Coming back after a couple years, need help picking between the necros to work towards

Mostly interested in soloing, and while I know virtually everything works for that, I would have to assume one is better than the other? I've only ever played Ranger before for the most part since I love pet classes and Necro always had a lot of complaints about their pets in this game. Seen great things recently about minion master setups for both reaper and scourge, so figured I would see how they are faring? I plan to do either power reaper or condi scourge, both are apparently great, but since I have no experience with either I have no real way to compare them. My main goal is attempting to solo things that "shouldn't" generally be done, that's how I get my kicks in MMO's. WoW especially, trying to bring down world bosses on my own was a ton of fun (and even worked, sometimes). While that may not be possible in this game, whichever one lets me to farther is obviously better.

As far as teams go, scourge seems more useful? While I don't plan to do raids or anything high end like that, you do end up teamed up with people fairly often just because you're nearby for whatever random boss, so that may be helpful, but I'm mostly just guessing right now. Blood fortunately has some nice bonuses for groups just for having it so that's something.

Either way, I plan to go MM, either fully or with one skill replaced (Rise on Reaper, and...I forget on scourge. There used to be a MM scourge guide I looked at on youtube but its gone now).

Anyway, tldr, primary goal: solo the world and beyond, which spec is better for it? As a note, I will be avoiding PvP almost entirely unless I feel particularly brave and/or stupid. I will be playing MM one way or another. Being helpful while in random groups is a plus. I don't care if I kill a bit slower, I want to be immortal. Thanks in advance :)

Ask over in the necro forums. You're more likely to get an answer there from people who have experience with those builds.

@"sutasafaia.4872" said:As far as teams go, scourge seems more useful?

I think barrier is very undervalued, but mostly they are "just DPS", and (condition) scourge seems to do significantly better than reaper at that.

While I don't plan to do raids or anything high end like that, you do end up teamed up with people fairly often just because you're nearby for whatever random boss, so that may be helpful, but I'm mostly just guessing right now. Blood fortunately has some nice bonuses for groups just for having it so that's something.

For random multi-player boss stuff, yeah, Scourge is going to be the only one that brings much to the table. (I mean, the vampiric trait that gives everyone around you on-hit leech is nice and all, but really not significant enough, and the push-button rez for others is also nice, but not noticed very much.)

Either way, I plan to go MM, either fully or with one skill replaced (Rise on Reaper, and...I forget on scourge. There used to be a MM scourge guide I looked at on youtube but its gone now).

https://metabattle.com/wiki/Open_World will give you guidance to what are considered the best choices for this.

Anyway, tldr, primary goal: solo the world and beyond, which spec is better for it?

Non-minion condition scourge, then non-minion condition reaper, then non-minion power reaper, then below that either condition scourge or either type of reaper. Not the answer you wanted, I'm sure, so my personal recommendation would be condition scourge if you do want the minion path.

You can get 90 percent the value of a full minion build just by using the flesh golem elite, BTW, since it is the thing that provides the most "tanking" value. DPS from minions, unlike the ranger, isn't really the same sort of "core" element of the class, so it isn't nearly so significant.

Condition scourge with the "heal for ten percent of condition damage done" trait, and a flesh golem, is probably what will give you the most ability to never die. It also has the advantage of 600 range non-projectile attacks, so you don't have to get up close and personal with the enemy, making getting out of the bad so much easier.

Oh, and because condi scourge stacks huge amounts of cripple and torment, it kites really, really well ... and damage to your target is increased by kiting it, thanks to torment doing more while moving...