Guild Wars 2

So recently I started tinkering around with my ranger. She’s only level 24 and I’m learning more about the class as I’m going along, especially about different weapons and play style.

There are three things that I was hoping someone can help me out with:

- The evade on the GS. There is obviously some evaded built into the animation but I’m not sure what part of the animation does the actual evading. So far I’m only evading by accident. Is it just the first strike that she evades? Is it when she has the wind things swirling around her that she evades?

- Best weapon set for dealing with mobs: Right now I’m basically switching to SB and running around, dodging and kiting spamming 1. There’s gotta be a better way to deal with mobs… I thought if I could figure out the GS evades it might be a good way to deal with melee mobs but I’m not sure, it doesn’t seem to have as wide an AoE as guards and warriors do. Will the penetrating shot trait help? The axe has some mob control capabilities but, I dunno I’m not in love with the axe…

- The long bow. I love how they look. Much moreso than the short bow, especially since I’m not necessarily interested in making a condition ranger build (I already have a lvl 80 condi thief and might end up making a condi mesmer too, I don’t want a THIRD condi toon!) But it’s clear the shortbow is a lot more efficient/ easier to use/ probably has higher dps than longbow. Does anyone know how to use the long bow as a reliable ranged DPS weapon. Is there perhaps a way to use LB to deal with mobs?

Any input is highly appreciated!

Greatsword evades on third animation in the “autoattack” chain so to control it and time it you must turn off autoattack. I recommend 20/20/0/0/30 with honed axes and axe/axe for open world PvE. The ricochet will bounce giving a nice cleave for mob killing. Trait Master’s Bond, Natural Healing, and slot Signet of the Wild and use a jaguar. Make sure to keep your pet up for stacking the master’s bond. This setup will melt mobs in open world PvE—use sword/warhorn on swap and consider stalker instead of jaguar since it provides 5 stack might.

I recommend full berserker with superior rune of the ranger or ruby orbs for a budget. I wear Distinguished Circle of Logic amulet, Bahg Nak, and Red ring of death and am working on ascended berserker stats for accessories. If you don’t know, zerk refers to power / precision / critical damage.

If you’re trying to tag mobs for farming, then leave the pet on aggressive mode and bind a button to the mouse for target change. Keep switching targets and ricocheting that axe. Wear as much MF as you can afford without losing too many stats, although normally you’ll have farming friends.

There’s usually not much reason to kite PvE mobs. Use a greatsword, swoop in, switch pets for 2 sec quickness, drop a flame trap, maybe a maul and then everything is dead.

For veterans have quickening zephyr equiped and they will drop fast.

Quickness with the greatsword is just fantastic.

Have an axe with warhorn or torch as your other weapon set in case you do get yourself into trouble and need to create some distance.

Nabrok.9023:

There’s usually not much reason to kite PvE mobs. Use a greatsword, swoop in, switch pets for 2 sec quickness, drop a flame trap, maybe a maul and then everything is dead.

For veterans have quickening zephyr equiped and they will drop fast.

Quickness with the greatsword is just fantastic.

Have an axe with warhorn or torch as your other weapon set in case you do get yourself into trouble and need to create some distance.

“Quickness with the greatsword is just fantastic.” I wonder why you say that, if it actually makes your “window” to evade tinier than it really is.
I really prefer shortbow, but longbow is great do deal with mobs. Just use your pet to tank(yes, it works with normal and low level mobs) and if the mob get closer to you, use your knockback skill. Damage of the longbow increases with the range, so attack from far. Use 3 and 2 always, and 5 to large groups or to slow down mobs coming for you.