Guild Wars 2

Quite a few people have been telling me to avoid a ranger, due to the class being least wanted in dungeons, poor in PvP and overall crappy and buggy.

Is there any truth to this, or is it just the internet sounding chamber effect?

Rangers can perform good enough in pvp, it’s that people build them around trying to do burst which is something they are not very good at.
In PvE however they bring nothing to the table and nothing to help the party aside from spirits and those die within 3 hits.

In PvE they bring the best water field in the game. Very high sustained damage (if you cant manage your pet properly, use a ranged one) can res 2 people at once! Can use pet to res DEAD people.

In PvP they are one of the strongest in the game (trappers and beast masters)

Only problem is it has a very high skill requirement. You have to manage 2 characters at once to be absolutely awesome.

If you prefer simple gameplay. Dont pick a Ranger.

There’s nothing a Ranger can do than isn’t outperformed by another class. As long as that’s the case Rangers will be bad.

There are valid criticisms,
but they have been bouncing around the internet chamber for so long they’ve lost a bit of their original perspective.

Dungeons are a bit skewed to direct damage, so our current common builds have a decently high skill floor barrier of entry and are ultimately less desirable in the long run solely by virtue of not being direct damage, and even if our control-centric profession mechanic was brought up to functional in a dungeon setting it still would have less opportunities to really shine.

That sounds pretty dismal, if you sit on a subforum and feed off eachother’s ever escalating frustration.

But, these problems are everybody’s problems; they stem from pretty far-reaching overarching mechanical concerns and every class has a mechanic or two that dungeons undervalue or outright break. Furthermore, how these problems impact your day to day gaming is more in terms of gameplay than result; pets keeling over at a sneeze is endlessly frustrating, but it’s not going to keep you from completing any actual content.

Rangers don’t fill any niche in either PvP or PvE, so no one wants them. They have no place. They’re mediocre ranged. Longbows aren’t that great. The AoE has a long CD and the damage is mediocre. Eles hit a bigger area harder, have AoE stuns, and actual escape mechanisms. Pets have a lot of LoS, pathing, and skill missing issues. Melee rangers suffer from general squishiness, and don’t offer anything to the front line. Spirits are garbage. Rangers have virtually no burst, so you can’t be an assassin, and they have 0 escapes so soloing is out of the question.

Venereus.9473:

There’s nothing a Ranger can do than isn’t outperformed by another class. As long as that’s the case Rangers will be bad.

Learn to play the ranger then, because while this is a limited class, it’s far from bad. There are some amazing builds that can come out of this profession. There just aren’t as many viable builds as other professions.

I ve read the exact same arguments in the engineer forums. About engineers, of course. I wonder if we would find them in the other forums, too.

In PvE they are meh, since pet can’t be utilized 100% in dungeons and purely direct damage > hybrid damage.
In sPvP they are quite good, have two very solid builds. Pretty much the strongest homebunker build as a BM spec and a decent farassault/midfight build from traps.

For someone who doesn’t main one, but plays one in pvp, I’m always surprised reading the ranger forums. What’s with the complaints? Are the players bad or haven’t played anything else for comparison? It’s a really solid class honestly.

Most people who criticize rangers to such an extent are those who- can not play the class well, have not been able to design a good enough build, haven’t taken time to actually learn the class and it’s mechanics.

Rangers excel at WvW roaming to the point of being called OP with the GS. Dungeons, they can bring a lot to the table it’s just a little less obvious than other classes. Playing a ranger is frustrating at first and difficult, your pet may just kitten you off. However learning the mechanics makes it all go away, it went from being frustrating and me almost deleting my Ranger to it becoming my main and favorite class to the point that I do not want to play my other characters most of the time.

There are more than two builds, there is a bunch of support we can bring to the table, lots of PvP/WvW options, for dungeons a few specific set ups excel more than others still, don’t let anyone tells you different. Ranger is the most hard work out of all other classes but has high reward.

Threads you should use refer to before working on a ranger:

Ranger-The Master Class

Ranger – Cross Class Comparison

Judge for yourself, don’t let others do that for you.

Mail me in games with any questions.

-Esh Crowe

Every class says they can be outperformed in some aspect by every other class. Don’t listen to them. Yes CERTAIN builds outperform in certain situations, but ranger does great in pvp, does ok in pve. It’s certainly not facemelt braindead mode of warriors and mesmers though, but depending on how oyu built it, you can be very viable in every aspect of pve. As for the support build with spirits, yeah they do kinda…ok they really suck right now because their hp is horrendously low, they make necro pets look like juggernauts. But as for your actual animal pet, I’d say 95% of the complaints are people not knowing how to play a freaking ranger. They expect the pets to go on autopilot and survive by some magical luck….no…just no. Learn to control that pet. Yes there are certain situations (and many bosses, but those are due to poor mechanics design, not your pet honestly) that will render your pet useless, but you learn to adapt and prepare for that. If you know the upcoming fight is gonna be petkiller, adjust your tactics. The bulk of your damage just went out the window so what can you do now? CC <——one of the most underrated support roles in the game. You’re welcome. Now go enjoy ranger, I play necro as a main and I still love the hell out of my ranger

Quite a few people have been telling me to avoid a ranger, due to the class being least wanted in dungeons, poor in PvP and overall crappy and buggy.

“Is there any truth to this, or is it just the internet sounding chamber effect?”

To OP

It sound to me that you’re an Elitist class, and I would suggest you to remain there.
Anyone who knows the Ranger class know that answer you’re asking.

If it’s in your Attention to Ridicule, Humiliate and Mock our class.. than you are not Welcome in the Ranger forum.

We’ve been through Enough

Burnfall.9573:

To OP

It sound to me that you’re an Elitist class, and I would suggest you to remain there.
Anyone who knows the Ranger class know that answer you’re asking.

If it’s in your Attention to Ridicule, Humiliate and Mock our class.. than you are not Welcome in the Ranger forum.

We’ve been through Enough

??? Are you reading something I can’t see? I saw nothing either they or the following few posts said that made them seem like they were trolling rangers. Yeah there as a few farther down but….please elaborate if I missed something.

I have been playing ranger for 4 months now in general pve, fractals, spvp and wvw. In my opinion rangers are not bad at all. Only some ranger builds are. Some other builds are decent and some are even awesome. Some are situational but if you know how and when to use them they are, again, awesome. Beastmasters and trappers are good. Here’s a good guide about rangers http://www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/46617-sycthrexs-ranger-guide/ and more https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/STICKY-PLS-Compilation-of-Good-Builds-Posts/first. An awesome build https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Introducing-the-Phantom-Catmaster/first and a more in-depth of how some skills work https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Ranger-Skills-and-Traits-Clarifications-Fixes/first.

Rangers are fine in sPvP/tPvP because they’ve nerfed so many abilities the other classes have, that they’ve brought the other classes down to the level of the Ranger. I think the reason many don’t realize this, is because they do not realize that when a change is labeled “PvP only” they actually mean sPvP/tPvP, and those changes do not effect WvW. It wasn’t until a bunch of us started running tests, before we caught this. These are only examples, but there are a lot more.

•Cluster Shot: This skill’s damage is reduced by 15% in PvP.

•Cloak and Dagger: This skill’s damage has been reduced by 33% in PvP only.

•Shield of Judgment: This skill’s protection duration has been set to 3 seconds from 5 seconds in PvP only.

•Selfless Daring: This trait had an efficiency with healing power that was reserved for healing skills only and has now been reduced to its intended level. Heal scaling has been reduced by 50% in PvP only.

•Healing Ripple: This skill’s scaling with healing power has been reduced by 50% in PvP only, as it had scaling that’s normally reserved for main healing skills. The maximum number of targets has also been reduced from infinite to 5.

•PvP downed health is now 75% of what it was.

Now step into the WvW arena, where damage isn’t nerfed for the top classes, while having access to two consumables, sigils you don’t have in sPvP, runes you don’t have in sPvP, class abilities you don’t have in sPvP, among other things. Once you enter into WvW, and there are no longer carebear nerfs to other classes, the Ranger begins to lack in regards to other classes.

You’ll be able to perform much better with other classes, than you will the Ranger, for reasons the forum trolls want to ignore. But hey, who am I to convince anyone? I’ve never lost to a Ranger since pre-release, on any of my toons, and lost twice on my wifes Necromancer. THAT’S IT, twice on a class I didn’t know, while winning many others. I roam 90% of my WvW time, and attend many fight clubs.

I could care less about PvE.

I’m too lazy to make videos but watch this for how a ranger can dominate in WvW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdsmOmMwXCo

jpnova.4572:

I’m too lazy to make videos but watch this for how a ranger can dominate in WvW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdsmOmMwXCo

It’s easy to beat players you have no idea their skill, nor their gear. Watch how bad Xsorus beats people with his Ranger, then watch his Thief videos, and how he outperforms the Ranger by 10x as a Thief.

Saying; “I can do better with the other classes” does not mean I can’t do well on the Ranger. You’re just making that assumption, which is entirely false.

I can show you dozens of videos of five man groups consisting of Warrior, Guardian, Elementalist, Mesmers, and yes they sometimes have Necro’s in them for reasons you wouldn’t understand killing 30-50 people on a regular basis. But you will NEVER see a video with a Ranger in a group doing that.

You should know why by now, if you know this game at all.

I have 6 80s, counting my wifes Necromancer I play now on a regular basis. My desire to see the Ranger fixed has no bias, because quite frankly I can play my other classes when I choose to, or do what some of the better Rangers have done, like Xsorus, and quit. Which I’ve kind of have, but with so much time invested in the game, I kind of want to see it through, and see classes like the Ranger fixed.

I’m currently slowly leveling up my Necro right now to do a Minion Master Video (while at the same time slowly getting gear for my Powertech in SWTOR)

As for Ranger being as bad as people say.

It depends.

Mainly on which people you’re talking about

Can a Ranger compete in World vs World and SPvP/TPvP yes…I can stomp people all day long in WvW and be fine…I can do it a bit better on my Thief as you can see from those videos but i can compete with the Ranger.

My problem with the Ranger currently is the Shoddy Pet System and its complete lack of group utility worth anything.

I mean i’ve been playing my Pain Inverter build for quite some time (which is BM Bunker) because quite frankly, other then Trap Build, really nothing else stands out on Ranger.

I can run the Greatsword Builds running around right now, and I have….However I find them to be worse then the BM Bunker to be quite honest…I can run it, but I don’t feel i’m doing as good as i can.

So basically think of it like this..

Rangers need improvements, but they’re not so broken that they aren’t playable.

They certainly don’t need bloody nerfs every patch that gut the few things it has left (Looking at the Quickness Nerf and Guard Nerf)

I am not denying that rangers need some tweaks, however in group play a ranger’s role is control and back line damage/support with bows or traps. No matter how experienced, regular a player is, if they fail to understand that it can’t be helped.
It’s not that rangers are not meant for organised, group WvW play, it’s just that their roles are very specific and limited and unless they’re geared precisely for it and practiced at that role they can’t fulfill it, making the class very limited in that aspect and fulfilling a Support/Control role with traps and specific pets.

However solo-roaming a ranger can excel given he understands the class mechanics well and has practice at using their pets.

PS: Please note I am not just referring to condition damage builds.

Xsorus you could always play my wifes Necromancer. We’d just have to get the gear you wanted.

While rangers aren’t bad played right, they aren’t beneficial in group plays.
For dungeons ranger is class ‘’k, ranger might be our 5th’‘, but basicly any other would do better.
For WvW/sPvP dream-teams I’d never include ranger.

Overall I’d say rangers are OK (nothing more) and far from other proffessions being known for certain things (survivability, mobility, burst, condi burst, group support etc. etc.)

jpnova.4572:

I’m too lazy to make videos but watch this for how a ranger can dominate in WvW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdsmOmMwXCo

I use a slight variation of this build, and it’s very strong. It works great in PVE as well.

Ranger might not be the best class for everyone, but it certainly is for me. I love the class and do quite well with it to the point that I don’t touch my Warrior, Ele or Guardian anymore. I also enjoy the fact that in high level zones the rarity of high level Rangers makes me stand out more.

Through practice and patience I have become a better player with my Ranger Beastmaster then I am with any other class. It all depends on the player.

OP, just give it a try and draw your own conclusion. If you don’t like it, you have lost nothing. It’s worth a shot.

jkctmc.8754:

Xsorus you could always play my wifes Necromancer. We’d just have to get the gear you wanted.

It won’t take me that long to get him up, I’m 43 right now on the Necro and just need to hit 60 (will use Crafting to get the last 20 levels)

only reason i’ve not to do right now is gearing out my PT in SWTOR>

Starbird.4029:

Quite a few people have been telling me to avoid a ranger, due to the class being least wanted in dungeons, poor in PvP and overall crappy and buggy.

Is there any truth to this, or is it just the internet sounding chamber effect?

roll and invest in another profession like thief, elementalist or mesmer. wait a year and check on the state of the ranger profession then consider rolling one at that time.

Xsorus.2507:

jkctmc.8754:

Xsorus you could always play my wifes Necromancer. We’d just have to get the gear you wanted.

It won’t take me that long to get him up, I’m 43 right now on the Necro and just need to hit 60 (will use Crafting to get the last 20 levels)

only reason i’ve not to do right now is gearing out my PT in SWTOR>

No problem. I’m trying to convince myself to level an Engineer.

Kiran.2705:

Rangers don’t fill any niche in either PvP or PvE, so no one wants them. They have no place. They’re mediocre ranged. Longbows aren’t that great. The AoE has a long CD and the damage is mediocre. Eles hit a bigger area harder, have AoE stuns, and actual escape mechanisms. Pets have a lot of LoS, pathing, and skill missing issues. Melee rangers suffer from general squishiness, and don’t offer anything to the front line. Spirits are garbage. Rangers have virtually no burst, so you can’t be an assassin, and they have 0 escapes so soloing is out of the question.

They are not mediocre ranged, as far as ranged damage goes they are one of the best professions.

Elementalist AoEs don’t pierce in a line so there will be several situations where a ranger is hitting more targets than an elementalist. Rangers have escape mechanisms built into weapons (shortbow three) and utility skills (Lightning Reflexes), never mind the evades, blocks and leap on their melee weapons.

Melee rangers can offer Protection (blue moa with quickness and their F2), Fury (red moa and their F2) as well as healing from Harmonic Cry. Healing Spring is a pulsing AoE condition removal that applies regeneration, can be traited to provide Vigor and it’s the longest lasting water field in the game, providing Healing to people who use leap finishers and Area Healing when a blast finisher is used inside them (something rangers can do on demand by swapping in a drake for their blast finisher).

They are one of the best professions at maintaining poison on a target (both devourers and spiders can be very good at this in addition to the ranger’s own skills) and as others have mentioned, Search and Rescue allows you to either res two people at once or res one person faster with the aid of a pet.

KOK.2650:

jpnova.4572:

I’m too lazy to make videos but watch this for how a ranger can dominate in WvW.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LdsmOmMwXCo

In the video,
He beat one elementialist .(not hard really)
one RANGER (nevermind)
one warrior who don’t have range weapon (I find it funny that he did not kite all the way)
one RANGER again
another RANGER
one GS mesier (using GS in melee , haha)
oh wait another RANGER
one elementialist
one lousy thief (I seriously think he is bad or too ungeared to lost with 3 npc helping)
Get owned by 5 (common to all non-thief, so no comment)
Certainly not a video of ranger dominating.

Swagger.1459:

roll and invest in another profession like thief, elementalist or mesmer. wait a year and check on the state of the ranger profession then consider rolling one at that time.

Ranger is the best class in PvE (open world) farming.
I know other class can solo a champ as well, but with ranger it is easier

The Ranger isn’t as bad as many people are claiming.

Our direct damage is dependent on our pet also supplementing it, so bad pet AI can be an aggravation at times

• Pets can’t move and attack so have trouble hitting moving targets

Our spirit utilities are garbage except in a few situations where you can park them someplace close that you know will be “safe”. Otherwise they simply die to a slight breeze. In those “good” cases, they still aren’t “great”.

Some of our traits are meh (see other threads for examples).

We don’t have any super special roles in WvW like:

• Portal
• Mass Invis / Veil
• Swirling Winds to stop siege
• General projectile blocking/reflecting (wall of reflection, feedback, traited mesmer focus, swirling winds)
• Movement prevention (guardian wall and thunderdome)

We do have:

• Healing Spring
• Pets that can kamikaze an entrenched siege position to kill enemy siege on an open field (useless if you or the siege are on a wall).
• Area denial via traps and/or muddy terrain (works best at choke points)
  • You could also list the longbow as area denial since barrage is a nice AOE cripple … it’s just that arrowcarts do it much better so your only advantage is being mobile.

In dungeons, you’re not going to provide as much as the top tier classes and the pet needs some love. However, this really only affects the high level fractals (30+) and you can get all the fractal loot (skins, infused rings, etc.) from doing level 26 fractal dailies.

Sebrent.3625:

• You could also list the longbow as area denial since barrage is a nice AOE cripple … it’s just that arrowcarts do it much better so your only advantage is being mobile.

Be carefull with Barrage on a zerg, retaliation will hurt you for 10K+

(12 waves x 5 targets x retaliationdamage)

Longtomsilver.8031:

Sebrent.3625:

• You could also list the longbow as area denial since barrage is a nice AOE cripple … it’s just that arrowcarts do it much better so your only advantage is being mobile.

Be carefull with Barrage on a zerg, retaliation will hurt you for 10K+

(12 waves x 5 targets x retaliationdamage)

Definitely good note here. This is why I’m a bigger fan of frost trap and muddy terrain for controlling enemy movement.

jpnova.4572:

Most people who criticize rangers to such an extent are those who- can not play the class well, have not been able to design a good enough build, haven’t taken time to actually learn the class and it’s mechanics.

I totally disagree with this. I think many rangers (myself included) complain about the class mainly because it doesn’t live up to the expectations that Anet generated in the original class description (“unparalleled archers”, “powerful spirits”, etc.). This notion was pointed out in another thread not long ago, and I think it’s spot on. Trap rangers are fantastic at 1vX, but much as I enjoy that build, I don’t like feeling boxed into a set role because multiple aspects of our class mechanic aren’t functioning as intended. My trap build works wonders in sPvP and WvW roaming, but I just can’t do the ranged damage that I and many others rolled a ranger for based on Anet’s description of the class.

Daemon, I promised not to share the build, but I know a quite successful Ranger that is using both traps and Longbow in WvW to great affect when running with guildies in 10+ man groups.

Admittedly, when running with less numbers, he swaps back to a Tanky BM or trap spec.

How successful? I’ll still play longbow with my trap build against zergs, but I’ll be honest with you, I do it for the tags. You can make longbow do some decent burning damage with a condition build, but I’m nowhere near as effective with it as I was with my glass cannon prior to the quickness nerf.

jpnova.4572:

Most people who criticize rangers to such an extent are those who- can not play the class well, have not been able to design a good enough build, haven’t taken time to actually learn the class and it’s mechanics.

Rangers excel at WvW roaming to the point of being called OP with the GS. Dungeons, they can bring a lot to the table it’s just a little less obvious than other classes. Playing a ranger is frustrating at first and difficult, your pet may just kitten you off. However learning the mechanics makes it all go away, it went from being frustrating and me almost deleting my Ranger to it becoming my main and favorite class to the point that I do not want to play my other characters most of the time.

There are more than two builds, there is a bunch of support we can bring to the table, lots of PvP/WvW options, for dungeons a few specific set ups excel more than others still, don’t let anyone tells you different. Ranger is the most hard work out of all other classes but has high reward.

Threads you should use refer to before working on a ranger:

Ranger-The Master Class

Ranger – Cross Class Comparison

Judge for yourself, don’t let others do that for you.

Mail me in games with any questions.

-Esh Crowe

What great sword build would be considered op? I have not yet seen it.

Every class can be awesome if the player can actually play that class.
That’s a fact.

Some People seem to think that in GW2- there are strict roles to a class such as : Tank/Support ect – And there isn’t. That’s where many people mess up.

Anyone who thinks a Ranger/ Engineer/ Elementalist or w/e other class is a weak class, it’s because they’re some close-minded baffoon who doesn’t know how to make a build that works.

I do happen to run into alot of ‘casual’ players that just go by some guide, not actually knowing what this trait does, or the correct use of this skill- so they’re a liability.

If anything, Rangers are overpowered. That is, if you know how to play one correctly.

Chasind.3128:

Every class can be awesome if the player can actually play that class.
That’s a fact.

Some People seem to think that in GW2- there are strict roles to a class such as : Tank/Support ect – And there isn’t. That’s where many people mess up.

Anyone who thinks a Ranger/ Engineer/ Elementalist or w/e other class is a weak class, it’s because they’re some close-minded baffoon who doesn’t know how to make a build that works.

I do happen to run into alot of ‘casual’ players that just go by some guide, not actually knowing what this trait does, or the correct use of this skill- so they’re a liability.

If anything, Rangers are overpowered. That is, if you know how to play one correctly.

Most of the naysayers in this forums have actually spend many an hour trying to come up with functional ranger builds, only to realize there’s too much badly designed underpowered class in the way. In the end every ranger build has a version in another class that does the same job better (assuming equal player skill of course).

Spirits need to be viable. Pets need to actually hit their target. Our projectiles need to stop saying “obstructed” or “out of range.” Our weapon damage needs to be increased all across the board (heck I’d reconcile with reduced pet damage as a consequence). Opening strikes needs to be completely redesigned (I mean c’mon, we’re not a burst class). Our dodge needs to take priority over our Sword’s auto attack sequence.

What happened to our amazing midline capabilities that was so iconic in GW1?

Rangers definitely need things addressed. Yes, they are bad. Damage-wise, party support-wise. Bad.

Rangers are not as bad as people make you think. It all comes down to how you build your traits/skills etc and what you want to achieve. I play a ranger and this time I’m more focused in completing maps so I build him accordingly and ,heck, there were a few times when I completed Group Events all alone. And in dungeons there s no better support character than a ranger if you search your skills right.

A Ranger can be “solid”.

Can other classes currently be “more solid” given the same role and player skill? I’d say in most, if not all, cases, yes.

We’re going to get there though. So try out the class, see if you enjoy the playstyle, feel, etc.. If you do, stick it out. My Mesmer is a solid class that I love, but I keep coming back to my Ranger.

Lol, WvWvW’ers trying to talk about balance. PVP balance is the sole realm of sPVP, has actual gear control.

OT: Ranger is a little lacking in some areas, but so are all the classes. Guardians are pretty poor damage dealers, yet it can be done, and if done well, will be better than your average warrior or thief glass cannon.

The skill ceiling is high enough that any good player can make a less than perfect class work.

As for the comments that they suck in PVP, you have no idea what you are talking about. A well played ranger is utterly godlike, just get out of the mindset that burst/bunker are your two options.

In fact, once you step out of that game, you realise a lot of the classes are overlooked because they don’t sit well in the extreme world of bunker/burst crap. Learning what your traits actually do and building a trait set up around a playstyle and sticking to it will yield far better results.

Dont use the pre-build set up (the one you get the first time you enter the mists), and to be honest, ignore the ones you find online. Or if you use them, accept that you will be rubbish with them. Best way is to build a simple build and work from there.

Every class can work with 30/0/20/20/0 And stick on the soldiers amu. Then play a little, and make adjustments in accordance to what you like playing as. Also, remember you can use buffs (ranger is of course not great at getting buffs, but it can be done with a little keybinding) to make up stats. I run with only 35% crit chance, yet I have fury up all the time so I use that to make up the gears shortfall.

Short Version : No class is weak in PVP, if you put the time in you will get results. Also, NEVER be afraid to try out new specs and ideas. Run SB/LB, maybe you can find something that works with it. Try a flamethrower on Engie, see if you can get something working. Just go crazy. Try crazy specs, overthrow a government, go to a boat yard and do some scuttling, operate heavy machinery whilst using pain killers.

s/d ele>ranger>engie>mesmer>d/d ele>guardian>thief>necro>warrior

Bailey.6892:

jpnova.4572:

Most people who criticize rangers to such an extent are those who- can not play the class well, have not been able to design a good enough build, haven’t taken time to actually learn the class and it’s mechanics.

Rangers excel at WvW roaming to the point of being called OP with the GS. Dungeons, they can bring a lot to the table it’s just a little less obvious than other classes. Playing a ranger is frustrating at first and difficult, your pet may just kitten you off. However learning the mechanics makes it all go away, it went from being frustrating and me almost deleting my Ranger to it becoming my main and favorite class to the point that I do not want to play my other characters most of the time.

There are more than two builds, there is a bunch of support we can bring to the table, lots of PvP/WvW options, for dungeons a few specific set ups excel more than others still, don’t let anyone tells you different. Ranger is the most hard work out of all other classes but has high reward.

Threads you should use refer to before working on a ranger:

Ranger-The Master Class

Ranger – Cross Class Comparison

Judge for yourself, don’t let others do that for you.

Mail me in games with any questions.

-Esh Crowe

What great sword build would be considered op? I have not yet seen it.

Any one?

Any one I play of course, lol ;-)

DaliIndica.9041:

Lol, WvWvW’ers trying to talk about balance. PVP balance is the sole realm of sPVP, has actual gear control.

OT: Ranger is a little lacking in some areas, but so are all the classes. Guardians are pretty poor damage dealers, yet it can be done, and if done well, will be better than your average warrior or thief glass cannon.

The skill ceiling is high enough that any good player can make a less than perfect class work.

As for the comments that they suck in PVP, you have no idea what you are talking about. A well played ranger is utterly godlike, just get out of the mindset that burst/bunker are your two options.

In fact, once you step out of that game, you realise a lot of the classes are overlooked because they don’t sit well in the extreme world of bunker/burst crap. Learning what your traits actually do and building a trait set up around a playstyle and sticking to it will yield far better results.

Dont use the pre-build set up (the one you get the first time you enter the mists), and to be honest, ignore the ones you find online. Or if you use them, accept that you will be rubbish with them. Best way is to build a simple build and work from there.

Every class can work with 30/0/20/20/0 And stick on the soldiers amu. Then play a little, and make adjustments in accordance to what you like playing as. Also, remember you can use buffs (ranger is of course not great at getting buffs, but it can be done with a little keybinding) to make up stats. I run with only 35% crit chance, yet I have fury up all the time so I use that to make up the gears shortfall.

Short Version : No class is weak in PVP, if you put the time in you will get results. Also, NEVER be afraid to try out new specs and ideas. Run SB/LB, maybe you can find something that works with it. Try a flamethrower on Engie, see if you can get something working. Just go crazy. Try crazy specs, overthrow a government, go to a boat yard and do some scuttling, operate heavy machinery whilst using pain killers.

Wait…

you think SPvP is balanced and WvW is not?

Rofl..

Hate tell you mate, but SPvP is equally unbalanced ….Hence why teams of 3 Elementalist are common..

edit

Also on the subject of gear being the major imbalance in World vs World, that is incorrect unless you’re referring to just Sub 80’s vs Regular 80’s, Cause I can pretty much tell you most people who are 80 in World vs World, are using equivalent gear to other players. The Big imbalance in terms of stats comes from people using Food/Crystals vs people who don’t use those things. Those are actual stat imbalances and have nothing to do with gear and everything to do with consumables.

Some people can’t handle that sort of play though, so they stick to the dumbed down version of pvp that is Structured.

I agree with Xsorus.

I don’t know what it is about sPvP that makes players think it is “more balanced” than WvW.

Everyone can acquire the same gear in both areas, it just requires more work in WvW. In sPvP, the emphasis is on holding specific points. In WvW you at least have uses for builds that are unable to hold and knock people off points.

In sPvP, you also have that “wonderful” CTF map where Elementalist and a few others have enormous advantages over other classes when it comes to running the orb.

sPvP being “balanced” has nothing to support that claim other than that it tries to have teams have the same numbers of players. The only reason people even say this is because they think that the easy access to gear makes it “balanced” and because ArenaNet said they were trying to get it esport-worthy.

Sadly, I don’t see it becoming an esport any time soon due to all the RNG involved which detracts from the affects of skill.

• Crit chance
• Sigil procs
• Trait procs
• Ranger pet controls over 50% of their pets’ skills
• Control over other pets’ skills (for example: elementalist’s water elemental)
• Mesmer RNG on staff (
  • Winds of Chaos can have 2 different affects: bleeding/burning (dmg) or vulnerability
  • Chaos Storm can have 4 different effects on foes: poison, chill, weakness, daze
  • Chaos Storm can have 3 different effects on allies: retaliation, swiftness, aegis
  • Chaos Armor can have 3 different effects on foes: cripple, confusion, blind
  • Chaos Armor can have 3 different effects on owner: protection, regen, swiftness

Random numbers reduce the effect of skill. If you don’t know how, we can start a new thread discussing this or you can PM me.