ME/N or N/ME that is the question!

Hey guys. ( I play mostly PVE )

I'm a noob, I started playing right away with a N/ME, mostly focusing on Hex/Curse and a little blood magic. My question I guess is what would be the main difference if I switched instead to ME/N. The soul reaping ability doesnt really have a "Large" factor in what I play, but I've heard from other players that fastcasting loses its advantage in the long run. Is this true? Not to get long winded but what are the +/- of N/ME or ME/NE. I feel as if I am a Mesmer at heart even if its not my 1st profession...I dont want to lose ME. Again, I like the combination with the Hex/Curse, but I just want opinions on both combos N/ME, ME/N. Thanks guys!

Fast Casting along with Critical Strikes are the two classes that have diminishing returns the higher you put more into the skill. (All other classes have a fixed gain)

Fast Casting at 16 goes just over halving the cast time of all your spells. But here's a link you can look at: http://gw.gamewikis.org/wiki/Fast_Casting

PvE wise, Mesmer is probably the least fun class to play, no matter what my collegues say. It's hard to get into groups and farming wise there are much better classes. It does, however, teach you a little bit about PvP with a Mesmer, but since you play PvE that's a non-issue. Soul Reaping for PvE is absolutely great, with things dying everywhere. Go N/Me.

N/Me def. for PvE. It allows you to learn Me skills and their uses on a very highly sought after prof in PvE- N. Necros own PvE, it's the absolute easiest thing to play and with minions you can solo just about anything. What you can't roll over with minions, you will with SS. Orders, Wells, Taint, etc... Quite a few wonderful and widely accepted builds you can play. Me- heh, good luck finding a group. Best bet is FC Ele, which isnt even a Me anyways... N >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Me - PvE.

Its actually easy to get into a group if its guildies or friends.

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Hmmm....Necromancer is probably better mechanics-wise for PvE, but I think that one's character's appearance should be a factor.

Speaking personally, I've gone Me/Ne Illusion/Curses (my second mes!) simply because of the visual appearance. For me, it's a choice between gaunt/moody versus elegant/decadent. This is of course a value judgement.

Something to note is that if you're going necro for curses then, depending on your build (i.e. this doesn't apply to spiteful spirit!), things will be dying around you less often than if you had gone Death (i.e. MM), and to a lesser extent Blood, so the value of soul-reaping may be less if your intention with curses is to debuff.

However, fast casting provides the most visible benefit when you're using spells with long casting times and can help to avoid interrupts. OTOH, there are mesmer stances such as mantras of resolve and concentration that can prevent some degree of interruption (at a cost of course).

You also need to consider which skills you'll be using primarily - will they be necro skills or mesmer skills....as the fact that one can only use runes relating to one's primary profession is a relevant consideration too.

If, however, you are mostly using curses and blood, it seems to me that you've answered your own question - necro would be better stats-wise.

FWIW, my mes/ne uses a large number of the mes degen skills from the illusion line + ineptitude, clumsiness etc., and uses curses more as a backup.

Remember also that you can change your secondary, but not your primary...so which of the two skill sets will you want to have potentially available ALL of the time?

Thanks for the suggestions guys!

I just find fast casting (again im a noob), mixed with the long casting time of the necros ability a great combination. Stacking hexes very quickly or spreading them around to different characters... I almost feel as if I kill things faster as a ME/N then I did as a N/ME. Maybe its because I've gotten over the slight learning curve. I simply am using my character as a Hexer/Anti (attack/spell). I like the abilites where opponents have draw backs if they attack or cast a spell. It does bother me just a bit though, that I might have a harder time getting into groups... but if thats the price I have to pay just to be something different oh well.

I think the biggest drawback I have found or that I dont like particulary, with ME/Necro as opposed to the reverse Necro/Mes, is having to know in advance, what I think im going to go up against. Is there going to be more melee, or casting....buffs? Monks? etc. I like the ability to be flexible and handle anything that is thrown out or that I come across and for that reason I like my Necro/Mes build. I'm still on the fence though, I keep going back and forth

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