Guild Wars 2

According to the reddit summary, ANet plans to swap these 2 traits.

Personally, I don’t think this will work because you really need both Sharp Edges and Light on your Feet to make Shortbow an effective condi weapon. What are other people’s opinion on this and what would be a better alternative?

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/33qrg0/specialization_ama_livestream_notes/

link?

/15 char.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/33qrg0/specialization_ama_livestream_notes/

Shortbow is still going to be useless. MH Axe gets AOE Winter’s Bit GM, and Longbow gets a whole host of crap baseline. SB and GS are getting ignored…also why in blue blazes is there a GS trait just randomly in the BM line?!

I rewatched the broadcast and from what I caught, they wanted to:

• Move “Most Dangerous Game” from Adept to Grandmaster
• Move “Light On Your Feet” from Grandmaster to Master
• Move “Trapper’s Expertise” from Master to Adept

Cool. That’s quite a relief.

Gotejjeken.1267:

Shortbow is still going to be useless.

you do know that poison now stacks in intensity? and what’s SB #2? you also know that SB has the most ezmode stun/daze in the game, and that you’ll be able to cast it twice consecutively with Quickdraw?

mistsim.2748:

Gotejjeken.1267:

Shortbow is still going to be useless.

you do know that poison now stacks in intensity? and what’s SB #2? you also know that SB has the most ezmode stun/daze in the game, and that you’ll be able to cast it twice consecutively with Quickdraw?

Hmm thats a good point, GS/SB could turn into a stunlock of sorts.

Oh but wait, GS had no buffs and SB is more of a condition weapon that ever

Atherakhia.4086:

According to the reddit summary, ANet plans to swap these 2 traits.

Personally, I don’t think this will work because you really need both Sharp Edges and Light on your Feet to make Shortbow an effective condi weapon. What are other people’s opinion on this and what would be a better alternative?

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/33qrg0/specialization_ama_livestream_notes/

Why would they swap them? They seem like they’re placed in really good places already. Not to mention that Most Dangerous Game would have a LOT more synergy with Striders Defense than light on your feet.

I mean I can see the concern for Most Dangerous Game, but i’d rather see them nerf the trait than to make it a GM.

Durzlla.6295:

Atherakhia.4086:

According to the reddit summary, ANet plans to swap these 2 traits.

Personally, I don’t think this will work because you really need both Sharp Edges and Light on your Feet to make Shortbow an effective condi weapon. What are other people’s opinion on this and what would be a better alternative?

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/33qrg0/specialization_ama_livestream_notes/

Why would they swap them? They seem like they’re placed in really good places already. Not to mention that Most Dangerous Game would have a LOT more synergy with Striders Defense than light on your feet.

I mean I can see the concern for Most Dangerous Game, but i’d rather see them nerf the trait than to make it a GM.

Honestly with how the traits are set up now it doesn’t really matter if an adept trait is more powerful then a GM since to get that trait you will have to spend 6 points anyway. Also swapping them around will leave nothing for power builds in the adept slot and nothing for condi builds in the GM slot.

Levetty.1279:

Durzlla.6295:

Atherakhia.4086:

According to the reddit summary, ANet plans to swap these 2 traits.

Personally, I don’t think this will work because you really need both Sharp Edges and Light on your Feet to make Shortbow an effective condi weapon. What are other people’s opinion on this and what would be a better alternative?

http://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/33qrg0/specialization_ama_livestream_notes/

Why would they swap them? They seem like they’re placed in really good places already. Not to mention that Most Dangerous Game would have a LOT more synergy with Striders Defense than light on your feet.

I mean I can see the concern for Most Dangerous Game, but i’d rather see them nerf the trait than to make it a GM.

Honestly with how the traits are set up now it doesn’t really matter if an adept trait is more powerful then a GM since to get that trait you will have to spend 6 points anyway. Also swapping them around will leave nothing for power builds in the adept slot and nothing for condi builds in the GM slot.

Well they want their GM traits to be “build defining” and in all honesty Most Dangerous Game is not what i’d call “Build Defining” it adds some interesting gameplay sure, but it’s not going to make people build around it. The only way it WOULD is if barkskin were to have stayed as it is now, but it’s not while over 90% HP instead of under 50%.

Not to mention as you mentioned where if they do change it there’ll be nothing for power builds at the adept line.

mistsim.2748:

Gotejjeken.1267:

Shortbow is still going to be useless.

you do know that poison now stacks in intensity? and what’s SB #2? you also know that SB has the most ezmode stun/daze in the game, and that you’ll be able to cast it twice consecutively with Quickdraw?

It’s a 1s daze/stun on a 25s cooldown. Even with quickdraw you are looking at a 16s cooldown. I would hardly call that consecutive.

Even if poison stacks in intensity, you have to be in shotgun range for it all to land. Might as well just take MH axe and trait for honed axes. You get a shotgun bleed, might stacking for pet, AOE weakness, etc. If you really want poison with that setup just take A/D, S/T and you have more than enough.

So yes, the SB is still useless.

Durzlla.6295:

Well they want their GM traits to be “build defining” and in all honesty Most Dangerous Game is not what i’d call “Build Defining” it adds some interesting gameplay sure, but it’s not going to make people build around it.

MDG would be interesting if they simply doubled the might duration, or reduced the interval to 1.5-2s. baseline, this would allow us to do a little something with 9 stacks of might for 3 seconds. with boon duration, we would get to 12-15 on paper, but thats a very long time to stay under 50% HP.

Gotejjeken.1267:

It’s a 1s daze/stun on a 25s cooldown. Even with quickdraw you are looking at a 16s cooldown. I would hardly call that consecutive.

Even if poison stacks in intensity, you have to be in shotgun range for it all to land. Might as well just take MH axe and trait for honed axes. You get a shotgun bleed, might stacking for pet, AOE weakness, etc. If you really want poison with that setup just take A/D, S/T and you have more than enough.

So yes, the SB is still useless.

nah, not at all. being in shotgun range is easy. havent you ever stacked 15 bleeds with Splitblade, Sharpening Stone and Sharpened Edges? same thing here, you just need one reliable immob, stun, fear, or even cripple. we’ve got so many of those you can virtually spam. and if you miss, well thats where Quickdraw comes in.

also, traited SB Concussive Shot is 20s and with 66% CD reduction, that’s 6.8s. not bad.

further, traited Quick Shot (the best, cleanest evade in the game) has a 7.2s CD; Quickdraw brings it down to 2.5s

hope that gives you some ideas. i mean, it’s not amazing, but it brings the SB closer to a viable weapon.

I found it interesting that “Light On Your Feet” damage and condition duration increase will apply to any weapon while moving instead of solely shortbow. It’s a nice trait for Hybrid Rangers that avoid shortbow all together.

The fact that they wanted to move it to a Master trait and Trapper’s Expertise to Adept means some builds can have our cake and eat it, too. On top of that, I could see a strategy of letting our conditions linger while under 50% hp with Most Dangerous Game and kiting our opponent while our conditions build up power. Yum

MDG is pretty underwhelming to me actually, so for a power build there is already nothing worth taking in the adept slot in skirmishing line. MDG would have been so much better if it were 75% health and not 50%. I just do not see a point in trying to stay under 50% health so I get 6 might. Perhaps if it also triggered Signet of Stone at 50% on normal CD, then it would be good.

As it is, it is not a trait you want to build because you do not want to be under 50% health and it does nothing the rest of the time. It’s hardly a minor trait, let alone a GM.

This is true. It’s still early, so maybe they could change the health threshold to 75% as you said and maybe increase the might duration – possibly 3 stacks of might for 15 seconds so it can be truly the Most Dangerous… trait.

Gotejjeken.1267:

mistsim.2748:

Gotejjeken.1267:

Shortbow is still going to be useless.

you do know that poison now stacks in intensity? and what’s SB #2? you also know that SB has the most ezmode stun/daze in the game, and that you’ll be able to cast it twice consecutively with Quickdraw?

It’s a 1s daze/stun on a 25s cooldown. Even with quickdraw you are looking at a 16s cooldown. I would hardly call that consecutive.

Even if poison stacks in intensity, you have to be in shotgun range for it all to land. Might as well just take MH axe and trait for honed axes. You get a shotgun bleed, might stacking for pet, AOE weakness, etc. If you really want poison with that setup just take A/D, S/T and you have more than enough.

So yes, the SB is still useless.

You have no imagination.
SB now got piercing arrow and also better damage – 2 sec daze with MOC and you can take the new trait with 66% reduce CD on the skill and have double daze.

GS with trait have fury aplication every 5 sec – with the new remorseless trait you can have opening strike every 5 sec with 25% damage bonus. Think about that combo – swap to gs(fury from weapon swap, opening strike) – hit bash(2 sec) from behind(fury from gs trait+MOC+opening strike) Unlish a massive maul, 100% critchange with 75% damage bonus and like 15-20 Vulnerability.

GS can be super burst weapon now.

We may have to wait until they do an additional follow up (hopeful with the person who actually worked on the changes). Peters’ response to viewing the trait seemed a bit knee jerk at best (especially with near constant mantra of the numbers aren’t set and work in progress). They also seem to me at least to have an entirely different tone when discussing the ranger compared to any of the other profession.

Most Dangerous Game
6 might is near pointless at 50% health since you will most likely be wanting to heal up or disengage to get above 75% again. With all the regen we have gained, this is even less effective.

I would love to see Most Dangerous Game become a cross between Leeching venoms and Sharpening Stone, that triggers on your own health reaching 50% and makes the next 5 attacks steal health the same as the sigil of blood. That would be a real one to watch for when facing a ranger and a way to turn the tables. This way, you can do additional damage (being most dangerous) and heal some of the way back at the same time.

mistsim.2748:

Gotejjeken.1267:

Shortbow is still going to be useless.

you do know that poison now stacks in intensity? and what’s SB #2? you also know that SB has the most ezmode stun/daze in the game, and that you’ll be able to cast it twice consecutively with Quickdraw?

That is not nearly enough to make the SB even remotely viable vs LB. I will still take LB before the SB any day.

They are two totally different weapons. LB is power only, SB is hybrid, they fulfil totally different roles and playstyles. If you don’t like SB, fair enough, but it is pretty devastating when you build for it.

I guess you’re talking PVP? Because in the PVE that I play, uh, no.

TheFantasticGman.9451:

I guess you’re talking PVP? Because in the PVE that I play, uh, no.

Not sure about that, if you go LB u most likely want The GM trait for LB, if you go SB you can take – Predator’s Onslaught which is in PVE a flat + 10% damage for both you and your pet. With the SB GM trait thats extra 10% dmage bonus, standing from behind thats extra 10% damge bonus and now bleeds stack above 25 so thats extra damage.
SB might shine.

OFC you can take a LB build with the new Quickdraw for double RP -(If you swap weapons, might work with double LB , i’m not sure).

Lots of possibilities.

LughLongArm.5460:

Gotejjeken.1267:

mistsim.2748:

Gotejjeken.1267:

Shortbow is still going to be useless.

you do know that poison now stacks in intensity? and what’s SB #2? you also know that SB has the most ezmode stun/daze in the game, and that you’ll be able to cast it twice consecutively with Quickdraw?

It’s a 1s daze/stun on a 25s cooldown. Even with quickdraw you are looking at a 16s cooldown. I would hardly call that consecutive.

Even if poison stacks in intensity, you have to be in shotgun range for it all to land. Might as well just take MH axe and trait for honed axes. You get a shotgun bleed, might stacking for pet, AOE weakness, etc. If you really want poison with that setup just take A/D, S/T and you have more than enough.

So yes, the SB is still useless.

You have no imagination.
SB now got piercing arrow and also better damage – 2 sec daze with MOC and you can take the new trait with 66% reduce CD on the skill and have double daze.

GS with trait have fury aplication every 5 sec – with the new remorseless trait you can have opening strike every 5 sec with 25% damage bonus. Think about that combo – swap to gs(fury from weapon swap, opening strike) – hit bash(2 sec) from behind(fury from gs trait+MOC+opening strike) Unlish a massive maul, 100% critchange with 75% damage bonus and like 15-20 Vulnerability.

GS can be super burst weapon now.

Forgot to say that with the new Quickdraw skill you can do this Insane combo twice.
GS – x/Axe can do realy crazy burst damage its kinda scary.

TheFantasticGman.9451:

I guess you’re talking PVP? Because in the PVE that I play, uh, no.

Oh yeah, forget that PvE exists sometimes. WvW is better for SB.

I wish I could forget PVP existed in this game but I get reminded every effin balance patch.

LughLongArm.5460:

TheFantasticGman.9451:

I guess you’re talking PVP? Because in the PVE that I play, uh, no.

Not sure about that, if you go LB u most likely want The GM trait for LB, if you go SB you can take – Predator’s Onslaught which is in PVE a flat + 10% damage for both you and your pet. With the SB GM trait thats extra 10% dmage bonus, standing from behind thats extra 10% damge bonus and now bleeds stack above 25 so thats extra damage.
SB might shine.

OFC you can take a LB build with the new Quickdraw for double RP -(If you swap weapons, might work with double LB , i’m not sure).

Lots of possibilities.

Most of the Rangers I know in game run Predators Onslaught and I highly doubt they’ll stop to run the LtW. LB is just an opener #5—>#2 then melee the rest of the time. So why trait for it if we’re going to use 2 skills then never use it again? The cripple and vul from LB are much better than anything SB brings to the table for PVE. Why would you run SB if you can melee? That just seems silly. And if you can’t melee why would you bring SB if you can bring 10 stacks of vuln boosting the team DPS by 10%? Again, just seems silly. I’m sure there are Rangers that run high level fractals that’ll use SB, I just haven’t run across any of them nor know of any.

TheFantasticGman.9451:

I wish I could forget PVP existed in this game but I get reminded every effin balance patch.

LughLongArm.5460:

TheFantasticGman.9451:

I guess you’re talking PVP? Because in the PVE that I play, uh, no.

Not sure about that, if you go LB u most likely want The GM trait for LB, if you go SB you can take – Predator’s Onslaught which is in PVE a flat + 10% damage for both you and your pet. With the SB GM trait thats extra 10% dmage bonus, standing from behind thats extra 10% damge bonus and now bleeds stack above 25 so thats extra damage.
SB might shine.

OFC you can take a LB build with the new Quickdraw for double RP -(If you swap weapons, might work with double LB , i’m not sure).

Lots of possibilities.

Most of the Rangers I know in game run Predators Onslaught and I highly doubt they’ll stop to run the LtW. LB is just an opener #5—>#2 then melee the rest of the time. So why trait for it if we’re going to use 2 skills then never use it again? The cripple and vul from LB are much better than anything SB brings to the table for PVE. Why would you run SB if you can melee? That just seems silly. And if you can’t melee why would you bring SB if you can bring 10 stacks of vuln boosting the team DPS by 10%? Again, just seems silly. I’m sure there are Rangers that run high level fractals that’ll use SB, I just haven’t run across any of them nor know of any.

Well its not that you’r wrong, LB is amazing PVE wepaon , not sure SB will be better, but now that sb can have flat damage boost of 30% and bleeds stacking has no cap, an hybrid build of condi/power might be very nice(we’ll have to wait and c). unlike bleeds, vuln will keep to stop stacking at 25, so if you have a party that can already mintain 25 vuln you get no value out of this.

Seems like, still, it’d be better for solo and not for team party comps. Because if I have a party that is already able to stack 25 vul I’m going to run sword+axe or sword+wh/GS instead of sword+axe/SB. Unless the Number Crunchers figure out that SB, when traited, puts down more DPS than GS…. but then if I’m running sword I want to run GM that buffs my sword damage and not my SB because my sword will definitely out DPS my SB.. in which case I will want to run my GS instead as backup.

Post HoT patch this may change but just for the Trait Patch I suspect I’ll be running LB or GS over SB.

Well sword always has been our best dps weapon with the longes learning curve. I always liked this desighn of risk and skill reward. If ou can manage attaking non-stop with a sword and evading when needed, by all means go with a sword. A biginner may benfit alot from the SB AA, shooting non-stop from a “safe” distance and behind the target.

Those points, Lugh, I can 100% agree with.

too much pve discussion here, making my head hurt.

Gotejjeken.1267:

https://www.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/33qrg0/specialization_ama_livestream_notes/

Shortbow is still going to be useless. MH Axe gets AOE Winter’s Bit GM, and Longbow gets a whole host of crap baseline. SB and GS are getting ignored…also why in blue blazes is there a GS trait just randomly in the BM line?!

You don’t play much Condi ranger.

mistsim.2748:

too much pve discussion here, making my head hurt.

Was this a PVP thread? I still wish they had a [PVE] or [WVW] or [PVP] tag you could put on threads when you create them so I didn’ thave to bother opening up threads that were PVP related… because topic subject lines don’t spell it out often enough.

I just assumed Light On Your Feet would be useless in PVE.

Depends on if “Damage & Condition duration is increased while moving.” applies on having to have the SB equipped or to any weapon you have equiped. I could see taking it over Strider’s Def if I’m using GS instead of sword.

You’d be much better off using Quick Draw if using GS in PvE.