Guild Wars 2

/bug.

LughLongArm.5460:

jcbroe.4329:

mistsim.2748:

https://youtu.be/nqj-yOPEudA?t=2120

One of the GM traits literally gives you a second life if you’re in beastmode when you get downed. looks like an incredibly powerful elite spec overall. as per usual ANet antics, there will be no reason to roll with any GM other than Eternal Bond in pvp.

For the GM traits from a different thread, thanks to mistsim. Can’t screenshot right now or I would.

Personally I think the stance sharing GM alone is incredibly strong support, especially given that some of the screenshots imply that you can bring AoE heals and boons with this spec too. Ultimately we’ll have to see how it works, but sharing out Bear, Dolyak, Wolf, and even Griffon stance looks like strong group utility, at least for PvP and WvW.

WoW, this is amazing and exactly as I theorized from the trailer videos. Everyone that saying this specialization is “boring” doesn’t have a clue. This specialization got probably the most depth to it among the other specialization. Some things I noticed:

1)Beastmode will give you 3 new abilities(F1-F3) depends on pet pick(Pet F2 abilties are being replaced with “pet group” abilities, so NO henya clone). You can still swap pets(in normal form) SO you can basically be adding up to 6 new utility skills to your build which you can pick from several kit options.

2)Beastmode will also give you passive buff depends on “pet group”-(In the video, the flower pet is giving the “deadly” passive, adding precision and condi dmg). You can swap pets so you can shift passive bonuses depending on the situation. The first minor is stating that some of the traits/abilities that effect pets, will be modified to effect the character(so you can theorized around that as well). So soul beat mechanic alone is giving you new skills, passive bonus and trait modification.

3) 3 new pets(the lightning thing is the plant tree skill).

4)Dagger movement ability(with the quickness) got a stacking mechanic(like mantras), you can use the skill at least twice. Dagger is not a condi weapon, it’s an hybrid like SB. Can be good on both power and condi.

5)Its seems that this specialization is really tapping into the all “reaver” play style, with the tresholds , which always was always very cluncy on a ranger, but it can work now. The GM trait is giving you the option to push this concept to the limit. It also seems that this specialization got good synergy with the “Skirmishing” trait line, with all the evading/thresholds buffs. It all also may be the first time players will be able to use MM/SM builds, as the new specialization giving you the option to get defensive abilities, condi defence and utility boons(swiftness/regen) from stances and/or pet kits while in beast mode.

Exactly my thought. Our Elite together with Ele Elite is probably the most flexible there is right now, yet we still see a lot of players still not satisfied. I see a lot of support coming from our Elite and I understand that some players are not into that, we have to look into the traits and combination with pets to see where we could go with some power builds, which is my prefer play for Ranger.

Curious though, with Beastmode Elite since pets are merging with Ranger do we get an increase in Damage? cause isnt it that 33% of our damage comes from pets? Just wondering if anyone got any idea on that, would be nice if we get increase in stats if we merge with different type of pets. e.g. 150+Precision for Felines, 150+Power for Canines etc… cause if not then ANet really kittened us over xD

AEFA.9035:

LughLongArm.5460:

jcbroe.4329:

mistsim.2748:

https://youtu.be/nqj-yOPEudA?t=2120

One of the GM traits literally gives you a second life if you’re in beastmode when you get downed. looks like an incredibly powerful elite spec overall. as per usual ANet antics, there will be no reason to roll with any GM other than Eternal Bond in pvp.

For the GM traits from a different thread, thanks to mistsim. Can’t screenshot right now or I would.

Personally I think the stance sharing GM alone is incredibly strong support, especially given that some of the screenshots imply that you can bring AoE heals and boons with this spec too. Ultimately we’ll have to see how it works, but sharing out Bear, Dolyak, Wolf, and even Griffon stance looks like strong group utility, at least for PvP and WvW.

WoW, this is amazing and exactly as I theorized from the trailer videos. Everyone that saying this specialization is “boring” doesn’t have a clue. This specialization got probably the most depth to it among the other specialization. Some things I noticed:

1)Beastmode will give you 3 new abilities(F1-F3) depends on pet pick(Pet F2 abilties are being replaced with “pet group” abilities, so NO henya clone). You can still swap pets(in normal form) SO you can basically be adding up to 6 new utility skills to your build which you can pick from several kit options.

2)Beastmode will also give you passive buff depends on “pet group”-(In the video, the flower pet is giving the “deadly” passive, adding precision and condi dmg). You can swap pets so you can shift passive bonuses depending on the situation. The first minor is stating that some of the traits/abilities that effect pets, will be modified to effect the character(so you can theorized around that as well). So soul beat mechanic alone is giving you new skills, passive bonus and trait modification.

3) 3 new pets(the lightning thing is the plant tree skill).

4)Dagger movement ability(with the quickness) got a stacking mechanic(like mantras), you can use the skill at least twice. Dagger is not a condi weapon, it’s an hybrid like SB. Can be good on both power and condi.

5)Its seems that this specialization is really tapping into the all “reaver” play style, with the tresholds , which always was always very cluncy on a ranger, but it can work now. The GM trait is giving you the option to push this concept to the limit. It also seems that this specialization got good synergy with the “Skirmishing” trait line, with all the evading/thresholds buffs. It all also may be the first time players will be able to use MM/SM builds, as the new specialization giving you the option to get defensive abilities, condi defence and utility boons(swiftness/regen) from stances and/or pet kits while in beast mode.

Exactly my thought. Our Elite together with Ele Elite is probably the most flexible there is right now, yet we still see a lot of players still not satisfied. I see a lot of support coming from our Elite and I understand that some players are not into that, we have to look into the traits and combination with pets to see where we could go with some power builds, which is my prefer play for Ranger.

Curious though, with Beastmode Elite since pets are merging with Ranger do we get an increase in Damage? cause isnt it that 33% of our damage comes from pets? Just wondering if anyone got any idea on that, would be nice if we get increase in stats if we merge with different type of pets. e.g. 150+Precision for Felines, 150+Power for Canines etc… cause if not then ANet really kittened us over xD

Hi, Soulbeast does get stats bonus in beast mode, based on pet archetype. I think it’s 2 stats for each archetype. In the video we saw the the flower pet is giving the “deadly” buff which condi damage and precision. Not sure about numbers yet.

AEFA.9035:

LughLongArm.5460:

jcbroe.4329:

mistsim.2748:

https://youtu.be/nqj-yOPEudA?t=2120

One of the GM traits literally gives you a second life if you’re in beastmode when you get downed. looks like an incredibly powerful elite spec overall. as per usual ANet antics, there will be no reason to roll with any GM other than Eternal Bond in pvp.

For the GM traits from a different thread, thanks to mistsim. Can’t screenshot right now or I would.

Personally I think the stance sharing GM alone is incredibly strong support, especially given that some of the screenshots imply that you can bring AoE heals and boons with this spec too. Ultimately we’ll have to see how it works, but sharing out Bear, Dolyak, Wolf, and even Griffon stance looks like strong group utility, at least for PvP and WvW.

WoW, this is amazing and exactly as I theorized from the trailer videos. Everyone that saying this specialization is “boring” doesn’t have a clue. This specialization got probably the most depth to it among the other specialization. Some things I noticed:

1)Beastmode will give you 3 new abilities(F1-F3) depends on pet pick(Pet F2 abilties are being replaced with “pet group” abilities, so NO henya clone). You can still swap pets(in normal form) SO you can basically be adding up to 6 new utility skills to your build which you can pick from several kit options.

2)Beastmode will also give you passive buff depends on “pet group”-(In the video, the flower pet is giving the “deadly” passive, adding precision and condi dmg). You can swap pets so you can shift passive bonuses depending on the situation. The first minor is stating that some of the traits/abilities that effect pets, will be modified to effect the character(so you can theorized around that as well). So soul beat mechanic alone is giving you new skills, passive bonus and trait modification.

3) 3 new pets(the lightning thing is the plant tree skill).

4)Dagger movement ability(with the quickness) got a stacking mechanic(like mantras), you can use the skill at least twice. Dagger is not a condi weapon, it’s an hybrid like SB. Can be good on both power and condi.

5)Its seems that this specialization is really tapping into the all “reaver” play style, with the tresholds , which always was always very cluncy on a ranger, but it can work now. The GM trait is giving you the option to push this concept to the limit. It also seems that this specialization got good synergy with the “Skirmishing” trait line, with all the evading/thresholds buffs. It all also may be the first time players will be able to use MM/SM builds, as the new specialization giving you the option to get defensive abilities, condi defence and utility boons(swiftness/regen) from stances and/or pet kits while in beast mode.

Exactly my thought. Our Elite together with Ele Elite is probably the most flexible there is right now, yet we still see a lot of players still not satisfied. I see a lot of support coming from our Elite and I understand that some players are not into that, we have to look into the traits and combination with pets to see where we could go with some power builds, which is my prefer play for Ranger.

Curious though, with Beastmode Elite since pets are merging with Ranger do we get an increase in Damage? cause isnt it that 33% of our damage comes from pets? Just wondering if anyone got any idea on that, would be nice if we get increase in stats if we merge with different type of pets. e.g. 150+Precision for Felines, 150+Power for Canines etc… cause if not then ANet really kittened us over xD

Sorry for double post I just answered my own question and for those who are wondering as well. You get a portion of your pets stats their primary stats e.g. Fanged Iboga is a condition pet, (no surprise if you played GW1) added to your stats. So it would be possible to build around Beastmaster with pet increase in stats plus Soulbeast for those power ranger looking for some build. GG Anet. Source Reddit

Another question then, how will shout function now if we go into Beastmode since there will be no pet? e.g. Guard etc..

Axe + Torch works so well with a condi setup I am kind of curious to see if you can actually fit a MH dagger in there. That way you’d have to basically be melee range, although if you use traps, you’re pretty close anyway.

I was about to craft my first legendary soon (Frostfang) but maybe I should wait and see if I still want to use it after PoF arrives?

anduriell.6280:

just saying.. but did you realise SB doesn’t have any access to swiftness or a movement skill? remember we won’t have access to celestial stride anymore.

Go back to the lacklustre signet of the hunt? This is going to be terrible in a thief d/d like gameplay…

Potentially but we will have access to our pets’ movement skills now. If you watch the video, she uses the absorbed pig’s brutal charge and, while short range, it looks like a reliable, easy to land leap and knockdown. I’d imagine hounds will give us both of theirs as well.

I think it’s still to early to say for sure either way. Our presenter did a kitten tier job and didn’t even mouse over most of the traits for us.

SB has perma swiftness with the trait.

Edit: Actually after looking at the weapon (I don’t use it much) you don’t even need the trait to get perma swiftness.

AEFA.9035:

Curious though, with Beastmode Elite since pets are merging with Ranger do we get an increase in Damage? cause isnt it that 33% of our damage comes from pets?

It’s nowhere near 33 % in an all out damage build.

It does such a disservice to ourselves to keep the old 33% of our damage myth going. That’s how you get bad players complaining they were “killed by AI”.

Maybe back in 2012 it was somewhere close 33%. I think it was WondrousWall that took the time to do the math for various builds. For raid condi ranger I don’t think the pet’s damage was even in double digits.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Rangers refuse to use rifles and technology, but rather to develop their affinity to nature. That’s the lore. Bother to understand.

Having an affinity to nature does not mutually exclude using technology nor is that explicitly stated anywhere.

Engineer’s were scientists who used gadgets in battle and then suddenly got to smash things with giant hammers like a warrior.

Warrior’s were brute force soldiers who can now use fanciful dagger dances to take down sorcerers like some kind of martial mesmer.

Hell, even using steel weapons is unnatural as that’s a man made alloy. To say nothing of the mythrilium used in ascended gear. If we were some druid hermit people we’d only use flint axes and sharp sticks to kill things. Using way points would also be verboten.

Fluffball.8307:

For raid condi ranger I don’t think the pet’s damage was even in double digits.

Condi ranger is grossly misleading as almost all the damage comes from a giant HP sponge sitting in perpetual bonfires which is why it’s ~ #3 for damage in the game while being so easy a child could play it effectively.

Pretty much any pvp build is going to have a lot of damage come from the pet and many like the old regen build heavily relied on the pet for damage.

So far this all looks amazing to me. It might even be enough to tempt me back into playing after what must have been 2-3 years now!

Fluffball.8307:

SB has perma swiftness with the trait.

Edit: Actually after looking at the weapon (I don’t use it much) you don’t even need the trait to get perma swiftness.

second this, SB has perma swiftness without trait, just have to play it like sword #2 skill

cafard.8953:

Well, I still want a ‘hunter’ rifle-based spec at some point, but this spec looks fun to play, main-hand dagger always looks cool, and it actually synergises with pets, unlike our current cosmic healer spec… Looking forward to it.

Erasing your pet is not “synergizing with it”.

Hyper Cutter.9376:

cafard.8953:

Well, I still want a ‘hunter’ rifle-based spec at some point, but this spec looks fun to play, main-hand dagger always looks cool, and it actually synergises with pets, unlike our current cosmic healer spec… Looking forward to it.

Erasing your pet is not “synergizing with it”.

The pet family will determine which skills you gain while merged, pet skills we had no fine control of until now, the merging itself will take a wounded pet out of harm’s way avoiding pet swap on a long cooldown, potentially proc pet swap events on merge in/out, and pet buff traits/skills will now have a second form depending on being with or without pet. Personally, I find it to synergise pretty well with the pet and its related skills/traits, it’s directly linked to it. Everything you gain from the merged shape comes from the pet choice and traiting. Look at the Druid by comparison…

cafard.8953:

Look at the Druid by comparison…

Just because the druid doesn’t have any skills that affects the pet directly, doesn’t mean it doesn’t syngergize with it. Pet and druid works wonderfully with eachother. The pet has way more sustain with a druid, traits like Ancient Seeds makes it easier for it to land hard hitting skills. Healing the pet, which you will do without even thinking about it, gives you way more astral force than what a petless druid would get.

The entire notion that druid did nothing for the pet or completely ignored it is stupid. It’s a healing spec, it’s limited what they could add that the ranger didn’t already have (pets with heal skills and traits that make F2 heal already exist etc.). The druid didn’t just give the ranger sustain in pvp, it gave the pet sustain. And in PvE? As if anyone were using their pets differently with the core ranger unless they were running some suboptimal pet centric build.

Anet already said before HoT that elite specs either adds to or alter a profession mechanics. Druid was an addition. Soulbeast is more of an alteration. Druid didn’t have a pet problem (besides Druid Clarity and Natural Stride not affecting the pet). It wasn’t designed with the pet in mind, but it sure as hell works with it. Soulbeast doesn’t seem to have a pet problem either. The only pet problems the ranger has are related to the core design.

And ye, the ability to merge with the pet, saving yourself from the death cooldown while still having access to some of their skill is huge. How anyone can look at that as just “eraising the pet” is beyond me.

Anyone else annoyed we don’t know any minor or adept traits yet but other profs like warrior and necro already have HD wallpapers with their entire new traitline/skill info on reddit?

So far every video I have watch passed on ranger or talked about it for 30s.

Sorry for the salt, just feel a little marginalized.

GUFF.5692:

Anyone else annoyed we don’t know any minor or adept traits yet but other profs like warrior and necro already have HD wallpapers with their entire new traitline/skill info on reddit?

So far every video I have watch passed on ranger or talked about it for 30s.

Sorry for the salt, just feel a little marginalized.

there is only one logical explonation for that, the soulbeast is not finished. The same as druid which was left for last (didnt even appear on the beta) i smell anet have no idea how to deal with soulbeast and all the problems it might bring for other ranger trees and such. My guess is we will get a half asset specialization, not finished and not in par with the others. Sadly rangers once again for last.

Some of the youtube personalities played the elite spec, so it’s done even if it needs modifying. It just seems like none of them gave a darn about it so we got no info. Wooden Potatoes didn’t even try it. The Peachy video someone posted yesterday ends with her looking at the GMs, which I guess is why that’s the only traits we know.

We don’t know anything about Soulbeast because almost no YouTube people play it/cared about it so we didn’t see anything on it.

If WP were a ranger main I guarantee we’d have detailed info on all things Soulbeast.

With regards to people upset that Soulbeast is getting rid of the pet, I think we are going to find that the most optimal playstyle, or at least an interesting one is to jump in and out of Beast mode to trigger traits, use pet F2s and swap pets.

Levetty.1279:

With regards to people upset that Soulbeast is getting rid of the pet, I think we are going to find that the most optimal playstyle, or at least an interesting one is to jump in and out of Beast mode to trigger traits, use pet F2s and swap pets.

Agreed.

I am also somewhat annoyed by the fact that we still don’t have access to the rest of the traits for Soulbeast that some other classes have atm.

Even if Wooden Potatoes or another youtuber didn’t care about ranger, at the very least it would’ve been appreciated if they have just moused over all of the traits so we could see it and talk about it.

If Anet looks at the ranger forums at all to take ideas, they aren’t getting any about 2/3 of the traits we didn’t see.

Everyone play the free trial in 2 weekends so we can give them the feedback they’re getting from the other professions right now.

I hope they change the aura to a more fitting “Spirit animal overlay” (At least head, hands, and tail when relevant. Possibly back), with a similar glow effect as Chuka+Champawat’s tigers (And ideally, accounts with Chuka+Champawat have their Tiger fusion use that color scheme as well.)

… now I need to make Incinerator, so my Ranger can rip into foes with dual daggers and dance around them with Shortbow, and all around be a complete tiger-powered kitten.

Also – WHEE! Dolyak Stance! We finally get a source of Stability that can’t be interrupted if we try to cast it mid-fight, or stripped/corrupted if we try to enter with it pre-cast.

Hrrrmn. At this stage I’m… cautiously optimistic, particularly since I’ve been pretty meh on playing druid. I do have a liking for skills based on the abilities of creatures, and that does seem to be what soulbeast is offering.

Not getting the F2 skills, as some have been indicating, would be disappointing, but I can see the logic behind it – it stops soulbeasts from being able to use the same skill twice by having the pet activate it, absorbing the pet, and using it themselves. While something similar can happen for the other skills, the fact that they aren’t player-activated makes it harder to do and less likely to be a major issue in PvP.

Substance E.4852:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Rangers refuse to use rifles and technology, but rather to develop their affinity to nature. That’s the lore. Bother to understand.

Having an affinity to nature does not mutually exclude using technology nor is that explicitly stated anywhere.

Engineer’s were scientists who used gadgets in battle and then suddenly got to smash things with giant hammers like a warrior.

Warrior’s were brute force soldiers who can now use fanciful dagger dances to take down sorcerers like some kind of martial mesmer.

Hell, even using steel weapons is unnatural as that’s a man made alloy. To say nothing of the mythrilium used in ascended gear. If we were some druid hermit people we’d only use flint axes and sharp sticks to kill things. Using way points would also be verboten.

I think there are justifications for the line to be drawn somewhere between ‘stone age’ and ‘open slather’.

One possibility, for instance, that it’s the nature spirits that set the rules, and with that being the case, the rules don’t need to be rational, they’re just the rules that are set. Maybe the nature spirits feel that the use of a chemical propellant is the first step on the road to an unnatural technological society that employs polluting fossil fuels (and the charr give evidence of this) and the nature spirits want none of that. Or perhaps they feel that the sound of guns going off or the smell of gunpowder disturbs the tranquility of nature. Whatever their reasons, rational or not, that’s where they’ve set the line.

Another possibility is that it is a matter of practicality – rangers are happy to use the products of civilisation, but they don’t want to rely on it. A sword, for instance, is something that you can buy in town once and, barring accident or misuse, it will last indefinitely. For a bow, you can make everything you need in the wild, even if you might need to be using stone-tipped arrows in a pinch. For a gun, though – depending on the complexity of the gun you might not be able to repair it in the wild if something goes wrong, you may not be able to get sulphur to mix gunpowder, and making proper shot requires a forging process. So it may simply be a matter of having the freedom to range deep into the wilds without worrying about your ammunition supply.

Now, it’s still possible that not using guns is a choice that current rangers make, and some future elite specialisation may still go in that direction. But I think there are justifications for the line to be drawn where it is, at least for now.

Substance E.4852:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Rangers refuse to use rifles and technology, but rather to develop their affinity to nature. That’s the lore. Bother to understand.

Having an affinity to nature does not mutually exclude using technology nor is that explicitly stated anywhere.

Engineer’s were scientists who used gadgets in battle and then suddenly got to smash things with giant hammers like a warrior.

Warrior’s were brute force soldiers who can now use fanciful dagger dances to take down sorcerers like some kind of martial mesmer.

Nowhere does Ranger have anything that resembles technology use. It is all nature magic. Affinity was the incorrect word. Using nature magic does rule out the use of technology, it just doesn’t fit and it is unecessary since you can do whatever you want with magic.

Also, it IS explicitly stated.

Yeah, Engineer got a Hammer, a rocket powered hammer that you can ionize, magnetise and reflect projectiles with because it makes you spin around so fast. More tech than blunt instrument.

And warrior got daggers and a different martial style, seems like a logical progression for a class that is already the most proficient at martial weapons.

Ranger got more nature magic.

CountzuCrytus.7256:

This is so funny, people are now complaining about possibly being petless.

If anyone remembers the ranger CDI, you should remember this elite spec since it was your (our) idea In the first place. I personally can’t wait.. also to see the new pets Elona has to offer!

The CDI was full of people who didn’t play ranger, at least not as a main. The ranger is fundamentally a pet class and anyone who didn’t want a pet simply should have picked something else. There are certainly situations where you may not want to have a pet out (like a longbow ranger fighting a zerg) but the idea that the ranger community doesn’t want the pet is simply false – anyone who didn’t want a pet obviously wouldn’t pick the only class who’s fundamental mechanic is a pet. You might have wanted to be a lone wolf skirmisher of the wilds, but that was never the ranger. The ranger is defined at its very core by the pet.

If you want to see the new pets there is another thread which lists them all (there are five). There is video footage of them all with the exception of the sand lions afaik (although it may be an ambient mob in someone’s footage).

Lazze.9870:

Druid is great. People still complaining about it can’t even be taken seriously as far as I’m concerned. It’s great at what it does.
Soulbeast got a lot of potential too.

Druid could have been thrown on any other profession and called the Astrologer and it would be pretty much the same elite spec. It could have actually been a new profession its identity is so completely detached from the ranger. That’s my problem with it. It’s fine, but it’s not a ranger nor does it build upon what the ranger is.

To me the soulbeast will live or die depending on how they handle the ranger traits and skills that buff the pet. Will rangers get 33% movement speed if they have the BM line and merge with the pet? What happens to effects like Fortifying Bond or We Heal as One? Are shouts completely useless when bonded to your pet? Does Natural Healing now heal the ranger? What does Empathic Bond? Will auto-attacking with a sword give the ranger might?

If the answer is simply all of these traits and skills stop functioning when the ranger bonds with their pet (or even some of them), that’s a massive problem (especially when many of these traits are minors and unavoidable). It’s not reasonable to tell elementalists their attunements don’t matter or their cantrips can’t be used with a new elite spec, so it’s also not reasonable to deny rangers of their pet traits and skills either.

On the other hand, if merging with the pet does give all that power to the ranger (even if it’s reduced on some level) why would rangers ever use a pet? My biggest fear with this spec, and it has been this way since the CDI, is that we keep seeing the devs move away from the pet. This is the second elite spec now which doesn’t actually improve the pet mechanic and the first to outright replace it. They keep shifting the identity rather than embracing it. It’s a huge improvement on the druid (which play fine but it’s not a ranger) but I really hope the devs aren’t giving up on the pet.

Shiren.9532:

On the other hand, if merging with the pet does give all that power to the ranger (even if it’s reduced on some level) why would rangers ever use a pet?

We haven’t tried it yet, so well, that’s just guessing, but while staying in Beastform certainly looks easier (and a way to run in a wvw zerg without losing part of your build), I can’t see it being optimal. Skills and traits affecting the pet won’t all affect the ranger in the exact same way as they do the pet right now. Or if they do, expect it to be nerfed immediately.

I think a lot of switch back and forth will make the spec shine by preserving access to the F2 (two skills you miss out on if you stay merged) and (ab)using some of the most useful pet family skills. If the drake’s tail swipe works as well on the ranger as on the drakes, there’s some burst potential in merging after it procs to pop it yourself immediately. Same for chain cc with an additional access to the canine/porcine knockdown. And the merge itself will come in handy to save your pet from death when swap is on cooldown.

Shiren.9532:

…

The CDI was full of people who didn’t play ranger, at least not as a main. The ranger is fundamentally a pet class and anyone who didn’t want a pet simply should have picked something else. There are certainly situations where you may not want to have a pet out (like a longbow ranger fighting a zerg) but the idea that the ranger community doesn’t want the pet is simply false – anyone who didn’t want a pet obviously wouldn’t pick the only class who’s fundamental mechanic is a pet. …

We pick a ranger because we want to role play a ranger and not a beastmaster.

Shiren.9532:

You might have wanted to be a lone wolf skirmisher of the wilds, but that was never the ranger. The ranger is defined at its very core by the pet.

It was the ranger in guild wars 1 and there is no other class for this type of gameplay.

The soulbeast is fundamentally a non-pet class and anyone who want a pet simply should have picked something else

From the few details revealed so far, I can’t be any happier.

We lacked a melee condi/hybrid mainhand weapon. ANet delivered. The three skills look great, built with trait synergies in mind, some mobility and quickness as a bonus. Not boring at all. I honestly can’t complain.

We lacked an insta-cast stability, some of us even dreamed of group stability in WvW. ANet delivered. Dolyak Stance paired with Leader of the Pack looks quite promising. Something closer to a 600 radius on Leader of the Pack would have been better though.

We lacked a reliable condition clear on shorter cooldown. ANet delivered. Bear Stance looks great and pretty well balanced. I even suspect a first tier trait on the middle line which will reduce stances cooldown. Can’t wait to discover what’s hidden here.

We lacked more DPS / more gap closers / more condition clears / more mobility / resistance / [you name it]. Beastmode WILL provide. From the few pets revealed, I just love what they have been introducing with Soulbeast. More spells to choose from. More build options. More flexibility.

Regarding the Elite Spec and dropping your pet completely: I can’t agree yet. The spec may perform better with a rotation on your Beastmode cooldown. We will still have to use our pet in a traditional way between cooldowns and go Beastmode when it really makes sense to benefit from extra stats / skills / bonuses. Camping in Beastmode will lock you away from switching quickly to your second pet’s Beastmode when you need it. It may be funnier and more challenging than you would expect. Wait and see.

All in all, I feel like ANet is listening and did a great job with the Elite Spec. Of course we don’t know everything about it yet, but in my opinion it looks promising.

Please advise regarding Soulbeast

I plan to return to the game after recent PoF reveal. I left the game like 1 year ago, and now Im wondering if I should invest gold in changing my ascended stats to viper (wanted to give condi a try) or perhaps wait until PoF hits and some vialble builds show up?
I read Soulbeast has the best potential of being condi dmg dealer but power builds should be possible too (though a bit lackluster?). Not even sure if I should get my hands on ascended daggers (have enough magnetide shards) or wait because daggers seem rather weak from looking at streams/youtube videos..
Ah and I plan on doing mostly solo content like world explore, maybe fractals and dungs at some point, if it matters :V I just wonder how bad will power build be in comparison to condi (and how is it now?)

I know not much is known at this point, but maybe you could advise me what to do. I suppose I dont mind sitting on my butt for another month..

(currently, I have gear with Soldier stats because when raids first hit in no one in my guild was willing to tank or heal, so I did both at the same time. And I did really good, but right now, after returning, I dont think I will ever use this build so.. :v)

Wait at least for the public beta. Keep in mind that new stats and new food will be released and that a huge balance patch is on its way.
Don’t invest yet.

aaralyn.6493:

Please advise regarding Soulbeast

I plan to return to the game after recent PoF reveal. I left the game like 1 year ago, and now Im wondering if I should invest gold in changing my ascended stats to viper (wanted to give condi a try) or perhaps wait until PoF hits and some vialble builds show up?
I read Soulbeast has the best potential of being condi dmg dealer but power builds should be possible too (though a bit lackluster?). Not even sure if I should get my hands on ascended daggers (have enough magnetide shards) or wait because daggers seem rather weak from looking at streams/youtube videos..
Ah and I plan on doing mostly solo content like world explore, maybe fractals and dungs at some point, if it matters :V I just wonder how bad will power build be in comparison to condi (and how is it now?)

I know not much is known at this point, but maybe you could advise me what to do. I suppose I dont mind sitting on my butt for another month..

(currently, I have gear with Soldier stats because when raids first hit in no one in my guild was willing to tank or heal, so I did both at the same time. And I did really good, but right now, after returning, I dont think I will ever use this build so.. :v)

I would definitely wait for the expansion to launch, and see how the meta changes, before investing in ascended gear.

for open world, you can pretty much do whatever you feel like. For fractals, you might want to stick with something a bit more meta (the meta is mostly based on what the most effective and efficient builds are. Generally, power builds – burst, and condi build – sustained damage. Currently people are speculating whether hybrid builds will be a thing based off of some new stats we saw during the reveal. So if I were you, I’d wait with getting gear, until we know which way the meta is going.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Nowhere does Ranger have anything that resembles technology use. It is all nature magic. Affinity was the incorrect word. Using nature magic does rule out the use of technology, it just doesn’t fit and it is unecessary since you can do whatever you want with magic.

Also, it IS explicitly stated.

Show Spoiler

hide spoiler

OnRPG: I knew there would be bows and things, but as you say the technology has advanced, so will they be more than pointy sticks on a string?

Anet: [Jon]The Ranger, one of the things we did with it in Guild Wars 2 is kind of go with a much more bestial and naturey feel and so because of that he kind of focuses on a lot weapons that are very natural. If he’s in melee combat he uses great swords and swords, and at range he throws axes, uses bows and short bows, long bows, and a lot of his spells, I got to mention the trap that [has] poison snakes, or he summons a nature spirit, and so we kind of embraced that naturey feel with him, kind of took him in that direction because we feel like that’s an archetype that people who play a Ranger really like and it gives us kind of an opportunity, you know in other places, to use the more advanced rifles and pistols with our [more earthly? doesn’t sound right..garbled..Sounded like it was a glitch or edited out intentionally..] professions.

[Eric]Yeah, I think we’d like to look at as the Ranger profession has evolved the same way that the world has evolved, and the Rangers have sort of gone anti-technology, they’ve gone into the wild, they’ve gone and embraced sort of spirit, and things like that. There are other professions in our, you know, five unye, as yet revealed, we mentioned Warriors for example have no problem using rifles. There are plenty of other professions remaining we’re going to use both rifles and pistols, and so for the Ranger it just didn’t feel right for them to be using firearms.

As the world evolved, the Rangers went further into the wild… away from technology, and more towards being bestial and “naturey.”

http://www.onrpg.com/news/guild-wars-2-exclusive-ranger-interview-transcription/

Yeah, Engineer got a Hammer, a rocket powered hammer that you can ionize, magnetise and reflect projectiles with because it makes you spin around so fast. More tech than blunt instrument.

And warrior got daggers and a different martial style, seems like a logical progression for a class that is already the most proficient at martial weapons.

Ranger got more nature magic.

Well, we do have a harpoon gun. Those can get a bit techy. Obviously for some reason the devs thought it served the ranger well enough conceptually. In doing this they also made the harpoon gun feel very nature themed with all the piranha and coral shots.

Aside from that, that article was 7 years ago, back when the core concept was made, and I think what draxynnic mentioned rings true:

draxynnic.3719:

Now, it’s still possible that not using guns is a choice that current rangers make, and some future elite specialisation may still go in that direction. But I think there are justifications for the line to be drawn where it is, at least for now.

It’s not so much that the core ranger concept needs changing – I think it’s great and I’m sure we all love the wilderness and nature aspects of the class – but given that elite specialisations are meant as new avenues of both gameplay and concept I think it’s worth being a bit more open to what a ranger could be.

Also, you keep mentioning nature magic and I get what you mean but, it’s only really a part of the kit. Rangers are also trappers, survivalists and animal tamers. The latter I think is actually more important to the concept than the druidic side of things. Now, all of these nature-themed of course, but they’re not all necessarily magic, nor does it have to mean that ventures outside of that box should be anathema, especially not in cases like elite specs where the devs should feel free to come up with new and exciting ideas (not necessarily guns). Especially since with more numerous elite specs we’re not all meant to go for the same ones, and some specs will appeal thematically to some but not others. I’m sure not all warriors imagined themselves as Spellbreakers at the outset.

On a side note, to make things less OT: I think it was a missed opportunity to not make Soulbeast more desert themed, maybe have some sandy visuals or a crystalline effect reflect the beast aspect into our soul or something. Bit more exciting than the green thorns aura we have currently, which I see some people being disappointed about. Druids were very fitting in Maguuma Jungle after all, and I think that as rangers we really should theme our new elite specs after the environment of the new areas we go to. Deserts are part of nature too right?

Mackanstein.2503:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Nowhere does Ranger have anything that resembles technology use. It is all nature magic. Affinity was the incorrect word. Using nature magic does rule out the use of technology, it just doesn’t fit and it is unecessary since you can do whatever you want with magic.

Also, it IS explicitly stated.

Show Spoiler

hide spoiler

OnRPG: I knew there would be bows and things, but as you say the technology has advanced, so will they be more than pointy sticks on a string?

Anet: [Jon]The Ranger, one of the things we did with it in Guild Wars 2 is kind of go with a much more bestial and naturey feel and so because of that he kind of focuses on a lot weapons that are very natural. If he’s in melee combat he uses great swords and swords, and at range he throws axes, uses bows and short bows, long bows, and a lot of his spells, I got to mention the trap that [has] poison snakes, or he summons a nature spirit, and so we kind of embraced that naturey feel with him, kind of took him in that direction because we feel like that’s an archetype that people who play a Ranger really like and it gives us kind of an opportunity, you know in other places, to use the more advanced rifles and pistols with our [more earthly? doesn’t sound right..garbled..Sounded like it was a glitch or edited out intentionally..] professions.

[Eric]Yeah, I think we’d like to look at as the Ranger profession has evolved the same way that the world has evolved, and the Rangers have sort of gone anti-technology, they’ve gone into the wild, they’ve gone and embraced sort of spirit, and things like that. There are other professions in our, you know, five unye, as yet revealed, we mentioned Warriors for example have no problem using rifles. There are plenty of other professions remaining we’re going to use both rifles and pistols, and so for the Ranger it just didn’t feel right for them to be using firearms.

As the world evolved, the Rangers went further into the wild… away from technology, and more towards being bestial and “naturey.”

http://www.onrpg.com/news/guild-wars-2-exclusive-ranger-interview-transcription/

Yeah, Engineer got a Hammer, a rocket powered hammer that you can ionize, magnetise and reflect projectiles with because it makes you spin around so fast. More tech than blunt instrument.

And warrior got daggers and a different martial style, seems like a logical progression for a class that is already the most proficient at martial weapons.

Ranger got more nature magic.

Well, we do have a harpoon gun. Those can get a bit techy. Obviously for some reason the devs thought it served the ranger well enough conceptually. In doing this they also made the harpoon gun feel very nature themed with all the piranha and coral shots.

Aside from that, that article was 7 years ago, back when the core concept was made, and I think what draxynnic mentioned rings true:

draxynnic.3719:

Now, it’s still possible that not using guns is a choice that current rangers make, and some future elite specialisation may still go in that direction. But I think there are justifications for the line to be drawn where it is, at least for now.

It’s not so much that the core ranger concept needs changing – I think it’s great and I’m sure we all love the wilderness and nature aspects of the class – but given that elite specialisations are meant as new avenues of both gameplay and concept I think it’s worth being a bit more open to what a ranger could be.

Also, you keep mentioning nature magic and I get what you mean but, it’s only really a part of the kit. Rangers are also trappers, survivalists and animal tamers. The latter I think is actually more important to the concept than the druidic side of things. Now, all of these nature-themed of course, but they’re not all necessarily magic, nor does it have to mean that ventures outside of that box should be anathema, especially not in cases like elite specs where the devs should feel free to come up with new and exciting ideas (not necessarily guns). Especially since with more numerous elite specs we’re not all meant to go for the same ones, and some specs will appeal thematically to some but not others. I’m sure not all warriors imagined themselves as Spellbreakers at the outset.

A harpoon gun is not a gun though, it is just replacing the spring action of the bow’s limbs with energy stored in pre-stretched rubber. The piranha and coral shot and other things like this are nature magic, not just nature themed.

Except for Sharpening Stone, the survival skills are magic, signets are magic rings, spirits are magic. Summoning a pet from the ether is magic, having the pet absorb damage or conditions for you is magic, the vast majority of Ranger is magic. Nature themed magic.

Sure, they can add new avenues of gameplay to a class with an eSpec, but they will not change the concept or theme of the base class, it makes no sense to do so and is counter productive. There are specific classes with specific themes for a reason. If you start crossing themes over, it makes them pointless to begin with.

I highly doubt they will ever add rifle to Ranger, it makes no sense thematically and there is no requirement for another ranged weapon, what role would a rifle perform? We have ranged condi with control, ranged power with control and ranged hybrid already. A rifle with a lot of control effects? I doubt it. I can see a couple of eSpecs being something like; Hammer – Thumper, a control spec ranger. Land Spear – Lancer, heavy power focused DPS. But a rifle is already redundant.

Anyway…..

I could see them adding Rifle to ranger and making the especs theme about wielding nature magic and a little technology together, make it’s more something around the line of Charr Rangers that needed to come back to defend their towns from X threats turned to tech to give them the extra oomph they needed without giving up their deeply grown roots in nature.

aaralyn.6493:

Please advise regarding Soulbeast

I plan to return to the game after recent PoF reveal. I left the game like 1 year ago, and now Im wondering if I should invest gold in changing my ascended stats to viper (wanted to give condi a try) or perhaps wait until PoF hits and some vialble builds show up?
I read Soulbeast has the best potential of being condi dmg dealer but power builds should be possible too (though a bit lackluster?). Not even sure if I should get my hands on ascended daggers (have enough magnetide shards) or wait because daggers seem rather weak from looking at streams/youtube videos..
Ah and I plan on doing mostly solo content like world explore, maybe fractals and dungs at some point, if it matters :V I just wonder how bad will power build be in comparison to condi (and how is it now?)

I know not much is known at this point, but maybe you could advise me what to do. I suppose I dont mind sitting on my butt for another month..

(currently, I have gear with Soldier stats because when raids first hit in no one in my guild was willing to tank or heal, so I did both at the same time. And I did really good, but right now, after returning, I dont think I will ever use this build so.. :v)

The thing about trying condi is that the difference between exotic and ascended gear is less pronounced than for power damage, so I’d say just get some cheap exotics (or maybe take the opportunity to unlock some exotic skins you never bothered with before) and give it a whirl, you’ll be in a better position to try it from the get go when the expansion pack lands that way.

Mackanstein.2503:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Nowhere does Ranger have anything that resembles technology use. It is all nature magic. Affinity was the incorrect word. Using nature magic does rule out the use of technology, it just doesn’t fit and it is unecessary since you can do whatever you want with magic.

Also, it IS explicitly stated.

Show Spoiler

hide spoiler

OnRPG: I knew there would be bows and things, but as you say the technology has advanced, so will they be more than pointy sticks on a string?

Anet: [Jon]The Ranger, one of the things we did with it in Guild Wars 2 is kind of go with a much more bestial and naturey feel and so because of that he kind of focuses on a lot weapons that are very natural. If he’s in melee combat he uses great swords and swords, and at range he throws axes, uses bows and short bows, long bows, and a lot of his spells, I got to mention the trap that [has] poison snakes, or he summons a nature spirit, and so we kind of embraced that naturey feel with him, kind of took him in that direction because we feel like that’s an archetype that people who play a Ranger really like and it gives us kind of an opportunity, you know in other places, to use the more advanced rifles and pistols with our [more earthly? doesn’t sound right..garbled..Sounded like it was a glitch or edited out intentionally..] professions.

[Eric]Yeah, I think we’d like to look at as the Ranger profession has evolved the same way that the world has evolved, and the Rangers have sort of gone anti-technology, they’ve gone into the wild, they’ve gone and embraced sort of spirit, and things like that. There are other professions in our, you know, five unye, as yet revealed, we mentioned Warriors for example have no problem using rifles. There are plenty of other professions remaining we’re going to use both rifles and pistols, and so for the Ranger it just didn’t feel right for them to be using firearms.

As the world evolved, the Rangers went further into the wild… away from technology, and more towards being bestial and “naturey.”

http://www.onrpg.com/news/guild-wars-2-exclusive-ranger-interview-transcription/

Yeah, Engineer got a Hammer, a rocket powered hammer that you can ionize, magnetise and reflect projectiles with because it makes you spin around so fast. More tech than blunt instrument.

And warrior got daggers and a different martial style, seems like a logical progression for a class that is already the most proficient at martial weapons.

Ranger got more nature magic.

Well, we do have a harpoon gun. Those can get a bit techy. Obviously for some reason the devs thought it served the ranger well enough conceptually. In doing this they also made the harpoon gun feel very nature themed with all the piranha and coral shots.

Aside from that, that article was 7 years ago, back when the core concept was made, and I think what draxynnic mentioned rings true:

draxynnic.3719:

Now, it’s still possible that not using guns is a choice that current rangers make, and some future elite specialisation may still go in that direction. But I think there are justifications for the line to be drawn where it is, at least for now.

It’s not so much that the core ranger concept needs changing – I think it’s great and I’m sure we all love the wilderness and nature aspects of the class – but given that elite specialisations are meant as new avenues of both gameplay and concept I think it’s worth being a bit more open to what a ranger could be.

Also, you keep mentioning nature magic and I get what you mean but, it’s only really a part of the kit. Rangers are also trappers, survivalists and animal tamers. The latter I think is actually more important to the concept than the druidic side of things. Now, all of these nature-themed of course, but they’re not all necessarily magic, nor does it have to mean that ventures outside of that box should be anathema, especially not in cases like elite specs where the devs should feel free to come up with new and exciting ideas (not necessarily guns). Especially since with more numerous elite specs we’re not all meant to go for the same ones, and some specs will appeal thematically to some but not others. I’m sure not all warriors imagined themselves as Spellbreakers at the outset.

On a side note, to make things less OT: I think it was a missed opportunity to not make Soulbeast more desert themed, maybe have some sandy visuals or a crystalline effect reflect the beast aspect into our soul or something. Bit more exciting than the green thorns aura we have currently, which I see some people being disappointed about. Druids were very fitting in Maguuma Jungle after all, and I think that as rangers we really should theme our new elite specs after the environment of the new areas we go to. Deserts are part of nature too right?

If we were ever to get rifle on a ranger I’d hope it would be a set up that really emphasised the pet aspect of our class to separate it from other rifle users. I can’t help imagining little technopacks on our pets that supercharge their bodies when they go in for a charge attack, or with little suits of body armour made from scrap, or any of that kind of thing. (Basically I’d want engineer gadgets but for our pets because I think it’d be adorable, and i don’t care who would think it’d be deplorable cos they don’t get to judge the bond between me and Scrappy =P )

Earix.5684:

From the few details revealed so far, I can’t be any happier.

We lacked a melee condi/hybrid mainhand weapon. ANet delivered. The three skills look great, built with trait synergies in mind, some mobility and quickness as a bonus. Not boring at all. I honestly can’t complain.

We lacked an insta-cast stability, some of us even dreamed of group stability in WvW. ANet delivered. Dolyak Stance paired with Leader of the Pack looks quite promising. Something closer to a 600 radius on Leader of the Pack would have been better though.

We lacked a reliable condition clear on shorter cooldown. ANet delivered. Bear Stance looks great and pretty well balanced. I even suspect a first tier trait on the middle line which will reduce stances cooldown. Can’t wait to discover what’s hidden here.

We lacked more DPS / more gap closers / more condition clears / more mobility / resistance / [you name it]. Beastmode WILL provide. From the few pets revealed, I just love what they have been introducing with Soulbeast. More spells to choose from. More build options. More flexibility.

Regarding the Elite Spec and dropping your pet completely: I can’t agree yet. The spec may perform better with a rotation on your Beastmode cooldown. We will still have to use our pet in a traditional way between cooldowns and go Beastmode when it really makes sense to benefit from extra stats / skills / bonuses. Camping in Beastmode will lock you away from switching quickly to your second pet’s Beastmode when you need it. It may be funnier and more challenging than you would expect. Wait and see.

All in all, I feel like ANet is listening and did a great job with the Elite Spec. Of course we don’t know everything about it yet, but in my opinion it looks promising.

I agree on all points. The expansion is literally designed to be a crowd pleaser. You can see on several class forums how some of the announced elite specializations were intentionally suggested by forum members, to the point A.net even embraced some of the names suggested(Weaver, Deadeye). It’s the same with ranger, the mechanic of the soulbeast was discussed and suggested for years, and A.net delivered. Looks great so far. I’m hyped.

LughLongArm.5460:

Earix.5684:

From the few details revealed so far, I can’t be any happier.

We lacked a melee condi/hybrid mainhand weapon. ANet delivered. The three skills look great, built with trait synergies in mind, some mobility and quickness as a bonus. Not boring at all. I honestly can’t complain.

We lacked an insta-cast stability, some of us even dreamed of group stability in WvW. ANet delivered. Dolyak Stance paired with Leader of the Pack looks quite promising. Something closer to a 600 radius on Leader of the Pack would have been better though.

We lacked a reliable condition clear on shorter cooldown. ANet delivered. Bear Stance looks great and pretty well balanced. I even suspect a first tier trait on the middle line which will reduce stances cooldown. Can’t wait to discover what’s hidden here.

We lacked more DPS / more gap closers / more condition clears / more mobility / resistance / [you name it]. Beastmode WILL provide. From the few pets revealed, I just love what they have been introducing with Soulbeast. More spells to choose from. More build options. More flexibility.

Regarding the Elite Spec and dropping your pet completely: I can’t agree yet. The spec may perform better with a rotation on your Beastmode cooldown. We will still have to use our pet in a traditional way between cooldowns and go Beastmode when it really makes sense to benefit from extra stats / skills / bonuses. Camping in Beastmode will lock you away from switching quickly to your second pet’s Beastmode when you need it. It may be funnier and more challenging than you would expect. Wait and see.

All in all, I feel like ANet is listening and did a great job with the Elite Spec. Of course we don’t know everything about it yet, but in my opinion it looks promising.

I agree on all points. The expansion is literally designed to be a crowd pleaser. You can see on several class forums how some of the announced elite specializations were intentionally suggested by forum members, to the point A.net even embraced some of the names suggested(Weaver, Deadeye). It’s the same with ranger, the mechanic of the soulbeast was discussed and suggested for years, and A.net delivered. Looks great so far. I’m hyped.

I really wish ANet look into the forum, cause everyones been calling Soulbeast, Beastmode. LOL. Change of name before expac hits would be nice.

AEFA.9035:

I really wish ANet look into the forum, cause everyones been calling Soulbeast, Beastmode. LOL. Change of name before expac hits would be nice.

Well, it’s the actual skill name (screenshot)

Beastmode engaged

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Substance E.4852:

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Rangers refuse to use rifles and technology, but rather to develop their affinity to nature. That’s the lore. Bother to understand.

Having an affinity to nature does not mutually exclude using technology nor is that explicitly stated anywhere.

Engineer’s were scientists who used gadgets in battle and then suddenly got to smash things with giant hammers like a warrior.

Warrior’s were brute force soldiers who can now use fanciful dagger dances to take down sorcerers like some kind of martial mesmer.

Nowhere does Ranger have anything that resembles technology use. It is all nature magic. Affinity was the incorrect word. Using nature magic does rule out the use of technology, it just doesn’t fit and it is unecessary since you can do whatever you want with magic.

Also, it IS explicitly stated.

Show Spoiler

hide spoiler

OnRPG: I knew there would be bows and things, but as you say the technology has advanced, so will they be more than pointy sticks on a string?

Anet: [Jon]The Ranger, one of the things we did with it in Guild Wars 2 is kind of go with a much more bestial and naturey feel and so because of that he kind of focuses on a lot weapons that are very natural. If he’s in melee combat he uses great swords and swords, and at range he throws axes, uses bows and short bows, long bows, and a lot of his spells, I got to mention the trap that [has] poison snakes, or he summons a nature spirit, and so we kind of embraced that naturey feel with him, kind of took him in that direction because we feel like that’s an archetype that people who play a Ranger really like and it gives us kind of an opportunity, you know in other places, to use the more advanced rifles and pistols with our [more earthly? doesn’t sound right..garbled..Sounded like it was a glitch or edited out intentionally..] professions.

[Eric]Yeah, I think we’d like to look at as the Ranger profession has evolved the same way that the world has evolved, and the Rangers have sort of gone anti-technology, they’ve gone into the wild, they’ve gone and embraced sort of spirit, and things like that. There are other professions in our, you know, five unye, as yet revealed, we mentioned Warriors for example have no problem using rifles. There are plenty of other professions remaining we’re going to use both rifles and pistols, and so for the Ranger it just didn’t feel right for them to be using firearms.

As the world evolved, the Rangers went further into the wild… away from technology, and more towards being bestial and “naturey.”

http://www.onrpg.com/news/guild-wars-2-exclusive-ranger-interview-transcription/

Yeah, Engineer got a Hammer, a rocket powered hammer that you can ionize, magnetise and reflect projectiles with because it makes you spin around so fast. More tech than blunt instrument.

And warrior got daggers and a different martial style, seems like a logical progression for a class that is already the most proficient at martial weapons.

Ranger got more nature magic.

Off hand interviews are hardly official canon especially when it’s established fact that what we know of as The Ranger is an amalgamation of 2-3 classes they couldn’t get to work independently. They were still trying to figure out what to even do with the Ranger in 2010. The interview even has them talking about the old “you can summon 3 pets at once” thing that got scrapped before ever seeing the light of day.

Pretty sure they would have said swords and hammers on engineers didn’t fit the theme of a gun tech class at the time either.

There’s also absolutely no reason a rifle can’t be nature themed. If WoW can give Beast Mastery specced Hunters a dps spam skill that shoots green snakes from their rifles, I think Anet can manage to come up with a few nature themed gun skills.

Vine surge would have been a perfect Ranger Rifle skill. Maybe a shot that teleports your pet to the enemy? A skill that simulates you shooting a hornet’s nest out of a tree to fall on an area and create a pulsing aoe? A skill that simulates injuring your target so your pet can track it’s blood and does +% damage to it for x seconds? A skill that shoots out a trap skill to an area and gives us back at least 1 ranged trap skill?

If the hammer can be a ranged magic weapon on the Rev, a rifle can easily be a huntsman survival utility tool on the Ranger.

I have let the idea of soulbeast sink in for a bit. I have to say I’m extremely happy with the choice anet made on where to go with ranger’s next specialisation. There were other options, this one was my favorite option which I stated a few times in the past. Not into the direction of firearms or something else, but true to nature, even with dagger as main hand. I feel I’ve been heard, I hope the majority of the rangers (all rangers, also outside official forum readers) will feel the same way.

Edit: also, the discussion about nature themed or not fitting ranger reminds me of this post a while back. Good points were made as well: https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Firearms/first#post6349240

Shiren.9532:

The CDI was full of people who didn’t play ranger, at least not as a main.

not true, you have no idea what you’re talking about. Druid was designed largely based on the CDI, as well as the subsequent weapon buffs. Soulbeast is also a result of the CDI, without a doubt.

Shiren.9532:

The ranger is fundamentally a pet class and anyone who didn’t want a pet simply should have picked something else.

it really isn’t. you may want it to be, but it never played that way because of how pets were designed. pets were and always played like an afterthought. this changed significantly in HoT with better pets like the Tiger. when the second xpac releases, rangers probably won’t be around anyway. we will have Druids, and Soulbeasts, under the ranger umbrella term.

So this means we get access to the smoke scales abilities? at least until the OP professions complain and they delete the soul beast from the game that is….

Anyway, my only complaint is:

Dolyak stance and Griffon stance should be renamed.
I have really enjoyed Ranger references to real-world animals.
guess this is minor though. darn psychology…

what I like:

The animations <3 Very Nature-y, Sticking to ranger roots == good

Shiren.9532:

The CDI was full of people who didn’t play ranger, at least not as a main. The ranger is fundamentally a pet class and anyone who didn’t want a pet simply should have picked something else. There are certainly situations where you may not want to have a pet out (like a longbow ranger fighting a zerg) but the idea that the ranger community doesn’t want the pet is simply false – anyone who didn’t want a pet obviously wouldn’t pick the only class who’s fundamental mechanic is a pet. You might have wanted to be a lone wolf skirmisher of the wilds, but that was never the ranger. The ranger is defined at its very core by the pet.

Name a class that plays like a petless Ranger.

Mackanstein.2503:

Also, you keep mentioning nature magic and I get what you mean but, it’s only really a part of the kit. Rangers are also trappers, survivalists and animal tamers. The latter I think is actually more important to the concept than the druidic side of things. Now, all of these nature-themed of course, but they’re not all necessarily magic, nor does it have to mean that ventures outside of that box should be anathema, especially not in cases like elite specs where the devs should feel free to come up with new and exciting ideas (not necessarily guns). Especially since with more numerous elite specs we’re not all meant to go for the same ones, and some specs will appeal thematically to some but not others. I’m sure not all warriors imagined themselves as Spellbreakers at the outset.

Well, the part of my post you quoted was actually an acknowledgement that it need not be the case for every elite specialisation. Mostly, I was objecting to the idea that drawing the line at guns was an arbitrary distinction, and that the line should be drawn at Stone Age technology or open slather.

To expand: A rifle spec, to represent a more ‘modern’ viewpoint of the outdoorsman, would be fitting as an elite spec in the future to represent the exceptions to the rule. This sort of thing is partly what the elite specialisation system appears intended to do – to take the profession in a different direction – and in this case, ArenaNet actually has a built-in explanation for why the elite specialisations can’t be mixed: it’s the spirits that provide the power behind druid, soulbeast, and other elite specs that object to guns.

On the other hand, there’s no reason that an elite specialisation with a gun has to happen now either.

Mackanstein.2503:

On a side note, to make things less OT: I think it was a missed opportunity to not make Soulbeast more desert themed, maybe have some sandy visuals or a crystalline effect reflect the beast aspect into our soul or something. Bit more exciting than the green thorns aura we have currently, which I see some people being disappointed about. Druids were very fitting in Maguuma Jungle after all, and I think that as rangers we really should theme our new elite specs after the environment of the new areas we go to. Deserts are part of nature too right?

Well… Druid might have been Maguuma-related, but not all of the HoT were (or at least, certainly not obviously so…) – I’m happy with not EVERY elite in PoF being shoehorned into being specifically desert-focused.

Unsure how I feel about it right now. On the one hand the core concept sounds interesting, but on the other I don’t want to feel like I am being pressured to go soulbeast to compensate for the pet’s problems. I also worry that being in beastmode might be flat out better than having a pet in most situations, resulting in the pet never being used again.

I’m also not very interested in a mainhand dagger or stances as new skills, but that’s just a preference thing.

Levetty.1279:

Name a class that plays like a petless Ranger.

If you take the pet out ranger would be hardly distinguishable from other adventurers like thief. Whether you like it or not, but pets were what distinguished rangers from other bow-firing axe-and-dagger-stabbing trap-throwing guys. Just like necro’s shroud and minions or mesmer’s illusions. Fully (more or less) controlled pets with a large roaster of abilities were the buisiness card of rangers. Well, until now. So it is understandable that some of players are not happy about petless soulbeast. At least we retain something from our pets (the skills). The most ironic thing that at this point the best petless ranger (that Legolas people wanted) is not ranger, but renegade revenant.

But lets put the e-spec theme aside. The main reason I’m sceptical about soulbeast is boon sharing with a pet and pet-traits. You see, every time you swap a pet it drops all the boons. Soo I don’t think that the dynamic gameplay of swaping in and out of beastmode (by the way, the name is stupid) will be effective. Swap out of beastmode to give your team tiger’s fury every 8 seconds? Sticking out with a wyvern and absorb it (discarding it’s boons) to break a boss bar? What about pet-oriented traits like expertise training? How will all our mechanics work with pet absorbtion? The pets were such a core mechanics of our profession that just by brining the soulbeast concept a lot of our skills and traits can become either completely useless or completely overpowered. There’s A LOT of balancing work there. Thats like complete profession overhaul. Can Anet handle it? We’ll see.

Finally i can Roleplay being a BearBow in my Soul

Ider.1276:

Levetty.1279:

Name a class that plays like a petless Ranger.

If you take the pet out ranger would be hardly distinguishable from other adventurers like thief. Whether you like it or not, but pets were what distinguished rangers from other bow-firing axe-and-dagger-stabbing trap-throwing guys. Just like necro’s shroud and minions or mesmer’s illusions. Fully (more or less) controlled pets with a large roaster of abilities were the buisiness card of rangers. Well, until now. So it is understandable that some of players are not happy about petless soulbeast. At least we retain something from our pets (the skills). The most ironic thing that at this point the best petless ranger (that Legolas people wanted) is not ranger, but renegade revenant.

Eh, renegede has a lot of clearly supernatural attacks for a Legolas. Soulbeast or even dragonhunter is probably closer.

More broadly, I don’t think it’s fair to say that soulbeast is doing away with the pet mechanic. How long you remain in soulbeast form, and how you use it, is a choice. The proof will be in the pudding, of course, but I could also see it being used to enhance the use of a pet and make it more viable: for instance, it provides another means apart from pet-swapping to prevent an endangered pet from being disabled, a(nother) means of instantly calling the pet back to you if you need it, and so on.

I suspect some people will use it as a means of doing away with the pet altogether, but it shouldn’t be the only way that the soulbeast can or should be played.