Guild Wars 2

So recently I’m testing something no raid composition would care about, the dps of power ranger. Even though raid doesn’t care, this could be useful for fractal composition or open-world

I use full Berserker Gears with Sigil of Force and Fire (I know air is better..)
I’m not using the best food and best utility buff, and my armor is only exotic (With Ascended trinkets and Ascended Weapons plus Scholar Rune ofc). This mean my dps could be assumed to be maybe 1000 lower than the max benchmark, so take this into consideration when you see the dps number.

The testing is assuming me and my pet both have permanent all buffs and I have all the profession specific buffs.
Enemy Golems also have cripple and 25 stacks of Vulnerability on all the testing samples.

My pet of choice is tiger.
My utility slot including Signet of the Wild Passive and Sick-em.

I use these dps traits for testing:

Marksmanship:
Steady Focus , Predator Onslaught

Skirmishing:
Sharpening Edge, Spotter, Vicious Quarry OR Quick Draw

Beastmaster:
Two-hand Training, Honed Axe (Have both of them traited for testing GS too)

Here’s the result:

Greatsword no swapping: 17k~

Longbow no swapping (max range): 17~18k~

Sword + Axe no swapping (Vicious Quarry): 23k~

Sword + Axe swap with Longbow(Quick Draw): 20k~

Sword + Axe swap with Axe + Warhorn (Quick Draw): 20~21k~

Sword + Axe swap with Axe + Warhorn (Vicious Quarry): 21~22k~

Axe + Warhorn no swapping (Vicious Quarry): 17.5k~18.5k~

This dps difference is mainly because of the buff in Vicious Quarry in recent patch and Hone Axes giving 250 ferocity.

From this test we can see that the new power ranger rotation is best to not swap to LB at all, contrary to popular belief, and stick to Sword Axe 100% of the time.

From this testing we can also see that GS dps is absolutely atrocious for a melee weapon. (For reference, Dragon Hunter’s GS rotation with no swapping can reach up to 34k dps with the same gears, double the amount of Ranger’s GS)

Also Axe + WH is a vastly under-appreciate weapon set because the damage is actually higher than GS in a long run even when not swapping weapon at all. It also provide convenient boons and can hit up to 2 targets at once in a large area. (So if you can’t cleave 2+ targets with your melee weapon or LB, it’s best to use axe + warhorn.

Also Quick Draw is not worth taking anymore over Vicious Quarry if you don’t plan on playing Druid because it actually lowers your dps.

Also contrary to popular belief, LB is not any stronger than Axe Warhorn, in both Quick Draw rotation and no swapping.

I hope this testing will enlighten people about what Power Ranger’s dps really is like.
(And as I mentioned before, with full Ascended armor, best food and sigil of Air, the dps can go up about 1k more, so take that into consideration)

PS: Pet contribute around 3.3k of dps, so our actual dps need to be decreased by 3.3k.
That’s about 14.5% of our total dps assuming we’re using Sword+ Axe.

Thanks for the testing!
I was looking at power scalings myself on weapons and the 2 that stood out were WH#4 and Axe#5, have you perhaps tried out Sword/WH + Sword/Axe and if Quick draw actually makes a difference for this swapping?
Also might i suggest Flame Trap as 3th Utility for fire combo’s: leap (sword#2) blast (WH#5) and whirl (Axe#5).
I also assume you are using “We heal as One”, especially when you use WH#5 using Heal skill shortly after will increase Might stacks even more.

It is clear that Sword main-hand is just the superior Main-hand to use in a power build at this time (thanks to Predator’s Onslaught having a 100% uptime), with sooulbeast in mind however, things might change quite a bit.

Skuzz.6580:

Thanks for the testing!
I was looking at power scalings myself on weapons and the 2 that stood out were WH#4 and Axe#5, have you perhaps tried out Sword/WH + Sword/Axe and if Quick draw actually makes a difference for this swapping?
Also might i suggest Flame Trap as 3th Utility for fire combo’s: leap (sword#2) blast (WH#5) and whirl (Axe#5).
I also assume you are using “We heal as One”, especially when you use WH#5 using Heal skill shortly after will increase Might stacks even more.

It is clear that Sword main-hand is just the superior Main-hand to use in a power build at this time (thanks to Predator’s Onslaught having a 100% uptime), with sooulbeast in mind however, things might change quite a bit.

I did not use any healing in between because this is a raid golem setting, assuming one have all the buffs beforehand. (In dps testing you don’t self apply boons on youself btw, you go for highest dps rotation)

Using healing skill is a dps decrease for ranger, so I didn’t use it.

Also I didn’t bring Flame Trap or Sharpening Stone in utility because I want to test a realistic build. I don’t think any power ranger will bring flame trap or sharpening stone to be honest, that’s why I only include Signet of Wild and Sick-em, both of them are likely to be used by power ranger.

PS: Things like frost spirit is already included in the buff section so no need to bring it myself XD.

Skuzz.6580:

Thanks for the testing!
I was looking at power scalings myself on weapons and the 2 that stood out were WH#4 and Axe#5, have you perhaps tried out Sword/WH + Sword/Axe and if Quick draw actually makes a difference for this swapping?
Also might i suggest Flame Trap as 3th Utility for fire combo’s: leap (sword#2) blast (WH#5) and whirl (Axe#5).
I also assume you are using “We heal as One”, especially when you use WH#5 using Heal skill shortly after will increase Might stacks even more.

It is clear that Sword main-hand is just the superior Main-hand to use in a power build at this time (thanks to Predator’s Onslaught having a 100% uptime), with sooulbeast in mind however, things might change quite a bit.

Also I tested what you suggested :

Sword + Axe, Sword+ Warhorn (Quick Draw): 21k~
The 250 ferocity bonus from both Hone Axe and Vicious Quarry really is huge.
Swapping out of Axe is a dps loss according to the testing.

I also tested
Sword Axe + Sword Axe (Quickdraw): 21k~
(Same weapon set shares the CD so Quick Draw advantage is smaller)

Yeah, even at maximum damage, it’s pretty low. With all buffs, it’s near half what the top DPS spec is. Sword could do with some serious buffs to power coefficients.

I don’t think GS is that bad to be honest, sure the DPS numbers suck but it is not a DPS weapon, it’s burst and defense. That said, I would not knock back a DPS increase, as long as it doesn’t come at the expense of the other capabilities.

Aomine.5012:

Sword + Axe swap with Axe + Warhorn (Vicious Quarry): 21~22k~

Axe + Warhorn no swapping (Vicious Quarry): 17.5k~18.5k~

Also Axe + WH is a vastly under-appreciate weapon set because the damage is actually higher than GS in a long run even when not swapping weapon at all. It also provide convenient boons and can hit up to 2 targets at once in a large area. (So if you can’t cleave 2+ targets with your melee weapon or LB, it’s best to use axe + warhorn.

Interesting, always suspected Axe/Warhorn to be one of the best set we have, all buffed, but was too lazy to do any kind of testing to show.

Will be even more interested to see BMastery traits in BMode and a Ferocious pet. Also, if ANet didn’t forget about the Splitblade split… Splitbade, if unsplit, is a DPS increase.

LB advantage in PvP and WvW is really just the range.

The question remains, what spec would we drop in favor for SBeast?
Beastmastery becomes a must basically, since Loud Whistle and Pet’s Prowess should benefit you when in Soulbeast mode, which is huge.

The question simply is, will GS be worth it (if so, then Marksmanship becomes the better option with access to a lot of opening strikes (maul granting opening strikes to yourself) and ’Sic Em being very strong in combination with the High Burst potential from GS).
If axes are the better option than it pairs best with Skirmishing (Sword/Axe, Axe/WH).

Funnily enough I just swapped my Power Ranger to Sword/Axe + Axe/Warhorn mostly for the fury but I was impressed with how Axe/Warhorn plays. If they could give us back the missing bounce for the auto and as Krispera said if they could unsplit splitblade, it would be a great set.

Sword needs buffs though.

Skuzz.6580:

The question remains, what spec would we drop in favor for SBeast?
Beastmastery becomes a must basically, since Loud Whistle and Pet’s Prowess should benefit you when in Soulbeast mode, which is huge.

The question simply is, will GS be worth it (if so, then Marksmanship becomes the better option with access to a lot of opening strikes (maul granting opening strikes to yourself) and ’Sic Em being very strong in combination with the High Burst potential from GS).
If axes are the better option than it pairs best with Skirmishing (Sword/Axe, Axe/WH).

For what game mode?

How about axe / axe any test about it? I think beastmastry with two handed trait and the axe trait can be very nice

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Skuzz.6580:

The question remains, what spec would we drop in favor for SBeast?
Beastmastery becomes a must basically, since Loud Whistle and Pet’s Prowess should benefit you when in Soulbeast mode, which is huge.

The question simply is, will GS be worth it (if so, then Marksmanship becomes the better option with access to a lot of opening strikes (maul granting opening strikes to yourself) and ’Sic Em being very strong in combination with the High Burst potential from GS).
If axes are the better option than it pairs best with Skirmishing (Sword/Axe, Axe/WH).

For what game mode?

Anything PvE related

Skuzz.6580:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Skuzz.6580:

The question remains, what spec would we drop in favor for SBeast?
Beastmastery becomes a must basically, since Loud Whistle and Pet’s Prowess should benefit you when in Soulbeast mode, which is huge.

The question simply is, will GS be worth it (if so, then Marksmanship becomes the better option with access to a lot of opening strikes (maul granting opening strikes to yourself) and ’Sic Em being very strong in combination with the High Burst potential from GS).
If axes are the better option than it pairs best with Skirmishing (Sword/Axe, Axe/WH).

For what game mode?

Anything PvE related

Then, GS rules supreme for open world PvE because it is burst oriented not DPS, otherwise it is rubbish.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Then, GS rules supreme for open world PvE because it is burst oriented not DPS, otherwise it is rubbish.

I think you missed the point here.. I was talking about GS in PoF with Soulbeast in mind, a lot changes for GS in Beastmode, as I described.
With Soulbeast in Beastmode you get:
- Stat bonuses gain from Pet when going in Beastmode will amplify GS’s bursty nature even more
- Maul will give Opening Strikes to yourself when in Beastmode
- ‘Sic Em’s 10sec burst window escalates quickly with a GS equipped
- Beastmaster’s passives that normally apply to pets will apply to you in Beastmode which again, further amplifies the damage

GS’s playstyle with Soulbeast just comes down to you swapping to GS when ’ Sic Em is up, when ’Sic em is on cooldown you swap to your other weapon set (which has a better overall stable dps). A 10 sec burst window with GS however will increase your overall DPS drasticly

Krispera.5087:

Aomine.5012:

Sword + Axe swap with Axe + Warhorn (Vicious Quarry): 21~22k~

Axe + Warhorn no swapping (Vicious Quarry): 17.5k~18.5k~

Also Axe + WH is a vastly under-appreciate weapon set because the damage is actually higher than GS in a long run even when not swapping weapon at all. It also provide convenient boons and can hit up to 2 targets at once in a large area. (So if you can’t cleave 2+ targets with your melee weapon or LB, it’s best to use axe + warhorn.

Interesting, always suspected Axe/Warhorn to be one of the best set we have, all buffed, but was too lazy to do any kind of testing to show.

Will be even more interested to see BMastery traits in BMode and a Ferocious pet. Also, if ANet didn’t forget about the Splitblade split… Splitbade, if unsplit, is a DPS increase.

LB advantage in PvP and WvW is really just the range.

I’d argue the main advantage of LB in WvW is the stealth lolz..
It really is the life-saver here.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Skuzz.6580:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Skuzz.6580:

The question remains, what spec would we drop in favor for SBeast?
Beastmastery becomes a must basically, since Loud Whistle and Pet’s Prowess should benefit you when in Soulbeast mode, which is huge.

The question simply is, will GS be worth it (if so, then Marksmanship becomes the better option with access to a lot of opening strikes (maul granting opening strikes to yourself) and ’Sic Em being very strong in combination with the High Burst potential from GS).
If axes are the better option than it pairs best with Skirmishing (Sword/Axe, Axe/WH).

For what game mode?

Anything PvE related

Then, GS rules supreme for open world PvE because it is burst oriented not DPS, otherwise it is rubbish.

Nah, the only thing good about GS in Open World is Leap that makes you travel faster.

Sword Axe has more utility, with convenient AOE pull from Axe 4, on demand dodge to avoid Champion’s deadly aoe, and Axe 5 reflecting projectiles. (Works very well in Bitterfrost map)

^That’s what I thought. Or at least why I favor GS over Sword/X. I find Hornet Sting -> Turn About -> Monarch’s Leap to be very clunky.

I suppose the problem with GS is that it’s more of a jack-of-all-trades power weapon. It has a mix of dmg, defense, and utility packed into its kit.

Aomine.5012:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Skuzz.6580:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Skuzz.6580:

The question remains, what spec would we drop in favor for SBeast?
Beastmastery becomes a must basically, since Loud Whistle and Pet’s Prowess should benefit you when in Soulbeast mode, which is huge.

The question simply is, will GS be worth it (if so, then Marksmanship becomes the better option with access to a lot of opening strikes (maul granting opening strikes to yourself) and ’Sic Em being very strong in combination with the High Burst potential from GS).
If axes are the better option than it pairs best with Skirmishing (Sword/Axe, Axe/WH).

For what game mode?

Anything PvE related

Then, GS rules supreme for open world PvE because it is burst oriented not DPS, otherwise it is rubbish.

Nah, the only thing good about GS in Open World is Leap that makes you travel faster…

Well, I like it because you can 1-shot mobs with it and continue on.