Demons vs Necro

[Two5boy]

So I recently levelled a Necro/Dark to lvl 50 and I am now doing the same for Demons/Dark and currently sitting at 47. I tend to do +3/6 from around level 30 and I have to say I am having a rougher time with Demons. 
 

I am face planting a lot more especially missions with 2 or more Longbow bosses in the same mob. I don’t know what it is but I expected an easier ride than Necro. I think the difference is the constant debuff from Necro henchman and Soul extraction is so strong vs Hell on Earth.

 

i am curiously what are people experiences and if there are any tips for demons?

[Maelwys]

Demons hasn't changed much over the years, whereas Necro has been revamped recently and is currently one of the top (if not the top) performing powersets.
That's not to say Demons are weak... but they used to be the outlying strongest set; and now they're merely one good-performing set amongst many others.

+ Necro inflicts a lot of -Tohit debuffs (the Lich can stack them pretty high by itself, plus your personal attacks and Soul Extraction)
+ Dark inflicts a lot of -ToHit debuffs. (Darkest Night, Fearsome Stare, Fluffy)
Together, those powersets will effectively be defence-softcapping you and your pets vs most foes that rate up-to-and-including "+5" to your T1 pets (e.g.+3 to you).

Demons do not inflict -ToHit debuffs. Instead they buff each other's Damage Resistance; inflict a bit of +Slow/-recharge debuffs and have a bit of AoE healing.
That's not a bad spread of damage mitigation, but it means that you and your pets are not likely to be hitting the Defence softcap unless you work for it.

Are you using Maneuvers and Shadow Fall (both ED-capped for +Defence) plus the Edict of the Master and Call to Arms +Defence Aura IOs?
That should raise your pets' total Defence by around 20%; which leaves them 25% from the "regular" (non incarnate/hardmode) Defence softcap.
Dark's "Darkest Night" and "Fearsome Stare" both inflict about a 17.6% ToHit Debuff when slotted up; so even against +3s that's still inflicting 0.65*17.6= of the original, for 11.44% -ToHit each; or ~22.88% total.
That puts them at a hair over 2% shy of the softcap. Fluffy (Chill of the Night is -30% ToHit by itself!) or even a simple Twilight Grasp will close that gap.
So your henchmen should end up effectively softcapped versus most things as long as you don't neglect your +Def and -ToHit slotting.
*YOU* might still need a little bit of extra help to hit the softcap, but that's doable via other Toggles, Set Bonuses and the Steadfast Protection/Gladiator's Armor uniques.

Shadow Fall should also help your pets versus Energy/Negative/Psi damage - and they already get decent Cold/Fire/Smashing/Lethal Resistance from the Ember Demon shields plus their inherent resistances. Throw in the Expedient Reinforcement, Sovereign Right and (Superior) Mark of Supremacy +Resistance Aura IOs for another +35% Resist to all and they get pretty tanky.

Unfortunately there's not much you can do about pet mez protection other than Shadow Fall (Terrorized) and Tactics (Confusion) until you hit 50 and get access to the Clarion Destiny Incarnate abilities and a few choice supportive Lore pets. (OK, you could take Medicine Pool's "injection"... but the cast time is long and the duration is short so you'd be forever rebubbling your henchmen. Just don't! 😉)
 

Edited March 29 by Maelwys

[Two5boy]

Thank you very much for your comprehensive explanation of the difference of the two. Really insightful and I think you are spot on. I feel that Necro plays a lot better overall and you can tell the update is well thought out and has really rounded them out. 
 

Demons have more AOE and can finish large mobs quicker but definitely not as safe. On missions with difficult mobs with two bosses or more I faceplant more often. 
 

I hope demons get looked at for next update. 

[TheMoncrief]

On 3/29/2024 at 4:34 PM, Two5boy said:

Thank you very much for your comprehensive explanation of the difference of the two. Really insightful and I think you are spot on. I feel that Necro plays a lot better overall and you can tell the update is well thought out and has really rounded them out. 
 

Demons have more AOE and can finish large mobs quicker but definitely not as safe. On missions with difficult mobs with two bosses or more I faceplant more often. 
 

I hope demons get looked at for next update. 

 

Agreed. Demons don't need *MUCH*, but they do need some attention. Thugs and Beasts are both well below Demons I'd say, but all 3 sets that weren't touched in the most recent set of MM overhauls could use at least touch ups.