Guild Wars 2

I have been playing between a power dagger+focus vamp build (wells+1util) and condition scepter+dagger (BiP+Epi+PlagueSig) build. The problem is, Condition build does good dmg, but takes FOREVER for all of the damage to bleed out compared to a power build. I think it is amazing in PvP, but in PvE, 30s is a long time to kite/stay alive when AoE’ing with epidemic. Also, chaining bleeds is a pain in teh rumpus kitteh.

The problem with Power builds though, is that we can’t get our damage curve ANYWHERE NEAR other classes similarly geared or sometimes geared worse than us and therefore have to take the recently buffed Blood is Power utility to get the 10 stacks of might, or use Spite Trait VI (might off of DS1) to get our power curve up temporarily to match it.

I have been really frustrated with our extremely clanky necro mechanics and stumbled upon a very concise post by Quillixx on GW2GURU. here is the OP url: http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/68944-blood-is-power-disappointed-with-the-design/

I highly advise players to take a read at the post there, it really points out a vital utility that changed that sort of created a rift between our beloved power and condition builds.

Dev says BiP will help power users do more damage, and it does.

Poster takes from that and decides that it doesn’t work for him, then complains about it. Poster assumes that this is the only fix for power focused players. Poster assumes that it is required for power users, but also contracts this when complaining that it doesn’t help for AoE damage.

10 stacks of might shouldn’t be necessary to bring up our +power based builds, its a good utility, sure, but i think he was more discussing the discomfort of it being a required utility for all power builds. we get 3 utilities, one is obviously going to need to be BiP to output serious dmg, and then we get two slots left over.

I would say two mandatory utilities (for a power build) to almost never swap out are Well of Suffering and BiP. So what, that leaves us with one empty slot to fill? Using that slot for a spectral util or signet would be a waste since it would take extra trait swapping to utilize and BiP does condition damage, which rarely comes on gear alongside of +power. So we get BiP, which will do kitten bleed damage, drain %10 of our hp (since of the self bleed we can only get rid of if we prematurely pop Consume conditions or swap for staff4) and get the might. Is it worth it?

On the flip side, Conditionmancers rely on BiP for their base stack of bleeds. It used to give 20% LF which is needed to keep Death shroud up to stay alive when the player realizes oh crap, I’m vulnerable! where is my dagger? oh wait, im a condi build. but it no longer grants 20% LF. now it gives a 25% damage increase for the duration of the bleed (effective through the stacks of might)

I don’t deny the fact that BiP does help power builds do more damage. But the way they changed it sort of shafted necros because why do we need a single utility to do good damage compared to other classes? Obviously our class design is lacking something if they decide to make both of our two only viable pvp/wvw/pve endgame builds revolve around one utility.

alanis.6094:

Poster assumes that this is the only fix for power focused players. Poster assumes that it is required for power users.

Replier contributes no useful input. Replier executes troll: critical hit!

I miss Blood is power for life force since I preferred that in my condition build but as it is now I still use it but only to transfer the bleeds over to a mob for more damage that way since might doesn’t help conditions as much now since I cant build life force as i once did. I forgot to finish that last time, I i get for using my phone.

Might = 35 power / 35 CnD …

Some people prefer the 20% lf bonus instead. using scepter+dagger has minimal LF generation