Guild Wars 2

DeceiverX.8361:

“Neco lacks active defenses.”

Gets huge damage negation that doesn’t depend on LF/establishing a resource foothold which is why necros get focused and get shut down so easily by being focused.

“14k baseline damage negation with big healing power scaling/BM synergy on high hp pool isn’t good enough.”

C’mon guys, if you play well it negates a huge chunk of potential incoming damage. Even if it needs some minor tweaks regarding baseline degen speed, the amount of sustain it provides is solid given just how ridiculous its condition bomb/boon application is. Barrier is active defense. If it buys you a few seconds per fight, you’ve basically got traited DH virtues which is great.

Sounds to me like people were getting too used to auto-30+ bleed stacks dire/tb reaper with huge shroud pools.

Maybe the Scourge (condition + healing support) just isn’t your style, either.

This. It’s fun and active.
Reminds me of two things; the second thing is the protection monk.

But, first it reminded me of… Lucio-ohhhs

My reward is having fun and entertaining play. Being part of something bigger without feeling my actions are ruining it for a large portion of other players. Nor their actions, ruining mine.

I’ll like to see scoring improvments. I think that’s where the fun exists.

..and in summation of this thread..

It is true, that many players are selfish when discussing these things.
“How does this benefit me?” “This doesn’t work when solo or when I use certain skills and weapons.”

Even when necro players were screaming to have more support in group play, it was because they were being excluded from it. Not because they wanted to help the team.

Vampiric Rituals – Supports team with direct damage mitigation. You need wells. You gain health and extra damage.
Unholy Martyr – Supports team with condition mitigation. You need to stay in shroud. You gain shroud health.
Transfusion – Supports team by reviving, healing and getting them out of danger. You need shroud access. You gain, otherwise dead, party members.

They are all well suited to Blood Magic. They all support the team to allow them to do their own job. They all benefit the player.

How do you support your team?

Dead.5829:

Ramoth.9064:

Loving this change. Superior sigil of speed (agility) pop in RS for a quick 5.

^ Gets it.

Could you explain it to me? (sorry)

Sigil of Speed: Grants 10s / 14s / 20s of Swiftness on kill

As Nyth.3492 said, shroud skills power tied to currently active (main hand?) weapon is just silly. Though the argument against it being lack of control, of the weapon swap proccing sigils, is a specific and peripheral case, in my opinion.

But also, if weapon swapping into my “third weapon” activates sigils, then I want to put my own sigil on my “third weapon”. (that isn’t classed as a trait).

If you liked it, then you shoulda put a sigil on it.

I like the corruption skills. I like the theme. I especially like master of corruption.
Though, as some have pointed out, it lowers your cooldown which just means increaing the self hurt.
I think it needs to go further, way further.

I think the the benefit and mutilation should both be much higher.

Instead if a mechanic the prevents from casting a skill to often being a cooldown, what prevents you casting it too often being that it starts to provide too much hurt that you end up unable to deal with.
I think the cooldown should be very small, say, 10s (-66%), and the inflicted conditions increased with MoC (maybe 5 bleeds instead of 2).
Sure you can deal with it a couple of times. Maybe your team build utilises it. Maybe you build with higher health but in the end you stop using it because you are just killing yourself. But the power it provides of having a 10s cooldown, is that good enough for you?

Look. I’ve experienced this in the past week or two. I haven’t been actually doing things in this time that requires me to use my skills alot, but, there has been some weirdness.

I first noticed when I was tweaking a build in HotM. It requires me to go in shroud, cast tainted shackles then come out of shroud and use axe skill 2. This was something i have done so many times it’s basically muscle memory now. Axe 2 didn’t fire, it ruined the sequence as there is a very short amount of time I needed to get a sequence of skills done in.
Also, sometimes I had flashed in and out of shroud and tainted shackles hadn’t fired. I just though I was coming out of shroud too quickly before it fires. I don’t know.
This happened inconsistantly a few times during that time that I found myself mashing the keys on these skills to make sure they fire. not ideal.

Yesterday, I played alot in silverwastes and there were some rare occasions where it wouldn’t fire again. (I wasn’t running with an axe, just tainted shackles). Still this might be dropping shroud before it could fire. but, again, I have done this so much in the past I’m surprised it failed.

I remember seeing a dev post about them testing some lag compensation stuff recently and thought it could be related? I play from a country where I get a pretty constant 250-280 ping. And these all seem like channeled skills. related?

In the end it’s just a gut feeling, I can’t say for certain.

Hi, I unfortunately wasn’t able to play a lot during the weekend so it’s good to read these comments. With that in mind, I’ll pose my notes as questions and thoughts to you guys.

How does Unyielding Blast work in Reaper Shroud. What pierces?

Reaper’s Onslaught – Does attack speed only apply to RS skill 1?
I tested it with other skills and didn’t notice an increase on them. Does it only speed up the animation and not the induction? Bhawb in the OP mentioned it is bugged.

Chilling Nova – ICD of 15s. A low ICD on a faster attacking weapon might be problematic.
Though that circular synergy with – Chilling Nova (Critical hits against chilled foes chills others) → Bitter Chill (Chilling a foe inflicts vulnerability) → Decimate Defenses (Striking a foe with vulnerability increases your critical hit chance) – would be nice.
You would get stronger the more you attack, making foes not want to stand together.

Cold Shoulder – With chill usually having such short durations, does 10% on all applied chills seem unnoticeable? Would longer duration on some chills be better? say, x% chance that applied chills are y% longer. where y could be a much more satisfying number?

“Rise!” – My testing just highlighted similar problems that Mark of Horror had. When they spawn, they just run to my side instead of attacking the foe that caused them to spawn. I assume the passive nature of them is tied back when necros would spawn one after a death (now reapplied in Death Nova) and they would just run off and agro yet more mobs.
A few suggestions:
- Have them spawn more passive and tanky then a sequence skill used to make them attack more aggressively and less tanky until they’re dead.
- Have them attack a foe from further away from them. A sort of a leap onto the foe, on attack, as a gap closer. Their lives are too short the be constantly chasing after someone whose running in circles.
- Have them apply frost aura on themselves when they hit some percentage of heath.
- Have them spawn with Frost Aura for the first 25% of health, normal for the next 25% and more aggressive for the last 50%. Maybe something similar to Fire Shield in their dying moments.

I just reached level 2 doing the endless event nearby..
was the most exciting thing I could do as a new Norn.

We can’t change instances to one that isn’t broken.

You guys!
You need to stop thinking with your power builds, it’s embarrassing. :/
Axe is a great utility weapon for mid range procs and pressure.
The only thing I’ll like to see is a faster attack speed on skill one, even if it means lowering the damage to allow it.
The idea of a whirl finisher on skill two would be cool, but a blast finisher on skill three? you are dreaming.

edit: spelling mistake

I think Armoured Shroud needs to reconise minons loss of utility when in shroud.
I’m quite happy overall. I can’t say I’ve expirenced it’s nuances, though.

I think sustain might still be an issue, but I’ll have to see how it plays out.
I see necro condi application is fine as being slow, constant, area application and spreading. That’s pressure. Constant pain that doesn’t end. However, this takes time in a fight and time means sustain.
I’m fine with power and burst builds not having as much sustain.

We take damage with health and generate life force then swap and take damage to life force and generate health. If they think our sustain should be linked like this, I don’t dissagree.

For me, I think the main things to watch with necro now is keeping the “health bars” generation balanced with damage taken.

I think Dadnir has pretty much summed it up.
Any time I read discussions like this, I just keep thinking of cool ways you can use the mechanics.
Things like, corruption skills will tranfer a condition every time you are critted against, for a short duration.
There’s a reason for the self infliction and some counter play too.

Ok, so you don’t know me, that makes me a worthless contributor and that makes me sad. Also, what makes me sad are these class design simulators. Provide feedback and suggestions, sure, but don’t just try to design the entire class. Leave that to the real developers.
I often disagree with suggestions of others, and am influenced by contructive arguments of others still. However, jabering on about it, I think is pointless.

an example: Terrormancers, The current suggestion is to have Master of Terror with Terror. I think this is a bad idea. If you took this merged trait, I can’t think if any synergies or build options that wouldn’t be the 1 build you will take that for.
I might be wrong and can’t see it, but what I’ve read doesn’t explain it.

However, If you have it like it is, there are options for other builds. Numbers can change to modify the potency of it.

But on the other hand, I too am not fond of the Terror trait where it is. It’s a direct damage trait in the Curses line. I imagine the Curses line to be more condition related.
Maybe scale damage based on number of conditions? or put Mater of Terror there and have its fear length based on number of conditions?

In my opinion, this creates counter play and tactical thinking during play. Make your oponents want to remove the conditions, maybe, you wait for them to blow their condi removal skills by fainting a terrormancer like attack.
Now, your oponents need to think about conditions applied and spend more time dealing with utility actions and less time with straight up DPS, maybe also bring a condition manipulator of their own, a class not speced for DPS but to counter the pressure…

Play and counter play.

Things may need to move, but that’s up to the developers. But then again, maybe my opinion that the curses line is more condition realted isn’t the developers opinion?

You get the idea. Make the suggestions but leave the developing to ArenaNet, that are awsome at it.

Have fun.

(also, Furious Demise is weird in the curses line as I see it as a condition focus line)

oh wait!
While in DS, your #1 skill depends on the current main hand weapon. Suppose you could swap weapons in DS, too.
There is so much you can do with DS, I’m always saddened when people just unimaginatively just say to replace it or something.
It’s as if you are playing a different character or class when you press the F1 button.

You are your own minion. Words to live by! :P

So, I was thinking while having a shower… pause for imagery..

If your Life Force is <10% while in DS, You are immume to damage. Throw in a stability as well, and just for kicks, swiftness. Obviously with an ICD.

You can’t enter DS unless you are over 10%. Also I believe that’ll give the necro about 3 seconds for the DS to run out of life force and it’ll act as a circuit breaker to focused fire. All packaged in a neat DS mechanic.

..anyway continue your rabid arguing..

Some of my suggestions include using DS more as a mechanism for some of the problems presented here. If foes can manipulate the necro mechanism, then it ought to be that in doing so, can also cause problems for your foes.
That is where i started thinking and came up with these. It’s a pitty I’m probably far too late for this discussion to be considered

(These are just general thoughts)

• If you exit DS because you run out of Life Force (ie, not manually), you launch foes around you (or cast Chilling Wind)
• Enter DS and cast Deadly Catch (yes, that’s an aquatic skill I’m suggesting to use terrestrially)
  The first was to imagine if you are focused, a resonable tactic for them, but investing in a line with something like this could allow an escape (of sorts).
  The second could be used for ranged or fleeing foes. as well as other things. interrupt, make your wells more effective

• While on the subject of aquatic skills: Staff #1 skill used as a chain with 2x Necrotic Grasp and finish with Reaper’s Scythe
  I can imagine a dervish like animation on the last attack It’s a whirl finisher. So is Deadly Catch, btw.

• When Blind is applied to you, while in DS, apply Fury to allies around you (not youself)
• When Vulnerability is applied to you, while in DS, apply Protection to allies around you (not yourself)
• If controlled, nearby allies gain.. something (Stability?) [like Reaper’s Protecton, I guess]
  Again, thinking of focus fire, might not be good for you, but you can support allies. Who can also support you. Just don’t get isolated, it’s a team game, you know?

• Tainted Shackles instead targets allies and those allies recieve 33% less damage while you take that damage instead.
  Different way of thinking of support. Share that second health pool

I’ve been trying to think of something to do with dealing with downed allies and foes.

• I was thinking Signet of Undeath better suited to do something like ’Teleport in range downed/dead players to your location.
• Maybe sacrifice your life (ie lose all health and go into downed state) to revive the downed allies. Only, faster than the usual means.

• Also, maybe turn a downed foe into some walking corpse (like being turned into a moa, only as a Risen in this case). Seems minion master like to me.

Have fun

NeHoMaR.9812:

If mesmers get wells, necros will get clones?

You mean minions, right?

From the article:
“The chronomancer first tentatively entered the Guild Wars® universe in the plans for the scrapped Guild Wars Utopia campaign”

Did anyone follow that link? There were two professions planed for Utopia.
It’s written in the section titled ‘Professions’

It’s specualation, but I honestly thought the forums would be ablaze with this, by now.

nekretaal.6485:

On the other hand, the necromancer specialization is melee based

Is there some comment from those in the know that it will be melee? I was hoping the greatsword would be ranged.
I know, too many people make assumptions and use those as the basis for an argument.

Anyway, off topic. continue your DS discussion..

Sabre.8627:

Last thing was this: “Have you ever wanted a different way to take advantage of all that life force?” How about a new way to shatter illusions? These are some of the changes you can expect to see for your favorite profession.
Pretty much confirms that death shroud will be getting a re-work or might be replaced completely. Thoughts on this?

I think it needs to be re-read, in context, to understand what was being said, exactly.

re: ground targeting, I think that a really small annoyance for few. I’ll certainly will get over it in like, maybe, 5 minutes.

Main character name: Pulseless Pleasures
Account name: Pulsicle.3192
Favorite game mode (eg. WvW/PvP/PvE): PvE
Server: Isle of Janthir
Number of Necromancers (if you have more than 1): 1

I’m a speed hump.

I tie up two or three enemies in spvp, leaving the rest of the team to do something more useful.
I run into the zerg in wvw. Giving the rest of my party a chance to get away.
In pve, I struggle to do enough damage to get a gold, event medal.

I like this thread. It has everything a good class, forum thread should have.

I look forward to where every necromancer, in WvW, will make a determined charge stright to the revenant for the vindictive justice. Just for the lols.

Well, I’ll agree what most replies have said about power creep and what not. Though they do tend to just focus of one thing. The number of skills it introduces.

However, the concept overall is good, I think.

I’m thinking more that the ‘Shroud’ changes to match the type of build you make. Using those life leaching traits in the Blood Magic line and the ‘shroud’ skills change to the ‘blood shroud’ type to support it.
Use more Curses traits and it’s the ‘blighted’ type to support the condition manipulation build more. etc. but not do everything.

That’s good thinking there, though.

(I liked the health sacrifice too..it’s a feature from GW1 I liked as well. Fits the necro well.)

The experience I’ll like to take from a disease mechanic is creating encounters that promote tatical thinking. Rather than DPSing as hard as you can.
Disease doesn’t even have to damage you, but rather be the trigger for something else to hinder you.

If you have disease on you, you may pass it on to others. If you are – in an area/hit with a type of skill/had poison, weakness etc applied to you – and you had disease, chill is also applied, say.
Maybe the undead minions hit harder with disease. Maybe a strategy is to have disease on you as a good souce for condition transfers. Taking the bad to be a benefit? Keep away from your deseased team? Maybe they won’t survive without your support and you without theirs.

The see reason the GW1 disease was ‘same race’ was so you can apply it to, say, the Centar foe and it’ll spread between them and not you.

nearlight.3064:

While we are designed to not be able to avoid damage, we need better ways to mitigate that damage in team fights in my opinion. How this would happen, I have no idea :o

I’ve always liked the skill Sliver Armour. Possibly as a heal skill, included with Signet of Vampirism’s mechanics.

I just like the idea of countering a focus by taking a player with you. Or, at least make them hurt. Like a focused retaliation.

But, I’m a Sylvari. I like to dream.

I’ve found a problem with reflections in water. The reflected image seems to be drawn too large and slides around faster than the terrain around it. it’s as if the reflected images haven’t been scaled.