Guild Wars 2

Thanks to some good advice from you folks, I am doing MUCH better in PVE HOT areas with my Necro now (casual player here). I’ve settled on Spite/Soul Reaping/Reaper, Axe/Focus and Greatsword. GS for groups, Axe for Range and/or Single Target.

My view of Shroud has changed greatly in the past couple weeks. For my first 80 levels, because core Tyria was so easy, I just used shroud to get out of dying. But now – MY GOODNESS you can really crank out some serious, sustained damage if built right for Shroud fighting, AND be well protected while doing so! So my strategy/goal now, especially for a long fight like a Veteran/Elite/Champion etc, is to build up life force and get into shroud as quickly as possible. Full Berzerker gear (all I can afford), and a crit rate over 100% in Shroud, AND cleaving, kills things quick (especially with 25 stacks of Might)

But, as you all know, we don’t have access to Utility skills in Shroud mode (Not sure why, but I guess it would be OP for some reason.) So, since I can’t use Wells as I sit in shroud mode, should I be running minions for constant additional DPS while in Shroud? It also helps me right now because I’m running Ranger runes (can’t afford Scholar, but I also can’t reliably stay about 90% health in HOT content). So I’m looking for additional damage I can do WHILE in shroud mode. I do use Locust Signet for movement speed – annoying, but not so bad. Also, instead of a slot for a minion, I could use the Signet that adds 180 more power, for added DPS.

So, given that I want to fight in Shroud mode, are Pets the best utilities to go with for additional DPS? Thanks for your help.

For pve necro is great.

Personally, I used to run Spite/Soul Reaping/Reaper but I recently ditched Soul Reaping for Blood Magic for the added sustain (you can heal in Shroud really easy with Blood Magic and Blighter’s Boon from Reaper). The only minions I run is from Rise! because it has such a low CD, I gain a 33% damage reduction, and they lifesteal through Blood Magic for me (I have literally gone from 1000 health to full health, 20k, in seconds thanks to those creeps along with Blighter’s Boon and just attacking my target. I believe I had all 5 of them out too). If you want to run Minions, just make sure you pop them before entering Shroud, you won’t lose them when you do.

Honestly, though, I don’t run Minions. I, instead, run Shouts (they lifesteal and your healing Shout also grants lifeforce). I feel like Minions should be more for Condi-builds (don’t shoot me I’m just speculating here, if you run Minions on a Power-build then more power to ya my friend). Also, Zerker gear is the best gear for a Power-build, so I don’t know what you meant by ‘all I can afford’ (unless you aren’t going for Power?).

If your goal is to be in Shroud all of the time, then Speed of Shadows is a must. It reduces your Shroud recharge so you can hop back in it sooner. This allows you to pop Shroud, use your skills, pop out, throw down Wells or summon Minions or whatever, then hop back into Shroud sooner. The only downside I found out when running this build is you have a lot more lifeforce, and it degenerates slower, but when you’re out it takes far longer to refill than it would be otherwise. Since you clearly are running to do most of your burst damage while in Shroud, that also means you want to sit and auto while in Shroud, which is ok but (in my unimportant opinion) not optimal. Since I dropped Soul Reaping for Blood Magic, I have far more sustain, I regen health/lifeforce quickly and find myself in Shroud more often and doing more overall damage since I’m also utilizing my weapons and utilities more. Shroud I typically use, now, for quick bursts before putting it on CD when my skills run out. Standing and relying on autos while in Shroud is actually hurting your DpS (in my opinion, again I’m probably wrong and if so I’ll gladly take constructive criticism) when you could be refilling your lifeforce while running through your weapons rotations.

The key to a Power-build is to delete your opponent from the game as fast as possible, staying in Shroud for most of the fight instead of using your weapons is more of a Tanky-strategy in my opinion than a Power one. This is just my take on the matter though, Minions can add more DpS but how will you use their additional abilities while in Shroud (Shade’s Blind, Wyrm’s Root, etc)? They’re great at drawing aggro though, if that’s what you need.