Forum Link Code:[url=]N-Me SS Nuker-Archive 1[/url]
The SS Nuker is a popular PvE build. It is primarily used in farming groups in Sorrow's
Furnace, The Underworld and any area where tanking and rounding up enemies is
easily done. With proper tanking and aggro control, an SS Nuker is probably the most
devastating weapon against computer-controlled groups of enemies.
This build has completely replaced the traditional elementalist nuking
in certain areas such as the Deldrimor War Camp.
The core of the build is the elite hex spell Spiteful
Spirit, commonly abbreviated as SS. The spell damages the
target foe and all adjacent foes whenever that target attacks or
uses a skill. The basic principle of the build is to place this hex
on as many adjacent foes as possible and simply watch them kill
each other.
Beware when facing mesmers in PvP or PvE, since Spiteful Spirit
will be stopped in its tracks if a mesmer uses Signet of
Humility.
Attribute points
Skill Set
Variations
Illusion Heavy 55/SS 2-man team version
This distribution is advisable for use on duo runs in the Underworld where the
benefits of soul reaping are much lower. Since foes tend to all die
at around the same time, points in soul reaping are far less
beneficial than in the other attributes that the SS necromancer
needs. Since necromancers playing this role rarely take fire from
anything, using a Superior Soul Reaping rune is viable, although it
is not necessary for success.
Equipment
Ideally, Villnar's Glove as a focus item and the Truncheon from Uderit Ignis as
a weapon. (Characters with access to Factions can obtain the 20/20 Curses Wailing Wand from Gertrud or Telamon.) These combine for a
36% chance to halve the recharge time of Curses (including a 4% chance of making it 4
times faster), meaning that SS can be used 4 times in the span of
10 seconds a third of the time, as well as having a 20% chance to
halve the casting time of Curse. Also, note that the Wailing Wand uses
cold damage, meaning that it will also activate the Spinal Shivers
skill, fixing the problem that other collector's weapons have
posed. Another great weapon would be the end-game Wayward Wand from the factions
campaign. However, for those who don't have factions, the next best
weapon would be the Truncheon from Uderit Ignis. It doesn't have the cold damage
needed to activate Spinal Shivers but you can always switch to
another weapon.
Usage
The success of this build relies on careful placement of SS on
the proper targets. This follows a few steps:
- The better the tank is at gathering enemies the more successful
SS will be. It is not just enough to walk up to the enemies with
the master gear
and let them pound on you. A good tank who understands SS should
make sure they are as closely packed as possible.
Computer-controlled mobs tend to surround the tank. He/she should
then take a step back so that they are all lined up better.
Basically, if two enemies around the tank are more than 90 degrees
apart then they will not be hit by the same SS. In addition, the
tank should have situational awareness. If there are enemy warriors
and enemy casters, it is easier on everyone if he/she takes the
warriors to the casters so SS can kill them all together
faster.
- The SS Nuker (conscious of the aggro distribution around the
tank), should invoke Awaken the Blood, then Arcane Echo and then
proceed to carefully place the first two SS on two adjacent
targets.
- As the SS Nuker regains energy he/she can choose to either
invoke Desecrate Enchantments or wait a
little longer and place a third SS. If the enemies are non-casters,
a third SS is more beneficial, if the enemies are casters
(especially slow casting elementalists), then Desecrate is the
better choice.
- To overcome enemy monks,
the SS Nuker can choose to use Sympathetic Visage (commonly
abbreviated as SV) if the tank is adjacent to the monks and is
being hit in melee. SV will drain the monks' energy and they will
fall quickly to SS. If it's just one monk and the SS Nuker is part
of a bigger team, he/she can choose instead to place Spinal Shivers on
the monk and interrupt that monk with a cold damage weapon.
- Blood
Ritual is just used as a quick supply of energy for other party
members.
You may also:
- Swap in Suffering instead of Spinal Shivers for health
degeneration.
- Swap in Putrid Explosion instead of Spinal Shivers
(and move some attribute points to Death Magic from Illusion Magic)
for a strong finishing move to kill enemies who remain
standing after the SS hexed enemies die.
Area Specific Guide Lines
These are guidelines for SS nuking in certain areas:
The Underworld: 55-SS 2-man Team
- In the Underworld, SS easily dispatches most foes, if the Invincible
Monk can stay alive. The only difficuly (in killing) comes with
the Smite
Crawlers who use Smite Hex to remove SS. They are, fortunately, melee attackers. Therefore,
the SS Nuker simply needs to place SV on the monk. In the above
build (with 12 Illusion Magic), one SV is enough along with two SS.
If the nuker's SV is shorter however, he/she may prefer to echo SV
instead to keep the Smite Crawlers' energy down. Smite Crawlers are
also equiped with no less than four enchantments, in many cases
echoing Desecrate Enchantments can take down
an entire group before the first casting of Sympathetic
Visage runs out. Another build is to use Suffering to waste the
groups' smite hexes, then applying SS and a cover hex to ensure SS
stays on the smites for the entire duration.
- A good complementary skill instead of Spinal shivers would be
Conjure
Phantasm to help quickly dispatch a single Bladed Aatxe. Another
choice (for those who venture deeper), is Mantra of Concentration to allow the
SS Nuker to get SS off against the Mindblade
Spectres.
- Another good complementary skill is Power Drain, which is used on the dying
nightmares when casting Rend Enchantments. This will give both the
Necro and the Invincible Monk enough time to kill the dying
nightmare while keeping the monk alive.
- Reckless
Haste also works well with SS. Reckless Haste causes the mobs to swing
faster, causing more damage from Spiteful Spirit.
The Ruins of the Tomb of the Primeval Kings:
- If the tank can successfully hold the aggro of the Grasps of
Insanity, then SS will work efficiently on them. SV can help
mitigate some of their damage as well. A good utility skill to
bring in place of Spinal Shivers is Enfeebling
Blood.
Sorrow's Furnace:
- In Sorrow's Furnace, SV and Illusion Magic are not as
important. The SS Nuker may choose to invest the points in Death Magic for more
direct damage dealing or harmful wells. Beware though as wells and
Putrid
Explosion will use up the corpses needed by the Minion Master in
the party. Alternatively, the SS Nuker may invest in Blood Magic
and use life
stealing skills.
Fissure of Woe
Necromancer / Mesmer 
