Chilling Ripper and Minionmancer.

[Cheshire Rabbid.7430]

I need some thoughts on my builds that I can switch between for my Necro. The first one is my offense build with staking chill to get might and val. My Defense build has minions around me to defend me and do damages. I can't decide if I should go with berserker or solider for this PvE build.

[Anchoku.8142]

What game mode; PvP, WvW, PvE, instanced PvE?

[Cheshire Rabbid.7430]

I already stated these builds are for PvE.

[Anchoku.8142]

In open world PvE, you can be a Minionmancer, a chilling Berserker or any other combination. It's all fine.

[Dadnir.5038]

I'd say that the offense build is a bit to tanky, best defense s still offense in most of the PvE content. (soldier stat, aurgury of death, blighter boon, eternal life... etc. Technically you're already running a tank build there.)As for the defense build... Well, you've done the opposite, you're probably too much into offense with this one to call it a true defnsive build.

For both build, if the way you label them define their purpose, you could probably make some change that benefit this purpose.

[QuirkyDM.2351]

I play an offensive chilling reaper, so can give some feedback. Your offensive build is far tankier than mine. There's no reason not to use full berserker in PvE. Survivability is only an issue against Legendary and some Champions. Move to Berserker and you will see foes fall down much quicker. If you change some traits and find your crit chance is overcapping, you can add some Valkyrie in to beef yourself up a bit. Though if you're keeping soldier for your defense build, I get it.

With the above mindset of more offense, I am more aggressive in trait choice, too. Reaper's Onslaught is a huge offensive boost compared to Blighter's Boon. Similar to Death Perception and Eternal Life under Soul Reaping. You have a lot of Life Force generation as is. With Axe and Focus, you will generate Life Force quickly using Ghastly Claws and Soul Grasp. I personally use Spiteful Talisman to decrease Axe/Focus recharge time and use Spinal Shivers and Unholy Feast to strip boons so the Spiteful Talisman damage bonus kicks in. Plus Spinal Shivers adds chill. I understand if you want to keep a chill theme going and want to keep Bitter Chill, though.

Decimate Defenses is in your defense build and Chililng Victory is in your offensive Build. I would think those would be reversed.

Personally, for the offensive build, I would consider one of two things:1) Slowly make your build more offensive as you learn the style and play of Chilling Reaper. (assuming you're not already a master :) ) Swap a trait out here and there and see if you notice a difference.2) Go full offense and then back out traits and add defense if you feel too squishy.

Good luck. You can't go too wrong in PvE. My build is a little off-meta itself, but it's what I enjoy playing, and that's the real point anyway, right? ;)