Guild Wars 2

Class balance philosophies
We normally try to employ metered and controlled balance changes with each pass, rather than huge reductions or improvements to classes. We want to get all classes on the same playing field, and we want to avoid “whack-a-mole” style balance. HUGH increases and HUGE decreases lead to meta instability, and thusly, we try to make multiple small tweaks rather than putting in massive changes that we have to later correct. (reword this section)

When designing and balancing the classes, we try to make sure that class roles and identities stay intact. So, in doing so, we make sure that there are rules and boundaries outlining the capabilities and weaknesses of each class.

Warrior
We want the Warrior to be capable of good melee damage in a sturdy body. They can still do some decent damage at range, but they aren’t as good at it as the Ranger (with their pet). They have a hard time taking enemy boons down, and instead, have to just go through them with raw force. They may have a hard time with enemy conditions, and may need to ask for ally help in order to keep themselves free of hampering conditions.

1. What do you all think about their Philosophy and actual game play when it comes to range dps?

2. Have you experienced that the Ranger has better range dps in game then warrior?
-In Spvp?
-In WvW?
-In Dungeons?

3. Do you feel that class fixes/buffs/nerfs since release have followed with this guiding philosophy?

Btw, I love my ranger(i play a trap/torch build) so this is not a qq thread(so please try to leave it at the door). I just saw this Dev post and wanted to get the communities thoughts on the matter.

Thanks in advance.

The idea that the ranger does more ranged damage than the warrior or even an engineer with the grenade kit is laughable at best.

arcaneclarity.5283:

The idea that the ranger does more ranged damage than the warrior or even an engineer with the grenade kit is laughable at best.

Why is this laughable? Have you actually tested it out?

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Ranger-Shortbow-vs-Warrior-Rifle-DPS-tests/first

they said “The ranger class combines its own innate abilities with the skills of their pets” but lots of times my pet die in 2 hits on dungeons or Fractals.

decent damage at range, but they aren’t as good at it as the Ranger (with their pet)

Fixed the bold for you

Ursan.7846:

arcaneclarity.5283:

The idea that the ranger does more ranged damage than the warrior or even an engineer with the grenade kit is laughable at best.

Why is this laughable? Have you actually tested it out?

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Ranger-Shortbow-vs-Warrior-Rifle-DPS-tests/first

Yes, and those tests are with the pet on golems. When fighting a player, in any situation, you are not going to have optimal pet dps output. Just by a player moving, a pet’s dps drops by 50% just because the pet can’t consistently hit a moving target. If the target knows how to move, the pet’s damage will drop even further due to pathing issues.

Also, the fact that he didn’t test the Warrior with Rabid is inconsistant. The rifle’s autoattack stacks bleeds

arcaneclarity.5283:

Yes, and those tests are with the pet on golems. When fighting a player, in any situation, you are not going to have optimal pet dps output. Just by a player moving, a pet’s dps drops by 50% just because the pet can’t consistently hit a moving target. If the target knows how to move, the pet’s damage will drop even further due to pathing issues.

Also, the fact that he didn’t test the Warrior with Rabid is stupid. The rifle’s autoattack stacks bleeds

Good sir, you should read the entire thread. There’s numbers without pets provided.

Also, I haven’t tested Rabid with warrior, but from my observation, the majority of their damage comes from Killshot/Volley. Which will suffer greatly because Rabid lacks power. whether the increased cond dmg will make up for this, I’m not sure. I can test it I suppose.

Also, I am looking over his warrior build. It isn’t very good.

Much better:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fIAQFAUngOUDZUQqQwEZAxUoIOPSiAsJUPaD7QOA;TkAg0CnoqxUjoGbNuak1MoA

PvE damage I imagine would be comparable if the pet were up and you spec’d for pet damage. We all know better I presume though? Ideally, the Ranger’s damage would be balanced with a realistic pet up-time rather than 100%.

But the real issue is PvP IMO. The Ranger has no burst, the pets are unreliable at best, and there is no real escapes. It’s why the class is fighting for last place with the Engineer and there’s a distant 3rd place reserved for the Necro.

I can kill a heavy golem with the warrior rifle build I posted above in about 5 seconds. The light and medium drops basically instantly.

arcaneclarity.5283:

I can kill a heavy golem with the warrior rifle build I posted above in about 5 seconds. The light and medium drops basically instantly.

20.2 s all three golems, with full adrenaline
22.3s all three golems, with no adrenaline

Methedology: Sig Rage -> On My Mark -> Brutal Shot -> Kill Shot (if adren full) -> Berserker Stance -> Volley -> autoattack/volley/killshot as cds go up.

PvP berserkers, traits as you listed.

If you use PvP Rabid:

30.0s, full adren

But try to time yourself. Then try it with full Zerkers Ranger as according yo the method I describe. Time yourself again. And make sure you report your methodology and full results! And compare it with a ranger. You’ll find the results to be pretty similar.

Not sure how you’re killing the medium one “instantly.” Heavy goes down pretty fast due to killshot/volley, but in this method, the medium goes the slowest since volley/killshot are on cd. Light of course dies pretty quick cuz volley/killshot is back up.

But anyways, more tests are always good. Peer review is important in science.

Ursan.7846:

arcaneclarity.5283:

I can kill a heavy golem with the warrior rifle build I posted above in about 5 seconds. The light and medium drops basically instantly.

20.2 s all three golems, with full adrenaline
22.3s all three golems, with no adrenaline

Methedology: Sig Rage -> On My Mark -> Brutal Shot -> Kill Shot (if adren full) -> Berserker Stance -> Volley -> autoattack/volley/killshot as cds go up.

PvP berserkers, traits as you listed.

But try to time yourself. Then try it with full Zerkers Ranger. Time yourself again. And make sure you report your methodology and full results! And compare it with a ranger. You’ll find the results to be pretty similar.

Not sure how you’re killing the medium one “instantly.” Heavy goes down pretty fast due to killshot/volley, but in this method, the medium goes the slowest since volley/killshot are on cd. Light of course dies pretty quick cuz volley/killshot is back up.

14s

Signet of Rage -> On My Mark -> Brutal Shot -> Volley ->Bleeding shots -> [heavy golem dead] -> Brutal Shot -> Bleeding shots -> Volley -> [light golem dead] -> Bleeding shots -> Brutal Shot -> Kill Shot -> [medium golem dead]

Adrenaline was empty at start.

arcaneclarity.5283:

14s

Signet of Rage -> On My Mark -> Brutal Shot -> Volley ->Bleeding shots -> [heavy golem dead] -> Brutal Shot -> Bleeding shots -> Volley -> [light golem dead] -> Bleeding shots -> Brutal Shot -> Kill Shot -> [medium golem dead]

Adrenaline was empty at start.

Hrm. Can you possibly post a video of you doing this? I’m having trouble reproducing it.

Just doing Sig Rage -> On My Mark -> Brutal Short -> Volley -> Bleeding shots takes about 8-9s to just kill the heavy golem. I’m using PvP Berserkers amulet, with no sigils on my rifle and no runes on my armor. Are you using runes on your armor? Because the Ranger/Warrior tests I posted use no runes.

Also how are you using Brutal Shot on your 2nd and 3rd targets? It has a 12s CD, with the trait? How are you doing it 3 times within 14 seconds? Are you taking 12s to kill the 1st target, if you’re able to do it immediately after the 1st target’s death?

Hrm. I can’t reproduce results even with runes of divinity. How are you doing it?