Guild Wars 2

Something I thought was useful, definitely changed my experience with scourge when i realised.

(this is probably MORE useful for PvP than PvE, but still worth knowing)

Shroud isn’t hard to come by as scourge if you build for it.
But it isnt obvious when creating and testing scourge for the 1st time that the life force cost of skills doesnt increase when you have more vitality.

I’ll try explain.
F5 skill costs 5k life force (example).
No vitality amulet, you get maybe 15k life force = using F5 skill uses a third of your life force pool.
with carrion amulet you get about 23k life force = using F5 skill uses close to a fifth of your life force pool.
The life force cost of F2-F5 skills stays the same regardless of you maximum life force capacity.
Skill cost doesn’t increase with higher vitality.

what does this mean?
You get a better return for your life force generation (10% life force generation = 10% of max life force pool),
You are also ‘punished’ less for activating your F2-F5 skills, as you have more life force available and gain more when you generate life force.

I wouldnt advise spamming your F2-F5 skills on cooldown, but with a high life force generating build, and an amulet with vitality, it is certainly an option to do so.

So all it needs now is a gear set with Condition Damage/Vitality major, Expertise/Healing Power minor.

Good catch, but I still think its better to have good LF gain then larger LF pool.

mazut.4296:

Good catch, but I still think its better to have good LF gain then larger LF pool.

I agree, but having both is ideal.

my build from memory.
Carrion amulet – balth runes.

curses – 222
soulreaping – 223
scourge – 312

staff, scepter / torch.
new heal, spectral walk, spectral armor, flesh worm + new elite.
no issues with LF, and high health pool to deal with condi bombs.

mazut.4296:

Good catch, but I still think its better to have good LF gain then larger LF pool.

I feel like you didn’t get what he was saying. Larger LF pool, EQUALS larger LF gain, because you always get a percentage of you maximum. 1% of 20k is more then 1% of 15k.

Glott.7239:

mazut.4296:

Good catch, but I still think its better to have good LF gain then larger LF pool.

I feel like you didn’t get what he was saying. Larger LF pool, EQUALS larger LF gain, because you always get a percentage of you maximum. 1% of 20k is more then 1% of 15k.

you said it in far fewer words than I did. well said.

Glott.7239:

mazut.4296:

Good catch, but I still think its better to have good LF gain then larger LF pool.

I feel like you didn’t get what he was saying. Larger LF pool, EQUALS larger LF gain, because you always get a percentage of you maximum. 1% of 20k is more then 1% of 15k.

That’s not new, we all know that already.

mazut.4296:

Glott.7239:

mazut.4296:

Good catch, but I still think its better to have good LF gain then larger LF pool.

I feel like you didn’t get what he was saying. Larger LF pool, EQUALS larger LF gain, because you always get a percentage of you maximum. 1% of 20k is more then 1% of 15k.

That’s not new, we all know that already.

but the LF skill cost is new. and doesnt scale with LF pool.

More toughness= more effective hp for the barrier. Toughness also makes the heal skills and traits more valuable, but it hardens the LF gain.

More vitality = bigger hp pool, easier LF gain for scourge. It seems more like a tactical decision.