Guild Wars 2

I play Ranger, which has option to go melee, but i prefer to play ranged Ranger. I am always asked to “stack”, i.e. to stay always in melee range near boss on top all other players.

This constantly happens in group content like raids/fractals and even WvW.

Ranged already does lower damage, not only lower damage but we dont have cleaves that melee has (no traits need to slot).

And now we basically also need to stay in melee, in every group activity.

Solution: since forced “stacking” happens because low buff range – increase buff range to 900.

This changes nothing except no longer requiring ranged builds to stay always (“stack”) in melee.

Do same for druid AOE heals. Once again this wont change amount of people healed in now way, except removing obligatory melee stacking for ranged builds and people who prefer ranged playstyle.

Doesn’t help if you’re trying to keep enemies where everyone else can cleave though. All it takes is one person out of the stack to bring guys away from everyone else.

The real answer is when you do that content, play the way the team plays. Alternately make your own team, guild, friends group and play how you want.

when you stand somewhere (jwd) you will not gain buffs or heals.

Your only option is to play suboptimally and deal with no one wanting to group with you ever, ranged has the advantage of being super casual to play and always being out of danger whill melee takes the high risk high reward approach. its completely balanced and is something unique about GW2 not seen in any other MMO and should never change

Only issue here i see ranged players being painfully lazy and unwilling to take 5 step forward to be next to the group during burn phases

I am understand that to get essential buffs (like 25 stacks of might) and to get heals, i need to stack in melee range. I understand this mechanic.

I just ask why buff/heal range is so small? If developers increase range so that ranged classes can also get it, nothing will change in game difficulty and this wont be even some buff. Only difference would be ranged players can range and not stack in melee all time.

So why not increase buff/heal radius, why it isnt done?

Vayne.8563:

The real answer is when you do that content, play the way the team plays. Alternately make your own team, guild, friends group and play how you want.

Team plays this way because buffs/heals are small range and radius.

Not because they want to or insist to, just because of low radius of buffs/heals.

When in a group, please consider helping the group rather than be a detraction.
That means doing what the group needs not what you think is right.

Bratec.7136:

So why not increase buff/heal radius, why it isnt done?

Because there is a thing called weapon swap.
There are many encounters and situations where having a ranged weapon is essential, but playing only from range is a detriment to your team. You can have two weapons equipped so I don’t see where your problem is.

Bratec.7136:

Vayne.8563:

The real answer is when you do that content, play the way the team plays. Alternately make your own team, guild, friends group and play how you want.

Team plays this way because buffs/heals are small range and radius.

Not because they want to or insist to, just because of low radius of buffs/heals.

…And cleave, ress easily, mob management, cc bar, boss mechanics…

Ranger here,almost since launch…guild leader….nobody cares if I stay at range or stack…because…guild leader.

RSLongK.8961:

Bratec.7136:

Vayne.8563:

The real answer is when you do that content, play the way the team plays. Alternately make your own team, guild, friends group and play how you want.

Team plays this way because buffs/heals are small range and radius.

Not because they want to or insist to, just because of low radius of buffs/heals.

…And cleave, ress easily, mob management, cc bar, boss mechanics…

No cleave on ranged skills.

Mobs management? I am talking about boss fights, where usualy 1 boss.

CC bar? What do you mean? I can break CC bar at range just fine.

Boss mechanics – i prefer to be in range, safer this way from boss mechanics.

maddoctor.2738:

Bratec.7136:

So why not increase buff/heal radius, why it isnt done?

Because there is a thing called weapon swap.
There are many encounters and situations where having a ranged weapon is essential, but playing only from range is a detriment to your team. You can have two weapons equipped so I don’t see where your problem is.

No problem, i just enjoy this game (and others) as ranged character.

I dont undestand why Anet designed this game in such way that i am forced to stack in melee range on ranged build.

because the other way arround would suck.

Bratec.7136:

RSLongK.8961:

Bratec.7136:

Vayne.8563:

The real answer is when you do that content, play the way the team plays. Alternately make your own team, guild, friends group and play how you want.

Team plays this way because buffs/heals are small range and radius.

Not because they want to or insist to, just because of low radius of buffs/heals.

…And cleave, ress easily, mob management, cc bar, boss mechanics…

No cleave on ranged skills.

Mobs management? I am talking about boss fights, where usualy 1 boss.

CC bar? What do you mean? I can break CC bar at range just fine.

Boss mechanics – i prefer to be in range, safer this way from boss mechanics.

Yes, no cleave on ranged skill (except, maybe guard scepter), that why it better to melee in bosses that spawn adds, which eliminate the danger faster, and in some cases, rally fallen allies.
No, you cant break cc bar with just longbow 4/5 alone, its group effort, the others in melee are also(or should be) contributing. Also you should, use your entangle, great cc skill, in melee range.
Some boss mechanics wont allow to be too far away, and some will. Again, its about adapting to the group needs.

We do not speak these out of spite, but experience. Leading stray pugs in group content can be very frustating once each individual think their own confort zone is more important than the group.
These advices are not imposed manners, they are logical conclusions of many iterations.
Lead your own group that will be the best teacher.

Bratec.7136:

maddoctor.2738:

Bratec.7136:

So why not increase buff/heal radius, why it isnt done?

Because there is a thing called weapon swap.
There are many encounters and situations where having a ranged weapon is essential, but playing only from range is a detriment to your team. You can have two weapons equipped so I don’t see where your problem is.

No problem, i just enjoy this game (and others) as ranged character.

I dont undestand why Anet designed this game in such way that i am forced to stack in melee range on ranged build.

Larger radius means that people don’t have to be as conscious of where they are in location to the rest of their team. This is an action, skill based game. Increasing the radius lowers the skill needed.

You also have boss fights where you don’t want the boss moving. A lot of boss fights do not have a controllable aggro mechanic. In those fights, the boss will either target a fixate mark, or generally the person furthest from the group. If you are away from the group, the boss moves, the group as a whole loses dps because the boss walked out of range of the melee or out of the aoe on the ground.

Yes, you can play at range in this game, but there is no need to unless you lack the skill to handle being in melee, you just will be even less effective, and this is good balance.

Want to sta safe?
Stay ranged.
But accept the fact that
-you will be away from healings and combo Fields
-you will deal Less dmg ( Though a decent burst on the rapid fire skill )
-you will be 1 Less to shard conditions, dmg, boons and so on.

I am not saying that you should play properly, but that to sta ranged you ha to trade something else.

Had some fun (when they initially buffed LB for ranger) running with other rangers and machine gunning people down in full zerk.

We were all “stacked” when buffing up then gleefully sniped people.

Also, when i run my ranger with LB in a zerg I’m constantly looking to be the sheep dog, either picking off the tail of the other zerg or rabbiting to draw players in and out of the other zerg as need to be. Use greatsword in the second slot for mobility and in your face damage as needed.

Most importantly, expect to be killed quite a bit as you don’t have the defense of the clump and be a good scout for the zerg.

It is down to your choice in class too. Though you will still be “sub-optimal” not taking advantage of group buffs and such, Elementalist has a lot of ranged cleave. Ranger simply lacks this due to balancing.

A lot of posters here are giving ‘weapon-swap’ lectures and practical advice, which is all well and good, and makes a lot of sense.

As you can see however, the OP is after more of a roleplaying experience as a ranger, it has nothing to do with his practicality. Of course he could just weapon swap to Melee, but he wants to roleplay the ranger. I don’t know if I agree with the sentiment but you gotta take that into account if you are going to advise him.

RSLongK.8961:

Bratec.7136:

RSLongK.8961:

Bratec.7136:

Vayne.8563:

The real answer is when you do that content, play the way the team plays. Alternately make your own team, guild, friends group and play how you want.

Team plays this way because buffs/heals are small range and radius.

Not because they want to or insist to, just because of low radius of buffs/heals.

…And cleave, ress easily, mob management, cc bar, boss mechanics…

No cleave on ranged skills.

Mobs management? I am talking about boss fights, where usualy 1 boss.

CC bar? What do you mean? I can break CC bar at range just fine.

Boss mechanics – i prefer to be in range, safer this way from boss mechanics.

Yes, no cleave on ranged skill (except, maybe guard scepter), that why it better to melee in bosses that spawn adds, which eliminate the danger faster, and in some cases, rally fallen allies.
No, you cant break cc bar with just longbow 4/5 alone, its group effort, the others in melee are also(or should be) contributing. Also you should, use your entangle, great cc skill, in melee range.
Some boss mechanics wont allow to be too far away, and some will. Again, its about adapting to the group needs.

We do not speak these out of spite, but experience. Leading stray pugs in group content can be very frustating once each individual think their own confort zone is more important than the group.
These advices are not imposed manners, they are logical conclusions of many iterations.
Lead your own group that will be the best teacher.

Pets to break. Also 4 and 5 from shortbow and (if i really need break bar) racial daze skill.

p.s. I dont use longbow. I want to, but i dont use. In current state it is very underpowered weapon.

Shirlias.8104:

Want to sta safe?
Stay ranged.
But accept the fact that
-you will be away from healings and combo Fields
-you will deal Less dmg ( Though a decent burst on the rapid fire skill )
-you will be 1 Less to shard conditions, dmg, boons and so on.

I am not saying that you should play properly, but that to sta ranged you ha to trade something else.

And what do i gain from staying range and not switching to melee?

Lower damage (since melee weapons do more damage), no aoe bleed meta-rune on weapon swap etc.?

Seriously, if you design range class, there should be strenghts and weaknesses. Now you lose all by going ranged in group based fights and gain nothing.

Maybe make ranged viable too in group fights? This will broaden options for player builds, all win, noone lose.

PistolWhip.2697:

It is down to your choice in class too. Though you will still be “sub-optimal” not taking advantage of group buffs and such, Elementalist has a lot of ranged cleave. Ranger simply lacks this due to balancing.

A lot of posters here are giving ‘weapon-swap’ lectures and practical advice, which is all well and good, and makes a lot of sense.

As you can see however, the OP is after more of a roleplaying experience as a ranger, it has nothing to do with his practicality. Of course he could just weapon swap to Melee, but he wants to roleplay the ranger. I don’t know if I agree with the sentiment but you gotta take that into account if you are going to advise him.

I dont roleplay ranged, i just saw that this game has ranged and i like idea and i dont understand why ranged option exits but not viable in group activities due to “stacking”.

It is no meant for wvw zerg.
And staying ranged is simply trading dmg for survival.

Its not like playing melee require more skills in raid, for example.
I did Vale Guardian fight recently. I didnt bother at all about staying alive since 2 druids kept AOE healing “stack” and we all had block/evade buffs all time.

I just used attack skill, not once i bother to heal myself despite boss doing damage to us, etc.

Actually staying ranged and staying alive in this fight would require skill. Since i would lose “immortality” from stack heal-buff spamm and would rely only on my heal.

People who say that stacking in melee blob requires more skill are not honest, i think. Now it takes more skill to stay ranged and survive with no AOE heals and buffs.

Shirlias.8104:

It is no meant for wvw zerg.
And staying ranged is simply trading dmg for survival.

Read post above this one.

For example, in PvE raids you have more survival in melee stack than outside it (because you range).

Bratec.7136:

PistolWhip.2697:

It is down to your choice in class too. Though you will still be “sub-optimal” not taking advantage of group buffs and such, Elementalist has a lot of ranged cleave. Ranger simply lacks this due to balancing.

A lot of posters here are giving ‘weapon-swap’ lectures and practical advice, which is all well and good, and makes a lot of sense.

As you can see however, the OP is after more of a roleplaying experience as a ranger, it has nothing to do with his practicality. Of course he could just weapon swap to Melee, but he wants to roleplay the ranger. I don’t know if I agree with the sentiment but you gotta take that into account if you are going to advise him.

I dont roleplay ranged, i just saw that this game has ranged and i like idea and i dont understand why ranged option exits but not viable in group activities due to “stacking”.

This is where you are mistaken. Ranged is definitely viable, it just isn’t optimal. There is no logical or balance reason that it should be optimal, when it is by far safer. The reason it isn’t optimal, as I explained earlier in this thread, is because it’s a skill based game. You increase the range of the boons/buffs/heals, you reduce the skill needed to play.

It is easier or required, yeah, not more difficult.
And it is not that you need more skill, but the fact that you dont share nor take buffs and heal from others.

Since the first fractals ppl have been close to each others.

Bratec.7136:

Its not like playing melee require more skills in raid, for example.
I did Vale Guardian fight recently. I didnt bother at all about staying alive since 2 druids kept AOE healing “stack” and we all had block/evade buffs all time.

I just used attack skill, not once i bother to heal myself despite boss doing damage to us, etc.

Actually staying ranged and staying alive in this fight would require skill. Since i would lose “immortality” from stack heal-buff spamm and would rely only on my heal.

People who say that stacking in melee blob requires more skill are not honest, i think. Now it takes more skill to stay ranged and survive with no AOE heals and buffs.

Bratec.7136:

… Boss mechanics – i prefer to be in range, safer this way from boss mechanics.

If staying in range requires more skill, then how is it safer? It can’t be both. I think you are not being honest with yourself, and using any argument you can to justify that you think ranged should be equal to melee, while also being at range.

For the record, there are mechanics in boss fights that can’t be out healed and require the skill of being able to manage the mechanic without being killed/downed, upkeep on dps, and while staying in melee. Some mechanics are not as easy to spot, and when stacked up, get even harder to spot, requiring more skill to not get hit by them.

Bratec.7136:

Vayne.8563:

The real answer is when you do that content, play the way the team plays. Alternately make your own team, guild, friends group and play how you want.

Team plays this way because buffs/heals are small range and radius.

Not because they want to or insist to, just because of low radius of buffs/heals.

I know that. And somehow, even though there are people in my guild who don’t stack we still clear content.

Fatalyz.7168:

Bratec.7136:

PistolWhip.2697:

It is down to your choice in class too. Though you will still be “sub-optimal” not taking advantage of group buffs and such, Elementalist has a lot of ranged cleave. Ranger simply lacks this due to balancing.

A lot of posters here are giving ‘weapon-swap’ lectures and practical advice, which is all well and good, and makes a lot of sense.

As you can see however, the OP is after more of a roleplaying experience as a ranger, it has nothing to do with his practicality. Of course he could just weapon swap to Melee, but he wants to roleplay the ranger. I don’t know if I agree with the sentiment but you gotta take that into account if you are going to advise him.

I dont roleplay ranged, i just saw that this game has ranged and i like idea and i dont understand why ranged option exits but not viable in group activities due to “stacking”.

This is where you are mistaken. Ranged is definitely viable, it just isn’t optimal. There is no logical or balance reason that it should be optimal, when it is by far safer. The reason it isn’t optimal, as I explained earlier in this thread, is because it’s a skill based game. You increase the range of the boons/buffs/heals, you reduce the skill needed to play.

You are actually safer in melee blob, getting constant heals and protective buffs.

How being ranged, away from heals and buffs, be safer?

Bratec.7136:

Fatalyz.7168:

Bratec.7136:

PistolWhip.2697:

It is down to your choice in class too. Though you will still be “sub-optimal” not taking advantage of group buffs and such, Elementalist has a lot of ranged cleave. Ranger simply lacks this due to balancing.

A lot of posters here are giving ‘weapon-swap’ lectures and practical advice, which is all well and good, and makes a lot of sense.

As you can see however, the OP is after more of a roleplaying experience as a ranger, it has nothing to do with his practicality. Of course he could just weapon swap to Melee, but he wants to roleplay the ranger. I don’t know if I agree with the sentiment but you gotta take that into account if you are going to advise him.

I dont roleplay ranged, i just saw that this game has ranged and i like idea and i dont understand why ranged option exits but not viable in group activities due to “stacking”.

This is where you are mistaken. Ranged is definitely viable, it just isn’t optimal. There is no logical or balance reason that it should be optimal, when it is by far safer. The reason it isn’t optimal, as I explained earlier in this thread, is because it’s a skill based game. You increase the range of the boons/buffs/heals, you reduce the skill needed to play.

You are actually safer in melee blob, getting constant heals and protective buffs.

How being ranged, away from heals and buffs, be safer?

You were the one who said being ranged was safer from boss mechanics, I just quoted you on it.

If you really want to know, take VG.

Being ranged, you have more room to move away from the seekers, easier access to the green circles, don’t have the blue port mechanic to deal with, no chance of being cleaved, and being further away during breakbar skill allows you time to avoid a lot of the damage from the orbs.

Being melee, you have all of the skill effects being spammed over you and the boss, making it difficult to see attacks that should be avoided (the blue circles, getting ported when doing no greens, usually means death for you), dps down time if you have to run to green circles, chance of getting cleaved if you misposition, and being in melee means a high chance of being spiked down by the orbs, even moreso the longer it takes to break his bar.

Also, those protective buffs/skills that you mentioned, if your teammate fails to execute that skill (distorting greens), it’s almost a party wipe. It also has a short radius. The skill being to stay in close and be able to execute that, on top of everything else you were doing, while also dealing with the other issues of being in melee. So, may not have been much skill required of you, but it is being required by someone.

So, yes, being in melee requires more skill and has a higher pay off. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t be required for groups.

If, as you said earlier, that being ranged makes you safer from boss mechanics. Then it would stand to reason, that if buffs/boons/heals could reach you at range. Then it would, in fact, be less skillful gameplay, than it is now. Because you could be safer while still receiving the full benefit of support that a melee is receiving.

Bratec.7136:

Fatalyz.7168:

Bratec.7136:

PistolWhip.2697:

It is down to your choice in class too. Though you will still be “sub-optimal” not taking advantage of group buffs and such, Elementalist has a lot of ranged cleave. Ranger simply lacks this due to balancing.

A lot of posters here are giving ‘weapon-swap’ lectures and practical advice, which is all well and good, and makes a lot of sense.

As you can see however, the OP is after more of a roleplaying experience as a ranger, it has nothing to do with his practicality. Of course he could just weapon swap to Melee, but he wants to roleplay the ranger. I don’t know if I agree with the sentiment but you gotta take that into account if you are going to advise him.

I dont roleplay ranged, i just saw that this game has ranged and i like idea and i dont understand why ranged option exits but not viable in group activities due to “stacking”.

This is where you are mistaken. Ranged is definitely viable, it just isn’t optimal. There is no logical or balance reason that it should be optimal, when it is by far safer. The reason it isn’t optimal, as I explained earlier in this thread, is because it’s a skill based game. You increase the range of the boons/buffs/heals, you reduce the skill needed to play.

You are actually safer in melee blob, getting constant heals and protective buffs.

How being ranged, away from heals and buffs, be safer?

What you’re saying is you want to play ranged cause of the thematic, there is no other reason for this preference, that is a roleplaying argument, which is fine.

In general throughout the game, Range is safe, hence why Ranger is often regarded as a great beginner profession because your pet can tank hits as you range from safety. In the game’s other game modes, ranged is largely without risk due to a lot of PBAoE’s, and melee cleave being a huge danger in general, and being outside a team fight saves you from those.

It’s not just about safety though, by standing at ranged you are an active detriment to your team in terms of aggro and pulls as well. If a mob decides to veer off and attack you for whatever reason, you could end up ruining a rotation for your group purely cause you lead them out of the AoE’s/cleave. Since the enemy mob is running at you anyway you will be in melee soon.

In VG as an example you gave, if the red orbs decide to come near you you will not be able to outheal it on a damage build. If you AREN’T running a damage build, which a lot of druids don’t, you won’t be close enough to heal your allies which is why you are primarily there, and thus you endanger your allies, because you won’t do anything damage to matter or be valuable.

Basically, there is a lot of things that discourage ranged game play, but it isn’t as simple as buffs. It’s also about game balance/aggro/heal range and class role.

As I said, perhaps you should try playing another profession, as yes in Raids it’s a bit more defined, but professions like Elementalist can indeed pull of AoE cleave from ranged and still be a great asset without stacking in the more casual game modes. Plus if you ever do decide to stack you will be even more liked.

The opportunity cost for being able to benefit from group boons and heals is the need to remain close to the character applying the boons/heals. If someone can gain the boons (or give them, since an increase in range would work both ways) without needing to remain close, then the opportunity cost associated with gaining them has been removed. Opportunity costs are good for games. Removing opportunity costs makes a game less interesting, and less challenging.

Sounds like some people think the boon share radius is 200, not 600.

Ranger/Druid
Heals, spotter, grace of the land, Empowerment , Cleansing
If any thing they need to stack on you !

It’s bad game design. Ranged classes are viable in other MMOs. In GW2, melee is preferred because of the short range on boons and heals. This is one of the reasons why I only do open world content where I can play whatever I want (I also prefer ranged combat and I’m anti-meta).

Mea.5491:

It’s bad game design. Ranged classes are viable in other MMOs. In GW2, melee is preferred because of the short range on boons and heals. This is one of the reasons why I only do open world content where I can play whatever I want (I also prefer ranged combat and I’m anti-meta).

I don’t know if I’d call it bad design, but it does encourage a style of play that not everyone is comfortable with, and it definitely favors organized play.

The 5-person limit on those effects imposes some strange dynamics. For Fractals/dungeons, there will be more encouragement to stack, because there’s only 5 people. In a raid, depending on complications, it might be acceptable to have a second, ranged strike team with its own set of buffs that doesn’t need as much healing due to the safety of ranged combat. Same goes for open world. If you organize a ranged party, commit to sticking together to share those boons as much as a melee team would.

But overall, ranged combat is significantly easier than melee, and that requires something of a trade-off.

Side note RE: cleave on ranged Ranger: Lead the Wind and the shortbow trait both give piercing to their arrows. It’s not the sweeping cleave one might get from melee, but it allows a mobile, ranged unit to flank and attack lines of enemies. I’ve got a quasi-support build that focuses on dropping spirits and stacking vulnerability so the party doesn’t have to, so even if my dps isn’t fantastic, they’re still doing +20% from vuln stacks and another +10% from frost spirit and some extra bonus Might.

With solo play being such a huge part of the GW2 experience, I think a lot of people forget to ask what they can tweak on their builds to help out a group, which is why I detailed the above. Even if it’s not meta, I have a character I’m comfy with because it supports group efforts.
..of course, that’s just another tick on the Build Templates Wishlist. I’d love to have my solo build and my group support build more easily accessible.

Mea.5491:

It’s bad game design. Ranged classes are viable in other MMOs. In GW2, melee is preferred because of the short range on boons and heals. This is one of the reasons why I only do open world content where I can play whatever I want (I also prefer ranged combat and I’m anti-meta).

I know you probably hate meta so much you don’t bother to understand a single thing about it, but stop spreading misinformation.

Elementalist and Condi Ranger have meta builds for example. Both are ranged. Ergo ranged builds are not only viable but in some cases optimal in gw2.

Things like boon range help create play by giving positional play as a ‘challenge’ to play around.

@OP The problem isn’t necessarily ranged, it’s Ranger having the pet tax on its power weapons on top of the range tax and Longbow being a very selfish weapon, and a single target weapon.

You know what this all sounds like to me? It sounds like ranged classes need their damage buffed to make up for lost boons etc. And melee classes should receive more damage mitigation for taking the risk. Both can deal competitive damage, range won’t get the extra defense because of their natural safety and melee can get a boost in survivability. Seems like a good way to play how you want and still be a contributing group member.

Zalavaaris.5329:

You know what this all sounds like to me? It sounds like ranged classes need their damage buffed to make up for lost booms etc. And melee classes should receive more damage mitigation for taking the risk. Both can deal competitive damage, range won’t get the extra defense because of their natural safety and melee can get a boost in survivability. Seems like a good way to play how you want and still be a contributing group member.

So everyone plays ranged weapons (elementalist probably) and stays in boon range in pve and no one plays melee leading to threads like this replacing ranged with melee?

Thats the “issue” about the boon system u cant really be away from the rest and still get easily buffed.

Zalavaaris.5329:

You know what this all sounds like to me? It sounds like ranged classes need their damage buffed to make up for lost booms etc. And melee classes should receive more damage mitigation for taking the risk. Both can deal competitive damage, range won’t get the extra defense because of their natural safety and melee can get a boost in survivability. Seems like a good way to play how you want and still be a contributing group member.

Sadly, every class has ranged and melee options, which means how do you buff what?

PistolWhip.2697:

Zalavaaris.5329:

You know what this all sounds like to me? It sounds like ranged classes need their damage buffed to make up for lost booms etc. And melee classes should receive more damage mitigation for taking the risk. Both can deal competitive damage, range won’t get the extra defense because of their natural safety and melee can get a boost in survivability. Seems like a good way to play how you want and still be a contributing group member.

Sadly, every class has ranged and melee options, which means how do you buff what?

That is certainly a problem I thought about. I really don’t want to throw my hands up and say oh well, I guess we are all melee now. There would be some systems issues that need addressing and unfortunately, until anet hire me to analyze and redesign these systems, they will need to figure it out, rhat is, if they feel it becomes a priority lol

PistolWhip.2697:

Zalavaaris.5329:

You know what this all sounds like to me? It sounds like ranged classes need their damage buffed to make up for lost booms etc. And melee classes should receive more damage mitigation for taking the risk. Both can deal competitive damage, range won’t get the extra defense because of their natural safety and melee can get a boost in survivability. Seems like a good way to play how you want and still be a contributing group member.

Sadly, every class has ranged and melee options, which means how do you buff what?

One could buff ranged attack damage by boosting skill coefficients on ranged attack skills. I suppose, in theory, ANet could add a Defense stat to any weapon whose skill range is <300, say. Not that doing either is necessarily a good idea.

Nothing would prevent a group from taking all ranged weapons, and still stacking. They’d get the buffs as well as the increased ranged damage. Melee bosses could prove difficult to keep at bay if everyone were trying to camp 900 or 1200 range, though. Most ranged attacks, it doesn’t matter that much. However, Ranger LB and Mesmer GS suffer damage loss when not at long range.

Working in concert with others within buff range is a choice. So is staying at range. Buff range is smallish, largely because of the size of capture points in sPvP. That it also adds some small degree of challenge to instanced combat is likely a happy accident.

Mea.5491:

It’s bad game design. Ranged classes are viable in other MMOs. In GW2, melee is preferred because of the short range on boons and heals. This is one of the reasons why I only do open world content where I can play whatever I want (I also prefer ranged combat and I’m anti-meta).

Its not.

In other MMO’s ranged dps always have a advantage over melee because of range and higher dps with very small advantage to being melee, whill at the same time having to avoid much more mechanic and cleaves as melee, GW2 is one of the only mmo’s in existance to be balaned melee vs ranged. Melee is high risk high reward in every type of gameplay pvp/pve/solo, the higher the risk playstyle the higher the reward given

Dont even try and say melee is safe in this game, you die all the time as melee in WvW and in random open world events where the ranged character just afk’s whill auto attacking

Metavahn.7293:

Mea.5491:

It’s bad game design. Ranged classes are viable in other MMOs. In GW2, melee is preferred because of the short range on boons and heals. This is one of the reasons why I only do open world content where I can play whatever I want (I also prefer ranged combat and I’m anti-meta).

Its not.

In other MMO’s ranged dps always have a advantage over melee because of range and higher dps with very small advantage to being melee, whill at the same time having to avoid much more mechanic and cleaves as melee, GW2 is one of the only mmo’s in existance to be balaned melee vs ranged. Melee is high risk high reward in every type of gameplay pvp/pve/solo, the higher the risk playstyle the higher the reward given

Dont even try and say melee is safe in this game, you die all the time as melee in WvW and in random open world events where the ranged character just afk’s whill auto attacking

The games I know that have an alive and well raid scene have ranged classes that don’t have to stand in melee 100% of the time. A lot of the time they are also the top damage dealers. Perhaps gw2 could make content around ranged classes. Perhaps they had ranged mobs that could not be accessed via melee and would not run into the group. This would force groups to have an even split of dps types. Maybe a boss that has two mobs that require being killed at the same time. One is a caster up on a ledge or something and the other a big melee boss. There are plenty of possibilities.

It has nothing to do with boon sharing range.

If full ranged builds can do competitive dps, then you simply have a ranged group stacked close to each other and share boons.

It is simply that you need to be in melee to do max dps. You don’t always have to be in melee for many classes but being in range all the time will make you suboptimal.

Exciton.8942:

It has nothing to do with boon sharing range.

If full ranged builds can do competitive dps, then you simply have a ranged group stacked close to each other and share boons.

It is simply that you need to be in melee to do max dps. You don’t always have to be in melee for many classes but being in range all the time will make you suboptimal.

Staff ele says hello (it’s a full ranged build that is the benchmark for dps), and it still stacked in melee, because of boon share.

Yes, everyone could stack at range, but when the mobs run in, you are no longer at range, you are then at melee. You could leave the stack and spread out, but then you have mobs and bosses running around the area targeting different people. Those people that are now spread out are no longer able to receive all boons, because of boon share range.

Or you have a boss with an aggro mechanic, like VG, where it targets the person with the most toughness. That person will be in melee, always. It then makes sense for everyone else to be in range for boon share (might, fury, etc), in order to do optimal dps. Whether a ranged build, or not.

So, yes, ranged builds are capable of doing competitive dps, the trade off is that they have to be in melee range, or at least boon share range. The reason for stacking in melee, is to allow for some error in positioning. If everyone stayed at max boon share range, they could easily lose some coverage of those boons due to positioning issues.

I have to assume you’re a longbow ranger, because I can’t think of any other reason you would care. What is your weapon swap, though?

It doesn’t really matter, my point was actually, are you not running piercing arrow? No, longbow doesn’t have cleave, but that doesn’t mean it only hits one target. I’ve been running longbow since before day one of the game, back when ranger was a serious joke and even then I’ve always been able to hit multiple targets. Also, I rarely have to stack for anything.

Even then, if you’re being forced into melee, pull out a melee weapon, and melee. If you have to stack, then stack. If you don’t want to stack, then don’t. If you don’t and you die, or you don’t and you get left behind, then you only have yourself to blame, but at least you were playing the way you wanted to play.

As a ranged player you have to adapt and go melee if you must. Otherwise you’re a mediocre player, not a ranged player.

Seriously if you have a bow fetish just go shortbow and dance around the enemy in near melee range when you have to and switch back to longbow where appropriate.

It’s suboptimal (don’t do bow/bow), but if you do bow/bow, be smart about it and most people won’t bother you about it.