Guild Wars 2

Just leveled my ranger to 80 and wondering what would be the best all around sigils/runes to use for PVE (dungeons and map completion)? Currently using a power build with LB and Sword/Axe(MH)+Axe/Warhorn(OH), depending on the situation. I’m thinking of using the following:

Runes: Traveler’s Runes (for flexibility of not using Sigil of the Hunt).

Sigils: Air+Fire on Main hand and Bloodlust+Energy on offhands.

I’m using a power LB build and Sword/Axe(MH)+Axe/Warhorn(OH), depending on the situation.

Runes of Strength seems nice but don’t want to overwrite longer might stacks in dungeons (not sure on this since I have yet to do dungeons). Thinking of using Intelligence for Greatsword.

Any advice? I’m poor and don’t want to waste money on costly sigils/runes. Don’t need the absolute best for all situations (such as mob specific mobs, day/night runes, etc.); just the best versatile ones.

I like accuracy and force, personally. maybe not the most viable, but I enjoy it. I believe there’s also a sigil that gives swiftness on kill, that is useful for doing open-world map completion, since you can get perma-swiftness, especially if you’re a level 80 doing completion on lower level maps

Traveller Runes are fantastic for WvW but I wouldn’t bother with them for PvE, as you hardly need utility skills in open world, there is always room for SotH. In dungeons, use the horn for mobility and your leap skills, plus others will be putting swiftness on you anyway. I’d be going with Ranger or Scholar runes for sure, plus cheaper than the strength by far.

I really like Intelligence for the GS along with air or fire, makes for a great spike with maul. 1h Sword can have any number of sigils to be great, air is amazing as is strength if you have Fortifying Bond on. Accuracy for a horn is pretty nice as the offhand. Or Intelligence again for the OH axe, nothing like critting on all 3 hits of Path of Scars, just make sure you stop attacking before swapping weapons or the sword will burn all the charges. Axe MH is not great in a power build tbh. You can’t go past the Air/Fire combo for your LB though, gold to see both proc on a max range crit LRS. I have bloodlust on a second set of weapons that I use for WvW, but I hardly ever use them in pve, they are just not needed and prefer other effects, I tend to get anxious about not having full stacks and/or losing them (plus most mobs in dungeons don’t add to the stacks), so I just don’t use those sigils in pve. But that is up to you

Hadn’t thought of many of the things pointed out. Thanks for the great advice!

As far as the Axe, I’ve heard that it is not that great of a damage weapon but I use it mainly for tagging mobs in PVE. I’m still getting the hang of sword which I’ve again heard is the better DPS weapon.

My Longbow: Air+Accuracy

Sword/Horn : Same

Armor: Superior runes of the pack, it gives really high uptime on swiftness and a ton of combat stats

I would skip traveler. It doesn’t apply to your pet, isn’t useful in PvE, and rangers have a ton of different movement options.

Rune of madking cause + entangle = fun

Air/fire on lb is standard and visual, I like hydro/geomancy sigil on melee swap cause they look cool. That’s just me though ;-)

For PVP and WvW, fire+air definitely.
In PVP and WvW, you need burst more than consistent damage to kill someone, plus you can’t easily maintain might and vulnerability 25 stacks in PVP / WvW compare to in dgn.
That’s why you only use force/accuracy in dungeon, not PVP/ WVW.

Is Sigil of Force or Accuracy the better choice if you can only choose one for a zerk build with Runes of the Ranger? I’m guessing Sigil of Force offers slightly better damage but that Accuracy makes up for it somewhat with marginally more frequent crit procs. Can anyone confirm?