Guild Wars 2

I am theorycrafting some possible builds for a roaming WvW ranger. I know everybody and their mother are running glass cannon rangers and all they are doing is just sniping people left and right.

However I kind of want to make a survivable, 1vX, skirmishing type of ranger that doesn’t heavily on the Longbow too much, and can hold it’s own in most situations, especially when solo.

So here is what I came up with:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fNAQJATRjEq0vaFLOsQ1aA/gYZTQ774amTdVoCI-TlyHwAEuAAv1BoZ/BOaCcqEsnSnhKj6o+zgnAAgDBAZAYWAA-w

This one is a might-stacking variant, can get up to 15-20 stacks of might fairly easily within 20 seconds. Has good toughness but also good damage from might. Can deal with conditions very well due to the signet, empathic bond and the – condi duration food. This one is built more for the long haul, not a bursty build but more about sustained damage. Longbow CD’s can make for some pretty good kiting and damage avoidance.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fNAQJATRjEqUxa/KOsQ1ag+ga5DEAtzhZ4GY+vfQBrOA-TlCFwAPuAAA3fgxRAQvuAAPAAkKzyqE0pSDUq/s4QAQKAmUGB-w

This one is a non-might stacking variant, pretty much the only difference from the above build. More burstier due to sigil of air, higher crit damage, however might not do as much damage as the above build over time due to no might generation

http://en.gw2skills.net/editor/?fNAQJATRjEqUxa/KOsQ1ag+ga5DEAtzhZ4GY+vfQBrOA-TlCFwAPuAAA3fgxRAQvuAAPAAkKzyqE0pSDUq/s4QAQKAmUGB-w

This one is a heavy longbow variant. This one traits more into Longbow, with increased range and velocity. Probably the most burstier of the two above builds due to read the wind. However, the main drawback is that you have no Longbow CD’s

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fNAQJATRjEq0vaFLOsQ1aAChYVQ71yU2HRPncpKAB-T1CFwAPuAAA3fgxRAQvOAAPAgTaCyqEEpSHnKjQp+ziDBApAYSZE-w

This one features repeated high bursts, using moment of clarity, not only on longbow but greatsword as well.

Looking for advice on

- Which is probably the better build
- Sigil/Rune/Pet/Utility/Trait choices
- Perhaps some improvements to the builds

The basic premise of any of those will work. You accidentally posted the same build twice, but since you mentioned increased velocity I assume one of them went 6 into MM. You’re almost certainly going to want that, or your LB will be pretty much only melee support. (You can use LB as melee support and it’s very cool, but I assume not what you’re looking for.)

If you put anything at all in to skirmishing I would definitely take primal reflexes.

All of them will basically work, but it feels like there might be a slight lack of focus. Like I’d probably either take wilderness survival and entangle (and maybe even go with LR, MT, SotF, etc.), and use MM to purely boost your LB, or RaO and focus on signets. I dunno. It’s just nitpicky from here on out, you’ve got condi removal, CC, stability, invulnerability, etc., so it’s mostly personal preference.

Your toughness and health are lower than most people prefer, but guard buff will help with health, and the rest just depends on your playstyle and ability. Since you already have excellent condi removal you might swap in mango pies.

Edit: Ha, saw your sig and clicked thinking you’d already tried some roaming with ranger.

oh kitten oops lol, but yeah, that one where i mentioned velocity is a 6/2/6 build.

Not sure if I could give up Wilderness Survival to put points in the Nature trait line, it would seem like I would be giving up condi removal over time, GS cooldowns and that free out of jail card CC is pretty underrated. But I see what you mean with the increased velocity, although I find that it doesn’t make a huge difference with rapid fire (less so the closer you fire it to somebody).

And btw any suggestions for pets, sigils and what not?

1 word: Longbow

;-)