Moving around/upgrading necro spells

[Zombu]

I recently hit level 29 with my necromancer and I've come to realize something: the necromancer really isn't that good in SoD.

My main gripe, and I understand it's because it's an utter bitch to do, is that fear isn't implemented in most zones because each mob needs to have a fear path mapped out manually. I understand the technical difficulties, but that doesn't take away from the fact our main attack method, dot + fear, pretty much doesn't work.

At level 28, I was using level 12 dot spells like heat blood and engulfing darkness. ED did 12 damage a tick. So I got all excited about my level 29 spells because I got a ton of new dots. Dooming Darkness, the upgrade, does 22 damage a tick. 10 damage more for a 15 level higher spell? Jesus Christ. I mean, I know that over time, it hurts a lot, but that time isn't something I have to spare given I can't fear the mob. I wasn't expecting 50 a tick, but at least double.

For that amount of damage, I should have gotten it at level 20 or 24, especially since level 24 spells are almost totally useless.

So perhaps some necro spells should be re-arranged so we aren't put in the situation where you're using the same spells 15 levels later. Wouldn't it be utterly retarded to see a level 16 necro life tapping for 10 damage to kill a mob?

Especially given that we can't really fear, if our spells can't/won't be moved around, perhaps they should be upgraded to do more damage per tick.

 

[Yally]

As a 65 enchanter I use a sub 40 spell for 99% of my mezing. The thing you arent considering about the darkness line is that it isn't just a DoT. It is a snare. Not only does the damage grow, but so does the snare on it. Therefore it has to be proportioned me thinks

 

[Zombu]

As a 65 enchanter I use a sub 40 spell for 99% of my mezing. The thing you arent considering about the darkness line is that it isn't just a DoT. It is a snare. Not only does the damage grow, but so does the snare on it. Therefore it has to be proportioned me thinks

Well, I didn't know it snared more at higher levels. Okay, so the damage grows a little, from 12 to 22, but snare goes from 40% slow to 50% slow, fine.

What about heat blood being upgraded to boil blood? That spell is damage only, and at level 12 did 17 damage and at 29 does 24 damage. Granted, it lasts longer, but since we don't have fear and have to rely exclusively on our pet tanking while the dot does its thing, we need to end the fight ASAP, and longer duration, low damage DOTs are worse than higher damage, short duration dots when your pet is being slapped around. Necros are especially useless in a group when a mob dies in a quarter of the time that the dot would do its full damage.

I'd much rather be doing 40 damage per tick in 60 seconds than 20 damage per tick in 2 minutes.

 

[Deathpoint]

/pet taunt off

and reverse kite mobs. This was a critical solo strategy, if not better and later more important one, on live and probably even more so here. It acomplishes the very same thing as fear kiting and requires less mana and less space. It can be done anywhere you would think of using fear and in many places you wouldn't. Some people seem to need SoW to do this, but it really isn't needed.

I agree though there is a huge necro spell gap after heat blood for quite a long time. However, that is how it was on live aswell. Always has been that way.

 

[wrshahrom]

Don't forget you can stack both lvl 12 and 29 spells on at the same time. Pretty soon you'll be at 34, Venom of the Snake, problem solved.

 

[Maimai]

As a 65 enchanter I use a sub 40 spell for 99% of my mezing.

But Entrance is max level 50 :?

 

[Thinkmeats]

Maybe he mistook the spell level of Dazzle or he's referring to Entrancing Lights?

edit e. Lights is 50 too, so I got no idea what's he's talking about.

 

[Yally]

Yea sorry, I meant Dazzle. Just didn't feel like looking up the exact level, but I knew it was down low somewheres. Anyways, yea, just give it a few levels. Necros can stack SICK SICK SICK dmg. (not that chanters cant...we just cheat and use an NPC to do it for us)


Reverse kiting is good for lots of pet classes too, not just necromancers. It can be done well with lots of methods, but if your having trouble you might try something like this, then build off it. I know it has worked, although it isn't THE MOST mana efficient:

Root NPC-Debuff-DoT(all that you want, darkness line first for safety)-DD the root away, or wait it out-re DoT as short terms wear off.-as soon as root is gone, hoof it and sick on the pet-run it in circles. If you notice pet hp is dropping at all, that means he is no longer chasing you(turn and cast low mana/high agro spell).

Its basically about building agro before your pet is on the mob, then keeping it. Not too shabby and works for lots of pet classes if you have sow, soe, bi li, or run3. Good luck with your own methods.

 

[Deathpoint]

Yes, but the nature of the necromancers snare line makes them best at it. It allows them to do it in places that others couldn't and lessens the necessity of speed. Therefore, necromancers can do it earlier then other pet classes.

 

[Wiz]

Why are you expecting your SNARE to do a load of damage?

 

[Shatterblast]

Because the Necro AA snare has infinite duration and doubles in damage every tick?

 

[Liam]

Because the Necro AA snare has infinite duration and doubles in damage every tick?

And has an hour long recast.

 

[twist]

doesn't double every tick either. starts at something like 20 and adds 10 or so each tick.
useful when a mob jumps you, but easier just to FD.

 

[Zombu]

Why are you expecting your SNARE to do a load of damage?

Well, what about heat blood to boil blood? 17 dmg to 24 dmg, but with a longer duration. Or Vampiric Curse?

I'd just like the pure damage spells to be shorter and do more damage per tick. And even then, I still think we should get some in between spells, because the gap between 12 and 29 is just insane. The only 2 spells we get worth a damn damage wise are shock of poison and heart flutter.

 

[Wiz]

Why are you expecting your SNARE to do a load of damage?

Well, what about heat blood to boil blood? 17 dmg to 24 dmg, but with a longer duration. Or Vampiric Curse?

I'd just like the pure damage spells to be shorter and do more damage per tick. And even then, I still think we should get some in between spells, because the gap between 12 and 29 is just insane. The only 2 spells we get worth a damn damage wise are shock of poison and heart flutter.

You're right on boil blood. Halved the duration, doubled the damage.

 

[Zombu]

Why are you expecting your SNARE to do a load of damage?

Well, what about heat blood to boil blood? 17 dmg to 24 dmg, but with a longer duration. Or Vampiric Curse?

I'd just like the pure damage spells to be shorter and do more damage per tick. And even then, I still think we should get some in between spells, because the gap between 12 and 29 is just insane. The only 2 spells we get worth a damn damage wise are shock of poison and heart flutter.

You're right on boil blood. Halved the duration, doubled the damage.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

Granted, now I am only level 31, so I can't give suggestion on what is happening in the future, but here are some other ideas I have:

- Give necros root at level 4, 8 or 12. Since fear is probably never going to be available everywhere (I can't blame Wiz for not rushing to implement arguably the most tedious thing possible), and since every spellcaster has SOMETHING to keep mobs off them (root, mez, charm, forget, whatever), necros need root to replace fear. right now we get it at level 34, which is just INSANE when wizzies get it at 4.

- Our level 20 and 24 spells suck. Sure, we get a cool spell or 2, but like i said, I shouldn't be casting level 12 and 16 dots at level 28. I suggest knocking Dooming Darkness down to level 24 instead of 29, and perhaps a new leach spell at level 20, or shock of poison down to 20.

- Can you up the success rate for cure spells? it took me a dozen casts to cure my disease when hunting for words of plague in east badlands, and I died twice because of the high failure rate.

 

[Yally]

- Can you up the success rate for cure spells? it took me a dozen casts to cure my disease when hunting for words of plague in east badlands, and I died twice because of the high failure rate.

AFAIK it isn't success rate, but a behind-the-scenes counter chart. Certain diseases have certain "disease counters" and depending on the level of your cure spell, it will remove a certain number of counters. Just as pure demonstration: Spell False-Cure (removes 5 counters) vs. Spell: Nasty-Fake-Disease(DoT with 20 disease counters)

This would mean you need 4 casts of the spell False-Cure to remove the effect of Nasty-Fake-Disease.

Hope that helps.

 

[chelkey]

- Give necros root at level 4, 8 or 12. Since fear is probably never going to be available everywhere (I can't blame Wiz for not rushing to implement arguably the most tedious thing possible), and since every spellcaster has SOMETHING to keep mobs off them (root, mez, charm, forget, whatever), necros need root to replace fear. right now we get it at level 34, which is just INSANE when wizzies get it at 4.

In response to this, Necros DO HAVE something to keep mobs off of them, it's called Feign Death, a level 16 spell, if I remember correctly. Whenever I get aggro from a mob, I just FD for a sec until my pet regains aggro and step back some, simple enough. Shadow Step can be used as well, tho I don't use it only because it could randomly put you in aggro range of a mob you aren't attacking, but if you are in a wide open area, this would work too, I imagine. I never use my root spell, I really have never found a use for it considering Feign Death works so well...Though I do agree with you on having DoTs that hit for more damage in a shorter period of time (not the snare line). Our pets just don't have the HP/AC to withstand too long of a duration, and if you are killing casters, forget it, lifetap them, the pet won't hold up for long. So, if you are a Necro who is not a fan of kiting, like myself, keep your Feign Death up always, never remove it from your spell selection slots.

Vonoria Daevil, Lvl 63 Baroness of Necromancy

 

[Thinkmeats]

Give necros root at level 4, 8 or 12. Since fear is probably never going to be available everywhere (I can't blame Wiz for not rushing to implement arguably the most tedious thing possible), and since every spellcaster has SOMETHING to keep mobs off them (root, mez, charm, forget, whatever), necros need root to replace fear. right now we get it at level 34, which is just INSANE when wizzies get it at 4.

Your "something to keep mobs off you" is snare. If you think this isn't sufficient I would like to officially offer to trade my enchanter roots for your roots+snare, thanks in advance.

 

[Zombu]

- Can you up the success rate for cure spells? it took me a dozen casts to cure my disease when hunting for words of plague in east badlands, and I died twice because of the high failure rate.

AFAIK it isn't success rate, but a behind-the-scenes counter chart. Certain diseases have certain "disease counters" and depending on the level of your cure spell, it will remove a certain number of counters. Just as pure demonstration: Spell False-Cure (removes 5 counters) vs. Spell: Nasty-Fake-Disease(DoT with 20 disease counters)

This would mean you need 4 casts of the spell False-Cure to remove the effect of Nasty-Fake-Disease.

Hope that helps.

I thought it might be that.

Okay then, if it's poison counters instead of chances to cure, how come we only get a -1 counter spell at level 16 and then a -8 counter at level 39? Isn't that a huge discrepancy? Should we have a -4 counter at 24 or 29? Or perhaps maybe upgrade the 16 to -2?

- Give necros root at level 4, 8 or 12. Since fear is probably never going to be available everywhere (I can't blame Wiz for not rushing to implement arguably the most tedious thing possible), and since every spellcaster has SOMETHING to keep mobs off them (root, mez, charm, forget, whatever), necros need root to replace fear. right now we get it at level 34, which is just INSANE when wizzies get it at 4.

In response to this, Necros DO HAVE something to keep mobs off of them, it's called Feign Death, a level 16 spell, if I remember correctly. Whenever I get aggro from a mob, I just FD for a sec until my pet regains aggro and step back some, simple enough. Shadow Step can be used as well, tho I don't use it only because it could randomly put you in aggro range of a mob you aren't attacking, but if you are in a wide open area, this would work too, I imagine. I never use my root spell, I really have never found a use for it considering Feign Death works so well...Though I do agree with you on having DoTs that hit for more damage in a shorter period of time (not the snare line). Our pets just don't have the HP/AC to withstand too long of a duration, and if you are killing casters, forget it, lifetap them, the pet won't hold up for long. So, if you are a Necro who is not a fan of kiting, like myself, keep your Feign Death up always, never remove it from your spell selection slots.

Vonoria Daevil, Lvl 63 Baroness of Necromancy

Once again, you get that at level 16, so there is that discrepancy of a spell to keep a mob off you at level 4 and level 16. It's easy for us to say "just use feign death" because we've had it for dozens of levels, but what about that level 6 necro who can't fear because the zone won't let him while all of his other magic friends are rooting like crazy by now?

Give necros root at level 4, 8 or 12. Since fear is probably never going to be available everywhere (I can't blame Wiz for not rushing to implement arguably the most tedious thing possible), and since every spellcaster has SOMETHING to keep mobs off them (root, mez, charm, forget, whatever), necros need root to replace fear. right now we get it at level 34, which is just INSANE when wizzies get it at 4.

Your "something to keep mobs off you" is snare. If you think this isn't sufficient I would like to officially offer to trade my enchanter roots for your roots+snare, thanks in advance.

Snare slows down a mob, but you can't rest when a mob is snared. You can rest when a mob is rooted.

Now, you can make the argument that since later on I get snare and root while you only get snare (but you do get God knows how many charms and de-aggro spells, but that's another story), the fact is I get them both at level 34. Why can't I get root at 12 or 16, well after you get it but not as late at 34?