Guild Wars 2

…and would love to know if there’s some good leveling build(forum search didn’t really help as did google). I’m currently level 23, haven’t really played ranger that much before and would like someone to give me some advice as to what NOT to do and some help with some kind of general all purpose weapon to get by be it events or general going from heart to heart.
Thanks!

Longbow + Greatsword

Start with longbow, then switch to greatsword if they get close and your knockback is on cooldown. Greatsword is also great against multiple enemies and Maul deals a good amount of damage.

Greatsword 3 (swoop) is great for moving about.

Longbow is basically THE ranger weapon that makes the profession unique. If you don’t like it, you may like other professions more.

I’d just stick with signets: signet of stone, signet of the wild, signet of the hunt.

as for traits, im not sure in which order they unlock with the new system, but for leveling Beastmastery and wilderness survival are probably good.

An axe/torch condi build would also work.

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Ranger_-_A/T_Condition

In open world I replace frost spirit with signet of the hunt for mobility. Bonfire and flame trap will allow you to tag a lot of mobs, which means more xp. Plus, the game gives you condi gear when you’re leveling anyways. Might as well use it. Any gear where main stat is condition damage will work for leveling. Sinsister’s is only to maximize your damage when you reach 80. You absolutely don’t need it for leveling.

Pretty much gonna repeat what Holland said.

Presuming you’re soloing, start with the following.

For weapons, Longbow + Greatsword. You can also use Sword + Axe, but sword is a bit tricky at first. Your main weapon will be the Longbow (pew pew)

As for your main pet, definitely go for a Brown bear ( found in Gendarran fields), they make good tanks.
Then for utility skills, just go for full signet, and Strength of the pack for elite. For healing, use Heal as one (will also heal pet), you can also use Healing spring for the lack of condi removal (early on)

First trait line that you should unlock is Beastmastery (making pet better) followed by Wilderness survival (good condi removal). Finally go with Marksmanship, for more dps.

That’s pretty much all you need for leveling to 80. Ranger is one of the easiest class to level thanks to the pets.

As for quick tips
I would avoid condi weapons for leveling.
Try not to aggro a large quantity of mobs. Your pet can only take so much.
Don’t let your pet die. Cooldown is longer than just switching pets. So pet management is the key.
If you’re doing world events, try to avoid doing #4 on your longbow (unless really needed).

Definitely go troll unguent early on. It actually heals for a lot more than heal as one. Maybe the difference isn’t that big anymore at level 23, but at level 8 the difference was 140 against 910 or something silly.

As for when they let you choose equipment, go with power. (asumming longbow + greatsword).

Vaelkyr.4786:

An axe/torch condi build would also work.

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Ranger_-_A/T_Condition

I’ll add to this and say use this build ONLY when you have unlocked Quickdraw. Otherwise, A/T while leveling is… meh.

What everyone else sadi…

If you are leveling in PvE, LB/GS strong, later zerker gear is just fine.
Rotate different pets for more offense(cats/birds) or defense(bears).

Personally for faster, smoother leveling I stick to a power-focus. Then at lvl 80 I change each ranger to its dedicated role (Glass cannon, condi trapper, mid-line melee, regen buffer). note: I currently have 4 lvl 80… one will become a Druid; haven’t decided which yet.

Let me know in game if I can help you along.

Good luck and Enjoy!

cloudysan.4397:

…and would love to know if there’s some good leveling build(forum search didn’t really help as did google). I’m currently level 23, haven’t really played ranger that much before and would like someone to give me some advice as to what NOT to do and some help with some kind of general all purpose weapon to get by be it events or general going from heart to heart.
Thanks!

Soloing is fairly easy with a pet really just about anything can work, I do not recommend longbow atleast until later levels because it is fairly mindless, Greatsword/sword/axe or dagger is great and much more interesting. Or you can try a condition build as someone else already pointed out.

Going to have to disagree with several of the suggestions you’ve received here.

First don’t get brown bear. If you want a tanky pet get a river drake. Drakes are tanky, they are the one pet family with decent cleave, and if you spec into the BM line (which you should be doing first) their tail swipe and f2 hits like a truck.

If you trait for shouts “we heal as one” will actually do more healing over time than troll unguent, it has the advantages of being a burst heal, and it will provide you with swiftness for better mobility. This also has the added benefit of freeing up one of your utility slots since you won’t need signet of the hunt.

After beast mastery I personally trait into skirmishing for quickdraw but wilderness survival is fine. If you go into the WS line you may want to consider running entangle over rampage as one for better cc.

The other thing to keep in mind is the majority of your damage on longbow and GS comes from your first 2 skills, so don’t automatically use your other skills because they are off cooldown.

If you are being focused and are in danger of dying hunter’s shot will stealth you and switch the aggro to your pet.

Point blank shot should almost never be used in PvE, save it for interrupting but be aware of the area and the people around you, if you knock a mob out of the aoe of 5 other people they are going to rightfully be kittened off at you.

Barrage is good for tagging multiple mobs and does decent damage since the mobs in this game are too stupid to avoid aoe damage.

Why in the hell is anyone recommending a bear on the ranger forum? We’re supposed to be the ones breaking stereotypes, not working to make them a reality. Bears are absolute garbage in PvE.

My advice for leveling is to just use whatever the best gear and weapon you find. That will teach you all the weapons in a cozy environment before you have to start playing for real in WvW/PvP/Fractals. Using only a LB will be a bad crutch and you’ll never learn how to actually play ranger.

Bears are great in pve leveling. But I would start off with a cat or a bird for damage, until it keeps dying, then go with a dog or drake, if those keep dying too, go with a bear.

You WILL need to change your playstyle and not depend on the pet to tank for you once you hit 80, but for leveling it’s excellent.

Holland.9351:

Bears are great in pve leveling. But I would start off with a cat or a bird for damage, until it keeps dying, then go with a dog or drake, if those keep dying too, go with a bear.

You WILL need to change your playstyle and not depend on the pet to tank for you once you hit 80, but for leveling it’s excellent.

There is no reason they should need anything tankier than a drake. If their drake is dying during leveling in open world pve they need to learn to manage their pet better. Switching to a bear just promotes lazy play.

Puck.9612:

Going to have to disagree with several of the suggestions you’ve received here.

First don’t get brown bear. If you want a tanky pet get a river drake. Drakes are tanky, they are the one pet family with decent cleave, and if you spec into the BM line (which you should be doing first) their tail swipe and f2 hits like a truck.

If you trait for shouts “we heal as one” will actually do more healing over time than troll unguent, it has the advantages of being a burst heal, and it will provide you with swiftness for better mobility. This also has the added benefit of freeing up one of your utility slots since you won’t need signet of the hunt.

After beast mastery I personally trait into skirmishing for quickdraw but wilderness survival is fine. If you go into the WS line you may want to consider running entangle over rampage as one for better cc.

The other thing to keep in mind is the majority of your damage on longbow and GS comes from your first 2 skills, so don’t automatically use your other skills because they are off cooldown.

If you are being focused and are in danger of dying hunter’s shot will stealth you and switch the aggro to your pet.

Point blank shot should almost never be used in PvE, save it for interrupting but be aware of the area and the people around you, if you knock a mob out of the aoe of 5 other people they are going to rightfully be kittened off at you.

Barrage is good for tagging multiple mobs and does decent damage since the mobs in this game are too stupid to avoid aoe damage.

^ This. Completely agree. Lyssa Runes have nice synergy with traited shouts and We Heal As One, as well.

I would recommend you swap to Axe/Axe or Axe/Torch when you are doing events which involve multiple mobs and many players. Helps to tag more mobs so you can get credit for involvement.

Power all the way. Don’t worry about precision/ferocity cause they don’t scale very well under lvl 80 and in a zone that is not lvl 80.

Similarly don’t go condi lvling up, it doesn’t scale very well at low lvls/ low lvl zones.