Guild Wars 2

I made a big list of what I think the community generally thinks are some skills and traits in need of a buff along with an explanation as to why. I’m also going to post some suggestions in regards to skills that aren’t bad but in need of a few usability updates along with some area’s that should be nerfed.

Hilt Bash – The problem with this skill is it’s range. The tooltip says it’s 300 range, but I’ve tested it plenty of times in HoM and found that it won’t strike past the same range as Maul, which is 220. The increase to 1.5 stun/daze was a good QoL improvement and made landing a maul after the CC possible. But it’s range should be as it says it is in the tooltip.

Maul – I think a problem with the greatsword is that none of it’s skills are multiple strikes or channels, which makes it hard to use the weapon against foes with constant blocks and blinds, such as guardians and theives, or even mesmers. Maul’s damage is negated by a single blind or block, whereas other GS burst skills, like 100b or whirling wrath, are channeled so all their damage isn’t negated by a single one of these. I think that if Maul were to count as two strikes (it retains the same damage, just counts as two seperate attacks) instead of a single strike, it would give the greatsword much better usability in general as well as against block/blind heavy specs. I understand that this would reduce the effectiveness of an Attack of Opportunity burst, but I really think the benefit would outweigh the con on that one.

Ricochet – This skill is nice after the buff, but I think the duration is a bit too short. Once you stop autoing to use other skills, nearly all the might stacks will expire. Buffing the duration from 3 seconds to 4 should be fair.

Whirling Defense – The function of this skill is great as it’s a five second long reflect, but the root can make you ineffective. People have commonly suggested to remove the root, but I’d rather see this skill receive a big overhaul.

Hunter’s Call – I don’t like how this skill is simply straight damage. A common suggestion has been to add a second of blindness on each hit, but it seems that that could shut down an opponent for too long, since the skill last four seconds and can be traited to a 20 sec recharge. What I think would be balanced would be if the damage remained the same, but the skill only hit 8 times instead of 16, thereby reducing the channel to 2 second, while also applying a second of blindness each hit. This way, a foe is only being shutdown for 2 seconds and the skill itself is more than just damage. And if not this, then atleast have the skill apply vulnerability. Even though the activation time was recently reduced to 1 second, it is still easy to miss as any block, blind, or evasion during that 1 second cast will negate it.

Master’s Bond – This trait needs to be made so pet stacks are not removed on pet swap or deactivation, plain and simple. As it stands, the moment you swap your pet, deactivate it, or enter water, the stacks are removed. I don’t mind losing stacks on a water entry, but pet swapping is essential to be a good ranger, and this trait shouldn’t be punished for that.

Compassion Training – There are only two skills affecting the player which can take advantage of this trait. Fernhounds Rejuvenate and Moa’s harmonic cry. The trait just isn’t good as it provides little of a benefit, whereas might stacks on pet swap and reduced shout cooldowns can be put to better use.

Natural Healing – This is a grandmaster trait which only heals the pet for 125 a second and is unaffected by healing power. The whole point of this trait is to help keep the pet alive, which it isn’t good at. By comparison, Signet of the Wild heals your pet for a bit over 3x the regeneration you receive and is affected by healing power.

Expertise Training – Pet’s aren’t a good source of condition damage. This trait just isn’t good at all and there are much better alternatives. In fact, I don’t think it could be good in its current form in anyway. It should be overhauled to something different.

Carnivorous Appetite – This trait could be good if glassy pets had enough sustain to benefit from it. I could see it being of use on a bm spec, but no one would go 4 into skirmishing for it. Overall it just isn’t useful as other traits outclass it.

Honed Axes – Mainhand axe isn’t really good for a power spec. It only ever shines when stacking might on mobs. But even then, there’s no reason not to run sword. And if you plan on trying MH power axe in pvp, you’re not going to do well. This trait needs a seperate function, or should grant it’s current benefit when using any one handed weapon.

Moment of Clarity – I think this trait works well if running a stunlock spec (gs/sb with boar pet), but if not, it falls short. Most of the times, this trait is taken by people 6 deep into skirmishing simply because there isn’t really a better alternative. Not only that, but only two weapon skills can take advantage of the increased CC durations, and only one of those weapons has a skill which can take advantage of the increased damage affect (gs). What I think would be fair is if the trait also granted say 200 extra power for a few seconds after interrupting an enemy, with an ICD of course.

Strider’s Defense – This trait just seems too niche and random to be effective. I think it needs a big overhaul.

Crippling Talon – The skill is fine but the projectile needs a speed boost.

Opening Stike – The problem with the opening strike minor traits is that they only benefit you once combat starts. After that, they simply do nothing. What I think would be fair is if, as a base effect, opening strike is also reapplied on weapon swap. This way, the traits actually help you during a fight instead of a being a one time bonus.

Remorseless – There really isn’t any other way to put it. This trait is just bad and very much outclassed by RtW and Predators Onslaught. I think it needs a big redesign.

Longbow and Read the Wind – I don’t think the LB having such incredible effectiveness at 1500 range is fair. Not every class can counter that; they simply have to eat damage until they are close enough to respond. Now, here is what I think would be fair. As it stands, the base projectile speed of the longbow is really kitten slow, and practically unusable at 1500 range. I think it should receive a 20% base projectile speed buff, but in turn, Read the Wind only grants a 50% increase in arrow speed. This way, the longbow arrow speed when traited is still enough to be effective at 1500 range, but not enough to the point where it’s overwhelming, and the base arrow speed is now enough to the point where the longbow is more effective when untraited.

Brutal Charge (Boar skill) – This skill literally never hits. The issue stems from the fact that the skill has a 2 1/2 second warmup, and after it’s finished, the boar charges in the direction the foe was at at the beginning of the skills warmup. If your opponent as much as side steps a few meters the boar will miss. I think the skill should only have a 1 1/2 second warm up, and after it’s done charging up, the boar should charge in the current direction of its foe.

Drake F2’s – The only f2’s which are mildly reliable are the river drakes and the marsh drakes. All others require your opponent to remain standing in front of the drake within 300 range. What I think is needed is that the drake will turn towards and continually face their opponent while the skill is being casted, that way it isn’t canceled once their opponent steps out of their field of view.

Spider and Devourer projectiles – I think that these pets need a simple speed boost to their projectiles. As it stands, it is very easy for them to miss.

Heal as One – The decreased casting time was very nice, but I still think it needs some other function, otherwise it’s just a bland healing skill.

Sick ’em – The reveal is nice, but the buff applied to your pet is removed if you use any of the f1-4 skills. I can understand it being removed when using an f2, as that could result in some strong burst if used in conjunction with SotW, but there is no reason for the buff being removed when you order your pet to attack or retreat.

Signet of Renewal, Empathetic Bond, and Protect Me – What I don’t like about these skills is that they harm the pet and can result in pet suicide. That is totally bad design. Sacrificing our profession mechanic shouldn’t have ever been a thing. Other classes use their profession mechanic; we are the only ones that have to sacrifice ours. This needs to be changed. Obviously you can’t just remove the components of these skills which harm the pet while leaving the benefits to the player, as that would be unbalanced. But I’m sure there is a fair way to change them.

Search and Rescue – I think this might be the most unused ranger skill of all. Relying on the pet for a revive just isn’t effective at all. It needs to be overhauled to something different.

Concussion Shot – I think the skill is decent as is. But I think it would be very neat and fitting if the skill applied say 2 stacks of confusion for 5 seconds on a daze and perhaps 4 stacks if you manage to flank and get the stun.

Throw Rock (Boar f2) – The skill is fine but needs a projectile speed boost. Seriously, you can’t land this unless you’re on top of your target.

Alright, that about covers all I wanted to talk about. I really hope these get looked at as I would love to see our versatility improved.

I really like many of your proposals.
Since this is such a good post for polishing ranger yet not making it too OP, I’d like to move my other post here too so we can have a more organized list

1. Piercing Arrow + Quick Draw:
Ok, let’s face it, these 2 traits really have no reason to waste 2 MASTER traits just to get the function that every other classes have. Warrior gets both -CD AND piercing with one ADAPT TRAIT, yet ranger needs TWO MASTERS? How does that make any sense?
Engineer’s rifle only has -CD because rifle pierces on default. Mesmer’s GS -CD gives bonus stat, and also has piercing on default. Thief only has piercing trait because their weapon skills have no CD, thus -CD is meaningless. Ele scepter pierces on default too.
Why is Ranger the only class that need to sacrifice so much just to do the same thing every other classes got it for granted?
Solution: Merge these traits and put it in Skirmishing master trait, just like Warrior.
(If you really can’t merge the trait because it may be OP, at least move piercing Arrow to Skirmishing adapt. There’s not a single trait really useful to Power ranger in Skirmishing adapt, which is super awkward)

2. Spotter: This trait putting in Power line makes absolutely no sense. Should move to Skirmishing Master. At least the Grand master slot for Skirmishing wouldn’t be completely useless in PVE now if spotter is in Skirmishing line. Also I think they’re just too many traits stuck in Marksmanship, that Skirmishing simply has nothing to choose from. I know many sword user may against my suggestion, but I think jamming all the “sword’s trait” into supposedly bow trait is not a very good idea. They simply need to polish skirmishing and add more damage relating traits into Skirmishing.

3. Sharpened Edges: This trait needs to be a minor trait for all it worth. Most other classes has this type of trait in minor trait (33%~66% to cause x condition when crit)
2 sec bleed is not much consider you have to waste a slot for it. The on swap swiftness trait can shift into the adapt trait to compensate.

4. Pet related traits in Skirmishing
Agility Training // Carnivorous Appetite:
Let’s face it, no-one in their right mind would take these traits in a Skirmish line. Their functions are too minimal and only affect pet. These traits need to merge with other traits, or give bonus to the ranger himself too.
(For example, Agility Training should increase both pet and ranger’s movement speed by 25% when pet is alive. Carnivorous Appetite should grant health to ranger when pet lands a hit, and grant health to pet when the ranger lands a hit.)

5. Strider’s Defense: This skill need to make it into a more reliable projectile reflector. Make it gives 2 seconds of range reflection upon switching to melee weapon, and recharge every 10 seconds when you swing your melee weapon again.

6. Shared Anguish: 90 CD for just one CC prevention, which you can’t decide which CC, and your pet has to suffer because of it? How come Warrior gain a full stability, no consequence, and CD is the same? Engineer even got a 5 CD protection when CCed!
This skill either need to grant stability like Warrior does (maybe shorter duration), or shorten the CD significantly (30 seconds)

7. Lightning Reflexes:
Should remove cripple and chill so the retreat distance are not greatly hindered by soft CC. Both rocket boot and thief’s retreat removes soft cc with a significantly shorter CD.
Lightning Reflexes has long cool down, so removes soft CC while break stun is quite reasonable.

the problem with remoresless currently is opening strikes and percing strikes since those minor traits only work once and the first attack only effects one target.

just remeber Remoresless is a Combination of all the minors and the grandmaster makes it so you can use it actively in combat after every stealth , this would be a great grandmaster only if opening strikes allowed More than one use so it can hit upto a limit of players under a multi target attacks.

though it could do with somthing extra , remoreless could work better if the minors were not so Retrictive aka 1 use per stealth .

heal as one needs to revive the pet if both pets are downed, the heal skill should glow blue when the secondary becomes active then your able to heal yourself only and revive the pet.

with the Brutal charge , i hit this skill a LOT , with some very well timed attacks and a spike trap , I have even PBS’ed some players into the Brutal charge , its not newbie friendly but when its buffed up with might and Vun on the target it hits like a Truck.
its just one of those skills that does a lot when it does it and if not set up correctly your going to waste it.

though this again is onther thread talking about the same stuff in other threads and i disagree with most of the suggestions but some do need a QoL change , mainly the Marksman minour traits but not remorseless since remorseless is only as good as its minor traits since it shares those effects.

Too tired to read through all of this right now but Natural Healing also applies to the ranger. It gives 125 health every 3 seconds, if you use Compassion Training it gets bumped up to 177 every 3 seconds.

^it’s still total garbage. never used by anyone good. not used in any viable, competitive build.

anyway, I fully agree with just about all of those OP. all we can hope for is that they do a once-over of all the traits and utilities for the xpac. colin HINTED they would. I hope this includes WH and OH axe which are entirely useless in organized pvp.

mistsim.2748:

^it’s still total garbage. never used by anyone good. not used in any viable, competitive build.

anyway, I fully agree with just about all of those OP. all we can hope for is that they do a once-over of all the traits and utilities for the xpac. colin HINTED they would. I hope this includes WH and OH axe which are entirely useless in organized pvp.

Not arguing that at all. The trait investment for such a crappy heal is ridiculous. Just wanted to clarify for the op since they never bothered including that info in the tool tips.

Pets can stack conditions adequately. They’re never going to be absolutely amazing at it, certainly nowhere near what a player can do on their own (nor should they be) but there are some pets who can do decent amounts of conditions with the right setup. Rending Attacks, Malicious Training, Sun Spirit, coupled with pets who have built-in damage conditions like Devourers, Spiders, cats, and a smattering of others…

I do agree that Expertise Training is pretty meh at the moment, but that’s mostly because the amount is so lackluster. 350 Condition Damage when all pets have a base of 0 to begin with is not exactly impressive. It probably needs to be at least double that to make a considerable difference. Either that or make the Pet Attribute Bonus boost condition damage as well.

As for Compassion Training… there are a few other things it affects besides the ones you listed, A few other traits (like Carnivorous Appetite), a few pet skills like the Drake’s Chomp. Still very situational, but I don’t see a problem with it existing. Like above, though, I think it could use a boost in effectiveness since pets normally have 0 Healing Power.

Definitely agree on the buffs to pet skills. There are a lot more than Brutal Charge and Drake’s breath attacks that need buffs, though. I might do a complete pass when I have more time and list out all the ones I feel need help, but just off the top of my head, the bird families’ Swoop skill is rather pathetic. Less damage than a basic attack, and one single stack of vuln? Other than Leap combos (which are hit and miss since you can’t control the timing) its pretty darn lame, especially considering their other self-used attack is just a buff ability

Soilder.3607:

Maul – I think a problem with the greatsword is that none of it’s skills are multiple strikes or channels, which makes it hard to use the weapon against foes with constant blocks and blinds, such as guardians and theives, or even mesmers. Maul’s damage is negated by a single blind or block, whereas other GS burst skills, like 100b or whirling wrath, are channeled so all their damage isn’t negated by a single one of these. I think that if Maul were to count as two strikes (it retains the same damage, just counts as two seperate attacks) instead of a single strike, it would give the greatsword much better usability in general as well as against block/blind heavy specs.

This would be a huge nerf to maul imo. Maul really shines when combined with Attack of Opportunity from SotH or MoC. Making it a multiple hit attack will significantly lower its burst potential.

Aomine.5012:

3. Sharpened Edges: This trait needs to be a minor trait for all it worth. Most other classes has this type of trait in minor trait (33%~66% to cause x condition when crit)
2 sec bleed is not much consider you have to waste a slot for it. The on swap swiftness trait can shift into the adapt trait to compensate.

Swiftness is useful for all builds, but not all benefit from bleedprocs or even don’t want them. Those traits are fine as they are now.

Tail Wind and Furious Grip probably wouldn’t break the game if they worked out of combat isn’t of in combat only. It is also a pain that the pet attribute based traits only function in combat as well.

Then again they entire profession feel underdeveloped, rushed, and has most likely changed developmental focus a few times, but with little to no adjustments just band aid fixes to keep it afloat.

Puck.9612:

mistsim.2748:

^it’s still total garbage. never used by anyone good. not used in any viable, competitive build.

anyway, I fully agree with just about all of those OP. all we can hope for is that they do a once-over of all the traits and utilities for the xpac. colin HINTED they would. I hope this includes WH and OH axe which are entirely useless in organized pvp.

Not arguing that at all. The trait investment for such a crappy heal is ridiculous. Just wanted to clarify for the op since they never bothered including that info in the tool tips.

I knew that natural healing healed the ranger every 3 seconds. I didn’t include it because there’s nothing wrong about that.

If anything, were natural healing to receive a significant buff, the player heal portion might be better left unbuffed considering how strong regen rangers already are.

UmbraNoctis.1907:

Soilder.3607:

Maul – I think a problem with the greatsword is that none of it’s skills are multiple strikes or channels, which makes it hard to use the weapon against foes with constant blocks and blinds, such as guardians and theives, or even mesmers. Maul’s damage is negated by a single blind or block, whereas other GS burst skills, like 100b or whirling wrath, are channeled so all their damage isn’t negated by a single one of these. I think that if Maul were to count as two strikes (it retains the same damage, just counts as two seperate attacks) instead of a single strike, it would give the greatsword much better usability in general as well as against block/blind heavy specs.

This would be a huge nerf to maul imo. Maul really shines when combined with Attack of Opportunity from SotH or MoC. Making it a multiple hit attack will significantly lower its burst potential.

I understand that but I really think the benefit would outweigh the loss on that one. It wouldn’t hit as hard, but it would still hit hard.

Meanwhile, the entirety of our burst isn’t lost on a single block, blind, or aegis.

Soilder.3607:

I understand that but I really think the benefit would outweigh the loss on that one. It wouldn’t hit as hard, but it would still hit hard.

Meanwhile, the entirety of our burst isn’t lost on a single block, blind, or aegis.

Maul alone hits not very hard compared to other burst skills. If only half of a maul hits, I would not talk about “burst” anymore, it is more like an autoattack. It might not matter much for a longbow build, which uses the gs only as secondary weapon.
But as a meeleranger sometimes I really need the high burst from the combination of Maul+MoC or SotH. Sure, a “good” maul is hard to land on decent opponents, but if it lands, the reward is there.
Your suggestion would lower the “risk” , but also the “reward”. I would actually prefer the opposite.