Guild Wars 2

It should be noted before reading this that I only made this post to address a bit of the complaining I find both in game and in the forums. This is NOT a post for minimizing and maxing your dps.

This forum will expand if people are interested enough for me to spend my time building on it.

For the last several months I have seen nothing but complaining about how rigged the game is against rangers. I here talk about how the pet dies instantly. How our weapons are pathetic. How melee is the only way to go.

In my experience the people that say these things are the people who expected the jack of all trades class to be some super powerful dps class or super tanky etc.. etc.. etc..

Rangers aren’t designed to be the top of the dps boards. Its possible but not likely. We are not designed to survive crushing blows from bosses.

What we CAN do. Is give options.

Part one: Purpose of rangers.

Our purpose in a group is to bring options.

For example. My build in the game is usualy either 20/20/0/0/30 or 30/20/0/0/20

I did NOT design these builds around maximizing dps…or tankiness… or anything like that. Its based around the premise that in the end when my group full of zerkers dies im going to be killing the boss. I generally use a longbow and either GS or sword axe.

For these build im given several options. I can choose Signets/Traps/Shouts. Will they be maxed out to there fullest potential? Thats up to me while im playing. I carry around three sets of gear. Rampager/Assassins/Valkyrie. Each gear set gives me options for different playstyles.

First is the control setup. Mostly used in the 30/20/0/0/20 although it is VERY viable with the 20/20/0/0/30 setup.
Throwing on the rampager gear and traps. I switch my traits to bleed on crit and placeable traps as well as longer pet conditions and cripple on canine howl. Ill usualy also throw in spotter/piercing shots.
My goal is to use the high precision and condi damage to make best use of my traited longbow abilities while assisting my team with add management/destruction.
This isnt the build I use for bosses unless im certain ill probably be soloing it.
I generaly use a Fern hound/Carrion Devourer pet setup.
The greatest part of this build is the ability to help out endangered teammates as long as there intelligent enough to see that there in trouble.

My second build is Damage/decent grp boss fight setup.
Generally used in the 30/20/0/0/20 with assassin’s gear and AGAIN rocking either Longbow/GS or longbow/sword axe.
My trait setup is rocking the signet traits, Might on crit, shorter bow cooldowns, shower pet skill cooldown, shorter pet f2 cooldown.

Fern Hound Arctodus are my pets of choice. If you think you can do better give it a try and find out.

The idea is to SURVIVE <—- key word while dealing a continuous stream of decent sustainable damage.
If the grp needs help? ill swoop in drop the healing spring then GTFO. I am squishy and I have to play like that to survive.
Also the fern hound provides another source of regen. Hell if there arnt any conditions going out i can set healing spring at range then use combo finishers to give regen to allies in melee.

My reason for using this pet choice is that the Fern hound provides decent constant dps and grp healing while the arctodus is for the inevitable time when the boss starts throwing out high dmg aoes and the pet/melee dps goes down. Bears can survive ANYTHING as long as your smart and not in jade maw. I can keep that pet up indefinetly until my fern hound is back up. ALthough as long as im paying attention the fern hound should NEVER die. This is just for those kitten all situations where theres nothing you can do about it but whine.

My third and prefered build is a Ranger/Pet synergy shout build.
Applicable with either the Assassin’s or the Valk setup.
I always roll Longbow/GS with a 20/20/0/0/30 setup and a fernhound/alpine wolf.

My personal traitsetup here is: Either endurance dmg boost or increased pet condition duration and spotter for marksman.
Might on Crit followed by shorter bow cooldowns.

Now for bm theres alot of variety to choose from (depending on your own personal pet choice) I personally use the shorter shout cooldown, Shorter pet skill cooldown, and Pet natural healing traits.

The idea of this build is to either being a control/grp support specialist or sustainable damage setup with boss tanking capabilities. Or even both.
It provides decent damage and once you master it and the rangers inborn abilities/pet control you and your pet will survive just about anything while still killing kitten.

This is the build i use to solo the twin boss fight in hte new fractal instances when my group dies pathetically to avoidable dmg becuase they were too focused on numbers. Its caused me to see my grp members like necro minions. Usefull to have around. but nothing to worry about when they die. My pet ranks higher on my list of importance to the grp than they do.

Shouts NEED to be mastered in order to use this build well. Same with the longbow skill.

Sic’em is a closer. It gets the pet to the boss faster where it proceeds to tank it like a champ while guard/troll ungeant keeps it alive.
If i have an attack heading my way i cant get out of i pop protect me then swap pets imediatly after to prevent pet death.
Then sic’em again to get my second canine to the target.
A continuos roll of these abilities keeps most bosses fairly still (aside from there movement abilities..see lupicus).
It also keeps the boss generally facing one way which helps the few melee who are intelligent enough to stand BEHIND the giant guy with the sword while tehy do there rotations.

If damage isnt an issue (grp of 4 wars and a ranger or something like that) ill roll search and rescue cause guaranteed one of the wars is an idiot and downs to fire i dont want to step in.

Group needs heals? my fern hound gives them. Not alot but most groups dont NEED alot of healing (if there smart enough to NOT take the giant sword coming at them cause they stood infront of the boss).

Group is taking too much damage? Both pets cripple on howl givent intelligent melee the opportunity to back up and heal themselves. (guardians are the only ones who can safely heal in melee) Also the alpine wolves aoe chill combined with increased duration will help keep them alive if there stupid enough to stay in attack range.

The above are just THREE possible setups using a LIMITED trait grouping.
They dont focus on blindly facerolling a boss.
They assume the fight is gonna go bad and bring methods to salvaging it.

Part Two: Pet survival.

The biggest part of keeping your pet alive isnt pet choice. It isnt boss choice. It isnt conditons or healing or anything like that. Its assuming everyone in the group is rolling full zerker or a condi dmg variant.

The reason for this is twofold.

First. You should ALWAYS assume the people in your group are idiots. T
hat doesnt meen you should call them that. Just plan for it. Odds are one or more of them are gonna down.

Then your pet is that much higher on the boss threat table making it more likely hte boss is gonna wack it. This isnt an issue if your not bringing a glass cannon pet. But i know some of you do.

Second. Pet choice. HERES where we get into the whole bearbow/vs cats.
Know the boss fight.
Is the boss too dangerous to melee? (see crusher) then bring a spider or devourer.
Is the boss okay to melee but not for very long? Birds are your friends. there the ideal hit and run pets. They cant take a hit worth a kitten but MAN can they do some burst then gtfo. I like owl/hawk.
Does the boss have periods of evade/invuln? Condi pets are your besti’s here.
Is the boss a general amount of kitten all evil about to kill anything that even touches it? MAAAYBE you shouldn’t have brough that lynx. A canine/drake or an ursine are better here.

All of the above is gathered from my personal experience in the game. I dont claim to be the best ranger in the game. I dont claim to have the best builds in the game. I DO claim to know what im doing. I DO claim to have been playing a ranger or ranger style characters since EQ1.

FAQ
Q: But rangers are kitten poor excuses of classes and should be kicked out of every group
A: My name is lecrucian in game. Lets do a 30 together.
Q: But melee is the only way to go and anyone not in melee should be kicked out of every group
A: Even if im not getting buffs directly I am getting buffs through my pet who is ALWAYS in range of boons. Through projectile finishers im suplementing what little gap of dps there is. My pet is giving support whether you know it or not. Try paying attention. Also by being outside of melee I get to see the whole arena. Meaning im responding to one of you downing outside of melee (ely mistform…thief shadowstep….memser clone jump) far faster than the people who can only see the boss and numbers.
P.S.: My name is lecrucian in game. Lets do a 30 together.
Q: Lecrucian…my pet is still dieing all over the place. What should I do?
A: Are you using a build that ignores your pet without adjusting your playstyle/pet choice? Are you accounting for what type of pets your using? Are you expecting glass cannon pets to survive indefinetly in melee? Maybe? Clearly you should be playing a warrior.
Q: Lecrucian. Your builds dont give me zerk warrior level dps?
A: Clearly you didnt read the intro.
Q: Lecrucian your obviously an idiot who has no idea what hes talking about
A: My name is lecrucian in game. Lets do a 30 together. So i can giggle as you die to fire while i dance through it and jump on your body.

Thought of some more potetionaly useful info.
Q: Lecrucian my pet cant hit the side of a barn door much less a moving mob.
A: Stop it from moving…..cripple is your friend and providable by i believe every weapon.
Q: Lecrucian this is all useless in pvp what should i do THEN?
A: I tend to think of players as champion mobs without agro tables….Makes them easier to fight when you realize there susceptable to all the same things bosses are.
Q: Lecrucian I keep getting killed by Herobrine.
A: your in minecraft.
Q: Lecrucain What do i do when a thief stealths? Fight it the same way you would a kittenroach. Overwhelming firepower over a large area….Scorched earth…you name it. And expect it to come up behind you.
Q: Lecrucian why is the girl from the ring following me?
A: Thats an asura…Apply excess arrows until it dies.