Guild Wars 2

Hello, fellow servants of Grenth.

After travelling many roads and many professions, I have begun my journey through the halls of death and now find myself seeking the knowledge of the seven.

I see many polarising views regarding PvE necromancer, especially with regard to condition damage vs power. I am seeking people’s opinions on the best overall weapon set for general PvE dungeoneering (I am currently using axe/dagger, because I love how fast axe 2 fills DS, but many in game stay staff is all you need), and whether or not minions are worth using (I see some necros with a full platoon following them, and others without a single one).

Many thanks in advance for any and all advice, but I might ask that people respect each other’s opinions, should they differ, and not turn this in to an argument thread

PvE? You want full power – as much berserker as you can muster without getting one shot. Highest DPS weapon? Dagger no contest – Whoever said staff is a fool which is mostly a utility/tagging/condition weapon – very strong for WvW and PvP
Axe is also good but a bit on the slower side and additionally if you think Axe #2 fills up LF so fast have you tried Dagger #1 – It is the best for filling LF
Minions? Not really for the best dps build – in the end you can play how you wish but there is a sticky on the top of this forum for PvE guides which you can use

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/necromancer/Guide-DPS-Necro-for-PvE

Read that guide

My advice is to read through spoj’s sticky at the top of this subforum. Much great info in there that will help you make some gearing decisions. Personally, I go full berserker in PvE and WvW. In PvE you want to burn through the mobs, not fight each one for 3 mins. Additionally, with condi cap, if you’re in a large group (i.e. Cursed Shore farm) your conditions may not do anything. For dungeons as well, I think that power is key. DPS race is GW2.

First of all, hail and greetings fellow colleague! These halls have many experts on the necromancer. As mentioned, Accolate Spoj is quite knowledgeable.

Personally, I have found that due to the skewed balance of power in PVE, that playing defensively is the best way to go (at least for me). I’ve focused my studies on wells, and use them both for defense and offense. I combine this with ranged weapons, such as the staff and scepter to avoid close encounters with my foes. When properly traited, the wells also provide some very useful team support (such as protection, condition removal and healing). With additional work invested in the toughness of my armor, it makes me very durable in fights. This is however not a build with a whole lot of damage output. But if you wish to stay alive, keep your team alive, and hit a lot of enemies, then it is a very effective strategy.