So I’m hung up on the stat set I want to use with reaper. Using spite/reaping/reaper, you can attain high crit rates using Death Perception so precision isn’t really necessary, thus cavalier (Toughness, power, ferocity) seems like a good stat set – however with the changes to the greatsword spec in reaper to only heal on gravedigger, I was wondering if having more health is more important than having the extra ferocity/toughness, as more HP means a bigger LF pool.
Thoughts?
Resident smug Englishman on the NA servers, just because.
sounds youre playing pve, which im still using berserker, but game goes live im probably going soldier armor and zerker weps and trinkets
Oh I’ll still have a full zerk set on me at all times, but I also want to be able to survive in coordinated raiding situations where I presume there will be more need for survivability.
But yeah my main focuses are PvE and WvW roaming
Resident smug Englishman on the NA servers, just because.
Sub in some Valk for added survivability. Your HP pool and shroud will benefit. Plus you don’t drop any ferocity. You can make up the lost precision with decimate defenses. I don’t think any 10 man group will lack in vulnerability application so you should always have around 50% or more critical chance on any mob that lasts for decent amount of time. With reaper shroud you can stack vulnerable and might up to 25 solo then swap to GS at 50% and spam gravedigger.
but I also want to be able to survive in coordinated raiding situations where I presume there will be more need for survivability.
I doubt more survivability will be needed as a necromancer, I mean we do have 2 lifebars. But who knows… Still possible to cut down precision if you are hitting 30% without fury (because crit per vuln trait).
I run cavalier with 2 pieces of assassin
It’s tanky and hit hard. Not the best dps (zerk or valk have a bit more “power”) but very tanky (valk add more hp but I prefere “armor”).
With a spec spite/reaping/reaper I solo 25 might/vuln if the mob doesn’t melt too quickly (most vet are dead before I can reach 15).
Tbh, I think going for cavalier or valk depend on you “gameplay”. I don’t think zerk is the best option but with the right traits you can have a decent LF regen but you have to not go for “decimate defenses” (but no need if zerk) wich give you extra sustain.
PS: it seems that healer reaper can be pretty good too, I’ll try later ^^.
In PvE I use Valkyrie in armor and Zerker in weapons and trinkets. Hp is at 23k which is fine for me and with zerker in trinkets crit is 30% so with death perception it’s at 80% in shroud.
Valkyrie-Ogre or Wurm and Cleric-Ice will probably be in my bag along with Berserker-Scholar and Soldier-Hoelbrak. I have not had good enough results with condition damage as a stat and will probably salvage most sets I have.
Edit: Salvaged Rampager armor, today. Keeping Rabid-Tormenting, Shaman-Exhuberance , Lyssa temple (precision), Sinister-Mad King, Celestial-Divinity, and Carrion-Scavenging for the moment. I do not expect condition damage armor to get much use, though I may run divinity on occasion, perhaps for underwater content as that is what is on my breather. (I should change my underwater set to Rune of the Ranger, though, because I always run at least one minion.)
I think that decision depends entirely upon how hard content will be (raids in particular). If it’s not so bad I’ll run Valk armor and ascended zerker trinkets. If it’s difficult I’ll run all cavalier, and substitute out spite for death magic, and still have 2300 base power and 100% crit chance in shroud, but also have 3900 armor
I run a mix of Knights and Calv, with a mix of different trinkets, all focused on maxing power/prec/fer/tough. This is a little unnecessarily tanky for PvE, but is a perfect balance for WvW.
You can play around with this build and see if you wanna swamp anything out :^)
I tried the Reaper in full Valkyrie gear with Spite, Soul Reaping and reaper, dealing a insane amount of damage.
With vulnerability you reach 54% of critical rate (+fury and banner to add if you’re in a team), simply enough to solo play and deal insane damage with Grave Digger. Then go in RS and if you’ve traited for 50% critical you don’t need anything to reach 104% of critical rate, with incredible power and ferocity stats. You’ve also a really high vitality, making your LF pool bigger and able to stay more in RS. You can also chose Dhuumfire to add burn damage if you’re in a team that grant you fury and/or banners.
To deal direct damage in PvE the Reaper is a Monster!
In sPvP I tried to spam poison with the cloud of putrid corruption and the skill 4 of RS and that was awesome. 20-25 stack of poison on the enemy (or more than 15 stacks on multiples enemies), something great! XD
Plus burn by AA XD
Frontline Reaper
Soldiers stats (power and defense)
Runes of the Wurm+Furious nourishment (Ferocity)
Death Perception+Decimate Defenses (crit chance)
Relentless Pursuit+Lemongrass Poultry Soup (-106% duration on cc conditions)
Infusing Terror (long lasting stability).
Covers pretty much everything you could want in a melee spec.
For PVE I’m going straight Valkyrie for the most (power) damage. Tons of vitality, huge lf pool (allowing you to stay in shroud longer and keep the benefit of Strength of Undeath easier), crudtons of damage. Out of shroud, with decimate defenses you’re always at 50% crit chance on a single target, in shroud it’s 100% (with death perception of course). Tanky as hell and tons of damage, it’s working really really well in verdant brink. Oh, and Runes of the Scholar because any amount of paying attention keeps your health above 90% at all times.
