Guild Wars 2

in your opinion, where is the ranger lacking?

I think the ranger falls short in two categories:
- support
- bunker (lacks team utility and damage)

you guys think druid will fill a support bunker role? what will the mechanic be? I think it will still involve the pet (extrapolating from the trailer).

I imagine the druid mechanics themselves will involve CC or Self Buffing in some way. Thats more due to the nature of druids in other games however so id love for A-Net to come up with a COMPLETELY new playstyle for the druid archetype.

As far as how it interacts with the pet. Im looking forward to the reveal on the druid mechanic itself but im not gonna think to kitten that until they give us more information. Largely because its a pain in the kitten due to it causing us to want to play the class MORE so we can experience it ourself. Good for raising hype. Bad for just trying to enjoy the game on a daily basis. (Every time I play my ranger im always distracted by the fact that ill one day be playing a druid)

would love to see shapeshifting mechanic / swapping spirits with pet or something. dying to play something resembling my feral druid in WoW years and years ago.

we also know the druid will be using jungle-themed powers. so vines, poison, bleeding, and maybe heals? one of the staff skills is a long channel that shoots out a large vine (does not seem viable in pvp given the long channel currently).

I want to play Support for Druid with nice tanking from forms.
That’s why I been asking for staff healing for a while now on rangers.

I love playing support, even in this game where it’s not as rewarding. But laying out a nice timed heal or buff to allies and watching them kick butt is fun.

I’m hoping for CC and AoE based stuff in the form of grasping roots and similar things. As far as the pets go, I’m hoping they get upgraded at least a little bit.

I can imagine things like an area immobilize and bleed, an AoE regen and condi clear buff, and planting seeds in an enemy to watch it grow like a parasite, dealing damage over time.

Now: trap, bunker condi, spirit, archer
I think we will get shapeshift or something that, mass support, cc, aoe

I hope we see more of the d&d druid/controller and less of the typical wow Druid.

Well, the one preview skill we got looked like a ranged staff attack which left a path of vines. The pet was still enabled and auto-attacked once the spell fired…

Given that, I’d predict a diminished focus on Pets along with some control/conditions from the path of vines (probably cripple and/or bleed in a line, like how Staff Eles leave a burning trail on their fire dodge skill).

Extrapolating from that… I’m also thinking a more Control/Support focus for the Druid. Medium range, few “pure damage” skills with a lot of team support mixed with conditions. Vine patches, grasping immobilizing vines, temporary lashing vines, paths of vines. VINES!

No idea where the Pet fits in with this scenario though. Maybe it just auto-attacks passively like a Necromancer’s does…

Well Kelthien, “a lot of team support mixed with conditions” would suggest that the druid buffs the everloving hell out of their pet and then makes it so the enemy can’t escape the pet.

I don’t like to say it before we see it, but i wont like it..
I’m just more then sad that we have no true archer class in GW2 like we used to know Ranger in GW1… All this mixes with druid and pets is making me wanna play another role. I’m ranger main for 4+ years with more then 1000h+ on ranger, and i can say i was never so bored with ranger in other game. Wish GW1 optional pets would get back….

And for the staff ranger i think it’s going to be blahhh, i don’t want another “staff-guardian”

Harnel.6810:

Well Kelthien, “a lot of team support mixed with conditions” would suggest that the druid buffs the everloving hell out of their pet and then makes it so the enemy can’t escape the pet.

I think you’re right! Lose some control over the pet, but gain better methods to support it and your allies. Sounds like a fair trade-off.

I’m still interpreting this whole “specialization” thing as an alternative and equal, but not universally superior, play style. I would be just fine with the druid doing slightly lower overall damage but providing more support/control options.

Kelthien.8593:

I think you’re right! Lose some control over the pet, but gain better methods to support it and your allies. Sounds like a fair trade-off.

I’m still interpreting this whole “specialization” thing as an alternative and equal, but not universally superior, play style. I would be just fine with the druid doing slightly lower overall damage but providing more support/control options.

As far as I’m aware, Colin has stated that is the case. Not specifically the druid bit, but that specializations are customization options, rather than upgrades.

I have a very bad feeling this is going to be ranger / guardian, and nothing more. Colin said the words ‘almost like a secondary profession’, so why would they invent new mechanics?

I also have a bad feeling that this will either make guardians obsolete, or make no one play druid. Why would you need two support focused classes?

Gotej, in theory every class is a support focused class. Spirit ranger, shout warrior, well necro, and others. chances are, we’re looking at something entirely different from a simple and basic support. Furthermore, guardians have different armor art, abilities, and are going to be getting a specialization all their own. There’s no real chance of stepping on toes here.

Firelysm.4967:

I don’t like to say it before we see it, but i wont like it..
I’m just more then sad that we have no true archer class in GW2 like we used to know Ranger in GW1

Well, Rangers weren’t archers in GW1. They were rangers. With traps, spirits, preparations, stances, pets. And a bow. A weapon you could easily swap out depending on your secondary profession (the ranger was probably the most versatile class in that regard). Expertise was their profession attribute, marksmanship wasn’t.

Lazze.9870:

Firelysm.4967:

I don’t like to say it before we see it, but i wont like it..
I’m just more then sad that we have no true archer class in GW2 like we used to know Ranger in GW1

Well, Rangers weren’t archers in GW1. They were rangers. With traps, spirits, preparations, stances, pets. And a bow. A weapon you could easily swap out depending on your secondary profession (the ranger was probably the most versatile class in that regard). Expertise was their profession attribute, marksmanship wasn’t.

The ranger in GW1 was a true archer, the bow was the primary weapon of rangers, with most skills influencing the bow.

I’d expect more focus on the pet, AE and debuffs/soft CC. I’m gonna be pretty miffed if there’s no shape shifting too as it’s a hallmark “Druid” ability.

Based purely on the look of the vine attack we saw, I’m going with AoE / Control, which would be very nice indeed.

I’m not a huge fan of supporting roles so I quietly hope it isn’t that but any big change is always fun regardless.

Cufufalating.8479:

Based purely on the look of the vine attack we saw, I’m going with AoE / Control, which would be very nice indeed.

Agreed and based purely on the video shown likely the class mechanic will have something to do with pets (meaning they still won’t be optional) so… Unless it’s putting out more DPS than my current Ranger build I won’t be swapping over to it.

REALLY? WOW… 10 minutes between posting!??!? W___TF is this!??? It’s like they don’t want posting on their on forum or something. And no, time between post doesn’t equate to quality either.

thefantasticg.3984:

REALLY? WOW… 10 minutes between posting!??!? W___TF is this!??? It’s like they don’t want posting on their on forum or something. And no, time between post doesn’t equate to quality either.

It’s to counter spammers like you :P

lol, it just amazes me… Plenty of other forums I’m on and have been on have, at most, 20 seconds between posts.

guys…the ranger has never got any love. The class is totally broken. Just compare ranger survival skills with the warriors..or eles…or thieves…ranger is 100km behind such classes.
Moreover look at our F skills and compare them to other classes F skills…compare our pets with…warrior eviscerate for example….
There is no hope. Anet won’ t fix ranger. And druid will suck hard in pvp couse ranger sucks hard. So don’ t be too happy. The disappointment train for rangers never stops…..

I’m honestly a bit worried. I personally feel the Ranger’s problems with group utility and support should have been resolved before taking the Druid into consideration.

This way the class as a whole could stand on its own and the Druid specialization could add something entirely different to the class. I’m worried we’ll see Rangers in PvE because the class overall does well there but nothing but Druids in PvP and organized WvW groups.

But with my typical cynicism out of the way, I think it’ll be largely a utility/CC type of weapon that provides good healing and boon support to allies.

Just gonna say this now – I hope to god that druids will bring rangers into the WvW meta.

They need some area cleave, soft cc, and better group support, and perhaps they can have a place in zergbusting

i hope.

druid in the frontline would be nice. im also looking out for that. GS/sword/x is actually just fine in terms of cleave, but our traits and utilities give us no sustain. and we cant gain stability reactively like warriors and guards because RaO and SoW have cast times due to their secondary (damage) function.

I agree that in general rangers are a mess. the only useful utilities are signets and survival skills, but they bring no group utility to the table. 3 utility lines (spirits, traps and shouts) are actually entirely useless in wvw and pvp metas.

the ranger is probably the most selfish class in the game which is really sad and counterintuitive. this makes condi rangers excellent duelists in pvp and wvw, but that’s about all we can do well.

to respond to a few posts about ranger as archer – I believe LB power builds are actually very close to being competitive….we just need maybe one more way to reset the fight, and some way of bringing utility to the group. LB zerker builds need to be competitive with thieves and mesmers in wvw as periphery assassins, and in conquest as mobile dps/support.

I believe the druid will bring lots of support to the group. I hope staff has some nice cleave and sustain. sadly, I don’t think the druid can fix everything that’s wrong with the prof, which is why im hoping they will also do a significant revamp of multiple traits and utilities in time for HoT

I think the new class mechanic should fuse the druid with his pet allowing you to directly control your pet for a certain amount of time and mictate dmg for that duration because it goes into pet hp. Pet swapping might be removed though.

Beast Mastery traitline become Animal Spirit and focusses on increasing the duration for which you can fuse as well as traits that increase dmg/hp/… of the fused form and add overall healing/group support.

http://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Druid

All the wiki says so far is that they use plant based attacks.

In other games druids tend to be mages that use magic to protect nature from the rest of civilization. They also tend to have some healing abilities and sometimes even the ability to shape-shift.

I predict the druid will get staff skills that provide some sort of heal/support possibly on par with Water Staff Ele support output. I also predict seeing an ability that uses vines or similar objects to root players/targets in place. They might even use a “touch” spell or 2 as touch rangers did in GW1 (Even though they were R/N).

As far as a new mechanic to the class i think that we will be surprised. I remember back when the ranger CDI was going on players recommended an Aspect or Aura like abilities to replace the current pet mechanics. The Devs at the CDI appeared to like this idea and it appeared like they gave it some serious thought, i have a feeling that we are going to see something along the lines of that.

What if Rangers lose the pet in favor of the aspect and Druids are the ones with pets! dun dun duuunnnnnn1!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!

Harnel.6810:

Gotej, in theory every class is a support focused class. Spirit ranger, shout warrior, well necro, and others. chances are, we’re looking at something entirely different from a simple and basic support. Furthermore, guardians have different armor art, abilities, and are going to be getting a specialization all their own. There’s no real chance of stepping on toes here.

Really hope you are right. From what we know so far I am still skeptical. Staff seems so boring. Not to mention if they want to go different it seems they have to go back towards the original Monk concept. Healing Monk was the most boring job to have.

And yes, I realize they wanted to get rid of the Monk and have everyone be able to heal. Also the Monk concept seems more fitting for a Guardian specialty….I guess I’m just trying to fit what this all means like everyone else.

I still go back to the staff though. That is the most uninteresting weapon to me…just be the buff guy why everyone else gets to have fun. I hope I am wrong.

i was hoping staff would be melee, but i guess we can’t seem to get out of the ‘staffs are only for mages’ thing.

From the short clip we got a peak at, it looked like the wolf only ran in after the ‘Druid’ used his vine entangle-looking skill. It would be interesting to see pet mechanics change in that we have more advanced control of pets via combat abilities to synergize with our own movements.

you will able to talk to animals and have the ability to rapid fire using hamsters as ammunition and do quadruple damage. hamster op.

I’m wondering – what if they make ninja attack and make druid a pet class? I mean full on pet classes, with better control and more “pets”.

For example those vines he shot might be a form of a pet/minion, that will remain there for a while attacking enemies nearby and generally guarding their turf?

Or summon vines that will entangle and damage their foes, but unlike those joke roots from entangle or sylvari racials, these ones would be real tenacious pieces of work, with pet like abilities, hp, and possibility of being healed/buffed by the ranger?

In short i wonder if we won’t have a “thorny pet based zone control/support profession”.

Meanwhile in hope this specialization will bring us something that is like “even the nature is with us!”, I highly doubt that “Druid” Rangers will be competitive to Guardians & Water Eles when /somewhy/ party asks for a (healer)supporer.

Will a “druid” be able to summon a griffon nest to shield allies, or order nearby animals to fight on his side? I’ts yet up to discover…

I want this mordrem-troll-bees following the enemy. Maybe as a trap
It would be more fun, if they could follow stealths enemies >;)

What is exactly the specialization or I prob do not see the hole picture, the only thing that I see so far is just a Ranger + staff = Druid, they will add a new weapon and some traits. And I do not know why anet name those specializations, because in the end everyone will run the same meta build ish. In GW1 there was no specialization and you defined your own class and define your own picture of a Druid. Now everyone get the same package, which is just another build with just new weapon.
For me the specialization “Druid” that they came up with is just to make it sound beautiful, but it is a good thing that other weapon types will be available for the classes.

Bakabaka.6185:

in the end everyone will run the same meta build ish

Be careful with what you say…

“everyone” means “average players” in that sentence.

Lazze.9870:

Firelysm.4967:

I don’t like to say it before we see it, but i wont like it..
I’m just more then sad that we have no true archer class in GW2 like we used to know Ranger in GW1

Well, Rangers weren’t archers in GW1. They were rangers. With traps, spirits, preparations, stances, pets. And a bow. A weapon you could easily swap out depending on your secondary profession (the ranger was probably the most versatile class in that regard). Expertise was their profession attribute, marksmanship wasn’t.

rangers in gw1 were primarily archers, all the ranger specific attack skills were bow/arrow based.

Every class could be become somthing “different” beacuse of secondary professions.

sminkiottone.6972:

Lazze.9870:

Firelysm.4967:

I don’t like to say it before we see it, but i wont like it..
I’m just more then sad that we have no true archer class in GW2 like we used to know Ranger in GW1

Well, Rangers weren’t archers in GW1. They were rangers. With traps, spirits, preparations, stances, pets. And a bow. A weapon you could easily swap out depending on your secondary profession (the ranger was probably the most versatile class in that regard). Expertise was their profession attribute, marksmanship wasn’t.

The ranger in GW1 was a true archer, the bow was the primary weapon of rangers, it with most skills influencing the bow.

Bows were their primary weapon of choice, still everything I said was true. The ranger as an archetype has always been much more than just an archer, and that has ALWAYS been the case in Guild Wars. You have never been forced to wield a bow, the ranger could easily wield weapons that wasn’t a part of its core proffession, more than any other class.

The druid speciliazation expands on something that has always been a part of the ranger. It doesn’t make any sense being worried about the ranger taking a step away from being a true archer when the profession always have been much more than just an archer.

Btw, you’re wrong. Most skills didn’t influence the bow. Barely 1/3 of them did.

What I wanna see: Build relying on spirits, and temporary spirit skills, with team support (something like Ele Ice Bow), that will be very very useful for pve meta other than the current LB\SA build.

What I think it will be Useless build that has to do with cc and conditions (like the thornes skill on the vid….), not desirable at all for PvE, no relations to spirits whatsoever. Maybe a couple of “healing” skills, like the Ele water attunment (staff)…

Prove me wrong Anet!

I think druid could be anet’s attempt to make ranger viable in wvw without making it OP in tpvp. E.g. give entangle to staff but lock the elite/give boon rip but lock sotf.

No one is thinking CC,boon,condi? All vines skills in game bleed and often have immobilize, looking at silvery racial skills I expect seeds,bleed,vines,usual pet,new mechanic and boons.

Oh plz no, sotf is the best thing to happen to ranger, since forever. GW2 forever anyway

= Just wanted to leave a sidenote: Pets should follow (& maybe reveal somehow) stealth enemies… they have senses what we don’t (why we can’t get it?!)… =

not to mention stealth should interrupted on taking damage anyway…

RoyalPredator.9163:

= Just wanted to leave a sidenote: Pets should follow (& maybe reveal somehow) stealth enemies… they have senses what we don’t (why we can’t get it?!)… =

not to mention stealth should interrupted on taking damage anyway…

This is a terrible idea. It would just make AoE spam even more powerful and indirectly nerf thieves even more.

RoyalPredator.9163:

= Just wanted to leave a sidenote: Pets should follow (& maybe reveal somehow) stealth enemies… they have senses what we don’t (why we can’t get it?!)… =

not to mention stealth should interrupted on taking damage anyway…

We already have thaat. It’s called Sic ’em. On the right power build a ranger has no problem with stealthers anymore. On condi.. well on condi a ranger never had problems vs any class anyways…

healing support i suppose

Simon.3794:

healing support i suppose

Yeah because healing is so much needed on this game…

I think Druid will get Staff which has traps… On weapon skills… allowing us to make a first class trapper build.

trapper = condi = bleh

Until the condi cap is removed I’ll never end up running a condi build on anything… except an Engie since that’s the only thing I see them being good in, but that’s only if there’s not another in the party already tossing conditions in. That being said I am excited to see the hammer coming to the engie cause real melee option was what it was missing, IMO of course. So, I’ll spec into that when HoT drops.