Armageddon build

It is doubtful that a more capable nuking build exists that is able to complete DOA and UW in NM. Me/E is the only viable method of using meteor shower in PVE. So much knockdown almost completely shuts down whatever you are facing, so you do not need excessive defensive characters.

This build combines the ebon vanguard wisdom and honor wards to improve the output of damage over time (DOT) nukes. Normally, DOT nukes are a poor choice as mobs will scatter, but the large amount of knockdowns here prevent that from happening.



Human player: [you move like a dwarf][Ebon Battle standard of Honor][Ebon battle standard of Wisdom][5 free slots]
Me/E 1:[Psychic Instability][Meteor Shower][Meteor][Bed of Coals][Firestorm][Searing Heat][Fire attunement][Glyph of Lesser Energy] 16 fast casting, 12 fire
Me/E 2:[Psychic Instability][Meteor Shower][Meteor][Bed of Coals][Firestorm][Searing Heat][Fire attunement][Glyph of Lesser Energy] 16 fast casting, 12 fire
Me/E 3:[Stolen speed][Meteor Shower][Meteor][Bed of Coals][Firestorm][Searing Heat][Fire attunement][Glyph of Lesser Energy] 16 fast casting, 12 fire
Smiter 1:[Ray of Judgment][Reversal of Damage][Judge's Intervention][Smite Hex][Smite Condition][Smiter's Boon][Divine Healing][free slot] 16 smiting, 13 divine
Smiter 2:[Ray of Judgment][Reversal of Damage][Judge's Intervention][Smite Hex][Smite Condition][Smiter's Boon][Divine Healing][free slot] 16 smiting, 13 divine
MM: [Aura of the Lich][Animate Shambling Horror][Animate Bone Fiend][Death Nova][Putrid Bile][Blood of the Master][Masochism][We Shall Return!] 16 Death, 13 Soulreaping
Soul Twister:[Soul Twisting][Shelter][Earthbind][Armor of Unfeeling][Vital Weapon][Boon of Creation][2 free slots] 16 Communing, 15 Spawning

Notes.

* There are so many knockdowns that mobs cannot do a lot... In fact don't be surprised that on occasion a group dies before it gets a single hit or spell off. This is especially the case if the mesmers get a PI interrupt in early and they are reasonably balled up.
* The human player can be anything, though the two wards should be the focal point of his play. You move like a dwarf has obvious synergy with the build, but snowstorm or trytophan signet could also work.
* Heroes cast judge's intervention meticulously on minions which gives 190 dmg @ 16 smite when they are killed.
* You really need a 40/40 fire set on the mesmers, 40/40 smite for the monks and 40/40 death set for the MM so that the wisdom ward will give a total of 100% half skill recharge, greatly increasing nuking output.
* Manually cast aura of the lich if needed since heroes will only use it when the enchantment runs out.
* Earthbind is excellent with so many knockdowns.
* Stolen speed helps a lot to get nukes off quickly.
* The soul twister only has shelter as a primary defensive spirit which ensures a near-constant coverage. If union and displacement were also present, the three spirits may die quicker than within 15 seconds, running the risk of shelter being put on a long cooldown. Feel free though to bring union or shelter, depending on the area. Dissonance also works well because its short lifetime ensures the hero will replant it close to combat every time.
* As a human monk or other healer one can complete UW in NM and without consets.
* Every now and then you may want to wait a minute to get the exhaustion lessened and to let the MM create a few more minions, though this won't be often.
* The MM is there so that leftover mobs are attracted to the minions, which are also protected by shelter. Furthermore, minions are good at blocking mobs to prevent an escape should it be possible.
* The misc slots can contain rez or whatever is needed for the situation. One copy of Signet of Devotion is good to keep the minion master alive out of combat, otherwise he may kill himself.
* Defensive insignias are not very important because of shelter, so you can get away with energy armor.

cant help but notice tht there are next to no heals...

Yeah, I was using this on a monk with heals to complete UW, but you hardly ever need to heal. The only noteworthy moment to heal is on the reaper during the four horsemen quest, otherwise it is not needed.

There is just so much shutdown in the form of lots of KD's, combined with the prot from a Soul Twister and a minion wall (which is affected by shelter), that you can get away with bare bones healing.

all i can say is i cannot see it fairing too great in HM with no healing on more difficult AoE strain like for instance in the deep in the mass degen room.

fuel for thought maybe instead of keeping the MM as a pure necro try hybriding with heals as necros are fine for energy management due to soul reaping anyway, if ure running heals too that should be more than enough.

Ofcourse, when you go to the deep you would bring more party heals, the degen is an environmental effect after all and not common in GW at that. The smiters could bring heaven's delight for example, while the human can also bring more party heals. It is why there are a number of miscelaneous slots.

The mm as a healer has been considered, but it is not needed for general purpose things like vanquishing and completing UW.

I can see though where you are getting at with the MM, he didn't feel right to me. Since posting the build I swapped shambling horror for deathly swarm. This justifies the 13 in soulreaping to be able to keep raising the 25 energy cost bone fiends while also keeping the MM busy spamming deathly swarm @ 19 death magic.

I am one of those people who can't resist trying out new team builds when they see them. Your rangerway build was ok but this is absolutely terrible and I would advise anyone who is thinking of trying this to not bother.....sorry

Way to provide constructive criticism.

Can't help you if you don't say what your problem is.