Game:

Guild Wars 2 (2012)

Duration: 7:50

1,959 views

8

Here's a video of a Reaper build utilizing Spite, Soul Reaping, and Reaper. My previous video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZIj0prE5MM) used Blood Magic for ZvZ reduced cd wells support. But I felt it was lacking a bit of pop that I'm used to as a power necro. So I swapped out Blood Magic for Spite and gave it a test run.

I can't believe how much I missed Spite. I mean it's understandable as Spite offers so much for a power necro. Build and gear setup is shown at the end of the video. Obviously some of the stuff such as gem choices are weird, but I just used whatever beta box provided. When Reaper goes live I'll be using Pack Runes instead, it'll be without a doubt the best runes to use for this build. Also Soul Reaping is in my opinion a must for Reaper builds. Vid is raw, shows you mistakes, deaths, and most of all *potential* to this elite spec.

Pros:

-We all know about Spite, it offers good might stacking, might stacking triggers lifeforce/hp regen due to Blighter's Boon. And the extra pop comes from Close to Death & Chill of Death traits. It made a big difference when I compared both videos and watched the numbers. Also Bitter Chill & Death's Embrace apply vuln, they have good synergy with Decimate Defenses to help with crit.

-This build still makes you a good wellmancer, double wells loaded to help your raid in ZvZ for big well bombs. Staff equipped for ranged hazing. You have just as much power as a meta wellmancer, and just as much ferocity as well. I used Valk jewelry because full Zerker just did not provide enough lifeforce pool. Playing more up close & personal requires a larger lifeforce pool.

-Reaper offers so much mobility to an extremely immobile class. Classes used to kite you will be surprised at how fast you close in, especially with Relentless Pursuit trait which reduces duration of movement impairment effects.

-Sustain is surprisingly good with this build, I thought without Blood Magic I might miss the siphon heals. But thanks to Spite offering so much might stacking, and Blighter's Boon trait, when you're in Reaper Shroud it just keeps healing you as you gain boons. If you equip Pack Runes, I expect this to be even better as you give yourself Fury, Swiftness, and more Might.

-Decimate Defenses help you cover for the lower crit chance. For best synergy take Unyielding Blast trait for this. I didn't in the video because Speed of Shadows allows me to get back into Reaper Shroud faster. But you can easily hit 100% crit chance while in Reaper Shroud, especially if you use Pack Runes (which I will be when Reaper goes live).

-More access to stability! RS 3 (Infusing Terror) gives you pulsing stability, I found myself using it for stab more than I've used it for aoe fear. We now have a way to stomp without the need to pop Plague.

-Executioner's Scythe trucks very hard. It reminds me of Focus 5, it does have long cast time so it's easily avoided especially once people get used to Reaper animation. But when it hits, you can setup nice finishing moves with it.

-Soul Spiral is still the highlight of Reaper Shroud (along with Death's Charge). Great aoe damage and whirl finisher.

Cons:

-Without Blood Magic, you lose the reduced wells cooldown, and you no longer provide vamp aura to your raid. Make sure your guild comps are ok with that, because some guilds slot a certain number of necros for vamp aura and faster recharge wells.

-You lose out on 1200 range Life Blast, which necros are used to use to pierce & cleave in between well bombs. Also lifetransfer was always a nice aoe without line of sight requirements. It took me awhile to get used to not having access to these.

-Greatsword is bad in its current iteration, don't use it until Anet fixes it. You can't hit people with GS reliably, LF regen is terrible with it, and for how slow it is, you don't actually hit very hard. GS 5 pull was what I was looking forward to, but it does not work 90% of the time.

Comments:

Reapers have made the necromancer class so much more fun and interactive to play. I never knew it was possible, but they've done it, thank you Robert Gee. Just have to know your strength & weaknesses. Now they just have to fix GS and Shouts, with a few tweaks here and there, and we'll be all set. The worst part about having beta tested Reaper is that I find it lackluster & slow playing regular necro now.

Taking Death Magic instead will allow you to tank up and hang with frontline more.
Taking Curses will help you with 1v1 via high single target weakness uptime and plague sending.
Taking BM will help your raid with vamp aura, reduced wells cd, and siphon for sustain.

Music used:
Track 1: Skirt Shaker by Jens Kiilstofte
https://machinimasound.com/music/skirt-shaker
Track 2 & 3: Youtube free audio library
Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

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