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Necromancer suggestions

Which would you consider more deadly?


  • Total voters
    20
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
After getting some levels in Necromancer I cant help but feeling a bit underpowered. Granted some of this is due to my own poor PVP skills, but there are too many abilities that are very limited in usefulness. Some tweaks would go a long way in changing the typical Necromancer tactics of web/fireball repeat.

Web: As it stands web is powerful in the right application, but is hindered by two major factors. The first is that it is a reagent skill and the second is its limited range, these are most likely here for balancing reasons but if both are to remain in effect it might be worthwhile to change its AOE. Right now it spawns in a " + " pattern of two four tile chains, personally I believe it would not be unbalanced to make it more of a " * " shape. I would suggest this due to the fact web is rather easy to outrun (sprinting players are rarely hampered by it) and though it would not change that fact it would make it easier to apply and make up for this.

Battery: I have never used battery once in the entire time I have been a necro. Rarely, since I have no consume or replenish, do I have enough mana for myself, let alone for me to give it to another player. It could be made viable if lets say Necro's regained a small amount of mana after every kill. If that was the case then it would be useful to be able to serve as a battery and help the healer/other players. What about Unholy Ritual you might ask, well that brings me to my next point.

Unholy Ritual: In PVE applications it has its uses, but tends to not function right and sometimes does not kill the undead that it targets, leaving them to often burn to death instead or whack you another couple times. In PVP it has no use, right now with the limited use and duration of Skeleton there is rarely ever a time when it can be used to regain mana during a duel. Though it may have been originally useful when multiple skeletons were able to be summoned, that single skeleton leaves it as not terrribly useful.

Skeleton: The skeleton has its strengths (such as grinding music disks, or its efficiency when lag is low) but it does not last very long at all, around 30-45 seconds (I could be wrong). Unfortunately it eats up about 40% of your mana and has a 3 minute cool-down meaning that in PVP it is rarely a good idea to spawn it. It has decent damage and health, but it would be significantly more useful if it functioned like the Beastmaster's wolf in that it did not have a set duration. If that was the case he could be your undead buddy until you run low on magic and then you could hearltessly sacrifice him for your own pleasure (something quite befitting of a necromancer). Or perhaps instead of summoning a single powerful skellie you could summon skeletons that did less damage than normal mobs but you could summon multiple (a necromancer does need his undead minions after all.) The latter would increase the utility of Unholy Ritual and Battery in addition.

Hellgate: Waiting on the nether, could be awesome.

Poison: Minimal damage, costs as much as a fireball. Has its uses, but rarely worth casting. Unless its efficiency is raised it is more useful to save your mana for a fireball. If it also slowed the opponent or something (that might be OP though) it would be much better.

Drainsoul: The cost (19% I think) is a little high for 10 damage/healing. Granted that does place a 10 hp difference between you and your opponent but when it comes down to it it is more efficient to save that mana for a fireball. I a pinch that 10hp might save your life, but in reality you just spent 20 mana to be able to take one more swing from an opponent (less than that when fighting the high damage classes).

My final take on the class is that it is mediocre, it has some potential but there may need to be some more synergy between the skills of the class. The cool-downs, costs and usefulness of many of the abilities make it so rarely is it in your favor to use the variety of skills you have leaving you instead to focus on using the same two abilities over and over again. Tweaking some of these skills could make the class not only more entertaining to play as, but more entertaining (and less repetitive) to fight.
 

Iarbobray

Legacy Supporter 2
Joined
May 14, 2011
As a necromancer I feel like my opinion is needed. In my opinion, necromancers are just barely underpowered, as long as you avoid all moved besides Fireball and Drainsoul. The other moves seem to be more of annoyance, or out of combat skills. The only time I use Skeleton, Unholyritual, Web, or Poison is just to annoy my townmembers. (Valhalor/Halvalor is recruiting, everyone!) I would love to see Drainsoul get a buff, like 15mana for 15 mana/healing. And it also the permanent Skeleton pet is something necromancers NEED. I don't know if its programable, though.

+1 support
 

Sleaker

Retired Staff
Joined
Jul 24, 2011
Location
Portland, Oregon
Web has already been changed to do a 2 block radius rather than 1, and include the block underneath the player so that it catches more - it should be doing more than just a + shape unless the block choosing code is off I'll need to test it some more.

Skeleton will always be a limited duration spell - dealing with wolves has already proven to be extremely annoying and frustrating and I'm even pondering pulling them back and changing them into a 'spirit wolf' skill limited-duration like skeleton because of how exploitable/annoying they are to manage.

Drainsoul provides a 20 point Hp difference - not 10 (you gain 10 they lose 10 - net 20 difference). But I agree that it doesn't seem very powerful .

In my opinion Plague/Blight/Decay/DrainSoul should be what Necro's are focusing toward (I don't think they should even have fireball) - but that would require some changes from Kainzo.

Thanks for the feedback!
 

Spicycheez

Portal
Joined
Aug 4, 2011
dealing with wolves has already proven to be extremely annoying and frustrating and I'm even pondering pulling them back and changing them into a 'spirit wolf' skill limited-duration like skeleton because of how exploitable/annoying they are to manage.
NOOOOOOOOO!
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Sorry about the mistype, i meant to say that it does 10, heals 10 and nets a twenty difference.

Unless web has been changed recently (as in today or yesterday) it currently spawns as 1 block high of 4 block intersecting lines. I routinely ensnare an opponents head (which is hilarious and effective in blocking attacks btw) due to it spawning one block above ground due to the presence of tall grass.

*edit* the web spawns with one extra web under the target block but on level surfaces/grass it does not spawn.

Tall grass, the bane of any fireball or web slinger. I cannot count the times it has lead me to either die (since fireball dissapates on impact) or simply waste mana. It is doubly troubling when you are fighting spiders, since they have a one block high profile and it takes some careful arcing to hit them.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
NOOOOOOOOO!

I clicked the link on your signature SpicyCheez, can I have my soul back now?

Oh and losing fireball for some sort of DOT (maybe minimal hit damage) with a strong over time effect would be great. For instance 5 initial damage with 20 damage over 5 seconds, or 10 damage with 15 damage over 3 seconds. Perhaps all the specs should get something other than fireball (save for geomancer since its so fitting.)

Necromancer: Rot (damage and effect above), perhaps doing a little more armor durability damage than a normal fireball (possibly at expense of damage)
Geomancer: Fireball (or Meteor), same dmg and effect, perhaps with a small knockback. Or perhaps more damage with a longer cooldown (like 30 dmg and 7 sec cooldown)
Enchanter: Spellbind, 10 damage but MP usage (of defending player) is converted to damage recieved with a 3-4 second duration. Ie Geomancer hit with Spellbind, uses pulse (~19 mana) takes 19 damage.
Wizard: Shock (weaker lightning effect) 25(or comparable) dmg and no DOT. No sound (to limit thunder spam).

Damages based on max level scaling (last thing I knew fireball hit for ~25)
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Oh and i did some damage checking on the Necromacer DOT's. And the results are in.

Poison: 5 ticks at 1hp per tick. Most deadly lol.

Plague: 35 mana cost, 2 min cooldown, 10 ticks at 1 damage per tick (total 10). I know it is supposed to spread, but I havent had the chance to check that yet, but I figured that I would put this here.

Time to respec, and rue my time spent XD.
 

Iarbobray

Legacy Supporter 2
Joined
May 14, 2011
I'm pretty sure poison does three damage total. Wtf? Also: Plague I would love to try (not 50 yet) and would seem like a core Necromancer ability, if it was buffed like seven said.
 
Joined
Oct 25, 2011
Yeah i pushed myself through three levels hoping plague would make it worth it, but seriously it had nearly no effect. Between the negligible damage and the cost/cooldown it is ineffective.

p.s. I am not bashing the mod or complaining for complaining's sake. I love herocraft and it is by the far the best plug-in for minecraft. I just figured I would keep throwing out information.

*pro-tip* respec once you hit 50 (lol)
 

Iarbobray

Legacy Supporter 2
Joined
May 14, 2011
We're offtopic. Get on topic!

Necromancers need buffs.

And darkness can't use sunblock.
 

Razael6

Legacy Supporter 3
Joined
Aug 30, 2011
Location
Springfield(Springtucky), OR, U.S.A.
Darkness would be a cool thing that happens when you spawn a skeleton, like 10 block radius of night that doesn't kill skeleton. Or make it its own skill that makes people weaker when in it? I assume its not possible but it sounds cool.
 
Joined
Sep 6, 2011
Location
Arizona, USA
I realize that this thread has not been posted on in a couple months but I think it is a good thread to discuss possible changes to the Necromancer class.

I for one have a few suggestions that could be added.

First of all, I think all or at least most of their skills should be related to the undead, demons, and the nether. These skills should also emphasize conjurations, rituals, debuffs/buffs, etc.

Examples:

Skills
  • DemonicPossesion
    • This skill could be either an offense debuff or defensive buff skill. For defensive it could allow for increase speed, strength, damage reduction, etc. If used as offense it could allow for something damaging to the other player like something similar to blind or confuse.
  • Ghast Blast
    • This one is exactly like what it sounds. It the player would fire an explosive AOE spell like ghasts in the nether do. If hit it causes a set amount of damage and lights the player on fire along with damaging anything within a 5 block radius.
  • SummonUndead
    • This spell is similar to Unholy Ritual only instead of killing the undead it summons them. In other words this spell will summon a random undead including pigmen, zombies and skeletons. In order to decrease mana consumption this spell could require a reagent an you could go even further to make it so that different reagents sommon different undead. Cooked pork for pigmen, rotten flesh for zombies, and bones for skeletons. Spiders could even be added in with spider eyes as the reagent (although spiders aren't undead so it would a little controversial)
  • Devil's Contract
    • This spell would work to delay the player's death. In other words after the player reaches zero hp they would still stay alive for a set amount of time ( I would recommend 30 seconds). The draw back to this spell (hence why it's called "Devil's Contract") is that the player would spawn in the nether or the player could also spawn with only half a heart or some other side effect. Infact the side effect could be that the player catches on fire after spawning.
  • Flesh of the Dead
    • This spell would work like consume only instead of cookies the player would gain mana by eating rotten flesh.


Well thats all the ideas I have for now may add some later.

P.S. If someone thinks I should make a new thread to post this in just let me know.
 
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