Guild Wars 2

Ranger Trait Rework [RTR]

The purpose of this thread is to look at ranger traits in their current state and explore how they can be fixed and improved. To keep the discussion focused, I chose to only look at the Marksmanship line to start.

To begin, I will list the current ranger traits and ideas I have to fix them.

Marksmanship
Power +10
Condition Duration +1%

Minor Traits
Adept

• Opening Strike - Cause vulnerability with your first strike when entering combat (5 stacks for 5 seconds).
  Master
• Alpha Training - Pets have Opening Strike.
  Grandmaster
• Precise Strike - Opening strike always critical hits.

Major Traits
Adept

• Steady Focus - Damage increases by 10% when endurance is full.
• Malicious Training - Increases duration for conditions applied by your pets (50%).
• Keen Edge - Use Sharpening Stone when your health reaches 75% (60 second recharge out of combat) (6 minute recharge in combat).
• Signet Mastery - Signets recharge 20% faster.
• Predator’s Instinct - Apply cripple to foes you hit when they are below 25% health (2 seconds) (15-second cooldown).
• Beastmaster’s Bond - Gain fury and might when your pet’s health reaches 50% (Fury and 3 stacks of might for 9 seconds)(Recharge ?).

Master

• Spotter - Increases precision of nearby allies by up to 70 points.
• Piercing Arrows - All arrow attacks pierce targets.
• Beastmaster’s Might - Activating a signet grants might (1 stack for 5 seconds).
• Eagle Eye - Increases longbow and harpoon gun range. Increases longbow and harpoon gun damage by 5%.

Grandmaster

• Signet of the Beastmaster - Active effects of signets also affect you.
• Remorseless - Regain Opening Strikes when you kill a foe.

Marksmanship Feedback
To begin, I feel like the current state of minor traits are underwhelming. One critical hit and 5 – 10 stacks of vulnerability for 5 seconds at beginning of combat is not that appealing. However, by making one simple change, these traits and the marksmanship trait line as a whole can feel more cohesive.

That change is to the Precise Strike skill. Currently, it causes opening strikes to critical. However, one critical at the beginning of battle and possibly one more free critical per enemy kill is not that appealing. Thus this is my proposition.

• Precise Strike - Attacks against vulnerable foes have an additional 1% chance to critical hit for each stack of vulnerability.

By doing this, Precise Strike retains its synergy with ranger’s opening strike mechanic, but also allows for more diversity. This could make make ranger builds with the longbow’s Hunter’s Shot or axe’s Whirling Defense more desirable. Furthermore, in a group setting, ranger could play off of other professions which provide vulnerability to boost its own critical hit chance. This could help address concerns with lack of ranger damage in groups.

Furthermore, in a PvP setting, I do not see this change affecting the ranger’s balance very much because the ranger has limited methods of applying vulnerability. Although, this could allow for more team coordination between rangers and professions that apply vulnerability.

Next, lets look at the Major Traits. Starting at the adept level, most traits seem to be in a good position, but there is one that seems to have an issue currently. That is Keen Edge. This might be a bug fix more than anything, but in combat it seems to have a 6 minute recharge. This should max its out of combat recharge of 1 minute.

As for the other adept traits, they seem fine for the most part. I would not complain about slightly further increased condition duration from Malicious Training or perhaps 3 seconds of cripple from Predator’s Instinct, but these are minor issues.

Moving onto master traits, all of them appear to be in a good position with the exception of Beastmaster’s Might. One stack of might for 5 seconds is just plain bad, especially considering the long recharge on all of ranger’s signets.

There are two possible fixes to this. The first would be for this trait to have signets give the player a small amount of might for a longer amount of time. The second option would be for the trait to give the player a larger amount of might for a short amount of time. I personally prefer the latter option. I feel it goes well with ranger’s signet’s actives which when traited right have powerful effects on a short time span.

I envision the reworked Beastmaster’s Might to look like this.

• Beastmaster’s Might - Activating a signet grants might (5 stacks for 5 (10?) seconds).

Finally, let’s turn our attention to the grandmaster traits. Signet of the Beastmaster is very strong, but I feel like Remorseless is slightly lacking. There are many possible fixes to make this trait more desirable. One idea I have been considering would be for Remorseless to have a chance of applying vulnerability against vulnerable foes.

For example, a changed Remorseless could look like this.

• Remorseless - Regain Opening Strikes when you kill a foe. Critical hits against vulnerable foes have a 33% chance of applying vulnerability (1 stack for 5 seconds).

This would synergize with my proposed change to Precise Strike from which vulnerability grants the ranger an increased critical hit chance. In PvP, condition removal counter play could halt a ranger from applying additional stacks of vulnerability.

Possible New Marksmanship Line
Marksmanship
Power +10
Condition Duration +1%

Minor Traits
Adept

• Opening Strike - Cause vulnerability with your first strike when entering combat (5 stacks for 5 seconds).
  Master
• Alpha Training - Pets have Opening Strike.
  Grandmaster
• !Precise Strike - Attacks against vulnerable foes have an additional 1% chance to critical hit for each stack of vulnerability.

Major Traits
Adept

• Steady Focus - Damage increases by 10% when endurance is full.
• Malicious Training - Increases duration for conditions applied by your pets (50%).
• !Keen Edge - Use Sharpening Stone when your health reaches 75% (60 second recharge out of combat) (60 second recharge in combat).
• Signet Mastery - Signets recharge 20% faster.
• Predator’s Instinct - Apply cripple to foes you hit when they are below 25% health (2 seconds) (15-second cooldown).
• Beastmaster’s Bond - Gain fury and might when your pet’s health reaches 50% (Fury and 3 stacks of might for 9 seconds)(Recharge ?).

Master

• Spotter - Increases precision of nearby allies by up to 70 points.
• Piercing Arrows - All arrow attacks pierce targets.
• !Beastmaster’s Might - Activating a signet grants might (5 stacks for 10 seconds).
• Eagle Eye - Increases longbow and harpoon gun range. Increases longbow and harpoon gun damage by 5%.

Grandmaster

• Signet of the Beastmaster - Active effects of signets also affect you.
• !Remorseless - Regain Opening Strikes when you kill a foe. Critical hits against vulnerable foes have a 33% chance of applying vulnerability (1 stack for 5 seconds).

! = Revised Skills

Conclusion
All in all, I feel like the ranger’s marksmanship trait line is in an okay position currently. It has some powerful traits, but it also has many aspects the are dull or underpowered.

To approach this problem, I made a few key changes to a handful of these traits. The biggest change I made to was Precise Strike. In it’s current state, Precise Strike feels lackluster and useless. However, by giving it critical hit damage based on enemy vulnerability stacks, it still plays an important role with ranger opening strikes. Further more, it makes ranger opening strikes feel more impacting and meaningful by relating to a direct critical hit chance increase.

This also goes to address other concerns such as lack of ranger damage in groups and ranger weapons such as the longbow.

Beyond this change, there was one more large change I made to Remorseless. Opening strikes may feel more important with my change to Precise Strike, but as a whole, Remorseless is still left feeling useless in settings where enemies are limited (PvP / Boss Fights). Thus, Remorseless now has an added effect of being able to apply vulnerability to vulnerable foes. This change is also meant to follow through with the change to Precise Strike.

While I realize these changes may not be implemented in game, I hope my thoughts gives both players and Anet ideas about how ranger’s marksmanship trait line can be changed for a more interactive experience while also addressing other issues such as lack of ranger damage. I look forward to feedback and other ideas you may have.

Reserved for future posts.

The 10% for Malicious Training is wrong, it is a 50% increase in duration. You can test it easy with axe 3 which will increase the weakness duration from 10 to 15 seconds when you pet strikes.

We arrived at the same conclusion with the traits that need reworking. I like the idea behind the rework, but additional Crit Chance seems to be off theme for Marksmanship (it would fit better as a Skirmishing trait). I think additional damage would be a better fit. Also, I like the addition of passive vulnerability to Remorseless to make it a more meaningful choice against Signet of the Beastmaster

I hope what ANet gives us is something like this.

I my think…

Piercing Arrows – All arrow attacks pierce targets.

*new*Piercing Arrows – All arrow attacks pierce targets.
Gain bonus add vulnerability for next victim(max5).

[you]>>>¹>>²>>³>>⁴>>⁵>>⁶>>…>>¹⁰

Victim1 get nothing.
Victim2 get 1vulnerability.
Victim3 get 2vulnerability.
Victim4 get 3vulnerability.
Victim5 get 4vulnerability.
Victim6…10 get 5vulnerability.

When we pierce victim we should get more something make them suffer by range weapon.

Keen Edge – Use Sharpening Stone when your health reaches 75% (60 second recharge out of combat) (6 minute recharge in combat).

This is worst enough to see on traits 6min recharge!!

*new*Keen Edge – Use Sharpening Stone when your health reaches 75%(45sec CD same as slotskill.)/* OR give Condition Duration+20%?

Can use both codi build or power build.(valu longer sweet/condi longer sweet~)

Steady Focus – Damage increases by 10% when endurance is full.

*New*Steady Focus – Damage increases by 10% when endurance is full.
And5% when endu not full.

IMO

Signet of the Beastmaster – Active effects of signets also affect you.
*New*Signet of the Beastmaster – Signet passive have effect to your friend
active effect also effect to ranger.

Remorseless – Regain Opening Strikes when you kill a foe.
*New*Remorseless – Meaning is no mecry then what is suit this traits?
Next attack Flying bullet faster2%/+Dmg2% for same victim.Max 20%/20%
(reset when swap target and give90secCD or When you kill foe you got Remorseless again.)

AlphaK.9486:

The 10% for Malicious Training is wrong, it is a 50% increase in duration. You can test it easy with axe 3 which will increase the weakness duration from 10 to 15 seconds when you pet strikes.

I must have made a mistake when I checked it first. I will edit it in my post.

jubskie.3152:

We arrived at the same conclusion with the traits that need reworking. I like the idea behind the rework, but additional Crit Chance seems to be off theme for Marksmanship (it would fit better as a Skirmishing trait). I think additional damage would be a better fit. Also, I like the addition of passive vulnerability to Remorseless to make it a more meaningful choice against Signet of the Beastmaster

I hope what ANet gives us is something like this.

That is true that critical chance does seem a little off from the marksmanship line. With the changes I made to the skills, I tried to stay close to their current design (critical hit on opening strike). However, I would have to agree. Changing the trait to something more marksmanship (power) suited could be looked at as well.

If I were to edit my current idea, a new trait could look something like this:

• Precise Strike - Attacks against vulnerable foes deal an additional 1% damage for each stack of vulnerability.

Although, I feel like this could be overpowered. When looking at other profession traits, it seems like many have deal X% more damage to foes suffering Z condition. For example:

Warriors have

• Attack of Opportunity - Increases damage to bleeding foes by 10%.

Elementalists have

• Burning Rage - Deal 5% more damage to burning foes.

Thieves have

• Exposed Weakness - Deal 10% more damage if your target has a condition.

Thus perhaps having rangers deal a flat 10% damage increase against vulnerable targets could be considered, but that seems less interactive as X% more something per stack. This is of course if a change to Precise Strike into such a manner is to be done. That was simply an initial idea that came to mind.

In any case, when evaluating the ranger’s marksmanship traits, it is important to make their opening strike mechanics fun to use and meaningful to the user. Whether the idea I listed is the best option or not, I can’t say, but I believe there are many other possibilities.

For example, opening strikes could do something totally different than applying vulnerability. They could deal extra damage. They could stun targets. They could cause an assortment of other conditions.

All in all, if a larger change to opening strikes were to be done, an evaluation of what the ranger should be as a whole could be applied to the new traits.

I like the reworked precise strike, but what you’re suggesting with Beastmaster’s Might seems ludicrously OP. Opening Strike as a mechanic seems to suffer from a common but different root cause than the traits (although some of those could use a look) in that the Ranger’s potential damage is balanced against their pet’s potential damage, and neither one excels in damage particularly when compared to any other class focused on damage. I don’t think the ranger should have to be a dps-only class although the option would be nice. The best solution I’ve seen is to make passive pets that increase their ranger’s damage (think better moas with damage/vulnerability-focus or something complementary to a Frost Spirit).

i really really like the idea of precise strike/remorselessness change, though 1:1 would be OP because you could virtually have perma 25% crit chance. I think something like for every 5 stacks of vuln = 1% crit would be more fair, but numbers are always changeable. Either way, really like this idea the most.

Also, to contribute
Predator’s Instinct: when your opponent is hit below 25% health, regain opening strike.
Basically the current remorselessness but more useful. :P

Anyway, great read. Looking forward to your other ones. Take notes anet

Silverkung.9127:

I my think…

Piercing Arrows – All arrow attacks pierce targets.

*new*Piercing Arrows – All arrow attacks pierce targets.
Gain bonus add vulnerability for next victim(max5).

[you]>>>¹>>²>>³>>⁴>>⁵>>⁶>>…>>¹⁰

Victim1 get nothing.
Victim2 get 1vulnerability.
Victim3 get 2vulnerability.
Victim4 get 3vulnerability.
Victim5 get 4vulnerability.
Victim6…10 get 5vulnerability.

When we pierce victim we should get more something make them suffer by range weapon.

sorry man but pierce have limit to pierce through 5 targets

i like the idea although I also think that precise strike as you invision it would be very powerful. two teamed up rangers could run 100% critchance + 100% critdamage on a pinning down an opponent with longbows and delivering 10k-14k rapid fires each.

not saying rangers do not deserve a dps boost but it would be a hugh addition in just one patch.