Guild Wars 2

Hi:

I am inquiring as to what role(s) the Necro is meant to fill in PVE (viable roles that are attractive to groups). Support, DPS, Heals…Tankage?

I am used to the cookie cutter WoW roles, so this is admittedly new to me (mindset = MAX DPS ABOVE ALL ELSE)! However, I love the Necro class, and as I level my Necro I wonder which path I should follow.

What I like about Necro: DoTs & Wells & Vampire build approaches. Where does a Conditionmancer or Wellomancer fit in? Are Conditionmancers traditionally marketed as DoT damage for groups, and Wellomancers as Healer-support for groups?

I’m just confused as to what fits the role of damage best, healing best, etc.

I realize every-man-for-himself seems to be the GW2 model, but I also realize that people don’t run around as glass cannons in GW2. So if I want to be damage-focused, are Conditions the route for me? Or…heals/support focused…do I find myself as a Wellomancer………?

Thanks, guys! Necros seem to have less written about them than their Scholar counterparts, so I am in need of a little extra help.

Thanks for your time…and please no “Spec Guardianmancer” type posts! I like muh Necro!

Demonic Jack.8539:

I realize every-man-for-himself seems to be the GW2 model, but I also realize that people don’t run around as glass cannons in GW2.

Actually, depending on the content a lot of people DO run around in glass cannon mode, since the general PvE Mechanics seem to be “be tough enough to survive a trash mob stray hit, but use dodge to avoid OHKO on everything else”

That said outside of the super-elite speedrunner type efficiency machines, your actual build matters more in what you enjoy, than anything else. As for highest necro damage output, a hybrid condition/power/crit build is probably the best necro damage output in general, as a number of necro weapons and abilities are confused enough to add both large amounts of damaging conditions, with high power-damage burst skills right next to them. Not that they don’t have weapons that can focus only on condition or power damage but there you have it.

Other than that one unique role a necro can provide in pve is Chill-spamming (Staff 3, Focus 5, Death Shroud 2, Spectral Grasp)

The necro is really a jack of all trades who doesn’t fit nicely into a niche.
I play a rabid conditionmancer. I provide moderate DPS, which becomes better in long fights due to more time for bleeds to run. I provide support by weakening, crippling, chilling, and blinding the enemies. I help remove conditions from my allies. As the only person in my guild who mains a necromancer, people say dungeons are just easier when I’m around.
As a necro, you have to be able to adapt to the situation and change skills and traits as needed. Epidemic can be the best utility skill in the game one fight, and useless in the next.

You could go Condition spec and use Epidemic to spread the conditions.
…I however don’t like it because there’s a cap of 25 bleeds on one target and some opponents and most objects are immune to conditions.

Wells are really good for AoE damage if you have Power, and Necro is also great in applying a lot of Chill to slow down enemies.

I also suggest taking the Greater Marks trait and using the Staff as a secondary weapon.
The utility it provides is fantastic and the large AoE is great for groups of monsters and players.

As for leveling I suggest you use Power as a stat and stab things with a Dagger until mobs get too tough for you to handle with it.
Dagger has the highest DPS for Necro, but Necros have very few escape tools so it’s often risky to use.