Guild Wars 2

I have always played a ranged class, not to say that i have not played other classes, just that i have always main’d ranged classes. And my favorite of all time would be my hunter in wow…just love him.

When i came into GW2, i started off right away with a ranger and loved him more than my hunter in wow, his floppy ears are soooo cuuuute! (Asura)

cough

Then i took a break and got sucked back into wow with MoP, fun while it lasted but i don’t even have a desire to even play the last patch of it. I returned a few months back and leveled another ranger(human). SO much fun…then came the day of a patch when, imo, rangers died.

I know…there are all kinds of builds out there that are viable and have there place. Problem is…i dont know where that is!

When i leveled both of my rangers i leveled them using this guide as a base line:

http://tinyurl.com/czb5tgz

Essentially it a is a pet synergy crit build that used sb and then for alt weapons i used axe/warhorn. For leveling it was awesome.

I plan on leveling a third ranger(norn)…after playing a lb/rifle warrior for the past few days and have become extremely jealous, because i just love the ranger class. The sb just aint what it use to be, and i like the changes they have made with the lb, but every lb build i see requires you to be as durable as tissue paper. All it takes is some giant Norn with sword, that’s even way to big for him, to look at me and i fall over like a sack of potatoes!!

So what to do?

TLDR:

This is what i like:
http://tinyurl.com/czb5tgz

What could be close to being viable in both wvw/dungeons/open world pve…where everything is viable(?)

Thanks in advance!!

I should also throw in here that i probably will do more solo wvw. I did the zerg thing and as most rangers know…rangers are not really group friendly in most situations. But i spose there is potential to run into some smaller groups as well.

If you go glass you want utility to get away in either a 2nd weapon set or from utilities. I ran a good crit dmg build with plenty of armor and it did its job and if any assassin jumps on you, you will survive. However since I’m starting to play a different style I’m switching to full glass and its quite fun taking out other Squishy builds and tanks alike.

Anyways since no one else helping you out, tell me a build you want and ill craft it for you.

The one i linked above was:

20/30/5/015
I, VIII
I, V, VII
VI
respectively

Runes were rangers
Jewels were Rampagers
Didint have armor list but im sure something along the lines of Power Precision, toughness
Sigil of Accuracy
Sigil of earth
Weapons: SB and Axe/Warhorn

Slot skills:
Quickening Zephyr, Signet of Stone & Wild, Rampage as One
Heal: Healing spring

This is an old build, very old. I like it it so much because basically the pets took care of themselves. Build uses two cats and is focused on crits…and those crits boosting your pet

Pve ranger is top tier with traited frost spirit and spotter. Use brazil and guang’s build: 20/25/0/25/0 with spotter, vigorous spirits and frost spirit. Use endurance regen food or sac. Some damage for 5 in WS for natural vigor. Use berserker gear with berserker trinkets. If you feel glassy, trait more into wilderness survival.

In wvw, you can make just about anything work so long as you face other average builds and players. If you want to go full GG, then some form of beastmaster/regen build or rabid/bleeds is the way to go. Other builds like remorseless-longbow-maul-valkryie or zerker are good too but glassier. Everyone has their own take on wvw.

^ this and nothing else, except maybe high level fractals.

Ya high level fractals I actually prefer 20 in WS and 30 into marks. I should update my high level fotm guide.

Not looking to play a melee ranger, but thanks for your input. Is melee all that is viable?

Sword is awesome dps and utility

Oh ya, offhand axe reflects and pulls now. Warhorn blast finish. Drakes
Blast too

I understand the sword and axe off hand , as well as dagger in some cases are great dps and utility…its just not my play style. I don’t mind the lb, my only failure there is staying at max range, I always end up fighting mid range. SO i thought a Sb with axe/wh would be a good fit, i’ve played with them before and love that play style. I don’t need a top tier, rank 1, ultimate dps, play this or gtfo build.

I am looking for a build that involves sb with axe/wh and synergizes with pets fairly nicely. All the while surviving things like a their or warrior just pwn the crap out of me. If this is not possible…thats fine, i can figure out something else…maybe head back to the lb/rifle warrior, but only as a last resort.

You’ll be teased for playing anything ranged in a dungeon. You can do shortbow, just stack with everyone else in melee range. That’s just how gw2 is played in pve at the moment. Why? simple. It’s not just that melee does a sliver of more damage. Group damage really comes from fury, 25 stack might, and DPS uptime. You don’t give or receive boons at range, whether you range with warrior or ranger. I hope that helps.

That does help. now i understand it a little better, especially for dungeons and why i see melee rangers everywhere.

I do not mind being in melee range. I tend to play in the mid range to melee range area..even if playing a ranged class. It just happens, more so when my target is melee and hes trying to get to me. For lb its like…1800 range…great. All the target has to do is run the other way and he is safe as long as he moves faster than i do. So yes, i prefer mid-melee range. I just don’t like the mechanic of melee skills being able to be cast even if your not in range of target. Call me a bad player…idc…it’s just something i could never get a handle on.

Sb/ax+wh seem perfect there at 900 range. I’m in close enough to see if target is gonna try and turn and run not to mention pet will be on them by the time i hit them so it keeps them in combat at least. And at the same time being in close doest harm the damage i do. Both weapon sets seem geared towards stacking bleeds and condition damage..although i know from past sb experience its better off to go crit, imo, and get bleeds that way along with pet applying bleeds vs trying to flank someone and get bleeds that way.

Remember when you could stand behind someone..pop RAO and QZ and get 25 stacks of bleeds in like..2 secs…fun times.

Essentially i am looking for a build based around SB Axe/WH, not totally relying on pet but but good pet synergy that makes a pet useful, as well as being able to survive, to be used more so in open world pve and more solo wvw vs zerg wvw and dungeons will be a here and there thing till i really get back into the game and get in with a guild, maybe by then there will be more changes.

I don’t want to completely face roll people, but if i play it right, i have a decent chance at winning the fight.