ANET: How has axe remained pretty much the same for so long?

[Vitali.5039]

> @Anchoku.8142 said:

> I don't know about anyone else but I had difficulty trying to make a power-Scourge work properly in PvE. It just does not have the defensive capability to melee as well as a Reaper has with chill, has no full shroud, and Scourge is all condi. Power-Scourge might work in PvP against boon spam but condition damage is its focus. It does not have a switch as powerful as Deathly Chill. Scourge feels harder to make hybrid than Reaper.

>

> Square peg, meet round hole.

 

High boons/conditions application from PoF's AIs gives to Scourge the upper hand when it comes to Open World survival and damage.

Even a "Rise!" Death Magic Reaper is left behind Scourge in the new maps.

Barriers don't prevent us from healing and don't cut us out of our utilities.

 

Wells+protection paired with barriers offer a very good sustain, letting out heals. Blood Fiend empowered by scourge and even the golem are very tanky!

 

But for HoT maps Reaper is still enough for farming events and stuff.

 

Tips: use small barriers to prevent hits/cleanse and the great barrier while recovering the lost hp.

[Anchoku.8142]

Thanks for the tips. I will try rebuilding a power-Scourge. I do not remember using the protection boon in the build.

 

Right now, I am using terror and Dhuumfire while figuring out which punishment is more useful.

[jalmari.3906]

Axe was actually useful when #3 still gave reta.

 

[Zoltreez.6435]

> @jalmari.3906 said:

> Axe was actually useful when #3 still gave reta.

>

 

Then devs said... NOPE necros are NOT allowed to have ANY KIND of useful boons........

[Dadnir.5038]

> @Zoltreez.6435 said:

> > @jalmari.3906 said:

> > Axe was actually useful when #3 still gave reta.

> >

>

> Then devs said... NOPE necros are NOT allowed to have ANY KIND of useful boons........

 

They didn't said it like that... They said that they were improving axe 3 and giving it more "power" by changing it's fonctionnality. It was a matter of new technology on a weapon skill for more fun. And beside, they said that retal was fun for neither the one that have it nor for the one that hit the the guy that have it. Furtherore, the necromancer is not a good candidate for such a boon, after all they are meant to take the incoming hits with their health point... retal would have overperformed for such gameplay, that wasn't intended.

[Crinn.7864]

> @Dadnir.5038 said:

> > @Zoltreez.6435 said:

> > > @jalmari.3906 said:

> > > Axe was actually useful when #3 still gave reta.

> > >

> >

> > Then devs said... NOPE necros are NOT allowed to have ANY KIND of useful boons........

>

> They didn't said it like that... They said that they were improving axe 3 and giving it more "power" by changing it's fonctionnality. It was a matter of new technology on a weapon skill for more fun. And beside, they said that retal was fun for neither the one that have it nor for the one that hit the the guy that have it. Furtherore, the necromancer is not a good candidate for such a boon, after all they are meant to take the incoming hits with their health point... retal would have overperformed for such gameplay, that wasn't intended.

 

Convenient that no other class gets nerfed for "fun." Trying to fight a teleport spamming sword thief isn't fun but Anet is bound and determined to make sword thief meta.

 

Also if they don't want necros to have retal why does spiteful spirit still have retal then?

[Dadnir.5038]

> @Crinn.7864 said:

> > @Dadnir.5038 said:

> > > @Zoltreez.6435 said:

> > > > @jalmari.3906 said:

> > > > Axe was actually useful when #3 still gave reta.

> > > >

> > >

> > > Then devs said... NOPE necros are NOT allowed to have ANY KIND of useful boons........

> >

> > They didn't said it like that... They said that they were improving axe 3 and giving it more "power" by changing it's fonctionnality. It was a matter of new technology on a weapon skill for more fun. And beside, they said that retal was fun for neither the one that have it nor for the one that hit the the guy that have it. Furtherore, the necromancer is not a good candidate for such a boon, after all they are meant to take the incoming hits with their health point... retal would have overperformed for such gameplay, that wasn't intended.

>

> Convenient that no other class gets nerfed for "fun." Trying to fight a teleport spamming sword thief isn't fun but Anet is bound and determined to make sword thief meta.

>

> Also if they don't want necros to have retal why does spiteful spirit still have retal then?

 

Oh that? it's just a matter of time before they change it to confusion...

[Pirindolo.9427]

wth??? Axe is precisely the only necro weapon that changes every patch. Normally with an astonishing 5% autoattack damage increase. If they keep doing that, by 2023 we will have a serious option there!!!!!

[ZDragon.3046]

I would say the best comparison to look at when it comes to necro axe is necro axe 2 vs mesmer scepter 3

both skills mean to have the same purpose hight burst how ever the axe 2 has some flaws

 

As for the person who mentioned robert saying that axe was no a projectile weapon. Scepter 3 also does not use a projectile and applies a strong condition that is rather useful regardless of the users build for power or condi damage.

 

Necro Axe 2 deals high damage (not as high as the attack mentioned above) and requires you to land more hits to get said damage. It has no condition attached to the attack. Instead it abuses vulnerability a rather weak conditon that usually if you are trying to stack it it wont be done by simply auto attacking with axe. In most cases it comes from boon conversation or the the spite trait that applies vuln or chill.

 

For necros to have so much built around applying vulnerability we really have no good way to really use it. Sure potentially you can get the few extra 1% per stack but every profession can make use of that.

Where is our real kick? Like why not have a trait that doubles that mechanic specifically for the necro making them deal 2% bonus damage per vuln stack or something.

 

Ive often wondered why we have so many ways to apply so much vuln but no real mechanic that abuses it within our kit out side of axe 2 which does a pretty bad job of it. Once again i feel like this is kind of making necromancers more altruistic than they need to be. Apply hard vuln for you allies to do the damage for you or something. In pvp this is lackluster and in pve its not really needed as most content done with other players will have vuln stacks capped at 25 without the aid of a necro. I dont mind having all the vuln application but i would like to see better tools that make more use of it around power builds for sure.

 

On a side note

 

Honestly wished that necro axe worked like firebrands current axe on auto attack chain.

Firebrand axe attack chain would have made perfect sense for a spectral themed weapon like necromancer axe with the right visual effects. Autos do high damage at melee range a decent skill for mid range light burst and one aoe cleave for peck damage and boon convert would have been really nice but im sure when the game was first being developed ideas like firebrand axe never existed in anyones heads.