Guild Wars 2

Hello Ranger Community

I am currently running the LB/SB Celestial Stealth Trapper build and am having trouble adjusting to it. The kind of things i’m having trouble with include….

>skills not working due to not facing target / not rotating quick enough
>Stealth not working when laying a trap
>General mechanics and how to chain bow skills together properly

So i guess i am looking for ways other people have found to cut down on these types of problems ….. solutions like…….camera settings, when to use certain bow skills, how people maintain their toon when the enemy is constantly side stepping, and maybe how they manage to locate themselves or maintain the enemy to have the upper hand.

Practice makes perfect. And by no means do I mean this disrespectful. I play a trapper Ranger and use those weapons along with axe and torch. It is really just a matter of engaging, failing, talking to the person whom you lost to – if they are friendly, and adjusting. To this day I still struggle with keeping a target or re-targeting.

It was said in another thread by Jim.Hunter, but don’t feel you have to press a skill/button just because it is off cool down. That is something I’ve learned recently and it does help.

Don’t always throw traps. I use them for movement a lot of times – the speed, and this is in WvW mind you. But when I know I’m coming up to someone, or I see them coming to me, you can use them to pop stealth, protect, and of course fight. Then also use them to run I usually don’t run into the issue with not gaining stealth after placing a trap – unless I drop them too quick / back to back.

Use a trap just before finishing – it is a nice trick, same with LB 3.

Some short bow skills are flanked or with their back to you. So weapon swap is key.

I don’t know really other than I found coming from a Guardian It was a lot of practice and I’m still learning today.

Ya ik a lot has to do with practicing in general. But do you lock camera or have attack assist on? feel like on top of practice… i might not be set up right. I also think my auto attack might be going off right after the trap is dropped like there is a delay between when i drop the trap and when i get stealth and the auto attack is sneaking in between and canceling the stealth. Do you have to turn away from target to make sure the auto doesn’t do that? idk maybe really does just practice. thanks for the feedback

I don’t recall my in-game settings off the top of my head tree, but I’ll check later.

Like I said I meant nothing with ill intent regarding my practice comment. I’ve been playing a ranger a while now and still struggle with melee and learn something new almost daily. Heck, spoke to Arrow Slinger during our match up after the fact and learned a few things

Regarding trap delay. I do know when I lob a trap there is a delay before it kicks in. Nothing huge but it isn’t instant. In fact the speed and the stealth have a few 10th’s before they kick in. For example when I’m doing the JP in obsidian sanctum and I want to take some short cuts in the dark room, drop a trap, wait a second, it kicks in, then I make the jump. Seems to work like that also in standard map or WvW.

Others should chime in here shortly that can probably advise you better. I am just average so don’t take my word for the be all end all

Ya np. I didn’t and wont take anyone’s comments personally. I’m not ashamed to admit that i am no expert with bows or at the game in general. Any assistance / tips and tricks from experienced rangers is greatly appreciated. There are enough bow rangers that could stand to listen to how successful rangers set themselves up to win. The more rangers that know what they are doing…..the sooner we can shed this negative outlook toward the class in general.

so thank you Crapgame for responding

Here’s some tips for LB:
-Learn when to strafe and when to stand still for channeling power and skill reliability.
-Learn when LB #3 fails and how to avoid it, this takes a while.
-don’t sabotage you’re pet’s CC with LB #4.
-LB #5 is kind of interesting, even if you cancel it immediately, a couple arrows will drop. This is useful if you wanna get off some quick pressure without exposing yourself for too long.

Thanks law

I tried to really pay attention to what worked and what didnt and noticed a few things while in WvW last night.

For LB….
- #3 skill is easier for me to land while either standing still or moving directly toward target. seems when i try and side step it never works.
- #2 while it has the most damage output the damage cd is low. so i was using it to bait out early dodges and stun breakers and then following up with pet immobs. this one i am not too sure about maybe it is a waste to use this skill for that?

For SB.
- #4 use early to maintain distance
- #2 only use if you know it will land especially against classes with a lot of regen

In my experience:
LB#2: use it as much as possible. it’s practically you main damage source from the bow.
LB#3: do not use with traps, LB#5. Any kind of damage done by you will reveal you. The skill is very unreliable because the arrow slow speed, so use RtW or when enemies are very close.
LB#4: perfect for trolling and keep the distance. However i don’t use it much and every day less and less. EotM is great for learn to use that skill combined with piercing arrows playing pinball with the enemy players (you still get the bags)
LB#5 : kind of very versatile skill. Defense or offense i let you imagine uses.

LB and SB are different kind of weapons, LB is power focused while SB is condi. My advise is for you to choose one. SB + Axe/Torch-dagger is nice combo and is the equivalent in condition damage to LB + Sw/axe
Otherwise your damage will be mild always.

If you like trapper just go for full condi.

Thanks for the tip about LB#3 and #5 relating to stealth.

Concerning build / trait / stats…i am aware that LB/SB celestial trapper is not and may never become a meta build and that there are more effective builds…but ty