Guild Wars 2

So… after the first few weeks of release and after lots of testing, here is my final version of the Ranger Greatsword/Longbow build. Aptly named the Barrage, it has huge damage, huge control and can be utilized in every style of play

Longbow/Greatsword (For sPvP and Solo Play)
The most common weapon set is Longbow/Greatsword. It is the most common, because it is the best build when looking at a utility/survivability/damage spec. Although there are other viable builds, Longbow/Greatsword gives some great advantages all around. This is a very strong build while levelling, as well as for sPvP.

Weapons and their abilities:

Longbow
#1 = Auto-attack. 1500 range (when traited). More damage the further from the target. Combo Finisher = Physical Projectile.
#2 = Rapid Fire. 1500 range (when traited). Shoot arrows rapidly at a target. Combo Finisher = Physical Projectile.
#3 = Hunter’s Shot. 1500 range (when traited). Gives pet swiftness and applies vulnerability to your enemy. Does low damage. Best used as an opener. Combo Finisher = Physical Projectile.
#4 = Point Blank Shot. 750 range (when traited). Pushes back your target. Pushback is further the closer the target is. Does high damage. Combo Finisher = Physical Projectile.
#5 = Barrage. 1500 range (when traited). Applies an aoe cripple for 12 seconds when fully casted. Does large dot aoe damage against targets in the field.

Greatsword
#1 = Auto-attack. 3 part attack, of which the 3rd swing evades while being cast.
#2 = Maul. High damage and applies 3 stacks of bleed which last just over 5 seconds.
#3 = Swoop. Charge. Does high damage. Combo Finisher = Leap.
#4 = Counterattack. If attacked while channeling, you knockback your enemy. Or you can activate the ability and throw your Greatsword and cripple your enemy. Combo Finisher = Physical Projectile.
#5 = Hilt-Bash. Low damage. Applies a 1 second daze to you target and your pet’s next attack does 50% more damage.If you hit your target from the side or back, they are stunned instead of dazed.

You utility skills should be:

Heal: Heal as One (solo play): Heal yourself and your pet. OR Healing Spring (team play). Aoe heal and regeneration field. Combo Field Water.

Muddy Terrain. Throw an aoe immobilize that lasts 2 seconds. The ground is then a pulsing aoe slow for 10 seconds.

Lightning Reflexes. Dodge backwards doing low damage to enemies. Gain Vigor for 10 seconds. Breaks Stun.

Quickening Zephyr. Double your attack speed and your pets attack speed for 4 seconds. Cannot be healed while under this effect.

Elite Skill: Rampage as One. Grants you and your pet Fury, Swiftness and Stability for 21 seconds. Critical hits by you and your pet apply might to their counterpart.

Weapon Sigils:

Sigil of Superior Air on your Longbow. Maximize your ranged damage.
Sigil of Superior Blood on your Greatsword. Adds survivability in melee range.

Gear Runes:

Superior Rune of the Eagle x 6.

Amulet:

Berserker’s Amulet.

Traits:

30 Points in Marksmanship. Pick up Steady Focus (I) Piercing Arrows (VIII) and Eagle Eye (X)
25 Points in Skirmishing. Pick up Pet’s Prowess (I) and Quick Draw (X)
10 Points in Wilderness. Pick up Wilderness Knowledge (VI)
5 Points in Nature Magic.

This build has incredible control. Ranger may not be the ideal class for 2v1’s or 3v1’s, but they really shine in 1v1’s. This build is designed to make use of Barrage. Its AoE slow and damage pulse is incredible for control and gives you time to get off your longbow abilities before being engaged in melee.

Swap to your greatsword and you have huge passive surviability, one of the longest gap closers in the game. A counterattack/ranged slow. Bleeds. And a daze.

Did I mention we have pets to boot?

This build is the master of being in control of an encounter.

Thanks alot for the effort you put into this, quick question on pets. Which do you choose and why?

This is actually the standard build my guildmates will be running with. It will be tweaked I’m sure, but it has huge potential and a high skillcap.

Pet’s totally depend on what you’re doing.

If you’re in WvW, pets die FAST. You’ll want either a range pet, or a passive pet to stick on your side for F2 abuse.

In sPvP, I prefer more CC pets, so I run with the Alpine Wolf and the Snow Leopard, both apply lengthy chills which is a 66% slow and 66% slow on ability recharge.

For WvW, I like Devourer’s and Spiders for range options, or Moa’s for the raid buffs if I’m with my guildmates.

In pve, depends on the encounter. Bears are good for tanking, cats for dps, spiders for range CC and dps, Moa’s for buffs…

Everything depends.

Good guide but I have a few questions.

What utility do you see in Muddy Terrain compared to perhaps the benefit of a signet passive? Also I figure Rampage as One is superior to Entangle however I find Entangle to be very useful and extremely fun.

Do you find yourself using the greatsword #4 skill very often? I think it could use some improvement.

You suggest sigils air and blood. Going to try them, looking forward to seeing if they increase my damage at all.

Greatsword 4 is best used for short channeled abilities, predictable, easy to spot, potential high damage completely reduced, knocked back. Gives you a great opportunity to Lightning Reflex out and switch.

my build is closely similar to this but i got owned by a stealth thief twice. Any ideas or rather whats your play style against stealth thief and maybe mesmer also? I didnt have any problems with other classes.

its really annoying when thief stealth and then regens and remove the bleed or poison. I even tried casting entangle but was useless because they have that skill where they can break out of it.

I personally love the #4 greatsword ability. The key time to use it is when you see a thief go stealth while you’re in combat with him. You know he’s going to attempt a backstab, and the channel on the #4 counterattack is as long as most of their stealths. They open, get knocked to kingdom come.

As for Muddy Terrain. Its a perfect getaway tool paired with the #3 greatsword. I’m not a huge fan of the 10% run speed signet as 10% in pvp is nothing. Especially with air ele’s running with 200% and thieves running like Usain Bolt. The trick with them is to stop them, not make you run faster.

What is your stat priority with this build?

@Kestrel: judging from the amulet, I’d say Power/Precision/Crit (he wrote about the amulet only, as that’s what’s relevant in sPvP, I guess) —- Longbow is direct damage.

So I am trying this build with my level 73 Ranger and it feels like I am killing much faster with the Sword than with the Bow. Is that intended?

I basically only use Bow when I want range on some Veterans or Champions or when it is a pack of mobs. Talking PvE obviously

And then conditions

The bow is meant to be an opener weapon. You use this when you’re not under pressure. With that said, there are many times when I will swap to my greatsword when I don’t need to be in melee, and run in.

In pve, I kill evenly with greasword/longbow, depending if I took agro from my pet, or if I’m aoe farming.

In pvp, I generally get my kills with the longbow, but I will go into melee if it is required.

Your stats that you want are Precision/Power/Crit Damage.