Guild Wars 2

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fRAQNBIhZakjmiabtx2G2bTgLUQeABQkbwJQkittenGPLA-TZRBwAD3fIzRAQzhAgcZAAPAAA

The above link is to a build which I have found to be very effective in my solo playing. 1v1 it seems to be very strong, and I have had success against a wide range of classes (although I am new so I could be getting easy matchups). The 2 fears, 3 second daze, pull, and knockdown along with the constant cripple and chill provide an oppressive amount of cc against some classes and force opponents to play reactively instead of offensively. Im currently using staff mainly as a “I need to gtfo” weapon, so I might switch it out for something a little more offensive/ better utility like axe/dagger.

why geomancy with only 200 conditon damage?
and youre missing a sigil on dagger/whorn

Looks okay for a super-entry level.

Few things:

• the effectiveness of Well of Darkness is debatable, even if traited, because of the enormous cooldown. At top play, I’d consider taking CPC + Weakening Shroud (not even joking about CPC, though it’s still bad, I’d probably take it over WoD)
• as mentioned above – get rid of Geomancy – it makes no sense whatsoever. Force is debatable, I much prefer Air/Fire combo in both weapon sets for power necro, but it may be a bit too offensive for a beginner. If you want to go with a somewhat cohesive set of capabilities, consider taking Energy+Hydromancy in both sets. The second sigil will supplement WoD, Spectral Grasp and Dark Path.
• I’d ditch Ogre’s and take Traveler’s. I know you have swiftness, but Traveler’s is a very well-rounded set that works nice with chill duration you are going for.
• Dagger is more universal than warhorn and I’d use it if I played your build, at the same time getting rid of Banshee’s Wail and taking Spectral Attunement or Terror instead.

Go to metabattle, switch a few things in your build to line up with the standard power necro build, do much better.

Point for point though.

Fire / air sigils are better than force for a power build in pvp. You shouldn’t take geomancy on a spec with no condition damage.

It isn’t worth giving up the +20% damage on foes below 50% health trait just to get banshee’s wail. You don’t need the extra swiftness duration, you’ll waste some of the crit chance from fury any time you go into deathshroud, and the daze increase only helps in rare situations.

You have 2x application of spectral armor, staff auto, dagger auto, and locust swarm for life force generation, you don’t need the life force on marks trait.

You also don’t need to reduce cooldown on spectral skills, you’ll have at least one application of spectral armor in every fight.

Chilling darkness works with well of darkness, but you’ll want to replace that well with the boon stripping one or well of suffering for dps in almost all situations

Corrupt boon is much more useful than grasp against most people

Finally lich is generally a much more game changing elite than golem, particularly since golem often just sits there and smells the roses

@RashanDale I thought that geomancy also proc’ed some normal damage as well as the aoe bleed. I switched it out thanks!

@Leman I agree with the hydromancy/energy combo. However (at the level im at at least) I have had a lot of clutch situations where WoD changed the momentum of the whole fight. I also like the combo of the pull into the blind field. As for dagger being more universal than warhorn, I like the utility both of them provide- especially if I keep my chill on blind trait. I am considering switching out staff for axe/ dagger.

@Deepfreeze You’re definitely right about the sigils. I just like the sigil of blood over fire for some sustain. For solo 1v1s Ive found that the synergy between ogre and flesh golem is quite nice, and without some sort of support backing me up lich form leaves you kind of vulnerable (so i have experienced/ so I have been told). Ill think about the 50% damage thing, Your comment of the fury being lost on me is valid, I might switch to gaining stability on DS so that isn’t lost. I do actually switch out grasp for corrupt boon if there are are eles and guardians on their team. I do find the extra interupt/chill to be useful though, especially on a 24 second cd.

I am NOT dismissing your suggestions, Im trying to analyze them and create a little discussion

tboneking.2531:

@Leman I agree with the hydromancy/energy combo. However (at the level im at at least) I have had a lot of clutch situations where WoD changed the momentum of the whole fight. I also like the combo of the pull into the blind field. As for dagger being more universal than warhorn, I like the utility both of them provide- especially if I keep my chill on blind trait. I am considering switching out staff for axe/ dagger.

The primary rule of the necro club – always take staff. Axe is useless.

Generally, stick to what works for you, what is fun for you to play and see how it goes. But yeah, if you want to stay with the build you’re using (and I assumed writing my post that you would) then stick with it. Hydromancy/Energy is the only change I’d primarily push for if I were to convice you.

- dump spectral grasp. Works “meh” to “ok” in the wide and open spaces of wvw, doesn’t work in spvp because of the map layout. Way too bugged, hasn’t been fixed, will never get fixed

- take spectral walk instead. This is a spectral power build, so spectral walk is a good choice

- consider taking 2 points away from spite and put them in curses to get spectral attunement; this will push the duration of protection and life force generation of your spectral armor to 9 seconds, last gasp in soul reaping will also benefit from it

- sigil of air and sigil of flame for your dagger weapon set, take something else than sigil of geomancy for your staff

- rune of the ogre: ok, you could also go for rune of the pack, the +swiftness duration and banshee’s wail will put the swiftness duration of locust swarm to 29 seconds on a 24 second cooldown for the skill itself, so you get permanent swiftness

- well of darkness: debatable, in my experience the usefulness of wells is very limited since anyone will instantly dodge out of them, chill doesn’t help there