The New to pvp sticky and ranger build.
There are many threads in the ranger forum that discuss how garbage empathic bond is compared to survival of the fittest. The trait changes in HoT will do nothing negative to condi survival ranger.
Ranger
Am I good?… I’m good.
Am I good?… I’m good.
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/game/pvp/New-to-PvP-Start-here
Listed there is one build for the Ranger, its the condi/survival build. When the HoT traits come out, that build will no longer work. Does that make pew pew power the only semi-viable build Rangers will have?
Not on your life haha. Ive already thought of several different builds both with longbow and without (one even BM POWER focused (gasp)) that should be more powerful than the current builds.
Keep in mind that the actual dynamics of most builds in combat are going to chage in there interaction with eachother. Since you mentioned the longbow ranger ill start there.
First a longbow ranger wont have to actually spec into marksmanship to make the weapon useable like they do now. Instead they can spec into another line if they choose. But should they spec into marksmanship they only have to spend one grandmaster slot to get what previously would have taken them 2-3 EXTRA traits to get. That makes hte pure longbow build stronger.
Except there won’t be any such thing as a pure longbow build I.E. Glassbow
Atm the most popular longbow ranger build is 60260 SoTF build. It provides basic condi clear. Basic burst. And basic defensive cooldowns. its not really that special.
Post change you can ignore nature magic since SoTF will be in wilderness survival. Now your 6×6xx. Or you can stay with nature magic and pick different utilities in a 6xx6x build..Using evasive purity as an alternate cleanse method. (when played well the longbow ranger shouldnt need heavy cleanses. if you do you kittened up).
The most important part is that last grp of “6”. Now that the traits are more condensed you have alot more options because the “critical” trait for your iconic playstyle is only costing you 1/3rd of your build. And it simply isn’t possible to take ONLY damage increases that will be completely relevant. That means your going to get Some defensives somewhere.
For examply ive been considering running a 6xx66 shout build (now that heal as one will have reduced cooldown and proc shout traits its actually pretty decent for burst healing after stealthing. Rampage as one will become shout as well? perfect)
The nature magic line will give me access to cleanses and defensive procs. The BM line will improve my class mechanic into something that can actually do its job. And the marksmanship line will solidify my in combat style. Meaning that what was before “just” a longbow build is now a more well rounded playstyle with multiple variants. (shouts. SotF. and the new reworked traps (provided there decent)(ditto with spirits).
Your going to see that happen with most builds. We may even see a pretty strong resurgence of signet builds. Im sure similar things will happen with most classes and playstyles. I can confirm its happened with my burn guard. My Ranger. And my necromancer. And in the case of my ranger theres a specific playstyle ive wanted to try for an extremely long time but havnt had the freedom of trait choice to take it that I will infact be able to do post change.
So to think that longbow ranger will be the only semi decent build compared to what we have right now is pretty wrong id have to say. I can’t speak of how theyl compare in combat against OTHER potential builds from other classes. But atleast as far as what we have now. Alot of playstyles are getting stronger. (Besides. Being able to potentially take empathic bond AND sotf was broken as hell).
Ghost Yak
The inability to have both Empathic Bond and SoTF would be one negative…
Thread was more of a poke at ANet for asking us to point out if builds will be broken by the new traits, then breaking the only PvP build they recommend in the New to PvP? sticky thread.
(edited by Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582)
The inability to have both Empathic Bond and SoTF would be one negative…
Thread was more of a poke at ANet for asking us to point out if builds will be broken by the new traits, then breaking the only PvP build they recommend in the New to PvP? sticky thread.
The thing is though they only asked what Playstyles would be broken. I think it would be inevitable that certain build combos get broken in a heavy rework. Though I feel what we get out of it is worth it in the long run.
Ghost Yak
The inability to have both Empathic Bond and SoTF would be one negative…
Thread was more of a poke at ANet for asking us to point out if builds will be broken by the new traits, then breaking the only PvP build they recommend in the New to PvP? sticky thread.
The thing is though they only asked what Playstyles would be broken. I think it would be inevitable that certain build combos get broken in a heavy rework. Though I feel what we get out of it is worth it in the long run.
I just watched it again, they asked for builds specifically. The drama is not just that you cannot take both at the same time, its also that you have to have Wilderness Survival as a trait line for any condi removal traits, which also rules out Poison Master for PvP/WvW.
The inability to have both Empathic Bond and SoTF would be one negative…
Thread was more of a poke at ANet for asking us to point out if builds will be broken by the new traits, then breaking the only PvP build they recommend in the New to PvP? sticky thread.
The thing is though they only asked what Playstyles would be broken. I think it would be inevitable that certain build combos get broken in a heavy rework. Though I feel what we get out of it is worth it in the long run.
I just watched it again, they asked for builds specifically. The drama is not just that you cannot take both at the same time, its also that you have to have Wilderness Survival as a trait line for any condi removal traits, which also rules out Poison Master for PvP/WvW.
Thats the thing though. it isn’t the only source. Its just the only obvious one. Evasive purity post trait change will remove poison blind and cripple. those three are probably the ones that the ranger as a class has to worry about more than any other. And depending on the playstyle there the only ones youl actually have to be concerned about.
As far as longbow rangers are concerned. Usually they don’t have to worry about being condi loaded. And condi rangers themselves are generally more worried about there healing being interupted as they go through there own rotations do the the sheer amount of dodges they have access to. So a skilled ranger can infact go without either empathic bond OR sotf. Now that wont work for everyone obviously. But it shows that there are still other options.
Heal as one and rampage as one will become shouts after the change. Meaning that Wel have a full set of 5 shouts. Two of which will be on obscenely low cooldowns. One of those also being one of the heaviest base heals in the game. This makes trooper runes a viable condi removal option for rangers. In conjunction with evasive purity youl be able to have a fairly steady amount of cleanses rolling as well as a very STABLE resistance to poison. Meaning the majority of your heals are going to go off for full strength. And your going to be able to heal ALOT in a fight.
Its less direct. But its still an option that will work perfectly in most situations.
Ghost Yak