Guild Wars 2

Hey guys
I will make my Ranger now and I don’t know if I should go witha Norn or a Sylvari
Lore wise wich do you think fit the class the most?

I don’t like much the Norn because they are too big, but I never have done one in this game
Sylvari I already have one and I will try to make this one (if I make it Sylvari) with completly different options. I also had much fun with the story with my first Sylvari.

But I want to know is about lore, since Sylvari in my opinion can be anything, since they come from the Dream the class they are is the one that they see in their dream (this is what I think kinda happens), but I think Ranger fits better because is the class most related to nature.
Norn it says that they are great hunters that came from north, so Hunter = Ranger no?

I personally would go with the Silvari, tree/plant folks, makes sense to me they would use wood type weapons like bow/arrow, <shrugs>. I know we have access to the Great Sword, but Silvari would seem to fit the ranger mold better. Just my opinion.

Both fit lore wise as rangers.

Norn are all about the hunt and building their legend. There gods are basically the spirits of the wild animals. Players also like that you can have you a pet that represents whatever spirit of the wild you choose during character creation.

Sylvari can be pretty much anything they dream about. They are a new race and curious about every profession. However are basically living plants born from a tree. So they would have to be attuned to nature one way or another.

Persoanlly I think Slyvari have the best starting pet from a RP perspective. Having the fern hound say “you’ve know each for as long as you can remember” in the pet management window instead of “charmed at: XXXX” is like you were born from the pale tree together and have been partners ever since.

Well many of the rangers skills as well as lore is very nature based and well Sylvari are plants and a few of their racial elites are very fitting for a ranger such as the summon fern mastiff skill and the druid spirit and so on. Norn are also very connected to nature through the spirits of the wild and so on, along with the fact that there are a few Norn rangers of renown such as Eir Stegalkin, as well as Sif Shadowhunter from GW1.

So its really up to you as lore wise and abilities they both make sense. My ranger is a Sylvari, partially because i find the Norn animations and clunkiness off putting. However Sylvari can look a bit weird in anything but cultural and TA so that’s something to consider as well.

Yeah I will problably make a Sylvari, I like the cultural armor more in them then in norn (my favourite for ranger is T1 and it’s the cheapest, norn I only like t3 and it would take me forever to farm for that), beside I don’t like big characters
I guess I will never know about norn personal story

Norn personal story is pretty cool but my first toon was a Sylvari (Ranger as well) and I’ve gravitated toward Sylvari ever since. As was stated before, Sylvari awaken from their dreams and can kinda do anything in the world. Norn are more attuned to nature and the hunt. Norn Rangers work especially well because some Ranger skill animations have animals in them and Norn have skills that transform them into animals.

This was my very first dilemma when I started this game. I really wanted to make a Sylvari, as it was the newcomer to the bunch. I loved my female ranger, but being inexperienced I felt stuck in axe/torch and either bow to deal with mobs. The axe animation never meshed with my idea of the character and I started looking elsewhere. If I were doing it again it would be Sword/Warhorn and either bow. It fits the body mechanics much better, and of course is a sound play choice. The sylvari racial skills are helpful to rangers. The mini-entangle keeps people still while you rapid fire from LB or move in for the kill with Sword. Two dogs (or even 3) can be a real pain when you run into someone solo in WvW, and is still funny in PvE to watch them knock everyone down. And ranger is something of a stand your ground profession where you can make use of the healing seed or turrets. Ah, I almost want to do it over again.

I went with a female norn instead. Shortest possible height. The axe/torch animation was better and I think what really hooked me was I picked up 4 useful pets in the first 5 minutes. From a RP perspective, she was fantastic. I found a face that fit the voice and all the Norn hunting rhetoric actually made sense with my ranger (as opposed to my failed norn necro). You have a 25% speed signet, so that helps with the size/speed perception. Two negatives —- I’ve never really used the norn elites. in PvE it kills your Master’s Bond stacks, which is key to rolling through PvE. Even at the shortest height, she still feels stiff in her movements.

So I’ll leave it at that —- if you want to make a super mobile ranger, go with the Sylvari. The Norn makes a better turret.

I have 6 Norn characters so I suppose that’s enough about what I prefer, although Sylvari is my 2nd pick.

But to get down to the why, i feel like ranger fits Norn almost perfectly, because moreso than any race they take pride in the hunt, and almost every member of the race seems knowledgeable in survival skills, and then you involve the spirits… and each spirit is represented as pets as well, my own ranger has a loyal Snow Leopard for her totem, as well as a raven.

It’s funny how perception is so very individual, because for me, Sylvari is the gangly race with the awkward movements, even though it is somewhat exaggerated to represent the eagerness they get into anything, and that it is ‘all new’ so to speak. Norn on the other hand moves with graceful purpose and I think for me, it just feels like they have the most natural movement for their body types. Oh – this is purely from a female view, as I have no male characters and can’t comment there.

Skillwise, I’d say that Norn is only good if a class has bad abilities for their elite slot. If so, the Snow Leopard and possibly Wolf transform has their uses, but since Rampage as One is so nice, the only time I really use my Snow Leopard form is when I want to loot a chest behind the back of some champion or something like that, if possible. Stealth and, pilfer, then dash away.

Either way I don’t think you can go wrong with either race as ranger!

I deleted my Norn Huntard when I found out I couldn’t become bear form with my bear pet. Rolled Sylvari to 80. they’re more nature oriented anyways

Take a look at GS #4 animation for norn female. You’ve already decided.
If you make smallest possible norn female, size of bows.will be very cool and natural. Btw, if you have to make a sylvari, don’t roll male one. Their run animation is kitten.

Tough choice, but I personally went with Norn due to RP reasons (“She-bear Wolf’s-daughter” who actually follows snow leopard spirit and has a snow leopard pet) I chose a very small build (only about 3-5 clicks from bottom on the slider) so she’s a runt, but it has helped in some of the areas where the camera is not your friend. The only JP I can consistently not do due to size is Troll’s End in LA.

However, IMO Norn medium cultural armor sucks, except for T1/2 leggings and some of the pauldrens and gloves. Don’t get me started on T3 and that pouffy thing Eir wears. Because of that you are probably spoilt more for choice with Sylvari.

Went with female sylvari for my ranger and I’m happy with the choice. Looks great in medium armor, way better than norn, and their cultural is miles better than norn. Fern hound from the start is quite useful. Sylvari racials are more helpful too imo.