Do GW2 Necromancer Minions have a relation to Verata's research?

[Rob Van Der Sloot]

At a microscopic level, fleshy creatures contain Iron and other minerals that are found in the earth. When a creature dies and decomposes, it "returns to the earth" in a way. So, when a GW2 necromancer makes a minion out of the ground, with no corpse to exploit, maybe it's related.

Imagine reverse-engineering the standard decomposition process, on an EXTREME scale!

(maybe?)

Well, this makes sense regarding normal minions, but it does not explain Shadow Fiends. Minions that are summoned while in deathshroud form, and which seem to be made of nothing physical.

[Alaris]

I mean one Norn can take out a whole Charr Warband after all...

That Norn was using a PvX farming build, probably 600... and those Charr didn't bring enchant removal lol noobs.

[Luckymofo]

Necros carry dead rats in a pouch, from which to create minions. Duh. This is why you need quests of the type "kill 10 rats".

makes sense to me :)

[NhocCuteGirls]

It's possible. Whether or not they derived it from Verata's research indirectly or not we'll probably not know, though. Considering he went rogue, they likely couldn't have gained it directly (unless by force) and would have to go indirectly through examination of his specimens. Nevertheless, if his research went forgotten, or was lost due to his rejection, it may have taken several decades, possibly centuries, since we don't know how long the new type of minions have been around, before they rediscovered the means to animate minions as Verata did.



Although they may also have learned through the other races how to do so.

[Смерть]

Dust to dust, ashes to ashes is what I say (seconding ccrazool) as far as summoning minions from the ground; I would hope necromancy had developed some since GW1.

Since there is no official lore, I'm going to dive into some fan-fic real quick (sharing my thoughts on the matter )...

Shadow fiends summoned under death shroud could easily be another improvement in necromancy; imo, the spiritual side of death is just as applicable for use in death magic as is the physical part. In some of my fan-fic I mused over the idea that fleshy minions could not stand as flesh themselves without being powered either by part of the soul of the necromancer (a tie in here between death magic and soul reaping; here I would pitch Soul Reaping by being the Primary Necromantic Art to pervade all other disciplines; and also being the real one tie to Grenth) or to be completely inhabited by a soul summoned from the mists (which would be harder to control in a minion). I also talk a little on how the soul itself may be formless without some type of "bonding agent" in the physical sense (i.e. ectoplasm, how we can see Gwen's mother in UW, etc.); here I would see that necromancy has finally found the way to "clothe" weak-willed summoned spirits (from the mists; and other places...) through the physical manifestation of shade; just another "bonding agent" for the spirit to appear before the naked eye. For me in necromancy, everything in both the physical and spiritual world all blends together; it just comes down to what type of existence something is in at what point of time; kind of looking at before life/life/death as one continuous existence, just in different forms. Nothing really ever dies ;); and you can always mash it up again like with play-dough :D.

[Rob Van Der Sloot]

That's a pretty good analysis, and not far fetched either. It reminds me of the way Ritualists work.

Ritualists channel other-worldly energies that summon allies from the void and employ mystic binding rituals that bend those allies to the Ritualist's will. They hood their eyes to better commune with spirits that grant great power and protection to Ritualists and their comrades. The energy they channel drives Ritualist skills which enhance the deadliness of an ally's weapon and wreak havoc on an enemy's health. The Ritualist can also use the remains of the dead to defend the living-not by reanimating corpses as a Necromancer would, but through the ritual use of urns and ashes. Where the Ranger lives as one with the spirit world, the Ritualist can and will be its master.

So it's not an odd guess that perhaps necromancers also summon spirits from the void, to temporally take control of an animated body. Perhaps in GW2 the necromancer can also summon spirits that do not need a body to manifest them selves, much like a ritualist.

[BrotherGrimm]

Some of you guys have obviously never been to southern Kessex Peak area when you didn't have "The Villainy of Galrath" active....

I'm not saying Verata couldn't be related to the minion change, but the lore CAN be deeper than the encounter near Yak's Bend. The fact that there is not a direct quest involved in this lore is either an oversight, or something that is yet to be "finalized" in GW and may yet to be a part of GW Beyond (?).

[Guildoholic]

Some of you guys have obviously never been to southern Kessex Peak area when you didn't have "The Villainy of Galrath" active....

I'm not saying Verata couldn't be related to the minion change, but the lore CAN be deeper than the encounter near Yak's Bend. The fact that there is not a direct quest involved in this lore is either an oversight, or something that is yet to be "finalized" in GW and may yet to be a part of GW Beyond (?).

I have an overwhelming amount of doubt that it will be mentioned in GW:Beyond, it's been 6 (almost 7), years since GW:P was released and the yak's bend quest was there on release day. If Anet plans on doing some finalizing/closure/GW2 bridge building, it would mean that someone must have at least had an eye on this thread and done some talking to the right people .

(Btw, sorry if it sounds a little too cynical. I'm a cynical person .)

[mrmango]

I agree Guildoholic, that end probably won't be tied although the GW2 team said in some interview that the wizard tower gets moved and has some later significance in GW2..

I think the Vereta research could in all effects cause the improvement in magic. The from ashes model to conjure minions "from thin air" might also work.

For Death Shroud I think there are big questions, might be answered in later lore interviews?

[CHIPS]

Necromancers build minions from organic materials. They can collect corpses and move them from place to place in a meat wagon.

http://classic.battle.net/war3/undea...eatwagon.shtml