Necromancer/monk

hi guys,

i was thinking of making an necromancer/monk, cause i am getting bored to play with my warrior/monk, he is very very powerfull but everybody is playing that so.
But i would like to ask you guys if you have any suggestions to make my necromancer to an succes. I was thinking to use blood magic and death magic, with healing skills from the monk as back-up.
Plz help me

thx alot

You'll just end up with a barfull of healing spells. Once you realize noone ever takes a necro into a group unless your fully spec'd to heal or a energy battery, you'll start advertising yourself as a monk.

edit : Oh and well of blood

are more people thinking this way? because then i have to reconsider my choice as necromancer, plz help

I have a N/R and a Monk who switches between Necromancer and Mesmer. As a Necromancer/Monk, you'll be playing support most of the time. Try going 12 Healing, 10+2 Blood, and 8+1 Soul Reaping. Skills like Well of Blood/Power and Blood Ritual will make life SOOO much easier for your Monks. You can use Healing Prayers to act as a secondary healer. You can also switch to Death Magic to give your party some free meatshields (I like Animate Bone Minions and Death Nova; with 9 levels of Soul Reaping, the 25 energy cost of the Minions is effectively reduced to 7, while Death Nova gives you nice amounts of AoE damage) or Curses to hinder your opponents (Enfeebling Blood and Faintheartedness will make melee mobs much easier).

You won't be a primary group member, like you would if you were a Warrior (tank), Monk (healer), or Elementalist (damage). Still, unlike what Lord Malikai said, I don't think that you'll have many problems finding a group. In a group of 6, there's always room for one or two support characters, especially since with a Blood/Healing Necro, you'll make a second Monk unecessary. In a group of 8, you'll almost always have about 2 support characters, simply because half the classes in the game are support. If all else fails, start your own group. I've only just reached the desert with my Necro, but I haven't found any problems getting a group. For my Monk, who's beaten the game, I never turn away Necros, as long as we don't need to open a spot for a second Monk or a Warrior.

A Necromancer is great fun throughout the game AND is more useful than many people give credit.

I'd advise using Death Magic up until you hit the desert - have some fun with Bone Horrors while they're still useful. Later on around the Jungle you might have to start using the Death Nova/Bone Horror combination to rack up the damage (rather than using the Horrors to draw attention from party members). Deathly Swarm is also always a useful spell to have around, along with Putrid Explosion (unless you're planning on going hardcore with minions).

Once you hit the Desert it's an idea to change to Blood, as you'll help the party out more. Well of Blood is pretty underestimated (hell it even keeps Henchies alive in southern shiverpeaks) and Blood Ritual will make you good friends with monks and elementalists. Then you have direct damage spells like Vampiric Gaze, Barbed Signet (at a high level blood magic it will heal more health than it takes from you) and Shadow Strike. Order of Pain also comes in useful when enemy armour gets into the silly regions (Forgotten Swords, etc).

As for playing as a monk secondary ... I can't help you there - I played as an N/Me throughout. Only thing I do know is that people seem VERY reluctant to take anyone who isn't a primary Monk as a healer, even if you've mainly got healing spells.

Hope that helps.

Don't reconsider the choice of necro.

Necros are one of the most powerful chars in the game, it takes a lot of skill and patience to play one correctly tho.

First of all if you want to do the monk route, I suggest only using healing breeze and vengence from the monk side. Remember, how can you be a damage machine if all you do is heal yourself? Use blood magic to heal yourself.

For the most effective build you will want to do this ratio

16 in one skill (sup rune)
12 in another (minor rune)
8 in yet another (sup rune)
4 in the last one (I reccommend healing for this level. Healing breeze gives +5 regen at level 4)

Now to counter the health loss you will need either a major or superior vigor rune
Another thing you will need is a +10 energy staff with a hale head and staff wrapping of fortitude. The total health bonus you want to be able to give yourself (with the staff) is gonna be 43-50

I have pretty much posted my build even though I refuse to post the specifics simply because I have (IMO) perfected the necro build. Also if you focus in blood magic the most you will be amazed at how hard you are to kill.

I love soloing warriors They tend to die very quickly, especially warrior/monks. Many times in HOH on TS I tell our monks to only heal me if I'm obviously losing the battle while I solo a warrior. Sword wars are easy to own, axe's aren't that much harder, but hammer/knockdown warriors are a B!TCH lol.

Remember that rangers are your worst enemy, However, they are pretty easy to kill. If you get attacked by a ranger tho prolly the best thing to do is start beating the crap outta him because a ranger will own a necro big time.

Hope I helped you. If you want some more inside info on how to set up a good nec/monk build pm me ingame. Same name as here.

Good luck from one Necro to another. BTW, last note. Koreans win many times because they have a necro along or even 2. The direct damage 2 blood magic necros can do in 5 seconds is staggering. I myself can do about 300 (Give or take depending on the target) in 5 seconds and about 170 every 3 seconds after that (offering of blood allows you the luxury of never running out of energy).

BTW if you do what the above person said and put 12 in healing I will personally bitch slap you. You are a damage machine, don't forget that (And another hint from me, don't use deadly swarm, cating time is too long and you will get owned while using it. Use the low casting time spells, vamps gaze is one of them. I'll let you figure out the rest uinless you contact me ingame.).

much thx for your replies guys, i definitly give it a go with my necromancer, can't wait to start

Id say necro is THE BEST profession in PvE, PvP and for farming creatures for bringing in loads of rares and money alone.
especially when you have both life siphon and life transfer in your rack.
Life siphon gives enemy health degeneration of 3 and myself heaqlth regeneration of 3 for 24 seconds, if you then add life transfer it gives enemy 8 degeneration and yourself 8 regenaration for 12 seconds.
they stack and give you maximum regeneration at all times
These skills recharge pretty quickly so when youve put them on one guy you move on to the next. After that you just start pounding with life stealing attacks like vampiric gaze- and touch and the enemy will be dead before they can say OMG while you still have 100% hp!
You also have room for well of blood for helping groupmembers as well as room for more dmg-steal attacks or skills like defile flesh which gives me 186 extra hp

Also seeing as blood necro is self healing i dont use monk skills at all except if my groupmembers say i should bring ressurect or rebirth

P.S Forboding Angel is absolutely right that the reason korea beats others easily is by having necros. At last someone who understands Americas and Europes HoH problem.

plommon, I couldn't have said it better myself, you are right on the head.

This thread was very helpful for me as I am a N/Mo myself

Thanks Gents

Necros aren't really for farming, you can find much faster smiter/warrior builds. The necro build that really shines in tombs or pve in general would be the minion master. With basic minion skills, a few life boosters, you can use healing seed and heal area to you rminions' benefits.