Guild Wars 2

Hi community,

I just want to tell you how I feel about the rangers axe autoattack, and share some Ideas.

It’s just weird that the ranger throws his magically reappearing axe, which also bounces around. I would suggest to make the axe a melee weapon, with a skillset like this:

1: tripple autoattack chain, at least a bit more damage and a higher attackspeed. bleeding the foe with it’s 2nd and 3rd attack. Of course with an aoe around the target.

2: a leap that applies 5 stacks of bleeding in the center, amount of bleeding goes down to 1 stack at the edge. Gaining protection for 2 seconds when succesfully hitting an enemy

3: wouldnt change anything here, it’s good as it is.

Many playrs use the axe in combination with the horn or the torch, for buffing and applying burning. The axe is used as ranged weapon here, so the players don’t have to go into melee after swapping the weapons.
Because of this I would imply at least one more weapon.

The pistol or/and the scepter. (Both only for the mainhand of course.)

The pistol would be a more damage orientated weapon, while the scepter would fit nice with the horn for buffing, using natures magic as attacks and utility skills.(Rangers can summon spirits, so why not using the magic of nature for more?)

I would really want to know what you folks think about this, especially about the mainhand axe right now.

I’m sorry for any grammar mistakes, english is not my native tongue^^

To be honest, I think that we as rangers can be very happy about the insane amount of weapons we are proficient with.. I don’t think there is a need to add another weapon to our skillset?

And to be honest: I like the concept that a ranger throws his axe.. If not mistaken we are the only profession that has ranged axe attacks..
Ok, the magically reappearing axe may seem strange, but if this bothers you, have you ever considered where all those arrows come from that a ranger fires with his bow? :-)

I don’t mind the fact that the axe is a thrown weapon. I’m more concerned with the fact that the weapon is now so similar to the shortbow. As a ranged weapon, the axe is the only ranged ‘ae’ the class really has without investing in piercing shot for the bows. I really don’t like the idea of changing it to a melee weapon.

Alternatively… you could also make it a melee weapon and introduce thrown dagger main-hand that does much the same stuff axe does. /shrug.

Shirk.6421:

It’s just weird that the ranger throws his magically reappearing axe, which also bounces around.

Axe autoattack animation looks just weird. I hate it. It makes no sense at all. Plus is bugged since your back disappears while you are throwing the stupid axe.
I like axes but seriously i laugh every time i use it or i see a ranger using it. The second skill looks even worse “5 axes appear in your hands and you throw them all towards your target”. This every 6 secs or so. Ofc every time you do this your axe reappears magically so you can throw it again…and again.
I don’t really understand how someone could have designed a weapon like this. I know realism is pretty much non existent in this game, but really…
Our axe looks like many other things related to our class: poorly designed, half-finished and unrealistic…you know like the pet-swap kitten or your bear following you underwater.
But yea they should make the axe a melee condi weapon.

Yeah, but I think unlimited axes are wierder than unlimited arrows/bullets, where would you store them? Even unlimited throwing knives are better that unlimited axes^^

Shirk.6421:

Yeah, but I think unlimited axes are wierder than unlimited arrows/bullets, where would you store them? Even unlimited throwing knives are better that unlimited axes^^

i have a logical explanation for you!
our axes are like boomerang… so you get them back! also no one can see them return… that’s because them get mantle of invisibility (from harry potter) but we get an invisible axe detector so we get them! it’s not hard to understand… also them jumps between targets because… because we have a very cool aim and we are able to hit metal surfaces in order to make them bounce! we are the best… i suppose

best. explanation. ever.

I like that they are ranged. Don’t really care about the animations. Best burst damage(offhand 4) Ranger has so I would like it to stay as is.

Shirk … i do like your idea but to add pistol idiot idea
rangers (ranged class with a nature abilities) kind of a druid .
i dont think pistol goes in our section maybe scepter and staff but totaly not pistol or rifle style weps

Tribio.8531:

To be honest, I think that we as rangers can be very happy about the insane amount of weapons we are proficient with.. I don’t think there is a need to add another weapon to our skillset?

And to be honest: I like the concept that a ranger throws his axe.. If not mistaken we are the only profession that has ranged axe attacks..
Ok, the magically reappearing axe may seem strange, but if this bothers you, have you ever considered where all those arrows come from that a ranger fires with his bow? :-)

Necros got “mid-range melee attacks” on their axe

They should at least change the throwing animation, it’s looking weird when you run with an axe and a torch and while throwing, the shine of the torchs goes off and on, because both weapons disappear while throwing, adding throwing from different angles would be nice, too. A necro-like autoattack would also work, using nature magic, but this throwing animation is just hilarious^^

I like that the Ranger axe is thrown. Its unique, fits the Ranger, and throwing axes is an actual practice in real life, so its not like its completely without basis.

Sure, the axe coming back to the hand (or more likely being able to pull dozens of axes out of thin air) makes no logical sense and so on, but whatever. I can accept that in the same vein as archers being able to fire limitless arrows, guns firing limitless bullets, ect.

I do really wish they’d spruce up the animations a bit, though. As Shirk said above, its really annoying that throwing your Axe makes your offhand weapon disappear as well, and it also makes your backpiece disappear which can be even more jarring I find. Its kind of an oddity that certain thrown weapons have this behavior of making weapons / backpieces disappear, while others don’t. Stuff like Ranger Dagger #5 and Engineer Shield Throw don’t do that, so why do some attacks? Maybe its a side-effect of making your mainhand disappear so that it seems like you’re really throwing the axe or something, but I’d rather have no weapon disappear then all of them and your backpiece disappear.

It also bugs me that thrown axes use a generic hatchet model instead of actually using the model from the axe you have equipped. I’m wielding my big fancy Dragon’s Jade axe and the second it leaves my hand poof, its an ugly basic looking hatchet. This is pretty much a universal issue with all thrown weapons that I really wish they’d do something about. The functionality is there to utilize the actual weapon model and not a generic placeholder (Legendary weapons get unique models when thrown) so I’d like to see it apply to all weapons.

I like the AA of the axe, I just love bouncing attack in general. skill2 however… Not a fan. Not even really sure the point of it.
Other “spread shot” skills apply stuff like poison that you actually want to stand back from the target so you hit several. But the bleeding on axe means you want to be in there face when you throw it so you get 5 stacks of bleeding on the 1 target. It might as well be a melee attack that applys 5 bleedings.
Also the idea of holding all them axes in your one hand, ehh. Would be better if it was throwing knives. But throwing knives are more ninja than woodsman.
Then skill3, frost axe. there just because they needed another skill and thats the best they could come up with. its not a bad skill, just no synergy other than, I think, 100% projectile finisher.
Offhand Axe seems fine. a pull and the spin frenzy work together and have there own uses independently.

I would not mind if they completely replaced skill 2 and 3 of the axe to something else. Tho keep it a ranged kind of thing. Or as others have suggested, move the axe skills to the dagger and do what you want with the axe.

I’d like to see attackspeed increased a lot, and possibly a boost in damage when the axe only hits a single target…

I agree very much, i really don’t care for throwing axes that bounce around. If anything, i think it would be cool if main hand axe was turned into throwing daggers, and the main hand axe was subsequently turned into a melee cleave weapon. A main hand melee axe would compliment the off hand axe very well i think. Likewise for the ranged main hand dagger.

slightly offtopic, but I’ve been using mainhand Axe a lot lately and something bothers me: It really doesn’t know what it wants to be. Is it for single targets or multiple targets? Is it for condition damage, power or precision?

- The auto attack is only good against multiple targets, but horrible at single targets. It also doesn’t apply any conditions, so it’s power based.
- The 2nd skill is great if all hit 1 target, but very weak if you hit more than 1. It’s also the only skill that does condtion damage.
- The 3rd skill is great against a single target, but can’t hit multiple targets. It can apply 2 conditions, but neither does damage.
- And then you have a trait that boosts the crit damage of the mainhand axe… not even crit chance, crit damage.

So what is it? I’m not sure, but I do like it somehow. I guess it’s versatile. precision+condition damage+condition duration build is probably what it’s made for, but that’s oddly specific.

@Holland: The axe is just a perfect example of jack of all trades, master of none, so in that sense, it fits the ranger perfectly

Well the axe magically reappearing? Rangers use magic to conjure weapons and arrows infinitely from another dimension~

Now to be serious, axe is the rangers only main-hand ranged weapon. The general rule I use is one range weapon set one melee, I have and love using my greatsword. How I have my char traited to make use of a GS makes shortbow useless and longbow I typically just don’t like (skill wise, the 3rd is for escape, the 4th is a knockback, 5th is a slow aoe and 1 and 2 are the actual attacks, since I use GS you can assume I like to deal damage.) So what’s left? Only the axe. I can use dual axe (normally I do fore whirl combo) or torch (flame field) or even warhorn (mobility+blast+range damage).

I think what the designers wanted was to have a melee and a ranged mainhand+offhand set, and that’s what we got.

main hand axe is not a good weapon. totaly useless in most situations. i would prefer a lumberjack themed axe.
you need 2-3 targets close to each other but out of melee range and inside of mid range. the targets must stay like this…
thief bow know everything and better. that weapon deal 3-4k dmg with auto attack on a single target.

While I understand and sympathize with where people are coming from, please don’t touch the axe. The axe is one of our condition builds strongest weapons. 5 bleeds on a decent duration and a short cooldown, chill and weakness, and the fairly high base damage of the axe auto attack, yes please.

Axe/Dagger Sword/Torch. Dagger 5, Dagger 4 into Axe 2, Swap weapons, sigil of geomancy lands, then torch 4, then just auto attack and watch things melt. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

Given this is limited to condition builds, but still. I would be all for an autoattack speed increase though. I’d also be agreeable that Honed Axes in Skirmishing doesn’t mesh well with how the weapon functions in most builds.

No, no no no no. This is the “ranged” class if you want a melee axe or access to melee weapons go roll a warrior or something else. I love the axe main hand and it’s very useful if used properly. The only thing I would do is change the auto attack so it applies a condition when it bounces.
As it stands now the weapon is fantastic for condition/power builds.

Yeah, but it’s somehow weird that it’s a ranged weapon but you have to get colse for a useful splitblade. Just high risc, high reward I guess, but I can live with that after figuring out how to use it properly I actually like the gameplay of the axe, but I want at least a better animation. Disappearing offhand weapons and back items while throwing are not cool…

I play it off that my ranger is a master conjuror… But that’s just me!

As for having a Melee axe… No, I like throwing it, however I do wish I could “change stances” and become a Melee axe user kid fight…

I use Axe a lot for mid-range combat. It’s great for tagging during a crowded event with Auto-attack (“Ricochet”)

“Splitblade”, #2, the spread throw actually will work with combo fields. I used to use Axe/Torch and throw a flaming spread. Shorbow #2 does not pick up flaming that I recall, and is straight poison. I think Burning is a better damage for conditions?

“Winter’s Bite”, #3, inflicts Chill and a followup pet attack gives Weakness. I use this a lot. Especially on Champions if my pet is in melee range, which is often.

Throwing an axe should give stacks of Torment and Confusion, the Winters bite Should freeze targets solid like the Svanir Hammer guys do.

Dante.1508:

Throwing an axe should give stacks of Torment and Confusion, the Winters bite Should freeze targets solid like the Svanir Hammer guys do.

. . . I could see this being hella-OP.

OGDeadHead.8326:

@Holland: The axe is just a perfect example of jack of all trades, master of none, so in that sense, it fits the ranger perfectly

it also blows hard in damage and utility. so i guess it fits the ranger perfectly in that sense as well.

mistsim.2748:

OGDeadHead.8326:

@Holland: The axe is just a perfect example of jack of all trades, master of none, so in that sense, it fits the ranger perfectly

it also blows hard in damage and utility. so i guess it fits the ranger perfectly in that sense as well.

Ouch. That’s harsh. True, but harsh.

Fjandi.2516:

I don’t really understand how someone could have designed a weapon like this. I know realism is pretty much non existent in this game, but really…

Uh, thrown axes are pretty common in fantasy RPGs, all in all?
I mean, we have re-appearing ammo (without having a quiver where to draw it from, the arrow just magically appears on the bow!), we have players using Greatswords as if they were fencing swords, we have pets appearing and disappearing from thin air, we teleport without even a disappearing animation, and this is a “realism” concern? :P

Ok i know I am super late. But are some of you really complaining about
“Logic and realism of a magically appearing axe?”

This entire game is full of magic, monsters, and impossibilities.

BUT the re-appearing axe is where you draw the line?

man. stop. that.

Carighan.6758:

Uh, thrown axes are pretty common in fantasy RPGs, all in all?
I mean, we have re-appearing ammo (without having a quiver where to draw it from, the arrow just magically appears on the bow!), we have players using Greatswords as if they were fencing swords, we have pets appearing and disappearing from thin air, we teleport without even a disappearing animation, and this is a “realism” concern? :P

Yea all the things you mentioned are in fact absurd. Luckily they added quivers (probably the best thing they have ever done for this game). Pet mechanic is plain stupid (the pet swap is just weird cos, as you said, we have pets appearing and disappearing from thin air). But, for some reason, the axe animation looks really disturbing to me. Dunno why, it’s probably due to the back disappearing every time i throw a kittening axe. Apparently this bug is way too hard for them to fix.

No.

I realise you find it slightly strange that the ranger has a non-magical, non-technological one handed ranged weapon. But for several ranger builds the axe fills a beautiful niché. It’s clear that guns have no place in a ranger’s toolbox and unfortunately rangers seem to have forgotten how to use staves and wands. Even so, I love my axe.

Off-hand builds have a ranged weapon from the axe, meaning they have an off-hand weapon whether they’re at range or in melee. It’s also a physical projectile that they can combine with the torch without having to deal with constant weapon switching.

Melee ranger builds find the axe an excellent choice as a sidearm. Since they tend not to spec into marksmanship and the only axe trait doesn’t affect the weapon’s usability. In other words, the axe gives them a weapon that fights multiple enemies at once, at a safe distance. One of the most likely reasons they’re fighting at a range in a melee build is that there’s too many enemies to take on in melee.

Yeah… It’s weird. One of the main reasons I still play a ranger my side-arm.

HotHit.6783:

No.

I realise you find it slightly strange that the ranger has a non-magical, non-technological one handed ranged weapon. But for several ranger builds the axe fills a beautiful niché. It’s clear that guns have no place in a ranger’s toolbox and unfortunately rangers seem to have forgotten how to use staves and wands. Even so, I love my axe.

Wait, you wanded with a ranger before? I only did that when it was said I needed a “caster weapon” to trick AI. It was always good ol Recurve for me MAYBE I would use a Flatbow for pulling.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

HotHit.6783:

No.

I realise you find it slightly strange that the ranger has a non-magical, non-technological one handed ranged weapon. But for several ranger builds the axe fills a beautiful niché. It’s clear that guns have no place in a ranger’s toolbox and unfortunately rangers seem to have forgotten how to use staves and wands. Even so, I love my axe.

Wait, you wanded with a ranger before? I only did that when it was said I needed a “caster weapon” to trick AI. It was always good ol Recurve for me MAYBE I would use a Flatbow for pulling.

Yeah I’ve never wanded, staff? Oh yes, I’ve used that one A LOT, especially with WS builds. I’m more upset by rangers completely forgetting how to dual wield daggers, throw spears, and use 2h hammers though, I mean wtf? Hammers and daggers were a LOT more common in ranger builds than a kittening sword…

Durzlla.6295:

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

HotHit.6783:

No.

I realise you find it slightly strange that the ranger has a non-magical, non-technological one handed ranged weapon. But for several ranger builds the axe fills a beautiful niché. It’s clear that guns have no place in a ranger’s toolbox and unfortunately rangers seem to have forgotten how to use staves and wands. Even so, I love my axe.

Wait, you wanded with a ranger before? I only did that when it was said I needed a “caster weapon” to trick AI. It was always good ol Recurve for me MAYBE I would use a Flatbow for pulling.

Yeah I’ve never wanded, staff? Oh yes, I’ve used that one A LOT, especially with WS builds. I’m more upset by rangers completely forgetting how to dual wield daggers, throw spears, and use 2h hammers though, I mean wtf? Hammers and daggers were a LOT more common in ranger builds than a kittening sword…

You don’t need to tell me about hammers. I ran “Bunny Thumper” for a short time, and so did Zho in the Norn Fighting Tournament. (Mhenlo also ran 55 Monk and that was hilarious.) I wasn’t blown away by anything spears could do, or daggers in a ranger’s hands.

Assassin/Ranger though . . .

I managed to get some pretty good use out of staff for my ranger in RA. On occasion I would run a Ranger/Ritualist stealth healer build when there seemed to be few Monks online. I freely admit to be a terrible Monk and using this build because no one ever priority targeted a Ranger/Rit until someone on their team figured out where the heals were coming from and pointed me out. Those first minutes of a match when I could use my heals without being pressured were priceless.

Am I the only one that remembers Ranger/Ritualist (R/Rt) Underworld Farming with SoS?

jcbroe.4329:

Am I the only one that remembers Ranger/Ritualist (R/Rt) Underworld Farming with SoS?

Yes.

I never tried it, and this is the first I remember hearing of it. Everyone I talked to wanted to insist Perma-SF was the only way to do it. ONLY.

Tobias Trueflight.8350:

jcbroe.4329:

Am I the only one that remembers Ranger/Ritualist (R/Rt) Underworld Farming with SoS?

Yes.

I never tried it, and this is the first I remember hearing of it. Everyone I talked to wanted to insist Perma-SF was the only way to do it. ONLY.

After the update that made spirits basically insta-cast in PvE, it was just a manner of summoning all your spirits, then pulling an enemy and hitting them with Painful Bond and watching your spirits nuke them. It wasn’t the worlds fastest build, but it was near impossible to screw up.

Yeah, SoS was not fast but it was once of the safest solo builds around.

If an axe can bounce between 3 enemies it can sure as heck return to my hand :P

Only version of reality that fits the multiple throws is that throwing axes were often carried several at a time, so pretend the axes are ammo instead of just one axe (just like our bows have unlimited arrows)

Question: Why are people using torch with axe?

Hax.8701:

Question: Why are people using torch with axe?

I’ll be blunt and simple: it’s because I like to set things on fire. Burning always seems to do a rather nice amount of damage, and being able to spread it out after dropping a fire field works for me.

Secondly, light source. I find it kind of useful trying to do Sharkmaw, and in some places at night.

Lastly, on occasion I find someone who does blast finishers on my fire field. I like this.

This is why I use the torch. I use it often with the axe because the axe doesn’t put me in crushing range of many Champions like a sword does. (I am, admittedly, still getting the hang of the sword’s evasive potential.)

Hax.8701:

Question: Why are people using torch with axe?

In my cond build I mainly use axe torch.
Burn cause a lot of damage but doesn’t last much, so … torch #4 while engaging the fight, when close use torch #5 and inside the fire field I use axe #2 to spread more burn then swap to axe/dagger (yes I use main axe on both sets) use dagger #5 to bleed and cause more burn (projectile finisher).

Hax.8701:

Question: Why are people using torch with axe?

With the massive amounts of condi removal available it’s about doing damage. The poison and bleed from the dagger are great if they stay the whole time but odds are they will be cleansed. Burning provides greater damage over a shorter period of time.

I agree I tried to run the more defensive axe/dagger combo but you flat out cannot beat the damage provided by the torch. Not to mention the bonfire is a great way to punish anyone who gets too close to you.

For the three of you to explain why, thank you. I personally run the same-ish setup. I have axe/dagger with sword/torch. The reason for axe/dagger is because i can stack more bleeds with this set alone (combined with sigil of Geomancy for 3 more stacks of bleed of swap). It lets me chase down people with #3 (chill) and #5 (cripple) and also allows me my #4 for a poison apply on the weapon set. When I switch to sword/torch I get another poison apply with #3, more cripples, sigil of Hydromancy for more chill, thrown fire, and bonfire which I can Hornet Sting through to get fire shield through leap finisher.

yes, axe dagger is great because stalker strike sets you up for a splitblade to inflict 5 bleeds at point blank . Follow up with crippling talon and winters bite . Sword torch is good because you can combo the leap through bonfire