Build:Reaper - Cele Shouts

The community gave this build a rating, making it top-tier: Great

Focused on: Utility, Condition damage and Boon removal

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

Easy

This build was last updated on May 25, 2024 and is up to date for the May 21, 2024 patch.

Overview

A utility build with high boon rip and Chill/ Vulnerability application intended to be played in a group with other condition based builds.

Skill Bar

Axe/Focus

Greatsword

Utility

Variants

Weapons

• Torch higher damage option than Focus but with less boon rip
• Staff higher damage option than Axe/Focus that brings more conditions, but with less boon rip

Utilities

• You have two viable choices for the third utility slot, the choice will determine which relic to use
  • Corrosive Poison Cloud - Utility option that provides great synergy with Relic of the Demon Queen
  • "Suffer!" - Higher damage option that works well with Relic of the Reaper

Template Code

[&DQg1NycaIi7BEgAAcwEAAIsAAADrEgAAkgAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA=]

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Specializations

Variants

• Chilling Darkness

Equipment

Head
Celestial

Shoulders
Celestial

Chest
Celestial

Hands
Celestial

Legs
Celestial

Feet
Celestial

Backpiece
Celestial

Accessory
Celestial

Accessory
Celestial

Amulet
Celestial

Ring
Celestial

Ring
Celestial

Greatsword
Celestial

Sigil

Sigil

Axe
Celestial

Focus
Celestial

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Relic

Equipment Variants

Sigils

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Torment
• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Frenzy

Rune

• Rune of Superior Rune of the Berserker

Relic

• Relic of the Demon Queen

Consumables

• or

Usage

General

• Use "Your Soul Is Mine!" as often as needed for Life Force, don't save it to heal yourself

Overall Priorities

High

• Wells

Moderate

• Boon removal
• Single target
• Damage

Low

• CC

Surviving

• This build has high passive defense
• This build has low mobility skill access
  • Make sure to drop your target when using Death's Charge for mobility
• This build has low active defenses
  • Reaper's Shroud gives an unlisted 50% damage reduction
  • Infusing Terror is an instant cast that should be used whenever entering shroud
    • Try not to use up all of your Life Force defensively, save enough for Soul Spiral if possible

Active defense priority Dodge Reaper's Shroud Infusing Terror Signet of Vampirism

Detailed Explanations

Wells

• Save your Well of Corruption for the commanders call
  • If you aren't using voice communication, Try to use your well at the same time as the other Necromancers in your group
• When using ground AoEs like Well of Corruption, try to place them so that one edge is on the enemy group and the other edge is in the direction they are moving to

Boon removal

• Death's Charge with Path of Corruption provides a large part of your boon removal, use it as often as possible
  • Make sure to target players on the side of the enemy group so you can safely finish the cast
  • Only the final hit removes boons
• It can sometimes be worth entering and immediately leaving Reaper's Shroud to proc Spiteful Spirit and other traits
  • Only do this if you won't have a good opportunity to use shroud skills for a time - such as when crossing the enemy - or if lifeforce is low
• Cast Unholy Feast and "Nothing Can Save You!" as often as possible while in range
• Use Nightfall as the enemy group pushes into yours or while engaged in melee

Single target

• Use Spinal Shivers ⇒ Ghastly Claws ⇒ Rending Claws to pick off isolated players

Damage

• Cast "Suffer!"/Corrosive Poison Cloud as often as possible
  • You can slightly delay "Suffer!" if you think you'll need cleanse, but use it primarily for damage and condition pressure
  • When using ground AoEs like Corrosive Poison Cloud, try to place them so that one edge is on the enemy group and the other edge is in the direction they are moving to
• Use Unholy Feast immediately after Weapon Swap and use it again immediately before swapping back
  • Delaying your Weapon Swap slightly for the cooldown is fine
• Enter Reaper's Shroud as often as possible in melee, particularly when Soul Spiral is off cooldown
  • If you can, cast Executioner's Scythe before Soul Spiral to proc Chilling Bolts with the Whirl Finishers
    • Don't delay Soul Spiral too long though, losing the combo is worth it if your Soul Spiral will get more hits
  • Make sure to trigger the flip skill Terrify before the 6 second duration of Infusing Terror ends

Skill priority Well of Corruption - on call "Suffer!"/Corrosive Poison Cloud "Nothing Can Save You!" Grasping Darkness Nightfall Unholy Feast Reaper's Shroud Death's Charge Executioner's Scythe/Soul Spiral Life Rend Spinal Shivers - only on single target Ghastly Claws Soul Grasp - only if low on Life Force Death Spiral Gravedigger

CC

• Use Grasping Darkness at range or when the enemy group is moving away, never while the enemy is crossing or pushing into yours
• Grasping Darkness can be canceled with a Stow Weapon keybind after ~0.25s into the cast and will still finish casting
• Use "Chilled to the Bone!" when your group is spiking or you see an enemy without Stability in range