Guild Wars 2

I’m trying to keep a distance from opponents, but I find it very, very hard to do so, they always seem able to run faster and close any gaps I’ve managed to get.

Shortbow 4 for cripple, shortbow 3 for evading backwards and gain swiftness, longbow 4 for knockback, spiketrap, frostrap, two dogs with knockdowns/fear/immobilize, frozen on crit from weapons. All these cc abilities, and still many, many opponents are there, right in my face. When trying to run, it’s like running in mud – it feels like I’m extremely slow compared to others, and stuck in combat longer than my opponents.

When trying to chase someone, I hardly ever can catch up, its seems most every other class is faster, for some reason. When they chase me however, I simply can’t outrun them, even if placing traps in my trails.

Anyone else sharing my experiences with the ranger class?

Rangers suck at ranging. The best you can do is use the +10% movement speed signet, use Call of the Wild whenever its up, and constantly use the Greatsword’s Swoop ability to move forward. And then you might almost be on par with other classes’ ‘ranging’.

As a result of being bad at ranging, a ranger also sucks at kiting. Thankfully it seems that Anet doesn’t WANT us to kite. They want us to EVADE. Think about that. Instead of running away in an obvious straight line from your opponent, what about dodging right past him? Get those +endurance regen and vigor buffs up, and you’re dodging all over the place.

• sword 2 hornet sting.
• deselect target
• monarch leap after turning the camera a full 180.
• ~
• about face.
• lay down spike trap (if they are melee-types),
• SB 4
• SB 5 stun on charge
• change pet (wolf – fern hound) -> knockdown.
• flank [Sharpening stone + quickness – 10-15 stack bleed]
• dodge large attack with 3
• continue

running down opponents (short of greatsword warrior, and teleporting thief)

• warhorn 5
• W
• Warhorn 4
• ~ (to gain swiftness + fury on switch)/Rampage as One
• W
• SB1 (till hits)
• SB4
• SB5

Agadar.4931:

…it seems that Anet doesn’t WANT us to kite. They want us to EVADE. Think about that. Instead of running away in an obvious straight line from your opponent, what about dodging right past him? Get those +endurance regen and vigor buffs up, and you’re dodging all over the place.

I completely agree with this part of the post. Rangers have excellent endurance regeneration from several sources. Our weapons have build in evades on them. It does seem pretty obvious that ANet intends for Rangers to be an evasion profession.

With the right pets some professions can be kited, but it’s difficult. Your best bet is to swap to a melee set (greatsword or sword/dagger) and use those evades. While you’re in melee combat with someone, you become rather static (especially with sword/dagger) and consequently your opponent is forced to stand still or stay within a much smaller area, giving your pet plenty of opportunity to actually hit them.

It sounds counterintuitive, but it works.