Necromancer sPvP | Tournament Staff, Dagger/Warhorn | Support Blood & Curses Support [Updated]
Table of Contents
Summary
This is a Support Necromancer build, focused on various actions with Shroud, conditions, pressure denial, high healing and ressurecting your allies.
Please note that it's rather different playstyle than most Necromancer builds and isn't suited for the new players.
UPDATE 27.06.2015: Check below.
I. Weapons and Skills
Weapon and Skill Details
Dagger and Warhorn give you a lot of self-sustain and good Life Force generation. You bring two powerful multi-target CCs (Wail of Doom and Reaper's Mark) as well as support with Staff.
Peel for your allies with Locust Swarm, Chillbains, Dark Path, Tainted Shackles, Doom. Use Dark Pact on targeted enemies to set burst for allies.
Deny pressure with Plague (deals almost no damage to yourself) and Corrosive Poison Cloud and peeling.
Cleanse Conditions from allies using Well of Power and Plague Signet passive. You can use Well of Power in combination with Consume Conditions to gain Protection and Fury after heal if needed.
Heal your allies with Regeneration from Blood minor and Staff #2, Transfusion, Sigils and Shroud escaping (Life from Death trait).
Ressurect your allies with Transfusion, Mercy runes and Ritual of Life. Transfusion teleports allies to your position regardless of obstacles, just within it's range. Take advantage of that, teleporting them to places with vertical difference.
Apply constant Weakness to enemies near You with Corrosive Poison Cloud, low cooldown Shroud and Weakness on entering Shroud & critical hits as well as Blasting in Poison fields (Chillblains->Putrid Mark). Keep focused enemies Poisoned with Corrosive Poison Cloud and Chillblains.
UPDATE 27.06.2015: Replaced Well of Darkness with Corrosive Poison Cloud. You can still use Well of Darkness, because it's better for things like cutting Melee pressure almost immediately, but it's high cooldown & low duration. Found out that CPC with 15s duration, 20s CD in this build and better radius nullfies pressure better in a long run and can be used more often, making fighting in it for enemy a true pain and ease for your team.
Although if you face a lot of Melee high spike power damage builds like Thieves and some Warrior builds, I'd advise Well of Darkness regardless.
Traits
Curses
- Barbed PrecisionCritical hits have a 33% chance to inflict bleeding. The duration of your applied bleeding stacks is increased by 20%.
- Plague SendingWhen you have 3 or more conditions on you your next critical hit casts Plague Signet on your target. This trait benefits from the recharge bonus of Signets of Suffering.
- Chilling DarknessBlinding a foe inflicts chill on them for 2 seconds. 5-second internal cooldown
- Furious DemiseWhen you enter shroud, gain fury for 5 seconds.
- Master of CorruptionReduces recharge of corruption skills by 33% but causes corruption skills to apply additional conditions to you when cast. (Condition applied varies per skill.)
- Path of CorruptionShroud skill 2 converts boons on struck foes to conditions.
- TerrorCauses fear to deal damage per second scaling with your condition damage stat. Damage is increased vs foes that have at least one other condition on them.
- Target the WeakYour critical hit chance is increased by 2% for each condition on your target. Additionally you gain condition damage equal to 13% of your precision.
- Weakening ShroudCritical hits inflict weakness for 5 seconds (10s ICD). When you enter shroud cast Enfeeble on nearby foes (Enfeeble is functionally identical to the dagger skill Enfeebling Blood.)
- Parasitic ContagionYou are healed for 10% of your outgoing condition damage.
- Lingering CurseGain 150 condition damage while wielding a scepter. The base duration of all scepter conditions is increased by 50%.
Blood Magic
- Mark of EvasionCast Mark of Blood when you dodge roll. (8s ICD)
- Ritual of LifeRevive allies 10% faster. When you start reviving an ally cast Well of Blood. This trait benefits from the recharge bonus of Vampiric Wells.
- Quickening ThirstReduces recharge of dagger skills by 33% if used while you are over 75% health. Move 25% faster while wielding at least one dagger.
- Blood BondWhen you inflict at least 4 stacks of bleeding to a single target cast Lesser Signet of Vampirism on them. This trait benefits from the recharge bonus of Signets of Suffering.
- VampiricYou siphon health with your attacks. Your minions siphon health and give it to you.
- Life from DeathWhen you exit shroud you heal and partially revive allies around you.
- Banshee’s WailReduces recharge of warhorn skills by 20% and increases effect durations for warhorn skills by 50%.
- Vampiric PresenceYou and allies near you siphon health with attacks (combat only). This effect stacks with the siphoning granted by Vampiric.
- Last RitesGain increasing healing power based on how low your health is. Other allies near you do not bleed out while downed (combat only).
- Vampiric RitualsReduces recharge of well skills by 20%. Wells siphon health for you every pulse and grant protection to allies when cast.
- Unholy MartyrDraws conditions from allies when you enter shroud and every few seconds while you remain in shroud. Gain life force each time a condition is transferred.
- TransfusionShroud skill 4 heals and partially revives nearby allies. Additionally you teleport up to 5 nearby downed allies to your location while channeling this skill.
Soul Reaping
- GluttonyIncrease life force gain from skills by 10%.
- Unyielding BlastShroud skill 1 pierces an inflicts 2 stacks of vulnerability for 10 seconds to targets it hits. Increased number of targets pierced to 5 from 4.
- Soul MarksMark skills are now unblockable and generate 3% life force when triggered.
- Speed of ShadowsIncreases movement speed while in shroud by 25% and decreases recharge of shroud by 30%.
- Last GaspGain Spectral Armor when your health falls below the threshold (50%).
- Spectral MasteryReduces recharge of spectral skills by 20% and increases duration by 50%. Additionally, when you activate a spectral skill you gain 5% life force.
- Vital PersistenceLife force drains 50% slower while in shroud and the recharge of shroud skills is reduced by 15%.
- Fear of DeathFear duration is 50% longer. When you are downed, fear foes around you for 1s.
- Strength of UndeathIncreases maximum life force pool by 15%. While above 50% lifeforce you deal 5% additional damage.
- Foot in the GraveWhen you enter shroud gain 1 stack of stability for 3 seconds and break out of stun.
- Death PerceptionWhile you are in shroud you have an additional 50% chance to critical hit.
- DhuumfireShroud skill 1 inflicts 1 stack of burning for 3 seconds when it hits.
Trait Details
Curses:
Chilling Darkness and Plague Sending can be switched, depending on your needs. To trigger Plague Sending and critical part of Weakning Shroud, target foe with a lot of conditions and use rapid attacks i.e. Life Siphon, Dagger #1 or Life Transfer UPDATE 27.06.2015: Or use Intelligence Sigil. You can also gain Fury from Furious Demise trait. I am using Plague Sending currently just because Patch is still new and many players are testing Condition-heavy builds, so it helps with sustain a little. Once it stabilizes, Chilling Darkness will probably be better option.
Master of Corruption can be switched to Path of Corruption against very heavy Boon teams, although I don't suggest that. Significant reduction on Consume Conditions (working good with passive Plague Signet) and Plague (does almost no damage in this build, health can be easily replenished) is crucial to the build.
Blood Magic:
Ritual of Life can be switched with Quickening Thirst for more mobility.
Life from Death - You can get extreme team healing from that, especially when you're low on health.
Soul Reaping
Speed of Shadows - abosolutely crucial to the build. Allows for very high uptime of Stability, Weakness on foes and healing from Life from Death. Also gives 25% passive speed in Shroud.
Foot in the Grave - Amazing stunbreak. Use to counter CC, stunbreak or secure stomps & rezzes.
Traits not listed or mentioned are mandatory
III. Stat Specifics & Effects
Primary Stats
- Health 19212 (+0)
- Vitality 1000 (+0)
- Armor 2995 (+1075)
- Toughness 2075 (+1075)
- Attack 3011 (+900)
- Power 1900 (+900)
- Critical Hit 4% (+4%)
- Precision 1000 (+0)
Secondary Stats
- Condition Damage 130 (+130)
- Damage 1111 (+0%)
- Defense 920 (+0)
- Healing Power 1200 (+1200)
- Revive Speed 20% (+20%)
Boons
Conditions
Control
Fields & Finishers
Stat and Effect Details
I haven't tested another Amulets.
IV. Runes, Sigils, Accessories & Jewels
Armor & Runes
- Toughness: 25
- Gain up to 400 toughness while reviving an ally, based on your level.
- Toughness: 50
- You resurrect allies with 30% more health.
- Toughness: 100
- You revive allied players 20% faster.
- Toughness: 25
- Gain up to 400 toughness while reviving an ally, based on your level.
- Toughness: 50
- You resurrect allies with 30% more health.
- Toughness: 100
- You revive allied players 20% faster.
- Toughness: 25
- Gain up to 400 toughness while reviving an ally, based on your level.
- Toughness: 50
- You resurrect allies with 30% more health.
- Toughness: 100
- You revive allied players 20% faster.
- Toughness: 25
- Gain up to 400 toughness while reviving an ally, based on your level.
- Toughness: 50
- You resurrect allies with 30% more health.
- Toughness: 100
- You revive allied players 20% faster.
- Toughness: 25
- Gain up to 400 toughness while reviving an ally, based on your level.
- Toughness: 50
- You resurrect allies with 30% more health.
- Toughness: 100
- You revive allied players 20% faster.
- Toughness: 25
- Gain up to 400 toughness while reviving an ally, based on your level.
- Toughness: 50
- You resurrect allies with 30% more health.
- Toughness: 100
- You revive allied players 20% faster.
Rune Stat Totals
- Toughness 175
- Revive Speed 20%
Rune Bonuses
PvP Rune of Mercy- Toughness: 25
- Gain up to 400 toughness while reviving an ally, based on your level.
- Toughness: 50
- You resurrect allies with 30% more health.
- Toughness: 100
- You revive allied players 20% faster.
Accessories & Jewels
Accessory Totals
- Power:900
- Toughness:900
- Healing Power:1200
Weapon Set Sigils
- Weapon Strength: 985-1111
- Weapon Strength: -
Weapon Set I
Sigil of Superior EnergyYou gain 50% of your endurance when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)
- Weapon Strength: 924-981
- Weapon Strength: 814-900
Weapon Set II
Sigil of IntelligenceYour next 3 attacks after swapping to this weapon while in combat have a 100% chance to critical.
Sigil of Superior EnergyYou gain 50% of your endurance when you swap to this weapon while in combat. (This effect cannot trigger more than once every 9s)
Upgrade Item Details
I haven't tested another amulets.
Runes of Mercy boost your rezzing capabilities very nicely.
Sigils are customizable, although I like having Doom Sigil on Dagger to reduce healing on targeted foes in combination with Chillblains. And Energy sigil on staff as an escape tool, Mark of Evasion trigger.
Sigil of Renewal heals for around 1k, the higher the lower you get with your health. Sigil of Water heals for around 500. Both are decent options, in my opinion.
UPDATE 27.06.2015: If you run into many teams with multiple burst Mesmers, consider swapping Water sigil on Dagger to Energy one.
If you use Corrosive Poison Cloud instead of Well of Darkness, swap Doom sigil on Dagger to Sigil of Intelligence for more damage and more controlled Weakning Shroud critical applications.
V. Basic Gameplay
Use your Shroud wisely. Watch allies' health. Sometimes it's good to lower your personal health by some amount before Life from Death or Transfusion healing, so once you use one of these skills, they get heavy boost from Last Rites trait.
Remember that your Shroud applies a lot of Weakness which heavily hurts foes and gives you Stability as well as stunbreak.
Dodge into your allies to give them Regeneration from Mark of Evasion trait.
Don't hesitate to use Life Transfer without allies down nearby if they're not going to die in next second and are still up. It's massive AoE healing which in combination with Life from Death will sustain your party in teamfight.
Your mobility comes from Locust Swarm and Speed of Shadows trait.
Transfusion ignores obstacles and can teleport allies to you through walls and vertical differences. Use to to your advantage.
Don't be afraid of using Plague. It will heavily lower pressure in teamfights (and Chill with trait)and force enemies off-point, does negligible damage to yourself in this build and has only 2 min. Cooldown which means it can be used in nearly every teamfight.
You can still do significant damage with your Dagger in this build with Fury and Target the Weak trait.
Although this build is fairly durable and can withstand 1v1s, it's not bunker and can die. It's main focus in supporting allies.
Have fun!
Cheers,
Rym.1469, Natchniony [EU]
Main Skill Rotation
Mash F1 lel.
But the build is capable of much more than just rezzing people!