inconsistent. You can’t have more than half of the bosses in the game be immune to control skills, and conditions, and then pretend that a condition+control focused class is balanced in that game mode. Players aren’t immune to conditions and control, so neither should monsters be. It’s as simple as that.

Monsters should also not have 4 times as long fear durations than players, unless they are an Elder Dragon, then it’s fine to make an exception. Just walking around in Orr I run into common trash enemies fearing me halfway across the map.

But now I’m completely off track. The point I was trying to make, is that PVE doesn’t respect the balance of the game, yet the classes are balanced as if it does. Signet of Vampirism is an excellent example. To make it a useful healing skill against PVE monsters, it would have to be a lot more potent, but that might make it too powerful in PVP. This is an inconsistency that could have been avoided with consistent design.

They do really need to be open to some split skills for this exact reason.

However, I think the PVE is fine, and I’d dread it becoming closer to your definition of normal. Yes toughness won’t help you all that much against things that nearly one shot (or do one shot) you. But, PVE was designed to be a skill based system, where you utilize dodges and other damage prevention tools such that you never even get touched by that one shot if you play correctly.

In that the entire system was built around an idea that every build is viable, the subtext of that design is that damage builds will be optimal. If I can do it while doing more damage, then what’s the benefit of being tankier? I can make a few mistakes, that’s the benefit, tankier builds = easier builds though longer fights, which in the end could mean a tougher situation because you’re taking too long to kill… gotta be careful how far you go.

Defiance though, organized teams strip the stacks to get interrupts. It works amazingly well if you take the time to organize. CC can be just fantastic.

You make a great point on boon removal… it’s something they gave necros a niche at but never fully implemented in PVE, it’s pretty sad.

As far as NPC skills go.. yeah, I’ve yet to play a game where they didn’t give NPCs some special skills of their own, and rightfully so. NPCs hit harder but slower in general, this means you have more opportunity to react to each attack and get through unscathed. I think it’s designed quite well. Long fears? bring a stun break, maybe two. Each enemy has a set of attacks and if you learn them you can come up with ways of overcoming them.

But I guess we’re getting a little off topic here. It sure would be nice if they had more boons on mobs though, make necromancer wanted, but it is what it is

Jerus.4350:

However, I think the PVE is fine, and I’d dread it becoming closer to your definition of normal.

What I’m thinking about, is making it closer to GW1. When you respect the design rules of your own game, then all of the mechanics fall into place, and remain effective.

Do the opposite however, and it all breaks. You get class mechanics that no longer work, because monsters break the rules.

Jerus.4350:

Yes toughness won’t help you all that much against things that nearly one shot (or do one shot) you. But, PVE was designed to be a skill based system, where you utilize dodges and other damage prevention tools such that you never even get touched by that one shot if you play correctly.

But that is exactly the problem with the game. If the game was purely about dodges, then logically all classes should have equal access to dodges…. but that is not the case. Because some classes can regenerate their stamina with skills, and others have invulnerability, which is basically an extra dodge. Which leads to fundamental unbalances between the classes. Plus, you have an entire equipment line that is rendered useless. But that is of course not the only mechanic harmed by inconsistent design: Control skills and conditions are also severely hampered.

Jerus.4350:

YIn that the entire system was built around an idea that every build is viable, the subtext of that design is that damage builds will be optimal.

I don’t think that was their original intention. The other stats are not just fluff, they are meant to be a part of the game…. yet they aren’t. The DPS dominance seems to be an unintended side effect of their bad design.

Jerus.4350:

YDefiance though, organized teams strip the stacks to get interrupts. It works amazingly well if you take the time to organize. CC can be just fantastic.

Defiance can work, but it doesn’t work well. In its current incarnation, it makes fights drag on, and none of the fights really demand the clever use of control skills. It also ensures that one badly timed control skill by one party member, is instantly punished with a complete refill of the defiant stack. It’s currently not a natural part of the flow of battle, and it is badly in need of a redesign.

Jerus.4350:

YLong fears? bring a stun break, maybe two. Each enemy has a set of attacks and if you learn them you can come up with ways of overcoming them.

But that is not really the problem I was talking about. Control skills in PVE are bad. They often spread out a group of foes, causing aoe to be less effective (your party will hate you for doing that), so that directly contradicts one of the primary combat mechanics. But also, it puts on display just how pitiful a necro’s fear is. If you are a designer, and you realize that a 2 second fear on an enemy is not really going to shift the tide of battle, and thus decide to bump it up to 10 seconds… then maybe you ought to reexamine the other side of the coin, and look how it is for players to fear an enemy for 2 seconds? It’s disappointing really.

Jerus.4350:

But I guess we’re getting a little off topic here. It sure would be nice if they had more boons on mobs though, make necromancer wanted, but it is what it is

That is why PVE needs a redesign.

Golgathoth.3967:

I’ve found that the fastest TA runs I’ve ever had were with two guardians and three necromancers. It’s what you make it, really. I’ve also taken my necro into Arah and done fine. If you worry about min/maxing, then of course you’re going to be stringent on that kind of thing down to what class you play. It’s not like doing things becomes impossible the second you roll a necro. Get some friends and work with each other.

Doing it faster than other classes is impossible though.

http://youtu.be/Jo325oLRMGQ
http://youtu.be/K6fFL8veoPc
http://youtu.be/BwjLQMK7keQ

Since fgs was nerfed these times are probably not possible anymore. But IB and glyph of storms abuse would allow for pretty similar times. You cannot pull off times this fast with a necro. You start to miss things when you take a bad class.

Something to think about. (Spoj knows this one)

The unholy Trinity Challenge.
Ranger,
Engineer,
Necromancer.

Arah Path 2 speed run.
300 gold prize

Winning team did it in 21 min.

I’ll have to just politely disagree Malafide.

Spoj, that music… awesome.

Horror.8741:

Its fine a new player in gw2 to start with a necromancer and enjoy the class to level 80, but after that if he’s looking ahead for an endgame will be disappointed.The class has no place in pve, wvw and maybe pvp(its still ok).People will ask you to change class if you want to do fractals and the reason is just that doesnt bring any utility for the group (that is a sang song i dont agree) other classes are capable to deliver(might stack, reflect or stability).
A new player will like that class and then see he was trolled by the game developers mistakes, which are gamebraking(minios – 6 utility skills with their traits useless) for almost a year old and still no fix.
Im playing this class mainly cos of fun only and will do till the day anet admits they never wanted necromancer to look this way, so it will be over with it, or some total makeover.
My advise is dont bother with the necro. Stick with the living story stuff!

You’re stupid.