Guild Wars 2

Cheers guys,

I’m a little bit clueless at the moment. Ranger was my first GW2 character (back in pre-order headstart times) and I remember well the times I had serious problems in Orr (as the only level 80 after a server transfer), Now those memories are back to haunt me …

The classic zerker LB/GS build I am running in WvW (and I use the ranger mainly in WvW nowadays) wasn’t workign too well when you want to do anything outside of just running through the maps. Mainly playing solo I found myself unable to defend even small camps or do escort missions. One sniper is enough to end your journey and those escort missions are long and the first mistake you make is also your last.

I tried a condition/trap based build next – only to see that traps are no longer throwable? Well, going SB/A+T was ok-ish – bit since my damage was more single target I lost my escort mission target because it took AGES to kill anything.

Can someone provide me with a build-idea how to play HoT and be actually useful? Even my condition damage seems … abysmally low compared to my PU mesmer or my condition necro.

I’m running solo with GS+LB and full zerk in the HoTs maps, I’ve not had much problem, the content is hard ofc, but that’s the fun part of it. Dying once in a while should be natural in a game imo. But, if you find yourself dying too much, I could recommend you trying something like this (just use whatever gear you have to reach about this amount of toughness, and use whatever rune you want):
http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJARTjEqQJL2wCWsAXLGYEK/zHhTvH3NIE4w9bDgMO6jXRA-TRSBABccBA4S5xDHBAKV/xMlgXpELiHAAe6CA4QAIGAzA-e

Keep the zerk gear, LG/GS. Change build to:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJARTjUqQLLWyCOsAXLG4EK/vHgD/fhFvh7htvDAA-TBBXgAAK/C1F0r+zjSQA-e

Still having hard time? Change the easy trinkets(don’t bother with back piece) to celec, its only laurels and some WvW badges.

With this setup, you are tanky enough to solo everything outside group only content like some hero challenges.

Good Luck.

LughLongArm.5460:

Keep the zerk gear, LG/GS. Change build to:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJARTjUqQLLWyCOsAXLG4EK/vHgD/fhFvh7htvDAA-TBBXgAAK/C1F0r+zjSQA-e

Still having hard time? Change the easy trinkets(don’t bother with back piece) to celec, its only laurels and some WvW badges.

With this setup, you are tanky enough to solo everything outside group only content like some hero challenges.

Good Luck.

Celec = celestial?

Interesting choice of traits there … gonan try this out. I just soloed a group event on my mesmer – never got belo 90% health during the 4 fights (recapture camp, 3 times defend) … it is so unbalanced class wise.

HtFde.3856:

LughLongArm.5460:

Keep the zerk gear, LG/GS. Change build to:

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJARTjUqQLLWyCOsAXLG4EK/vHgD/fhFvh7htvDAA-TBBXgAAK/C1F0r+zjSQA-e

Still having hard time? Change the easy trinkets(don’t bother with back piece) to celec, its only laurels and some WvW badges.

With this setup, you are tanky enough to solo everything outside group only content like some hero challenges.

Good Luck.

Celec = celestial?

Interesting choice of traits there … gonan try this out. I just soloed a group event on my mesmer – never got belo 90% health during the 4 fights (recapture camp, 3 times defend) … it is so unbalanced class wise.

ya, Celec = celestial. But only if you need it. Its just an easy way to MinMax.

“I just soloed a group event on my mesmer”
It will be the same with this build, this trait setup(with small modifications for pve) used to serve high level pvp players pre HOT release. Its very tanky, got condi removal, prema swiftness and regen, long duration fury and might stacking.

Uhm, no they don’t. http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJATRjUqQJLWwCWsAXLG2Dq92DgE4jjj4p5BOgHhUeSYkaC-TBSBABP8AAoU9HzUCelyvIuAA4pLYhDBAAHBAhAYD-e

This will get you above 20 might for most of the fight no matter how long the fight is. with primal reflexes and GS evading stuff is easy. Also timing you skills is required such as using signet of hunt with 25 stacks of might for maul or QZ for barrage + RF.

Ah – there is light at the end of the tunnel (hopefully not an oncoming train, though). Gonna finish my second chronomancer (only 30 points to go) and will then have a go at the mentioned options.

As for pets I see you stack vulnerability with this … are any of the new HoT pets an option? haven’t looked them up yet but I know from my previous characters where I can finy a wyvern. A quick google didn’t give many results though … are there other pets beside the wyvern?

HtFde.3856:

As for pets I see you stack vulnerability with this … are any of the new HoT pets an option? haven’t looked them up yet but I know from my previous characters where I can finy a wyvern. A quick google didn’t give many results though … are there other pets beside the wyvern?

Tiger is great. Another cat, with 100 % aoe fury uptime.

Bristleback is great for the meta condi build.

Tiger would be great, but he’d have to finish the DS Meta 1st, which would mean getting through most of the HoT content anyway.

Lazze.9870:

HtFde.3856:

As for pets I see you stack vulnerability with this … are any of the new HoT pets an option? haven’t looked them up yet but I know from my previous characters where I can finy a wyvern. A quick google didn’t give many results though … are there other pets beside the wyvern?

Tiger is great. Another cat, with 100 % aoe fury uptime.

Bristleback is great for the meta condi build.

So three new pets – wow. Gotta fire up the wiki to see where/how to get those. I have an idea where the bristleback might be – let’s see if I’m right.

Chronomancer done (yay, that’s 5 elite specs now with 2x reaper, 2x chronomancer and 1 dragonhunter) … now for some sweets shopping for when the trick or treat gangs appear and then time to see about that druid.

Guessing from the build it will require a couple of hours till ‘ll be comfortable with – getting the timing on the evasion skills right. Should have done PvP with the ranger … that’s where you learn that.

Lazze.9870:

HtFde.3856:

As for pets I see you stack vulnerability with this … are any of the new HoT pets an option? haven’t looked them up yet but I know from my previous characters where I can finy a wyvern. A quick google didn’t give many results though … are there other pets beside the wyvern?

Tiger is great. Another cat, with 100 % aoe fury uptime.

Bristleback is great for the meta condi build.

Bristleback can also deliver surprisingly high burst damage with its F2. I’m quietly awaiting a nerf for that though.

At any rate, you can’t go full glass with no defensive traits or utilities. I haven’t played much of HoT with my ranger, but the above builds look pretty solid.

Quarktastic.1027:

Lazze.9870:

HtFde.3856:

As for pets I see you stack vulnerability with this … are any of the new HoT pets an option? haven’t looked them up yet but I know from my previous characters where I can finy a wyvern. A quick google didn’t give many results though … are there other pets beside the wyvern?

Tiger is great. Another cat, with 100 % aoe fury uptime.

Bristleback is great for the meta condi build.

Bristleback can also deliver surprisingly high burst damage with its F2. I’m quietly awaiting a nerf for that though.

At any rate, you can’t go full glass with no defensive traits or utilities. I haven’t played much of HoT with my ranger, but the above builds look pretty solid.

as long as it doesn’t change , it misses easly and can be avoided easly too so i think any nurfs are not justified. its just like a slow Ranged 100b it can be walked out of .

I am still finding pet pathing to be off a bit. I like to control some of what my pet does, but with the fire wyrven, you have to make sure the silly thing is directly on top of his prey to before having him do his fire breathing act…then in most cases, the prey is already dead when it finally kicks in.

So they have some work to do with how the pet skills activate. Seems to be a disconnect between hitting the skill button and when the pet actually uses that skill.

I have 3 of the 5 pets that are available so far. Our guild group just ran through a couple of times to help our rangers obtain at least these three, and at the same time open up some of the map, get waypoints and some skill points. 5 rangers using LB arrow barrage was hilarious to watch.

We also have a mix of weapon swaps …I like the LB, axe/wh (for speed) or axe/torch for some decent fire damage. Not a fan of putting my ranger in melee range on some of the mobs we ran into.

My gear is Knight’s Sneakthief of the Ranger with Superior Runes of the Ranger all around. Don’t have but a few accessories that are ascended, most everything is still exotic.

Lazze.9870:

Tiger is great. Another cat, with 100 % aoe fury uptime.

Hm … build is working great so far – when I went through my equiment I found I’d also put on a mix and match of things and didn’t even get the 6 rune bonus … strange … can’t remember why and when I started to switch stuff …

The one thing I don’t quite get … how is pet associated with fury uptime? I mean … yes … I get fury when I swap pets. But why does it matter what KIND of pet … I know I am missing something here … probably something important

HtFde.3856:

Lazze.9870:

Tiger is great. Another cat, with 100 % aoe fury uptime.

Hm … build is working great so far – when I went through my equiment I found I’d also put on a mix and match of things and didn’t even get the 6 rune bonus … strange … can’t remember why and when I started to switch stuff …

The one thing I don’t quite get … how is pet associated with fury uptime? I mean … yes … I get fury when I swap pets. But why does it matter what KIND of pet … I know I am missing something here … probably something important

You are probably not using the mentioned cat.
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Juvenile_Tiger

Which makes sense as this pet is only available at the end of HOT personal story.

LughLongArm.5460:

You are probably not using the mentioned cat.
https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Juvenile_Tiger

Which makes sense as this pet is only available at the end of HOT personal story.

Ah, thanks for the info … something to keep in mind when doing the PS. What made me wonder was his phrasing “another cat” … but I gather it is not “another cat that” but “another cat. And that one …”

Thanks for clearing that up.