Guild Wars 2

sorry guys ima let you finish, but GS/SB is the best weapon combo of all times. i roll with BM, marks, signets and about 1800 toughness. pet (when it hits) hits like a truck and sustain is awesome.

GS gives you amazing defense with 1 and 4, in addition to 5 chained with SB’s 5 for long stuns. GS 4 also links up with SB’s 4. these two weapons synergize.

yes, like yourselves, i felt like i got punched in the stomach today with this patch. but i do wanna keep playing my ranger, and this is the one positive i found. try it out. it’s a great alternative to yawn axe/torch/traps.

I plan on never leaving the water as that is were we are apparently supposed to be with these new changes and the Jellyfish being the only pet in the entire roster that doesn’t throw in the towel after 1 punch.

or you could pick yourself up and get back in there!

Since they technically didn’t make us any worse it’s not as though I won’t keep on with business as usual but I definitely won’t believe a word Jon says for a good long time.

GS is good now bro, try it

i tried GS it still sucks….i was out damaging it with my shortbow. Rangers are completely useless in close combat against all other melee.

im trying to help you here. did i say that GS was awesome because of it’s stellar damage? what did i say? wipe the snot and tears from your face and read a little close

Casey.9687:

i tried GS it still sucks….i was out damaging it with my shortbow. Rangers are completely useless in close combat against all other melee.

This is still pretty much true. The only time I will get into a fistycuffs duel is against a perma stealth thief since they have to sacrifice a lot of damage potential to pull off the build. Warriors will beat you 100% of the time and most Guardians i have faced didn’t necessarily do more DPS than me but they did have a much higher amount of survivability and would ultimately outlast me until I finally died, gave up or their zerg swarmed me.

Casey.9687:

i tried GS it still sucks….i was out damaging it with my shortbow. Rangers are completely useless in close combat against all other melee.

Then you are playing it like a warrior would axe/shield or their greatsword.
It works, just not super competitively.

Running ravens with the SoH and setting the pet on passive (so you can get the signet off on its spike easier) you can manage a fair deal.
Its a pretty decent setup, no one sees the bird spike coming and it hits for 7~k.
Greatsword isn’t the strength of the build though… its just the utility to screw up what they are doing, which combined with good endurance regen (and so dodging) can stop a number of spikes. But that means you have to have a decent head for animations since, yeah the specs survivability comes from actively stopping dmg not so much passively.
Again, greatsword isn’t your main weapon at least I’ve never managed to pull a spec off like that. Usually for a power-spike dps build longbow or shortbow is what you engage with then swap out of as need be.

Substance E.4852:

Warriors will beat you 100% of the time and most Guardians i have faced didn’t necessarily do more DPS than me but they did have a much higher amount of survivability and would ultimately outlast me until I finally died, gave up or their zerg swarmed me.

Meh, the block does wonders against their spike.
Its 2s knockdown burns threw the majority of frenzy. Dodging bull’s charge is still advised since with frenzy up, reacting is a kitten and if he uses whirwind off the bat instead… he’ll eat your block and still take you down 5~k life.
If you time the block well and dodge a few things of note, oh and land the bird spike you should manage well enough.

Its not actually a terrible matchup untill you get to a pretty high skilled bracket

I just played around with the GS build

The damage for the GS itself is still pretty bad. Surviveability is pretty meh too. Not better than kiting with SB. You have to rely a lot on pet damage, and i did. My raven did great damage. Unfortunately he almost never hit and died almost instantly. I tried to sick him on a guardians wisdom hammer, but the hammer was still around swinging away with no problem after a while. I had to switch to my inferior damage wolf all the time.

I tried to make a little burst with the 5 skill and the ravens f2, combined with “sick em”, but it almost never worked. The cast time on 5 is too long for it to be reliable, the burst damage is not that good, and the raven is dead most of the time anyway.

The changes to 4 are better, but it’s still not a very good skill. The knockback takes too long to pull off, and throw still roots you.

And all of this was in 5v5. The pet raven dies from even a little AOE. He couldn’t handle a guardian putting down a sigil and swinging his sword.

Division.9618:

I tried to sick him on a guardians wisdom hammer, but the hammer was still around swinging away with no problem after a while. I had to switch to my inferior damage wolf all the time.

I tried to make a little burst with the 5 skill and the ravens f2, combined with “sick em”, but it almost never worked. The cast time on 5 is too long for it to be reliable, the burst damage is not that good, and the raven is dead most of the time anyway.

The changes to 4 are better, but it’s still not a very good skill. The knockback takes too long to pull off, and throw still roots you.

Sick em is bad.
Guardian hammers are unkillable.
(a tip though, only the third attack in their chain knocks back, that and they are REALLY kite-able)
Ravens you have to learn to control well, you don’t just send them out alone (short of because shear need) or leave them on targets. They’re assistant dps to typically use while the enemy is focused on you.

It is a tougher spec, all given, so yeah it won’t have near the ‘excellent’ factor that things like 100-blade warriors do or instagib thieves.
(since you don’t have to play as well to play them well)

When you show me your ranger doing this, I’ll agree I need to experiment more and we are on a level playing field.

garethh.3518:

Sick em is bad.
Guardian hammers are unkillable.
Ravens you just have to learn to control well, you don’t just leave them on targets.

It is a tougher spec, all given, so yeah it won’t have near the ‘excellent’ factor that things like 100-blade warriors do or instagib thieves.
(since you don’t have to play as well to play them well)

Yeah but it’s the only utility skill i have that’s decent other than QZ and lightning reflexes. I’m not condition spec so traps aren’t great and the extra pet damage is nice

Guardian hammers are unkillable? Man that’s going to be annoying if it ever catches on in the meta.

How am i supposed to control ravens? Pull them back? I’m using a GS, which means i’m in melee range. The pets don’t respond well enough to dodge out of large AOE with me. Don’t forget, AOE isn’t just an ele dropping a giant fiery rock. A lot of melee weapons have AOE on their attacks that hit pets for full damage. Even if i dodge the pet will still take damage. I have with me a slow attack speed glass cannon thief that doesn’t evade at all.

nerva.7940:

sorry guys ima let you finish, but GS/SB is the best weapon combo of all times. i roll with BM, marks, signets and about 1800 toughness. pet (when it hits) hits like a truck and sustain is awesome.

GS gives you amazing defense with 1 and 4, in addition to 5 chained with SB’s 5 for long stuns. GS 4 also links up with SB’s 4. these two weapons synergize.

yes, like yourselves, i felt like i got punched in the stomach today with this patch. but i do wanna keep playing my ranger, and this is the one positive i found. try it out. it’s a great alternative to yawn axe/torch/traps.

The build got a very nominal boost. Actually my pet bomb got negatively fixed slightly. Still dangerous. GS/ plus preference weapon in beastmastery builds was solid pre patch. It did get better.

The moving block is sweet as you can use it even better, stationary it was still powerful. Extra maul damage as well. Did reduce how I was stacking regen to perpetual coverage but overall tradeoffs positive for my build.

It was already a viable build pattern pre patch. Not OP but viable.

Maniac.5163:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzBn32Fqm9w

When you show me your ranger doing this, I’ll agree I need to experiment more and we are on a level playing field.

OMG an ele doing good in a WvW skirmish… you must be so proud…
enough so, that you got lost on the forums?
There are threads for videos???

Division.9618:

How am i supposed to control ravens? Pull them back? I’m using a GS, which means i’m in melee range. The pets don’t respond well enough to dodge out of large AOE with me. Don’t forget, AOE isn’t just an ele dropping a giant fiery rock. A lot of melee weapons have AOE on their attacks that hit pets for full damage. Even if i dodge the pet will still take damage.

I haven’t used the pet allot, but in smaller fights it was living well enough, anything over a Xv2 and it started to fall apart but short of that it was holding out well enough.
Running SoH is usually what brings the dps.
I don’t think QZ is really all that important though :/
Lightning reflexes is tends to be good for the ranged weapon set.

Excellent and useless in a dungeons.

Ohhhhh, you know I was trying to settle on a second weapon set for my Beastmaster Signet build. I just gave it a go, and you’re right, SB does work kinda’ nice.

What pets do you use? I’m loving what Drakes can do with Hilt Bash/Hunt in my dungeon runs.

i use panther and fern hound. cat will give you overall more consistent dps than the bird, and dog is great for the cc. some people like going double bird for max burst though.

I have a question for you beast master fans. If i use nerva’s chain stun combo with my pet on the enemy can i crit (combined ranger and pet damage) for more than a thief mug-CnD/backstab combo, or a warrior frenzy HB?

hi fellow rangers and thanks nerva for the inspiration. i’d really like to try this out so maybe someone can post a link to said build? what gear do you use?
thanks and happy huntin’

The Greatsword was great even before the new patch. The only problem was the damage output was a little on the low side. But it was/is still the best utility weapon the Ranger has. Greatsword has the best travel skill (Swoop), an interrupt skill (Hilt Bash), a block with an interrupt (Counterattack), and a ranged cripple attack (Crippling Throw). It’s an awesome second hand weapon. Problem is that most only pick weapons based on damage output, so not many realize how great the Greatsword is (pun intended).

I will post the build when I get back from work. I played it before the patch with SB/sword/dagger, but GS has so much more utility. It’s worth taking JUST for the extra stun and #4. Add cripple, decent bleed and gap closer, and you have great utility weapon.

I run with SoR, SoW, and SoS. SoW can be replaced with protect me. I have about 1800 toughness. Last night I took on 3 thieves (none basilisk tho) downing 2. Pet does most of the damage.

The regen and extra stats from bm really gives a lot more viability to your pet. Anet has to tread carefully when buffing pet mobility because the DPS is substantial. If pets start attacking while moving, DPS will need a nerf.

I use this build mainly love the gs 1 for escape purposes 3 works wonders 2 for closing in 3 works wonders just great way to finish a kill when shooting down a target love it swoop stun maul gg

Sina.9208:

Excellent and useless in a dungeons.

Kinda true for the bosses since they are pretty much immune to interupt BUT ever use it as a quick block? It’s amazing, when you’re out of stamina and can’t avoid the next hit, swap and pop 4, just saved yourself. Plus with the ability to move now, even better.

As for that video with the Ele, that’s some nice Ele action right there. We already know that it takes high amount of player skill to own with Ele and that player has it, most dont. A high amount of player skill as ranger doesnt account to much but still doable.

A bm/condition build is far from useless in dungeons. Just in some boss fights where pets can get 2shotted by aoe and no amount of micro can help u. They said they were addressing this. I was talking strictly pvp

Carcer.1256:

hi fellow rangers and thanks nerva for the inspiration. i’d really like to try this out so maybe someone can post a link to said build? what gear do you use?
thanks and happy huntin’

Ok here are a couple high survival pet DPS variants I like in Tpvp. (I don’t use SB other than as a switch in usually go for the extra crit of axe/warhorn) prefer the high heal power variants (clerics amulet) – can sub in more damage oriented amulets and change heal/survival method for yourself however(Valkyrie or soldier IMHO). Beastmastery is simply a viable line so you can do many variants off it succesfully. Using it is about learning to keep your pet on your target.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fMAQNBhODbkoKxOwyxC0OQ0eoJLd+3D0Hr27KMqMu6jXVA;TsAgzCooEz0loLrYOxkitKZUymAA

A max durability build that self heals at 500+ HP per healing tics for 27-28 of 30 seconds(was 30 of 30 pre patch) and retaliation potential for 10 of 30 seconds. Your pet is your damage, you do change your 30 trait in WS based on opposing team. Lots of likely condition damagers on opposing team change barkskin to empathic bond.

River drake – Quite handy vs minion classes. AKA blows them up. You don’t pet swap alot. Blows up alot of classes actually.

Snow leopard – the snare plus you can leap them off ledges if your on the high ground. Lynx also for the leap and jaguar are also in my rotation.

Elite swaps between the spirit(You are a huge group healer in a cluster fight) to RAO blowing up a solo defended point.

Now you can also go more damage say 30/0/0/10/30 Also in a healing spring build or a soldiers build similar to above or 0/0/20/20/30 – max GS CD’s or maximize pet even more with a remote control option. a 0/20/5/15/30 – use the 20 to increase pet crit damage by 30% and pet speed consider using a valkyrie.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fMAQNBhODbkoKxOwyxC0SQ0FwUcIF9eg+Y1e/hRlxVf8qC;TsAgzCooEz0loLrYOxkitKZUymAA

I have yet to find a FUBAR full beastmastery build. Just pick your survival method to damage envelope choose the runes armor to go with.

at least 20 in WS is very nice for the CD reduction on GS particularly with the changes(Hard to pass it up now that 4 is even more helpful). Amulet choices in my mind are soldiers, cleric or valkyrie’s with a secondary jewel change to preference. and armor as well. I could also see using a shamans ina condition build. Cleric maximizes my survivability and I control my target to maximize pet DPS uptime.

My builds are dependent on building up kills with the cluster before heading out for any solo work.

nerva.7940:

cat will give you overall more consistent dps than the bird

It won’t.

It seems you don’t know the perk or bird pets…
They are the only melee pet that can hit moving targets, guaranteed.
That means they don’t suffer from the 50%~ miss rate other melee pets do, so do FAR more consistent, and just more dmg in the vast majority of encounters.
(you, know unless you are fighting a target dummy, but since when was a melee ranger’s tough matchup against someone who stands still?)

Get to level 80 first

nerva.7940:

sorry guys ima let you finish, but GS/SB is the best weapon combo of all times. i roll with BM, marks, signets and about 1800 toughness. pet (when it hits) hits like a truck and sustain is awesome.

GS gives you amazing defense with 1 and 4, in addition to 5 chained with SB’s 5 for long stuns. GS 4 also links up with SB’s 4. these two weapons synergize.

yes, like yourselves, i felt like i got punched in the stomach today with this patch. but i do wanna keep playing my ranger, and this is the one positive i found. try it out. it’s a great alternative to yawn axe/torch/traps.

Hmm.. I actually tried something very similar to this yesterday and found that 1h sword+torch/SB is still better then great sword. I found the evasive skills from 1h sword to be superior plus the torch (or warhorn) provide the range attack I need that the 2hander doesn’t supply, specially with the clusterkitten of aoe damage and CC’s being thrown around.

I actually use an extremely tanky build with this weapon set as well. Amazing for stealing points / interrupting stomps and the likes. I absolutely love GS/LB, but I switch off for either LB/sword and dagger or GS/Sword dagger .

Really depends on my team / situation.

NaturalPortman.9562:

I actually use an extremely tanky build with this weapon set as well. Amazing for stealing points / interrupting stomps and the likes. I absolutely love GS/LB, but I switch off for either LB/sword and dagger or GS/Sword dagger .

Really depends on my team / situation.

Same, except GS / sword horn, GS and sword have amazing synergy together. And tanky works well for ranger because going tanky doesn’t effect your pets damage.

DaisyRogers.6837:

NaturalPortman.9562:

I actually use an extremely tanky build with this weapon set as well. Amazing for stealing points / interrupting stomps and the likes. I absolutely love GS/LB, but I switch off for either LB/sword and dagger or GS/Sword dagger .

Really depends on my team / situation.

Same, except GS / sword horn, GS and sword have amazing synergy together. And tanky works well for ranger because going tanky doesn’t effect your pets damage.

I’m not a huge fan of the warhorn cause I feel it doesn’t flow well with sword but whatever floats your boat haha. Yeah rangers regen is a beast, and those 6k raven hits are pretty kitten beefy and keeps your opponent on their toes while you eat away at their health.

I go with axe/torch and Greatsword, I love how they work very well together..Start out with axe/torch, get some conditions on him..Hit 5 with torch then swap to gs and swoop in to get fire damage and fire shield

garethh.3518:

Maniac.5163:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzBn32Fqm9w

When you show me your ranger doing this, I’ll agree I need to experiment more and we are on a level playing field.

OMG an ele doing good in a WvW skirmish… you must be so proud…
enough so, that you got lost on the forums?
There are threads for videos???

OMG!!11… it’s not my Elementalist. I’m a ranger clarifying that there’s a massive imbalance between professions. GS requires you to be pretty kitten close to people, good luck surviving up close and personal – so I’m expressing doubt before people invest a ton of money to build their ranger this way. I asked for a similar video of this build skirmishing successfully, to show it can be viable in WvW.

Come now fellas why all the Q.Q why so serious?
Don’t you know us ranger’s are still competent ranged damage dealers see! -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Ru_rXq2LYg0

Oh whoops! I didn’t mean to pick the video of that heavily armored class, how silly of me.