Guide:BiP

This guide is designed to help people who are new to playing BiP necromancers to design their own customized build and give an introduction to their playing style.

Types of BiPers

Standard-health BiPs

A standard-health BiP uses health gain and massive health regeneration to be able to keep Blood is Power up on priority targets (Monks and such).

Ultra-low-health

Usually using 55-esque levels of health and much of the same principles as the 55 monk, the Ultra Low Health BiP is a very fragile but effective support character whose survivability can be increased with using Protective Spirit in worst-case-scenarios.

1 hp

Taking ultra-low-health BiPping to the extreme, 1 hp BiPs have 1 health. The purpose of having 1hp means you can spam health sacrifice skills without sacrificing your self to death. Obvious drawbacks include no survivability on any level.

Tactics

• 1hp BiPs should sac themselves right off and then be resurrected with 1 health off the bat to be able to spam BiP.
• Put up all of your critical enchantments and try to maintain them.
• Use Blood is power on targets who require energy. A low/1hp player will typically spam BiP on most of the party, while a high-hp one uses BiP more judiciously.
• You must make sure you prioritize on those who need energy (e.g. a monk will almost always need energy more than a warrior).

Attribute selection

• For the basic build as long as you have 16 (12+1+3) in Blood Magic the other attribute points can go into anything else. However a reasonable Soul reaping is advised.

Skill selection

Core Skill

• Blood is Power

This is the core skill of BiPing and any other skill is not required as long as you have BiP.

• Awaken the Blood
• Masochism

While the second two skills aren't essential they're highly useful, but non-1hp bipers should be aware that Awaken the Blood causes double health sacrificing.

Necromancer Skills

Blood Magic

• Order of Pain

Increased damage for your attackers. Also commonly used in places like Urgoz's warren and The Deep as a cover enchantment for lurers.

• Well of Blood

This is a useful skill if you don't have a MM in your group as it can provide an effective means of healing to any allies inside it.

• A Standard-health BiP is likely to bring lifesteal skills (e.g. Vampiric Gaze) to counter the sacrifices and deal damage at the same time.

Curses

• Defile Enchantments or Desecrate Enchantments

These skills are good AoE damaging skills and while a bip shouldn't usually do damage this skill can be useful in areas with a lot of closely packed enemies, even if there aren't any enchantments on them.

• Enfeebling Blood or Enfeeble

Weakness is useful in some areas, and one of the above would be a good choice.

• Insidious Parasite

This skill can be useful on 55/normal health bips, as it will help maintain health.

Death Magic

• Blood of the Master

This is good if you have a minion master as you can help keep minions alive, and if you're a 1hp bip you don't have to worry about sacrificing. (and if you have Masochism on energy either).

• Consume Corpse or Necrotic Traversal

Commonly needed in in Urgoz's Warren and the Domain of Anguish.

• Death Nova

Because your going to be in casting range of most of your team this can be useful to spam onto allies that are about to die, to spread poison.

• Soul Feast

For 55/Normal health bips for an emergency heal if there's a spare corpse around.

• Withering Aura

Can be used on allies to spread weakness onto enemy.

Soul Reaping-Primary

• Signet of Lost Souls

This is a good energy managment skill if you don't have Masochism, and also provides health if your not a 1hp bip.

Title Skills

• Signet of Corruption

Can provide you with some energy managment if you can't take Masochism.

• Necrosis

It's a good way to get a cheap bit of armor ignoring damage in. And has a quick recharge.

Secondary professions and skills

Monks

Monk secondary Professions are often the popular choice as they can help with protection where needed, however monks will never particularly have anything other than Protection prayer skills other than hex removal. Monk secondaries are also very popular because of the wide range of hard resurrect skills.

Healing Prayers

• Healing Breeze

This can be used on 55/Normal health bips to help maintain health, but has the draw back of costing 10 energy.

• Renew Life

For a hard rez, which gives some energy, as well as healing everyone in the area, but i's a touch skill so you should be wary of using it.

• Restful Breeze

An alternative to Healing breeze, it will provide a constant +10 health regen, but is removed when the ally attacks/uses a skill

• Resurrection Chant

This is another hard rez, it has half normal range (so it's not as dangerous as a touch skill but still dangerous),this isn't very useful on 1/55hp bips, due to their low health.

• Words of Comfort

Can be useful if it's only used on allies with a condition, so it provides the additional healing.

Protection Prayers

• Protective Spirit

This skill is used in the worst scenario cases when Bipper is in danger, it can also be used on the teams lurer.

• Aegis

This skills is usually used in an Aegis chain (2 monks will bring aegis so aegis can be up constantly), to provide the team with a constant 75% chance to block.

• Dismiss Condition

This can be useful if you don't have extinguish, or aren't expecting many conditions.

• Extinguish

This is useful for removing a condition of the whole party at once, and is one of the most common skills run on a bip.

• Mend Ailment

This can be used for removing a condition with a small heal.

• Rebirth

This is the most common resurrect taken with a bip, because it allows you to resurrect the ally to your location, which should be safe out of the way.

Smiting Prayers

• Judge's Intervention

Can save you from one hit of damage, while doing considerable damage back.

• Smite Condition

Useful for removing a condition while dealing damage back.

• Smite Hex

Useful for removing a hex while dealing damage back.

No Attribute

• Essence Bond

Can be useful for energy managment if placed on a tank.

• Holy Veil

Can be useful to quickly remove a hex.

Mesmers

A Mesmer secondary is used generally for interrupts and energy gain.

Domination Magic

• Power Spike

A cheap interupt that will deal moderate damge without having to invest to heavily.

• Signet of Disruption

In a team with a hex based player, this can be a good interrupt.

Inspiration Magic

• Ether Signet

Can be good if you find yourself running out of energy, but requires some investing in inspiration.

• Waste Not, Want Not

Useful if you need energy.

Title Skills

• Cry of Pain

This can be usefull in a team with a hex based player, though the cost is high, it gives an interupt and decent AoE damage.

Elementalists

Earth Magic

• Ward skills

Ward skills can be usefull in supporting your party.

Ritualist

A rituslist secondary is used mainly for the hard rez, although sometimes supporting spirits can be taken.

Communing

• Various Binding Rituals can be useful.

This requires a high investment in communing.

Restoration Magic

• Death Pact Signet

A good rez if you put some points into restoration, and your not worried about the resurrected person dying again.

• Flesh of My Flesh

A good rez if you put some points into restoration,

Ranger

A secondary ranger is usually used for Stances to protect yourself, but can also take some supportive spirits.

Beast Mastery

• Edge of Extinction

Useful in areas where monsters are the same species, does require a lot of points in BM.

• Energizing Wind

Allows your team to take more costly skills, but means they recharge slower (not a big factor if it's a quick recharge).

Wilderness Survival

• Dryder's Defenses

Stance that increase your chance to block attacks.

• Troll Unguent

Skill which gives decent regen at a low cost.

Dervish

Earth Prayers

• Mystic Regeneration

This can be used on 55/Normal health bips to help maintain health. With Masochism and Awaken the Blood on you it will provide 9 regeneration.

Assassin

Shadow Arts

• Shadow Refuge

This can be used on 55/Normal health BiP to help maintain health. It can provide a decent amount of health Regen.

Equipment selection

Armor

Standard Health

Max armor is a must. Get the best Vigor rune you can afford, and use Survivor insignias, and Vitae runes. This will mean your inital health is high, and even though you'll be sacrificing a lot of health, what's left will be higher than without these runes and insignias (if you using skills that require corpse consider a Bloodstained insignia).

Low Health

Typically max armor would be best. Usually health is around 55 or 13 maximum, so you will need 5 superior runes (ideally one in Blood and one in SR, the others can be in any attribute). Don't use any runes/insignias that increase your health. Insignias should be radiant or something that boosts your armor (if you using skills that require corpse consider a Bloodstained insignia).

1hp

Any rating of armor will do (even starter armor), as you will die in 1 hit regardless of your armor.You will need 5 superior runes (ideally one in Blood and one in SR, the others can be in any attribute). Don't use any runes/insignias that increase your health. Insignias should be radiant or (if you using skills that require corpse consider a Bloodstained insignia).

Weapons

• A Enchantments last 20% longer mod, the Totem Axe is a good example as it gives extra energy as well.

This will increase the time BiP is on the ally (to 12 seconds).

Standard Health

A Shield that increase armor might be of benefit (even if it's only a small amount). Anything that increases health is also good (consider a +45hp wile enchanted as you'll most likely be keeping Masochism up, or your health regen skill). Extra armor is good. You shouldn't ahve too much problems with energy but consider a +15/-1 set just incase.

Low Health

Low BiPs will want to wear the -50hp off hand grim cesta from the Cities of Ascalon quest. Combined with your superior runes (and assuming your not wearing anything that boosts health) your health should be 55hp, to get 13 being a -20hp offhand, equip it and die once.

1 Hp BiP

1hp BiPs will want to wear the -50hp off hand grim cesta from the Cities of Ascalon quest. A -20hp offhand or even a regular offhand (or staff) will also work, if you just sacrifice your self to death the required times. However this will lower your energy (due to Death Penalty) more. With the -50hp offhand, you should only have to die once to get to 1hp (though it's advised to die at least twice so you don't lose your DP mid fight)