Necromancer Overview

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Necromancer Overview

Table of Contents

• I. Profession overview
• II. Archetype
  • a. Unique ability
  • b. Unique stat
    
• III. Weapons and skills
• IV. Traits
  

I. Profession overview

The Necromancer is a student of the dark arts. They are able to summon undead to do their bidding, drain the life essence from opponents and channel powerful blood magic to deal great amounts of damage. Necromancers from the original Guild Wars excelled in support by adding attacking buffs for their allies, and group wide debuffs, incapacitating opponents.

II. Archetype

The Necromancer is a ranged caster DPS class, and is part of the scholar category, wearing light armor.

a. Unique ability

Necromancers gain a resource called life force whenever a foe is defeated, or through special skills. Life Force can be used to activate a special form called Death Shroud, which will grant the Necromancer a new avatar, makes them immune to knockdown, and grants new skills while in Death Shroud. Life Force will degenerate over time and on skill activation, and once Life Force is at zero percent, the Necromancer will revert back to his original form.

b. Unique stat

Hunger is the unique stat for the Necromancer. It increases the size of the Life Force pool.

III. Weapons and skills

Below is a list of weapons the Necromancer will use.

• Two-handed
  • Staff — long range spellcasting weapon which emphasizes AoE support via use of conditions.
    
• One-handed
  • Scepter — provides a good mix of long range offensive spells.
  • Axe — use powerful attacks to tear enemies at close range.
  • Dagger — steal an enemy's health or life force at close range.
    
• Off-hand
  • Focus — make the enemy vulnerable and freeze, or remove your own conditions.
  • Warhorn — summon a swarm of locusts or daze enemies with the wail of the horn.
  • Dagger — provides support, either by weakening foes or damaging them while healing allies.
    
• Aquatic
  • Harpoon — reap enemies with close range attacks or terrorize them by summoning vampiric shrimp.
  • Trident — thwart the enemy with offensive support and sink them into the abyss.
    

Below is a list of skills tied to each weapon. Note that a two-handed weapon grants five skills (1-5 on the skill bar), a one-handed weapon grants three skills (1-3 on the skill bar), and off-handed weapons grant two skills (4 and 5 on the skill bar)

Staff

• Necrotic Grasp Send a phantasmal hand to grasp at your foe.
• Reaper's Mark Inscribe a mark that inflicts bleeding and vulnerability when triggered by a foe.
• Reaper's Touch Send out a scythe that cripples foes, while granting swiftness to allies.
• Chilblains Chill and poison target area.
• Putrid Mark Inscribe a mark that transfers conditions from allies to foes when triggered by a foe.
  

Scepter

• Curse Poison your foe.
• Grasping Dead Summon skeletal hands to bleed and cripple foes in target area.
• Deathly Swarm Unleash an insect swarm on multiple foes. Remove three of your conditions on a successful attack.
  

Axe

• Rending Claws Bleed your foe with ghostly claws.
• Ghastly Claws Summon spectral claws to slash your foe in a quick flurry of strikes.
• Feast of Corruption Removes boons from target foe. Deals additional damage for each boon or condition on the target.
  

Dagger

• Necrotic Bite Steal life force from your foe with a slash.
• Life Siphon Siphon health from your foe.
• Dark Pact Sacrifice health to bleed and immobilize your foe.
  

Dagger (offhand)

• Mark of Blood Inscribe a mark that inflicts burning[sic] on foes and grants regeneration to allies when triggered by a foe.
• Unholy Feast Cripple and damage nearby foes. Do bonus damage for each condition on a foe.
  

Focus

• Enfeeble Apply poison and weakness to foes in the target area.
• Spinal Shivers Inflict chill and vulnerability on your foe.
  

Warhorn

• Wail of Doom Screech a wail of doom in a cone pattern, confusing and dazing foes.
• Locust Swarm Gain swiftness and summon a swarm of locusts that siphon health from nearby foes.
  

Harpoon Gun

• Cruel Strike Stab your foe.
• Wicked Spiral Spin in place, applying vulnerability to struck enemies.
• Deadly Feast Gain swiftness and summon a swarm of vampiric shrimp that siphon health from nearby foes.
• Deadly Catch Whirl around, throwing out spears at foes that pull them to you and cripple them.
• Dark Spear Pull yourself to a foe and apply bleeding[sic] to them.
  

Trident

• Crimson Tide Bleed your foe.
• Feast Weaken and damage foes around you.
• Foul Current Dart at your foe, leaving poisonous bubbles behind.
• Sinking Tomb Entomb your foe and make them sink.
• Frozen Abyss Chill foes in the area around you.
  

IV. Traits

The Necromancer has five trait lines to choose from; Spite, Curses, Death Magic, Blood Magic, and Soul Reaping. Below is a list of each trait and the benefits they grant.

Spite Traits

Spite per point:
+10 Power
+1 Expertise

Minor
Adept Parasitic Bond You gain life when ever you kill something
Master Death into Life Power is converted into healing
Grandmaster Siphoned Power +90 power under 25% health

Major
Axe Training Extra damage with axe skills
Chill of Death Cast Chilblains at 25% health
Death's Embrace Deal more damage while downed
Death Shiver Apply Spinal Shivers to enemies near you when entering Death Shroud
Signet Power Each non-recharging signet adds attack power
Spiteful Spirit Gain retaliation when entering Death Shroud
Spiteful Talisman Increased focus range

Curses Traits

Curses per point:
+10 Precision
+10 Malice

Minor
Adept Barbed Precision Critical hits cause bleeding.
Master Furious Demise Gain fury when entering Death Shroud.
Grandmaster Target the Weak Increased damage for each condition on a foe.

Major
Deep Breath 15% warhorn cooldown reduction.
Lingering Curse Conditions from scepter skills last longer.
Reaper's Precision Gain life force when you do a critical hit.
Spectral Attunement Spectral skills have longer durations.
Terror Your Fear does damage.
Toxic Landing Create a poison cloud when you take falling damage.
Withering Precision Chance to cause weakness on critical hits.

Death Magic Traits

Death Magic per point:
+10 Toughness
+1 Concentration

Minor
Adept Reanimator Chance to summon a Jagged Horror whenever you kill an enemy.
Master Protection of the Horde You gain 20 toughness for each minion summoned.
Grandmaster Deadly Strength 10% of your toughness is given as a bonus to power.

Major
Close to Death Deal 10% extra damage to enemies below 50% health.
Dark Armor Gain armor while channeling.
Evasive Animation Summon a Jagged Horror when you dodge roll.
Fast Marks Faster mark placement.
Flesh of the Master Minions have +60% more health.
Greater Marks Increased area of marks.
Staff Mastery 15% reduced staff skill cooldown.
Training of the Master Minions deal 30% more damage.

Blood Magic Traits

Blood Magic per point:
+10 Vitality
+10 Compassion

Minor
Adept Vampiric Precision You steal life whenever you critical.
Master Deathly Invigoration Area heal when you leave Death Shroud.
Grandmaster Blood to Power +90 power while health is above 90%.

Major
Bloodthirst Life steals are more effective.
Dagger Mastery 15% reduced dagger cooldown.
Focused Rituals Wells become ground-targeted.
Quickening Thirst Move faster while wielding a dagger.
Ritual of Life You create a Well of Blood when ever you ressurect [sic] an ally.
Transfusion Life Transfer heals nearby allies.
Vampiric Master Minions steal life and transfer it to you.
Vampiric Rituals Your wells also steal life.

Soul Reaping Traits

Soul Reaping per point:
+1 Prowess
+1 Hunger

Minor
Adept Gluttony Life Force fills faster.
Master Last Gasp Gain spectral armor at 25% health (60 second cooldown).
Grandmaster Strength of Undeath Gain more power based on how much Life Force you have, up to +100.

Major
Foot in the Grave Gain stability while in Death Shroud.
Master of Terror Fear you cause lasts 50% longer.
Near to Death Death Shroud cooldown is reduced by 50%.
Path of Midnight Dark Path recharges 25% faster.
Reaper's Blast Life Blast does more damage.
Speed of Shadows Move faster while in Death Shroud.
Unyielding Blast Life Blast pierces.
Vital Persistence Life Force drains slower while in Death Shroud.