[36] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Necromancer: Conditionmancy For Team Play |Dungeon, WvWvW, PVE

By: Soul Step (Updated 7/17/2012)

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This is kind of a rework of my [8] Dirty AOE build as it uses the same weapon set and trait point distribution. However, I changed most of the utility and healing skills as some of traits were geared towards to in work in tandem with the new set of skills.

"One aspect I loved about the Necromancer profession that carried over from Guild Wars 1, is the ability to apply conditions (debuffs) on enemies and spread them. It's like another way to deal damage aside from a direct damage route. This build is solely for that purpose, apply and stack conditions to multiple foes." This is what I have said when I created that build and this new build still holds to that idea. Additionally this is an optimal build for team play environment and settings.

Weapon Set:
Primary - Scepter/Dagger
Secondary - Staff

Healing, Utility, and Elite Skills:
Healing:
(6) Consume Conditions - This skills works in synergy with Epidemic and Plague Signet.

Utility: 
(7) Epidemic - one of my favorite skills in Guild Wars 1. This one is all about spreading the love haha. Epidemic is essential when it comes to condition spiking mobs or opponents. Also ensures that no enemy is left clean. 

(8) Signet of Spite - passive improves Power and your activating applies a lot of conditions.


(9) Plague Signet - passive acts as a team utility skill which can be used with Consume Conditions or activate it and use it on your enemy. 

Elite:
(0) Plague - This is perfect for the build. Condition spiking FTW!


Traits: Build output 20/30/0/20/0 build, concentrating on Curses, Spite and Blood Magic.
Spite:

(IV) Signet Mastery - reduces the cooldown on your Signet skills.


(VII) Spiteful Marks - this is to synergize with your Mark skills from the Staff weapon set

Curses:
(II) Hemophilia - scepter/dagger easily provides bleeding stacks and this will only increase the pressure on the enemies.

(VII) Master of Corruption - for Epidemic mainly as to have readily available to use.

(XI) Lingering Curse - makes your bleeding and cripple condition last longer.

Blood Magic:

(III) Mark of Evasion - provides another way to leave a Mark.

(X) Quickening Thirst - perfect for constantly moving around with your team and evading easier.

This build is most effective against a group of enemies. In dungeons, this is useful in applying pressure to mobs you'll encounter. In WvWvW it's very useful in more active group battles going on in the map. 

You are mostly using Epedemic to spread the conditions to all nearby enemies. Combine Signet of Spite and Plague Signet with Epidemic to for condition spiking. Also keep an eye on conditions spammed by your allies. Plague Signet's passive and Consume Conditions will work wonders for healing yourself when your team is being condition spiked or pressured.

[12] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Elementalist - Aquarobics Bending - Staff (Healing/Support) | PVE

By : Soul Step (Last Updated 7/3/2012)

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Healing? What's that? Such thing doesn't exist in Guild Wars 2 right? Well it does, but there is no such thing as a pure healer. Healing in Guild Wars 2 is used by every profession, however the Elementalist using the staff can provide a little more HP replenish oomph.

Weapon Set:
Primary: Staff

Healing, Utility, and Elite Skills:
Healing:
(6) Glyph of Elemental Harmony - This fits obviously for a glyph oriented build and the boons are a plus.

Utility: This build utilizes Inscription, so the skills chosen are Glyph heavy.
Playing solo:
(7)  Glyph of Lesser Elemental - some extra help if needed

(8) Glyph of Storms - Extra damage 

Playing with a group, fighting map bosses and in dungeons: 

(7) Glyph of Renewal - reviving allies can turn the tide of the battle and this skill can make it easier especially when you're in the heat of the battle.

(8) Glyph of Elemental Power - this is a great utility skill in group settings as helps in condition stacking.

Both:
(9) Mist Form - Your survival skill and used most of the time to escape battles. Also it fits the theme of the build :)

Elite:
(0) Glyph of Elementals - Emphasizing in support, the added help the Elementals brings is a great choice.

Traits: This build focuses on a 0/20/0/30/20; 20 points into Air, 30 points into Water and 20 points into Arcane Power. The traits in Air synergize well with your healing power and giving it a boost. Water is a powerful support and survivability trait line. And Arcane Power strengthens your overall support role.
Air:
(V) Soothing Winds - This is the trait that can provide the extra oomph for your healing.

(VIII) Inscription - This build utilizes this trait and as support, boon giving is always appreciated.

Water:
(I) Cleansing Water - with the healing emphasis in mind, the addition of removing a condition in the process is worth taking this trait.

(VII) Aquamancer's Alacrity - Water skill is your heal/support bread and butter so of course you'd want the cool downs to be short as possible.

 (XII) Powerful Auras - This is a must for group settings and playing support. Just another layer of helping out and getting the job done.

Arcane Power:
(V) Elemental Attunement - The best gift is the gift of giving. Your allies will love you for this.

(VIII) Blasting Staff - Since you're using the staff, this will help you greatly in battles as you can cover more ground with your AOE's.

[8] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Necromancer: Scepter/Dagger - Staff, Dirty AOE for sPVP | WvWvW | PVE

By: Soul Step 

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One aspect I loved about the Necromancer profession that carried over from Guild Wars 1, is the ability to apply conditions (debuffs) on enemies and spread them. It's like another way to deal damage aside from a direct damage route. This build is solely for that purpose, apply and stack conditions to multiple foes. You will be using Scepter/Dagger skills along with the Marks from the Staff set and Wells and Corruptions from your utility skills to get the job done.

Healing, Utility, and Elite Skills:
Healing: (6) Well of Blood - I chose this because it fits the AOE theme of the build and works in conjunction with Ritual Mastery.

Utility: You'll be using 2 Corruption skills and a Well skill

(7) Corrupt Boon 

A very handy and useful skill. There are enemies who apply a number of boons on themselves and using this will take that advantage and turn it against them. In PVP, I like to use this on boon heavy players (*cough cough* Guardians).

(8) Epidemic

One of my favorite skills in Guild Wars 1. This one is all about spreading the love haha. Epidemic is essential when it comes to condition spiking mobs or opponents. Also ensures that no enemy is left clean. One of my favorite quick condition spike combo is using Corrupt Boon on a target followed by Epidemic.

(9) Well of Power

This is your other support/survival skill. With GW2 being a condition heavy game, it's good to have a skill that can negate them and give you buffs for a short time.

Elite:
(0) Plague

This is perfect for the build. Condition spiking FTW!


Traits: This is a 20/30/0/20/0 build, concentrating on Curses, Spite and Blood Magic.

Spite:

This is to synergize with your Mark skills from the Staff weapon set:

I believe the increased damage is applied to the damage per tick of the condition.

Your other chosen trait is Chill of Death as it will grant you a free cast of Spinal Shivers to a low health enemy.

This is very convenient, especially in PVP because when a player is low on health, they'll start to apply regeneration, defensive boons and Spinal Shivers will negate that.

Curses:

This is beneficial for

 from the Scepter/Dagger skill set

 from the Staff skill set

In sPVP and WvWvW I found that the majority of time, I'll be using the Scepter/Dagger longer than the Staff. With that in mind, this trait works really well as your scepter applied conditions have a longer duration.

This is for your 2 Corruption Utility skills. Shorter cooldowns means you can use it more over a period of time and making them more effective.

Blood Magic:

Simply to make the 2 Dagger skills more spammable as they are great AOE condition applying skills with mid-length cooldowns.

Same reason for choosing Dagger Mastery, lower cooldowns for wells FTW!


As you have seen most of your damage is done indirectly through condition application. Stacking conditions to your foes is another form of bringing an enemy down. One damage skill that does benefit from this build is
Feast of Corruption

In an optimal and perfect scenario, the most conditions you can have applied to a foe is about 7 in this build. From experience, I would have about 4-5 applied on average with 6 on occasion when cooldowns synced properly together. That said, it's 32-40% additional damage and with Curses maxed and 2/3 of the Spite line, Feast of Corruption will hit hard, especially when you get a critical hit.

[4] Guild Wars 2 Builds - Elementalist: AOE Jerk - Staff Glass Cannon |WvWvW and PVE

By: Soul Step (Last Updated 7/3/2012) 

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So you want to be a jerk in WvWvW (works for PVE too) by dealing a ton of aoe damage? Then this is the build for you if you're an Elementalist :P

A staff caster in general is great at distant aoe-ing, but when using Power and Precision, you can become a more of a damaging beast.

Healing, Utility, and Elite Skills:
Healing:  (6) Glyph of Elemental Harmony- the boons given will help you survive or add damage (Might) if activated while attuned to Fire Magic.

Utility: This build uses Arcane spells to synergize with Arcane Lightning

(7) Cleansing Fire - Your survival skill. Useful when CC'd hard or have multiple conditions stacked on yourself or caught in between an enemy group. Plus the burning effect works with Fire Magic's Burning Rage (25pts)

(8) Arcane Power - Increased critical damage to your spells? Sure why not!

(9) Arcane Wave - Mostly used when surrounded by enemies and it works well with Cleansing Fire.

Elite:
(0) Tornado - Good for dealing damage, disturpting opponents or use for escaping.

Traits: This build's point distribution is 30/20/0/0/20 with 30 in Fire, 20 in Air and 20 in Arcane Power. A more pure glass cannon will have 30 in both Fire and Air and floating 10 points, but 20 points in Arcane Power provides longer boon durations (for Might and Fury).
Fire Magic:
(VI) Internal Fire - Fire spells will be your main source of attacking as they inflict heavy damage.

(VII) Pyromancer's Alacrity - Same reason as stated above and you would like to use those skills as often possible. This works with Pyromancer's Puissance in building up your Might stacks faster too.


(XII) Pyromancer's Puissance - Might stacking will greatly increase your damage, and with points in Arcane Power, the Might duration may last long enough for you swap elements and use your other attacking spells.

Air Magic:
(VI) Bolt to Heart -  is really good for having the extra burst in damage when killing off a foe


(VII) Arcane Lightning - you'll be getting an extra 6% in critical-hit damage from having Arcane Power and Wave equipped. This makes up a little for having to stick with 20 points in Air.

Arcane Power:
(IV) Final Shielding - a survival trait that's very useful when you're getting focused down.


(VIII) Blasting Staff - Being an AOE damage dealer build, this is a must.

With this build you are able to crush foes at a distance and have some skills to escape or survive when targeted.