Guild Wars 2

Hey guys, I’m looking for some help tightening up my build for PvP. And possibly some play tips.

Here’s what I’ve been running: Ka-LINK

My standard point rotation is just bouncing between home and mid as needed. I’m the guy who takes home to start if no one else calls it and I guard it for a short bit before helping mid. When team leaves a point after team fight, I generally stay back to prevent the decap. Then watch mid and/or home depending on the map. I rarely go far unless the other team had a weird split.

This did me good in S3 (got to mid ruby) but seems to be having more trouble in S4. Only difference is “Protect Me” over what used to be “Search and Rescue”. S&R just doesn’t feel worth it after the nerf a few months back, but maybe I should try it in a few Unranked games.

Personal preference: I won’t be speccing Druid. I know it’s basically a straight upgrade but it’s just not me, ya dig?

Where the build works:
-Off point pew-pew.
-Good swiftness uptime/mobility
-Good control (when it lands)
-Good damage on GS (when it lands)
-Decent condi cleanse and the health to survive them
-Surprisingly ok escape options

Where I’m struggling:
-On point fights against Guardian,Warrior, and Engineer. SOO MANY BLOCKS. SO MUCH STAB. And AoEs to boot. Is there anything I can do or should I start conceding the point and go +1 mid?
-Team fights in general. It seems like 50/50 if I can get in there and do some GS damage or get bursted down. I wonder if part of that is the current “kill the druid/healer” mindset that PvP has nowadays. Except, ya know, I’m not actually a druid. Would I be better served sitting off point and slotting “search and rescue” despite its range?

I’m miffed that I can’t use Black Moa in this build anymore. His screech is straight inferior to Pink Moa now.
I also wish Moment of Clarity would trigger on pet interrupts. Right now we can have 2 interrupts on weapons, one on trap, and I think one on “Protect Me”. Pets would add another 2-3 depending on pet and would really help the build.

Suggestions?

auto-attack when they come into lb range. Once they get to the point they will maybe be 1 cd shorter. Drop barrage on the point before they get to it. Cry for help.

That’s all I got sorry. Spike trap is the only ranger skill that will go through a block ,but ya…

Awww yeah! That old Valk remoreseless build was my fave core ranger build and I still run it on my F2P accounts when I’m bored.

But yeah, it pretty much gets kittened on by all the elite specs now.

Sorry. It’s just how it is now. With all the blocks, stability, aegis, protection, blinds, auto CC procs floating around it’s almost impossible to land a good burst in between everything. Not to mention you lack the sustain to go toe to toe against half the classes on point.

If you can, try slotting refined toxins in instead of shared anguish, or sigil of doom. If you end up in a stalled 1v1, the constant poison application will at least help cut down their ability to heal/sustain. That’s pretty much it.

If you can use HoT pets that might help too. Tiger for perma fury so you can drop a few of you WK traits for more damage mitigation ones, and smokescale for their smokefield. Either leap through for stealth, or shoot through to blind them.

Chrury.4627:

stuff….

Personal preference: I won’t be speccing Druid. I know it’s basically a straight upgrade but it’s just not me, ya dig?
….more stuff

Suggestions?

yah, druid is not like any other elite that each is an upgrade from the vanilla class. Druid is actually your class, because ranger is being pretty bad and is not a complete\self-sufficient class. So sadly you should rethink that.

pets, i would use 2 canines. smoke and other dog as thier proc CC more often than a moa.

maybe try S\D instead GS? you need more mobility. In any case the LB won’t work with all this projectile hate. or even axe\x so you don’t have to get in the middle?

Think druid will not make things much better, but you could get an extra stealth, another breakstun and an extra CC. I know druid is like WTH!? but is not like you have a choice when we are talking about ranger.

Im not really going to dig deep into this build, but two small condi cleanses seems to be too less. Considered Rune of Lyssa? You can handle this one as you have 3 stunbreaks, so its not too necessary to use Strenght of the Pack immediately at the start of a fight (so you can spare it to use as a condi cleanse or better: conversion actually). This will also give you extra precision, which you will need more than the ferocity of the Rune of Rage. You can already have a 100% fury uptime without the Rune of Rage, so this is not a reason to keep it.

Yeah, I think you should use HoT pets and Destroyer, or Demolisher amulet with scholar or trapper runes.

With destroyer just walk up and try to shoot everything to death before they figure out what is going on. If you want to skirmish in a more serious fashion try using Demolisher and trapper runes. Be slippery.

You are too flimsy to duel anything up close, without HoT spec. Shoot and run.

Justine.6351

auto-attack when they come into lb range. Once they get to the point they will maybe be 1 cd shorter. Drop barrage on the point before they get to it. Cry for help.

:(

That’s all I got sorry. Spike trap is the only ranger skill that will go through a block ,but ya…

I actually did run Spike Trap with a similar, weaker version of this build before the shout rework. It kinda worked sometimes but it wasn’t consistent. Replaced it with Search and Rescue them.

But yeah, it pretty much gets kittened on by all the elite specs now.

That’s what I’m afraid of but I’ll keep trying for a week or so. I have a DD and a Scrapper to fall back on if I need them to actually cross a division or two.

If you can, try slotting refined toxins in instead of shared anguish, or sigil of doom. If you end up in a stalled 1v1, the constant poison application will at least help cut down their ability to heal/sustain. That’s pretty much it.

Not sure about Doom but swapping in Refined Toxins is a decent idea. Sure, I wouldn’t be doing much damage with it but it would reduce enemies’ healing. And I only lose one free disable avoid per 60 seconds. Not a deal breaker with my other stunbreaks.

If you can use HoT pets that might help too. Tiger for perma fury so you can drop a few of you WK traits for more damage mitigation ones, and smokescale for their smokefield. Either leap through for stealth, or shoot through to blind them.

I can totally use HoT pets. Tiger would be another application of fury for remorseless to feed on, so long as it’s worth losing either the daze or the fear.
Could you elaborate on what traits you’re thinking of? Wilderness Knowledge is the best condi clear option I can think of.

Druid is actually your class, because ranger is being pretty bad and is not a complete\self-sufficient class. So sadly you should rethink that.

I’ll swap classes before I spec druid.

maybe try S\D instead GS? you need more mobility. In any case the LB won’t work with all this projectile hate. or even axe\x so you don’t have to get in the middle?

I’m guessing when you say mobility, you’re talking evades? I’m plenty mobile on GS and I have plenty of swiftness from traited shouts. GS also gets 2 handed training for a damage boost and more fury procs for Remorseless. You could be right about LB though, I’ll think about my options.

Considered Rune of Lyssa?

That’s an interesting thought.
Swapping to Lyssa would up my crit rate to ~14% without fury if I stick to Valk amulet. The boons and conversions would certainly help my survival and I could take Tiger for the lost fury proc.
Rune of Rage is more for the (4)Gain fury when hit (fuels Remorseless) and (6)While under fury gain +5% damage. The extra fury duration is just a bonus to feed the +5% damage.
Though I suppose Rune of the Pack would proc fury twice as often + might + more swiftness…
Thanks for the replies, lots to think about.

Archon.6480:

Yeah, I think you should use HoT pets and Destroyer, or Demolisher amulet with scholar or trapper runes.

With destroyer just walk up and try to shoot everything to death before they figure out what is going on. If you want to skirmish in a more serious fashion try using Demolisher and trapper runes. Be slippery.

You are too flimsy to duel anything up close, without HoT spec. Shoot and run.

Less control, more power. It’s worth a shot. I’m just kinda wary of primarily fighting off point in a game mode about control points.

Chrury.4627:

Archon.6480:

Yeah, I think you should use HoT pets and Destroyer, or Demolisher amulet with scholar or trapper runes.

With destroyer just walk up and try to shoot everything to death before they figure out what is going on. If you want to skirmish in a more serious fashion try using Demolisher and trapper runes. Be slippery.

You are too flimsy to duel anything up close, without HoT spec. Shoot and run.

Less control, more power. It’s worth a shot. I’m just kinda wary of primarily fighting off point in a game mode about control points.

Yeah, I totally dig that. I feel the same way. You should try Cavalier amulet over Valkyrie then. DH, Rev, and thief have insane direct damage so cavalier will counter those better than Valkyrie. Toughness is better against direct damage than Vitality. Cavalier and wurm runes give you all the ferocity you’ll need. The loss in power doesn’t really decrease your DPS as much as you’d think, especially with your allies pumping out might like crazy.

Good luck. I bet you’ll catch many people off guard with GS. So few people use the build you are running it will be a surprise.

Chrury.4627:

Not sure about Doom but swapping in Refined Toxins is a decent idea. Sure, I wouldn’t be doing much damage with it but it would reduce enemies’ healing. And I only lose one free disable avoid per 60 seconds. Not a deal breaker with my other stunbreaks.

Yeah, Shared anguish is nice, but the CD is long and people underestimate refined toxins. It’s not just you applying poison, but also your pet as well.

Chrury.4627:

I can totally use HoT pets. Tiger would be another application of fury for remorseless to feed on, so long as it’s worth losing either the daze or the fear.
Could you elaborate on what traits you’re thinking of? Wilderness Knowledge is the best condi clear option I can think of.

Tiger is pretty squish though, like bird. Also smokescales have a pretty consistent knockdown you can use as well. If you swap to it while you’re close to the other dude, he’ll usually use his knockdown first. Farther away, and he’ll use smokeassault.

I’d drop either LR or QZ for Signet of Renewal for one. Depends which one you feel you need less. Sometimes when you get condi bombed, you really do need a full wipe, and it’s good for your whole team as well. Just don’t forget to swap your pets right away or you end up with an insta dead pet. If you do need more condi clear, like someone else said either Lyssa or Soldier runes work as well.

I used to just use Wurm runes for the extra vitality buffer. It worked when the only real burst condi class was burn guard, and you could afford to soak up a bit of the damage instead of needing to clear it right away. Though now with condi wars and mesmers dropping a ton of condis at once, you do need some sort of burst clear.

I don’t know so much about dropping LB for S/D or S/A. It’s dependent on the other team comp/map. Just remember there are less projectile denials now with ele gone, and it’s still a way to throw on some consistent damage from a safe range.

Update: I’ve played around a bit and tried a few of the suggestions. Here’s where I’m at now: Ka-LINK
-Swapped in Refined Toxins as suggested. I’m not missing Shared Anguish and it helps with my pew-pew.
-Swapped Moa for Bristleback. Played around with a couple other pets but Wolf is just too useful. Couldn’t grok how to best use Smokescales field and Wolf’s fear still works sometimes.
-Swapped Beastly Warden for Zephyr’s Speed. Less CC in general but the boons help and Bristleback doesn’t proc BW in decent places anyway.
-Currently running Cavalier Amulet and Rune of Lyssa. Biggest thing there is learning when to pop SotP. But they keep me alive in different situations. Bit of a DPS decrease but ZS helps with that.

I’m finding my best bet against Guard and War is fight a bit, disengage, fight more at range. If Hunters Shot was 100% reliable, that would get me out of more scrapes. As it is though, things aren’t bad.

Funny thing though, I tested my build and the various permutations in unranked and did noticeably better on average than in ranked. Usually close to the same builds and comps, just generally closer to my skill level and no real roflstomps.

I’m not usually one to q_q but I think ranked matchmaking might be holding me back. I think I’m going to have to go scrapper or join the DH hordes to progress.