Guild Wars 2

I am sorry to add this topic. I am sure there are threads about it, but the search bar does not work and I am too “crypt keeper” old (hence the name) to scroll thru all the threads as I am not a forum stalker.

I have played a ranger (hunter on the darkside) 90% of the time for over 10 years, so I will admit I am totally bias towards said same.

Irrespective of my prejudice, removing ground targeting for rangers while leaving in game for other(s?) is a quandary.

I am not going to rant and rave why I think this is a ^$)@%^$&*($%^# decision.

I just want an answer as to “why” it was necessary for the game balance?

Do you mean trap skills?
I’m pretty sure that every trap in the game now doesn’t ground target, I have no idea why devs removed it and they never really explained.

If you are talking about something else then I’m clueless.

Belzebu.3912:

Do you mean trap skills?
I’m pretty sure that every trap in the game now doesn’t ground target, I have no idea why devs removed it and they never really explained.

If you are talking about something else then I’m clueless.

OP’s post is very vague but I think he’s talking about traps too. They wanted it to be more realistic and it makes sense in my opinion. It’s important to note that ranger traps were becoming very powerful. Secondly, how does one create a trap 50 feet away from them. Physically speaking it doesn’t make sense.

Rangers lose the ability to do any ground targeting for trap utilities.
Necros gain BASELINE ground targeting for well utilities.

Eight Samurai.6840:

. Secondly, how does one create a trap 50 feet away from them. Physically speaking it doesn’t make sense.

Magic :P

I’m confused. Ground Targeting is what they made baseline for traps. Did this suddenly change in the last 24 hours?

I know it was baseline too, cause I used a trap to guide myself through the blacked out cave in the pirate JP in LA while hunting karka.

While I agree that mechanically it is more realistic now, we need to keep in mind that this is a fantasy game, impossible stuff happens all the time, ranger lost the ability to put traps in walls and under some surfaces for example, I know it would be impossible to do that, but make a frost trap over a lava area also would

Kal Spiro.9745:

I’m confused. Ground Targeting is what they made baseline for traps. Did this suddenly change in the last 24 hours?

I know it was baseline too, cause I used a trap to guide myself through the blacked out cave in the pirate JP in LA while hunting karka.

Just tried it now. Definitely not ground targeting.

I was not specific and any non-ranger could be confused – among rangers, traps are assumed when talking ground targeting. I am sorry, my bust. It is obvious I do not forum much.

Forums are a great vehicle to present coherent information and suggestions, but it is more often just an outlet for frustration, imo. But I made an exception in this case, hoping for an ANet representative to say why they removed it from rangers and left it for others, like Necros.

It’s probably because the trap stealth rune was too powerful if rangers had ground targeted traps. I’m just guessing though!

I’m pretty sure it’s a bug. They were absolutely ground targeted on Tuesday. Since I couldn’t swap out of the karka gun to use longbow 5, I used spike trap to view the floor without light.

Any class that had a trait which causes a skill set to become ground targeted got that trait made baseline. That is Necros and Rangers both. If it’s not working now, after half a dozen additional patches, then it is probably a bug.

Since the June 23rd update, my formerly mobile ranger spirits are now stationary also with no trait or specialization method that I can see to have them follow as they use to .

I am quite frightened now that in the next update my pet hawk will be replaced with a stuffed non-moving version. She does do condition damage after all so I think I can see her eyes glazing over even now!

kentender.3078:

Since the June 23rd update, my formerly mobile ranger spirits are now stationary also with no trait or specialization method that I can see to have them follow as they use to .

I am quite frightened now that in the next update my pet hawk will be replaced with a stuffed non-moving version. She does do condition damage after all so I think I can see her eyes glazing over even now!

This was intentional. They went over it months ago during the four hour specialization video.

No more walking spirits, they reduced the cooldown on them so they could be somewhat more mobile, but it’s supposed to be about placement, not just being there in general. Ranger zoo is a thing of the past.

Before the update on the 23rd ranger traps were created at your location by default, but it was possible to change them to ground-targeted using the trait ‘Trappers Expertise’. (Description from the wiki, which hasn’t been updated yet: Trap skills use ground targeting and are larger.)

But after the update the description for Trappers Expertise reads “Boons and conditions caused by traps last longer. Traps recharge faster and offensive ones cause cripple.”

Ranger traps are definitely not ground targeted by default now, and as far as I can see there is no longer any way to make them ground targeted.

This really bothers me too. I used traps frequently before the update (I can’t remember the last time I didn’t have at least one on my skill bar) but now they’re nearly useless to me. Certainly not worth taking over other skills except in rare situations.

It also looks like they’ve made it impossible to have moving spirits. It seems like the intent is to ensure rangers stay in one spot for the entire fight.

Kal Spiro.9745:

I’m pretty sure it’s a bug. They were absolutely ground targeted on Tuesday. Since I couldn’t swap out of the karka gun to use longbow 5, I used spike trap to view the floor without light.

Any class that had a trait which causes a skill set to become ground targeted got that trait made baseline. That is Necros and Rangers both. If it’s not working now, after half a dozen additional patches, then it is probably a bug.

No, they killed ground targeted traps (and that makes me sad but I’ll deal).

Necro does not have traps.
Thief has traps and they’ve never had the ability to ground target….do they also have to deal with the arming timer? (I haven’t checked)

All traps should work the same across all classes. There’s no reason to make them behave differently on thief/dragon hunter.

Better realism…….

ScribeTheMad.7614:

Better realism…….

Yes, because the fact that I have an unlimited number of giant spikes in my pocket to deploy every x number of seconds is realistic.

I don’t care as much about the arming timer junk, but I want my ground targeted traps back.

khani.4786:

Kal Spiro.9745:

I’m pretty sure it’s a bug. They were absolutely ground targeted on Tuesday. Since I couldn’t swap out of the karka gun to use longbow 5, I used spike trap to view the floor without light.

Any class that had a trait which causes a skill set to become ground targeted got that trait made baseline. That is Necros and Rangers both. If it’s not working now, after half a dozen additional patches, then it is probably a bug.

No, they killed ground targeted traps (and that makes me sad but I’ll deal).

Necro does not have traps.
Thief has traps and they’ve never had the ability to ground target….do they also have to deal with the arming timer? (I haven’t checked)

All traps should work the same across all classes. There’s no reason to make them behave differently on thief/dragon hunter.

Necros have wells. Notice how I didn’t say traps, I said a skill set. That’s what I meant.

As far as I can tell from testing, since no traps listed the activation/trigger time, thief traps do not have activation times.

Furthermore, Tripwire, seems quite superior to Spike trap, as it has a shorter cool down, and does a 3 second knockdown, plus cripple. I don’t really feel the bleeding stacks plus damage with a 1 second knockdown justifies a 15 second longer cool down.

As a complete aside, is there a reason that Viper’s nest unlike all the other traps only effects 3 people rather then 5?

mtpelion.4562:

Rangers lose the ability to do any ground targeting for trap utilities.
Necros gain BASELINE ground targeting for well utilities.

And lost corruption skills, the best heal and one of the best elite skills, the main damage to the staff and became worst condi-damagers in game.
Seriously, it would be good to know the class before starting to compare them.

Should I still mention that most of the wells does not cause damage or damaging condition, activates immediately even if they hit no1, and have much more sparse effect (1-3 sec of rangers vs 5 sec of necro). Besides that CD of wells exceeds traps twice+.
So… Yes, it was a bad comparison.

MeGaZlo.9516:

mtpelion.4562:

Rangers lose the ability to do any ground targeting for trap utilities.
Necros gain BASELINE ground targeting for well utilities.

And lost corruption skills, the best heal and one of the best elite skills, the main damage to the staff and became worst condi-damagers in game.
Seriously, it would be good to know the class before starting to compare them.

Should I still mention that most of the wells does not cause damage or damaging condition, activates immediately even if they hit no1, and have much more sparse effect (1-3 sec of rangers vs 5 sec of necro). Besides that CD of wells exceeds traps twice+.
So… Yes, it was a bad comparison.

This was a comparison of similar-functioning skill/trait combinations that are no longer similar.
All wells are capable of dealing direct damage through life siphon. Learn the class.

khani.4786:

ScribeTheMad.7614:

Better realism…….

Yes, because the fact that I have an unlimited number of giant spikes in my pocket to deploy every x number of seconds is realistic.

I don’t care as much about the arming timer junk, but I want my ground targeted traps back.

Ah sorry, that was sarcasm on my part.
I agree the change is silly, I was guessing it had some sort of “that’s not realistic” bent to it

mtpelion.4562:

MeGaZlo.9516:

mtpelion.4562:

Rangers lose the ability to do any ground targeting for trap utilities.
Necros gain BASELINE ground targeting for well utilities.

And lost corruption skills, the best heal and one of the best elite skills, the main damage to the staff and became worst condi-damagers in game.
Seriously, it would be good to know the class before starting to compare them.

Should I still mention that most of the wells does not cause damage or damaging condition, activates immediately even if they hit no1, and have much more sparse effect (1-3 sec of rangers vs 5 sec of necro). Besides that CD of wells exceeds traps twice+.
So… Yes, it was a bad comparison.

This was a comparison of similar-functioning skill/trait combinations that are no longer similar.
All wells are capable of dealing direct damage through life siphon. Learn the class.

Aaaw… 100 damage per tick, against 800-1000 of condi-ranger… You call it a “damage”? It is me, who should learn the class?

I got what it was. But in addition to the functions it’s still worth to compare some other criteria too.

Better realism? Watching my formerly animated dolphin spirits sit like logs underwater does not seem realistic to me! Rangers are “ranged” fighters. I do not understand the logic of handicapping moving spirits capable of affording the ranger some close range protection prior to entering the danger zone.

I am totally disappointed how this game seems to be degrading in the name of “balancing”. I am seriously considering uninstalling and returning to GW1. I hope it has not been “balanced” beyond recognition since last I played.

MeGaZlo.9516:

Aaaw… 100 damage per tick, against 800-1000 of condi-ranger… You call it a “damage”? It is me, who should learn the class?

I got what it was. But in addition to the functions it’s still worth to compare some other criteria too.

Hey, damage is damage :P

Everyone has big changes right now, I was just pointing out that while Rangers and Necros both used to have AoE skills that could be traited for ground targeting, they went in opposite directions for them with this so that Necros now get ground targeting for free while Rangers get no ground targeting at all. As a well-using Necro, I like the Necro change. As a trap-using Ranger, I hate the change.

Thanks for all the input.

Though ANet did not step up to the plate and give a nugget of insight – all of you lent your opinions to provide ideas and even clarity to my question, with Susulemon.3204 comment on the new superior rune of the trapper hitting home to me.

Good Hunting to you all…..