Any tips for a necromancer ?

[Aradhor]

Hi

Currently doing a game with a necromancer (Fane) in my team. I'm just looking for tips, one in particular : is it better to go int or str ? It look like STR is better, but I'm not 100% sure about that

thanks

[Fendelphi]

Intelligence!
Strength does nothing for you, as all your skills scale with Intelligence.

[PhilkIced]

Depends on what kind of necromancer you aim for.
You can go str with 2h weapons, going full damage and using necromancy for the passive lifesteal and utility spells that don't require int like blinding cloud and shackles of pain. This build works wonders, especially with Living Armor so that your lifesteal will also give you armor.

But if you are looking for the standard "Undead Raiser" necromancer, go int for sure.

[Robert Zerker]

Originally posted by Fendelphi:

Intelligence!
Strength does nothing for you, as all your skills scale with Intelligence.

Actually, afaik :

Most of the Necromancer's damaging spells do scale with Intelligence (Decaying Tough, Mosquito Swarm, Infect, Grasp of the starved)

BUT

As those spells deal PHYSICAL damage, they also benefit from Strength. Another way to increase this damage could be investing in Warfare.

both attributes works towards increasing damage of those spells
(+1 in strength = +5% ; +1 in intelligence = +5%)

Also, most of the necromancer's utility spells (which don't directly deal damage) don't scale at all with any attributes.


Which attribute is better for you depends on what you are pairing Necro with.

(Edit : see post #11)

[Capt_Lycanthro]

Depends on you're build

I enjoy a Warfare/Necro tank build (commonly refered to as a Deathknight) which I do a 3/2 ratio STR/CON ratio. Necro is a great tanking secondary tree because of the healing return on damage healing and because Raining Blood and Sucker can be comboed for healing, Bone Cage and Living Armor (talent) provide armor restoration, Shackles of Pain comboed with Guardian Angel and/or Provoke (Warfare) provide damage redirection, and Death Wish, Last Rites, Living on the Edge provides some last tank standing madness. And none of those skills scale on INT.

[Fendelphi]

Originally posted by Psyclown:

Originally posted by Fendelphi:

Intelligence!
Strength does nothing for you, as all your skills scale with Intelligence.

Actually, afaik :

Most of the Necromancer's damaging spells do scale with Intelligence (Decaying Tough, Mosquito Swarm, Infect, Grasp of the starved)

BUT

As those spells deal PHYSICAL damage, they also benefit from Strength. Another way to increase this damage could be investing in Warfare.

Both attributes works towards increasing damage of those spells
(+1 in strength = +5% ; +1 in intelligence = +5%)

Also, most of the necromancer's utility spells (which don't directly deal damage) don't scale at all with any attributes.


Which attribute is better for you depends on what you are pairing Necro with.

No, because strength does not increase physical damage per se. Strength increases the damage of weapons and skills that scale with Strength(like 2-handed axes, swords etc. 1-handed swords, axes etc.).

Warfare increases all physical damage(like Necromancy skills, Scoundrel- and Huntsman skills and warfare skills that uses physical damage weapons, as mentioned above).

[Fendelphi]

Originally posted by Lycanthro1433:

Depends on you're build

I enjoy a Warfare/Necro tank build (commonly refered to as a Deathknight) which I do a 3/2 ratio STR/CON ratio. Necro is a great tanking secondary tree because of the healing return on damage healing and because Raining Blood and Sucker can be comboed for healing, Bone Cage and Living Armor (talent) provide armor restoration, Shackles of Pain comboed with Guardian Angel and/or Provoke (Warfare) provide damage redirection, and Death Wish, Last Rites, Living on the Edge provides some last tank standing madness. And none of those skills scale on INT.

True, but if you intend to play as a caster, Intelligence is the way to go.
For a deathknight using a strength based weapon, sure, go for strength.

[Hobocop]

Don't pump Strength expecting it to directly boost Necromancer spells, because you'll be disappointed. It's more of a utility-focused tree with the few direct damage spells in it scaling off Int. Strength or Finesse happens to work fine since you can just hit them with your weapon to break physical armor so the debuffs can land.

[Pyromus]

Originally posted by Psyclown:

...


BUT

As those spells deal PHYSICAL damage, they also benefit from Strength. Another way to increase this damage could be investing in Warfare.

Both attributes works towards increasing damage of those spells
(+1 in strength = +5% ; +1 in intelligence = +5%)

Also, most of the necromancer's utility spells (which don't directly deal damage) don't scale at all with any attributes.


Which attribute is better for you depends on what you are pairing Necro with.

You are thinking warfare, NOT strength. Warfare will pump up the damage from necromancy skills becuase they deal physical damage. Strength will do nothing at all for necro skills.

The only reasons to use strength on a necromancer would be:
-If you only use necro for the passive heal and you're actually playing more like a fighter/knight
-Armor requirements
-If you focus mainly on melee weapons for damage, then use necro skills for the status effects after you've removed armor (not reccomended)

[Pyromus]

As for suggestions in general, combining necro skillbooks with fire or geo make for good aoe and single target attacks respectively, and combining source skillbooks with hydro and necro will give you a great nuke. Which is based on intelligence for damage scaling and will benefit from warfare.

[no0ne]

Int (max out) + Necro (lvl 3) + Warfare (max out) (it increases ALL phys dmg) + Hydro (lvl 3). Combine Hydro and Necro books (at least one must be Source) to create MOST OP SPELL in game. Also take Savage Sortilage (crits from spells) and Elemental Affinity (reduce AP cost of element you stand on, for Necro it is blood). That's all you need.

[Robert Zerker]

Originally posted by Psyclown:

(...)As those spells deal PHYSICAL damage, they also benefit from Strength. (...)

Originally posted by davemytnick33:

You are thinking warfare, NOT strength. Warfare will pump up the damage from necromancy skills becuase they deal physical damage. Strength will do nothing at all for necro skills.

Originally posted by Fendelphi:

No, because strength does not increase physical damage per se. Strength increases the damage of weapons and skills that scale with Strength(like 2-handed axes, swords etc. 1-handed swords, axes etc.).

Warfare increases all physical damage(like Necromancy skills, Scoundrel- and Huntsman skills and warfare skills that uses physical damage weapons, as mentioned above).

Woops, my bad. I was thinking about the 'inquisitor' premade class and I did mix things up. MY mistake, I will edit my 1st post.

[Aradhor]

Originally posted by no0ne:

Int (max out) + Necro (lvl 3) + Warfare (max out) (it increases ALL phys dmg) + Hydro (lvl 3). Combine Hydro and Necro books (at least one must be Source) to create MOST OP SPELL in game. Also take Savage Sortilage (crits from spells) and Elemental Affinity (reduce AP cost of element you stand on, for Necro it is blood). That's all you need.

Are raining blood and bloodstrom THAT powerful ?

[Pyromus]

Originally posted by Aradhor:

Originally posted by no0ne:

Int (max out) + Necro (lvl 3) + Warfare (max out) (it increases ALL phys dmg) + Hydro (lvl 3). Combine Hydro and Necro books (at least one must be Source) to create MOST OP SPELL in game. Also take Savage Sortilage (crits from spells) and Elemental Affinity (reduce AP cost of element you stand on, for Necro it is blood). That's all you need.

Are raining blood and bloodstrom THAT powerful ?

Raining blood just causes bleeding and creates a blood surface. Bloodstorm is an overpowered beast. Works best when enemies are right on top of each other, because the hits can deal an aoe damage splash in a very small area.

[Halser, the]

Originally posted by Aradhor:

Originally posted by no0ne:

Int (max out) + Necro (lvl 3) + Warfare (max out) (it increases ALL phys dmg) + Hydro (lvl 3). Combine Hydro and Necro books (at least one must be Source) to create MOST OP SPELL in game. Also take Savage Sortilage (crits from spells) and Elemental Affinity (reduce AP cost of element you stand on, for Necro it is blood). That's all you need.

Are raining blood and bloodstrom THAT powerful ?

Blood Storm is just a highly damaging skill, but it combines extremely well with Grasp of the Starved.

be an elf or use elf shapeshifting.
flesh sacrifice, +1 AP and blood surface under your character(-1AP from Elemental Affinity)
Apotheosis.
Adrenaline.
Blood Storm. Hits everyone in an absurd area for absurd damage, leaves blood pools under every enemy hit.
Grasp of the Starved. Deals massive damage to targets on blood surfaces.

You're most likely going to proc Executioner now, +2AP.

Skin Graft.
Adrenaline.
Flesh Sacrifice.
Blood Storm.
Grasp of the Starved.

Nothing survives this.

[Aradhor]

Originally posted by Halser, the:

Originally posted by Aradhor:

Are raining blood and bloodstrom THAT powerful ?

Blood Storm is just a highly damaging skill, but it combines extremely well with Grasp of the Starved.

be an elf or use elf shapeshifting.
flesh sacrifice, +1 AP and blood surface under your character(-1AP from Elemental Affinity)
Apotheosis.
Adrenaline.
Blood Storm. Hits everyone in an absurd area for absurd damage, leaves blood pools under every enemy hit.
Grasp of the Starved. Deals massive damage to targets on blood surfaces.

You're most likely going to proc Executioner now, +2AP.

Skin Graft.
Adrenaline.
Flesh Sacrifice.
Blood Storm.
Grasp of the Starved.

Nothing survives this.

Well, it look op like that. I'm not sure i'm going to do that tho, I don't want to win the fight with that kind of easy tactics.

Anyway, I still don't know If I should good int and use the spell or STR (and warfare) for the regeneration. Int look like the better choice and I got two other physical dealer, so it should be good maybe