Guild Wars 2

I’m considering playing a ranger for my first level 80 character, but after reading some of the forums and watching some of the videos I’m wondering if the combo I’d like to do is ridiculous.
I’d like to run Longbow + Axe/Torch, and I’d like to be able to do well in both PvE and WvW, is this a pipe dream? Is my desired combo just too much of a self-gimp?

You wold probably have to use rampager gear. Power,condi,prec. Would be very different but definitely possible if you devote yourself to it.

You would need to make up for lack of toughness with good pet cc and dodging, but I don’t think the combo is ridiculous.

If there was an easy way to swap out traits/gear I would try a build like this too.

My preferred playstyle would be with toughness, survival is better to me than just outright DPS potential. So I figured on a lot of toughness, I haven’t thought really about what pet to use, and I think if traited right I could keep my ability to dodge up fairly well.
I guess my biggest concern is, this combo obviously favors medium to long range, and in the event of melee closing on me, should I worry that axe is technically a ranged weapon and thus generally weaker?
With added toughness and traiting for survival I should be able to stand toe-to-toe for a bit, but would I be stupid to not go for a pure melee weapon as a secondary?

Well you have the chill on the axe on a pretty short cooldown. I think you will be fine. Try it out for yourself!

Strongly suggest you consider the shortbow instead. If you use the shortbow and use the trap build you’ve just found the only viable option this class has right now. The reason for this is because the torch is all about condition damage much like all of the class’ skills that do damage.

I use longbow/greatsword in mostly cleric gear and I do just fine with it. So only viable option is not accurate I would say. I can’t speak for paid tournaments though. As I don’t do much of those.

Longbow + axe/torch restricts you to be 100% ranged, so you need to consider your greatest forte to be:
1. Target control.
2. Excellent DPS + condition damage.
3. Really efficient pet use.

Also combine this build with trapper/high dps/high condition damage (for your traps). You really need to realize that your build will revolve around this weapon choice; so keeping the enemy away from you and controlling their approach while you kill them is paramount.

Practice in sPvP first to get a good feel for it on 1v1 fights and 5v5 fights, then take that with you to PvE and WvW. You will be able to bring down enemies such as guardians/warriors with ease, if you manage to control them propperly… but thiefs will eat you alive if you are not careful… and everything else might too. So in WvW stick to at least a 2 man team, for optimal results 5 man team or larger groups next to a commander.

One note you should consider is that having axe will restrict you from using the combo field available through campfire (torch skill 5), unless you plan on providing this for your comrades to use, or as extra field damage vs enemies. Remember, stay at long range or face death in melee combat.

Atherakhia.4086:

Strongly suggest you consider the shortbow instead. If you use the shortbow and use the trap build you’ve just found the only viable option this class has right now. The reason for this is because the torch is all about condition damage much like all of the class’ skills that do damage.

Joey.3928:

I use longbow/greatsword in mostly cleric gear and I do just fine with it. So only viable option is not accurate I would say. I can’t speak for paid tournaments though. As I don’t do much of those.

I use LB/GS with zerker in Paids. I’ve also ran spirits before too. There is not just 1 viable ranger build. Traps may be the easiest for new people to learn but it’s not the only one.

For the OP you might want to think about condition duration and power. The burns will tick hard even if your condition damage sucks and the chill + kb is probably enough CC to keep a target away from you. On the other hand, if you use mainly condition damage to make axe + torch better then there isn’t much point in using the LB since it has no damaging conditions.

What about the use of sharpening stone, and the trait that gives crits a chance to apply a bleed? I wonder if the two of those would make it worth switching to LB at all. Lots to try, I appreciate the input everyone has given.

Junk Buddha.4936:

What about the use of sharpening stone, and the trait that gives crits a chance to apply a bleed? I wonder if the two of those would make it worth switching to LB at all. Lots to try, I appreciate the input everyone has given.

Just remember that if you trait for bleeds on crit then you need to make sure you have enough precision for it to be worth it. And if you’re using that + Sharpening Stone you’ve got to have your condition damage stacked too. Now you’ve got 2 utility slots left and your gear doesn’t have any toughness on it….Think about survivability as well as control. As others have said, using LB/Axe+torch means you have to keep things away from you. If you get hit, you need to make sure you won’t go down in 2 seconds. Gonna have to trait for toughness and vigor.

My bad, just re read your original post. I would have serious doubts about running without a horn. It gets you out of to many bad situations… Situations at times out of your control, like your pet pulling everything on 1/2 the map. Plus you would have to use atleast one trait slot for speed and it isn’t fast enough for getting you out of sticky situations. W3 maybe if you can keep up and the group your running with is group buffing for speed. If not, you can get left behind in a hurry.

Plus, what Daemon said below…

Doable, but LB/Axe+Torch is not a good combo in terms of damage. You’re trying to work with the ranger weapon that benefits least from Condition Damage (LB), and the setup that relies most on condition damage (Axe and Torch), so one or the other will be under-par. If you plan on using traps, or condition damage in any way, then you’d be better off swapping the Longbow for the Shortbow as it bleeds whenever you flank and has poison on skill2.

As others are saying with your set up you’re going to be lacking significantly on the survivability department, how o you plan on spending your trait points?

Because you could always go with a sort of 0/20/30/0/20 build and take a bear pet + protect me to give you 6 seconds of invulnerability and leave you with one last option for defense, which -i- would choose to use Muddy Terrain because it’s both offensive AND defensive, and as for a heal either Troll Unguent or Heal as One should be your choice because Healing Spring relies on you to not move around much, and with a build as squishy as yours…. not good.

As for the gear… you’d absolutely want Rampagers for the crit power and condi damage.

It isn’t sPvP, he doesn’t really need huge amounts of survivability with two ranged weapons. LB4 knockback and Axe chill can help him keep distance, especially if he throws in muddy terrain or ice trap or entangle as CC skills. The main problem with this combo, as I mentioned above, is that Axe/Torch requires condition damage while LB needs power, prec, and crit damage to even come close to shortbow damage.

@OP: I wouldn’t worry too much about this right now. You’ll experiment with all the weapons as you level and can easily retrait for just a couple of silver, you don’t have to settle on a given playstyle until you hit 80 and start going for your full exotic kit.

Rangers have great defensive tallents, you can go fairly dps and do well, read a mix of dps and balanced gear.

Don’t, ever, get DPS stuff like rampagers. You have no damage to begin with so it wont boost anything. It’ll make sure that you die after a single backstab wombo combo.
Going glass cannon is ok for warrior or thief because of 20k base hp and perma stealth but not ranger.
Yes, they have 2-3 good defensive traits, but that’s all there is so you either go bunker or play another class.

@arekai every post i see you make is just negative…why do you even bother posting? some ppl come hear for advice not to be told there class sux and they should play something else

To OP rabid gear is good for this wep set up…minus LB, i would swap for SB or sword dagger…with the right rings and weps you can get your armor above 3k and have about 900 cond dmg…and with the right food about 40%crit