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Dec 25 2012 02:06am
125/86 Nova Necro guide.
Bring on the hate!
Getting straight to the point.
Everyone has their own style and opinion, this is just mine.
This is not a guide filled with pictures, so if you do not enjoy reading, you will miss out on key components to this build.






----Introduction
----Stats
----Skills
----Gear options/Build setups
----Setups
----Duel Strategies
----Closing









-Introduction-

I will only be breaking it down for my vita/damage type setup, as I find MB to be pointless in most cases.

The way I see it, the job is to land a hit and bleed them out as quickly as possible without getting hit. Certain opponents you can take several hits from, but of course you want to avoid it.
Bulking up bone armor can hold it's own in most cases, and recasting it is simple.

With MB setups, you are losing out on life and damage. Takes them longer to bleed out and you have to land more novas while putting yourself at risk for taking more hits.

Over the past few years, I've always had a "mess-around" character for public dueling. Everyone should have one of those right? Some people favor entirely different class builds, as some may enjoy using the good old Trang Necromancer build. Whatever you enjoy using is all that matters, and being that this is my personal favorite, I thought I'd share.

My vita Nova hits 125 Fcr/86 Fhr at all times. Maxed Hell resistance. High bone armor aborb. 13-14k Nova damage with my preferred setup. All achievable at a lower level, but higher is always better.

I hop on this character when I'm short on time, restless of 1v1 gm's, bored in general, and want to hostile an entire public game for some hatred.
So before you go telling me this class is BM, gets wrecked, is a waste, etc etc.. Know that myself, or any other Poison necro enthusiast, do not care how you really feel.

Now let's get to it.
___________________________________________________________________________________


-Stats-

Strength: Enough for gear (Spirit Monarch)
Dexterity: None
Vitality: ALL
Energy: None

___________________________________________________________________________________


-Skills-

Must haves-----

Max Poison Nova ( Main attack)
Max Poison Explosion
Max Poison Dagger
1 Bone Armor (Have this casted, ALWAYS and do not add more than 1 point)
1 Teeth (Preferred Finisher)
1 Corpse Explosion
1 Bone Wall
1 Bone Prison (Use vs non tele characters)
1 Clay Golem (My preference as a small shield)

1 Golem Mastery
1 Summon Resist
1 Amp
1 Weaken
1 Terror
1 Decrepify
1 Iron Maiden (vs melee)
1 Life Tap
9 Lower Resist or whatever it takes to get you to -65% with BO (Your main spell, I use this, and this only for ALL of my duels)


Optional-----

1 Bone Spear (Finisher)
1 Bone Spirit (Preferred Finisher vs opponents you need distance from.)
1 Fire Golem (Will play a strong part in a lot of your matchups)

1 Skeletal mages (Possible finisher/shield yet time consuming and die easily)
1 Skeleton Mastery
1 Revive (Same with Skeletal mages)
Rest of your remaining points into bone wall/prison for a higher bone armor absorb %

______________________________________________________________________________________


-Gear Options-
As I said above, I will only be listing gear options for a vita/damage type build.
Since this is a guide based off of what I use and have tested, I'll be listing those specific.
Keep in mind how much strength you need to wear monarch when buying rings/amulets/circs etc, no need to pay extra if you already have enough strength to wield.

Helms:
2necro/20fcr/2os circlet (frw/str/life/res/mana being your most important needs. You can socket with 7fhr jewels to replace fhr charms)
4x 3PnB/20fcr/2socket magic circlets ( 10/10 Poison Faceted / Vex-Vex(fire sorb) / Ohm-Ohm(cold sorb) / Lo-Lo(light sorb) )

Armor:
Light-weight base Enigma

Weapon:
High res Hoto
High -poison Dweb


Shield:
35 Fcr Spirit Monarch

Belt:
Arachnid's Mesh

Gloves:
Trang Gloves (fcr/Cres/Poison damage/save skills into lower resist for -65)

Boots:
Grim Spurs
Eth Treks


Amulets:
3PnB/100life
2pnb/20fcr (str/life/res/mana being most important)

Rings:
2x Soj
2x Bk
2x 10fcr rings (str/life/res/mana being most important)
Wisps (Light sorb)
Dwarfs (Fire sorb)
Ravens (Cold sorb)

Switch:
6 BO cta / BO spirit monarch

Inventory:
Always aim for the highest life/stats/res when it comes to your charms

Necro torch
Anni
9x PnB Lifers
7x life/res Sc's
3x 5fhr/5res all sc's
(Be sure that you are always hitting 86 FHR, adjust gear/inventory accordingly)

___________________________________________________________________________________________________


-My preferred setup-

4x 3PnB/20fcr/2socket magic circlets ( 10/10 Poison Faceted / Vex-Vex / Ohm-Ohm / Lo-Lo )
Enigma
Hoto
35 Fcr Spirit Monarch
Arachnid's Mesh
Trang Gloves
Grim Spurs/Eth Treks
3PnB/100life Amulet
2x Soj
6 BO cta / BO spirit monarch

Inventory:

Necro torch
Anni
9x PnB Lifers
7x life/res Sc's
3x 5fhr/5res all sc's

-Dweb Setup-

2necro/20fcr/2os circlet (frw/str/life/res/mana being your most important needs)
Enigma
High -poison Dweb
35 Fcr Spirit Monarch
Arachnid's Mesh
Trang Gloves (fcr/Cres/Poison damage/save skills into lower resist for -65)
Grim Spurs/Eth Treks
2pnb/20fcr (str/life/res/mana being most important)
2x 10fcr rings (str/life/res/mana being most important)
6 BO cta / BO spirit monarch

Inventory:

Necro torch
Anni
9x PnB Lifers
7x life/res Sc's
3x 5fhr/5res all sc's (unless you fhr jewel your circlet/dweb)


_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________


-Dueling Strategies-

-Tactic explanations- (mostly self explanitory)
Dive-Bombing - Tele in unpredictably, lay a nova, and get out.
Cat&Mouse - In most cases you will be the mouse. While they chase you, tele away, lay a nova, tele away, lay a nova.

The main objective for your dueling is to "dive bomb". Strike and run, wait a few seconds, then determine how you should finish them off based on your opponents build/aggression.
Always dive bomb a lower resist, iron maiden, amp, etc etc before you begin with your main attack.
Personally, all I use is lower resist, but that's just my tactic.

For certain opponents, you need to figure out which finishing attack you would like to use safely.
The majority of the time I use Teeth (close range) or Bone Spirit (long range), but you can also use Fire golem, bone spear, skele mages (not suggested), or another poison nova if willing to risk being that close.

Most of my dueling on this consists of hosteling everyone, and using 1 all around vs all setup.
When it comes to certain problem opponents, throw on whatever swaps accordingly.



-----ALWAYS LOWER RESIST/MAIDEN/AMP ACCORDINGLY-----
-----ALWAYS RECAST BONE ARMOR----
-----I PERSONALLY USE CLAY GOLEM 75%+ OF MY DUELS. READ STRATEGIES ON FIRE GOLEM USE-----




Paladins:

Hammerdin------
Not many non-modding hammerdins floating around these days, but they are still beatable regardless. (Auto tp/save+exit = win in my book)

For the ones that charge around laying spam fields, predict their next running path, and tele below them. Try to land a nova, but don't stick around too long. If you don't succeed, tele in the opposite direction of their previous spam field, and repeat that method until you successfully land a nova. A lot of hdins have extreme resistance, so you may need to repeat this a couple times to prepare for the finish. Repeat, and be patient. Bone spirit charging hdins for the finish.

For aggressive name locking Hdins, these can be tough. This will end up a cat and mouse fight. You being the mouse. Keep just out of distance of their name lock, giving out a nova or 2 as they catch up hoping they name lock right into it. If they have you locked, run down giving off a nova if you can, and tele out and away repeating the chase. Use teeth once they are hanging on for dear life, bone spirit to chase them if they immediately get defensive to survive.

FoH------
Without my LoLo circlet and/or wisps, I can tank about 4 or so of a nice FoH. If you need more time weakening them, throw on your LoLo/wisps. You need to be fast with these guys. Land a nova as soon as you can, even if it means taking 1-2 foh's, then get out of conviction range. Let them bleed out for 2-3 seconds, bone spirit to stay out of conviction range, or throw up a fire golem for close range protection and let him wander while bone spiriting.

Smiter/charger/zealer------
Of course, keep your distance, synch will bite you in the ass. If you don't care, hit them with 2-3 bone prisons, tele just outside of the prison and give off 1-2 novas. You can use whatever finisher you'd like for them in that case really, bone spear is quick but you'll need to be accurate. If you do not want to prison, keep your distance giving off a nova here and there hoping they synch right into it. Teeth or spear them for the finish for a quick finish.



Druids:

Ele------
This one will be tough and take some patience. You want to be both aggressive and defensive when going up against a well played Ele.
You do not want them to name-lock you with all of their summons out, if you can, cut some of them down with a nova, teething, or fire golem. If they retreat to recast summons, get on them but take caution of spam tornadoes. Name lock them for a nova while they're down on summons, or predict where they will run from you to and lay a nova there. Fire golem/teeth/spear to finish.

Fire------
Kind of the same method with hammerdins. Avoid their fissure fields, don't let them volcano lock you, and don't spend too much time in their armageddon. Dive bomb a Nova, let them bleed out, and finish however you feel is needed according to how offensive/defensive they are.

Shapeshifter------
If need be, prison. Nova from outside of your prison, they should bleed out fairly quick.
Even without prison, they shouldn't catch you. I like to mess with these builds. Spastic teleing close by to get them to chase you giving off novas everywhere, or run from them as they chase you and tele a half screen away giving out a nova and running again. Bleed em out, take em out.



Amazons:

Bowazon------
These will be tricky. Their passives and arrow distancing can ruin a lot of your dive-bomb attempts causing you to take damage. Be quick. Land a nova as soon as you can and spastic tele in random directions avoiding guided arrows and multi. Bleed out for a few seconds, and dive bomb in with fire golem/teeth/spear, or let them search for you as you lay trains of bone spirits.

Javazon------
Throw on LoLo circ/wisps if needed. Prison if you choose to. Dive-bomb, bleed out, finish how you please. If they are an offensive telezon, let them chase and do the cat and mouse method, giving off novas as you keep your distance.


Assassins:

Trapsin/Hybsin------
A well played one is my toughest match up. Between the mind blasts, trap fields, shadow, fade, survival can be tough.
Throw on sorbs accordingly. Keep your distance and try to encourage them to chase you. Cat and mouse giving out novas hoping they catch one. WSG if you get caught in never ending mind blasts, and get away. KEEP YOUR BONE ARMOR ON ALWAYS. MAKE SURE LOWER RESIST IS STILL ACTIVE ON THEM, RECAST IF NOT. If your novas manage to get them hanging by a thread, they will probably go defensive and hope for you to chase them into their trap fields with more mind blasts awaiting you. If you know they're down to nothing, keep your distance with a fire golem up, and spraying bone spirits at them. Good luck

Ghost------
Pretty much the same deal with trapper/hybrids. Good luck


Necromancers:

Bone------
My favorite duel. A well played one will most likely throw on their NvN setup and spear you to hell with occasional spirits to catch you while you reposition.
Be quick and spastic with your dive bomb, avoiding their spear spams. They have to aim their spear, so try and trick them as to where you're actually going to land to lay your nova.
Once you've landed a nova, retreat quick and bleed them out for 2-3 seconds. Finish them as you please.

Summoner------
Follow ele druid strategy.

Poison------
Cat and mouse, will come down to who is quicker. Have fun with this one!


Barbarians:
Do not stay still. I mess with barbarians as well like I do with shape shifters. You can stay in close range and allow them to name lock but you have to be quick, or you can let them cat and mouse you. If you stay in close, and they name lock you, you have to time your teleport perfectly. Teleport away from them but close enough to see right as they enter their teleport animation and lay a Nova or 2. They should leap/tele right into your nova, and WW barbs should whirl right into your nova. Bleed em out once you've landed, finish as you please.
Keep your distance and cat and mouse them if they are overly aggressive and well played. Finishing off with fire golem up, bone spirits/teeth at a distance as they approach you.


Sorcs:
Cat and mouse cat and mouse cat and mouse. They will out run you, they will catch you, they will hurt you. Use sorbs accordingly. Keep bone armor up. Keep up a fire golem. Place novas as they try to name lock you but get out quick. Es sorcs will bleed out instantly, fire golem will finish them immediately. If for some reason he doesn't, spirit from a distance, or spastic teething will do it.
Vita sorcs may take a bit longer, and require a lot of chasing. Be unpredictable, lay novas fast, and get out even faster.





-Closing-

Remember, this is a guide. A guide to give you an idea on what to use, and how to use it. You do not have to follow it 100%, experiment as you please.
This is just what I have experienced, and what works for my playing style. Everyone has their own opinion, playing style, and tactics. Again, this is what works for me.
You will be able to begin dueling on your nova necro in the low 80's if you have all of your skill quests completed. Of course the higher, the better.

I am currently in the process of re-leveling my nova because I created a new account and did some name transfers the other day.
My necro is currently level 81(not for long), 13-14k damage with my preferred setup, 3k Life, max hell res, 125fcr/86fhr, and working up a stronger bone armor.
The second I could wear my arachnids mesh, I had to stop lvling and go duel with him.
I spent hours upsetting any build, levels 90-99.
Don't underestimate the little guy.


This post was edited by 00apacolypse on Dec 25 2012 02:30am
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Dec 25 2012 02:11am
this is basically exactly what i used
to stomp pubs with ease
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Dec 25 2012 02:12am
Very nice guide!! plan on making one to mess around on soon. will mess around with vita/block setups also.
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Dec 25 2012 02:23am
Quote (bj4u @ Dec 25 2012 03:11am)
this is basically exactly what i used
to stomp pubs with ease


:thumbsup:

Quote (belgium420 @ Dec 25 2012 03:12am)
Very nice guide!! plan on making one to mess around on soon. will mess around with vita/block setups also.


Thanks. I have block setups, but I never use them anymore.
The way I see it, the job is to land a hit and bleed them out as quickly as possible without getting hit. Certain opponents you can take several hits from, but of course you want to avoid it.
Bulking up bone armor can hold it's own in most cases, and recasting it is simple.

With MB setups, you are losing out on life and damage. Takes them longer to bleed out and you have to land more novas while putting yourself at risk for taking more hits.

In a few cases yeah, it comes in handy but it's really just more effort lol.


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Dec 25 2012 02:51am
nice guide.

but imo full TO nova necro > this :evil:
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Dec 25 2012 03:06am
Quote (soppamies @ Dec 25 2012 03:51am)
nice guide.

but imo full TO nova necro > this :evil:


TO's are fun too =p

If you have a TO, i'd love to duel
East NL
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Dec 25 2012 03:13am
Quote (00apacolypse @ 25 Dec 2012 11:06)
TO's are fun too =p

If you have a TO, i'd love to duel
East NL


i play eu sc nl :p
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Dec 25 2012 05:50am
Omg cant describe how i love venomancees... Nova is the most beautiful spell in game;o

Basicly theres no othe option to build a good novamnceer so theres nothing revolutionary in this guide, but noone has dared to write one yet, so good that we have yours.
Altho id add 3 things: the importance of frw factor. I personally use 150 frw one for synching. Running away while someones trying to stomp u is generlly much safier than teleing and beeing open for chainlocks.
Also southwalking is the only way to win vs decent ele druids and hammers while i dont see this mentioned in the guide.

Second: ur setup totally lacks dr. U cant have no block, no dr and just 3k life bcuz thats the stats of random mf tal soso after bo...
Half ww of any barb. I personally use coa and dungo for dr.

And one more thing. The strenght of nova lays in -res provided by curse and dedicated for this build - deaths web.
Taking into accoun that less than 5% of nowadays duelers have psn resi stacked deaths web should be ur main weapon, cuz with it and lr most of chars in game r taken by 1 nova.
The disadvantage of dweb setup is lack of res which means the total cost o this char increases rapidly cuz u really need high.res rings/amu and charms. U should've mentioned that.
Otherwise - solid guide:)

Btw r u eu?

This post was edited by mysz15 on Dec 25 2012 05:57am
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Dec 25 2012 11:33am
antidote> psn nec
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Dec 25 2012 12:56pm
Quote (mysz15 @ Dec 25 2012 06:50am)
Omg cant describe how i love venomancees... Nova is the most beautiful spell in game;o

Basicly theres no othe option to build a good novamnceer so theres nothing revolutionary in this guide, but noone has dared to write one yet, so good that we have yours.
Altho id add 3 things: the importance of frw factor. I personally use 150 frw one for synching. Running away while someones trying to stomp u is generlly much safier than teleing and beeing open for chainlocks.
Also southwalking is the only way to win vs decent ele druids and hammers while i dont see this mentioned in the guide.

Second: ur setup totally lacks dr. U cant have no block, no dr and just 3k life bcuz thats the stats of random mf tal soso after bo...
Half ww of any barb. I personally use coa and dungo for dr.

And one more thing. The strenght of nova lays in -res provided by curse and dedicated for this build - deaths web.
Taking into accoun that less than 5% of nowadays duelers have psn resi stacked deaths web should be ur main weapon, cuz with it and lr most of chars in game r taken by 1 nova.
The disadvantage of dweb setup is lack of res which means the total cost o this char increases rapidly cuz u really need high.res rings/amu and charms. U should've mentioned that.
Otherwise - solid guide:)

Btw r u eu?


Was excited for you to post your feedback, knew it wouldn't be long =p
Appreciate the input bud, and yeah I am missing a few things, and also in the process of testing out other gear options and swaps.

As for the FRW and south running, I do have some of that explained in a few of the dueling strategies. You are absolutely correct about south running and it is a must in a lot of situations.

My preferred setup doesn't have as much frw as the DWEB setup, but I've found it enough to survive when south walking.

Dweb setup:
Enigma 45
2nec 30frw circ
gspurs 30 treks 20

so looking at about 95-105 frw with that setup, and 65-75 with my preferred setup.
The amount of gear/inventory you would have to change out to obtain 150FRW would cause you to lose out on some pretty important essentials of your build.

Now about your choice of DWEB over hoto setup:
I'm going to have to do some more testing on this, but I can see what you're getting at.
The reason why i don't use DWEB that much, is because with my preferred setup, the bleed out difference is unnoticeable. It still only takes me 1 landed nova to bleed someone out in 3 seconds or so.
Using DWEB is definitely going to spike up your cost on the character, being that you'll have to replace rings with 2x 10fcr rings and your 3pnb/100 ammy to a 2nec/20fcr ammy.
If you can afford it, that may be a decent trade-off. Just have to make sure that the resistance lost by removing hoto, is made up for or topped by your rings/amulet.

I like keeping as much +skill items on as possible, and with my preferred setup i'm at level 50 or 51 in nova and synergies.
So if you don't want to go spending a lot on a circlet with awesome adds such as frw/life/res, you could keep the cheap route by using another 3pnb/20fcr/2os tiara and putting some nice res stacking jewels in it.
Same goes for a better DR setup, BerBer a 3/20/2os so you don't have to go switching out too much gear and sacrificing +skills for it.

Using CoA and dungos takes 40fcr away from you, leaving you to find it elsewhere. and if you're using DWEB, I don't see how that will be achievable.
125fcr is a must at all times. Keep moving or die. Treat it as a glass cannon, hit and avoid as much as possible.

This post was edited by 00apacolypse on Dec 25 2012 01:00pm
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