Guild Wars 2

I’ve been playing, PVE, with this weird hybrid build and I wanted to see how bad everyone thinks it is. It’s essentially a support build with condition damage. Necromancer has a unique amount of condition and boon manipulation, and in particular I think Plague Signet is kitten.

Currently, at level 75, I use a staff and have my utilities focused on removing conditions from allies and putting them on enemies. I make use of the Plague Signet, Putrid Mark, and Blood Is Power regularly. If I need more DPS I use Epidemic, otherwise I’ll use Well of Corruption/Power to have more control over enemy and ally conditions.

While this skill set up works pretty well, my traits are all over the place. I have 10/20/20/15/0. Spiteful removal is useful, as is the extra condition duration from the tree. Then I use Hemophillia and Master of Corruption for Blood Is Power and Mark of Blood. Staff Mastery and Greater Marks from Death Magic, also with it boosting the duration of my Regen from Mark of Blood, meaning with this I can cast it often enough to always have regen going on.

For Blood Magic I currently just have Vampiric Precision, but this is what I’d like to ask about.

I don’t like crit/condition builds. I can’t get decent crit damage and condition damage on gear, and since I only have 20 points in Curses, even with a lot of Precision gear I only get to around 36% crit chance. With a 66% chance to bleed on those crits, that’s like a 23% chance to cause bleeding per attack. Having to put so much effort into keeping Precision topped off or my crit chance will drop sucks.

Any suggestions on how I could keep a support build that deals heavily with condition manipulation, without having to rely so kitten much on crit chance?

Or, would it be possible to have a CD/Power/Vitality or CD/Power/Toughness build?

I would suggest watching Nemesis’s videos on this. He actually covers a whole bunch of builds rather well. Although, the necromancer’s 2 builds with the highest damage out put are the zerker and rabid builds, those are not your only option. There is also the damage hybrid but what all 3 of these builds have in common is precision. With the upcoming changes though, you might be able to use Dire gear which is Condition damage/Vitality/Toughness if you prioritize your bleed correctly.

May I ask what “upcoming changes” you refer to?

We’re not sure when, but over the next few patches (Though I think its after scarlet arc) All professions are getting balance patch… Not sure where atm (as i cannot check) but there’s a thread discussing some of the changes

eliasgray.6041:

May I ask what “upcoming changes” you refer to?

I believe that was in reference to dhuumfire which is changing to “on hit” instead of “on crit”.

On hit in ds, also crit damage on some gear is changing. I’m thinking hybrid builds may be the way to go eventually.

I use full Dire and i still have around 30% crit Traits + Dire trinkets (they have precision)

My build is the good ol’ 30/20/0/0/20 Terrormancer build. I find 30% crit more than enough to proc “Dumbfire” and Sigil of Earth. Honestly im not even sure Rabid would do more damage, a little maybe but not much.

P.S. with the upcoming changes to Dhuumfire Im thinking of changing to an even more defensive build 0/30/20/0/20 with givers weapons (gotta get that 100% fear duration)