I don’t think it makes a huge difference, just because to get the most out of SB you have to circle strafe at short-mid range. If you were standing at 1200 with a SB you were doing it wrong anyway.
I don’t think it makes a huge difference, just because to get the most out of SB you have to circle strafe at short-mid range. If you were standing at 1200 with a SB you were doing it wrong anyway.
Because you can’t strafe at 901+ range? Especially in an open setting like WvW?
Also, good bye snaring a foe at 901-1200 range it was fun while it lasted.
Agreed. I’ve always had this notion that I need to be using a Longbow in a zerg, just to the fact I associate long range with a classic longbow. Up to this point, there really wasn’t much of a point in using a longbow over shortbow. Now we have to choose, which I feel like is good game design.
Might as well just use axe if you want closer combat in a zerg. The bounce tags more people and axe2 is a better snare than sb4 while allowing the build freedom of 4 off hands (especially if axe4 gets a pull which will be amazing in pvp).
This leaked patch is typical a*et mindset, fixing the problem of LB by SB nerf.
It seems to me anet lacks the understanding of SB LB just as a below average Joe.
Crossfire doing more dps than other SB attack is not a problem at all, it’s just what this unique weapon brings to the gameplay — DPS is on autoattack and other skills are to be saved to daze healing ( sb 5), chase (sb 4), extra dodge (sb 3). Other weapon sets rely on 2 3 4 5 to do dps but a good SBer needs to save those skills so the pet can do more dps when used at the right time or daze the healing animation and whatnot. It probably takes average joe player years to understand SB is different from ,say a condition engi or dd ele while complaining about rangers only doing crossfire with no skills. The unique characteristic is what makes this weapon interesting, and now anet wants to change it so 2 3 4 5 is just like the 2 3 4 5 of a pp engi? Why don’t we just erase this weapon ?
I honestly don’t think I’ll notice much difference since I find the shortbow is best suited for trap builds where you mostly fight from shorter range anyway, but I still feel the decision to reduce the range is odd.
It implies that the ranger shortbow is overpowered at 1200 range, but I don’t get the impression that any players actually feel that way, whether they play rangers or not. The shortbow was arguably overpowered compared to other ranged weapons back when Crossfire had a super fast attack speed, but they nerfed that a long time ago. The weapon isn’t even very popular anymore.
Edit: And yes, the longbow with Eagle Eye and Quick Draw will still be the superior weapon for zerg-surfing, as it already is. 1500 range and Barrage is just much better for tagging targets in a big fight than anything on the shortbow.
It breaks SB for players like myself who run melee and need a ranged off hand in WvW. I use SB for the utility…My weapon of choice is Great Sword and without SB I doubt I can make it work as a main weapon in WvW!
It breaks SB for players like myself who run melee and need a ranged off hand in WvW. I use SB for the utility…My weapon of choice is Great Sword and without SB I doubt I can make it work as a main weapon in WvW!
That’s silly. I run greatsword with sword/warhorn so I certainly don’t think you’re required to use a ranged weapon in WvW. When I want a ranged weapon I trade my sword out for an axe anyway, not a shortbow.
Our best chase-down ranged weapon setup is probably axe/dagger because that gives you both chill and cripple from range. And a 900-range shortbow will probably still do most of the things you want from it if you consider the greatsword you main weapon.
Greatsword and longbow is already a workable setup as well and the longbow is being buffed.
It breaks SB for players like myself who run melee and need a ranged off hand in WvW. I use SB for the utility…My weapon of choice is Great Sword and without SB I doubt I can make it work as a main weapon in WvW!
That’s silly. I run greatsword with sword/warhorn so I certainly don’t think you’re required to use a ranged weapon in WvW. When I want a ranged weapon I trade my sword out for an axe anyway, not a shortbow.
Our best chase-down ranged weapon setup is probably axe/dagger because that gives you both chill and cripple from range. And a 900-range shortbow will probably still do most of the things you want from it if you consider the greatsword you main weapon.
Greatsword and longbow is already a workable setup as well and the longbow is being buffed.
0/10/30/0/30 GS main and SB off weapon as utility and a source of pet bleeds.
My damage comes from my pet, my role is to setup my pet…SB is what I use against runners and to kite hard hitting melee at the +1,000 range (Swoop is 1,100 range every 9.5 sec) and for the pet bleed with SB snare.
If SB drops to 900 then why would I ever use it over Axe? Axe gives chill, weakness and the #4 and #5 could be a number of other weapons with evades or buffs or situational conditions that SB have….
That is what is meant by 900 breaks SB as Axe+X is far superior for my build, a power BM than SB at the same range!
What is worse is SB fit nicely with GS Swoop as I can instantly turn around and fire after a Swoop, now I can not. Once players realize this, they just ignore me when I Swoop :/
If you tell me to use LB then its the same, SB broken for this build.
I was a sb/lb ranger, I’m considering to switch the sb with the gs. I can’t manage to see the point of having increased the damage output of its utility skills, doesn’t make any sense.
It makes a huge difference especially if you use piercing arrows and like to aim for a distant foe while strafing around to pierce as many nearby foes as possible.
My worry is about ever catching anyone again with the range nerf on Shortbow.
Now the only way will be with an offhand axe #4 if it’s traited to 1200 with Offhand Training. Might be a nifty new pull for runners, but not worth giving up the other traits we all usually take (regen or stealth on stun)
Agreed. I’ve always had this notion that I need to be using a Longbow in a zerg, just to the fact I associate long range with a classic longbow. Up to this point, there really wasn’t much of a point in using a longbow over shortbow. Now we have to choose, which I feel like is good game design.
If any ranger is fighting a zerg, they should be using a LB as their main weapon. The amount of damage you can shell out before anyone even gets close to you will trump any other weapon at the rangers disposal. I carry both LB and SB. The shorbow is mainly for enemies that get a tad too close (which doesn’t happen often as they are dead long before that).
Even before this update takes place, the Sb is completely inferior to a LB in zerg vs zerg combat. In small group fights or solo on the other hand (if that’s the players thing), the SB is the go-to weapon.
It breaks SB for players like myself who run melee and need a ranged off hand in WvW. I use SB for the utility…My weapon of choice is Great Sword and without SB I doubt I can make it work as a main weapon in WvW!
Or you know, you could use swoop to keep the 900 distance if someone is trying to escape, or use the xb #3 dodge to propel yourself towards someone like with 1h sword #2. I usually use greatsword and axe/axe and if I really wanted to chase someone I had no problems keeping up with them.
I don’t think it makes a huge difference, just because to get the most out of SB you have to circle strafe at short-mid range. If you were standing at 1200 with a SB you were doing it wrong anyway.
To get the most out of it, yes, which is why most people would choose not to be at that max range most of the time, but having the choice is important, because sometimes you do want to start attacking things from 1200 away, rather than closing to 900 first. They should have left in at least a few of the attacks at 1200 distance, not enough that you would really want to stay at that distance, but enough that you could start the fight from out there and then move in.
“If you spent as much time working on [some task] as
you spend complaining about it on the forums, you’d be
done by now.”
I don’t think it makes a huge difference, just because to get the most out of SB you have to circle strafe at short-mid range. If you were standing at 1200 with a SB you were doing it wrong anyway.
To get the most out of it, yes, which is why most people would choose not to be at that max range most of the time, but having the choice is important, because sometimes you do want to start attacking things from 1200 away, rather than closing to 900 first. They should have left in at least a few of the attacks at 1200 distance, not enough that you would really want to stay at that distance, but enough that you could start the fight from out there and then move in.
Most people that say “who cares about SB range, I always use it melee” crap are people that either only do dungeons/mob farming or are simply trolling.
Having 300 range difference means a lot in WvW and sPvP especially when ranger doesn’t have the same mobility of a thief/mesmer/ele/warrior (especially when you’re not running GS with mobility signet, like trap ranger), to counter those classes running away you need every inch of your range to pull off that cripple/daze/bleeding stack that makes difference between success and failure.
While SB is a better choice for dps right now, if the leaked notes are true, SB will be forgotten in WvW mostly because SB won’t be capable of covering LB’s range anymore.
