Guild Wars 2

I understand we are getting a shiny new elite, but are we getting improvements to the weak core Ranger? Clunky Druid? Pets that still have issues since before launch? Melee weapons being beefed up? Anything good happening? Do we continue to move forward without addressing some issues?

Core ranger is not weak. It can be very strong but only with a very specific playstyle.
Many traits/weapons the core ranger has are useless/weak ore have only use in a very specific niche. But this doesn’t mean the class is weak, it just lacks variety of good/effective builds per game mode/playstyle.

We know that soon there will be a major balancing update, that wants to address some issues the core and HoT traits/skills have when you look at the bigger picture with the new PoF elite specs.

Imo it’s unlikely that they’ll fix pets at this moment in time.

We just got a new meele weapon for ranger. It’s not that unlikely that the devs look for synergy with existing meele weapons and if they don’t find any, they’ll create some.

Of course we move forward and of course they won’t address all issues.

Adenin.5973:

…it just lacks variety of good/effective builds per game mode/playstyle…

This I cannot agree with. Ranger has the most variety of good and effective builds with the most roles that can be filled of all classes. Of each of those roles, there is likely a more effective class to perform it specifically, but Ranger can do them all well.

I was going to say no, but the game has actually improved many things for core Ranger, so it wouldn’t be fair to say they did nothing since the game released.

But still, just assume the answer is no anyway.

I am hoping many things get a second look during this expansion.

Some trait love would be awesome! Would love strider’s defense to be usable with any melee weapon. If they do that they could increase the cool down between procs as it could be OP with the new dagger stacking condis with so much quickness so easily.

We cant say for sure but there is a huge balance patch planned. It will be much larger in scale compared to last balance patches and will introduce new mechanics for some classes/skills like the new skill stacking mechanic (functions kinda like mantra) and the barrier mechanic(extra hp shield that expire after few sec). It’s rumored this patch will occur on August 8th. It will be very large patch changing some gear/food/utility buffs, adding legendary armor to pvp and WvW, gliding in WvW and probably more surprises.

If its going to happen it is most likely going to happen with the big pre PoF balance patch that is most likely happening next tuesday. If nothing then then don’t expect anything major, maybe just a tweek here or there.

Here’s hoping Drake AI is fixed and core melee pets’ auto attacks being affected by quickness is addressed. Also hoping Fortifying Bond is baseline and sword’s auto attacks can cleave on all hits.

I don’t expect any improvements on core ranger. We had some core-spec love during HoT because our e-spec was full support, and running core was the only way for us to do any damage. The same with revenants and engineers. Now we have a DPS e-spec (ofk maybe I’m wrong and that stance sharing is a hint for a second in a row support spec). Anet would just shoot in their own tow if core ranger would be competable in dps with new expansion spec.
Right now I’m expecting totall pre-PoF overhaul that will nerf core viper-ranger to the level of core power-ranger, while soulbeast will be on a level of current viper ranger.
As for druid – well, as long as HoT has a price tag there is still a hope for fixes, love and balancing.
P.S. I am not salty or negative, this is just how capitalism works. That’s totally logical and justified: if you want to sell customers a new car, it sould be better then their old car.

At the very least we are getting new pets, which in turn adds more options to core ranger. If they are roughly on par with the HoT pets we’ll have a bigger roster of top tier ones.

Why does everyone keep saying Druid is clunky?

But as for core ranger it’s actually not in too bad of a spot, it can still fill any role, the only one it does better than others though is condi.

I’m hoping our power builds will get some love, and some of our useless/boring traits will get changed, and maybe, just maybe, our spirits will get an update to be less boring.