Jump to content
  • Sign Up

What ist the purpose of staff?


Dschromm.2946

Recommended Posts

Hello fellow necros,

I am fairly new to the game and finally decided to main necro through the content of this awesome game.

But, i find myself struggeling to understand the role of necro staff. While other main hands seem to have designated roles (as far as i understand: dagger - sustain, axe - power burst, scepter - condi application), i am confused by staff:

  1. Slow moving, lf generating auto that looks cool, but hits like a wet noodle (power)
  2. Aoe bleed and regen. So some kind of sustain, Support and condi application (condi)
  3. Aoe poison and chill. So condi and CC (condi)
  4. Aoe condi transfer coupled with Power damage
  5. Aoe fear- CC

So what's it role? Power damage? No. Condi damage? No. Support? Not really. CC/tank weapon? Maybe, but why then ranged?

So, Help and advice is much appreciated.

See you ingame \○/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 82
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

@Dschromm.2946 said:Hello fellow necros,

I am fairly new to the game and finally decided to main necro through the content of this awesome game.

But, i find myself struggeling to understand the role of necro staff. While other main hands so to have designated roles (as far as i understand: dagger - sustain, axe - power burst, scepter - condi application), i am confused by staff:

  1. Slow moving, lf generating auto that looks cool, but hits like a wet noodle (power)
  2. Aoe bleed and regen. So some kind of sustain, Support and condi application (condi)
  3. Aoe poison and chill. So condi and CC (condi)
  4. Aoe condi transfer coupled with Power damage
  5. Aoe fest- CC

So what's it role? Power damage? No. Condi damage? No. Support? Not really. CC/tank weapon? Maybe, but why then ranged?

So, Help and advice is much appreciated.

See you ingame \○/

It's dated from back when the game launched, It and danger main-hand along with I think to some degree focus are all kind of lack-luster when compared to the necro's other weapons in their current form. They all need reworks (Staff and mainhand dagger need a complete overhaul/rework) so that they can be made more engaging and fun to play with; Main hand dagger and Staff are two weapons that always screamed occultist to me outside of scepter and focus. Out of those scepter shines and is strong but the others kind of feel... sub-par.

It will probably be redone one of these days and brought to the games new way of function, role and unique feel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Thornwolf.9721 said:

@Dschromm.2946 said:Hello fellow necros,

I am fairly new to the game and finally decided to main necro through the content of this awesome game.

But, i find myself struggeling to understand the role of necro staff. While other main hands so to have designated roles (as far as i understand: dagger - sustain, axe - power burst, scepter - condi application), i am confused by staff:
  1. Slow moving, lf generating auto that looks cool, but hits like a wet noodle (power)
  2. Aoe bleed and regen. So some kind of sustain, Support and condi application (condi)
  3. Aoe poison and chill. So condi and CC (condi)
  4. Aoe condi transfer coupled with Power damage
  5. Aoe fest- CC

So what's it role? Power damage? No. Condi damage? No. Support? Not really. CC/tank weapon? Maybe, but why then ranged?

So, Help and advice is much appreciated.

See you ingame \○/

It's dated from back when the game launched, It and danger main-hand along with I think to some degree focus are all kind of lack-luster when compared to the necro's other weapons in their current form. They all need reworks (Staff and mainhand dagger need a complete overhaul/rework) so that they can be made more engaging and fun to play with; Main hand dagger and Staff are two weapons that always screamed occultist to me outside of scepter and focus. Out of those scepter shines and is strong but the others kind of feel... sub-par.

It will probably be redone one of these days and brought to the games new way of function, role and unique feel.

This is pretty sad. There are so many great staff skins out there, but i dont find myself using it due to its skills (and due to the pretty lame animations of staff 2-5) ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Dschromm.2946 said:@Thornwolf.9721 said:

@Dschromm.2946 said:Hello fellow necros,

I am fairly new to the game and finally decided to main necro through the content of this awesome game.

But, i find myself struggeling to understand the role of necro staff. While other main hands so to have designated roles (as far as i understand: dagger - sustain, axe - power burst, scepter - condi application), i am confused by staff:
  1. Slow moving, lf generating auto that looks cool, but hits like a wet noodle (power)
  2. Aoe bleed and regen. So some kind of sustain, Support and condi application (condi)
  3. Aoe poison and chill. So condi and CC (condi)
  4. Aoe condi transfer coupled with Power damage
  5. Aoe fest- CC

So what's it role? Power damage? No. Condi damage? No. Support? Not really. CC/tank weapon? Maybe, but why then ranged?

So, Help and advice is much appreciated.

See you ingame \○/

It's dated from back when the game launched, It and danger main-hand along with I think to some degree focus are all kind of lack-luster when compared to the necro's other weapons in their current form. They all need reworks (Staff and mainhand dagger need a complete overhaul/rework) so that they can be made more engaging and fun to play with; Main hand dagger and Staff are two weapons that always screamed occultist to me outside of scepter and focus. Out of those scepter shines and is strong but the others kind of feel... sub-par.

It will probably be redone one of these days and brought to the games new way of function, role and unique feel.

This is pretty sad. There are so many great staff skins out there, but i dont find myself using it due to its skills (and due to the pretty lame animations of staff 2-5) ?

I feel you, we can only hope that they will fix it moving forward

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tagging mobs in Meta events for loot, as well as providing some unblockable ranged pressure and LF generation via Soul Marks in PvP/WvW.

Necromancer just has a lot of confused design left over from when the game launched which was never really touched on, or at least not sufficiently.Things like Staff is just one of many things like that, from a time at launch where the idea of dedicated Condition or Power builds didn't even exist yet, and condis functioned in a very different way as supplement to the general damage you did, although Necro Staff was always a bit odd, even at launch.

It's kind of similar as to how the Dagger/Dagger dual skill of Thief is primarily a condi skill on the otherwise Power kit for some reason, although Thief, with it's no CD initiative system, is less affected be such design relics of the past, as well as anet having made an effort with Trait changes/additions over the years to facilitate play styles around it.

As it stands, it's simply the only 1200 ranged option Necro has, coming with some nice perks like Condition Transfer and Fear (especially when unblockable with Soul Marks) on a weapon skill as well as primarily being AoE, plus the mentioned benefits from Soul Marks like LF generation, which made it always somewhat passable, leaving it mostly unchanged.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm an oddball that uses it for reaper. Fear/Chill/Transfer on Mark's. Axe/wh still the way to go and when comparing the slow animations of GS.. nah, I've stuck with it. Dropping a trail of them after being chased down is handy in terms of defense as well. It still has its spot, just speed the AA animation up alongside focus 4 pls, come on.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Staff is literally one of the only weapons in the game with a completely unique mechanical design, being based around the trap-like marks. It just so happens that marks are kind of useless in pve, but actually amazing in all forms of pvp, so I get the mindset that necro staff sucks, but you're not understanding why it's actually lowkey the best and most interesting weapon in the entire game. I do feel like they should make the staff auto apply burning or torment alongside it's currently mediocre power damage in pve only though since it's weird having a power auto and then 4 condi skills.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@dceptaconroy.7928 said:I'm an oddball that uses it for reaper. Fear/Chill/Transfer on Mark's. Axe/wh still the way to go and when comparing the slow animations of GS.. nah, I've stuck with it. Dropping a trail of them after being chased down is handy in terms of defense as well. It still has its spot, just speed the AA animation up alongside focus 4 pls, come on.

Staff + GS for Reaper is probably the best combination at higher tier PvP. So you're not that weird!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@"SpellOfIniquity.1780" said:

@dceptaconroy.7928 said:I'm an oddball that uses it for reaper. Fear/Chill/Transfer on Mark's. Axe/wh still the way to go and when comparing the slow animations of GS.. nah, I've stuck with it. Dropping a trail of them after being chased down is handy in terms of defense as well. It still has its spot, just speed the AA animation up alongside focus 4 pls, come on.

Staff + GS for Reaper is probably the best combination at higher tier PvP. So you're not that weird!

Sounds like a fun build!Have a link to build?the new focus and warhorn aren't cutting it for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Staff is more a utility weapon.Jack of all trades, master at none.Versatile and adept at doing everything.It's my second favorite weapon on a Necro.

  • Range pressure? Check
  • Piercing Damage? Check
  • AOE Pressure and Denial? Check
  • Combo Field? Check
  • Combo Finisher? Check
  • Condi Management? Check
  • Power Pressure? Check
  • Condi Pressure? Check
  • LF generation? Check
  • Sustain via Regen? Check
  • Soft CC via Chill? Check
  • Hard CC via Fear? Check
  • Traited Unblockable? Check
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Building up life force from a distance against large groups of enemies, ensnaring enemies so they can be hit by more pulses from AoEs from your allies, and a bit of interruption and healing.
That's mostly all they do.

Personally, I would prefer if marks were spread among different weapons like Guardian symbols, and that marks and traps got a flip-over skill to trigger them on demand so they can be used against world bosses and objects, since those do not trigger marks and traps.

  • Marks:

    • Marks are now on every main hand and 2h weapon instead on staff only. Each weapon gets only 1 mark.
    • Now marks flip over to a skill to activate the mark manually. Marks triggered manually take longer to recharge.
  • Soul Marks: This trait still makes Marks unblockable. Increase life force from marks to 15%.

  • Blood Bond renamed Vampiric Bond

    • Instead casting lesser Signet of Vampirism, now it heals allies around an enemy when you steal life from them (1s cooldown)
    • Also replaces Necrotip Grasp with Vampiric Grasp, that deals more damage, bleeding for 6s and steals life from bleeding enemies.
  • Staff:

    • Necrotic Grasp
    • Mark of Blood renamed Path of Blood
      • No longer a mark, now it's a cascading AoE with 600 range l like Legendary Dwarf stance's Inspiring Reinforcement, but starting at target enemy, so there won't be hits between caster and target like with revenant hammer 2 Coalescence of Ruin.
      • Still gives regen.
      • Increase bleeding stacks to 4 and damage by 15%.
    • Chilblains
      • No longer a mark, now it's a pulsing Poison Field AoE.
      • Each pulse deals damage and poison. Bleeding enemies receive more stacks of poison.
      • First pulse deals chilled.
      • Last pulse removes 2 boons.
    • Putrid Mark renamed Plague Sending
      • No longer a mark. Still a single strike blast that deals damage and transfers conditions.
    • Reaper's Mark renamed Mark of Fear
      • Effects would be unchanged, and remains as the Mark for Staff.
  • Scepter - Grasping Dead renamed Mark of Undead and converted into a mark. Same effects otherwise.

  • Axe - Unholy Feast renamed Unholy Mark and converted into a mark. Same effects otherwise.

  • Dagger - Dark Pact renamed Dark Pact Mark (say that 3 times fast) and converted into a Mark. Bleeds self on cast. Same effects otherwise.

  • Spear - Deadly Catch renamed Deadly Mark and converted into a mark. When triggered, it pulls enemies to the mark location instead self. Same effects otherwise.

  • Trident - Feast renamed Mark of Hunger. Same effects on trigger.

  • Greatsword - Nightfall renamed Mark of Nightfall and converted into a mark. Same effects otherwise.

Scourge won't get a mark in torch since marks would be in the main hand weapon for 1h weapons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Staff has a lot of flexibility with its traps. It is great for tagging, area denial, and making dark fields, which are not completely horrible, now.

Staff auto's piercing is also good for tagging but takes some practice because it does not bounce to the nearest target.

Staff is also a great way to replenish LF.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

-Best weapon set for lifeforce regen, you never have lifeforce issues when using staff marks.

-Unblockable marks are useful in competitive modes (PvP/WvW) due to the amount of blocks available ingame.

-Staff marks can work around terrain and objects, where the other weapons require line of sight and have travel time on hits. Example if you were sieging a keep staff is the only weapon you can reliably mark the walls with.

-Staff 4 spikes for good 5 target, unblockable damage. It just so happen to also be a blast finisher.

With that said, staff's usefulness have diminished a bit in WvW because of the current meta. Current meta requires boon corrupts and there's zero corrupt boons with staff. Scourge shades are being utilized in place of staff for ranged pressure. And more are encouraged to use double weapons for more corrupts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Staff is okay on condi builds and basically your only option as a secondary weapon.

I've tried to create a viable staff+GS power based build a few times as in theory this sounds like the holy grail for reapers (hitting hard in melee and 1200 range to prevent kiting) but it's too easy to counter (and I think that's intended as ANet seems to want power reaper not to be too stong at melee and long range at the same time). The moment you switch to staff you become a freekill to every single duelling build in the game. This setup can work in team fights as it's 100% AOE, but you should never think about entering a 1v1 against a semi compentent target. You will feel helpless and cry for that axe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@KrHome.1920 said:Staff is okay on condi builds and basically your only option as a secondary weapon.

I've tried to create a viable staff+GS power based build a few times as in theory this sounds like the holy grail for reapers (hitting hard in melee and 1200 range to prevent kiting) but it's too easy to counter (and I think that's intended as ANet seems to want power reaper not to be too stong at melee and long range at the same time). The moment you switch to staff you become a freekill to every single duelling build in the game. This setup can work in team fights as it's 100% AOE, but you should never think about entering a 1v1 against a semi compentent target. You will feel helpless and cry for that axe.

Agreed, staff has not kept up with elite power creep. That has marginalized its usefulness but not obliterated it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@"Dschromm.2946" said:Hello fellow necros,

I am fairly new to the game and finally decided to main necro through the content of this awesome game.

But, i find myself struggeling to understand the role of necro staff. While other main hands seem to have designated roles (as far as i understand: dagger - sustain, axe - power burst, scepter - condi application), i am confused by staff:

  1. Slow moving, lf generating auto that looks cool, but hits like a wet noodle (power)
  2. Aoe bleed and regen. So some kind of sustain, Support and condi application (condi)
  3. Aoe poison and chill. So condi and CC (condi)
  4. Aoe condi transfer coupled with Power damage
  5. Aoe fear- CC

So what's it role? Power damage? No. Condi damage? No. Support? Not really. CC/tank weapon? Maybe, but why then ranged?

From the PvP standpoint, I tend to use staff to engage most fights with 3 , 2 , 5. From that point I can begin my mid/close range combo and then apply 4. But generally speaking, I use the staff to engage my fights before switching over to my second weapon set. Also, I find that generally the AoE skills help me in team fights where I can fear and slow multiple targets, before going into shroud (if i'm playing core build.)

Additionally, the staff skills have some solid range and a "trap-like" feature which I find useful in PvE events like holding down a camp or something. You can set the traps as the mobs roll in and they walk right into it, then you can burst with your secondary weapon set (and/or shroud skills). The trap feature works pretty well in certain situations in PvP as well.

I'm relatively new myself, so I am open to hearing some other techniques as well. Always willing to learn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I used staff for open world up until level 80 when I unlocked reaper. Then I dropped it like a hot potato to make way from the GS.

Simply enough rotation.. Use Staff 2+3 - Then switch to Axe/WH to bury them down.

I'd start using staff again if they made the 1 skill bounce between targets and the aura's moved with the caster instead of stationary on the floor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As people above have pointed out in many ways, Staff is Necromancer's weapon that patches the gaps your build may have by providing a wide variety of tools that may not look exciting standalone, but as your understanding of the game (hopefully) grows you begin to notice that Staff goes well with many, many builds and is a source of some much needed effects Necromancer may want, but has shortage of outside of Staff.

It's a supplementary weapon, never the main one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...