Guild Wars 2

What ArenaNet say about their game:
“All professional are equal, all can make melee combat and range combat”

Ok, so all profession can make range and melee combat, let’s see all profession:
-Elementalist
-Warrior ( Probably here ANet make a mistake this profession called “Warange” aka “Best range profession, better than RANGE”
-Guardian
-Engineer
-Necromancer
-Thief
-Mesmer

Ok so this game have 7 profession and….oh sorry, this game have 8 profession I lost one profession who is called Ranger.
Now,Why a profession called Ranger if all other professions have range weapons/skills?
Let’s make a new profession like:Meleer

Ok,now let’s talk about ranger’s main weapons:
ShortBow and LongBow, ok , seems legit, ranger have range weapons but:
-Warrior can equip LongBow
-Thief can equip ShortBow
-Ranger can’t equip Rifle
-Ranger can’t equip Pistols

Next:After update with “animation”
-Warrior do more damage with LongBow then Ranger with LongBow
-Thief do more damage with ShortBow then Ranger with ShortBow
-Ranger, again, can’t use rifle
-Ranger , again, can’t use pistols.

After that a ranger player question: “Why to play anymore with this profession?”
ANet answer: “Because you like pets!”

FYI I don’t think I’ve seen any definition of the word Ranger which states that it comes from using ranged weapons. If you know of one I’d be interested to see your source.

It tends to refer to the amount of traveling they do, how far they range.

But a ranger class in every RPG since forever is a ranged SPECIALIST. What’s so special about using ranged weapons but being worst than every other class that can use those weapons?

Samfisher.7942:

But a ranger class in every RPG since forever is a ranged SPECIALIST. What’s so special about using ranged weapons but being worst than every other class that can use those weapons?

Incorrect, the original Ranger class from Dungeons and Dragons was a subset of the Warrior class and used melee weapons. It was based off the original fantasy Ranger, Aragorn, who used a sword.

DoomBunny.2903:

Samfisher.7942:

But a ranger class in every RPG since forever is a ranged SPECIALIST. What’s so special about using ranged weapons but being worst than every other class that can use those weapons?

Incorrect, the original Ranger class from Dungeons and Dragons was a subset of the Warrior class and used melee weapons. It was based off the original fantasy Ranger, Aragorn, who used a sword.

Factual information on an MMO forum?

Who’d have thunk it?

The issue here isn’t that the Ranger is a ranged specialist or not, but that every weapon the Ranger has sucks. It doesn’t matter if it is range or melee, they are a pale comparison to every other profession’s weapons.

Doombunny, you’re absolutely correct. I dug out my old (1978 – yes I’m that old) copy of the AD&D Players Handbook the other day and read;

“Rangers are a subclass of fighter who are adept at woodcraft, tracking, scouting, infiltration and spying”

I’ve been playing rangers/ranger type characters in games since then and consider the class to be well suited to both my temperament and real life experiences.

Interestingly AD&D contains no specific mention of rangers being either archers or beastmasters! Theses both seem to be later additions to the original fantasy ranger paradigm (e.g. Tolkiens character Aragorn).

Whilst, personally I have always felt that bows are an appropriate (not defining) weapon for a ranger, I have wondered where the stereotypical view of the ranger as being a beastmaster came from and why?

In GW1, one of the first things I did as a ranger character was dump my pet in favour of different skills. I suspect many other players did the same. Quite why Anet used this as the professions defining mechanic is beyond me.

Back on topic though, the ranger whilst a capable archer should really be defined by the use of his movement, stealth, survival and woodlore skills. More of a fast moving, stealthy, lightly equipped scout/skirmisher somewhat like Rogers Rangers, the Canadian Coureur de Bois, the American Mountain Man, the WWII/Modern Ranger etc.

However the OP does have a point in that according to Anets own definition of the ranger class we should be “unparalleled archers” in GW2.

It’s clear that we are not.

DoomBunny.2903:

Samfisher.7942:

But a ranger class in every RPG since forever is a ranged SPECIALIST. What’s so special about using ranged weapons but being worst than every other class that can use those weapons?

Incorrect, the original Ranger class from Dungeons and Dragons was a subset of the Warrior class and used melee weapons. It was based off the original fantasy Ranger, Aragorn, who used a sword.

We suck at melee even more than ranged in GW2, so yeah.

I expect the beastmaster aspect came about from Rangers being woodmen and living in the wilds, the same reason they tend to get things like traps.

I guess this is also the reason why they tend to feature ranged weapons, because rangers have to also be hunters to survive.

Yes ranger does not necessarily mean ranged weapons but that’s not to say that we should suck at them! XD I think that’s the point. As a hunter and able to navigate and survive in the wilderness I’d think our bows should be powerful deadly one shot kills to take down big game and beasts. Warriors should never had kill shots. That should be our thing to plan and carefully position and prepare a single kill shot. We should be able to snipe as well as our melee skills which I think are pretty accurate with all our evasion and survival smarts should be effective. But we are not specialists on anything hunting esque…

Jestunhi.7429:

FYI I don’t think I’ve seen any definition of the word Ranger which states that it comes from using ranged weapons. If you know of one I’d be interested to see your source.

It tends to refer to the amount of traveling they do, how far they range.

Anet’s definition is the only one you need to go by.

Rangers are proficient with the bow. They rely on a keen eye, a steady hand, and the power of nature to slay their targets. Their loyal pets, which rangers tame and train, distract enemies while the rangers strike safely from a distance. As an adventurer profession, rangers wear medium armor. – from the wiki itself

Rangers rely on a keen eye, a steady hand, and the power of nature itself. Unparalleled archers, rangers are capable of bringing down foes from a distance with their bows. With traps, nature spirits, and a stable of loyal pets at their command, rangers can adapt to any situation. – taken from the front page of this website.

Regardless of the nitpicking, the ranger is a ranged class and has been advertised as such. As it stands, this is false advertising because other classes are better with our ranged weapons and so much better with melee weapons they’re not even worth mentioning.

I wasn’t arguing for or against anything, and I was replying to the claims of the origin of the term because that was in the OP.

If that’s not something he wanted to discuss then he shouldn’t have posted it.

I don’t care about what was advertised nor etymology of the word. What I care about is that Ranger seem to excel at nothing. Mediocre at range combat and horrid in melee. Poor to no support options.
How is this class supposed to be played? I have no answer to that.
I am sure shortbow nerf made things slightly worse, but the real issue is lack of viable alternatives.

i disagree i think i’m doing better melee than ranged combat. LOL i have so much dps its insane and the evasions/blocks and useful skills built in makes us more survivable than warriors in melee. I’ve enjoyed ranger melee much more than warrior melee. Thieves are a different story. But PvP… i don’t risk it with melee so i dont know XD But it’s sad because I do better melee than i do with bows…. I only use bows when its a boss i need to stay far from

DegX.3685:

Now,Why a profession called Ranger if all other professions have range weapons/skills?

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ranger

I’m just curious in finding out why a ranger is slower in running speed then any other class. One would think a ranger would be swift or be at the same movement speed as other classes

NiteMareRose.8975:

I’m just curious in finding out why a ranger is slower in running speed then any other class. One would think a ranger would be swift or be at the same movement speed as other classes

That’s correct Rose, in combat whenever you or the pet attacks targets, you automatically get speed reduction probably by half and it also negates any form of buff speed increased by boon/signet. That’s why the pets even traited with Agility Training (+30% speed increased) could never hit/catch other classes with normal speed. You could say this is another intentional nerf or bug to add in the list

tiboi.3108:

NiteMareRose.8975:

I’m just curious in finding out why a ranger is slower in running speed then any other class. One would think a ranger would be swift or be at the same movement speed as other classes

That’s correct Rose, in combat whenever you or the pet attacks targets, you automatically get speed reduction probably by half and it also negates any form of buff speed increased by boon/signet. That’s why the pets even traited with Agility Training (+30% speed increased) could never hit/catch other classes with normal speed. You could say this is another intentional nerf or bug to add in the list

Wait, are you saying other classes don’t get this? WTF! I am off to try it it out…

Trollhammer.7439:

Wait, are you saying other classes don’t get this? WTF! I am off to try it it out…

The amount of irony in your name and what just occurred is absolutely hysterical.

No, Rangers don’t get this magical speed penalty. Yes, pets cannot attack while moving.

When people say Rangers are slower than other classes, they are referring to the other 2 Adventurer professions, the Engineer and Thief, both of which have better passive speed buffs (not swiftness).

I think we all missed the main point of this thread:

DegX.3685:

After that a ranger player question: “Why to play anymore with this profession?”
ANet answer: “Because you like pets!”

The only thing I would edit here is “Because you like the idea of pets!:)”

Nuff said.

DoomBunny.2903:

Trollhammer.7439:

Wait, are you saying other classes don’t get this? WTF! I am off to try it it out…

The amount of irony in your name and what just occurred is absolutely hysterical.

No, Rangers don’t get this magical speed penalty. Yes, pets cannot attack while moving.

When people say Rangers are slower than other classes, they are referring to the other 2 Adventurer professions, the Engineer and Thief, both of which have better passive speed buffs (not swiftness).

I am talking specifically about speed boost being negated while in combat. I am pretty sure it is the case, just wasn’t clear if it affects other professions. I know for fact you can’t use Call of the Wild to run through some mobs, speed boost simply doesn’t work. Naturally I assumed other professions have the same limitation.

Trollhammer.7439:

I am talking specifically about speed boost being negated while in combat. I am pretty sure it is the case, just wasn’t clear if it affects other professions. I know for fact you can’t use Call of the Wild to run through some mobs, speed boost simply doesn’t work. Naturally I assumed other professions have the same limitation.

The speed boost should not be negated in combat. Swiftness from CotW will work in combat, as does any other profession’s form of swiftness.

If it’s not, I’m going to assume it’s a bug, so you should add it to our lovely list of Ranger bugs at the top of the forum.

DoomBunny.2903:

Trollhammer.7439:

I am talking specifically about speed boost being negated while in combat. I am pretty sure it is the case, just wasn’t clear if it affects other professions. I know for fact you can’t use Call of the Wild to run through some mobs, speed boost simply doesn’t work. Naturally I assumed other professions have the same limitation.

The speed boost should not be negated in combat. Swiftness from CotW will work in combat, as does any other profession’s form of swiftness.

If it’s not, I’m going to assume it’s a bug, so you should add it to our lovely list of Ranger bugs at the top of the forum.

It does work, but at a lower speed. You don’t get the full speed of Swiftness when you’re in combat.