Guild Wars 2

So I’m currently level 60, been leveling mostly with greatsword as it seems to outdamage the longbow and shortbow by quite a bit.

Is the greatsword superior to the longbow/shortbow even at level 80?

Thanks ^_~

No idea how you came to that conclusion, you need to check your traits, type of gear, etc and actually start using your LB and SB skills.
Greatsword does terrible damage on a ranger.

Victory.2879:

Greatsword does terrible damage on a ranger.

^— Most of the reason any rangers use GS is for the mobility, or just if they like the flavor of that weapon type. They aren’t using them for the damage.

generally, the shorter the range of the weapon, the higher average damage it does.

the GS continues to do more damage than bows at level 80, but calling it superior is a real stretch. max level dungeon mobs (and enemy players) are not safe to melee unless you have a build that can take a bit of beating, so at that point you start comparing survivability spec’d GS output to damage spec’d bow output, and it becomes a lot more even.

for simple pve, GS is nice for just about every level, but especially endgame when risen get speed buffed and become difficult to kite.

Agreed with Victory. Greatsword is a wonderful “tank” weapon, but its damage is subpar to our Longbow… which is subpar to the Short Bow, or was. I believe people are still number-crunching the Longbow vs Short Bow numbers post-Dec 14th’s patch.

If anything, stick with a Longbow or a Short Bow for better damage over a Greatsword.

Also, incoming Druzlla “pro-Spirit/pro-Greatsword” post?

Awrite, thanks guys.

I’ll still stick to my LB/GS though, I like being able to jump into melee when I feel like kicking some kitten with a huge sword. :’D

Oh and btw, Piercing arrows or 5% range/damage?

Piercing arrows. Hits up to three targets with all your attacks (except 5). And since you’ll be bouncing between ranged and melee, you don’t need the extra distance on the Longbow. Its just more running for you.

I’m actually using the prot spirit on my ranger in wvw atm- if they got a buff I’d be a much happier bunny but being able to sometimes provide a team or area with damage reduction for a few seconds actually can make a difference.

Proper use of traits and bows will do more damage than waving your GS around and at the same time I’m not being squished by any decent warrior that unloads on u.

Risen are a joke- speed buffed or not they generally don’t reach you if u put a pet in the way and use LB/SB skills – and by the time they reach you they are generally just ready to pop their loot at your feet as they die.

The real nasties are kraken on the new area, which eat pets for breakfast and rangers shortly after- can’t imagine what they must be like to try on a melee ranger.

Personally I’ll stick to around 1600 toughness unbuffed and to keeping out of reach of melee players.

Having said that in pve it can be fun sometimes to swop weapons etc around and smash away on mobs..but then i can do that on my guardian and warrior so don’t feel much need on ranger:-)

Both piercing and range if your using LB- but if ur determined to whack things with a gs then go sb/gs as u will want to close the distance anyway,and range would be a waste of traits.

Range is great on a LB in wvw where u can hit players out of their range (LB1 does great damage at range max) and fire barrage further than the non-range specced rangers. It’s amazing how much use you can put that extra range to.

Horses for courses as the old saying goes- find what suits your play style.

Victory.2879:

I’m actually using the prot spirit on my ranger in wvw atm- if they got a buff I’d be a much happier bunny but being able to sometimes provide a team or area with damage reduction for a few seconds actually can make a difference.

Proper use of traits and bows will do more damage than waving your GS around and at the same time I’m not being squished by any decent warrior that unloads on u.

Risen are a joke- speed buffed or not they generally don’t reach you if u put a pet in the way and use LB/SB skills – and by the time they reach you they are generally just ready to pop their loot at your feet as they die.

The real nasties are kraken on the new area, which eat pets for breakfast and rangers shortly after- can’t imagine what they must be like to try on a melee ranger.

Personally I’ll stick to around 1600 toughness unbuffed and to keeping out of reach of melee players.

Having said that in pve it can be fun sometimes to swop weapons etc around and smash away on mobs..but then i can do that on my guardian and warrior so don’t feel much need on ranger:-)

I am a tank ranger I use Gs + Axe+WH and the karka (not kraken) are a joke, in fact as a tank ranger focusing on survival healing etc etc being as tough as i can I can tank anything in the game pretty much. Is it the best tank out there? Perhaps not but i suits my playstyle and I love it.

My main goal these days has been the pleasure i get doing a dungeon and someone scoffing at me being a ranger tank until i prove it to them, the satisfaction is quite nice.

GS damage isn’t that bad and the mobility/evasion makes it worth using as a secondary to shortbow.

Mind sharing a capsule version of your spec and gear (X/X/X/X/X Knight’s, etc.)? I’ve just finished my exotic crit/crit% Lbow/Sbow set and I’m looking to try something new.

the great sword has a great feel to it.

using exotic knights gear with a mix of rubys, Chrysocola Orbs, and Emerald Orbs (2.8k armor, 2.7k-2.9k attack, 20k hp). it’s defensive characteristics allow you to pull away and then block as your waiting for your heal to charge. it doesn’t do a lot of damage, but i use it to get closer to running opponents (3->5->2) for a finisher, or switch to shortbow because you are now within range (5->4->2/1->2/1)

sometimes i use sword/wh and gs to just travel, and your mobility sky rockets, with a 3 leap combo and swiftness.

According to my tests, GS does more damage than a shortbow if you ignore the bleeds Crossfire applies. But Shortbow does more damage if you do include the bleeds.

Of course, GS has the super-duper useful block (I love that skill to death) and the evade on autoattack.

EDIT: Source if you needed it.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Ranger-Melee-Weapon-DPS-Tests/first

IMO a Staff would be more fitting to Ranger than GS, but yes , a few trick moves and poor damage.

GS doesnt do terrible damage. it’s a power/precision weapon that does aoe damage in an arc. use it accordingly.

nerva.7940:

GS doesnt do terrible damage. it’s a power/precision weapon that does aoe damage in an arc. use it accordingly.

I’ll have to disagree with you here. It does pretty subpar damage when compared to weapons like the Sword and Shortbow. Yes, it has an aoe, but it’s very small, and without a reliable way to clump enemies together, it’s THAT useful.

Ursan.7846:

nerva.7940:

GS doesnt do terrible damage. it’s a power/precision weapon that does aoe damage in an arc. use it accordingly.

I’ll have to disagree with you here. It does pretty subpar damage when compared to weapons like the Sword and Shortbow. Yes, it has an aoe, but it’s very small, and without a reliable way to clump enemies together, it’s THAT useful.

as has already been stated, the auto-attack exceeds shortbow in any situation where you can’t get a bleed from crossfire, and in situations with more than one target.

auto attacks aside, i dont see sword or shortbow getting the 4-5.5k crits that i get on my GS.

in full beserkers, im getting regular 3.9k’s with maul, occasionally over 4k on upranked SoS baddies. popping a damage amplifier like SotH, SotW, or RaO (with subsequent might stacks for the latter) and it goes well over 5k. I haven’t tried combining the cooldowns yet (those signets are just so terrible, and 120sec on HotW = lol) but i’d imagine between them you could get some crazy spike.

keep in mind, with traits maul has a 4second cooldown. 3.9k crits, 4second cooldown.

Despite Swoop having a higher base damage, maul is consistantly hitting harder. not sure if this is a bug or not.

either way, i really think people complaining about GS damage are either a) Using Condition damage specs or b) Comparing offensive spec shortbow to defensive spec GS.

Raven.9603:

as has already been stated, the auto-attack exceeds shortbow in any situation where you can’t get a bleed from crossfire, and in situations with more than one target.

But if you do include the bleeds, Shortbow out dpses the GW. It’s not like you’re never going to proc bleeds with Crossfire.

Just based on my tests, GS only does 10% more damage that Shortbow without the bleeds. Whereas a Shortbow with bleeds (7 stacks) does 36% more dmg than Shortbow without bleeds (PvP Zerkers).

Raven.9603:

auto attacks aside, i dont see sword or shortbow getting the 4-5.5k crits that i get on my GS.

in full beserkers, im getting regular 3.9k’s with maul, occasionally over 4k on upranked SoS baddies. popping a damage amplifier like SotH, SotW, or RaO (with subsequent might stacks for the latter) and it goes well over 5k. I haven’t tried combining the cooldowns yet (those signets are just so terrible, and 120sec on HotW = lol) but i’d imagine between them you could get some crazy spike.

keep in mind, with traits maul has a 4second cooldown. 3.9k crits, 4second cooldown.

Despite Swoop having a higher base damage, maul is consistantly hitting harder. not sure if this is a bug or not.

either way, i really think people complaining about GS damage are either a) Using Condition damage specs or b) Comparing offensive spec shortbow to defensive spec GS.

Large numbers doesn’t mean better dps. It just means you’re do more burst damage. Just going by my tests again, Even with Maul/Swoop, Sword out dpses the GW pretty significantly. Look at my tests! Everything was done with PvP Berserkers/Rampagers gear. And I can say with great certainty that Sword outdpses GS.

EDIT: Hoo actually after all this discussion, I just got another idea for a test. I wanna see how much the 20% cd reduction + 5% dmg traits improve GS dps over spending those trait points in the power/precision line…Hmmm.

ive read your tests, and am a big fan. the point was that GS does very good damage, not that it is the pinnacle of output. it seems like a few posters on the thread are of the mindset that anything that isnt our peak damage is bad damage.

GS damage is competitive, it has built in evades, on demand block, on demand stun, on demand cripple, and one of the longest gap closers/openers in the game, in addition to maul. i have a hard time reading about how bad it is or how its only good for block.

Raven.9603:

ive read your tests, and am a big fan. the point was that GS does very good damage, not that it is the pinnacle of output. it seems like a few posters on the thread are of the mindset that anything that isnt our peak damage is bad damage.

GS damage is competitive, it has built in evades, on demand block, on demand stun, on demand cripple, and one of the longest gap closers/openers in the game, in addition to maul. i have a hard time reading about how bad it is or how its only good for block.

Just wondering around in ranger forum more, you will notice most ranger’s mind is flooded with 3 things: damage per hit / damage per sec / max damage range. Get use to it.

My ranger use greatsword and I do wish my warrior can use the same greatsword skill as ranger…. Ranger can produce impressive AoE damage combined with low CD traps.

Loving the greatsword! Currently running with a beastmaster/skirmish build, and I was completely taken back by my ability to tank.

How would you build for GS traits, utilities and pets? Playing with it I found great synergy with Fire Trap as GS has 2 combo finishers and double spider -with traited cripple- for poison field, 6 sec immobilize and 8 sec cripple.