How do I take full advantage of my Necro?

**Best in GR** · 09-04-2012

I've been playing GW2 since the release. On day 1 I picked a necro and I've stuck by it. I'm level 52 and I still wondering what's the most effective way to play my character....

I do play some W v W but mostly I PvE. Lately, I've been doing dungeon runs trying to accumulate dungeon currency for the armors.

I've been using a Sceptor/Dagger and a 2HStaff for my weapons. I just reset my traits because... well just because....My armor and weapons have been "specced" for Precision/Condition because I thought condition damage was the "way" to go.....

Solo PvE hasn't been any problem for me. PvE in dungeons has been somewhat of a problem because I feel I die a lot more than others and I wonder if my damage is subpar.
Furthermore, when I have played W v W, my condition damage really doesn't seem to do the trick.

Question 1: Minions - they don't seem to be that realistic for W v W. I just dont see them being effective nor damage doers. However, for dungeons I believe they could be quite powerful. How are you guys speccing your armor/weps and traits for minions? Correct me if I'm wrong about W v W with minions too please.

Question 2: What about a build that relies heavily on Death Shroud? Is that viable? If so, how would you spec - again, Weps/Armor and traits? What spells 6-0 would you take as utility and elite? Is that my answer to PvE and W v W?

Question 3: What about a combination of Power and Toughness? Could you even make anything like that? Again, what 6-0 spells would you take to support that?

Question 4: I find myself kind of screwed after I use my Healing Well. The cooldown is kind of long and it's a decent 1 time spell but when shit really hits the fan I need more than just that 1 way of healing. How else are Necro's surviving?

Information would be helpful! : )

**Nismu** · 09-04-2012

when you are surrounded by your minions it is harder for enemy target you, specially if you are asura. and with little i have wwwd summons sure dont do amazing damage but they are extra dots with addition to all other dots you are trowing, and if you take right traits they can drain you health on eacht hit which is pretty awesome.
Sure dungeons are quite bad place for them as they cant take much damage and dungeon elementalist and other aoe damagers get quickly rid of them. but if you are away from summons they take couple hits for you and with mark of blood/evasion they can survive pretty long

i doubt making build purely rely death shroud would be too good, only really good skill it has is life transfer and it has huge cool down.

and for wells if you take that 3 sec protection trait for wells and take well to all utility slots and once you get life siphon and targetting to them they should be pretty great.

**Chibong** · 09-05-2012

You seem to be on the right track. I have tried many weapons and nothing beats 2H staff and scepter/dagger's dps output with a condition build focus. I don't believe in minions. I've also never specced that way.

Why do minions suck? #1.) All minions except for flesh golem seems to not be able to heal after a battle... #2.) They have low health. Add #1 and they really suck.

So, PvP and WvWvW. I believe the most important 6-0 skill is signet of plague. Not only are you absorbing conditions that you can then use to heal and help your allies, but you also have the ability to throw them at enemies. Of course spec with(signets are unblockable). Also the skill that takes boons -> conditions. Oh man it is hilarious seeing a ranger/guardian come up to you with about 6 boons then with 1 skill they are all conditions. Then on top of that throw in all your conditions. Necros are a lot of fun in PVP

For PvP I would go with spectral armor, signet of plague and that skill that turns boons -> conditions. You have to play to your strengths as a necromancer. Nobody can manipulate conditions like we do. As for dots... they hurt a lot when you have a ton of stacks on top of someone(nightmare armor). I know we only have bleed and poison but those hurt. If you are surrounded, wait till people condition you up then heal and jump into death shroud and suck lifeform out of everyone. If it is a 1 vs 1 fight... you will be in death shroud till probably your heal comes back again. During that time you can fear and beat down your opponent.

**Best in GR** · 09-06-2012

I appreciate the responses

Well, I completely blew up and changed everything on my champ. I believe now I am going to focus more on W v W, however, I think that my overall build would work in PvE - I can swap spells easily.... Please let me know what you think...

Armor: Carrion Winged Suit (Head to toe)
Grants me: Power, Vitality and Condition Damage. I used 4 Major Runes of Necromancer on the Suit for + Condition Damage and Vit and 2 Minor Runes of Agony for + Condition Damage and Increase Bleed Duration.

Weps: 2 H Staff and Sceptor/Dagger

I think the above is all pretty standard.... the Spells/Traits is where I could use some real direction.

I'm level 56 now...

20 Blood Trait with Mark of Evasion (dodge leaves Mark of Blood) and Quickening Thirst (+ Movement speed for offhand dagger) - Now, I did this because mobility is so important in W v W and Necros really dont have a good movement speed spell other than a warhorn spell.

20 Curses Trait with Hemophillia (increase bleed duration by 20%) and Ritual Mastery (Well skills use ground targeting) - Ritual Mastery is pretty sweet because I can ground cast the Well of Corruption (converts enemy boons into conditions) into a group of them.

Healing: Well of Blood
7: Plague Signet
8: Spectral Armor
9: Well of Corruption
0: Lich Form

Suggestions? I feel like the Trait line may/may not need work. My armor choice and runes may need to be changed...

**foofmonger** · 09-06-2012

If you want Mobility in WvW. I suggest offhand Warhorn and the Spectral Walk (or whatever its called) skill. I honestly don't think mobility is that important unless you are ganking though (since you tend to either be fighting over objectives, or in a huge group).

Spectral Walk is a hugely underrated skill, it has many uses.

It is a movement speed boost, that lets you (if you want) teleport back to where you first cast it. This can be handy in a variety of situations.

When running away, if people are chasing you, you will port back behind them (assuming it isn't a whole army). Or you can cancel it and just keep running.

You can also use it for scouting, or getting into a group of enemies (or near them), spamming your AoE, and then porting back to your original location. You can still attack while using it, so you can use it to secure a kill, then retreat to saftey instantly.

**Best in GR** · 09-06-2012

I have thought about the Spectral Walk but I wasn't quite sure what skill to remove from my list... to be quite honest, I'd rather have that than my Lich Form Elite.

The mobility in W v W I was referring to was the long walk to get to a fight.. being teleported to the top of the map after death creates a long walk back down to the bottom of the map. I feel like I'm constantly running/chasing my team in circles trying to catch up.