Guild Wars 2

Since 2012 rangers have been able to only use five of the following weapons such as bows, swords, daggers, torches and war horns but why is that they cannot use guns. Being a ranger you often will use a bow aka a ranged weapon so why is it that rangers cannot use guns to its full usage it would be the same as well with abilities such as cripple or bleed there will be no change in how it plays out in the game when using a gun with a ranger. If you have a SIMPLE explanation to why they cannot use guns please feel free to answer away

Because the class name is not because they used ranged weapons. It’s because lore wise rangers go across a wide range of the world. And in the Guild Wars lore, rangers do not use guns.

I never understood this either. If warriors can use ALL of the melee weapons (except daggers and torches) why can’t the rangers use ALL of the ranged weapons (except maybe staff/trident/scepter since those are magical and rangers are physical).

What GW lore established rangers don’t use guns? Just curious? If it’s GW1 then warriors shouldn’t be able to use rifles either… not only that but they should also be allowed to use foci, staves, and scepters (since GW1 warriors ‘could’ equip them).

I’d just like to know what ‘lore’ excluded rangers from using a, newly developed, ranged weapon.

Ranger =/= using ranged weapons. A ranger as per etymology is a game keeper or person who patrols a given area. People often confuse Ranger as meaning someone that specializes in ranged weapons simply because it has the word “range” in it.

I understand that (even if I think the best skills for Rangers in GW2 ARE the longbow and shortbow- except for seldom occasions with reflectors), but that still doesn’t explain why they can’t use rifles/pistols.

If anything rifles and pistols would make patrolling a given area easier since- if you’re going to go by real world reasons- rifles and pistols, well rifles typically, are more accurate than bows and shoot farther than bows. We aren’t saying they can’t have a pet, or to get rid of the pet, we’re wondering why they can’t use rifles (at least) and pistols.

Rangers in history evolved with weaponry. Using melee weapons and bows, then when gun powder was invented they picked up rifles and actually discarded the bows. They got rid of swords at that time too in favor of daggers and pistols. Bows and swords were just too bulky to carry around once rifles and pistols came along.

So you’re saying Rangers should only be allowed to use daggers, pistols and rifles?

If you’re going to use real world arguments why rangers shouldn’t use bows, then yes. I’m saying they should only be able to use daggers, pistols, rifles, and maybe hatchets. The rest is too bulky to carry around to patrol certain areas.

But since this ISN’T the real world, no. I’m not. I’d just like someone to point at the specific GUILD WARS lore that prevents them from utilizing new technologies. Maybe it was a pact across the rangers of the world to never use weapons that may disturb the sounds of nature (gunshots do this if you listen before and after in a forest). Or maybe rangers just hate the industrialization of the Charr (the Charr rangers would be the minority of their race) and wished they’d go back to more primitive roots (maybe without the Flame Legion though).

As it stands, saying they can’t use rifles because of LORE just makes no sense.

Well you yourself tied the word Ranger with being able to use all ranged weapons. This leads me to believe you feel that Ranger = ranged.

…why can’t the rangers use ALL of the ranged weapons (except maybe staff/trident/scepter since those are magical and rangers are physical).

Also many would argue that the LB and SB for Ranger isn’t their best weapon choices unless you are bearbowing PvE.

Anyway, why can’t Mesmers use rifles then? They use pistols. See this can go on and on with just about every profession.

Perhaps your question about lore would be answered more readily in the Lore sub-forum.

range
[reynj] Show IPA
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/range?s=t

noun

29. to pass over or through (an area or region) in all directions, as in exploring or searching: They ranged the entire countryside.

36. to move around or through a region in all directions, as people or animals.

These are the definition of the word ‘range’ that the ranger gets its name from. As Trogdor and Seera said, it has nothing to do with ranged weapons.

But fear not:

“Now let’s talk about the specifics Colin and I chatted about during our call”.//// “What’s more is that the team is also working very kitten finding a way to make it so that every profession has access to every weapon”

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/473/feature/7597/Guild-Wars-2-ArenaNets-Master-Plan-for-2013.html

I like how you say it has nothing to do with ranged weapons. 3/5 of those definitions are only to do with ranged weapons. What they’re talking about is

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ranger?s=t

which has less to do with weapons, but still has to do with war and would have incorporated guns once the charr invented them.

But yeah, that is correct that they’re working on getting every class using every weapon (hard to see since the last two skills released were healing).

3 of 5 of those definitions have nothing to do with the reason the class is called ‘ranger’ :P

A simple look at the GW2 main site description of a Ranger should clear this up for you a bit:
https://www.guildwars2.com/en/the-game/professions/ranger/

It does clear it up, they’re unparalleled archers which is why they can’t use pistols and rifles. Not unparalleled marksmen. Although… it does seem to place them in the Rangers are called that because they’re good at ranged weaponry by saying they have keen eyes and steady hands (both good for rifles too).

Kentaine.4692:

Although… it does seem to place them in the Rangers are called that because they’re good at ranged weaponry by saying they have keen eyes and steady hands (both good for rifles too).

Just becasue they are good with bows doesn’t mean they are named after the type of weaponry they use. Your own link to the definition of ranger says nothing about ranged weaponry. Only ‘ranging/roving’. They could easily have been called ‘rover’ but other fantasy universes had already made the term ‘ranger’ the defacto term to refer to that proffession.

You are not noticing it is their attachment to nature that makes them what they are. Rangers roam and patrol regions and being in tune with nature is part of that. They keep pets to fight by their sides. They are not described as masters of ranged weaponry. Seriously, I don’t follow lore but perhaps you can get some background in the Lore sub-forum from some of those that are into it.

just a reference please don’t try and make it about the game BUT hunter in world of Warcraft has about the same way of fighting style and connection with the nature. does he use rifles? yes.

Escapist.5687:

just a reference please don’t try and make it about the game BUT hunter in world of Warcraft has about the same way of fighting style and connection with the nature. does he use rifles? yes.

A hunter and a ranger are two different things.

really how exactly? if you will refer to actual definition, let me tell you: did you ever see people hunting with a giant spider pet?

A-net leaves their classes open enough to fit multiple archtypes. Which is why things like iron legion charr rangers are lore friendly. Rangers will get guns eventually, which will allow us to create hunter archtypes. But they probably wont add weapons to one class until they are ready to add weapons to the other classes. Which will ultimately head toward a-nets goal of all weapons for all classes.

it will be interesting to see how will a warrior use a staff or sceptre-.-

Staff may be melee, shaolin style. Scepter I can’t even begin to imagine :P Maybe an offhand like warhorn.

Yes, the ranger is in tune with nature. That’s why he has a pet. But the first paragraph of their description says they’re UNPARALLELED archers, so yes ranged weaponry is their forte.

BUT the devs are working on getting all weapons to everyone, hopefully, so this discussion is pointless. No one here is discussing why they’re called rangers. We’re asking why they can’t use guns.

We all understand they’re called rangers because they’re, essentially, like a forest ranger. That’s why they have a PET. They wouldn’t have a PET if they were called archer, marksman, or sniper. The rifles have NOTHING to do with why they’re called a ranger. The PET has everything to do with why they’re called Ranger. We aren’t incompetent. It’d just be nice to see some weapon proliferation, especially to the professions we think are lacking it.

Personally I’d like to see:

Ranger – rifle
Warrior – nothing really, except maybe dagger off hand
Elementalist – sword
Mesmer – rifle (or something with AoE)
Guardian – warhorn
Necromancer – pistol (or something with AoE)
Thief – axe

I haven’t really played an engineer to wish I could use something different.

No rifles for rangers or mesmers >_< They don’t fit the lore of the professions. I’d like additional utility/elite skills not weapons/weapon skills. We already have a pistol, dual pistols would be too much! No pistols for Rangers, either. Rangers are attuned to nature. Mesmers are magic users.

The proffessions don’t have hard lore like in other fantasy universes. They are open enough to fit multiple arch-types so 5 diffrent rangers can have 5 diffrent “lores”. This is why an Iron legion charr ranger is still an inventor in the personal story.

e.g.: The guardian isn’t a palladin by lore. they are fighting magic casters. But the lore of guardians is open enough that you can say your own guardian is a palladin type figure and it wouldn’t be against lore.

Kentaine.4692:

I never understood this either. If warriors can use ALL of the melee weapons (except daggers and torches) why can’t the rangers use ALL of the ranged weapons (except maybe staff/trident/scepter since those are magical and rangers are physical).

What GW lore established rangers don’t use guns? Just curious? If it’s GW1 then warriors shouldn’t be able to use rifles either… not only that but they should also be allowed to use foci, staves, and scepters (since GW1 warriors ‘could’ equip them).

I’d just like to know what ‘lore’ excluded rangers from using a, newly developed, ranged weapon.

Warriors are weapon masters which means they have a ton of training using each weapon.

Rangers are people who are close to nature, they tame pets and don’t use guns or magic (except spirits).

in other words Guns=Machines, machines <→ Nature, so bad.

Iron legion charr and asura from all three schools are both inventors of machines. Even the rangers.

Starwars the old republic → that way.
we don’t need more technology in this game.

………tyria already has guns.

No, they shouldn’t.

Enough said.

The whole lore thing is such a cop out. I wish they would just say “we don’t feel like balancing more weapons for more classes at the moment” because honestly, that’s the real issue here.

A rifle somehow doesn’t fit the lore, but a kittening harpoon gun does? Bull-kittening-kitten.

The reason no proffesion can use all weapons is to make them feel more different from one another I believe, if all could use all weapons they would feel more same same I think. Just what I think.
Also, remember this firearms we are dealing with in game are not like those we have in real life. They are not better than bows, merely on par with them. Firearms did not replace bows right away even in real life… it too time to make them the more efficient choice.

I think the reason rangers don’t have and might never get pistols and rifles is because it is against their attunement to nature, may not feel right for them. Certainly doesn’t feel right for ranger imo.

How about this for a REAL answer why Rangers don’t use pistols so you guys can stop arguing about it. There are 3 medium armor professions, ranger, thief, and engineer. Thief dual wields pistols. Engineer dual wields pistols. Rangers don’t have access to pistols to avoid complete redundancy AND to stay in line with their ‘one with nature’ theme. Three of the game’s professions running around in the same medium armor and wielding the same dual pistols would look completely rediculous and show a complete lack of creativity on behalf of the devs. Rangers already have a good assortment of weapons and bringing pistols and/or rifles into the mix would add NOTHING NEW in terms of skills that sb/lb can’t or don’t already.

Kentaine.4692:

I never understood this either. If warriors can use ALL of the melee weapons (except daggers and torches) why can’t the rangers use ALL of the ranged weapons (except maybe staff/trident/scepter since those are magical and rangers are physical).

wouw.5837:

Rangers are people who are close to nature, they tame pets and don’t use guns or magic (except spirits).

in other words Guns=Machines, machines <-> Nature, so bad.

Rangers aren’t magical, except for the Nature spirits they can summon, the random muddy terrain and entangling vines they can make pop out of nowhere, and pop anywhere, even on a stony street, oh! and the Traitline they have that is specifically called Nature MAGIC. You have to be a fool to think that Rangers don’t do magic, when it was stated by Anet that all professions know how to use it, even brainless warriors who can summon their banners from the middle of nowhere! There is nothing in the lore saying that even Warriors can’t use a staff like it’s magic instead of like a physical weapon.

Staves could work for Rangers, Also, Rifles could work, and Hammers, and Maces, and heck, why not mainhand Torches and Daggers too?

Zeefa, cmon, underwater combat? Ranger? Gun? Harpoon? Ring any bells?
Or underwater is fair game?
There is no lore and no reason besides plain dev lazy

Devs aren’t lazy and lorewise rangers in GW2 have no problem with guns. It’s going to happen.

“Now let’s talk about the specifics Colin and I chatted about during our call”.//// “What’s more is that the team is also working very kitten finding a way to make it so that every profession has access to every weapon”

http://www.mmorpg.com/gamelist.cfm/game/473/feature/7597/Guild-Wars-2-ArenaNets-Master-Plan-for-2013.html

The simple answer: BALANCING.

I’m always amazed on how you guys over think simple things and bring “the real world” in discussion.

The good news are, more weapons for the classes is something anet is looking at as part of their horizontal progression plan.
So fingers crossed this year every class will have more weapons at their disposal.