Minion Build Guild Wars 2: A Comprehensive Guide to Summoning an Army of Minions

Introduction

In the realm of Tyria, minions reign supreme. These loyal and deadly companions bolster the ranks of necromancers, allowing them to unleash a torrent of devastation upon their foes. With their ability to swarm enemies and deal sustained damage, minions have become an indispensable element of necromancer builds in Guild Wars 2.

This comprehensive guide delves into the intricacies of minion building, providing essential knowledge and strategies to optimize your summoning capabilities. From choosing the right skills and traits to understanding the strengths and weaknesses of various minions, we will embark on a journey to create an unstoppable army that will crush all who stand in your way.

Minions in Guild Wars 2

Minions are temporary units that can be summoned by necromancers using various skills. They come in different types, each with unique abilities and strengths. The maximum number of minions you can have active at any time is limited by your minion cap, which can be increased through traits and equipment.

Choosing the Right Skills and Traits

The foundation of a powerful minion build lies in selecting the appropriate skills and traits. Here are some key considerations:

Skills

• Summon Flesh Golem: Summons a powerful flesh golem that deals significant melee damage and has a high health pool.
• Summon Bone Minions: Summons multiple bone minions that deal physical damage and provide support through transfers.
• Summon Shadow Fiend: Summons a shadow fiend that deals high damage and is immune to conditions.
• Summon Blood Fiend: Summons a blood fiend that deals high damage and can life steal from enemies.
• Summon Spiteful Spirit: Summons a spiteful spirit that deals high damage and applies debuffs to enemies.

Traits

• Minion Master: Increases the damage and health of your minions.
• Death Magic: Increases the power and critical chance of your minions.
• Soul Reaping: Grants you additional minion slots and reduces the cooldown on minion summoning skills.

Understanding Minion Types

Minions can be classified into four main types:

Melee Minions

These minions engage in close-range combat, dealing physical damage. They are typically tankier than other types of minions and can absorb significant damage.

Ranged Minions

These minions attack from a distance, dealing physical or condition damage. They are often more fragile than melee minions but can provide support from afar.

Support Minions

These minions provide support through various means, such as healing, transferring conditions, or applying debuffs. They are essential for sustaining your minion army and keeping your enemies weakened.

Elite Minions

Elite minions are powerful units that can significantly impact battles. They have unique abilities and are often used as the cornerstone of specific minion builds.

Optimizing Minion Performance

To unleash the full potential of your minions, consider the following strategies:

• Position your minions effectively: Place your minions strategically to maximize their damage output and protect them from enemy attacks.
• Use minion transfers: Transfer conditions from your minions to enemies using skills like "Mark of Pain" and "Drain Soul."
• Manage your minion cap: Summon minions as often as possible to maintain your maximum minion cap and overwhelm your enemies.
• Utilize traits and equipment: Utilize traits and equipment that enhance minion stats and abilities.

Overcoming Minion Weaknesses

While minions can be devastating, they also have certain weaknesses:

• Vulnerability to AoE attacks: Minions are susceptible to area-of-effect (AoE) attacks, which can quickly wipe out large numbers of them.
• Lack of mobility: Minions move slowly and can be kited by enemies with high movement speed.
• Counterplay through conditions: Some conditions, such as freeze and daze, can disable minions and render them ineffective.

Strategies for Specific Encounters

Different encounters require tailored minion strategies. Here are some examples:

Dungeons

• Use a mix of minion types: Melee, ranged, and support minions can provide a balanced approach to dungeon encounters.
• Position minions strategically: Place minions at chokepoints to block enemy movements and maximize damage output.
• Utilize elite minions: Elite minions can turn the tide of battles in specific dungeon encounters.

Fractals

• Focus on support minions: Support minions are crucial for sustaining your minion army and mitigating enemy damage.
• Beware of AoE attacks: Fractals often feature powerful AoE attacks that can devastate your minions.
• Manage your minion cap: The limited space in fractals makes it essential to manage your minion cap effectively.

Raids

• Build specialized minion armies: Tailor your minion composition to the specific raid encounter and boss mechanics.
• Coordinate with your team: Coordinate with your team to ensure that minion and player abilities complement each other.
• Utilize terrain: Use the terrain to your advantage by positioning minions in locations that maximize their impact.

Conclusion

Summoning an army of minions in Guild Wars 2 is a powerful strategy that can dominate the battlefield. By understanding the mechanics of minions, choosing the right skills and traits, and adapting your strategies to specific encounters, you can create an unstoppable force that will conquer all who oppose you. May your minions march to victory and pave the way to eternal glory!