Guild Wars 2

So we all watched the [Skill Barr] segment on ready up and listened to the changes and immediately started thinking how this would effect the necromancer.

So i am wondering what changes the necromancer can expect (using logic) considering the changes in ready up?

If im am honest i feel necros need a cast time reduction on all weapons and utilities to be able to stay sub par.

Expect:
Axe buffs, it is our analogous weapon to LB, mainly to the #1/2 skills (since 3 is awesome)
Some trait changes, possibly rolling things like Spiteful Marks into the baseline

Realistic Possibilities (might happen, but not totally sure):
Focus 5 cast time reduction (LB saw some use buffs)
Slight changes to minions, especially actives
Changes to signets
Buffs to our two underused healing skills

Less Realistic/Not Sure:
Scepter 3 change
Staff buffs, to things other than its direct condi pressure, maybe a slight utility increase (maybe a return of limited allied cleansing?) or direct damage buff

From what we saw, ANet is trying to buff under-used weapons, roll in some traits that are too mandatory to indirectly buff specs, and improve the “feel” of underused things all around. So minions/signets are really possible, maybe things like CPC could see love; but mostly I’m expecting a lot to be focused around Axe, Death Shroud, and traits. Lots of work could be done on the Necro class just with QoL improvements and slight reductions of weird interactions.

Honestly though, besides the Axe buffs which I’m almost certain will happen, and some trait changes, I don’t know of anything that will happen, and I don’t want to get my hopes up too much expecting apple pie to be served, just in case they serve pecan pie. Both are great, but if you expect one and get the other you might disappoint yourself for no reason.

After seeing the ranger entagle , i am expecting a Whirl on axe tbh .
how to destroy those vines?

this is what im expecting..

cast times of all signets increased! all instant casts have a massive animation and cast time because it was unfair for the warrior, removed chill of death because it was deemed unfair, reduced all condition durations and removed tainted shackles because why not?

meanwhile warrior:
now removes a condition every hit healing signet has been doubled in strength gap closer skills now get rid of chill and cripple the lengths of stances increased by triple the amount and base damage now doubled

slight exaggeration but I wouldn’t be surprised if it was along the lines of this.

Increase the casting time for Signet of Spite slightly, and redo the animation to be telegraphed much better.
The same should happen for Corrupt Boon.

If this happens, maybe Necromancers will be balanced. Power-specs could probably use some slight buffs though.

KrisHQ.4719:

Increase the casting time for Signet of Spite slightly, and redo the animation to be telegraphed much better.
The same should happen for Corrupt Boon.

If this happens, maybe Necromancers will be balanced. Power-specs could probably use some slight buffs though.

If power-specs get a buff, oh I’ll fart rainbows in all honesty. A well played power necro is already incredibly dangerous when coupled with an ample supply life force generation skills. I find myself being able to fill up my life force bar and enter shroud twice in any skirmish, using death shroud to cover the gaps when consume conditions is on cooldown.

But more relevant, Axe will most definitely be tweaked, as it stands we do need to spec a little too heavily into power to get any real kick out of it.

I feel as if the casting speed or projectile speed of life blast could be looked at. The best part about it currently is that when it’s set to auto attack your character will automatically track to face your enemy, which is brilliant.

I don’t feel as if Tainted Shackles will be touched, power or condition, you still get a kick out of either the torment damage or the damage hit at the end of the channel.

I support Signet of Spite being better telegraphed, in return for it being more reliable, often I’ve let it off and it hasn’t even worked, I suspect a random proc of aegis is responsible. If the cast time is increased or made more telegraphed, make it unblockable.

The damage scaling of Terror could be toned down. As it stands, 1k ticks of a disabling condition is absurd in all honesty.

Come to think of it just to finish off, I think Axe could definitely do with a boon removal aspect. I’m not sure how it could be implemented but it would be a nice change.

I’m more curious if they’re going to introduce a 6 seconds revealed skill into all professions and which Necro skill will get that.

My money’s in blood is power, since it’ll probably be a single target skill.

Terror has already been toned down, it does not need any further nerfs considering the trait that got it nerfed is no longer the same.

6 seconds revealed won’t help us much against the only build theives have that is truly a problem, but I wouldn’t mind having it for mesmers.

Axe already has boon removal

NeXeD.3042:

Terror has already been toned down, it does not need any further nerfs considering the trait that got it nerfed is no longer the same.

6 seconds revealed won’t help us much against the only build theives have that is truly a problem, but I wouldn’t mind having it for mesmers.

Axe already has boon removal

I disagree. As a debuff class, I think it’s pretty much mandatory that necromancer gets 6 seconds revealed somewhere in their utilities. It doesn’t have to help us against s/d thief, but at least, it’ll show us if anet really want us to be the attrition class that you cannot escape from.

Disagree with what…. didn’t say I wouldn’t take it…. just that it won’t help against a certain ridiculous build that will be nerfed in due time…. I wouldn’t mind having the reveal to use against mesmers….. not as a mesmer as this is the necro subforum.

NeXeD.3042:

Disagree with what…. didn’t say I wouldn’t take it…. just that it won’t help against a certain ridiculous build that will be nerfed in due time…. I wouldn’t mind having the reveal to use against mesmers….. not as a mesmer as this is the necro subforum.

My bad, I assumed you were against it.

More likely CPC gets the Revealed debuff. Not 6 seconds, but each tick would apply.

Alternatively, Haunt on Shadow Fiend.

I dont believe we will get anything remotely useful.

But if i had any optimism I would say finishers on some weapons. Siphoned power rework. Cooldown, cast time and aftercast reductions. Withering precision rework/change/move. And maybe boon on DS trait changes.

But i dont believe we will get any of these as every other major balance patch has been a major disappointment and never addressed the things we have asked for or what we sorely needed.

#NoHope

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

More likely CPC gets the Revealed debuff. Not 6 seconds, but each tick would apply.

Alternatively, Haunt on Shadow Fiend.

But but those cast time XD

Poplolita.2638:

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

More likely CPC gets the Revealed debuff. Not 6 seconds, but each tick would apply.

Alternatively, Haunt on Shadow Fiend.

But but those cast time XD

Like necros have any good cast times?

spoj.9672:

I dont believe we will get anything remotely useful.

But if i had any optimism I would say finishers on some weapons. Siphoned power rework. Cooldown, cast time and aftercast reductions. Withering precision rework/change/move. And maybe boon on DS trait changes.

But i dont believe we will get any of these as every other major balance patch has been a major disappointed and never addressed the things we have asked for or what we sorely needed.

#NoHope

Yep this +1. If I was optimistic I would hope for what you put but i’m more a who drunk half my beer type of person rather than yippee i’ve been given half a beer.

So I really don’t expect anything useful for Necro in the next balance patch. Unfortunately the whole GWEN thing has pretty much ruined our chances of seeing any major changes as I suspect they will think we are in a great spot. Problem being is for WvW that is true but for PVE we are really in need of some changes.

Bhawb.7408:

Expect:
Axe buffs, it is our analogous weapon to LB, mainly to the #1/2 skills (since 3 is awesome)

anet plz giv blast finisher on axe 3.

giv anet

giv

personally i think we will not see anything with a “reveal”. In my opinion we don’t need it. as we already have at least 2 attacks that will target and hit regardless of stealth.

As for the rest of it… I am hopefull. but I just dont know what to really expect from it all. Much like Spoj said, I would love to see some cast times and after casts tweaked. and some kind of group utility. Someone once suggested a ferocity buff simmilar to Spotter, Or Empowered allies. But for ferocity. By doing that it would offer a unique thing that only Necromancers can do allowing us a place is some team comps. At least for PvE. Or at least better options that what we have now.

we could go back and forth and on and on as we have been. But the reality is that we will just have to wait and see….

((fingers crossed))

Well here are my two Extremely Optimistic choices for the year.

Shade replaces Foot in the Grave as a Grandmaster trait.

If everyone is due to get a revealed it could (I know it won’t but pray with me here) be on Staff 5 fear? I’m not really a group/Zerg Necro here but wouldn’t that be nice? Enemy veils and you just remove them with your staff?

As for what might happen I don’t know maybe Dark Path on Deathshroud could move a little faster?

There were only a few changes to traits, and not ones that are commonly used either. I’d expect siphon buffs, and maybe some merger of staff traits. No more than that. They mainly buffed utilities for engis, and weapons on rangers. I’d expect changes to axe 1,2 and maybe dagger 2 and 3, and then a revamp of signets like the rangers got. I’d be very disappointed if I saw nerfs to any of the main builds because I don’t think there is a single necro build that is op or overly strong in pvp or pve (wvw 6/6/2/0/0 perplexity necro is way op but so is everything else in wvw).

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

Poplolita.2638:

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

More likely CPC gets the Revealed debuff. Not 6 seconds, but each tick would apply.

Alternatively, Haunt on Shadow Fiend.

But but those cast time XD

Like necros have any good cast times?

<.< >.> pretending bug doesn’t exist* Corrupt boon!

SoS. /fifteencharacters

I would like to see corrupt boon’s cast time nerfed into something that actually has counterplay.

That would be fine…. but maybe nerf some of the boon happy kitten going on. Otherwise you are really just nerfing the living kitten out of the only niche necro really has for pvp.

Zefrost.3425:

I would like to see corrupt boon’s cast time nerfed into something that actually has counterplay.

Yes please. 0.5 will be just fine. Those random dodges kitten the hell out of me…

considering the new announcements about thief and warrior.

any new predictions?

Mine:

-Siphon buffs.
-Retaliation buff (considering the channeling/rapidfire skills of every profession are buffed)
-Or necro needs reflect on spectal skills.. we cant be expected to just eat those attacks are we?
-Shorter casting durations on transfers and utilities (bug fixes and making stuff work as thieves “steal” considering there are now builds around that have no counterplay AT ALL.\
-New skills,traits and mechanic rework. again considering the current meta there has to be a new skill or something necromancerish coming up because they can’t expect necro to run this and the next meta in the current setup.

anyway. wondering about what you think..

cheers.

While I do wish for Dagger to cleave, I don’t think it’s that simple.
Only the dagger AA lends itself to cleaving blows and even then Necrotic bite (third blow) would be slightly odd.
I just really wish they did something more interesting with life siphon, making it work similar to locust signet would be my favorite option.

If any weapon should get a cleave I think it should be axe. The weapon really needs some work and cleave would help it a lot. The animations already lend themselves pretty well for that.

If power-specs get a buff, oh I’ll fart rainbows in all honesty. A well played power necro is already incredibly dangerous when coupled with an ample supply life force generation skills.

I cant stop laughing at this crap, compared to a Condi necro (i assume its for any kind of PvP) Power is xtremly weak atm. I play Power as much as I can & it lacks in every regard to a Good Condi Build.

When I roam solo as I do alot, if ppl see me wearing Pizza Consumable they hesitate, the saee me wearing Power Food they charge in like there no tomorrow. This is a Nec Fact, we are Corruption Masters and nothing else.

On note I hope Axe gets buffed, maybe a cleave. Maybe something new for Warhorn and that they plz dont nerf our Life Force.

I would take ground-targeted Dark Path and being able to sacrafice a bit of my Life Force to make next Life Blast more “oomph!” Like +1 second to optional cast but 50% more damage/critical damage and projectile ignoring Blocks and Boons

Oh and some more play with Life Force in general, like new #6 DS ability healing us and allies for LF consumed, also enabling all healing for the time channeled .

Staying realistic I would like to see:

- Improvements to life force generation
- flesh wurm cast time improvement
- bleeds from dhuumfire nerf reverted
- corrupt boon, spectral grasp and dark path being a little more reliable/general improvement

We’ll get some buffs for sure (probably axe, possibly staff), but realistically I’m also expecting a nerf on Lich auto, SoS, and possibly terror.

Terrors already been nerfed due to dhuumfire being op, I highly doubt they will nerf it further especially since they nerfed our bleeds and nerfed dhuumfire a little. Our condi builds don’t need a nerf if anything I want more access to torment.

Would also like a change to ds auto and wells.

Whatever they decide to give you can count on it being nothing we have asked for and most likely something that will break an already good build option.

I would currently bet on cast and channel time reductions, maybe even dmg buff:
-dagger cleave
-dagger #2 cast (yes, the time before 1st hit is pretty long, maybe chanel also)
-axe 1 something
-axe #2 cast and channel are faster like lbow and teef pistol#3

-maybe staff auto and +10% dmg marks baseline, new trait

-useless and wrong placed new spite GM will go from 5 to 8% like thief

Im expecting
- Dagger cleave
- Channel reductions on axe 2 and dagger 2.
- Axe damage buff
- Siphoned power buff

Im hoping for
- Siphoned power complete rework
- projectile block/reflect on spectral wall
- More self buffing
- More damage
- Withering precision buff/revert
- finishers on weapons (mainly blasts)

If they merge a few of the staff traits and buff siphons I’d be happy. Add in cleave on dagger like the thief and we are talking about a really good patch.

A nerf to SoS, probably upping its cast time to 1s and having its visual apply at the very start of the cast.
Possibly a nerf to terror, nightmare runes, master of terror, and/or reaper’s protection (although if they do this it means they are reverting some bleed nerfs)

Buffs to axe 1/2
Dagger cleave
Axe trait getting buffed and/or some parts of it becoming baseline
Spiteful marks removed (maybe made baseline) for a new trait
Slight buffs to siphons
Buffs to various underused traits, its hard to tell which since there are quite a few they could change

Well

Since there is a cleave on dagger hint to necro’s as well, if it does go through i might expect them to make some changes to our dagger traits… which would kinda suck. (possibly lowering siphoning on vampiric precision). And i hope they don’t decrease immobilize time… (pray to grenth)

if they buff axe they have plenty of ways to do so and personally i hope it’s along the lines of increasing vuln stacking. I’m almost expecting a new aa or even axe2.

They’ve been working on traits so I’m hopeful they might do something for unholy sanctuary (though im still not convinced this trait is absolutely unusable) but still would be nice for a buff.

I would like to see some bug fixes with minions… hopefully they noticed

Hopefully they mess with signet if undeath to make it usable.

Spiteful marks….

Spiteful Marks needs a total overhaul. As long as it’s % damage bonus to marks, it will never be good because the damage on all of them (but Putrid Mark) is so low.

Do you guys think they might revamp lich king, and #1 life blast in order to buff axe? If it’s the case, I’m absolutly fine with it, I think we should be the kind of class that has to weaken his opponent first with boon strip+ condition debuff before doing some insane damage.

Poplolita.2638:

Do you guys think they might revamp lich king, and #1 life blast in order to buff axe? If it’s the case, I’m absolutly fine with it, I think we should be the kind of class that has to weaken his opponent first with boon strip+ condition debuff before doing some insane damage.

Lich king?

Kiriakulos.1690:

Poplolita.2638:

Do you guys think they might revamp lich king, and #1 life blast in order to buff axe? If it’s the case, I’m absolutly fine with it, I think we should be the kind of class that has to weaken his opponent first with boon strip+ condition debuff before doing some insane damage.

Lich king?

Oh my god, I was reading some stuff about the lich king on wowpedia, don’t judge XD

Poplolita.2638:

Oh my god, I was reading some stuff about the lich king on wowpedia, don’t judge XD

Too late. :p

Lich form and axe have nothing to do with each other. If they intend to nerf Lich they’ll need to essentially remake the entire transform, considering the only reason its even semi-meta is because of its obscene damage against blind people.

Drarnor Kunoram.5180:

Spiteful Marks needs a total overhaul. As long as it’s % damage bonus to marks, it will never be good because the damage on all of them (but Putrid Mark) is so low.

Either that or it’s marks that need an overhaul.

Let’s go to make pretend land; what if we had a weapon with Mark skills which all had very solid direct damage? Then it’s an interesting option.

Coming out of make pretend land, merging it with Soul Marks would be cool.

Marks honestly need an overhaul anyway, the fact that you can’t see where they are going and the fairly generic animations (for 2-4) need changing, and then they obviously need to have their cast time/activation time and animations/strength adjusted for that.

And honestly I’d just delete Spiteful Marks or make it baseline. Staff is a utility weapon, its traits should lend themselves to that, and 3/4 of them do (decrease CDs, increase size and make it unblockable, or give it LF generation).

Just one thing : If you don’t want to make DS more engaging and interesting, then don’t nerf Life Blast. It’s honestly the only thing holding me in this profession now, after 2 years.

If they leave power necro’s alone, I’ll fart rainbows. I’m not expecting any good buffs for the class anymore, and the way they’re swinging the nerf bat (eh hem, warriors), I’m closing my eyes and praying nothing bad comes our way.

oops.. spam.

guess i’ll use this post to say , I so hope they give counterplay for certain classes.