Guild Wars 2

I’ve got 2 necros, I run one in full zero top to bottom, and he was my main long before HoT, all the way back to launch. The other condition, much newer (thanks 80 boost) I was so excited about the reaper spec. The new shouts looked awesome, and so did the greatsword. I was a bit iffy on the design of Reaper Shroud. But the traits looked so kitten sweet that I had figured out several sweet builds before the livestream ended. I’ve played every permutation of power necro, minions, shouts, vampire and every strange hybrid I could come up with. Even the few things that have been on MetaBattle as the patches have evolved. Tonight I dropped reaper, to try my refined pre Hot build. Spite/Soul Reaping/Death. And it rocks. My dps puts my reaper build to shame. I have my eye watering big critical numbers again. I have a reason to use main hand dagger again. I have survivability again. Lich form feels like an elite again, and not just an excessive cool down on a minion sunmon. I ran fractals, and I could watch my big gnarly crits chopping of chunks of health bar left and right. It finally felt like I was the reason mobs were going down again. I actually got to use my focus offhand again. It was amazing. Reaper just doesn’t do that.

So for folk wanting to do something other than the viper horror build, I thought I’d share my build here in more detail. Because it’s fun, the rotation is smoother than any reaper build I’ve messed with, and well… I missed hitting for 15k on axe 2. I missed hitting for 13k on dagger 2. I missed hitting for 10k in shroud, and I really really missed hitting for 12k lich form 1 spam with quickness from a friendly chrono.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQRBHbhG2IHNUdjt0gjNwhjjchCGANwKQLj1oZl7wW/1A-TxRBABA8kCwT/zVK/MTJIN7PQp6PUcSF+GQAMIIIIECh1atWrGChQIIFwYDtA-e

The whys, use axe focus as your man damage set. Open with 4, 2 to build life force. Then drop blood is power for the might, then well of suffering for the huge damage and vulnerability. If @ 100% life force Shroud and autospam until you reach 50%, of not use dagger warhorn 5, auto. Rinse and repeat. The rest of your kit can be used situationaly. Break bar attention on warhorn 4 dagger 3, and shroud 3 and dagger 5. Dagger 2 makes a great self heal, and can be used at range while closing to melee range for LF building. The auto on axe sucks, but when on axe, get into shroud asap.

The big critical numbers are silly.

Death magic traits are only for exploiting as much power as possible. Drop condi in shroud give you a reliable cleanse, so you never have to worry about Blood is Power’s self bleed. Power from toughness and doubled in DS, is just a nice solid boost to damage. The elite trait corruptor’s fervor is goes off on your vulnerability stacks, proving more toughness to be converted to power.

I missed this build. I’m both glad to have it back and using it again. And I’m also bumbed that reaper doesn’t hold a candle to it.

I use axe/focus in PvE too. I like it a lot. But the second weapon set was always iffy for me. So maybe I’ll check this out and see how it goes for me. I will miss reaper shroud though.

P.S. I use Dragon breath buns as they are super cheap. Try it out and see if you like it over roasted cactus.

I ran dagger/x for 100% world completion before heart of thorns. The dagger build honestly boring as it was mostly open with focus 4, auto spam, and popping into and out of shroud for the fury. I do enjoy it more than the clunky slow GS. However, I’d be lying if I said the reaper line was useless. Tons of great stuff came with the specialization, can’t imagine playing necromancer without it.

P.S. axe is trash

What’s wrong with axe in general PvE? XD
I think it’s fun. I use action camera and can tag every mob just by spinning in a circle and using axe#2. And the auto attack stacks vulnerability like a machine gun, which is good for me as I use Decimate Defenses and Unholy Fervor.

I’ve been finding classic vanilla power necro to be much more effective for wvw zerging and roaming than power reaper. Tried ot recently and realized how much I missed life blast. Makes thieves easy for the most part. I do miss the shroud 2 leap from reaper, but I manage. Still use reaper for condi of course.

BrokenGlass.9356:

The elite trait corruptor’s fervor is goes off on your vulnerability stacks, proving more toughness to be converted to power.

Like many similar traits, the additional toughness from Corruptor’s Fervor doesn’t actually count towards the Deadly Strength power conversion.

Seems crazy that everything in this build seems to be there to apply vulnerability and you’re opting out of having Decimate Defenses… But if it works for ya, it works for ya.

Lahmia.2193:

BrokenGlass.9356:

The elite trait corruptor’s fervor is goes off on your vulnerability stacks, proving more toughness to be converted to power.

Like many similar traits, the additional toughness from Corruptor’s Fervor doesn’t actually count towards the Deadly Strength power conversion.

While you are right, showing the hero panels doesnt proof much, since the hero panel is kinda buggy sometimes (e.g. it doesnt show the stat increase for plagueform).

Muchacho.2390:

Lahmia.2193:

BrokenGlass.9356:

The elite trait corruptor’s fervor is goes off on your vulnerability stacks, proving more toughness to be converted to power.

Like many similar traits, the additional toughness from Corruptor’s Fervor doesn’t actually count towards the Deadly Strength power conversion.

While you are right, showing the hero panels doesnt proof much, since the hero panel is kinda buggy sometimes (e.g. it doesnt show the stat increase for plagueform).

Aye hero panel is buggy but its the way traits work. If they convert a part of a certain stat, they only work off of the base stat. Great Fortitude (Warrior – convert power to vit) doesn’t change the amount of health you have even if you have Signet of Might and/or various stacks of Might.

Lahmia.2193:

Muchacho.2390:

Lahmia.2193:

BrokenGlass.9356:

The elite trait corruptor’s fervor is goes off on your vulnerability stacks, proving more toughness to be converted to power.

Like many similar traits, the additional toughness from Corruptor’s Fervor doesn’t actually count towards the Deadly Strength power conversion.

While you are right, showing the hero panels doesnt proof much, since the hero panel is kinda buggy sometimes (e.g. it doesnt show the stat increase for plagueform).

Aye hero panel is buggy but its the way traits work. If they convert a part of a certain stat, they only work off of the base stat. Great Fortitude (Warrior – convert power to vit) doesn’t change the amount of health you have even if you have Signet of Might and/or various stacks of Might.

I know, i only wanted to mention it.

Lahmia.2193:

BrokenGlass.9356:

The elite trait corruptor’s fervor is goes off on your vulnerability stacks, proving more toughness to be converted to power.

Like many similar traits, the additional toughness from Corruptor’s Fervor doesn’t actually count towards the Deadly Strength power conversion.

i appreciate that actually. didnt know. ill have to reevaluate that a bit.

as for decimate defenses…. checking the build calc now, mayhaps it can be improved.

but kitten ed if im not having fun without reaper on power necro.

definitely using reaper on my condi necro. but that’s not what this post was about.

ahhhh i see, decimate defenses… the crit on vulnerability trait… not interested in critting out of shroud honestly. if in not in shroud, im building life force, then getting back in shroud. also, RS isnt great for direct, if it had life blast, you bet id take that traitline. but i cant take it and keep original DS. if i could…. this thread wouldn’t exist.

KickzNGigglez.4958:

P.S. axe is trash

In PvE, sure. It doesn’t do a lot of sustained damage. In PvP environments? I think it’s a whole other story.

I’ve largely dropped staff for it because of the burst LF gain and the fact it chunks people for around 1/3 to 1/2 their max health and offers non-projectile ranged attacks which is huge in terms of all the projectile hate, which is pretty amazing.

A/F engaging with Spinal Shivers will deal massive damage in most cases and rip boons. Cast claws for another huge burst, which often procs Chill of Death dealing another huge burst and another round of boon stripping and chill.

6.38 damage coefficient output + 12s chill with a six-boonstrip (+1 more and a stacked cripple from feast) at range that can’t be reflected, all done in a matter of a few seconds is absolutely insane when used on the right targets.

I’m giving your build a run what it’s worth OP … GS just doesn’t cut it for openworld content because it’s skills are relatively slow compared to other weaponskills. I will miss it for the harder mobs though.

People can’t seem to look past Axe, probably because of the mediocre damage. It does have a good number of things going for it. It’s quite useful for to proc crits with a low to average crit rate.

I hope back and forth between power necro and power reaper in fractals, but I only go reaper for specific stationary bosses (Old Tom, Urban Battleground, Molten Bosses). Any time you need range, you’re better off going necro because the axe is the best ranged power weapon necro gets. Chaos fractal with a dagger or greatsword is just a pain in the kitten .

In wvw there is never a time where I don’t go power necro:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRUQNAW3djc0Oaqst2WTbsx3WaD/t/2RtQJHixOghJQAMD0xYOqWA-T1DFQB5RHQa0E0gHAgCVSIgLQAWUCSgjAg+U/pNaESiyA2t/gSUqBgDiQJ0Q4ONIBAQAu5NzmtZAyAsuFA-w

Your chance of staying in melee range against a roamer or enemy zerg in wvw is vanishingly low. That makes dagger, greatsword, and reaper shroud all of dubious usefulness. Reaper’s shroud out DPS’s Death Shroud, but with only one leap your damage will more often than not be much lower than you need.

Hesacon.8735:

That makes dagger, greatsword, and reaper shroud all of dubious usefulness.

I’d say dagger is still worth it for the heal, the root, and and the traited move speed. But I agree, GS seems like a suicide mission in WvW.

narcx.3570:

Hesacon.8735:

That makes dagger, greatsword, and reaper shroud all of dubious usefulness.

I’d say dagger is still worth it for the heal, the root, and and the traited move speed. But I agree, GS seems like a suicide mission in WvW.

While true i wouldnt mind a small buff to main hand dagger. Its not like power necro is in a good place…

Famine.7915:

I’ve been finding classic vanilla power necro to be much more effective for wvw zerging and roaming than power reaper. Tried ot recently and realized how much I missed life blast. Makes thieves easy for the most part. I do miss the shroud 2 leap from reaper, but I manage. Still use reaper for condi of course.

Shroud switching to a melee orientation was a hard sell for me too. I found using staff and lich form, and switching to shroud when the enemies closed was a viable strategy.

Famine.7915:

I’ve been finding classic vanilla power necro to be much more effective for wvw zerging and roaming than power reaper. Tried ot recently and realized how much I missed life blast. Makes thieves easy for the most part. I do miss the shroud 2 leap from reaper, but I manage. Still use reaper for condi of course.

Funny I’ve had the same feeling towards vanilla necro for backline wells. Having to pick between Blood Magic and Soul Reaping made me rethink using Reaper, considering how little it actually adds.

Lahmia.2193:

Famine.7915:

I’ve been finding classic vanilla power necro to be much more effective for wvw zerging and roaming than power reaper. Tried ot recently and realized how much I missed life blast. Makes thieves easy for the most part. I do miss the shroud 2 leap from reaper, but I manage. Still use reaper for condi of course.

Funny I’ve had the same feeling towards vanilla necro for backline wells. Having to pick between Blood Magic and Soul Reaping made me rethink using Reaper, considering how little it actually adds.

Which is precisely what elite specs were supposed to do: change the style of play. Nothing more, nothing less.

The sentiment of “I should choose this elite” should come from a stylistic preference based on what you want from the build, not just running what makes the build necessarily better at what it did.

The reaper is a much better front-line build and skirmisher than the core necro, but the core necro packs a much better bomb potential. The trades for the sustain and DPS bumps for the reaper can offset both BM and DM in its own way, while BM and DM can offset the gains from the reaper in another.

This should be the case in every elite spec and for all further elite specs. There should be no incentive to run an elite spec because it’s universally better. It’s why I think the reaper is the best-designed of all of them, and why I think the Daredevil and Berserker are by far the worst.

Given the choice between two different styles of play implies that one will be better at different things. :/

It feels like we ought to have more elite specs. If that the goal, we need more choices. I know they are coming. But what are the odds we will get them in a random patch.

Obtena.7952:

I’m giving your build a run what it’s worth OP … GS just doesn’t cut it for openworld content because it’s skills are relatively slow compared to other weaponskills. I will miss it for the harder mobs though.

People can’t seem to look past Axe, probably because of the mediocre damage. It does have a good number of things going for it. It’s quite useful for to proc crits with a low to average crit rate.

Have to admit that I did miss my Reaper Shroud but I didn’t really miss much from the Reaper trait line nor my GS. Your build still confirms my hate on Corruption, so I just added another well. Yeah I lost some might but it’s short lived and I don’t have a condition relic tacked onto me when I’m done … a significant deficiency in OW PVE>

I’ve just dropped reaper too as I miss the old shroud, this is what i’m using:

http://tinyurl.com/zevubt6

I build without Reaper quite frequently. It gets really annoying switching so many build details around so frequently.

I would pay gems for build “favorite” tabs.