Guild Wars 2

G’day, mates.

I’ve been using this trap ranger build since the feature patch which I have been enjoying a lot. I only really use the build in spvp, but I’m sure it could have some application outside of it (wvw roamin, duelling, so fourth).

This link will take you to the build. Trust me.

Essentially, it’s a standard as kitten trap ranger with some minor tweaks, namely the use of krait runes (which I think most people who run bleed rangers should be running as they’re rather OP) and switching out the seemingly core EB for Poison Master because of its ability to turn you into a major boss.
Really, it’s just the same old trap ranger build you see around, and it plays identically. No difference. Nada. Zip. Just the changes add that nice touch of DPS.

KRAIT RUNES

This rune is great – most people know this. Bleeds bleeds bleeds. All day. All night. They don’t stop. They just make bleed stacking that much more potent and deadly. If you’re not using this rune and you like bleeding people, than you should promptly change to this rune. Please. Don’t listen to the enemy team.

WHY POISON MASTER OVER EB?

I don’t know how to explain it in too much detail, but I find that with the kit I have a decent amount of condition cleanses outside the trait to keep me alive in fights (heal, SoR, Sigil of Generosity). I still can cleanse more than an engie and can prance around like a prick against necros. And the positives of poison master are just super-duper cool. You get a ton of poison anyway so you pretty much have around 5 ways to apply poison now (permanenenenent nearly kind of), so gg warriors. And I mean, you’re a trap ranger – most people should be hobbling towards you after being ambushed by your spikes and flames, so really, all you’re doing is finishing the job!

…

But yeah, talk about the build~ Try it out~ Tell me if you’re already using something similar~ What to improve~ Call me a scrub for even CONSIDERING PM. Whatever. Us rangers got to stick together.

Happy hunting!

PS: Thanks Katsumi Arisu for the 3g to buy Poison Master for my Asura alt. Really saved the day.

There is zero reason not to just show the link. Especially adding the “trust me” part to it.

So no, I’m not going there.

@ Forzani…You can see the link on the second page when Arenanet makes you look at the link before heading there.

@OP, This is a strong build. Not sure if I agree with poison master (although I haven’t experimented much with that trait yet), but everything else looks very good

When a Ranger takes Poison Master for a set in which he has already 3 sources of poison on reliable cooldowns over Empathic Bond and tries to bandaid the condition cleanse with totally untraited SoR, hardly reliable sigil and healing skill + Entrapment instead of Spirit….

Sorry mate, I can’t treat you seriously, as much as I’d like to.

There’s a reason why Trapper builds run EB. Some SoR and that water field won’t save your kitten against average player.

Why not just make normal trapper, take EB and replace that useless signet with L. Reflex ? And bring a Spirit which will give you a second life on the close point or greatly aid your allies, even without traiting ?

I can maybe see why people like Entrapment in SotF builds, but outside of that. Nah

And god forbid those runes.

You lost me at Poison Master>EB.
You have plenty of other poison sources: Sword, dagger, shortbow, spiders, viper trap.

You’re basically sacrificing survivability for extra dps thats equivalent to 1 stack of bleed.

Drop poison master and you’ll still break through healing signets.

Thanks for the replies, both positive and negative.

I get a lot of what you guys are saying. Like, as someone who also plays ranger the same thoughts go into my head. Part of taking PM over EB was purely testing it out, and it just… worked. I’m not too much of a pen-and-paper kind of player, and the build kind of came around with just trying out new things. Which is kind of the reason why I said it was difficult for me to explain why PM was working, because it just did. The more I play it, however, the easier it becomes for me to explain it further then just yapping “omg it just works guys trustinmeeee”.

You guys are right, with three ways to apply poison in the build, you have a pretty decent upkeep, but I wouldn’t call it guaranteed or totally aggressive. On SB I’m not always PB or willing to go balls deep just to apply it. And sword and dagger, sure, the duration is long enough, but y’know, sometimes it doesn’t always stick, and the extra poison, although seemingly faceroll, just adds that extra bit of guarantee that that it is going to stick. (ps, I think it’s been discussed on here but spider actually ruin poison dps, like, it ticks at 80, and I play better with wolf and raven).

And the argument about survivability, as I said, I find that with the three ways I have equipped, I tend to survive just fine. Of course, there are going to be situations where I’m going to wish I had traited EB, but in the matches I’ve been able to handle well without it, and although the DPS gain is seemingly low (one bleed stack), it’s a condie, it adds up, and even if someone cleanses it, it pops right back on. Alongside the bleedstacking (with krait runes, is really stupid).

And if you think SoR needs to be traited to be good, then godkitten . It’s a stunbreak AND a full condie cleanse (considering your pet is alive and near you). Sure, it’s a long cd, but with the pressure that you’re exerting, I find it’s more than enough. And healing spring cleansing is actually really good. And generosity can change a fight. Why SoR over L.reflex? Because I like to stay on point sometimes. And I’m certain SoR is fairly standard on Ranger in spvp. Maybe CD signet trait instead of keen edge… I’ll give it a whirl!

But that’s just what I think. I respect people enough that they might not like it, and obviously it won’t be everyones cup of tea.

+ @kiwituatara, using PM doesn’t equal “PM>EB”. Do not put words in my mouth.

Haha magikfox. The “EB” crew has arrived to reign on your parade. Unfortunately, they either don’t have the 3g’s to unlock the trait or they are too stubborn to test it, or they aren’t good enough to manage conditions being thrown at them.

SoR is one of the best condi cleanses out there. It acts the same as EB in the sense of it transferring 1 condi every 10 seconds(EB transfer 3), but the active has the ability to transfer ALL conditions off of you and AND your team, instantly and on demand.

Is it better? That’s for you to decide. Everybody has different opinions. As for EB > PM. That depends on the build and the person, but I see no where magikfox state that EB is better than PM. Nor does he suggest it.

I’ll pass on poison master, I tried it, I didn’t feel it helped keep poison up, I had enough already. Sure, PM isn’t terrible, but if you need extra poison while having a S/D offset… you have perma poison with just dagger 4 when you take the CD trait. Hell, I feel like I have enough poison and I run torch, if I need more, poison trap.

I Earth/Geo for both weapon sets as I swap alot more in sPvP and when I swap, I am in melee. And, for the love of all that is holy run a drakehound and not a bird. The immo F2 is too good. Fear, swap, immo outside the circle. Their back is to you because of the fear, more SB bleeds, almost 5 second soft CC, toss a spike trap for another immo and add in another 2 secs as your hound pounces the enemy. Just pray it isn’t a necro with 1/2 a brain and staff 4 up.

I will fight you right now song.

MLG NA ranger