3-Necro HM Build

This is a three-hero team build which I've used to complete much of Hard Mode - namely Guardian, Vanquishing (including 4-man), and dungeons. Small variations are needed for each area, but the three basic templates are resilient and versatile enough to tackle most zones.

As the player, I recommend bringing some sort of damage. If you happen to play a build that overlaps with any of the heroes, then consider switching out that hero for a damage-dealer. I'll leave it to you to make a bar for that.

Hard mode is generally completable with a two-monk backline (the N/Rt Resto counting as a Monk). For unfamiliar or more difficult zones, you can sacrifice an offensive character for a third Monk. Fill up the rest of the henchmen slots with Warriors and Eles.

If you're playing with a friend, I suggest he/she bring some physicals to take advantage of Barbs/Splinter. Paragons are ideal, and a Broad Head Ranger is excellent for caster shutdown. I don't have a 6-hero build planned out, so again I leave it up to you to make those bars.


I'll be maintaining this thread and updating it from time to time. Feel free to ask questions here or PM me ingame (not on Guru because my inbox is full).

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8-man version

N/Rt Curses
[build prof=N/Rt sou=8+1 cur=12+1+1 cha=10 res=2][Spiteful Spirit][Enfeebling Blood][Barbs][Rip Enchantment][Defile Defenses][Splinter Weapon][Signet of Lost Souls][Death Pact Signet][/build]

Insignias: Tormenter's or Survivor's on all.

Equipment: 20/20 Curses wand, 20/20 Curses offhand.

The SS Necro is a toolbox character, with strong physical support, AoE debuffs and a decent hard res.

If you don't mind a bit of micro, consider bringing Rigor Mortis instead of Defile Defenses. It's best to keep Rigor and the enchantment removal disabled so it's available when you need it (otherwise the heroes will use it on random targets). Mark of Pain, Insidious Parasite or Reckless Haste is also a good option for this slot.

Rip is interchangeable with Rend Enchantments.

Barbs enables the melee henchmen and minions to blow up targets. Heroes tend to use Barbs almost on recharge, so ping key targets, especially if you're playing a physical yourself.

Don't forget the bar isn't secondary-specific. For Frostmaw's Burrows, for example, I used N/Me with Inspired/Revealed Hex to deal with Wurm Bile, and slotted Splinter on the Resto healer.

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N/Rt Healer
[build prof=N/Rt sou=12+1+1 res=12][Weapon of Remedy][Weapon of Warding][Mend Body and Soul][Spirit Light][Protective Was Kaolai][Life][Foul Feast][Death Pact Signet][/build]

Insignias: Tormenter's or Survivor's on all.

Equipment: 20/20 Resto wand, 20/20 Resto offhand.

Standard N/Rt Resto Healer, combining powerful bars-go-up with strong party healing, and the option to function as a hybrid heal/support character.

I sometimes replace WoR or Foul Feast with a second copy of Splinter (i.e. one here and one on the SS). On occasions where the hench Monks are adequate and I don't need a third healer, I run a Motigon or a Cruel Spear Paragon in place of this character.

Be sure not to overlap Foul Feast with the MM if you're running the second MM build.

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N/Mo Jagged Bomber, Main Build
[build prof=N/Mo death=12+1+3 sou=9+1 pro=9][Jagged Bones][Animate Shambling Horror][Animate Bone Fiend][Putrid Bile][Death Nova][Protective Spirit][Aegis][Signet of Lost Souls][/build]
Variant:
[build prof=N/Mo death=12+1+3 sou=9+1 hea=9][Jagged Bones][Animate Bone Minions][Death Nova][Putrid Bile][Infuse Condition][Foul Feast][Dwayna's Sorrow][Signet of Lost Souls][/build]

Insignias: Bloodstained on hands, Tormentor's, Minion Master's or Survivors on the rest.

Equipment: 40% HCT, 20% longer enchanting Death staff.

The Jagged Bomber turns a constant stream of dying minions into energy for all three Necros.

The minions double as defensive wall, drawing damage away from party members. Shambling + Fiends can tank and do more damage, while Bone Minions are better to bomb with Death Nova. Play with both and decide which summons you prefer.

If you're not running Save Yourselves!, a user-controlled Protective Spirit is the best thing you can bring to Hard Mode as it saves you from big damage. Ideally you want to keep Prot Spirit disabled and micro it only when it's needed, but the hero tends to have enough energy you can let him run wild with it. The hero will not use Prot Spirit on minions unless all party members are at full health.

I typically find hex removal to be useless on heroes for a couple of reasons, the main reason being that hexes in PvE are generally non-threatening. While there are zones with dangerous hexes, heroes cannot prioritize removing those over junk hexes. However, if you do need hex removal, this character is where you'd slot them in.

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For 4-Man areas, ideally you should bring a source of Daze, as this will help take down enemy Monks in a fraction of the time. Knockdowns and hex shutdown can also fill in this role. Else, bring damage, or if you're a healer, replace the N/Rt with damage-dealer of your choice.

4-Man version

[build prof=N/Rt sou=10+1 cur=12+1+1 res=8][Spiteful Spirit][Insidious Parasite][Enfeeble][Barbs][Rip Enchantment][Weapon of Warding][Signet of Lost Souls][Death Pact Signet][/build]
[build prof=N/Rt sou=12+1+1 res=12][Reaper's Mark][Weapon of Warding][Mend Body and Soul][Spirit Light][Blind was Mingson][Life][Signet of Lost Souls][Death Pact Signet][/build]
[build prof=N/Mo death=12+1+3 sou=9+1 hea=9][Jagged Bones][Animate Shambling Horror][Animate Bone Fiend][Death Nova][Patient Spirit][Dwayna's Sorrow][Cure Hex][Signet of Lost Souls][/build]

I'd prefer Defile Defenses over Rigor Mortis on the SS

This is awesome, just awesome.

A bit different from the older version I use. I'll try this new one, thanks

I run Sabway with a friend and as he runs the original builds i try some little variants and adaptation depending on the area we're doing.

-On my MM i swap [jagged bones] for [discord]. Olias seems to love spamming it.

- I also use the [reckless haste][price of failure] combo on MoW who is the SS necro. He also run with [Icy veins] instead of [spiteful spirit]

Since this gives us a total of 18 minions i [pain inverter] is a staple on my bar. Ele boss in HM just goes POUF!!!

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I will be sure to try out your new builds Sab. Also, a suggestion for a 3rd hero if your a necro and run one of the builds.

[build prof=Rt spawning=6 cha=12+1+2 res=11+1][Bloodsong][Ancestor's Rage][Essence Strike][Spirit Burn][Spirit Rift][Mend Body and Soul][Offering of Spirit][Death Pact Signet][/build]

Insignias: Radiant on all.

Runes: 1 Recovery, 1 Attunement, 1 Vigor *I'm using Minor, but doesn't really matter*, 1 other *minor Spawning power or attunement is best*, 1 Major Channeling, 1 Minor Restoration.

Equipment: Insightful Channeling Staff of Mastery, +5 energy^50% inscription.

Razah seems to work very well with the build, and it helps healers a tad with conditions and allows a good amount of damage that goes past blocking, and even the elites like [Obsidian Flesh] and [Spell Breaker]. The [Essence Strike] and [Offering of Spirit] skills are only there for energy management, so those can be replaced if need be.

Razah doesn't seem to use [Offering of Spirit] when there isn't a spirit as well so he shouldn't be losing health. Also, this build provides an extra spirit for the healer with its use of [Mend Body and Soul] and [Spirit Light].

Just a thoughtful suggestion for adding to the selection. That's at least the hero I usually take with my necromancer when running Sabway.

Edit: Added runes and weapon info on what I use, I'm sure there is better stuff out there to use though.

yay for a clean thread! these look good, as usual. but you messed up the template for the MM variant. im assuming you want healing, not protection.

Hehe, pressured into a new thread eh?

I usually keep Reckless rather than Rigor Mortis on the SS, take the MM with Dwayna's but with Blood of the Master rather than Putrid Bile and then the N/Rt is usually quite variable. Im currently messing around with spirit rits and Ether renewal rodgort spammers, but I might go back to the signet mes at some point, i love that build.

for the Jagged Bomber variant it says 9 prot prayers but is has to be 9 healing for Dwayna's Sorrow

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