Guild Wars 2

Basics: I was thinking about the ranger and being unhappy with what it does/where it is at. Simultaneously I felt like crap and couldn’t sleep. End result: this served as a distraction from feeling like crap. Fair warning: I’m partial to ranger; some of this will probably be OP. Its also super long. But yeah, if I could change the ranger, it’d end up something like this.
Leave feedback if you want.

Trait lines:

• Marksmanship
• Skirmishing
• Wilderness Survival
• Beast Mastery
• Expertise

Utility skill types:

• Shout, Signet, Spirit, Survival, Trap

Class Mechanic:
Preperations (6 sec duration, 1 sec cast, 32 sec cd, only 1 active at a time)
Down-state skill 3: Nature’s Revival: Summon a Spirit of Revival to heal you. (only available when using Preperations)
Alt class mechanic:
Pet (select by using menu on f1 skill; replaces Preperations if chosen)
Preperations:

• f1: Apply Poison: for 6 seconds, attacks cause X second(s) of poison
• f2: Disruptive Accuracy: for 6 seconds, critical hits have an X% chance to interrupt skills
• f3: Incendiary Materials: for 6 seconds, attacks cause X second(s) of burning
• f4: Rapid Fire: for 6 seconds, weapon skills activate/channel X% faster

===========
Weapons:
Longbow (range 1500):

• Long Range Shot: no change
• Full Draw: channel; deal more damage the longer the channel (3 stage, same time-frame as current Rapid Fire for full charge)
• Point Blank Shot: no change
• Hunter’s Shot: gain stealth on successful hit. (edit: changed back to stealth apply)
• Barrage: no change

Shortbow (range 1000):

• Needling Shot: basic damage skill. fast refire
• Splintering Shot: deal x damage to target and nearby targets. (edit: made my version not suck)
• Quickshot: no change
• Crippling Shot: cripple target. short immobilize if already crippled.
• Concussion Shot: no change

Greatsword:

• Counterattack: faster animation

Sword:

• no change

Dagger:

• no change

Torch:

• no change

Warhorn:

• no change

Axe (MH):

• Ricochet: bleed instead of might
• Splitblade: no change
• Winter’s Bite: no change

Axe (OH):

• no change

Utilities:
Shouts:

• “We Heal As One!” (heal); Heal you and your pet (if applicable). If your pet is downed, it revives with 10% hp.
• “Sic ’Em!”; Mark target. Pet follows and attacks marked target, even through stealth. If the pet hits the marked target, the marked target becomes Revealed.
• “Strike As One!”; For 8 seconds, the next time you hit with an attack, your pet shadowsteps to that enemy with an attack.
• “Protect Me!”; your pet moves to your side and gains protection; your pet absorbs incoming direct damage that you would otherwise take.
• “Search and Rescue!”; no functionality change; pet gains swiftness and increased revive speed
• “Strength of the Pack!” (elite): no change

Signets:

• Signet of Renewal: passive: Cure a condition on you and your pet every 10 seconds
  • active: Remove X conditions from you, your pet, and nearby allies.

Spirits (base passive range: 1200; With Nature’s Vengeance: 1800)(active effects sacrifice the spirit):

• Spirit of Renewal (heal): passive: conditions expire X% faster.
  • active: heal yourself while removing conditions
• Spirit of Extinction: passive: Creatures/players that die within range deal X% of their max HP in damage to other creatures/players in range that share a type
  • active: Deal X damage to nearby targets
• Spirit of Tranquility: passive: boons expire X% faster
  • active: Remove up to 5 boons from nearby targets
• Spirit of Predation: passive: heals are 10% less effective, steal life on hit.
  • active: Heal nearby allies and steal life from nearby targets
• Spirit of Permafrost: passive: players/npcs cannot be revived (note: this affects revival by allies by using resurrections effects such as Signet of Renewal, Battle Standard, and healing. Rally on kill still possible)
  • active: AoE chill field
• Spirit of Muddy Terrain (elite): passive: movement enhancing effects do not work. Leaps/charges/dashes have their range reduced to 150
  • active: AoE immobilize

Survival:

• Troll Unguent (heal); no change
• Lightning Reflexes: no longer deals damage; break stun, evades backwards, removes impairing effects (immobilize, cripple, chill, slow)
• Quickening Zephyr: no change
• Dodge: evade the next X attack(s)
• Antidote: remove poison and torment; gain regeneration
• Entangle (elite): change vines’ immobilazation from targetted applicaiton to untargetted PBAoE application.

Traps:

• Healing Spring (heal): change triggers to: <100% hp and/or condi present
• Flame Trap: no change
• Viper’s Nest: no change
• Spike Trap: lower cd
• Dust Trap: pulse blind and damage

Traits:

Marksmanship (direct damage/ranged/signet focused)
Minor traits:

• Opening Strike: First attack auto crits
• Pin Cushion: critical hits have an X% chance to cause vulnerability
• Long-Range Specialist: Deal X% more damage to targets more than 900 units away

Major:

• Adept:
  • Enlargement: unchanged
  • Predator’s Instinct: unchanged
  • Steady Focus: 10% more damage if you haven’t used endurance in the last 4 seconds.
• Master:
  • Brutish Seals: unchanged
  • Moment of Clarity: unchanged
  • Light on Your Feet: rework; on successful evade gain 10% damage increase for 4 seconds and 10 endurance (2 sec ICD on endurance gain)
• Grandmaster:
  • Lead the Wind: Now also affects Shortbow
  • Predator’s Onslaught: unchanged
  • Remorseless: unchanged

Skirmishing (melee/offhands focused)
Minor traits:

• Tail Wind: unchanged
• Furious Grip: unchanged
• Hunter’s Tactics: Deal 10% more damage while flanking

Major:

• Adept:
  • Primal Reflexes: unchanged
  • Instinctive Reaction: Critical Hits you suffer restore 5 endurance
  • Windborne Notes: cdr changed to 10%
• Master:
  • Ambidexterity: Offhand weapon skills have increased range/radius and have 20% cdr
  • Honed Axes: gain ferocity while wielding an axe in the offhand. 20% axe cdr
  • Blade Training: sword and greatsword skills have 20% cdr. Chance to gain fury on critical hit.
• Grandmaster:
  • Quick Draw: unchanged
  • Protective Ward: unchanged
  • Zephyr’s Speed: Gain quickness on weapon swap (9 sec ICD)

Wilderness Survival (condition manipulation/trap/survival focused)
Minor traits:

• Vigorous Rejuvenation: combination of Natural Vigor and Rejuvenation
• Defensive Dodge: Gain protection on dodge roll.
• Bark Skin: The next time you would take damage greater than 10% of your max HP, it is reduced to 10% of your max HP( 30 sec ICD) (also affects pet)

Major:

• Adept:
  • Oakheart Salve: unchanged
  • Soften the Fall: unchanged
  • Trapper’s Expertise: unchanged
• Master:
  • Evasive Purity: unchanged
  • Serrated Edges: Sharpened Edges + Hidden Barbs
  • Refined Toxins: Poison duration increased. Poison damage increased.
• Grandmaster:
  • Nature’s Vengeance: Also increases range of spirit passive effects
  • Wilderness Knowledge: unchanged
  • Natural Healing: unchanged (but bug fixed)

Beast Mastery(shout/pet focused)
Minor traits:

• Fortifying Bond: combined with Lingering Magic
• Pack Alpha: combined with Pet’s Prowess
• Loud Whistle: unchanged

Major:

• Adept:
  • Resounding Timbre: unchanged
  • Go for the Eyes: unchanged
  • Vigorous Training: unchanged
• Master:
  • Beastly Warden: unchanged, perhaps increased CD to offset moving it down a tier
  • Wilting Strike: unchanged
  • Shared Anguish: unchanged
• Grandmaster:
  • Invigorating Bond: unchanged
  • Predatory Bond: Your attacks heal your pet for X% of your damage and your pet heals you for X% if its damage
  • Empathic Bond: unchanged

Expertise (utility/preparation focused):
Minor traits:

• Prepared: Preparations have 10% cdr
• Expert’s Dexterity: Attack 5% faster while under the effects of a Preparation
• Expert’s Focus: activating a Preparation reduces active utility CDs by 1 second

Major:

• Adept:
  • Swift Preparations: Preparation cast time reduced by 50%
  • Prepared Hunter: Deal X% more damage while a Preparation is active
  • Clarion Bond: Cast Call of the Wild on pet swap. (20 sec ICD)
• Master:
  • Spotter (aura): unchanged
  • Meticulous Expert: Preparation effects (condition duration, trigger chance, and activation speedup) increased by 20%
  • Keen Eye: Critical Hits while under the effects of a Preparation deal more damage

• Grandmaster:
  • Always Prepared: Preparations last 2 seconds longer and have their recharge reduced by 10%
  • Crossfire: While attacking the same target, you and your pet’s attacks are unblockable
  • Party Preparations(small pun): Activating a Preparation copies it to nearby allies as well. (yes, I’m aware this is a venomous aura rip-off)

Your change to Hunter’s Shot would ruin LBs survivability without the stealth. Besides that some of these changes are cool. I also dislike the change to rapid fire as it;d be very easy to counter in PvP

Why include the traits if they are unchanged? Just post the ones you think need attention. imo, a lot of the ones you left unchanged are the ones that really need the change.

Bunuka.3154:

Your change to Hunter’s Shot would ruin LBs survivability without the stealth. Besides that some of these changes are cool. I also dislike the change to rapid fire as it;d be very easy to counter in PvP

Current Hunter’s Shot’s stealth and Rapid Fire turn longbow into a mid to close range dueling weapon, instead of a long range one. Both RF and HS are largely inconsistent at long range vs targets that are aware of you, but get better as the distance closes. RF in particular is propping up LB at ranges you really shouldn’t be using a LB at. Ideally, Shortbow would fill the range zone that RF and HS are propping up LB in. That said, I’d be willing to leave HS alone, but not RF. I wanted LB to be a: longer range, slower attack, but individually harder hitting weapon. While SB would be a: closer range, faster attack, but individually softer hitting weapon.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

Why include the traits if they are unchanged? Just post the ones you think need attention. imo, a lot of the ones you left unchanged are the ones that really need the change.

I included them because I ended up shuffling around quite a few traits and I wanted the trait lines to make sense if you’re familiar with those traits. For instance, my WS line has traits that are currently located in Wilderness Survival, Beast Mastery, Skirmishing, and Nature Magic.

Outside of the non-GM Marksmanship traits (yeah, I know they’re kind of bad), which ones do you think are in a bad spot?

Here’s my thoughts on the unchanged ones:

• Marks: Enlargement is pretty bad; Predator’s Instinct could use a lower ICD; Steady Focus isn’t good once you dodge, meaning its damage bonus is only good when you’re allowed to free fire; MoC is niche so I’ll allow it; Brutish Seals is a decent signet trait.
• Skirmishing: I think the minors are ok, maybe Hunter’s Tactics could be changed back to more damage while flanking; Primal Reflexes isn’t bad; Instinctive Reaction isn’t terrible; Quick Draw is very good; Protective Ward isn’t bad for tankier builds; ZS is solid.
• WS: minors are decent. Bark Skin is debatable, I’m not overly fond of any of the “while over 90% hp” traits for any class. They seem far too binary; Oakheart is a good trait; Soften the Fall is like every other fall trait except for Thieves’ which is in a GM trait; Trappers Expertise does what it needs to do; Evasive Purity is good; Refined Toxins – go see my thoughts on Bark Skin; WK is very good; Natural Healing is decent.
• BM: I thought they actually did a very good job on the BM line, post trait rework. I really have no complaints about that line as it is now. That said, while the traits are good, they don’t really fix the problems with pets, which is their inconsistency of damage application.
• Expertise: Spotter is…spotter. It is generally considered one of the only reasons to bring along a ranger in group settings right now.

So you want ranger to become the only class which can choose one of two different class mechanics? I don’t think this will ever happen and it isn’t a good idea, because you are cutting build diversity of ranger by far with this one.

The five core specializations are meant to get combined as you wish, this isn’t able with your system because the line Beast Mastery becomes pointless if you are using preparations as class mechanic and the same for Expertise, if you are using pets as mechanic. I can see to get preparations as a new utility skill type in the future along with a new elite specialization.

I agree to a rework of the spirits, because they are really weak as they are now. They should give an unique buff to the team like frost spirit is already doing, because the other boon spreading spirits are boring and pointless because they have too many downsides for their benefit.

And btw: Crossfire isn’t just broken for a master trait, it would be even broken for a grandmaster. This would give your whole team permanent unblockable attacks. just ridiculous.

Well we don’t know the mechanics of the druid yet. Maybe it’ll be something like this, we’ll have to wait and see.

i like it
but for search and rescue
make it downed is priority. but if no downed is found, revive dead player

otherwise its to easy to waste the skill.

I really like some of the ideas especially strike as one, Im only a little concerned about full draw having an abvius animation but that can be countered with QZ.
And I love the Zephyr’s Speed speed idea to have it on weapon swap instead of pet swap since I have never been a fan of those pet swap trait mechanics.

Agree with Heimskarl on a lot of things you left unchanged that could use a buff or rework. Also, every time I read “no change” I laughed being reminded of previous Ranger segments during livestreams. xD

Kodama.6453:

So you want ranger to become the only class which can choose one of two different class mechanics? I don’t think this will ever happen and it isn’t a good idea, because you are cutting build diversity of ranger by far with this one.

The five core specializations are meant to get combined as you wish, this isn’t able with your system because the line Beast Mastery becomes pointless if you are using preparations as class mechanic and the same for Expertise, if you are using pets as mechanic. I can see to get preparations as a new utility skill type in the future along with a new elite specialization.

I agree to a rework of the spirits, because they are really weak as they are now. They should give an unique buff to the team like frost spirit is already doing, because the other boon spreading spirits are boring and pointless because they have too many downsides for their benefit.

And btw: Crossfire isn’t just broken for a master trait, it would be even broken for a grandmaster. This would give your whole team permanent unblockable attacks. just ridiculous.

Yeah, Crossfire is…yeah. What about if I changed it to just your own attacks are unblockable if you and an ally share a target? (I’ll probably edit my rework to this)

But on to trait lines.
Rangers really only have 4 right now anyways. Nature Magic and Wilderness Survival practically fulfill the same role. To me, Nature Magic feels like the dumping ground for traits that wouldn’t fit into BM and WS due to the limited number of traits allowed per line. Not to mention, if you try to minimize your dependance on pet AI right now, you most likely won’t be spec’ing into BM.

@arenta
Search and Rescue is honestly a ‘meh’ skill. I couldn’t think of something else to put there though, at the time. Reviving fully dead, vs downed, players in combat is generally not a good idea nor is it fast. Honestly, to make Search and Rescue good I’d probably roll “Guard!” into it. Give the pet stealth and prot and send it on its way to rez someone.

Shadow Phage.9084:

Kodama.6453:

So you want ranger to become the only class which can choose one of two different class mechanics? I don’t think this will ever happen and it isn’t a good idea, because you are cutting build diversity of ranger by far with this one.

The five core specializations are meant to get combined as you wish, this isn’t able with your system because the line Beast Mastery becomes pointless if you are using preparations as class mechanic and the same for Expertise, if you are using pets as mechanic. I can see to get preparations as a new utility skill type in the future along with a new elite specialization.

I agree to a rework of the spirits, because they are really weak as they are now. They should give an unique buff to the team like frost spirit is already doing, because the other boon spreading spirits are boring and pointless because they have too many downsides for their benefit.

And btw: Crossfire isn’t just broken for a master trait, it would be even broken for a grandmaster. This would give your whole team permanent unblockable attacks. just ridiculous.

Yeah, Crossfire is…yeah. What about if I changed it to just your own attacks are unblockable if you and an ally share a target? (I’ll probably edit my rework to this)

But on to trait lines.
Rangers really only have 4 right now anyways. Nature Magic and Wilderness Survival practically fulfill the same role. To me, Nature Magic feels like the dumping ground for traits that wouldn’t fit into BM and WS due to the limited number of traits allowed per line. Not to mention, if you try to minimize your dependance on pet AI right now, you most likely won’t be spec’ing into BM.

@arenta
Search and Rescue is honestly a ‘meh’ skill. I couldn’t think of something else to put there though, at the time. Reviving fully dead, vs downed, players in combat is generally not a good idea nor is it fast. Honestly, to make Search and Rescue good I’d probably roll “Guard!” into it. Give the pet stealth and prot and send it on its way to rez someone.

aye
or make it so it works like a mark skill
where you activate the ability and it doesnt go on cooldown unless the pet finds something it can res
all the pet shouts need to be reworked…..or make pets durable an threatening enough to make the shouts work

Shadow Phage.9084:

But on to trait lines.
Rangers really only have 4 right now anyways. Nature Magic and Wilderness Survival practically fulfill the same role. To me, Nature Magic feels like the dumping ground for traits that wouldn’t fit into BM and WS due to the limited number of traits allowed per line. Not to mention, if you try to minimize your dependance on pet AI right now, you most likely won’t be spec’ing into BM.

I understand how you feel about this (even if it is still possible to combine each trait line with another by getting benefit from them) but I really don’t think it is quite that simple. ^^

How about shout skills? A ranger using preparation as class mechanic can’t take them anymore because they only work if there is a pet with you. Signets will have an effect, but now just for the ranger (which would make some of them kinda weak and so we need a rework for this case too).

That’s what I mean, all professions depend that much on their skill mechanic, that you can’t just replace it by another one so easily. If you do, you have to rework ALL things that are going along with the mechanic.

Kodama.6453:

Shadow Phage.9084:

But on to trait lines.
Rangers really only have 4 right now anyways. Nature Magic and Wilderness Survival practically fulfill the same role. To me, Nature Magic feels like the dumping ground for traits that wouldn’t fit into BM and WS due to the limited number of traits allowed per line. Not to mention, if you try to minimize your dependance on pet AI right now, you most likely won’t be spec’ing into BM.

I understand how you feel about this (even if it is still possible to combine each trait line with another by getting benefit from them) but I really don’t think it is quite that simple. ^^

How about shout skills? A ranger using preparation as class mechanic can’t take them anymore because they only work if there is a pet with you. Signets will have an effect, but now just for the ranger (which would make some of them kinda weak and so we need a rework for this case too).

That’s what I mean, all professions depend that much on their skill mechanic, that you can’t just replace it by another one so easily. If you do, you have to rework ALL things that are going along with the mechanic.

I would be completely willing to fully support BM, but it requires things that Anet pretty much refuses to do.
1. Pet base movespeed increased to 25% more than player base movespeed
2. Pet basic attacks get a small lunge added to them. Combined with the movespeed, this will allow them to actually stay with and hit moving targets.
3. Full control over their skills. Sometimes I don’t want an eagle giving AoE swiftness. Maybe I want a bear to use Defy Pain when I know a big hit is incoming, rather than wait till after the hit goes through and its hp tanks.
4. An F5 skill which would be a simple ground targeting ‘go here’ command.
Combined these would make pets actually decent.

The only signet that really suffers without a pet is Signet of Renewal, which isn’t great anyways. You get an aoe condi clear….by condi nuking your pet. Given its long active CD, it could honestly work as a straight clear. Like:
Signet of Renewal:

• Passive: Remove 1 condition from you and your pet every 10 seconds.
• Active: Remove X conditions from you, your pet, and nearby allies.

As for shouts. Ranger shouts are already contingent on your pet being alive for full functionality (read: everything but Sic ‘Em); some are borderline useless anyways, like Search and Rescue. While I’ll acknowledge that ranger shout builds can work, that is largely because Guard and WHaO have low CDs. Every other ranger shout is 40sec and up for base CD.
That said, not all utilities are useful depending on your spec. Take thief venoms for example. Basilisk is the only one that generally sees any play outside of venomshare builds.
Preparations will functionally serve as combined class mechanic and utility skills, similar to engineer toolbelt.

edit: changes to original posts:

• Longbow: Hunter’s Shot changed back to how it works now
• Shortbow: Splintering Shot changed to a straight on-hit AoE
• Sic Em: Mark target. Pet follows and attacks marked target, even through stealth. If the pet hits the marked target, the marked target becomes Revealed.
• Signet of Renewal: Signet of Renewal: passive: Cure a condition on you and your pet every 10 seconds. Active: Remove X conditions from you, your pet, and nearby allies.
• Steady Focus: 10% more damage if you haven’t used endurance in the last 4 seconds.
• Hunter’s Tactics: Deal 10% more damage while flanking
• Bark Skin: The next time you would take damage greater than 10% of your max HP, it is reduced to 10% of your max HP. ( 30 sec ICD) (also affects pet)
• Refined Toxins: Poison duration increased. Poison damage increased.

Expertise:

• Clarion Bond: Cast Call of the Wild on pet swap. (20 sec ICD) (added to adept tier)
  *Keen Eye: Critical Hits while under the effects of a Preparation deal more damage (moved to Master tier)
  *Crossfire: While attacking the same target, you and your pet’s attacks are unblockable (moved to Grandmaster tier)