Guild Wars 2

Some damage numbers, at 1000 power, 0 condition damage:

Scepter/torch
#1: 237dmg per 0.8s
#2:16×117dmg, 6s CD
#4: 720dmg, 3×3s burning (1179dmg), 15s CD
I didn’t count the first part of torch #4 since it has short range.
DPS: 624, of which 50% requires stationary mob and 100% is single-target

Longbow:
#1: 287dmg per 1.0s
#2: 746dmg, 4s CD
#4: 5×186dmg, 5×4s burning (5×524dmg), 15s CD
DPS (up to 3 targets): 643, of which 37% require semi-stationary mob and 70% is easy-to-use AoE (other 30% is piercing AoE which is basically single-target)
Without skill #2 (which you can’t use if you need to kite), DPS drops to 528

I also tested against dummies, got slightly faster kill times with longbow.

Summary: if you want damage from a distance, take longbow over scepter.

Longbow also has a nicer feel to its skills. But for something a bit more defensive against a veteran mob, scepter felt stronger (didn’t use with torch),must be the defensive from offhands, immobilize on #3 and mobility that helped.

Lol, not to mention that even Shield has a better knockback and Focus has a 3-hits block+blast finisher.

It’s way inferior to our previous ranged option. How does it improve Guardian? It even has crap virtues.