I can’t change the minds of the developers from Anet for the upcoming patch nor am I going to spend any time trying to do so. Although I think the next patch is a start in the right direction, for the most part, it does not enhance anything for my type of game play. I see the December patch being a great thing for power ranger builds, glass cannon isn’t what I call good gaming.
Currently I play this build,
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fMAQNAV3YjIVZ2VWCWo2BilCBt/mCKxJ2DDxfGVhUmA-j0CBINCyUFwk0BKHqIasVTFRjVzATHjIq2cLImcp2cGyhATKgTlGB-w
or this build,
These build seems to work okay in a lot of WvW situations, in small groups fighting other small groups, as a solo player roaming or in zergs fighting support classes so tanks have less buffs to help them.
Although these builds work better than any other builds FOR ME, for most WvW and SPvP they still lack in some areas that I would like to discuss. The areas of improvement I would like to see for condition damage ranger builds are as follows.
1) Change the DOT bleed of short bow from sides to back to also include frontal hits. This does not seem to have any logic to me. You bleed less with frontal shots that shot that hit you on the sides or back? This will also help the CD ranger against melee fighters. (which I will go over later in this post)
2) Expand the width of short bow shot from 90 degrees to 180 degrees like melee weapons and make the short bow a simi melee weapon like in GW1. Since the short bow is now a mid range weapon, because with a short bow equipped, you can’t get far enough away to be considered a full range weapon. Expanding the width of the radius of a short bow will only expand on its versatility when fighting. As for making it a semi melee weapon I would only replace the quick shot and make another skill that hits your foe with a bow slap or whip , whatever. This skill would be just like Monarchs leap, but instead of being able to go back and then jump forward this skill could stun the person hit, and the ranger could fly backwards 600 feet just like monarchs leap. This type of change might even result in even further nerfing of short bow range but I don’t see that being much of an issue. Although more distance nerfing isn’t a very popular idea these days.
3) Cut the damage from sharpening edges, II on the skirmishing tree, by reducing the time to from 1.5 seconds from 2.5. but instead of a 66% chance of applying it should be 100% chance on crucial hits. the 40% reduced damage justifies the 33% increase in proc. Which can also be used by power builds to slightly enhance damage by about 3% to as much as 10%.
So there are just a few of my ideas on CD ranger improvement. I would also like feedback and your thoughts on what might be needed to improve the CD ranger. Please try not to be rude and please keep the posts to Condition Damage Ranger Builds ONLY.