Guild Wars 2

Hey guys! Xarbitz here, level 80 sylvari ranger. While I love the ranger and it’s concept, it has some MAJOR flaws. Many people hate the ranger, and their hate is often justified. Here are some common complaints:
-Lack of AoE: Besides LB skill 4, barrage, and axes (underpowered), rangers have no way to hot multiple enemies effictivly
-Bad pet AI: Pets will run into enemy CC and die. And there is now option to really stow them as they come out in combat. They agro everything in dungeons.
-If our pet is dead (Which is alot in dungeons and EoTM), then our DPS drops considerably. (20-40% less)
-No real group support: besides healing spring which is mehh.
-Boring and Repetitive: The classes skills promote a “Spam 1 to win” play style that lacks the variety and depth we see in other class like the elementalist or mesmer.
Now have a viable sosolutiom.on that I would like to hear opinions on.
First, remove the pet as the Ranger’s mechanic. And replace it with arrow sets, different kinds of arrows with specific skills. This would be much like the Elementalist ability to swap between the elements. This could lead to many possibilities. Here are some possible arrow types.
-AoE arrows that can effect multiple enemies
-Piercing arrows that can go through multiple targets
-Support arrows that could be fired on the ground near allies to give healing or buffs.
-Arrows that cause certain condition effects like poison (Similar to the long bow)
-Arrows that hit targets and track them so that you cans we them through walls
I realize that some of these are OP but they are just ideas. You could balance them with cool downs for certain arrow types. These arrow types could potentially have their own set of skills. This would add much needed depth, strategy, suport, and utility to the class. I’d love to hear opinions on this. Constructive criticism is very welcome, but don’t be a troll or desrespectful. Do you think this would work?

Edited rather than post again;

I never get the argument about a lack of AoE on Ranger. We are not designed that way and even so, we can do plenty of AoE if we setup for it.
If you want AoE as a Ranger, there are so many options really, you can go piercing arrows and if you do it right, you can wholesale slaughter big groups with just that. The trick is what are you actually targeting and how have you lined them up (your positioning)? Against Zergs, you just need to pick the right target.
kitten said, axe is pretty good even as a zerker because of the might and bouncing. Pair it with a torch and traps, you have lots of tagging potential there. Lightning Breath, Insect Swarm, Poison Cloud, even the canines do AoE damage on their howls. Entangle.

As for pets running into enemy CC and dying, that is your fault for letting them go in to it. Use appropriate pets for the situation, learn to swap. If the pet is dead, that is the penalty for not paying attention to the pet. Although, the CD on dead pet swap could be shorter.

We have plenty of support if you build/trait for it. HS is the best water field in the game, we also have poison/fire/frost fields and leap finishers, we have warhorn/beastmasters bond (HoT) so two blast finishers and also regen if traited (thats perma fury, regen and swiftness), Spirits are getting made over but as is Frost/Stone are pretty good. Pets have lots of support if you trait for it, perma fury is easy, some might, blast finishers on the drakes, leaps on canines. Spotter. What else do you want?

If the class is boring and repetitive, you need to use our weapon skills more and try different builds. The only weapons and situations that promote 11111 is LB in pve because of its excellent AA and the fact the utility skills are not necessary in PvE really. SB in PvP because of its excellent AA and the fact it is such a fast attack and Sword in Dungeons because of its high damage AA. The rest of the skills have their situations and maintaining situational awareness helps.

They will never remove the pet.

I agree with everything that Heimsharl has said I would add that axe main hand is the rangers tagging weapon. I know that a lot of people use it as a condi weapon (20% chance to spread condi isn’t that great and the condi on the weapon do just fine with out specing into condi’s), but as a power weapon it can crit 2-3k. So against another ranger where your attack will bounce of the ranger to the pet and back to the ranger its roughly a 5k attack.

I also don’t believe rangers are spam one to win. As a ranger you need to use you skills at the right time. Where as with some other classes you just do your rotations no matter what.

As a ranger its harder to reset a fight. Those of use that are good can do it at will but take a lot more effort than an ele, Mesmer, thief, warrior or engi.

I don’t think pet boons need to cover a larger area.

Some have suggested that ranger pet’s get a 75% aoe reduction that would just be plain broken. There are video of pets pretty much soloing bosses. People have gotten banned for botting because they went afk in the silverwaste and pets were killing mobs and they would get event credit.

I can envision jaguars in wvw destroying arrow carts and back liners will the ranger dodge 2000 units away to provide more protection or have other buff the ranger to it can share the boons with pets. On some levels this would be good but with a 75% aoe reduction this would be broken.

Serraphin Storm.2369:

I agree with everything that Heimsharl has said I would add that axe main hand is the rangers tagging weapon. I know that a lot of people use it as a condi weapon (20% chance to spread condi isn’t that great and the condi on the weapon do just fine with out specing into condi’s), but as a power weapon it can crit 2-3k. So against another ranger where your attack will bounce of the ranger to the pet and back to the ranger its roughly a 5k attack.

I also don’t believe rangers are spam one to win. As a ranger you need to use you skills at the right time. Where as with some other classes you just do your rotations no matter what.

As a ranger its harder to reset a fight. Those of use that are good can do it at will but take a lot more effort than an ele, Mesmer, thief, warrior or engi.

I don’t think pet boons need to cover a larger area.

Some have suggested that ranger pet’s get a 75% aoe reduction that would just be plain broken. There are video of pets pretty much soloing bosses. People have gotten banned for botting because they went afk in the silverwaste and pets were killing mobs and they would get event credit.

I can envision jaguars in wvw destroying arrow carts and back liners will the ranger dodge 2000 units away to provide more protection or have other buff the ranger to it can share the boons with pets. On some levels this would be good but with a 75% aoe reduction this would be broken.

Just a quick reply on 75% AoE reduction:

Yes, that would be broken if it is to be implimented.

I do believe that some other suggestions make more sense. For instance, pets gain protection (is it part of the new trait already? lately I cannot keep up with mere suggestions or new info from the devs) or even aegis when the ranger is dodging. This make more sense because this game is designed to have the players actively avoid being damaged in order to win. If pets can be exempted from this rule, it will encourage rangers to be too way lazy in a fight.

Yeah, take a look at Protective Ward. I think its ANets answer to pets being gibbed in dungeons (if played lazily ).
If you were to run the standard Frost Spotter build, with the new specialisation, you get Strider’s Defense, one of the master traits (I would take Windborne Notes for WH and Beastmaster’s Bond) in Nature Magic and Protective Ward.
If you are in melee range, this will give the pet protection for 80% uptime (Lingering Magic) and also 50% uptime on non-boss mobs of weakness, that is a pretty huge damage reduction right there. I’m betting that the protection applies before the pet takes damage too, like how Nature’s Protection works. Also, the regen on swap from WN and BB will help keep the pets health up somewhat.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Yeah, take a look at Protective Ward. I think its ANets answer to pets being gibbed in dungeons (if played lazily ).
If you were to run the standard Frost Spotter build, with the new specialisation, you get Strider’s Defense, one of the master traits (I would take Windborne Notes for WH and Beastmaster’s Bond) in Nature Magic and Protective Ward.
If you are in melee range, this will give the pet protection for 80% uptime (Lingering Magic) and also 50% uptime on non-boss mobs of weakness, that is a pretty huge damage reduction right there. I’m betting that the protection applies before the pet takes damage too, like how Nature’s Protection works. Also, the regen on swap from WN and BB will help keep the pets health up somewhat.

Let me writing all these down…

BUT I think I am most certainly taking the BM line. Marksmanship line and Skirmishing line are high on my list too. Hmmm… where do Nature fit in… (arrrrgh!)

Did not read everything, but comment about aoe and tagging caught my eye. If you Double axes tagging is breeze. Properly done better then any other form. First on large groups pop Splitblade it is 6 sec cone aoe. It will tag up to 25 targets (5 axes in spread each axe up to 5 targets). As was said use 1 for bouncing axe to tag stuff which might be missed or not in tight group. Also do not forget Path of Scars, very good liner tag with trait only 12 sec cd. Plus if full berserker build with high Ferocity you hit kitten hard. Might not be as good as longbow (for now), but over 9k Path of Scars is not bad.

Lack of AoE
Axes, Torch, TRAPS, SPIRITS, Muddy Terrain, Entangle, GS is a PBAoE

Bad Pet AI
*Bad player micro-management

If our pet is dead
Bad player micro-management (again)

No real group support
One of the longest lasting water field, SPIRITS, FIELDS (a lot of them), Warhorn, Pets (AoE regen+burst heal, AoE condi cleanse, AoE might Stack, etc)

Boring and Repetitive
I guess that depends on how you play

Ranger’s are jack-of-all-trades, and they can be masters too, provided they are equipped with appropriate traits. And with the new traits and trait system coming, well kitten , it’s beautiful.

I agree, in general, but my main reason for bothering with ranger, at all, is the pet; so, I don’t want it removed.

I want it improved (or, at the very least, sped up and toughened up).

LB skill 4 should be swapped out for a regular, player/mob targeted multishot.

ProtoMarcus.7649:

Lack of AoE
Axes, Torch, TRAPS, SPIRITS, Muddy Terrain, Entangle, GS is a PBAoE

Shouldn’t have to use specific weaps for a decent AOE.

Bows should be our go-to weaps, as rangers and longbow should have a player/mob targeted AOE.

Not just a buggy, ground targeted, one.

Bad Pet AI
*Bad player micro-management

Rubbish.

It’s far worse than pet AI is in WoW and even ANet have said it is just based on mob AI (so, very basic).

If our pet is dead
Bad player micro-management (again)

Again, rubbish.

If some of your pets die within 2 or 3 secs, that is not the ranger’s fault.

Rangers would do virtually zero DPS, if they tried to micro manage their pets, like they’re delicate 2 year old children in a busy supermarket.

Again, WoW pets are far superior in this way, as they have AOE damage reduction (and the hunter has Heal and Revive Pet [including an instant one on a CD, on a certain pet spec/all pets on BM hunter]) and everyone knows it, including ANet.

Best chance of the Ranger’s crap pet being changed significantly is two-fold: 1) It’s done through an Elite Specialization because there would be too much QQ if it was done to the Ranger. 2) Certain persons leave Anet. I do believe through reading many interviews, watching many Ready Ups, and various posts on the forums that the Ranger’s worst enemy is some Developers. I do not belive one will happen without the other.

What interviews are these you’re referencing, Gman?

I’m sure many of us would be interested in reading them to see what you’re talking about.

Oh man… This is going back over the last 2+ years worth. Easiest, I think, would be to watch all the Ready Ups on YouTube or Twitch channel. Same “I don’t give a flying fart” about Ranger and Necro comes across on the Ready Ups as the interviews and various forum posts.

Is that your general impression or a quote? :-p
If general impression, can you quote some things that gave that impression?

Side-note: If my wife or one of my kids has complained about something for an extended amount of time … then when I hear anything about that thing, I immediately get a bit turned off from the discsussion … that’s a human thing … Ranger community has ebbed and flowed with its toxicity. It’s actually better now than it used to be though (kudos to current community).

heh… General impressions from watching the Ready Ups, interviews and forum posts. And, no, I’m not going to sift back through all that mess for quotes. If anyone is so inclined to know they can go through all the forum posts, interviews over the last 2 years, and watch all the ready ups, etc. I’ve already done that.

So you have general impressions from something you don’t remember?

If I find the time and energy to sift through that to compensate for your memory, I will, but please forgive me if I don’t either :-p

Also, that doesn’t lend much credit to it being anything more than just your opinion :-/

Seriously though, if you do recall something a much less broad than 2 years, I’d love to know.

I remember the general impressions from those things I read/saw well enough, I don’t have to remember specific quotes and is unrealistic to expect anyone to remember such. I’ve read plenty of books over the years and have general impressions of those books (i.e. good, bad, indifferent), but can I quote the entire book that I read five years ago? Nope and would be down right silly to expect me or anyone else to. But, I don’t have to remember the words of the book to remember if I liked it or not. And, on top of that, I never claimed the “I don’t give a flying fart” to be factual or anything other than my belief. And to that end I don’t really care if someone agrees with my belief or not. I see it how I see it. Like I said, if one wants to know one can go look up all that information because I’m not doing it again.

I will not talk about general impressions, but only refer to last Twitch podcast on new trait system. When you watch it and different classes are discussed Devs stayed on topic and were mostly professional. When Ranger part came up there was a lot of joking around, not sticking to topic at hand, and mostly avoiding any issues. I was enjoying podcast till Ranger part. Ranger is only one of the classes I play so I am not full vested in it like some of you might be, but what happened in that Twitch kittened me off. So you wanted to know what gives impression that they do not give kitten about Ranger, well, their unprofessional display during last Twitch sure is good indication of it.