Guild Wars 2

Is there an option to play a Ranger without a pet? I really don’t like pets but i do like bows and Ranger playstyle:) I only use birds because they are the smallest of all pets, but i am not sure if they are good for anything …
Necromancer has so many options to play without pets, while Ranger is left with zero options …
Now i’m looking for the smallest pet in the game:P

Yup, it’s called dragon hunter.

Or thief or warrior depending on what archetype of ranger you had in mind.

What exactly don’t you like about the pets? There are a ton of reasons not to like them, just curious as to yours. The class “mechanic” for Rangers in GW2 is pets. Unlike GW1 where you could go petless, that’s not an option in this game. In the right hands, pets can be pretty useful. Theoretically, they are supposed to give rangers access to a lot of different skills that aren’t otherwise available to the class. Unfortunately ANet is still trying to (that’s an optimistic hope here) make pets more effective than their current state…

Kitrace Starbird.1742:

What exactly don’t you like about the pets? There are a ton of reasons not to like them, just curious as to yours.

I don’t like the AI of the pets, i more prefer solo playstyle and managing a pet sometimes is really annoying. I always need to watch on them: are they close to death and need healing, are they on the wrong target when i switch targets, do i have the right pet out for this situation and etc. I don’t have enough time and skill to take care about myself and my pet. It is very frustrating.
I could play with birds maybe (they are small) but they die so quickly …

Sifu.9745:

Kitrace Starbird.1742:

What exactly don’t you like about the pets? There are a ton of reasons not to like them, just curious as to yours.

I don’t like the AI of the pets, i more prefer solo playstyle and managing a pet sometimes is really annoying. I always need to watch on them: are they close to death and need healing, are they on the wrong target when i switch targets, do i have the right pet out for this situation and etc. I don’t have enough time and skill to take care about myself and my pet. It is very frustrating.
I could play with birds maybe (they are small) but they die so quickly …

Birds are pretty stronk in dps. But if you want a bow user id suggest looking at warrior, thief, and guardian(dragonhunter) if you want no pets

Most of the time pets become a burden in crowded combats (wvw). Also their AI is garbage. Really bad. I mean I do not want to compare it to WoW or anything, but even Icewind Dale II has better summon mechanics than ranger pets.

You cannot go petless, and you cannot ignore them either. I can suggest you three things;

1- Roll another archer-ish profession. Not the same thing I know. But Dragonhunter and warrior are both fine archers. Their range is shorter but they have skills to compensate their lack of range.

2- Ignore your pet. But that would be harder to play and you would gain nothing. Except peace of mind, and serenity.

3- Use your pet like a utility skill. Keep it in guard mode, and use their skills accordingly. For example Fern Hound would be another regen skill, bear would be condi cleanse, smokescale would be a smoke field only.

If you don’t want to pay any attention to your pet, don’t take glassy ones like birds, take tanky ones like drakes. It’s going to be pretty rare that a drake dies in PvE, and you can just do your thing and ignore it. By the way, size is totally irrelevant when it comes to pet stats.

“By the way, size is totally irrelevant when it comes to pet stats.”

And other things as well……

alain.1659:

Most of the time pets become a burden in crowded combats (wvw). Also their AI is garbage. Really bad. I mean I do not want to compare it to WoW or anything, but even Icewind Dale II has better summon mechanics than ranger pets.

You cannot go petless, and you cannot ignore them either. I can suggest you three things;

1- Roll another archer-ish profession. Not the same thing I know. But Dragonhunter and warrior are both fine archers. Their range is shorter but they have skills to compensate their lack of range.

2- Ignore your pet. But that would be harder to play and you would gain nothing. Except peace of mind, and serenity.

3- Use your pet like a utility skill. Keep it in guard mode, and use their skills accordingly. For example Fern Hound would be another regen skill, bear would be condi cleanse, smokescale would be a smoke field only.

problem there is even in the case the pet is in passive, once you activate the f2 they will jump out to attack the target. And the brown bear when activated the f2 used to attack the target and *then*cast the cleanse. i don’t know if it’s still the case.

Don’t ask me why…

Fluffball.8307:

Or thief or warrior depending on what archetype of ranger you had in mind.

I think the Thief would classify more as a “Rangerless Pet” than a “Petless Ranger” ;-P

Yeah, if you don’t like pets (or any number of other things that make a ranger a ranger), play a dragonhunter if you prefer direct damage or a warrior with a longbow for condition damage. If you are ok with shortbows, thief is also an option, but the range isn’t as good.

Just keep on running through hard terrain, your pet will be lagging behind or taking silly routes so you will rarely see it if at all.