Guild Wars 2

So I’ve tried using ranged weapons with my greatsword including the shortbow and axe but for some reason, I really struggled to kill anyone in PVP. I got bored today and paired my greatsword ranger with a shortsword and warhorn and surprisingly, it worked infinitely better for me.

The shortsword has some of my favorite ranger skills, , it gives you good cripples, poisons and dodges which kinda adds a new dynamic. Whenever I would charge with greatsword and then dodge around and stab with shortsword, it kinda played like the unholy lovechild of a warrior and a thief haha.

i play the same set myself, albeit i rotate between axe offhand and warhorn for DPS or movement. It is a bit “weird” to play melee ranger, but it sure is rewarding.

Prysin.8542:

i play the same set myself, albeit i rotate between axe offhand and warhorn for DPS or movement. It is a bit “weird” to play melee ranger, but it sure is rewarding.

glad to hear I’m not the only one, I basically have that build with a bunch of traps, it’s strangely rewarding to play melee ranger.

It’s a fun playstyle, that’s for sure. I main a power ranger myself. Longbow (or Greatsword)/Sword-Axe

(its just sword and greatsword btw, no shortsword haha)

With a longbow + melee weapon set, you will find that it is actually better for your enemy to close range on you first before you swap to your melee set.

shadowpass.4236:

It’s a fun playstyle, that’s for sure. I main a power ranger myself. Longbow (or Greatsword)/Sword-Axe

(its just sword and greatsword btw, no shortsword haha)

With a longbow + melee weapon set, you will find that it is actually better for your enemy to close range on you first before you swap to your melee set.

Yeah sorry idk why I call it shortsword idk lol

I found the trap ranger very strong too. It would be nice to experience that kind of “immortal” feeling on a Longbow power specc.

gawker.8340:

I found the trap ranger very strong too. It would be nice to experience that kind of “immortal” feeling on a Longbow power specc.

I love trap rangers, on this melee ranger I use traps and it works very well. I tried spirit but maybe it was just me but I couldn’t play it very well.

A lot of this relative enjoyment has to do with ranger bow skills being quite lame. Thief, warrior and even the conjured frost bow are more exciting and useful than a mostly vanilla turret. It’s best not to think of the insult it actually is to make other classes more interesting at range than a ranger.

OrianZeta.1537:

A lot of this relative enjoyment has to do with ranger bow skills being quite lame. Thief, warrior and even the conjured frost bow are more exciting and useful than a mostly vanilla turret. It’s best not to think of the insult it actually is to make other classes more interesting at range than a ranger.

the bow for the ranger isn’t exactly boring, particularly the shortbow where I do like the rapid fire bleeding and the back jump dodge, I’ve seen people use bows exceptionally well. Me on the other hand, I found myself dying a lot as I didn’t have much recovery and only average dps. I may try it again now that I’ve had more practice as a ranger, but so far melee ranger has worked a lot better for me so far.

Ive raised a second ranger to 80 recently, and barely touched a bow… just for some damage comparisons really.

Running as a power/trap ranger, the power part a bit unique but working out really well in wvw. I just dont aim for condition damage so much as duration. I’m even using main hand axe which I was sure I would never do. Every ricochet is a crap-shoot but sometimes the numbers are pleasantly high if all the multipliers line up.

Otherwise agree with you on sword, its very mobile. I miss hunters shot on LB but thats about it.

I find I play as a skirmisher, not quite in there with the melees (not quite tanky enough) but just on the fringe laying down damage and cc. The problem with trap ranger is it takes up your utility slots so you really need to rely on passive defense a lot more.

I and a few others in the PvP corner have started using basically what is the Ranger equivalent of the Thief S/D build. Greatsword and Sword/Dagger with pirate runes and air and fire sigils. Basically 2 birds each hitting for 2k while you evade and your odd attacks proc 5k worth of sigil damage. It’s amazing.