Necros are unequivocally better than eles.

[shawn]

Okay, so I have all the caster professions in my stable of characters, but never got around to playing necro until recently due to copious amounts of prodding from several people.. for some strange reason.
But yeah. They're pretty good.

I mean... they're not remotely awesome as thieves are - but really, what class is?
They are, however, better than eles. Let's look at the facts.

• Necros have a reduced falling damage trait. When you land, you create a well of poison. Eles? Nothing of the sort.
• Necros have a skill which gives you swiftness, turns you green, and leaves an ethereal trail behind you.
• Characters don't scream when they cast necro skills, unlike every single cast of Stone Shards ever (earth scepter 1).
• Necros use axes, which means you can use that badass Stygian Reaver skin from HoM.
• You can weapon swap. If you get bored of staff while in combat, haul out the daggers.
• Death Shroud gives a necro two health bars. An ele has one!
• Necros have way more summons, which Alaris has a thing for. That must make them good.
• Fear.
• Necros use axes!!
• So much condition control. Nom your conditions for extra healing, even!
• Lich Form vs Tornado, Lich Form wins.
• Your meteor storm is bad and you should feel bad.
• Necros are less popular than those mainstream eles, so if you're an emogoth hipster then they're right up your alley.
• Axes.

Discuss.

[bearsfwd]

I guess saying they are better comes down to a matter of opinion then. I personally think eles are better than necros.

• Necros have a reduced falling damage trait. When you land, you create a well of poison. Eles? Nothing of the sort.
• Necros have a skill which gives you swiftness, turns you green, and leaves an ethereal trail behind you.
• Characters don't scream when they cast necro skills, unlike every single cast of Stone Shards ever (earth scepter 1).
• Necros use axes, which means you can use that badass Stygian Reaver skin from HoM.
• You can weapon swap. If you get bored of staff while in combat, haul out the daggers.
• Death Shroud gives a necro two health bars. An ele has one!
• Necros have way more summons, which Alaris has a thing for. That must make them good.
• Fear.
• Necros use axes!!
• So much condition control. Nom your conditions for extra healing, even!
• Lich Form vs Tornado, Lich Form wins.
• Your meteor storm is bad and you should feel bad.
• Necros are less popular than those mainstream eles, so if you're an emogoth hipster then they're right up your alley.
• Axes.

• On the flip side, necros don't have a trait that uses a skill on downed. Sure, you can cause fear or do 50% more damage, but an ele can drop a lava font. Sure, doesn't help on ranged enemies, but I've rallied plenty of times due to that lava font.
• Windborne Speed cures chilled, immobilized, and crippled, as well as granting swiftness. Let's not even go into the OTHER ways eles can get swiftness.
• I don't like scepter, so I don't ever hear the so called screaming. You don't get epic saying when changing elements though.
• Meh, cool skin, but there are better.
• Let's see, your 10 weapon skills over our 20...hmmmm...that doesn't even bring into consideration all the healing, utility, and elite skills that change slightly depending upon what element you are attuned to.
• Eles have nothing to compare to death shroud, seeing as death shroud to necros is what attunements are to eles.
• You may have more summons, but they are relative crap. I haven't gotten my necro far enough to trait into minion mastery, so I don't honestly know how good they can become, but the fact that you have to specifically trait them to make them worth anything, in my mind, instantly makes the elementals better.
• The list of conditions that eles have is larger than I feel like typing out. So, I'll just leave it at BURNING!!!
• Conjure flame axe. Not a permanent axe, but you drop one for an ally to use as well as yourself.
• Eles have plenty of conditions, especially depending upon what element they are in. We obviously can't benefit from them in the same way that necros can.
• Awww, if only you could use Lich Form underwater. Tornado turns into Whirlpool.
• Meteor storm bad? In what way? Once the first meteor falls, you can cancel the casting, and it still continues like normal (probably a bug that will get fixed, but hey). On it's own meteor storm isn't anything to brag about, but when combined with the rest of the staff skills, it becomes a beast.
• Hipsters, all of you!
• Flame axe for me and an ally.

[sorudo]

necro's have better ways to survive, eles have better ways to DPS.
one can do something the other can not, i like the necro the most but eles are still fun to play.

[shawn]

I guess saying they are better comes down to a matter of opinion then. I personally think eles are better than necros.

But you don't have a staff that turns into a scythe on every cast. :(

[Hersir]

It is rather satisfying running around as a plague as well. I count my elite as a third lifebar due to the extra Toughness and causing blindness. THAT wirks under water.

It's also helpful to be able to choose range unlike the elementalists not to mention the large hp pool.

[Alaris]

Shawn is trying to pick a fight with Gorani. :popcorn:

Also, I like both classes, but lack enough experience with either to really discuss. And I insist on using that necro minion for my healing slot despite that I know it's a bad choice. And both elementalist summons, no clue if they are worth it. Enough said.

[Смерть]

This thread is cearly a Thief promotion .

...

I have played both Necro and Ele; while I enjoy the Ele more than the Mesmer, Necro is still my most comfortable play style.

[Alaris]

Mesmer is clearly awesome. I really enjoy it how there is a big difference between good and bad play with mesmer, it's a good profession to learn to play. To my surprise, I can also kill stuff pretty fast when I spike properly.

[bearsfwd]

I will be the first to admit though, that while I just argued in favor of the ele, I haven't given the necro a fair shake. My necro is only to about level 12 (I think). I'd gladly revisit this once I have more experience with necros (maybe once there is a lull in new content, I'll use something other than my ele, who is my main)

[Barinthus]

While I do enjoy playing eles and necros I have to admit I like playing necro more - I like how it "feels" and sometimes I need a break from playing eles because I find it mindnumbing occasionally. Perhaps its my personality, after all thief is my fave class.