Guild Wars 2

So let’s say hypothetically we’re buffed. Greatsword and Longbow deal decent damage, Shortbow becomes more than 1-spam, Axe and Sword become decent 1H weapons and overall Ranger is buffed.

What should our role be in a team? A Warrior and Thief can sustain high damage burst (difference being one does more singletarget damage and permablinds+stealths whereas one does a little less damage but AoE and buffs) and a Mesmer has portal utility and timewarp. An elementalist is good again structures and heals, Guardian has heals, reflect, protection, and immobilize, even Engineer has vuln stacks and 100nades burst!

The only class who’s role doesn’t pop right away into my head is Necromancer, but that’s another debate for another time.

What role does a Ranger serve for a team other than being a portable water field?

Ranger will start the skirmish as “master’s of long range”.once the melee class has engaged into combat,ranger will then pull out and add the pressure of sustained long range dmg added with pet damage or CC.Ranger will also aid to hunt fleeing enemies. Ranger should be the beginning and the end for skirmishes.Thats the role that i can see fit for ranger.

Well what should they be able to contribute to a dungeon team if buffed? What kind of mechanics?

Ranger is tanky dps that generally cannot be played as glass cannon. Ranger can bring perma fury to the team but all other boons are in shambles until spirits are properly addressed. Healing spring. Traps. Ranger can chain aoe immobilize people. Ranger offers the highest single target dps in the game. Ranged dps and burst are average. Ranger is one of the best bunkers. Thats all I can think of.

In summary rangers dont have a role that others cant do better.

since you said hypothetically we’re buffed,that would mean including spirits and pet AI and dps. so for dungeons we would be good party buffers with 3+1 spirits buff, spotter trait,healing spring for water field,bonfire for fire field,good long range dps,pet manipulation for tank/kite/luring

I have always seen the ranger as the off-tank. Especially in GW2 since we have the pet, it makes even more sense. The ranger should be the one to help with crowd control, so when two mobs get pulled instead of just one, then the ranger should stick his pet on the second one to off-tank that mob until the group is done with the first one. That’s always the way I’ve used my ranger, since my day’s playing ranger in EQ1 till today.

Akisame.9508:

I have always seen the ranger as the off-tank. Especially in GW2 since we have the pet, it makes even more sense. The ranger should be the one to help with crowd control, so when two mobs get pulled instead of just one, then the ranger should stick his pet on the second one to off-tank that mob until the group is done with the first one. That’s always the way I’ve used my ranger, since my day’s playing ranger in EQ1 till today.

I’ve done this a lot, me and my pet will lure the mob away from the group because I’m pretty sturdy while not giving up much offense, and then my fern hound/ Moa/ Bear are all excellent tankers and don’t do that bad of damage, especially at 25 masters bond.

Kain Francois.4328:

What role does a Ranger serve for a team other than being a portable water field?

meatshield

Zaon.4367:

Kain Francois.4328:

What role does a Ranger serve for a team other than being a portable water field?

meatshield

Hey! We’re the Rez kitten too tyvm, 15s cd on swiftness? Yup! My team always feels safe when they’re in the Arms of a Ranger!

Akisame’s spot on.

A pet mechanic is a control mechanic, at the end of the day.
You basically have an immobilize that lasts as long as the pet’s HP bar does; so it’s good for crowd control and holding bosses still in controlled bursts so that ground-targeted effects can pulse their full duration. It’s just that it kinda’ doesn’t work out too well in dodge-heavy content unless you’re BM. Which is terrible, and needs to change.

That’s not to say you can’t go in other directions. Like how a Guardian has a support profession mechanic, but they aren’t limited to only playing support roles, they just happen to bring a bit of support to the table no matter how else they specialize.

Rangers have a lot of traits/weapons that gives them very good survivability. They also have access to a lot of mobility (melee rangers are possibly the fastest class in the game) and can make a mess with traps/muddy terrain/pets. They are excellent skirmishers.

Unfortunately, a lot of people would prefer to play them as a sniper, but the snipey weapon is not in a good place right now.

Its a neasy question, dear OP.

Rangers are skirmishers. We’re kind of warriors with agility.
We shoot targets from distance, and providing some support for the team.
I’m the designated “One Man Rescue Team” in the Guild. When someone gets downed, I pick them up, using Point Blank Shot and Wolf’s Fear. Some cases “Rescue”, but it fails to work mostly.

IF we get close to the enemy, then we swap to melee. Fighting with GS like Cloud Strife (FFAC), hit-evade-hit-evade style. Even with Sword and Axe.
Much more moving than a Warrior.

If you say it sounds like a thief: No
Thieves comming out of nowhere and bursting the foes, then retreat.
Ideal for bosses.

I don’t think the role of a balanced ranger will be any different from what’s meant to be in place right now. Sustained long range dps, trapping and snaring, skirmishing, melee with agile defense, pets with tanking and dps, etc. Boons and spirit buffs are likely to stay since rangers always have a pet to share boons with, even when playing solo.

I think the Ranger should be the best at surviving without boons, mostly through evades/mobility.

Apart from ranged and pet damage and cc, Rangers should have group utility (boons as well as damage and cc) primarily in the form of traps.

The role of a ranger is somebody who can move fast over a range of land. I don’t think of rangers as a range only class, they are meant to move fast and attack quick and get out. Standing in with your team or on the side assisting targets, stomping or rezzing.

Are we citing our preference of fantasy tropes or preferred historical/contemporary military use of the word?

If so, then I say that the role of the Ranger is to be dark and broody and reluctant to claim any birthrights while protecting hobbits.

IMO ranger is an excellent sniper and can kill multiple foes from a vantage point while the foes are distracted by other ground units like other players or our pets, I have done on a number of occasions during both regular quests and events and also in PvP

Ranger have no “special” role, they are doing all the “normal things” other professions can do as well.

Ele can protect siege (uniqe)
Mesmer have portal and timefield (uniqe)
Guard have a lot of bubbles (uniqe)
Thief can stealth a lot(uniqe)

All of this can change the outcome of a battle by using it tactical, so there is a special role for this 4 professions.

Necro, Ranger, Engineer and Warrior lack this kind of abilities, they can do damage, heal, tank or support, better or worse, but thats not enough to fill a “special” role.

Munrock.3092:

Are we citing our preference of fantasy tropes or preferred historical/contemporary military use of the word?

If so, then I say that the role of the Ranger is to be dark and broody and reluctant to claim any birthrights while protecting hobbits.

ROFL

Longtomsilver.8031:

Ranger have no “special” role, they are doing all the “normal things” other professions can do as well.

Ele can protect siege (uniqe)
Mesmer have portal and timefield (uniqe)
Guard have a lot of bubbles (uniqe)
Thief can stealth a lot(uniqe)

All of this can change the outcome of a battle by using it tactical, so there is a special role for this 4 professions.

Necro, Ranger, Engineer and Warrior lack this kind of abilities, they can do damage, heal, tank or support, better or worse, but thats not enough to fill a “special” role.

Necro: Area denial and boon/condition control

Engi: The glassiest glass cannon or the tankiest tank…

Warrior: Facetank anything and pray, you come out on top

Ranger: Speed-dunk/speed-build/speed-rez with pet swap… Also pet torpedo.

I think this depends on the situation and your personal style.

I usually wvw as a bunker build.

In big fights I am the shock trooper. I go all melee and fly into the zerg. I have enough passive health regen/toughness/evades I can do damage and cause chaos but still make it back out and heal. I’m always front line with the guardians, this is obviously a risky playstyle but you when played right can really effect the battle.

Offensively in a siege I have enough survivability to be upfront taking out siege and AOEing the walls. My damage output doesn’t matter much here, its just to keep defenders off of the siege and allow the rams some freedom.

Defensively this build is so much fun. Its a blast rushing out of the gate and harassing the people on the rams. With QZ and BM pet swap you can get some fast and easy stomps before the need to retreat.

Also I think we make terrific scouts/roamers. I can easily escape if I am out numbered, and I can keep 3-5 enemies busy until help arrives.

In the end I think our best strengths comes down to mobility and survivability. I’ve only run across a few roamers who could go toe to toe with me, usually only DD eles and perma thieves(although one glass cannon warrior came really close to burstin me down, was really impressive but it was game over once he was on cooldowns). I haven’t lost a small fight in a long time, usually its a stalemate or someone escapes. I’m not trying to brag about myself, just saying bunker ranger can be crazy good in wvw.

I like to call Ranger’s a bruiser type of class, meaning not dealing the best damage, not being the best at taking damage, but being able to deal moderate damage while surviving a good amount of time. The strength of the Ranger is all the evades/vigor-endurance regen that allow them to survive for a large amount of time even when outnumbered.