Guild Wars 2

Ok, so I made a post the other day trying to get opinions from players about certain classes.

I have brought the classes I find I would want to main down to Guardian and Ranger. I like both these classes for the build versatility, and heavy damage that can be put out, along with the ability to be tanky if needed.

I like the Solo roam aspect of the game, but I’m just not into thiefs in this game, even though I usually am (although I’m mostly a stealth archer in games I play)

But now I’m not sure between these two, both are looking like they will be in a good spot in the next patch which is always nice.

And I’m not looking for oh Ranger is better than Guardian or Guardian is better than ranger kinda stuff, IK a lot of it has to do with player skill. But just in general what people feel about these classes in terms of 1v1/pvp/solo or small group roaming

This is an interesting question. It all comes down to personal preference I suppose. This was an internal battle I had with myself whether to keep my Warrior as my main (which was my first character) or switch to my Mesmer as my main, both had world completion. In the end I went with my Mesmer because I had lots more fun with it in terms of playing, mapping, dungeoning and overall roaming around. I even found that my Mesmer seemed to have more survivability than my Warrior (but that could just be builds)

Personally, I would take Ranger over Guardian, simply because I love the pet aspect of the Ranger, and the weapon variety Rangers can have to be melee or ranged. I found that I had more fun with Ranger when I was mapping as opposed to Guardian, because playing Ranger as a class was more challenging (to me). But as I said up top, it all comes down to personal preference.

Why not play both ranger and guardian?

I play both….. so here’s my opinion.

Ranger. Best open world pve, can solo most bosses with ease. Veterans won’t touch you. I used sword/dagger and long now. Animation with sword I’d awesome, best dps on ranger, but the lunge can be a nightmare. Wvw with long bow is a blast. I did however lose intrest due to the pet. I prefer doing all my damage on the enemy i want, not relying 20% on pet that’s a pain at times. But it’s worth a go. By 40 you will be very certain if you like or not. Past level 40 zones you really see the ranger isn’t that powerful in my opinion.

Guardian
Solo pve i love using sword/torch. Nice blindes, easy vunurebility, nice little ongoing heal. Dungeons and wvw i feel like I’m actually assisting the team with shouts and doing more then sitting back with a bow. Guardian though is a bit sluggish but get used to it.

I personally liked guardian play style more. Felt like better dps, the burning is fun, the utility helps everyone. If ranger had option to hide pet and increase all dmg by 20% I’d pick ranger. But as we can’t i find myself in my guardian much much more

If you like solo or small scale pvp, roaming etc i prefer you should take a ranger, i have a hard time to decide which gonna be my main i have both Guard and Ranger ( iam a solo player like you ) i enjoy ranger more than guard as a ranger im not feel lonely anymore because there are 2 of us wondering around the world and survive much much better in some hard situations than my guard. I’am a melee ranger GS and 1h sword have very cool animations especially 1h sword i throw my self off the cliff many time that make me laugh alot, im try to avoid using bow in most fight cuz it make me become lazy and i don’t like that ( except in pvp ).

If you like hard, high end PvE content, most people will tell you guardians are more useful, for group buffs and reflect.

Rangers are harder to play well in those situations, but good rangers are accepted by most groups. However, there are so many not so good rangers out there, that sometimes you’ll get people kick you just because you are a ranger. Wrong and unfair, but that’s how people are. It shouldn’t happen too often.

I prefer the ranger play style to the guardian play style. It’s more fun for me. But they’re both good choices. I play my ranger far more than I play my guardian, but I tend to do dungeons on my guardian these days.

If you need to ask, you should probably main a guardian.

If you’re a main-ranger type, you’d have done so before popping the question.

You mentioned you were mostly a stealth archer in games you played before. If that is your preferred play style then Ranger is definitely the profession for you. The Guardian absolutely sucks at and against ranged attacks.

Their longest range weapon is only 900 and as they have no real soft CC or movement skills the only thing easier to kite than a Guardian is an actual kite!

If you played ranged classes primarily in the past, then Ranger is going to be the most fun and least frustrating for you in my opinion.

Thanks.

Ranger is fun and all, but if the idea of playing an archer ever came to your mind, please take guardian.

oxtred.7658:

Ranger is fun and all, but if the idea of playing an archer ever came to your mind, please take guardian.

??? WUT?

Guardian. So far it’s balanced for all gamemodes, or at the very least ANet thinks it is. Ranger is surrounded by a lot of negativity, for a couple of reasons. You are very reliant on the Pet AI, a lot of people run a “Bearbow” setup, and it doesn’t really teach you to play the way other classes do. A Ranger can grab a Longbow and a tanky pet (typically a bear) and never have to dodge. A Thief or Elementalist will learn to dodge by 80 unless they just karma train their way to 80.

Michaeas Magister.1589:

The Guardian absolutely sucks at and against ranged attacks.

Their longest range weapon is only 900 and as they have no real soft CC or movement skills the only thing easier to kite than a Guardian is an actual kite!

Scepter’s main attack is 1200 range, and it’s #3 skill immobolizes. Not sure what you mean by “longest range” but 900 isn’kitten

I have both at level 80.

It depends on what you like to do, but I find that most people welcome Guardians more than Rangers.

As a matter of fact some Rangers get on my nerves because of their pets alone.

Tribio.8531:

oxtred.7658:

Ranger is fun and all, but if the idea of playing an archer ever came to your mind, please take guardian.

??? WUT?

Since there’s no bows in the guardian weaponry, there’s hope he will play melee, and that’d be better than another bearbow ranger.

Solo – Ranger
Group – Guardian

No reason not to play both.

’nuff said.

oxtred.7658:

Tribio.8531:

oxtred.7658:

Ranger is fun and all, but if the idea of playing an archer ever came to your mind, please take guardian.

??? WUT?

Since there’s no bows in the guardian weaponry, there’s hope he will play melee, and that’d be better than another bearbow ranger.

Umm I’m pretty sure this is exactly NOT what the OP was looking for. Your opinion is shallow and just trollish, so if that was your goal, then GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!

But if is what you really think, then go back to your 111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 LIFE and let the adults talk.

But like most have said, you can use both in any circumstance, but its recommended if you want to do solo open world, Ranger. PVE group content, Guardian. and for sPvP and WvW, you can play either and do well since both have rolls there.

I love it when people tell others to “let the adulds talk” cause it’s probably the most childish thing you can answer. It wasn’t my opinion either, it’s a fact. Unless you can prove me that guardians can use bows. Spirit weapons, I guess?

Your assumption that every Ranger that uses a bow is the typical “Bearbow” is not a fact, but your slanted opinion…. Yes, the game can do without another Bearbow, but not every Ranger plays like that.

Guardians do have a few ranged weapons but are considered melee characters,

All classes are melee characters, some have stronger back up options than others.

oxtred.7658:

All classes are melee characters, some have stronger back up options than others.

Some have better ranged options, but the Guardian is not one of those.

Some have better mobility, but again the Guardian is not one of those.

The OP stated that he played archer types primarily and again, the Guardian is not one of those.

Thanks.

Ranger isn’t an archer type either, but it leads more people to think so.

Lazuli.2098:

Why not play both ranger and guardian?

^ this.

After playing ranger to about 25, I got bored and changed to guardian. my guardian is now at 60 after some hardcore intensive map clearing and wvw follow the leader, and I’m really enjoying him