Guild Wars 2

Just wanted to start a discussion about some things I have noticed within the trait lines.

What I currently am running is something like this:

http://intothemists.com/calc/?build=VK;4wEkx-g2oDV-0;9k8;2YZb;0247036157;9;1zxrUzxrUm-FvN435;2VOVTWYXcYi3o4230C-2i;5cW5PcW5PH

Now, pre-patch, it was pretty common for Rangers to run LB/ Sword and Axe as their weapons. Basic rotation (omitting utilities for sake of length) Would be to pop barrage, rapid fire, swap weapons, path of scars, go to town with sword AA. With this, the ranger never swapped back to LB as it was considered a DPS loss.

With the changes post patch, our ability to gain swiftness and fury upon weapon swap got me to thinking. The grandmaster trait Remorseless goes hand in hand very well with Skirmishing’s Furious Grip minor. Fury is easily gained (given someone else in your party does not have provide it as well, if so that is even greater). What’s more, you also cast Call of the Wild upon pet swap via the BM traits, granting more fury, proccing more opening strikes, which is a guaranteed crit and 5 stacks of vulnerability.

Basically what I am proposing is that more weapon swap = consistent fury = consistent vulnerability. With that in mind, more weapon swap = more Quickdraw. So given the state of the traits currently are Rangers better off running GS/ Sword and Axe, proccing more quickdrawn Path of Scars and Maul respectively? Or any other secondary weapon for that fact. Would you still even consider staying with LB and quickdrawing Rapid Fire?

Just some food for thought. Feel free to express your thoughts, concerns, and ideas.

LB has gone the way of the Dodo in PvE, much to my chagrin.

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/external?l=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3ljux9o5FGM

Active weapon swapping is the new meta. And landing back-to-back 15k+ mauls is too good.

Yeah, gave up my LB after trying out the combo you mentioned. The synergy between remorseless, quick draw, clarion bond and two-handed training is amazing. I’ve never had so much fun playing Ranger.

I know weapon swapping is seemingly meta now and it seems to be pushing us towards the GS/Sword/axe build like in Brazil’s video, but is using an LB as your switch weapon instead of GS at least somewhat viable? I don’t really want to give up my bow.

And if LB is viable is it better to go LB/GS or LB/sword/axe. I don’t care about being a leet meta speedclear freak, but I don’t want to be terrible either.

LB should still be fine, it just won’t be optimal. If using LB, it might be better to go with the old Predator’s Onslaught over Remorseless and use sword/axe. Rotation might be something like rapid fire, barrage, rapid fire, swap, path of scars, auto, path of scars, etc.

The Fury trait nerf was intended because of Rune of the Warrior, which allowed for Perma-Fury. Now you have to take Clarion Bond, Wilderness Knowledge and Two-Handed Training for similar uptime.

http://intothemists.com/guides/5468-lead_the_zephyr

You will find that swapping to LB to stack vulnerability and cripple (for Predator’s Onslaught) is still a thing because of Quick Draw, although I do like my Mauls…