Guild Wars 2

Something that has always confounded me with ranger is how anet does its adjustments to the class; most of them just straight nerfs. We are seeing this pattern repeat with druid. I completely understand nerfing strong areas but why are we not buffing weak areas in exchange when it comes to ranger and druid? Why not shift power in the overall kit instead of just taking power away purely. I can’t help but feel jealous as Elementalist gets this kind of treatment all the time yet we never see it on ranger, and have yet to with druid. I’ve always felt that this is rangers biggest balance issue… not the kit its self, but how anet handles adjusting the ranger kit.

For example smoke scale got damage reduction. I totally agree that smokescale had to much damage. A lot of people were using this pet because of the lack of damage on ranger. They were using it to bridge the gap. In exchange for the nerf why not buff some of rangers/druids damage coefficients on a few skills by 0.2 or even 0.1 and address some of the problem.

Ranger and Druid both feel un-impactful and disjointed compared to the other classes and elite specs. This is a result of how the class has been handled. Now the class as a whole needs a lot of work again to be at par with others.

So please anet next time you go to make adjustments on ranger please for every negative add a positive in somewhere else to the class. Ranger is also in some dire need of some free positives in various areas to make the class competitive with others.

To others reading this, what short comings do you feel the class has and what adjustments(that are reasonable) would like to see happen for ranger and druid?

are you talking about pve or pvp? druids are quite strong in pvp. there are a few builds that work, many that don’t.

the one adjustment that I necessary for the druid is increasing AF gain rate for condi weapons, like for the axe/dagger + sword/torch builds. druid remains more or less unappealing for condi builds because of that reason.

mistsim.2748:

are you talking about pve or pvp? druids are quite strong in pvp. there are a few builds that work, many that don’t.

the one adjustment that I necessary for the druid is increasing AF gain rate for condi weapons, like for the axe/dagger + sword/torch builds. druid remains more or less unappealing for condi builds because of that reason.

I’m running pure condi build with druid. I honestly don’t know how people are running power builds with druid.

Justine.6351:

mistsim.2748:

are you talking about pve or pvp? druids are quite strong in pvp. there are a few builds that work, many that don’t.

the one adjustment that I necessary for the druid is increasing AF gain rate for condi weapons, like for the axe/dagger + sword/torch builds. druid remains more or less unappealing for condi builds because of that reason.

I’m running pure condi build with druid. I honestly don’t know how people are running power builds with druid.

The staff is useless for condition builds and the only useful trait is possibly ancient seeds? Also, the biggest issue with condition builds is that you basically never get into CA form. (maybe if you use the terribad shortbow) So why wouldn’t you just use a base specialization over druid for a condition build?

mistsim.2748:

are you talking about pve or pvp? druids are quite strong in pvp. there are a few builds that work, many that don’t.

the one adjustment that I necessary for the druid is increasing AF gain rate for condi weapons, like for the axe/dagger + sword/torch builds. druid remains more or less unappealing for condi builds because of that reason.

Both and WvW. Ranger and druid really dont bring much to the table. I could get everything I get out of playing ranger(and more) by bringing a guardian or revenant instead. That is my issue, I feel our class is miles behind the others.

I do agree with you that druids are strong in organized play(so are many of the other classes). I primarily play solo when I pvp so its much harder to help a team. Having only unranked que atm does not help either.

Khael.7325:

Justine.6351:

mistsim.2748:

are you talking about pve or pvp? druids are quite strong in pvp. there are a few builds that work, many that don’t.

the one adjustment that I necessary for the druid is increasing AF gain rate for condi weapons, like for the axe/dagger + sword/torch builds. druid remains more or less unappealing for condi builds because of that reason.

I’m running pure condi build with druid. I honestly don’t know how people are running power builds with druid.

The staff is useless for condition builds and the only useful trait is possibly ancient seeds? Also, the biggest issue with condition builds is that you basically never get into CA form. (maybe if you use the terribad shortbow) So why wouldn’t you just use a base specialization over druid for a condition build?

Precision + Sharpened Edges + AA every 0.41s

Eval.2371:

mistsim.2748:

are you talking about pve or pvp? druids are quite strong in pvp. there are a few builds that work, many that don’t.

the one adjustment that I necessary for the druid is increasing AF gain rate for condi weapons, like for the axe/dagger + sword/torch builds. druid remains more or less unappealing for condi builds because of that reason.

Both and WvW. Ranger and druid really dont bring much to the table. I could get everything I get out of playing ranger(and more) by bringing a guardian or revenant instead. That is my issue, I feel our class is miles behind the others.

I do agree with you that druids are strong in organized play(so are many of the other classes). I primarily play solo when I pvp so its much harder to help a team. Having only unranked que atm does not help either.

I’m also a solo’er. it’s all about finding the build that fits your playstyle. if youre unable to find one right away, that doesn’t necessarily mean the prof lags behind others. it just means you haven’t explored all the options. and perhaps other specs are easier to play effectively than the druid. which doesn’t mean the druid cant be played effectively. for example, any newb DH can put down all of his traps on point and blow up 2-3 scrubs that walk on top of them without any stab. but that same DH will basically burn out 10 seconds into the fight, and get blown up by any half-decent power staff or LB druid/ranger from range.

ive been playing only conquest since Friday and I cant really complain about any crazy imbalances, other than the thief and ele being in a really rough shape, which isn’t too relevant to me.

mistsim.2748:

Eval.2371:

mistsim.2748:

are you talking about pve or pvp? druids are quite strong in pvp. there are a few builds that work, many that don’t.

the one adjustment that I necessary for the druid is increasing AF gain rate for condi weapons, like for the axe/dagger + sword/torch builds. druid remains more or less unappealing for condi builds because of that reason.

Both and WvW. Ranger and druid really dont bring much to the table. I could get everything I get out of playing ranger(and more) by bringing a guardian or revenant instead. That is my issue, I feel our class is miles behind the others.

I do agree with you that druids are strong in organized play(so are many of the other classes). I primarily play solo when I pvp so its much harder to help a team. Having only unranked que atm does not help either.

I’m also a solo’er. it’s all about finding the build that fits your playstyle. if youre unable to find one right away, that doesn’t necessarily mean the prof lags behind others. it just means you haven’t explored all the options. and perhaps other specs are easier to play effectively than the druid. which doesn’t mean the druid cant be played effectively. for example, any newb DH can put down all of his traps on point and blow up 2-3 scrubs that walk on top of them without any stab. but that same DH will basically burn out 10 seconds into the fight, and get blown up by any half-decent power staff or LB druid/ranger from range.

ive been playing only conquest since Friday and I cant really complain about any crazy imbalances, other than the thief and ele being in a really rough shape, which isn’t too relevant to me.

While I totally agree with you that we have not explored all options yet ranger is still subpar no matter what way you want to spin it. Base ranger really has nothing unique to bring to the table. Druid is nothing to write home about either in my opinion(see no scaling). Druid scaling with the healing stat is laughable at best. Same goes for damage in both condi and power stats. It is also why celestial is so good atm. The fact that are so many builds that do not work, shows that there is a glaring problem and it is primarily with the base class.

But that wasn’t soley the point I was trying to get across… let me simplify:

We have already seen nerfs on launch and then the pet nerfs following but not a single buff in any of the other areas ranger or druid struggles in. Anet should be shifting power on this weaker class rather than solely removing it. Every time they go about this slippery nerf slope with no compensation we very quickly fall out of meta(be it pvp, pve, wvw).

Druid has perfect healing power and survivability (playing with 3 glifs. And this kitten healing more, than my sup-healing scrapper, with same survivability).
Look at the healing revenant. and try to cry after this (playing 2 days and sure that he is useless at pvp, and he heal in 4 times low (usial, 2 times at perfect fight) than my engj or druid).

Eval.2371:

While I totally agree with you that we have not explored all options yet ranger is still subpar no matter what way you want to spin it. Base ranger really has nothing unique to bring to the table. Druid is nothing to write home about either in my opinion(see no scaling). Druid scaling with the healing stat is laughable at best. Same goes for damage in both condi and power stats. It is also why celestial is so good atm. The fact that are so many builds that do not work, shows that there is a glaring problem and it is primarily with the base class.

but this is just your opinion though. it’s not fact, and it’s certainly not my opinion. druid brings a ton of group utility to the table, and with the right build, a ton of damage as well. the spec is survivable, mobile, and overall strong. you can spec for more heals/support, or more glass which is a highly effective way of using staff to melt people.

the druid scales amazingly with healing power since post-BWE3 changes. im not sure where youre getting your numbers from. just put on a berserker amulet, look at the numbers, then put on the minstrel amulet and notice how well the abilities scale. so I guess the “unique” thing it brings is very large heals and group damage buffs, both passive and active. one example is Lingering Light, which is a super passive way of spamming blinds and sustaining your teammates.

the core profession blows right now though, and I just don’t see a reason to use it over some x/x/druid trait combination. I hope this gets addressed by Irenio over the next few months…a bunch of us spent a lot of our free time writing up feedback for the core profession’s weapons, utilities and traits that need revamps.

It’s hard to give constructive feedback in ranger forum section, because it seems 30 pages of constructive feedbacks on Druid BWE3 experience is not enough, that they have to literally just ignore everything people suggested and adding some random kittens that no-one ever mentioned (like AF degen OOC, smokescale f2 swap place), and straight up nerf Druid to oblivion without compensating it with anything.

Aomine.5012:

It’s hard to give constructive feedback in ranger forum section, because it seems 30 pages of constructive feedbacks on Druid BWE3 experience is not enough, that they have to literally just ignore everything people suggested and adding some random kittens that no-one ever mentioned (like AF degen OOC, smokescale f2 swap place), and straight up nerf Druid to oblivion without compensating it with anything.

Sad, but true.

Aomine.5012:

It’s hard to give constructive feedback in ranger forum section, because it seems 30 pages of constructive feedbacks on Druid BWE3 experience is not enough, that they have to literally just ignore everything people suggested and adding some random kittens that no-one ever mentioned (like AF degen OOC, smokescale f2 swap place), and straight up nerf Druid to oblivion without compensating it with anything.

We had a massive CDI going over every detail of the profession covering these and many more issues.
- Pet AI
- Pet Death
- 33% of our power given to the Pet
- Unresponsive Pet F2
- Pet not landing attacks
- Sword auto attack

And what did we collaboratively come up with? I say collaboratively because I believe it was Gaile who suggested it first… Aspects or Perma Pet Stow.

Did any of those issues or suggestion make it into the live game or HoT development?

- Pet 95% damage reduction, which is great but that’s all we got out of the CDI

I would love for the Druid to be great I am rooting for Irenio I really am. The class has the tools to be truly great not OP but a blast to play and useful in every mode.

Get it right make CA perma.

I can honestly say that my optimism about Ranger hass sunk to an all-time low now. It is depressing to not only have the huge list of problems with Rangers in general that barely has been touched (although was promised on the stream) but now also the problems with Druid, wich is by itself already a niche. How they will be able to make Druid wanted for content when the healing is so clunky. Also with fractal 100 being cleared without dedicated healer the last hope is raids. All this just makes me depressed and stop with GW2 because if (and that is a big if) Anet is finally bothered to do something about it it still will take many many months.

Meh.