Guild Wars 2

My thief is now level 60 and I’m getting frustrated because of how slow and squishy it is. Maybe I’m doing something, so I don’t know….

Anyway, I want to start a ranger just for PvE so I want to know their current state. Judging from all the bugs and QQs in the forums I’m guessing we don’t do decent damage? Do rangers have a harder time getting into pugs compared to other classes? Do rangers contribute anything to dungeon groups? I’ve read somewhere that other classes contribute more and do it better in dungeons, is that true?

Please help me out, I’m torn between a guardian and a ranger.

With ranger and guardian being my first 80s I’d have to say that both are pretty easy to level (you can get away with playing a lot lazier anyway).

Since you’re asking on the ranger forum, I’ll describe how ranger gameplay seems to me:
Longbow: semi-auto sniper…currently kinda awkward for certain situations (sPvP especially) but can be geared/traited around to provide consistent dps/defense debuff @ 1200-1500 range.
Shortbow: rapid-fire conditions and some control. The bleed on the auto-attack only works when flanking but some traits make that the thing you’d be doing anyway.
Axe (thrown weapon, not melee): 3-target bounce auto-attack and chill. Good off-set for a shortbow but the damage is /shrug. Offhand axe gives a pbaoe self-root that also reflects projectiles and looks like something out of a Star Wars game. The other move does damage in a line away from you and back.
Sword: the weapon that makes you learn how to turn off auto-attack. Good sourec of poison. Beyond that I give it style points. Think thief sword without the damage.
Greatsword: the toolbar is full of great ideas. I don’t know how well they go together though. The 3rd swing of the auto-attack evades and the 4 button blocks but trying to coordinate them with my dodges gave me a headache. It’s also good as an off-set for traveling like thief shortbow.
Warhorn: buff off-hand. One skill’s a swiftness/might/fury buff which is cool and the other’s just for using on REALLY huge bosses.
Dagger: poison/dodge move and a short-range cripple.
Torch: fire field and a ranged burn move that lasts a LONG time.

Pets: bears tank, cats and birds crit. After the new drake was added, I think we now have pets that do all conditions (at least most of them). If you can get used to thinking about them and using the function keys, they’re another way to make up for something that’s lacking in your build. They’re somewhat more questionably useful in dungeons but I’ve mostyly been playing my guardian in those since I’d be tempted to run in all berserker’s with my ranger.

Rangers are pretty good for power builds and condition builds. The out-door pve’s cake with a dps build and a bear. I’m not convinced by the spirits. Traps are great for the conditions (control and damage) and can be traited to be set at range. The damage utilities seem to focus on burst damage (quickening zephyr’s like haste). The signets are weird (active and passive effects are unrelated).

As for guardian: that’s the class where you can make your character say, “Receive this light! Receive this light! Receive this light! Receive this light! Receive this light! Receive this light! Receive this light! Receive this light!”