Guild Wars 2

I’m surprised that there has not been a thread, not even a mention of it in Ranger update thread, unless I’ve been completely blind, which wouldn’t be for the first time. :P But now that the spirits received 25% additional health, I would like to ask if you guys think there can be a viable (support) build for rangers based on spirits? I haven’t done much testing but I would now really like to reconsider a spirit build. The improvement with proper traits maybe will now give a new and fun build to play around with

paleeshi.1924:

I’m surprised that there has not been a thread, not even a mention of it in Ranger update thread, unless I’ve been completely blind, which wouldn’t be for the first time. :P But now that the spirits received 25% additional health, I would like to ask if you guys think there can be a viable (support) build for rangers based on spirits? I haven’t done much testing but I would now really like to reconsider a spirit build. The improvement with proper traits maybe will now give a new and fun build to play around with

They still die instantly..

Simply not worth using..

The range on their effects is ~1000 (you get the buff from further than the axe’s 900 range, but shorter than Swoop’s 1100 range). So it’s pretty easy to put them in places where they won’t attract the attention of mobs.

The problem is they get wiped out by AOEs (like our pets). And there’s no way to cast a new one until 60 seconds is up. The “spirits follow you” trait just makes things worse because of the AOE thing. They need to make it (or change the trait) so the spirit dies and the skill instantly refreshes if you walk more than about 1500 or 2000 from the spirit.

Or make it so spirits are invulnerable and make their passives and abilities weaker.

Lobo.1296:

Or make it so spirits are invulnerable and make their passives and abilities weaker.

Even weaker?

They might as well not do anything at all besides looking pretty then.

Lobo.1296:

make their passives and abilities weaker.

Ahahah sry ahahaahh. Are you serious? As they are now i wouldn’t use spirits even if they were invulnerable. Tbh they are useless. Plain and simple. They could remove them from the game at this point, since they are clearly not able to fix them or at least make them playable.

Xsorus.2507:

paleeshi.1924:

I’m surprised that there has not been a thread, not even a mention of it in Ranger update thread, unless I’ve been completely blind, which wouldn’t be for the first time. :P But now that the spirits received 25% additional health, I would like to ask if you guys think there can be a viable (support) build for rangers based on spirits? I haven’t done much testing but I would now really like to reconsider a spirit build. The improvement with proper traits maybe will now give a new and fun build to play around with

They still die instantly..

Simply not worth using..

I disagree Xsorsus; just depends what you’re trying to do. Also, remember that healing spring heals the spirits and that the effect stays on you for a little bit even while out of range of said spirit.

Sometimes in wvw I’ll make a bunker build with spirits and just be the thing no one can kill that keeps buffing everyone and healing…I think I had runes of altruism slotted. I was able to really stack 9-12 might and actually deal decent damage for what I was doing. Plus, with LB, you still have access to all that tasty siege crowd control.

And because the effect stays on people for a second, you can literally run around in your zerg to make sure everyone stays buffed. Also, you’re super slippery. With the stone spirit, frost spirit, and a frost trap, as well as entangle, I mean, no one can catch you. It’s nothing but cripple, cripple, cripple, immobilized, cripple. There’s so many options to cripple people with this build I don’t even know where to start.

In fact, one job I had was to protect the commander with my spirit build and that included using, say, stone spirit, to prevent an ambush from getting to him.

Chopps.5047:

Xsorus.2507:

paleeshi.1924:

I’m surprised that there has not been a thread, not even a mention of it in Ranger update thread, unless I’ve been completely blind, which wouldn’t be for the first time. :P But now that the spirits received 25% additional health, I would like to ask if you guys think there can be a viable (support) build for rangers based on spirits? I haven’t done much testing but I would now really like to reconsider a spirit build. The improvement with proper traits maybe will now give a new and fun build to play around with

They still die instantly..

Simply not worth using..

I disagree Xsorsus; just depends what you’re trying to do. Also, remember that healing spring heals the spirits and that the effect stays on you for a little bit even while out of range of said spirit.

Sometimes in wvw I’ll make a bunker build with spirits and just be the thing no one can kill that keeps buffing everyone and healing…I think I had runes of altruism slotted. I was able to really stack 9-12 might and actually deal decent damage for what I was doing. Plus, with LB, you still have access to all that tasty siege crowd control.

And because the effect stays on people for a second, you can literally run around in your zerg to make sure everyone stays buffed. Also, you’re super slippery. With the stone spirit, frost spirit, and a frost trap, as well as entangle, I mean, no one can catch you. It’s nothing but cripple, cripple, cripple, immobilized, cripple. There’s so many options to cripple people with this build I don’t even know where to start.

In fact, one job I had was to protect the commander with my spirit build and that included using, say, stone spirit, to prevent an ambush from getting to him.

Spirits are bad. So you pop them up in healing spring which would give about 20 sec of regen, they have a 10 sec inner cooldown so if you’re lucky they will get their buffs out twice which only last 3 sec. Then they are on a minute and a half cooldown, sounds like a really bad build man.

So your answer is spirits are still bad.

Solandri.9640:

The range on their effects is ~1000 (you get the buff from further than the axe’s 900 range, but shorter than Swoop’s 1100 range). So it’s pretty easy to put them in places where they won’t attract the attention of mobs.

The problem is they get wiped out by AOEs (like our pets). And there’s no way to cast a new one until 60 seconds is up. The “spirits follow you” trait just makes things worse because of the AOE thing. They need to make it (or change the trait) so the spirit dies and the skill instantly refreshes if you walk more than about 1500 or 2000 from the spirit.

Actually what should do is make them invul hell they are not even as useful as banners.

Spirits are bad if you use them bad. Every ranger from guildwars 1 know not to use them in the middle of combat. Spirits are meant for support. Everyone and thier brother wants to be the damage dealer. That fine but dont complain when the support aspect of you build conflict with you damage dealer play style.

It’s the equivalent of a monk trying to be a frontliner with no frontline specs. You can increase the range as well as the health of spirits.

Now if you are saying the ablities of the spirits are bad maybe it’s your application.

Frost spirit = 35% (upto 50 Percent if trated chance to recieve a 10% damage bonus for 6 sec on hit. 10 second effect cooldown. This means an entire party or zerg can get a 6 second damage bonus of 10% that should re-apply every 10 seconds.

Spirit of Nature= can heal allies I believe healing is 320 every 10 seconds not sure on this one. Active effect can cure and res allies. Great as a combat res once the zerg has moved on. Set it and forget it.

Stone Spirit = 3s of protection for your entire party every 10 seconds for 60 seconds.

You can read the tool tips. The problem is application not the skills.

It’s like people complaining pets cant hit moving targets. Well if a car starts moving a 5 miles and hr and 3 seconds later another car starts chasing it at the same speed. The the chase car will never catch it. Unless you slow the first car down.

You need to use your head to help the skills and mechanism do what they do.
Can other classes provide some of these benifits sure but they stack so whats the problem. I am not going to go through all the classes and compare the bonus. But I am willing to bet that the bonus granted by these spirits will be hard to surpass.

There are 2 core principles in GW2 Damage, Control and Support.
I think the ranger is a great support class. People dont value them becuase alot of ranger are trying to do the damage thing (including myself) which is fine. Every class can do every roll. But not every class can do every roll as good as every other class.

Which should trigger about 8-11 times If you correctly place your spirit. for example just on the other sid e of a hill or behind a wall or around a corner. Not very hard during keep and tower defence.

Spirits are worthless in PvE. However, I often run spirits as an anti trap ranger build in paids. Also, I know some rangers who use purely spirits in paid tourney also. They are definitely viable.

Its easier to use spirits effectily in pve. In dungeon you can you higher or lower terrain to help keep with positioning.

Only spirit I run is sun spirit. 10% damage spirit is too unpredictable. Stone spirit usually isn’t in range of melee. An extra 1.5kish burn damage every 10+ seconds isn’t that bad. It’s little more than half sharpening stone in total single target damage. You can apply 25 stacks of bleed with barrage when using sharpening stone however. If you hit on average for 15k then you might get 1.5k damage out of the 10% damage spirit.