So, I’ve tried many builds. If I go full on damage with power and precision as well as condition damage while wearing the full damage gear, I get chewed apart.
But that makes sense right? Being a glass cannon, well, why should you be able to tank?
With that said, if a thief or warrior choose a pure class cannon build, not only is their damage insanely higher than the rangers they also live longer. So, put the classes together both maxed out in damage, then they win in damage and survival. I do think the rangers damage is weak, especially with the long bow. Short bow isn’t “that” bad, but relying on hitting sides/back isn’t always possible in sPvP. I do more damage as melee, but again, such a glass cannon that being a ranger, ranged should be optimal.
Once again, this wouldn’t be so bad IF the pet’s abilities worked on demand. Not 5 seconds or 20 button mashes later.
HOWEVER, I’ve also tried a pure spirit build where I’ve bumped up my toughness and vitality to max, put on the same gear and end up with 25k HP compared to the 18k not so high damage glass cannon. I’ve increased the spirits chance for the buffs, made them follow and every ability designed for them.
Yet, I summon all 3, which can take a while (not sure on cast time, perhaps 1.5 sec each) and along comes a 100B warrior and bam. All spirits dead instantly. That’s not to even bring into their actual abilities being pretty worthless since they fall behind you, have an animation and long cast time that when they’ve used them, their not where you want them to be. It’s not just warriors, it’s any real AoE ability. It completely destroys the spirits instantly. So that makes the spec rather weak and pointless. My survivability is amazing when I actually have all 3 up, even more so with the elite (who doesn’t die from AoE so easily) and I can easily tank numerous players, but the trade off? My damage is utter trash. Fair trade off, if the spirits worked properly (no animation time on casts, stayed closer to you, and perhaps even allowing the ranger to place the effects and having a reduction against AoE).
We have some nice abilities but by taking them, we kitten ourselves in other areas. Playing my thief, I just get upset seeing how great their shortbow abilities are in comparison. We can take traits to transfer stuns etc to pets, but it’s a long cooldown, we got shake it off, but good luck with that working every time, and our downed states, while amazing in PvE, pretty much suck in sPvP.
Rangers are fine in PvE (i’d like to see damage transfered from the pet to the ranger perhaps) and their alright in WvW, but in sPvP unless you’re taking a survivability spec, then we miss out on so much compared to what others gain for producing higher damage. Again, it’s all about choice, but some of ours are forced if we want to compete for average abilities anyway which others get with no trade offs.
I’ll state very clearly, this is NOT 1v1 situations, but group play. 1v1 I’ve no issue. Being zerged, while we should die…it shouldn’t be 10x faster than numerous other classes. I believe buffing spirits survival would help greatly.