Looking for advice, direction and help

[odenathus.5287]

Hello!

I'm new around here but I came here for some advice :)

My name is Bloknar, I'm a Necro and I'm learning Scourge (I don't know why, it just happened).

I need to know if my build is "okay" and what I can do to tune it a bit better for Solo Open World Roaming.

 

I doubt my guild will ever take me on a raid.
I don't know what WvW is.
I will not PvP.
I have no idea what "Fractals" are.
and I don't know how to get groups for Dungeons.

 

But fear not!! I am happy with the open world content! I just want to "be all I can be" (Yes, the Asura have a defense force)!

 

I stumbled upon ArcDPS, got it installed and fingered out how to get a screenshot.

http://www.tai-tastigon.com/Files/ArcDPS-Nvidia-1.PNG

My ArcDPS Screenshot

 

I have not finished training up Scourge, so currently I can change nothing in the trait -> Yet!

 

Currently I primarily use Staff and Axe/Torch.
I like the AoE of the Staff for when I am running after mounted players while I try and do events.
The Axe/Torch thing just sort of happened as I worked up to 80. Well, the torch is cause I'm Scourge and can.

 

My armor is ALL Trailblazer (don't ask, it's embarrassing) and yes I'll switch to Viper when I can afford/craft it.

OH! And currently I have the  minions.

 

So, the question!
What can I do to play better as an Open World Roamer Scourge Necro with delusions of tallness?

Thank you!

[Asum.4960]

First of all, you are using a Power (Strike) Damage based weapon with Axe. I'd recommend switching that to the condition based Scepter - you are already running the Grandmaster Trait Lingering Curses for it in the Curses Line.

Trailblazer is perfectly fine for OW content, so I wouldn't worry about that. 

 

Also in Curses, you are running Master of Corruption, which is a Trait modifying the Corruption Utility skills, of which you are running non. You could switch this for Terror for extra Damage on your Fear from Staff 5 and Garish Pillar Shade skill, if you want to keep those minions.

 

While Minions generally aren't good and imo usually more hassle in OW than they are worth, as well as Death Magic in general struggling for relevance in PvE, your setup makes for a very low intensity, highly survivable (but also fairly low damage) option to play OW with.

Edited April 1, 2022 by Asum.4960

[Legend of Rogue.5394]

Trailblazers is staple in Scourge. Unless you want to run Power Scourge, but if you arent doing WVW or PVP Trailblazers is what I use. Im currently running Scepter/Dagger  (Mainly for WVW) But for PVE Scepter/Torch is good for plagues

 

PVE I mean really is just for fun and if you really get into strikes raids fractals then you gotta take it a bit more serious. GW2Meta.com is a great site to see what is meta but in PVE Have fun, enjoy it. Once again if you get into strikes raids and fractals look into gw2 meta and get some ideas. You can also learn rotations

[odenathus.5287]

All right!  This is a great start!  🙂

Swapping out my Axe for a wand... hmm.. but I so like it! <lol> Done!

Swapped whatever that was for "Terror".  Got to admit, I don't understand those... "Traits", right?  Traits.

I have to keep "Scourge".    But you sound like I just swap "Death" out for one of the others?

What would you recommend?

 

Also, I wouldn't mind dumping the minions (I'm not really fond of them), but I don't understand the traits and the builds I've seen aren't explained.  Players say "do this" for "max DPS".  I might not need to min/max but I do understand needing a bit more DPS.  I don't seem able to get a non-minion build to work (I know <sigh> user error)<lol>

 

I'm trapped in Verdant Brink without a mount and it looks like I'll be here awhile, so being able to hit things harder would be nice.

kk.. and GW2Meta.com was not something I saw... off to the interwebs to checker it out!

 

Thanks!!! 😄

Bloknar the delusionaly tall Asuran Necro

[Asum.4960]

9 hours ago, odenathus.5287 said:

All right!  This is a great start!  🙂

Swapping out my Axe for a wand... hmm.. but I so like it! <lol> Done!

Swapped whatever that was for "Terror".  Got to admit, I don't understand those... "Traits", right?  Traits.

I have to keep "Scourge".    But you sound like I just swap "Death" out for one of the others?

What would you recommend?

 

Also, I wouldn't mind dumping the minions (I'm not really fond of them), but I don't understand the traits and the builds I've seen aren't explained.  Players say "do this" for "max DPS".  I might not need to min/max but I do understand needing a bit more DPS.  I don't seem able to get a non-minion build to work (I know <sigh> user error)<lol>

 

I'm trapped in Verdant Brink without a mount and it looks like I'll be here awhile, so being able to hit things harder would be nice.

kk.. and GW2Meta.com was not something I saw... off to the interwebs to checker it out!

 

Thanks!!! 😄

Bloknar the delusionaly tall Asuran Necro

Minion Builds don't really work unfortunately, esp. in PvE, so that's hardly a user error. All minions combined, with damage enhancements through Death Magic and Vampiric Procs from Blood Magic, still do less damage than some single other untraited Utility skills. 

The only worthwhile function of Minions is to transfer conditions via Necromantic Corruption in Death Magic, for which they see some niche play in PvP. It's not worth the sacrifices of other Traitlines and Utilities in PvE. 

 

In terms of non-meta OW builds you got a lot of leeway with Scourge. 

 

This as a quick concept for example gives you access to Might (via Reaper's Might in Spite), some Vulnerability (through combining Bitter Chill in Spite with Well of Darkness Utility skill), as well as occasional Quickness and Fury through Fear (via Dread in Spite), which combines for a significant damage increase - as well as loads of Lifeforce to spam your Shade Skills for Barriers, Cleanses, Fear, etc. (through Signet of Suffering in Spite + Signet of Undeath Utility skill, as well as Nourishing Ashes).  

Tapping into boons with this build works better on a Celestial Scourge though (which is imo the best solo build for Necromancer as of now).

 

With your Trailblazer setup, you might want to go for Soul Reaping, with which you can generate Vulnerability through Unyielding Blast via your Shade skills, as well as use Eternal Life for sheer endless Lifeforce to spam out more Shade skills, something like this.

 

That said, Corrupter's Fervor in Death Magic is is a powerful defensive option with it's perma Protection, so if you are struggling it's fine to run with that (although I'd still ditch the minions and run Shrouded Removal and Deadly Strength instead, they don't do much, but it's something). It will significantly reduce your damage output though - which means longer fights and more opportunities to get hit/punished.

 

For Utility skills, unless you are running Runes that grant you movement speed (such as Traveler's), Signet of Locust is always a nice convenience option. Well of Darkness can make your life a lot easier via pulsing blinds and damage. Well of Power is an often overlooked option for a nice Stunbreak, Condition cleanse and Might source all in one. Spectral Grasp can help you group up enemies to cleave them more easily (like with Desert Shroud). 

 

For Runes, depending on if you want baseline Movement Speed or not (or want to have to run Signet of Locust or not), Tormenting Runes for more damage and some minor sustain through Regeneration, or Traveler can be nice. 

For Sigils, Sigil of Torment is very potent, although equally expensive. Signet of Strength is a nice solo build option to help with maintaining some Might.

 

Keep in mind, these are all fun Open World suggestions, not meta builds or group content suggestions. 

If you are interested in that and want to eventually tailor your build and gear into that direction, you can use this for reference.

 

I hope this wasn't entirely overwhelming and that it contains some nuggets of information or inspiration to make your journey through HoT more enjoyable. 

Don't be afraid to experiment in OW to find something that you both enjoy and that's effective.

 

[odenathus.5287]

Thank you!!!

Notes/Comments:

My "Scourge" trait(?) is currently locked at straight through the middle due to lack of scourge training.

Once I get more training points it "will" change.

I did find the web site "Snow Crows" and their Condi Scourge build is in my list.

"GW2meta.com" leads to "metabattle" and I (think) I have 3 condi scourge builds from them...

Oh, and I just found a website -> Hardstuck.  I have no idea what builds they might have, yet 🙂

My weapons are now Scepter/Torch & Staff

I just found out that I have "unlocked" two more build tabs on my Hero!

So... I have a new non-minion build -> HERE

I will test this and the three you suggested.

The Synergy of the traits still elude me which makes building difficult.

With this build my rotation is... difficult for me to keep up: 3,4,5,1,2,F1 or something instead of my lazy 1,2,3,4...

and using the "F" to interact with things is hard to remember 😛

 

This is a great help!

 

[odenathus.5287]

Most sites suggest (for Condi Scourge) that you take Soul Reaping.

With the following:

Gluttony > Unyielding Blast > Sinister Shroud > Soul Barbs > Soul Battery > Dhuumfire

 

But as "Scourge" you give up Death Shroud for "Manifest Sand Shade".

 

Q: is that correct?

 

If I'm going to stick to Soul Reaper, wouldn't :

Gluttony > Soul Marks > Sinister Shroud > Fear of Death > Soul Battery > Eternal Life

 

Be a better choice, because I'm shroudless?

 

Thanks! 🙂

[Asum.4960]

15 minutes ago, odenathus.5287 said:

Most sites suggest (for Condi Scourge) that you take Soul Reaping.

With the following:

Gluttony > Unyielding Blast > Sinister Shroud > Soul Barbs > Soul Battery > Dhuumfire

 

But as "Scourge" you give up Death Shroud for "Manifest Sand Shade".

 

Q: is that correct?

 

If I'm going to stick to Soul Reaper, wouldn't :

Gluttony > Soul Marks > Sinister Shroud > Fear of Death > Soul Battery > Eternal Life

 

Be a better choice, because I'm shroudless?

 

Thanks! 🙂

Despite not having a traditional Shroud, Scourge Fx skills still count as Shroud skills, with Manifest Sand Shade, which is also triggered by any other Fx skill, triggering Shroud 1 Traits (such as Unyielding Blast and Dhuumfire), Garish Pillar triggers Shroud 4 Traits (such as Transfusion) while Desert Shroud triggers Shroud entry/exit Traits (such as Soul Barbs).

It's not so much that you lose Shroud on Scourge, but that you gain an always accessible Shroud via Fx skills instead. The tradeoff is no second health bar with innate damage reduction, but which in turn is also compensated for with Barrier and innate damage reduction from Blood is Sand.

Edited April 16, 2022 by Asum.4960

[odenathus.5287]

Alright!  You guys have given me a lot of great ideas and I've had time to really work some of them out!  Thanks!

 

Now,

A) gw2skills.net all of you use it to display your builds.  Other than giving you a "link" to display your build, does it tell you anything else?

B) I've been grouping with the wife (a ranger) and I've been playing (scourge, of course) support/heals.

I'm using Signet of Vampirism and Signet of Undeath.  But I am unhappy with my other three slot/choices (currently: spectral ring, well of suffering, and Ghastly Breath (of course).  What do you suggest? Support for the Wife  (did that work?)

I have a C and D question <lol> but I will save them...

 

Thanks!!

[CafPow.1542]

On 5/15/2022 at 11:18 PM, odenathus.5287 said:

A) gw2skills.net all of you use it to display your builds.  Other than giving you a "link" to display your build, does it tell you anything else?

the entire build. Talents, Weapons, Abilities and Armor.

but yes, besides that i don't know what else it does ^^

 

On 5/15/2022 at 11:18 PM, odenathus.5287 said:

B) I've been grouping with the wife (a ranger) and I've been playing (scourge, of course) support/heals.

I'm using Signet of Vampirism and Signet of Undeath.  But I am unhappy with my other three slot/choices (currently: spectral ring, well of suffering, and Ghastly Breath (of course).  What do you suggest? Support for the Wife  (did that work?)

you wanna try the Plaguedoctor maybe?

http://de.gw2skills.net/editor/?PSAFs81aYZGMNGILkRiF7U%2FzF-zRJYvRPfh0SI0VCkbF49BJI2Dvl7%2F0A-e

 

instead of well of blood you can go with sandbarrier heal.

also "Blood is Power" is the "best Thing" but it's kinda apita to use, you can use trail of anguish or something like that.

in open world especially, i like the trait that gives me 1 big shade instead of 3 small ones.

 

this build is awesome for carrying while doing okay-ish damage. Especially in Meta-Trains but works for just 2 aswell, if you wanna go on a "hybrid-support/dps" style build, this one might be for you.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PSwAs+ZlNw0YPsQGJW8T9PPA-zRJYvRDfZ0VCkbB49BJI2Avl7/0A-e

here is my "variant" how i prefer it.

 

the best thing is when you read the skills careful and think about "what do i wanna do?". Try to think... "do i need more defense?" -> go with something that gives you defense (spectral armor for example). etc.

oh and PS: the Talent "Transfusion" does a lot for you (in Blood Tree). it's applied via F4 skill when you're scourge-ing.

 

for the plaguedoc: if you wanna check a YT-Link i think mighty teapot was helpful with this video:

 

Edited May 18, 2022 by CafPow.1542