Weapons for nec?

[Rychster]

I have been playing for a few days now and have started a Nec build in PvE. I want to have a Mes secondary eventually but what I want to know is this:

I noticed that the Nec has decent armor for a "mage" type so isn't using a sword or axe better than a wand in the early stages since most monsters get to you at melee range? The standard wands are very low damage and don't seem to help the Nec fight during spell casting. I don't want to be a War secondary since I am experimenting and already have a War/M as a PvE.

Thanks

[TBMarauder]

Axes, hammers, swords and shields are fine to use with any Primary profession. So long as there is no pre-requisite to the use of it, you will do the same damage as any other profession would, at your level (and assuming you are still in Eden).

By pre-requisite I mean say, if you found a Sword, Damage 7-11 (Req. 2 Sword Mastery), this would mean that the sword would be best wielded by a Warrior with 2 or more in Sword Mastery. If you wielded that same sword, I think you would only do the approximate damage of a 'Starter Sword'.

Try gathering-up a few melee weapons and a decent shield, and then test them out against various foes, gauging their damage, etc. Above all, have fun out there. :)

[Rychster]

Axes, hammers, swords and shields are fine to use with any Primary profession. So long as there is no pre-requisite to the use of it, you will do the same damage as any other profession would, at your level (and assuming you are still in Eden).

By pre-requisite I mean say, if you found a Sword, Damage 7-11 (Req. 2 Sword Mastery), this would mean that the sword would be best wielded by a Warrior with 2 or more in Sword Mastery. If you wielded that same sword, I think you would only do the approximate damage of a 'Starter Sword'.

Try gathering-up a few melee weapons and a decent shield, and then test them out against various foes, gauging their damage, etc. Above all, have fun out there. :)

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't screwing up the profession and using something that isn't the best thing. Once I get more experience I hope to find something more compatable with the character and his magic usage.

[Taxus Baccata]

I have seen plenty of Close Combat Necros who take Axe/Sword and Shield then get into combat and use Vampiric Touch, Order of Pain, Touch of Agony, Vile Touch, Barbs, etc.

[Rychster]

I have seen plenty of Close Combat Necros who take Axe/Sword and Shield then get into combat and use Vampiric Touch, Order of Pain, Touch of Agony, Vile Touch, Barbs, etc.

So even though they are not as well equiped with armor as a warrior, they do close combat relying on spells to keep the damage to a minimum??

I would think once the level is too high, close combat is not an option. Is this correct?

Thanks

[Taxus Baccata]

So even though they are not as well equiped with armor as a warrior, they do close combat relying on spells to keep the damage to a minimum??

Necros don't reduce the damage they take in close combat but what they do do is by-pass all of that Warrior Armour and directly effect their health. Vampiric Touch or Gaze, directly steals x amount of emeny Health and gives it to you. Life Siphon and Life Transfer, They lose arrows of life regen, you gain arrows of life regen.
There are also Necro Curses which reduce the effectiveness of a Warrior, Faintheartedness, Enfeeble, Barbs, etc.


I would think once the level is too high, close combat is not an option. Is this correct?
Thanks

Hmm ! To be honest I don't know. There are some things to watch out for though, interrupts and knockdown from Hammers being one. Running out of Energy is another, all they have to do is click once and swing until you , or they die, you can only cast when you have energy. Also your higher damage spells often come with a life sacrifice, Dark Pact for example.

A good tactic might be to use Flie Siphon\Transfer and Faintheartedness\Parasitic Bond on a warrior, engage them in combat using you sword with the intent to charge up Sever Artery and Gash. This will cause Bleeding and lower their maximum health, You can then use Vampiric Touch\Gaze to finish them off and heal yourself at the same time.

[Rychster]

Necros don't reduce the damage they take in close combat but what they do do is by-pass all of that Warrior Armour and directly effect their health. Vampiric Touch or Gaze, directly steals x amount of emeny Health and gives it to you. Life Siphon and Life Transfer, They lose arrows of life regen, you gain arrows of life regen.
There are also Necro Curses which reduce the effectiveness of a Warrior, Faintheartedness, Enfeeble, Barbs, etc.


Hmm ! To be honest I don't know. There are some things to watch out for though, interrupts and knockdown from Hammers being one. Running out of Energy is another, all they have to do is click once and swing until you , or they die, you can only cast when you have energy. Also your higher damage spells often come with a life sacrifice, Dark Pact for example.

A good tactic might be to use Flie Siphon\Transfer and Faintheartedness\Parasitic Bond on a warrior, engage them in combat using you sword with the intent to charge up Sever Artery and Gash. This will cause Bleeding and lower their maximum health, You can then use Vampiric Touch\Gaze to finish them off and heal yourself at the same time.

I see your logic. That the fact of stealing the health acts like better armor. Just as long as the battle does not get to heated and long. I am only at level 5 so I am molding what skills I get and have not decided exactly how I will distribute my attribute points. So far, I have decided mostly to blood and illusion magic and I will up the curse and reaping when I can.

The skill set I have now includes both vampire gaze and touch and what I do is quickly use both spells in series to knock down the monsters health by 70 almost instantly. Keep in mind I am a compete noob about this.

Thanks for the insight.

[BlueBudgerigar]

I'n a N/E with a basic truncheon...can truncheons be upgraded?

[EDekar]

Pretty much anything can be upgraded, but it doesn't generally become worthwhile until much, much later. You'd be best off just customizing your truncheon if you want more damage output. Speak to a Weapons merchant if you wish to customize your gear.

Taxus - Blood/Illusion is commonly known as the Defiler build and happens to be something I'm fairly experienced with. To be honest, Warriors will hate you. You can put forth such nasty health degeneration that their piddly self heals simply can't keep up with it. However, Defilers aren't quite so hot in PvE simply because we tend to be more focused on single targets.

As far as using the Vampiric abilities, I only ever used Vampiric Gaze. It has better health stealing ability, cost, and recharge while having range to boot. I've never tried to play a melee Necro, so I cannot give you advice in that regard. Anytime I saw a Necro in melee at my level of play, they died. Horribly and messily I might add. If a Warrior can get one shotted down in the Underworld, I don't want to think about a poor Necromancer.

::shrugs:: 'Tis all my opinion, as always. Take it for what you will.

[Rychster]

Pretty much anything can be upgraded, but it doesn't generally become worthwhile until much, much later. You'd be best off just customizing your truncheon if you want more damage output. Speak to a Weapons merchant if you wish to customize your gear.

Taxus - Blood/Illusion is commonly known as the Defiler build and happens to be something I'm fairly experienced with. To be honest, Warriors will hate you. You can put forth such nasty health degeneration that their piddly self heals simply can't keep up with it. However, Defilers aren't quite so hot in PvE simply because we tend to be more focused on single targets.

As far as using the Vampiric abilities, I only ever used Vampiric Gaze. It has better health stealing ability, cost, and recharge while having range to boot. I've never tried to play a melee Necro, so I cannot give you advice in that regard. Anytime I saw a Necro in melee at my level of play, they died. Horribly and messily I might add. If a Warrior can get one shotted down in the Underworld, I don't want to think about a poor Necromancer.

::shrugs:: 'Tis all my opinion, as always. Take it for what you will.

I like blood magic and I guess illusion magic would be a good complement. I was thinking minions but I don't think I want that one for now. Although domination magic seems to kick ars too.

So many choices to screw up :happy59:

[Taxus Baccata]

My Mesmer/Necro is lvl 8 at the moment and I am focusing on Domination, Illusion and Curses. I keep meaning to put a couple of attributes into Fast Casting, but can never seem to bring myself to do it.