Please Help Choose Main Class...

hello i recently have been active on guild wars after quitting a few years ago. So i picked up Eotn and nightfall, and first of all like to say how wonderful Eotn is and how god awful nightfall story is so far up till few towns ahead of kamadan, nightfall story so bad and boring that i actually do not care at all or even know whats going on most of the time.

So anyways my critique aside i only have used few classes and recreated god knows how many times and I find myself looking for a new class to make and use as a main to get all my HoM/steam roll through PvE,etc.

I have tried out the new class paragon and have to say i find it extremely boring and feel like it is half-ass'ed or "rushed" by arena net. I always like spears and hand to hand in games but this is a low blow for me...i even got past the half assed armors for the class ( yes compared to all other class in guild wars i feel this class just wasn't thought out much, heck even the helmet feels random)

so I now want to ask:

1) which class is the best for rushing through PvE NM/HM with only 2-3 clan mates and heroes.

2) i want one that can do runs or help with runs

3) and not be crappy for PvP also.

My main class was always a necromancer and after playing it for so long im getting a bit bored specially after the minion nerf.

so i was thinking of:
mesmer/assasin/dervish

what do you guys think? asassin and dervish i understand are both good runners, and i am happy to hear mesmer got buffed in PvE it was always a interesting class.

P.S- keep in mind i only have 3 clan mates who i know personally who are playing now with me so I won't have huge amount of help outside of our group and heroes/npc.

Read some of the recent threads, people ask the same thing all the time.

All your three choices are the most viable. Those 3 have gotten the most love in the past by Anet, but if I had to say pick, I'd say mes or derv. Which is kind of ironic, since I'm getting my second GWAMM on my ssin atm xD

Anyway:
Mesmer has quite some viable options, you can go caster hate, melee hate, heavy interrupt, heavy damage nuker... It's possibilities are quite extended, and they are frequently used in high-end PvE (if you had ever had interests in getting involved in such, because some people still think it's blasphemy and think we should play the game their way).

Dervish has gotten a lot of love lately, and has become quite powerful melee character that can roll through pretty much everything and not receive a single scratch. They are so retardedly overpowered atm that any conventionally good melee class (i.e. warrior) looks weak and retarded compared to the derv now..
One major downside to derv is: you HAVE to start in NF, which is one of the most painful things this game has to offer. Since you already expressed your hate towards NF campaign, I think our feelings are similar, in such a way that NF campaign is horribly boring and dull. Factions isn't a lot better, but at least you roll through it pretty fast, and it's still somewhat fun. Alternative would be starting in Proph, but that goes a lot slower, and you don't have acces to the more powerful skills so fast..

I'd still go mesmer if I were you..

my 2cents..

Edit: scrap that... was assuming you mainly play non-elite area NM, since you haven't played in a while. Bad tips are bad, so I'll put them in the trash where they belong.

@the above, only thing you forgot to mention is that elementalists deal absolutely no damage anymore, they got nerfed pretty hard due to insane armor ratings and scatter.. Nuking is done by mesmers and necro's nowadays.. Mostly mesmers though. Only thing eles can play in PvE atm is prot bitch that prot bonds the entire team and spams Burnign speed like crap for energy...

quoted for truth, mesmer's and necros deals the direct dmg (armor ignoring dmg). Examples are:

Mesmers: Mistrust, Energy Surge,Energy Burn, Unnatural Signet, Shatter Enchantment
Necromancers: Spite Spirit, Putrid Bile, Spoil Victor

Elementalist is in my opinion are really bad in hard mode. To tell the truth, If I can avoid it, I rather invite necros/mesmers over elementalist in party groups if i can. The fact is elementalist deals low dmg vs the high armor against elements foes in hard mode.

Only thing Elementalist are good for, it's their E/Mo prot build.

http://www.gwpvx.com/Build:E/Mo_ER_Infuse_Bonder

^. just an example of how the build looks like.

thank you very much guys i appreciate the input.

One last question, can dervish solo and run around PvE areas as much as warrior or assassin? And if so whats the best sub class for solo/runs/etc for pve?

extremely grateful for all the input.

Ritualist is pretty great. Quality pewpew in almost every scenario. You can heal or prot, too.