Guild Wars 2

So, I’m looking for an advice. I always enjoyed playing archery-based characters – back in WoW I’d roll with hunter, in ESO I’d be picking up bow… And here, right now, I’m kinda split between two – DH and ranger.

From what I saw so far, I liked DH’s traps doing normal (instead of condi damage-over-time), and DH seems decent at mitigating damage, but (correct me if I’m wrong) at the same time I believe he’s worse at dealing it back to the enemy. Also, being more PvE type, I’m wondering who has better chances to be accepted in groups (as DPS – I’m not that much into supporting with druid).

So, my question is: out of those two, who’s doing better? And by that I mean mainly damage/survival (power, not condi builds). Which one would be better to level and play?

Personally I’d recommend you create one of each and enter the PvP lobby. Play in guild arena if you have one or unranked. I have both. Started Guardian upon launch and later rolled up a Ranger. Played DH a bit, Druid a bit. Both bring different things to the table. Both feel different.

At the end of the day there is no “who has better chances to be accepted in groups”. GW2 doesn’t work like that unless that is the sort of guild you joined. Play to your skill level, and the classes ability, and you will be fine.

Then it just comes down to what is more fun for you.

In a power comparison, dh and ranger are only different in that ranger doesn’t have reliable burst, but steady damage and dh has their burst tied to trap spam. Both their high damage skills, lb 2, are dodgeable and avoidable, but can cause high damage to the unaware. Key word being unaware.

So in the end, your choice is preference. Not viability.

well used to be aware, now with the energy sigil nerf its even easier unless v daredevil because they cant generate the dodges fast enough to dodge enough.

as far as I’m aware from rangers, most of their DPS comes from their pet, which currently the AI Sucks for, so the ranger himself doesn’t out put enough damage to warrant using a DPS build with the Ranger, a lot of players are saying rangers pretty unaccepted as far as DPS roles go..

Rangers 2 is abit more reliable, as they fire multiple arrows it’d take a enemy a double dodge to evade all the damage, however it is shown that the ranger 2 is a lot more buggy then the DH, in melee sometimes it wont go off but go on CD and also it fires in the wrong direction or wrong target occasionally.

of a point of view of where the proffessions are being pushed, i’d roll a guardian, proffessions will be using their Elites mostly on the major part of playing, therefore ur better off running Dragonhunter on the bases that for a long long time the ranger will be pushed towards Supportive roles (no idea if it will or when it will change)

Remember after u’ve levelled up etc etc u can SPVP for tomes and level a other character instantly providing u earn 78 of em first. so u can always get a Ranger at a later date incase they pull rangers out the supportive role and into a DPS role

i too liked bow, but not just only the bow, i liked heavy armor class + longbow as a whole, so my preference are dragonhunter and berserker.

right now i maining dragonhunter, and im on my way to make berserker longbow

ranger, not so much i just dont like the fact it use medium armor.

so if u confused make two of them to 80, and test it in real PVE environment, not just test it on PVP lobby, just like me, i first too test any class just on PVP lobby, but turns out that my expectation went different when i really test it in the real environment.

There r strong pve builds for rangers, be it condi or power. What it comes down to is how u feel about and like their individual playstyles and themes, that is what u should try out as metas/viability changes over time (if ur into that sort of thang). From a fun and QoL perspective ive always favored the ranger for its 1500 range with arcs that can add another 100 200 range, with ur pet to get in and draw agro.

I had a restoration Shaman, a Hunter and a prot Warrior in WoW.

In GW2 I first rolled a Ranger. This was one of my biggest mistake in this game… 2-3 years ago the Ranger was an underdog in PvE/Wvw. I stucked with this toon for a year or so but I got fed up with the hate so I rerolled to Ele (D/D and staff waterbot), than I rolled a Thief (levelled to 80 and geared up but it’s not my style…), than a Necro (the walking death but it’s not my style either… I’m a helpful person so this selfish stereotype didn’t catch me) and now I main a Guardian. It’s like a Protection Hunter in WoW terminology

The philosophy and the tools are just for me (even the Dragonhunter’s)… (I wish ANET nerf the CD on the TrueShot… I hate that skill! I’m forced to spam this in 20% of my gametime ! I hate that with all my heart! )

One other thing to keep I mind, if playing with a bow is important, base ranger can use bows. You have to spec dragon hunter, after leveling to 80, to use a bow on a guardian.

Aggrostemma.1703:

I had a restoration Shaman, a Hunter and a prot Warrior in WoW.

In GW2 I first rolled a Ranger. This was one of my biggest mistake in this game… 2-3 years ago the Ranger was an underdog in PvE/Wvw. I stucked with this toon for a year or so but I got fed up with the hate so I rerolled to Ele (D/D and staff waterbot), than I rolled a Thief (levelled to 80 and geared up but it’s not my style…), than a Necro (the walking death but it’s not my style either… I’m a helpful person so this selfish stereotype didn’t catch me) and now I main a Guardian. It’s like a Protection Hunter in WoW terminology

The philosophy and the tools are just for me (even the Dragonhunter’s)… (I wish ANET nerf the CD on the TrueShot… I hate that skill! I’m forced to spam this in 20% of my gametime ! I hate that with all my heart! )

the bow has no other Damaging ability, if u increased the CD u’d go from 2.. to Nothing but auto attacking :P.. and that would feel like a cinematic and be even boring to use 1 for 100% Uptime.

Careful what you wish for, it wouldn’t come out well realistically, only 100x worse, profession would drop to trash tier in a Moment, increased CD = Easier to Dodge = Easier to Counter which would take the guardians only chance of meta currently away from them.

I get what u mean though.. a Rework on 3 to make it a Proper DPS Skill and 4 to a Fire Field instead of a Silly Light field. but yes, sadly we prolly will forever use it for the majority of cast times on our bow, Just like rangers Spend most of their bow time on 2 haha

@Aggrostemma – I myself don’t mind #2 itself, although I do dislike idea of being stuck in a place while “readying” it – at least ranger gets to move while using his channel. And that’s where my dillema’s coming from – I wish I could mix and match mechanics and get perfect archer :p I like ranger’s channel and stealth from longbow. I also like heavy armor and mitigation guardian has. Oh, I also like guardian’s normal (as in, non-condi) traps, and ranger’s pets… Now if only I could have the best of both worlds :p

Huh guys, do not get me wrong… i like the punch the lb#2 delivers… It has some serious damage… But althrough the Guardian is my main I still hate that ability. You know why…

The Hammer#2 has the same issue (forces you to actually leap) but it feels more dynamic for me.

I do not want to say that I want to nerf the Guardians… But I still think that LB#2 is boring as hell and if you don’t stand still for 1 seconds every 5 you loose DPS… You can call it a trade-of…

But I have every right to hate an ability even if it’s mine

It deals good damage, it forces the foe to dodge, it has low CD… What not to like???…

The fact that I have to press it on every cooldown otherwise it feels like I kick myself

But you are right I should stop complaining…

Aggrostemma.1703:

I had a restoration Shaman, a Hunter and a prot Warrior in WoW.

In GW2 I first rolled a Ranger. This was one of my biggest mistake in this game… 2-3 years ago the Ranger was an underdog in PvE/Wvw. I stucked with this toon for a year or so but I got fed up with the hate so I rerolled to Ele (D/D and staff waterbot), than I rolled a Thief (levelled to 80 and geared up but it’s not my style…), than a Necro (the walking death but it’s not my style either… I’m a helpful person so this selfish stereotype didn’t catch me) and now I main a Guardian. It’s like a Protection Hunter in WoW terminology

The philosophy and the tools are just for me (even the Dragonhunter’s)… (I wish ANET nerf the CD on the TrueShot… I hate that skill! I’m forced to spam this in 20% of my gametime ! I hate that with all my heart! )

if anet decide to not make it root ur character when using this skill, im sure u wont complaint

oh maybe for balance-sake, make the CD long enough and un-root.

Ranger’s aren’t exactly known by their LB anymore. They used to be “ok” but even on their best, they were never a high tier class. Not that Guards were in a better spot but we at least had 1 build working for us for a good while.

DH at least has the potential to be a viable 5th now thanks to the removal of the bunker meta. I don’t exactly see Rangers being better in that regards. Strictly from a PvP point of view :P