The great debate: Vitamancer vs. Block/PDR

[Slipin]

Vitamancer vs. Blockmancer

The Bonermancer is perhaps the most widely used necro of 1.10 and for a good reason, it is not only good for PvM, but an awesome(AWESOME) PvP dueler. This is where there is controversy, to go for more life? or to go the blocking route to get higher blocking.

In this next section I will be explaining the pros and cons of both build types:
*NOTE* both builds will be treated as if they were level 85 with base str.
Also note this is with out the Act 3 tome quest.

Vitamancer

The most common type of bone necro, this path chooses Massive life over a chance to block.

Necromancers only get 1.5 life from leveling up and 2 life for each point put into vitality. this is rather low compared to the goliath that is the Barbarian how get 2/4. The most base life a Vitamancer gets is normally around 1.2k without any adds from equipment nor BO from the CTA.

lvl 85 Vitamancer:

str: base
dex: base
vita:455 (15 base + 440 from stat points)
eng: base

Life:1000-1100 (84 x 1.5)+(440 x 2)+45
(I got 1051 but then again I suck at math)

1100 is no small achievement for a necro and it gets much higher with jah'd gear, your eq, and BO.


Pros-

High life(duh).
Good against other casters.
A better public game dueler.

Cons-

No/low blocking.
One shot from a good WW barb or a Charger will take you out.
Not as effective in Clan Honor.
Not very effective against most melee characters.



Block/PDR mancer

The lesser used of the two builds, and is remotely weak against most casters, but the bane of all melee characters. It takes 192 dex to reach
max block at lvl 85 so keep that in mind. Since each point in Vita is only 2 life there will not be a HUGE life difference but you will have rather low life.


lvl 85 Block/PDRmancer

str: base
dex: 192 (more if abobe lvl 85)
vita: 258
eng: base

Life:687 more or less (again I suck at math)


Instead of using enhancing life gears and socketeers, most Block/PDR necros use PDR gear, I.E. Bers instead of Jahs.

NOTE*- Blocking is reduced to 1/3 when running.

Pros-
Very good against melee.
It can block.
Only 25% chance to die in one hit to a good WW barb or Charger :flip:
More aimed for Clan Honor dueling.

Cons-

Not an huge amount of life.
Weaker against casters.
Weaker in pubbies due to 70%+ being casters.


Public games vs. Clan Honor
Public games are just that, anyone can join, they can use any items they wish, and rarely is there such thing as manners. Also with things like Enigmas, Marrows, Curses, Stacked Poison, CTAs and other things there are rarely Melee (or atleast good ones) and roughly a 7:3 ratio of casters to melee. This is what makes Vitamancers so good for pubby dueling. While Blockmancers are still good in pubby games, a good caster can take you out in one or two shots.

Clan Honor, one of the best ideas in D2 history in my opinion, Has mannered Dueling and gets rid of many BM (bad manner) features of pubby dueling. There has to be a catch right? Well there is, CH bans many favorite Items/Skills. That means to tele-ing with enigma or stacking poison or no use of the marrow bug or CTA, not even chance to cast items are allowed. And CH cracks down HARD on necros, no marrow bug (a given) no use of decrep, Bone prison, no spamming bone wall, and they even recently took a poll about banning bone spirt(thankfully it didn't pass).

Slipin


*Disclaimer*- This is not a guide, merely a thread for the purpose of discribing the difference of the two schools of the bonemancer. All opinions and suggestions are valued.

[Slipin]

Eh, I was bored.

[CEG]

I prefer vita. For 2 reasons.

The first is that I refuse to use enigma. Therefore Im always running. Blocking is dropped a lot when you run so even If I had max block, Id hardly ever reap the benefits of it due to lots of running around.

The second is that it isn't too hard to avoid melee attacks (aside from charge, that one gives me some trouble). Even the teleing ww barbs are fairly easy to dodge given decent reflexes. Bone armor can usually save me from a one hit KO.

Overall its better versus casters and its not terribly difficult to manage dueling melee chars without block.

[soulesschild]

i have a comparison in my guide as well :)

[leddan]

Nice work Slipin.

I usually go for at least 50% block minimum on my charachters in 1.10. I'll use CTA & life charms to help boost the number up. When I did hardcore mainly, it was always a max block deal with life charms to help.

[Sigus]

I would say I perfer Block over vit. Reason being that its as good as 75% extra vit vs melee chars... true caster dont need to hit you up close and personal... but the majority can be resisted to the point that you will kill them quicker than they will kill you.

[Pallidum]

I'd go with vita. Since 90% of duel games are pubs, chances are one will find alot more casters than melees. That being said, this fact plays into one of the pros you mentioned.

I would also like to say that you didnt take damage reduce and fast hit recovery into account. If you factor in both variables, your survival increases significantly against melee opponents.

Finally there is the tactics involved. WWs are easy to dodge, even without teleport. With teleport, its is virtually impossible for a barb to catch a necro without taking a few hits from spirit. With chargers, lean against a wall or a puddle to nullify the knockback effect, and they'll be easy pickings. With zons, set up bone walls and approach, once you get her on the run, its all over. WW sins are just weaker barbs, and since we're talking about pubbies, she has very low chance of beating a skilled necro.

If you duel in CH, then obviously it would be different. But for the majority that pubs, vita is simply the better option.