Guild Wars 2

Ranger axes were always clunky and weird to play with. Many of you says Axe MH is condi, others say Axe is power. It just has an identity crisis, pretty much like most of our weapons.

The bouncing nerf really hurts ranger capability to tag mobs now. It was mostly used to get Might stacks and tagging (PvE and WvW). Let’s see other weapons that have bouncing AA :

Ranger’s Axe Ricochet
Only good part is 250 ferocity and the Might stacking from the AA. The ’’buff’’ was nice, but it’s still low. It doesn’t make any punch.

Thief’s SB Trick Shot
Trick Shot bouncing can attack the same target again. Before the Ranger’s Axe bouncing nerf, the same target couldn’t be hit again.

DH’s LB Puncture Shot
Is at 1200 range, do more damage and do one bounce, like Ranger’s Axe. At this range and damage, it is more understandable. Ranger’s Axe at 900 range do less damage at the same speed.

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Now let’s compare their AoE ’’equivalent’’. Yes, I understand they are apples and oranges. I just want to show you how much damage is lacking on the Axe.

Axe Winter’s Bite
Pitiful base damage of 168. Can barelly aim it correctly and easily get lost in the fight. Maybe make it a ground AoE ? Also, buff the damage.

SB Cluster Bomb
Large Explosion: 532. Huge damage, can be spammed at melee range, also a Blast Finisher. It’s kinda slow.

LB Symbol of Energy
Pulse 266 damage. AoE size can be buffed (huge) and can have one more pulse.

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Splitblade : Point blank to be useful. If not Point blank, there’s no reason to ever use it. It does less base damage than the AA and it spreads 1 bleeding per axes. If you’re a Power Ranger (hue), just never never use it.

Path of Scars : Speed so slow it never hits a moving target. Radius/Size so small it never hits a moving target. Slow speed + Small size + Moving Target = Never hits. Or have the spatial awareness of X-Men’s Cyclop to land it.

Whirling Defense : 3 targets, why ? Warrior’s Whirling Axe hits 5 targets and can move around (Yah, I know it doesn’t reflect). It’s already hard to pull it correctly without being killed. Could use the Natural Convergence treatment (Stability)

• Not Ranger’s Axe related :
  Hunter’s Call : 25 % buff is nothing. Make this skill AoE 3 target or 5.

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Meanwhile when I play my necro, ele or rev, I can’t help but be speechless at the raw AoE damage they can dish. Here we are, one bounce removed. I don’t understand.

I don’t really have hope for a change either, since https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Needed-Buffs-Tweaks-2016 never really got a serious attention from the devs. As you can see from the last Balance Patch. I just needed to vent.

Please edit your post, seems the comments are in the wrong places, and some are wrong?

“Ranger’s Axe Ricochet
Only good part is 250 ferocity and the Might stacking from the AA. The ’’buff’’ was nice, but it’s still low. It doesn’t make any punch.”

Ricochet doesn’t give you 250 ferocity?

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“Axe Winter’s Bite
Pitiful base damage of 168. Can barelly aim it correctly and easily get lost in the fight. Maybe make it a ground AoE ? Also, buff the damage.”

What do you mean with the aiming issues?

OGDeadHead.8326:

Please edit your post, seems the comments are in the wrong places, and some are wrong?

“Ranger’s Axe Ricochet
Only good part is 250 ferocity and the Might stacking from the AA. The ’’buff’’ was nice, but it’s still low. It doesn’t make any punch.”

Ricochet doesn’t give you 250 ferocity?

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“Axe Winter’s Bite
Pitiful base damage of 168. Can barelly aim it correctly and easily get lost in the fight. Maybe make it a ground AoE ? Also, buff the damage.”

What do you mean with the aiming issues?

Op meant this about the ferocity.

https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Honed_Axes

Think the complaint boils down to the hardly noticeable targeting indicator when there are a bunch of mobs or players. It’s not an axe problem, but the op is making it an axe problem.

To op…

Yeah, we have crappy damage so I didn’t complain about the axe change in exchange for the upping of base damage.

No thanks on adding more awful aiming reticles for this movement based combat game. Axe 4 is bad enough now and we don’t need another reticle. Yeah, 5 sucks with the root and 3 target limit.

I just wish that Axe/Axe synergizes well. I really love axes.

i agree. a lot of ranger trait lines, skills and weapons need a serious rework instead buff numbers,

the skills are badly designed and the pet dps does not make up for it.

anduriell.6280:

i agree. a lot of ranger trait lines, skills and weapons need a serious rework instead buff numbers

But, but… it’s so much easier changing some numbers in a database than to actually put in the effort to actually program things…

Krispera.5087:

Let’s see other weapons that have bouncing AA :

Ranger’s Axe Ricochet
Only good part is 250 ferocity and the Might stacking from the AA. The ’’buff’’ was nice, but it’s still low. It doesn’t make any punch.

Thief’s SB Trick Shot
Trick Shot bouncing can attack the same target again. Before the Ranger’s Axe bouncing nerf, the same target couldn’t be hit again.

DH’s LB Puncture Shot
Is at 1200 range, do more damage and do one bounce, like Ranger’s Axe. At this range and damage, it is more understandable. Ranger’s Axe at 900 range do less damage at the same speed.

You forgot Winds of Chaos on Mesmer staff.