Guild Wars 2

In the past when Ranger sword #1 rooted the player I didn’t use it much and pretty much forgot about sword. Lately I’ve been revisiting sword now that #1 was updated and I’m enjoying it, however Hornet Sting feels a bit clunky. I see its potential as an evade, but that .5 second activation time makes me get hit by what I was attempting to evade much of the time.

I found a few older threads such as this one where we’ve discussed improvements to Hornet Sting, specifically the removal of the activation time.

Curious if anyone knows if we’ve heard any official feedback about that? I didn’t find any in a few searches I tried.

My suggestion to improve Hornet Sting without changing it too radically would be to have the evade happen instantly, and you leave behind a swarm of hornets that does the damage.

No. There has been no official statement or response made by any developer about it in the past.

Rangers have been asking for a reduced cast time on Hornet’s Sting since launch. They have never commented on it, and more importantly, never stated as to why.

I agree with you. It is clunky.

That hesitation .5 second activation is stupid.

It would be amazing to use the ability and immediately react.
Also, I don’t understand why it’s there to begin with. Do other classes have similiar .5 second activation for movement abilities? Off the top of my head I can’t imagine any.

Agreeing with OP.
In addition i would put monarchs leap in first chain of serpent strike and put hornet sting as a stand alone evade skill.

Most ranger’s weapons are badly designed.
For example GS#1 chain, the last attack, where it evades it extremely clunky. I don’t think i’ve ever consciously try to use that attack.

All the Axe’s mainhand aftercast… Axe#4 projectile disappearances because terrain (not even walls) and now such a extreme small AoE.
Axe#5 being an static skill in a class that is not tank, thus needs to stay moving all the time….

Sword#3 not being able to hit anything. Gs#5 short range. Dagger in general is awful.

Shortbow still a pretty terrible weapon being used only for filling the gap between torch CDs.

Is like being the class designed as a middle ground between mobility and active deffenses from the thief and tankiness from the engie, but the weapon skills were designed with the devs feet for something as static as Guard with many passive block and deffenses.

anduriell.6280:

Most ranger’s weapons are badly designed.
For example GS#1 chain, the last attack, where it evades it extremely clunky. I don’t think i’ve ever consciously try to use that attack.

All the Axe’s mainhand aftercast… Axe#4 projectile disappearances because terrain (not even walls) and now such a extreme small AoE.
Axe#5 being an static skill in a class that is not tank, thus needs to stay moving all the time….

Sword#3 not being able to hit anything. Gs#5 short range. Dagger in general is awful.

Shortbow still a pretty terrible weapon being used only for filling the gap between torch CDs.

Is like being the class designed as a middle ground between mobility and active deffenses from the thief and tankiness from the engie, but the weapon skills were designed with the devs feet for something as static as Guard with many passive block and deffenses.

SB is somewhat decent now i would say after the bleed on autoattack buff.
Warhorn is tge only ranger weapon that doesnt feel lachluster, just hasnt that much use.

I have to agree with dagger, especially the number of hittable targets are bugging me. I would give both daggerskills a cleave to hit multiple targets atleast. I would also like to see a shadowstep on dagger 5 but thats debatable ground.
Axe 4 could need a ground target like phoenix of ele has, with the same mechanic.
Axe 5 just needs movement like all other “spin” moves have, just to bring it on the same level.
Greatsword has even as a defensive power weapon dmg on the low site and dmg buff could have some uses. Hilt bash still bugged.
Make Axe 3 AoE on default and fix traits.

Weapons of ranger had an identy crisis till launch and are still on it. Actually i am.not sure if ranger has the most flawed weapon and utility skills that need some love, on the other hand we have a lot of pretty good ones.

InsaneQR.7412:

anduriell.6280:

Most ranger’s weapons are badly designed.
For example GS#1 chain, the last attack, where it evades it extremely clunky. I don’t think i’ve ever consciously try to use that attack.

All the Axe’s mainhand aftercast… Axe#4 projectile disappearances because terrain (not even walls) and now such a extreme small AoE.
Axe#5 being an static skill in a class that is not tank, thus needs to stay moving all the time….

Sword#3 not being able to hit anything. Gs#5 short range. Dagger in general is awful.

Shortbow still a pretty terrible weapon being used only for filling the gap between torch CDs.

Is like being the class designed as a middle ground between mobility and active deffenses from the thief and tankiness from the engie, but the weapon skills were designed with the devs feet for something as static as Guard with many passive block and deffenses.

SB is somewhat decent now i would say after the bleed on autoattack buff.
Warhorn is tge only ranger weapon that doesnt feel lachluster, just hasnt that much use.

I have to agree with dagger, especially the number of hittable targets are bugging me. I would give both daggerskills a cleave to hit multiple targets atleast. I would also like to see a shadowstep on dagger 5 but thats debatable ground.
Axe 4 could need a ground target like phoenix of ele has, with the same mechanic.
Axe 5 just needs movement like all other “spin” moves have, just to bring it on the same level.
Greatsword has even as a defensive power weapon dmg on the low site and dmg buff could have some uses. Hilt bash still bugged.
Make Axe 3 AoE on default and fix traits.

Weapons of ranger had an identy crisis till launch and are still on it. Actually i am.not sure if ranger has the most flawed weapon and utility skills that need some love, on the other hand we have a lot of pretty good ones.

IMO Sb is pretty terrible even with the testimonial condi buff. Nobody uses it unless is as a filled between torch CDs. It is better than before, sure, still damage is pretty low to be used in PvE and The weapon skills are so bad for pvp/wvw than almost seems to be designed with the feets. Range should be increased to 1200, although i begining to think 1500 should be the number as that weapon lacks any burst and the condition damage is coming almost exclusively from bleedings and needs time to build up (thus the range). Also another choice to fight thieves that burst and try to teleport away.

Sb#3 being a ground target 600 shadowstep that grants superspeed if hits so the ranger actually has some control about when to hit from the ide or the back would be very welcome. And some torment and confusion in some of the skills would be amazing so the player is not forced into SM traitline.

Dagger needs more than increase the targets, the Dagger#4 is a complete waste of skill, i can’t think of any replacement that actually could work.. I agree Dagger#5 needs the shadow step ground target.

Axe#4 needs also to pulls for the full range, not 300. The reflect in Axe#5 should increase to match the other reflection skills abide the mobility , not 150. Axe#1 needs t be replaced as the last nerf destroyed it’s utility (build might), i would make the axe to work as the guardians lootstick works (cleave 600, plus grant 1 might for each enemy hit up to 3) and remove the projectile from it. And Axe#2 needs to have no such as pre-cast animations, it looks like it want’s to throw a Frisbee. .

But yes, there are a lot of fantastic threads in this subforum with brillant ideas and none were taken.

anduriell.6280:

InsaneQR.7412:

anduriell.6280:

Most ranger’s weapons are badly designed.
For example GS#1 chain, the last attack, where it evades it extremely clunky. I don’t think i’ve ever consciously try to use that attack.

All the Axe’s mainhand aftercast… Axe#4 projectile disappearances because terrain (not even walls) and now such a extreme small AoE.
Axe#5 being an static skill in a class that is not tank, thus needs to stay moving all the time….

Sword#3 not being able to hit anything. Gs#5 short range. Dagger in general is awful.

Shortbow still a pretty terrible weapon being used only for filling the gap between torch CDs.

Is like being the class designed as a middle ground between mobility and active deffenses from the thief and tankiness from the engie, but the weapon skills were designed with the devs feet for something as static as Guard with many passive block and deffenses.

SB is somewhat decent now i would say after the bleed on autoattack buff.
Warhorn is tge only ranger weapon that doesnt feel lachluster, just hasnt that much use.

I have to agree with dagger, especially the number of hittable targets are bugging me. I would give both daggerskills a cleave to hit multiple targets atleast. I would also like to see a shadowstep on dagger 5 but thats debatable ground.
Axe 4 could need a ground target like phoenix of ele has, with the same mechanic.
Axe 5 just needs movement like all other “spin” moves have, just to bring it on the same level.
Greatsword has even as a defensive power weapon dmg on the low site and dmg buff could have some uses. Hilt bash still bugged.
Make Axe 3 AoE on default and fix traits.

Weapons of ranger had an identy crisis till launch and are still on it. Actually i am.not sure if ranger has the most flawed weapon and utility skills that need some love, on the other hand we have a lot of pretty good ones.

IMO Sb is pretty terrible even with the testimonial condi buff. Nobody uses it unless is as a filled between torch CDs. It is better than before, sure, still damage is pretty low to be used in PvE and The weapon skills are so bad for pvp/wvw than almost seems to be designed with the feets. Range should be increased to 1200, although i begining to think 1500 should be the number as that weapon lacks any burst and the condition damage is coming almost exclusively from bleedings and needs time to build up (thus the range). Also another choice to fight thieves that burst and try to teleport away.

Sb#3 being a ground target 600 shadowstep that grants superspeed if hits so the ranger actually has some control about when to hit from the ide or the back would be very welcome. And some torment and confusion in some of the skills would be amazing so the player is not forced into SM traitline.

Dagger needs more than increase the targets, the Dagger#4 is a complete waste of skill, i can’t think of any replacement that actually could work.. I agree Dagger#5 needs the shadow step ground target.

Axe#4 needs also to pulls for the full range, not 300. The reflect in Axe#5 should increase to match the other reflection skills abide the mobility , not 150. Axe#1 needs t be replaced as the last nerf destroyed it’s utility (build might), i would make the axe to work as the guardians lootstick works (cleave 600, plus grant 1 might for each enemy hit up to 3) and remove the projectile from it. And Axe#2 needs to have no such as pre-cast animations, it looks like it want’s to throw a Frisbee. .

But yes, there are a lot of fantastic threads in this subforum with brillant ideas and none were taken.

Well i can understand some of your concerns. I my self am a fan if skill swapping. I would like to see that serpent strike of sword is swapped with dagger 4 and the old dagger 4 skill is now a pure dmg skill that immobs foes.
I would put monarchsleap as sword 2 and the new skill behind it. Hornet sting stays at 3.
Dagger together with the shadowstep could be an evasive condi weapon and sword an effective engage-disengage power weapon.

For your axe changes on OH i cannot say anything fir or against it because i dont know the numbers.
For axe auto attack they should just make a chai n instead of a single throwing skill. One of two does bleed the other one might. Wintersbite hits 3 targets and applies torment instead of bleed for more condi diversity.

SB just needs bigger numbers. Longer durations better base dmg etc.
The bigger range is demanded by a lot of PvP/WvW players i think, in PvE this isnt much of an issue as i have experienced.

I would also like to see that crippling shot would be similar to sword 4 of warrior. You shot an arrow into your enemy and it changes to a second skill. You can activate this skill and your pet rips the arrow out of your enemy and does extra dmg.

The last one is just an idea, nothing applicable i think.

I believe the reason the attack still has a “cast time” is because they can’t remove cast times from skills. Lightning Reflexes, Shield Stance and other skills that do nothing but dodge/block can still be interrupted by attacks they should prevent. In Hornet sting’s case, the cast time is for the sword swing.

They could apply an evade to the sword swing and that would likely be the easiest fix. But removing the cast time would require a complete rework of the skill, like they had to do to remove the “self-root” of the auto-attack. Which also means we’d get our decent attack animation replaced with, I dunno, the Ranger dropping the sword or something so the animation works with the lack of cast time and Slash/Kick/Pounce’s stand-in.

HotHit.6783:

They could apply an evade to the sword swing and that would likely be the easiest fix.

Pretty much. Evade from the moment you press the button and throughout the whole animation, problem solved. Also, it would be the logical thing to do to the skill. When you want to evade something, you want it to happen NOW, not after half a second – react, not predict.

Anyone can agree to that, except of course for the Anet devs.

OGDeadHead.8326:

HotHit.6783:

They could apply an evade to the sword swing and that would likely be the easiest fix.

Pretty much. Evade from the moment you press the button and throughout the whole animation, problem solved. Also, it would be the logical thing to do to the skill. When you want to evade something, you want it to happen NOW, not after half a second – react, not predict.

Anyone can agree to that, except of course for the Anet devs.

The “devs” might not admit it but in my opinion they are short handed.
They don’t have enough programmers to fix the issues that are already present.
They didn’t fix class mechanic problems before the last expansion and they won’t fix the issues already present in the coming expansion. They will just add on, like they have.