The Underrated Utility of a Necromancer

[XDrake]

Well, I suspect this will get flames. However, I want to discuss with folks that there are two kinds of Necromancers... The ones who know what they are doing in a group and the others.

We're not the best at any one thing. However, we fill in gaps.

Cleric low? We can mana battery.

Enchanter down? We can do some crowd control.

Need a puller? We can grab something and fill in for the monk.

Tank go down? We can do some tap tanking.

We can't do anything better than any of the other classes. However, a resourceful Necromancer can turn a potential wipe into a victory. But, a lazy Necromancer senss pet, drops a tap, and sits.

In Kunark we'll be even more useful... In a wipe we can FD, rez the cleric, and get the party going again in minutes.

[Loke]

Who is running around saying that necros don't have any utility?

[Haynar]

Mana battery?

No Self-Respecting Necro is a mana battery.

Cleric is out of mana? Death is eminent?

FD in the corner.

Haynar

[Cyrius]

Remind me to never play with you as necro Haynar ;)

[Tol]

Who is running around saying that necros don't have any utility?

Probably because of all the terrible necros I've seen and grouped with. "Screaming terror, whats that?"

[Thrynn]

There are some serious Failmancers on this server. I can vouch for that.

I have been unfortunate enough to group with necros that prefer Clarity over Lich, AFK at least 50% of the time, etc.

They dont want to Lich themselves but they do want to leech XP from everyone else :mad:

[Swishahouse]

Don't count out necro's healing ability. I can easily remember healing groups in Kunark.

[Arkanjil]

Heal people on raids haha. There have been a few situations where I have saved groups by keeping the MT healed with my pacts. During kunark we get a group HoT spell which is even better!

Necros have sooo much utility and are a very good pinch class. There are so many ways to play a necro and push it to the limits, but most are too afraid or don't care to try.

[Bodeanicus]

The problem is necros who don't know how to group. There's more to it than sending the pet in.

[Seaweedpimp]

The problem is necros who don't know how to group. There's more to it than sending the pet in.

Arg dont take any andvice to heart from this guy ^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Omnimorph]

Hey, I'd group with a good necro over almost any other class given the option.

Problem is for necros is that the sucky necros make a bad name for other necros wanting to group. Levelling up i grouped with one decent necro, and the rest were just sending in pet, and that was usually on the mob i was trying to mez too...

[XDrake]

There are folks that label us as being very low utility at higher levels. Even folks that would prefer not to group with us.

I also agree that is mostly the fault of Necromancers who can't play their class as part of a group. We solo so much too I think many folks also don't know our capabilities.

The Necromancer can't do the crowd control of an enchanter, the healing of a cleric, or do pulling better than a monk. But, we sure can fill the gap and do a mediocre job when things begin to come apart.\

More or less I wrote this because I'm kind of tired of people being surprised we can mezz. The fact that isn't a known fact is puzzling. It isn't par with enchanter mezz, but it can save a group if timed well.

In addition, we can do all sorts of things with undead few know. Need to lull undead for pulls? We can do that. Need to slow them? We can do that too. Want to charm one as a pet to do some crowd control? Sure. A lot of these things were priceless in places crawling with undead like Howling Stones or Fear.

[Messianic]

Plus, we level fast. I love soloing a 6-minute spawn red con and a 6-minute spawn blue con without even needing sow....

[Kruel]

/pet attack
/cast lich
/tell **** Hey man can i get a regen
/turn TV on
/click over to some porrrn

[Uthgaard]

Don't count out necro's healing ability. I can easily remember healing groups in Kunark.

This. Not the most effective or reliable, but it sure was fun. Taking hp/str from the mobs and giving it to your party. If you like a challenge, grouping as a necro in mid-teens is one of the most fun experiences you'll get. After that, it's much harder to find a group where you can put them to use without being obtuse.

Speaking of which, get ready to see NPC necros and SKs heal their friends again!

[Gaaaaavin]

I've had my group saved many a time by a smart necro and I'd always welcome one to my group!

[Yoite]

IIRC we dont get undead slow in classic, sadly. Sure was kickass spell in Veksar and mistmoore LDONs.

[Messianic]

IIRC we dont get undead slow in classic, sadly. Sure was kickass spell in Veksar and mistmoore LDONs.

This made me sadface. Slow is generally sick as a pet class.

[Nocte]

I'm still learning how to play a necro (currently level 30), so take that into consideration for what comes next.

I don't typically DoT in groups because it's often not a good use of mana if the mob dies after only 2 ticks of damage. Sure, I can donate mana to clerics to keep the group flowing or solo an add that's causing trouble, but aside from that I don't find myself doing much else than sending the pet in and sitting on my ass, occasionally getting up to lifetap.

Thoughts?

[Messianic]

I'm still learning how to play a necro (currently level 30), so take that into consideration for what comes next.

I don't typically DoT in groups because it's often not a good use of mana if the mob dies after only 2 ticks of damage. Sure, I can donate mana to clerics to keep the group flowing or solo an add that's causing trouble, but aside from that I don't find myself doing much else than sending the pet in and sitting on my ass, occasionally getting up to lifetap.

Thoughts?

Good that you notice that Dots are of limited effect (save snare) if you're not engaged in long fights.

Nuking, giving mana to the healer, using your healing spells to give HoT's to the tank to help mitigate the healing the primary healer has to do while leach-dotting and lifetapping, etc...Screaming terror is also a really good spell in groups if you don't have a chanter/bard.

[Maurk]

I thought all necro's were good for was to locate/summon corpses?
Or is it to claim camps even though half the mobs are still up?
WTF.

[Zereh]

Even today I can sometimes be awed by someone who plays their class very well.

Every class has a chance to really shine at one point or another, not everyone bothers doing so or even knows where to start.

;) Z

[Acillatem]

NEC make awesome secondary healers. Multiple NEC using HoT on ENCs and pullers means CLR can focus strictly on CH. Mana battery is nice if the NEC is 90% and another party member is 20%.....

[guineapig]

I've never heard of necros being underrated. Overpowered yes, underrated no.

On live I would constantly be shadow compacting and twitching without being asked to do so and when there was no chanter I would mez without hesitation.

This should be considered part of the necro group function by all and not an occasional bonus. If you group with a necro that does not do these things then just threaten to give them the boot. It's the only way they will learn.

[Lagaidh]

I read the first post and it inspired me to say: You're not describing any class. You are describing a kind of player. Some folks know how to squeeze every last ounce of functionality out of their class. Some are very good at their main job and little else. Some folks just plain stink.

I've met great rangers and could never understand the hate... I've met good variations of all classes.

Put together a PAL, RNG, CLR, ENC, SHM, BRD where each really, really knows the swiss army knife tricks of their class... it's a thing of beauty.

[Jamal]

Put together a PAL, RNG, CLR, ENC, SHM, BRD where each really, really knows the swiss army knife tricks of their class... it's a thing of beauty.

Agree with the jist of what you are saying...except for putting an ENC, SHM and BRD in the same group....which there is no real reason to do. Way too much overlap of abilities. Maybe a shm and enc, or brd and shm...but all 3? Not exactly min/max.

Though I guess you are trying to point out that even a stupid group comp can work out well if the classes are played by people who arent retarded....that's true. To an extent. 6 Necros would be hell on wheels, but 6 rogues can only go so far...

[Seaweedpimp]

Necro's dont get groups. They put them together.

[Rahnza]

Hmm, Screaming Terror is still a mez here? It's supposed to act as a fear until Kunark.

[Morlaeth]

Who is running around saying that necros don't have any utility?

your mother.

[Bushwick]

A group of monks with a necro or two produces a really fun dynamic in a dungeon, since as a group they have a unique ability to manipulate any situation, sharing aggro and health, single-pulling, mezzing, off-tanking and completely dropping all aggro the moment it may be necessary.

As far as I know, screaming terror and shadow compact never receive any kind of upgrades, which is a pity. I believe the underrating you suggest necromancers receive really doesn't start until Kunark, when the role of one in a group becomes more narrow.

[Dentalplan]

I don't typically DoT in groups because it's often not a good use of mana if the mob dies after only 2 ticks of damage. Sure, I can donate mana to clerics to keep the group flowing or solo an add that's causing trouble, but aside from that I don't find myself doing much else than sending the pet in and sitting on my ass, occasionally getting up to lifetap.

Thoughts?
Yeah at level 30 none of your DoTs save for snare are going to efficient or practical in any kind of good group. However soon you'll be getting shorter duration high damage DoTs like Venom of the Snake and Asystole that are perfect for grouping. Until then focus on nukes and group utility while learning how to control your pet well.