sPvP Reaper Build - Unholy Onslaught

Unholy Onslaught

This is the build that I have been running in sPvP. It took a bit of a hit with the spectral nerf, but not as much as the Spectral Onslaught build since its life force generation is tied to "Your Soul Is Mine!" and Unholy Martyr.

The changes to Spectral Walk make "Your Soul Is Mine!" even more viable, since you don't need the burst condition removal from Consume Condition anymore.

That's a decent bruiser build and a new meta candidate.

Since shroudburst is dead no matter how you spec and blighter's boon heal via might generation is in general underpowered, the whole spite traitline becomes questionable for pvp.

The rune is useless. I'd prefer scholar any day as it trades 5% less damage taken for 10% more damage dealed compared to fighter and you are even less suceptible to might into weakness corrupts, because you simply don't generate might (that's why I would also change sigil of courage to energy or cleansing).

The rest of the build is pretty good.

Focus over warhorn (more range and boon removal), vital persistence over soul barbs (more healing) and marauder/demolisher over paladin (better 1v1 potential) are viable options.

Ive experimented with a similar build. It’s good. But there are a few things that kinda kill the build.

Unholy Marty and Onslaught are counter to one another. One requires you to be in Reaper shroud as long as possible and the other requires you to exit shroud as soon as you can.

Unholy Martyr will draw conditions from others onto you upon entering shroud, including weakness, slow, and all the other conditions that seriously hinder your effectiveness. This is counter to what you want to do in shroud which is to nuke players out.

Thus these two traits together are ananti-synergy.

Having a clunky grandmaster in a build kinda kills it and I wouldn’t classify it as being a potential candidate for meta.

Everything else about the build makes sense and works

@KrHome.1920 said:That's a decent bruiser build and a new meta candidate.

Since shroudburst is dead no matter how you spec and blighter's boon heal via might generation is in general underpowered, the whole spite traitline becomes questionable for pvp.

The rune is useless. I'd prefer scholar any day as it trades 5% less damage taken for 10% more damage dealed compared to fighter and you are even less suceptible to might into weakness corrupts, because you simply don't generate might (that's why I would also change sigil of courage to energy or cleansing).

The rest of the build is pretty good.

Focus over warhorn (more range and boon removal), vital persistence over soul barbs (more healing) and marauder/demolisher over paladin (better 1v1 potential) are viable options.

I ran fighter and courage because the might generation is lacking due to not running spite. Yea corruption into weakness is a thing, butits really only an issue when fighting other necros. I can try other runes to see if they work better.

@JusticeRetroHunter.7684 said:Ive experimented with a similar build. It’s good. But there are a few things that kinda kill the build.

Unholy Marty and Onslaught are counter to one another. One requires you to be in Reaper shroud as long as possible and the other requires you to exit shroud as soon as you can.

Unholy Martyr will draw conditions from others onto you upon entering shroud, including weakness, slow, and all the other conditions that seriously hinder your effectiveness. This is counter to what you want to do in shroud which is to nuke players out.

Thus these two traits together are ananti-synergy.

Having a clunky grandmaster in a build kinda kills it and I wouldn’t classify it as being a potential candidate for meta.

Everything else about the build makes sense and works

After playing unholy martyr for a while I can verify that the condition draw is not really an issue in most cases. Knowing when to burst and when to kite is more important. Onslaught doesnt require you to be in shroud as often as possible, it is there so you output heavy burst when you need to. There are also ways to mitigate the conditions on shroud enter with spectral walk and speed of shadows.

@JusticeRetroHunter.7684 said:Ive experimented with a similar build. It’s good. But there are a few things that kinda kill the build.

Unholy Marty and Onslaught are counter to one another. One requires you to be in Reaper shroud as long as possible and the other requires you to exit shroud as soon as you can.Spectral Walk will give you constant LF generation in shroud because you pulled condis on entering. Without that change to the skill in the recent patch you would have been absolutely right and this has been the reason why no one played such a build until december 11th.

SoS removes the movement impairing conditions after pulling them so your mobility is not reduced.

Unless you are in a team with 4 power shiros (poor cleansing) fighting 5 condi mesmers, so you end up pulling tons of torment and confusion that kill you in 2 seconds everytime you enter shroud, this is really not an issue.

@KrHome.1920 said:

@JusticeRetroHunter.7684 said:Ive experimented with a similar build. It’s good. But there are a few things that kinda kill the build.

Unholy Marty and Onslaught are counter to one another. One requires you to be in Reaper shroud as long as possible and the other requires you to exit shroud as soon as you can.Spectral Walk will give you constant LF generation in shroud because you pulled condis on entering. Without that change to the skill in the recent patch you would have been absolutely right and this has been the reason why no one played such a build until december 11th.

Ya, true, i should have realized that would be used in conjunction with it (although it has a downtime of 30 seconds. in comparison with the shroud cooldown)Perhaps if the build does enough damage, it could go toe to toe with mesmer. I'll test this particular build out and see how it manages.

Tested thishttp://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAndRnMbClbi12AG3A0biFvBjKCUCGUxJwHYGcqBEAiVA-j1xHQBA4UA8PlfMUJoyeCA9Y/h3p+z30HEA4A48m38zDc+5nf+5n33nf+5nf+5nf+5nHA-w

in WvW against some mediocre (somewhat around gold skill level I would say) condi mirage, holosmith, bunker scourge, swordweaver and firebrand (the latter just to test whether the build deals enough damage to kill a healbot) and it performed really well.

I don't expect to beat deadeyes and decent power daredevils but condi thief should be an easy task. Can't say anything about spellbreaker and soulbeast but the chances to win should be fair. Maybe my frustration break from the game is already over^^

What I like about the build is that is has a ton of synergies resulting in a lot of potential. It has a simple straight forward playstyle, but is harder to master than it seems in the first moment.

@"KrHome.1920" said:Tested thishttp://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAndRnMbClbi12AG3A0biFvBjKCUCGUxJwHYGcqBEAiVA-j1xHQBA4UA8PlfMUJoyeCA9Y/h3p+z30HEA4A48m38zDc+5nf+5n33nf+5nf+5nf+5nHA-w

in WvW against some mediocre (somewhat around gold skill level I would say) condi mirage, holosmith, bunker scourge, swordweaver and firebrand (the latter just to test whether the build deals enough damage to kill a healbot) and it performed really well.

I don't expect to beat deadeyes and decent power daredevils but condi thief should be an easy task. Can't say anything about spellbreaker and soulbeast but the chances to win should be fair. Maybe my frustration break from the game is already over^^

What I like about the build is that is has a ton of synergies resulting in a lot of potential. It has a simple straight forward playstyle, but is harder to master than it seems in the first moment.

From an on-paper point of view, build looks well rounded although why ritual of life though? Is it for group play?I find the loss of instant boon corrupts on the spite line quite hard to envision though and would probably struggle against heralds and boon beasts and builds with high stab/protection.

On the other hand...we might be doing enough damage to overwhelm protection so...hmm...

@EremiteAngel.9765 said:

@"KrHome.1920" said:Tested this

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAndRnMbClbi12AG3A0biFvBjKCUCGUxJwHYGcqBEAiVA-j1xHQBA4UA8PlfMUJoyeCA9Y/h3p+z30HEA4A48m38zDc+5nf+5n33nf+5nf+5nf+5nHA-w

in WvW against some mediocre (somewhat around gold skill level I would say) condi mirage, holosmith, bunker scourge, swordweaver and firebrand (the latter just to test whether the build deals enough damage to kill a healbot) and it performed really well.

I don't expect to beat deadeyes and decent power daredevils but condi thief should be an easy task. Can't say anything about spellbreaker and soulbeast but the chances to win should be fair. Maybe my frustration break from the game is already over^^

What I like about the build is that is has a ton of synergies resulting in a lot of potential. It has a simple straight forward playstyle, but is harder to master than it seems in the first moment.

Ritual of Life because all 3 selectable traits are not relevant when running around solo (that's something ANet has to fix, because it's not acceptable). You will never create a stack of 4 bleedings with this build except some lucky transfer (otherwise Blood Bond would be the defacto solo trait), so the rez well is the best theoretical choice for the case that I have to help out somewhere.

The loss of Spite is not that dramatic (if you told me a year ago that I would say that now, I would have called you insane). When you played a few hours after the damage nerf and just drop the traitline you can hardly notice the corrupt loss because of the boon spam and condi cleanse fest this game has become. Nevertheless we do profit too as we got a nice new condi cleanse (spectral walk) that makes this build possible.

Onslaught is our only remaining burst now and this build is designed to create as much sustain and utility as possible around that onslaught burst. Decent condi cleanse, decent regen/heal, decent life force generation, decent mobility (for necro standards of course).

Unfortunately still hardcountered by power daredevil, deadeye and pewpew in open field. But I think this will never change and on the other hand hopefully protects us from further nerfs.

On the other hand...we might be doing enough damage to overwhelm protection so...hmm...Exactly! You can kill sword weavers and firebrands. So the damage is there.

There are better options.

@EremiteAngel.9765 said:

@"KrHome.1920" said:Tested this

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAndRnMbClbi12AG3A0biFvBjKCUCGUxJwHYGcqBEAiVA-j1xHQBA4UA8PlfMUJoyeCA9Y/h3p+z30HEA4A48m38zDc+5nf+5n33nf+5nf+5nf+5nHA-w

in WvW against some mediocre (somewhat around gold skill level I would say) condi mirage, holosmith, bunker scourge, swordweaver and firebrand (the latter just to test whether the build deals enough damage to kill a healbot) and it performed really well.

I don't expect to beat deadeyes and decent power daredevils but condi thief should be an easy task. Can't say anything about spellbreaker and soulbeast but the chances to win should be fair. Maybe my frustration break from the game is already over^^

What I like about the build is that is has a ton of synergies resulting in a lot of potential. It has a simple straight forward playstyle, but is harder to master than it seems in the first moment.

I made the build for sPvP instead of WvW roaming. Ritual of life has its uses there. However, KrHome is right that adept blood doesnt really have good solo options, at least for this build.

Losing spite sucks because of the loss of instant boon corrupt from spiteful spirit, though I dont really have a problem fighting soul beasts.

My variant of zex' build is just a ... variant.

It's basically the same build with some modifications to add more damage, cleanses and endurance at the cost of toughness as this fits my playstyle as a duellist but weakens the build in team scenarios if you mess up positioning and are focused.

Both posted builds are 100% viable in solo Q up to platinum.

New version: replaced suffer with blood is power and ritual of life with lesser signet of vampirism.http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAndRnMbCV3g12AG3A0biFvBjKCUCGUTXsAQsKOB+AzgA-j1xHQBK7JA8N9BA4UA8O1f6x+D/T5HDVC+OQAYVtAbbbNtttttA-w

This is crazy. I did not know that the lesser signet has an 5k instant heal as the tool tip does not mention that.

Casting blood is power now grants you 15 might and heals you for 5k + 6 x 500 hp leeching every 20s. The build is now even a great might + leeching + condi cleansing support build with very good damage and self sustain. Probably the best reaper build I have ever played.

@"KrHome.1920" said:New version: replaced suffer with blood is power and ritual of life with lesser signet of vampirism.http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vRAQNAndRnMbCV3g12AG3A0biFvBjKCUCGUTXsAQsKOB+AzgA-j1xHQBK7JA8N9BA4UA8O1f6x+D/T5HDVC+OQAYVtAbbbNtttttA-w

This is crazy. I did not know that the lesser signet has an 5k instant heal as the tool tip does not mention that.

Casting blood is power now grants you 15 might and heals you for 5k + 6 x 500 hp leeching every 20s. The build is now even a great might + leeching + condi cleansing support build with very good damage and self sustain. Probably the best reaper build I have ever played.

I never knew the initial heal was part of the traited version. Im going to give it a try when I get home. Great Find!

It is a known bug and was way better in former builds but hey some ppl are way behind in theorycraft.

if theres a decent scourge on the other team don't bother playing reaper.

@Patrick.2987 said:It is a known bug and was way better in former builds but hey some ppl are way behind in theorycraft.Okay since this is now your second useless post in this thread:

What's your task here? Feeling superior while wasting other peoples time due to spamming meaningless posts?

You proved multiple times (looking at you hilarious balance thread) that you know shit about this game, so please just move on!

Such a build would not be viable without sigil of cleansing and spectral walk (new version). So tell your grandma that there were better versions before!

@Stand The Wall.6987 said:if theres a decent scourge on the other team don't bother playing reaper.less sustain, less burst, less fun

@Patrick.2987 said:It is a known bug and was way better in former builds but hey some ppl are way behind in theorycraft.

Do you know how old the extra heal thing is?

I dont remember it at start of HOT, and i was away when the championship meta build actually played that trait. Was it there back then already?

@KrHome.1920 said:

@Patrick.2987 said:It is a known bug and was way better in former builds but hey some ppl are way behind in theorycraft.Okay since this is now your second useless post in this thread:

@Stand The Wall.6987 said:if theres a decent scourge on the other team don't bother playing reaper.less sustain, less burst, less fun

I really do not play as much as I used to but am reluctantly becoming open to Blood Magic in groupish play instead of Soul Reaping now that pure dps builds are... less so. Blood Magic has group utility. Soul Reaping and Death Magic do not.

Look out! - BM nerf up next.

The build I posted today is mainly a duellist with not so bad group support. It fills a different role than wells reaper, which is and has always been a trash build. A wells reaper can't do anything outside of a teamfight - it's basically a freekill and therefore way to easy to outplay.

This build is much more flexible (which is the most important thing in solo Q - you can't carry on wells reaper!) at the cost of the wells reaper's rez potential, area denial and team wide protection support.

And to me this build feels closer to the GW1 necromancer (which I loved) as every GW2 necro build I played before. It is a constant condition management: self applying, pulling from allies, converting to life force, leeching health etc.

The build is not overpowered, because it almost completely drops the corrupt (=debuff) capability and can easily be overloaded with conditions when this is timed well because the self applying already consumes most of its condi cleanse. And of course as every reaper it is hardcountered by range. That second 5k heal @ 0,75s cast time doesn't help when being sniped.

@Flumek.9043 said:

@Patrick.2987 said:It is a known bug and was way better in former builds but hey some ppl are way behind in theorycraft.

I Do not know exactly since when this is i think it is even mentioned in the Wiki. And with the reworked well of power it had great synergy with spite and bloodmagic with improved dagger for healing and mightshare with bip. The thing is currently it is not about heals if you have no great support but about avoiding damage. Deathmagic fits this role a lot better than bm. If the people in here have such great ideas they might share their wisdom with me how they became legend with reaper and which builds were used.

The thing is currently it is not about heals if you have no great support but about avoiding damage. Deathmagic fits this role a lot better than bm. If the people in here have such great ideas they might share their wisdom with me how they became legend with reaper and which builds were used.

I agree that damage mitigation is key, currently I am running Blood magic, spite, Reaper with lessor vampirism, blighters boon and sanctified runes. Its working pretty good as 20% Of heals are converted into barrier which absorbs alot of damage removing the need for death magic while keeping your health bar topped up with heals

Blighters boon needs spite and spite lately got nerfed a lot which makes it replaceable. Nerf to passive spinal shivers damage, spiteful spirit and shivers do not crit anymore so spite has lost a lot of it's potential.

@Patrick.2987 said:Blighters boon needs spite and spite lately got nerfed a lot which makes it replaceable. Nerf to passive spinal shivers damage, spiteful spirit and shivers do not crit anymore so spite has lost a lot of it's potential.

Alot but not all

@Patrick.2987 said:

@Flumek.9043 said:

@Patrick.2987 said:It is a known bug and was way better in former builds but hey some ppl are way behind in theorycraft.

The problem with DM is you lose so much condition mitigation and life force generation by not taking BM. DM relies on minions to generate life force, unfortunately spectral armor and spectral walk are still required to be competitive, even after the nerf, and minions just are not viable. The protection and toughness are excellent on DM, however necro needs the cleanses to stay mobile.

@James.1065 said:I agree that damage mitigation is key, currently I am running Blood magic, spite, Reaper with lessor vampirism, blighters boon and sanctified runes. Its working pretty good as 20% Of heals are converted into barrier which absorbs alot of damage removing the need for death magic while keeping your health bar topped up with heals

I've played a blighter's boon build for a majority of this season, I found the heal you get from it was not significant enough (even with sanctuary runes). I personally preferred running it with fighter's rune for the extra life force from YSIM. I despise running Consume Condition because its a 30s cd heal with a 1.25s cast time. I found that the extra healing and lifeforce from blighter's boon was not enough to make up for the damage output from Reaper's Onslaught, and unholy martyr was already enough to generate life force and mitigate damage.

Blighter's Boon needs to be buffed and moved onto core necro. I would have it replace Unholy Sanctuary in order to increase the life force capabilities of DM and make it more relevant.