Guild Wars 2

Since the quickness nerf i’ve been thinking how to add burst somewhere else on the longbow. Make long range shot done at 700+ range apply vulnerability, and make point blank shot ‘pop’ vulnerability stacks on a target to deal extra damage.

So maybe make popping 25 stacks of vulnerability do 250% extra damage (or 10% per stack of vulnerability) from point blank shot, then clears vulnerability from the target. This gives some synergy with the opening shot traits and allows you to follow it up with a weapon switch after the enemy closes in. The numbers might need some tweaking obviously, but I think this could open up some good combos and do something with the vulnerability stacks going to waste on bosses.

Thoughts?

The better -and simpler- option, would be to remove the range requirement on long range shot, and compress rapid fire into a single attack. Perhaps making rapid fire similar to the warrior’s arcing arrow, but maybe add a combo field instead of a finisher. Though I wouldn’t mind a 1200 range ground targeted blast finisher.

Popping 25 stacks of vulnerability for 250% damage? Interesting idea for solo, but its not as good in a group setting. I’d rather keep the vulnerability on the target to aid everyone attacking that target.

Rangers already get a bad rep because of random Point Blank shots ruining the positioning of enemies and making allies miss their skills. Adding an additional effect like that would, sadly, further encourage bad usage of PBS (and in effect increasing hate for rangers with longbows)

PB shot is fine how it is now that they fixed the stupid glitch. #1 just needs to not have a ridiculous penalty built in when you have to be at max range to even do respectable damage which is incredibly difficult to do in a game where everyone has gap closers and stunlocks and the weapon has only 1 snare that isn’t practical for keeping a target at range in the first place.

Substance E.4852:

PB shot is fine how it is now that they fixed the stupid glitch. #1 just needs to not have a ridiculous penalty built in when you have to be at max range to even do respectable damage which is incredibly difficult to do in a game where everyone has gap closers and stunlocks and the weapon has only 1 snare that isn’t practical for keeping a target at range in the first place.

Well that’s the thing, this makes it a bit more punishing to use gap closers on a longbow ranger, and after the point blank shot it sets you up for a weapon swap. I suppose the ideal counter to this would to be around the 700 range sweet spot where the ranger won’t hit with point blank shot and won’t proc vulnerability on long range shot, kind of reminiscent of WoW’s old hunter deadzones.