Necro: Am I going to have tail envy?

[ReoDobbs]

Starting here on project 1999. Where I am in life need a self sufficient character to solo 95% of the time.

I'm looking at the necro, but with that in mind I'm also not overly interested in playing a an iskar necro. I've always enjoyed the gnome asthetics as my main used to be a gnome mage back in the day.

My questions are:

Is not going Iskar going to gimp me? Is going gnome going to be the difference between having to lifetap more frequently (no problem with this), or is it more like going to be 10-15 minutes more downtime per hour (umm, that would suck)? I know there are numbers posted but, for someone who has never played with lich form I have no idea what those numbers actually "feel" or mean, in the long run.

If I stick with my current gnome (not even lvl 4 yet so no biggie on the reroll), do I have anything besides asthetics to show for it? Are there factions that I won't be KOS in skellie form that an Iskar may?

Lastly, I'm enjoying this server so far. Getting whacked 8 times (first 3 times I couldn't figure out wtf was going on, the following 5 trying to get my newbie equipment) in a row by the same npc right outside of the entrance to Ak, because I was a necro.


TLDR:
Not going Iskar and having the Regen going to gimp me. Besides numbers what does it really mean?
Going Gnome, do I get any faction bennies (other than Ak) that Iskar don't, even in skellie form?

[Estu]

The iksar regen is definitely nice to have but you can get by without it. It's absolutely not going to add 10-15 minutes to your downtime per hour, or anything close to that. Faction-wise, you'll find it easier to raise certain factions, even if you start out KoS. My experience with a gnome necromancer here was that after leveling up to 5 or 6 in Butcherblock killing goblins and doing some Crushbone, I was already friendly with dwarves. Meanwhile, I think you'll be able to raise dark elf, troll, ogre, evil Freeport, and Paineel faction relatively easily, even if you start out KoS with some of them. The thing about KoS faction is that there's "a little KoS" and "very KoS", and the difference is enormous. Iksars are very KoS to every city outside of Cabilis. Gnome necromancers... just a bit ;)

[Edame]

Not going Iksar is a huge disadvantage as a Necro. Does that mean you should be an Iksar? Not necessarily, you just have to ask yourself what your goals are. After investing all the time in your character, will you regret not being the maximum optimized race more? Or will you regret not picking the character you found to look cooler more?

Both are completely legitimate options, but only you know the answer to that question.

[ReoDobbs]

Not going Iksar is a huge disadvantage as a Necro.

Care to elaborate? I realize it's a disadvantage, and hence why I came to ask about it here. I am middle of the road when it comes to min/maxing, hence one reason why I'm going necro instead of mage, even though I know the mage class.

Estu: Thank you for your input, I notice in your sig you don't have your Gnome Necro listed. What happened?

[Rogean]

Iksars are the shit.

AC Bonus on my warrior was $$$

[Estu]

Care to elaborate? I realize it's a disadvantage, and hence why I came to ask about it here. I am middle of the road when it comes to min/maxing, hence one reason why I'm going necro instead of mage, even though I know the mage class.

Estu: Thank you for your input, I notice in your sig you don't have your Gnome Necro listed. What happened?

I have so many alts that listing them all in my sig would be annoying to my fellow forum posters, so I only list the highest-level ones. My gnome necro is level 9ish at the moment and I haven't played him for a while but could certainly pick him up again at some point. I rolled him as a gnome because I love Butcherblock Mountains, though I might remake him as an Iksar at some point. I could still do Butcher on an Iksar and it seems a little silly to do gnome just for that reason. Maybe I wanted to only level in Faydwer? I don't remember my motivations. I haven't had a ton of desire to play him because necromancers are kind of slow until level 12.

[Malone88]

Iksars have some niceties, but KOS everywhere and -20EXP bonus...no thanks.

I went with DE....

[Potus]

I have played both Gnomes and Iksar.

Iksar are way better. The regeneration is really, really nice. So much so that you don't lose hp at lower levels, and you barely lose anything with Call of Bones, where as it's very noticeable on the other races.

It leaves you able to cast less lifetaps (which are mana inefficient) and do more dots/snares/fears which will speed up your leveling.

I've never noticed the exp penalty on my Iksar. I can kill things even faster where as on my old Gnome Necro there might be 10-20 seconds of downtime between me pulling another mob.

The faction isn't that significant. You're talking the ability to go into Freeport and Neriak, being dubious to guards in Kaladim. That's about it. Considering you might want to murder the Dwarf, Human, and Dark Elf npcs at some point your faction bonus isn't worth it.

Plus you get forage. Forage owns. If you're concerned about faction you can use this guide to build it up: http://mentalized.net/journal/2003/07/30/the_iksar_handbook_of_infiltration/

My iksar necro currently cons warmly to dwarf guards because I hunted in Crushbone in my teens. People also forget you can bank in Freeport and Runnyeye.

[Autotune]

Iksar necro is the best necro race, stat & regen wise.

However, the regen isn't as beneficial as these fools are making it out to be. I went Erud/Necro only because Iksars weren't available back then and DE necros were literally everywhere.

I can tell you right now that being an Erudite compared to an Iksar didn't really mean shit at 60. I could still farm/kill/level better than 95% of the other necros on the server and I seriously doubt me playing an iksar would have changed that % any.

I think, out of everything, I missed not having hide at 60 more than anything.

If you want the best farming/leveling necro and don't give a shit about race, go iksar.
if you want the best looking necro, choose what you find pleasing.
if you want the best raiding necro, choose something with Hide (lol).

Factions should be the least of your worries here.

[phobus]

Take a look at Vexenu's posts in this thread (http://www.project1999.org/forums/showthread.php?t=110930).

[Potus]

Some of that guy's numbers are way off. For example:

My Necro is a level 54 Iksar geared for HP (BS jewelry, Staff of the Waterwalker, HBC,etc...) and is sitting around 1500 HP self buffed, with 2000 mana and 155 INT. An Erudite Necro with identical gear plus GEBs and Mantels of Souls would be around 200 INT with 2500 mana and the same 1500 HP.

GEBs and Mantel doesn't give an extra 45 INT over an Iksar wearing grave sandals. Mantel is nice. Regen takes the sting out of Lich line. The Lich line is balanced around Necros having to lifetap more, which is very mana inefficient as far as nukes go. Because of regen you don't have to do this. With Kunark and Velious it's insanely easy to hit 200 INT and thus Iksar can focus on more HP gear and the added benefit of not needing to tap so much.

[phobus]

His numbers also accounted for the difference in starting stats - an Erudite has 32 INT more than an Iksar, assuming starting stats are distributed identically.

What I found most interesting about his posts were the calculations on how much mana the regen gave you over time.

Also, I just noticed this handy chart on the wiki: http://wiki.project1999.org/Necromancer#Iksar_vs_Non-Iksar:_Pre-Lich

[Estu]

His numbers also accounted for the difference in starting stats - an Erudite has 32 INT more than an Iksar, assuming starting stats are distributed identically.

What I found most interesting about his posts were the calculations on how much mana the regen gave you over time.

Also, I just noticed this handy chart on the wiki: http://wiki.project1999.org/Necromancer#Iksar_vs_Non-Iksar:_Pre-Lich

You just noticed it because it is new :p. Some guy named Uteunayr has been overhauling that entire page.

[Splorf22]

So looking at that chart an Iksar necromancer using demi-lich at 60 is 11hp/tick ahead. Using Vexing Mordinia, that means that the iksar is 5 mana per tick ahead, or about 10%.

[Autotune]

So looking at that chart an Iksar necromancer using demi-lich at 60 is 11hp/tick ahead. Using Vexing Mordinia, that means that the iksar is 5 mana per tick ahead, or about 10%.

Yeah, it's not a game changer (in kunark). However, the benefit is definitely not going undetected. If a necro is being careful and staying as efficient as possible, they will not fall behind. Having a good play style that is extremely efficient is > the regen bonus.

One major thing is having a large mana pool as a necro for when the unexpected happens (Oh shit moments). Erudites have an easier time keeping int maxed where iksars don't, this lets Eruds stack stats in other places, Like +hp and Stamina. Regen is nice, but it's not going to save you if you have a shitty mana pool.

For instance, I was always able to keep above 30% mana when leveling/farming 45+ and never slow down and still be able to take trains and only have slight downtime after killing them.

Basically, if you suck at a necro the iksar race isn't going to save you. If you are good, the iksar race is at the top of the list for best races stat wise, but any race will due well. Some of the best necromancers on the server are playing as Gnomes and DEs (I quit my Erudite so there probably isn't one of those anymore) and I can tell you that they aren't hurting for that regen.