I'm a bad necromancer. Please help me be better.

[ShadowKatt.6740]

Okay, so full disclosure, I'm a mesmer main, but I do play all classes just so I can have the experience. However I was playing my necromancer the other day and it felt bad. I felt bad, because I've been using a crutch since day 1. Other professions have signet builds as a crutch....necromancers have minions. Death Magic is WAY OP. Not only do you have your army of minions with you, but with Death  Carapace giving you extra toughness, Necromantic Corruption continuously cleansing you, and Death Nova slow rolling you to invincibility, I realized that without my minions I'm basically nothing because they're doing all the work. And that feels bad.

SO I'm starting my next journey. I'm going to be a better necromancer, but I could use some help getting started. I know that necros have a few unique things besides minions to play off. Obviously their primary mechanic is the Death Shroud, which I should make more use of. I believe that Necros also still have more Fear application than any other profession which makes them CC masters. But I'm not sure. Once I had the minions set I literally just forgot about it because minion masters in GW2 are pretty much perfect, but in a....broken sort of way.

[Roadkizzle.2157]

Well Reaper is an easy way to be much more active in the combat but still retain a lot of the survivability that you can get with Core Minion master.

 

Since Secrets of the Obscure came out I've been having a lot of fun with a Condition build of the Reaper.

I definitely recommend it.

 

Power Reaper is also very good. Very safe, and very powerful.

 

Power Reaper relies upon Shroud to do intense damage.

My condi reaper relies on using Shout utility skills as often as possible. I still go into Shroud but it's mainly to use the Ice Field and Whirl/Leap finishers.

[Roadkizzle.2157]

Core Necro I just really had fun as a minion master.

Scourge may not be your best bet because I think it relies on good placement of the immobile ground target Sand Shades.

[Gendalfs.7521]

2 hours ago, ShadowKatt.6740 said:

Once I had the minions set I literally just forgot about it because minion masters in GW2 are pretty much perfect, but in a....broken sort of way

Well thats a noob trap. In core Tyria youre a demon hunter but later on Demons hunt you. Theres 3 elite specs for necro. Reaper is melee (so you eat all the fun aoe dmg from mobs) but you go burst dmg and its good. Scourge is like something between sorta ranged but survivability is better. Then there is Harbinger. Ranged but with nasty -hp.

None of them are like core Tyria necro. You will need to choose.

 

Edited November 17 by Gendalfs.7521

[Daevhalla.7823]

So like the guy before me posted, the safest bet is to just try out different specs and drop the minion skills.

The closest you'll get to minionmancer (and maybe because of that the most similar in gameplay) might be reaper with it's minion shout utility. They are aggresive spec and you have to remember to just use shroud as often as possible (I know a lot of players trying out necro for the first time like to save their shroud, but don't do that - just spam it). They are tanky, with great cleave, and if you want some non-meta support (especially if you're playing in a group with sparse healing and support) it's fun to take Blood magic as one of the traitlines - shroud skill 4 healing whirl xD (this is totally just my opinion).

Scourge does lend to a more static gameplay and you have to be carefull with life force managment so you always have some sort of barrier generation going on as defense. It's great for support and condi play. just know your positioning, have some feeling for timing and a good build and you'll do great.

For harb I can't really help much. It's ok class to play, decently mobile, but I sadly favour reaper over it so hopefully you'll get more info from others.

[ZeftheWicked.3076]

Death magic is great without minions as well.  Particularly Corrupter's Fervor can provide you with massive resistance to physical damage via near perma protection and up to 600 bonus toughness. Additionally Death Magic is getting some sweet buffs next patch helping your life force generation and condi damage.

For core i recommend condi build. It's slower at killing stuff than power, but much more resilient and fun.
Curses traitline mandatory, since you'll need the scepter trait for good damage.
With next patch you'll also be able to choose Parasitic Contagion along with it (for healing based off condi damage you do).

Death Magic + Curses will have you nicely set up for your condi build and resiliance in combat.
From there you can choose many things to finish your core build.

Spite for self might generation and quickness from dread (very sweet!). Dread also helps you reset your shroud 3 fear, for moar fears!
Blood magic for super tank setup - blood bank is a sick trait when coupled with good healing like signet of locust active, minions or dagger #2.
Soul reaping is shroud goodness all together and has dhuumfire for bit of extra burning or Eternal Life for massive life force gains when not shrouded.

Plaguelands as your mandatory elite, maybe Epidemic to spread those condies you stacked on a veteran and above rank mob to it's lesser friends.
Always have some kind of stunbreak handy (spectral armor, well of power, plague signet, flesh wurm).
Oh and Corrosive Poison Cloud is amazing defense since it both blocks projectiles and makes melee attackers weaker (pulsing weakness).
 

Edited November 18 by ZeftheWicked.3076

[Eekasqueak.7850]

I never much liked the clutter of minions, I mostly play scourge though.  Always found necro plenty durable without minions. 

[ZeftheWicked.3076]

How to be a good necromancer:

1. before summoning your undead horrors ask them if it's ok.
2. As you bleed your opponents to death ensure them their blood will be donated to those in need
3. Point out to watch their step when you fear them off a cliff.
4. When you see a person in need of ressing - ress them. Unless you're low on lifeforce in which case you thank them for their sacrifice.
5. Always use Spectral Grasp when possible. That way splash zone from enemies' guts will be much smaller. Gotta care for environment!
6. Feel free to blind your pvp/wvw enemies before you stomp them. -One last mercy - they don't need to see their death.
7. When at a nearby cementary use your death magic. It's never too late to raise your own family!

[Roadkizzle.2157]

2 hours ago, ZeftheWicked.3076 said:

How to be a good necromancer:

1. before summoning your undead horrors ask them if it's ok.
2. As you bleed your opponents to death ensure them their blood will be donated to those in need
3. Point out to watch their step when you fear them off a cliff.
4. When you see a person in need of ressing - ress them. Unless you're low on lifeforce in which case you thank them for their sacrifice.
5. Always use Spectral Grasp when possible. That way splash zone from enemies' guts will be much smaller. Gotta care for environment!
6. Feel free to blind your pvp/wvw enemies before you stomp them. -One last mercy - they don't need to see their death.
7. When at a nearby cementary use your death magic. It's never too late to raise your own family!

You're confusing ethics for goodness 

 

You're giving great suggestions on how to be an ethical Necromancer... But is it really "good"?

[Dadnir.5038]

2 hours ago, ZeftheWicked.3076 said:

How to be a good necromancer:

1. before summoning your undead horrors ask them if it's ok.
2. As you bleed your opponents to death ensure them their blood will be donated to those in need
3. Point out to watch their step when you fear them off a cliff.
4. When you see a person in need of ressing - ress them. Unless you're low on lifeforce in which case you thank them for their sacrifice.
5. Always use Spectral Grasp when possible. That way splash zone from enemies' guts will be much smaller. Gotta care for environment!
6. Feel free to blind your pvp/wvw enemies before you stomp them. -One last mercy - they don't need to see their death.
7. When at a nearby cementary use your death magic. It's never too late to raise your own family!

If I could add a few points:

8- When entering an enemy keep with your zerg, let others enter first.

9- Never forget to knock on the door.

10- Apologize when you use corrosive poison cloud.

[Lan Deathrider.5910]

3 minutes ago, Dadnir.5038 said:

10- Apologize when you use corrosive poison cloud.

Never

[Junkpile.7439]

So all minion users aren't bots? 🤯
I have played necro 4,547 hours and 19 minutes and i don't have any idea what minions even do. Haven't never used any.

[MercurialKuroSludge.8974]

3 hours ago, Junkpile.7439 said:

So all minion users aren't bots? 🤯
I have played necro 4,547 hours and 19 minutes and i don't have any idea what minions even do. Haven't never used any.

I just Fing hate AI on summons in MMOs in general, usually they are very VERY bad.
If people enjoy minions, good for them, the most I use is Lich Form 4.

[Nabbut.7480]

How to be a good Reaper:

When in dire trouble

When beset by doubt

Run in little circles

Wave your scythe and shout.