Reaper - Rise

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

Focused on: Direct damage

Designed for: WvW Zerg

Expansions required:

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on April 14, 2022 and is up to date for the April 16, 2024 patch.

Overview

A durable build with boon corruption, damage and minions.

Skillbar

Axe/Focus

Staff

Utility

Weapon Variants

• Greatsword is a good option for the utility of Nightfall and Grasping Darkness

Utility Variants

• "Nothing Can Save You!" more boon removal, but less damage than the standard options

Equipment

Head
Dragon

Shoulders
Dragon

Chest
Dragon

Hands
Dragon

Legs
Dragon

Feet
Dragon

Backpiece
Dragon

Accessory
Marauder

Accessory
Dragon

Amulet
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Ring
Marauder

Axe
Dragon

Focus
Dragon

Sigil

Sigil

Scepter
Dragon

Dagger
Dragon

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Consumables

• • feast option with additional power and ferocity.

Usage

Overall Priorities

High

• Wells

Moderate

• Single target damage
• Sustained pressure

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 builds 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 Deathly Swarm - for Immobilize Dodge "Rise!" Reaper's Shroud Infusing Terror "Your Soul Is Mine!"

Detailed Explanations

Wells

• Try to save your Well skills for the commanders call
  • If you aren't using voice communication, use your wells at the same time as the other Necromancers in your group
• Cast Well of Corruption before Well of Suffering, due to the longer cooldown
• Only use your Well skills at the same time, do not use one early and desync their cooldowns
• When using ground AoEs like Well of Corruption or Well of Suffering, 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
• Immediately after placing both wells enter Reaper's Shroud to activate Death Perception and remain in shroud for the duration of the wells

Single target damage

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

Sustained pressure

• Start fights on Staff to maximize ranged uptime
• Use Unholy Feast immediately after Weapon Swap and use it gain immediately before swapping back
  • Delaying your Weapon Swap slightly for the cooldown is fine
• Use "Rise!" when the enemy group tries to melee engage, especially when they use Winds of Disenchantment offensively
  • Be extra careful not to use "Rise!" while you have Blind
• Enter Reaper's Shroud as often as possible in melee, particularly when Soul Spiral is off cooldown
  • Make sure not to put yourself out of position with Death's Charge, leaving shroud without casting it is fine
  • Make sure to trigger the flip skill Terrify before the 6 second duration of Infusing Terror ends
• Save Lich Form until Winds of Disenchantment and other projectile block is used up.
  • Don't be afraid to drop form early if Deathly Claws is being projectile blocked.
  • Make sure to use Summon Madness while in lich form to activate Death Nova
• Save Reaper's Mark to CC on your groups spikes
• Combo the blast of Putrid Mark with the field of Chillblains when possible

Skill priority "Rise!" Well of Corruption + Well of Suffering - always together, on call Lich Form - only after projectile block is down Grim Specter Lich's Gaze Deathly Claws Reaper's Shroud Soul Spiral Death's Charge Life Rend Axe Unholy Feast Manifest Sand Shade + Nefarious Favor - procs Path of Corruption Spinal Shivers - only on single target Ghastly Claws Soul Grasp - only if low on Life Force Staff Mark of Blood Chillblains Putrid Mark Reaper's Mark