Guild Wars 2

Hi guys!
Need some help on deciding which alt to make: )
I have always enjoyed playing the ranger/hunter/rogue class in other games, so i decided to make an alt as either thief or ranger.

I have been reading alot, and just cant decide on which one to choose.
The ranger has some big issues pvp/wvw wise that doesnt seem to be taken seriously by the devs, but i really like the playstyle and hope for a fix.

The thief on the other hand has some issues Pve wise that makes it frustrating to level up and is a common class to be seen. And they have pistols!!

Both classes offers ranged and close combat, but i prefer ranged on my alt as i play close combat with my main (guardian).

I want to bo able to pvp with the class, but i have to be able to level up in pve before i can do so :P

I kinda dislike most of the pets, but find the birds and lizards cool enough to have around, are they viable ^^?
Have any of you tried both, and how would you compare them?
Do you think the ranger will get fixed in the future, and is it then worth investing in?

Thanks in advance

PVE is NOT the only way to lvl up (actrully PVE is the slowest). I power lvled my Guardian 1-80 by max crafting (cost u about 20g for mats) in half day and lvled my thief lv10-80 in wvw in just 3 days with tons of kills.
It all depends on what you want to focus after lv80. But right now, in either cases, thief is a better option.

Yeah i know that, but i prefer to do most of the leveling in pve and by crafting what i gather. Just to explore more of the game.

But thanks for your answer : ) !

If so, use ranger = easier while u lvling in pve 1-80, use thief = harder; but after 80 it’s just opposite.

Konrad.6913:

Yeah i know that, but i prefer to do most of the leveling in pve and by crafting what i gather. Just to explore more of the game.

I have 4 level 80s, ranger and thief being two of them. Rangers only problem is damage. While you wont feel weak, you simply cannot do the damage other classes can do. I found PVE easier with my ranger than I did my thief, and I died less… yet I feel my thief contributed to battle much more even with deaths. For dungeons, both work according to the dungeon. Arah, I would never use my thief. COE, ill only use my thief. the common dungeons like CM and AC both work great.
Thief is the better class to me personally, but if u dont care about raw damage then Ranger may be a better choice for you. Ranger can use more weapon combinations, but I felt I liked all the thieves weapon skills more.

I find it hilarious a Ranger is a DPS class…

lol, I enjoy my Ranger to a point. If the issues with them get resolved I think they’ll be a lot more fun. I like to PvP more but have done some lvl’n with the ranger. In PvE they do “meh ok” but every other class I have played can do it better. If you want Ranger or Thief I got a video ya can check below. I’ve gotten some heat from it but I think you can get an idea of what the thief can do. Check my other videos for what Ranger can do as well.

https://www.youtube.com/user/Needeles

Mishtif.9517:

lol, I enjoy my Ranger to a point. If the issues with them get resolved I think they’ll be a lot more fun. I like to PvP more but have done some lvl’n with the ranger. In PvE they do “meh ok” but every other class I have played can do it better. If you want Ranger or Thief I got a video ya can check below. I’ve gotten some heat from it but I think you can get an idea of what the thief can do. Check my other videos for what Ranger can do as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZMl4S4C7Sk

https://www.youtube.com/user/Needeles

I see a ranger using a shortbow (bad weapon) with Traps and no Stun Break or Condition Removal getting owned by a Thief.

Xsorus.2507:

Mishtif.9517:

lol, I enjoy my Ranger to a point. If the issues with them get resolved I think they’ll be a lot more fun. I like to PvP more but have done some lvl’n with the ranger. In PvE they do “meh ok” but every other class I have played can do it better. If you want Ranger or Thief I got a video ya can check below. I’ve gotten some heat from it but I think you can get an idea of what the thief can do. Check my other videos for what Ranger can do as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZMl4S4C7Sk

https://www.youtube.com/user/Needeles

I see a ranger using a shortbow (bad weapon) with Traps and no Stun Break or Condition Removal getting owned by a Thief.

While he indeed has neither of those, you cannot refute the fact that the thief is literally doing ten times as much damage than a ranger could ever even conceive of doing.

As for the shortbow, it’s a bad weapon, but it’s the most viable PvP weapon we have, especially against thieves. Going melee against them is suicide, the longbow has only one CC, and the axe has none no matter what off-hand you use.

Hard to say how things will balance out in the future, but for the meanwhile the thief is better than the ranger just about everywhere. It’s not as easy to use in low-level PvE, but it contributes more to the party in dungeons and unless you really screw things up it will never lose to a ranger in PvP.

Agadar.4931:

Xsorus.2507:

Mishtif.9517:

lol, I enjoy my Ranger to a point. If the issues with them get resolved I think they’ll be a lot more fun. I like to PvP more but have done some lvl’n with the ranger. In PvE they do “meh ok” but every other class I have played can do it better. If you want Ranger or Thief I got a video ya can check below. I’ve gotten some heat from it but I think you can get an idea of what the thief can do. Check my other videos for what Ranger can do as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZMl4S4C7Sk

https://www.youtube.com/user/Needeles

I see a ranger using a shortbow (bad weapon) with Traps and no Stun Break or Condition Removal getting owned by a Thief.

While he indeed has neither of those, you cannot refute the fact that the thief is literally doing ten times as much damage than a ranger could ever even conceive of doing.

As for the shortbow, it’s a bad weapon, but it’s the most viable PvP weapon we have, especially against thieves. Going melee against them is suicide, the longbow has only one CC, and the axe has none no matter what off-hand you use.

Thief is doing more because he’s burst spec, This guy isn’t… as for shortbow.. it’s one of the worst weapons in the game, and it’s awful for fighting thieves, and going melee vs a thief isn’t suicide, you just can’t build like a fool and expect to win even vs bad thieves. I melee down thieves all day long….it’s not hard.. Sword/Dagger learn to properly play and profit.

Xsorus.2507:

Agadar.4931:

Xsorus.2507:

Mishtif.9517:

lol, I enjoy my Ranger to a point. If the issues with them get resolved I think they’ll be a lot more fun. I like to PvP more but have done some lvl’n with the ranger. In PvE they do “meh ok” but every other class I have played can do it better. If you want Ranger or Thief I got a video ya can check below. I’ve gotten some heat from it but I think you can get an idea of what the thief can do. Check my other videos for what Ranger can do as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZMl4S4C7Sk

https://www.youtube.com/user/Needeles

I see a ranger using a shortbow (bad weapon) with Traps and no Stun Break or Condition Removal getting owned by a Thief.

While he indeed has neither of those, you cannot refute the fact that the thief is literally doing ten times as much damage than a ranger could ever even conceive of doing.

As for the shortbow, it’s a bad weapon, but it’s the most viable PvP weapon we have, especially against thieves. Going melee against them is suicide, the longbow has only one CC, and the axe has none no matter what off-hand you use.

Thief is doing more because he’s burst spec, This guy isn’t… as for shortbow.. it’s one of the worst weapons in the game, and it’s awful for fighting thieves, and going melee vs a thief isn’t suicide, you just can’t build like a fool and expect to win even vs bad thieves. I melee down thieves all day long….it’s not hard.. Sword/Dagger learn to properly play and profit.

Even if the ranger were also burst spec, the thief would still be outbursting him by miles.

Shortbow is probably the best weapon we have against thieves. A backwards evade, a daze, and a cripple are incredibly valuable. What else do we have? Axe, which can only chill? Longbow, with its single knock-back?

While I’ve theorized about the sword/dagger approach, it’s currently buggy at best due to the rooting ‘feature’. But even if it did not root you in place, that weapon combo would only be good against thieves really. You won’t be able to down a warrior or guardian with it in melee, and you don’t have a single quick gap closer to get to your enemy, unless you equip a greatsword, leaving you with no ranged weaponry.

If you want to play a ranged class play a warrior, their longbow and rifle skills are really great.

…i don’t know, how everyone is saying shortbow is a bad weapon for fighting thieves.

you just don’t use only one weapon to fight. if you’re build around only attacking 1 person and duels reading the reactions of a thief is pretty easy. just build yourself around skirmishing, switching your weapons and basically putting double the amount of effort a thief would to take you out…

Shortbow is how i primarily deal most of my damage and then use sword to clean them up when their hp is below 5k. as long as it’s open terrain, eagles (horn 4) will generally clear away 3k hp (even if they go invis) so hitting them 4 times with a sword isn’t particularlirly hard if you can slug off a couple hits (using troll ungent + full knights). also thieves are heavily countered by high cc pets, so any canines.

Agadar.4931:

Xsorus.2507:

Agadar.4931:

Xsorus.2507:

Mishtif.9517:

lol, I enjoy my Ranger to a point. If the issues with them get resolved I think they’ll be a lot more fun. I like to PvP more but have done some lvl’n with the ranger. In PvE they do “meh ok” but every other class I have played can do it better. If you want Ranger or Thief I got a video ya can check below. I’ve gotten some heat from it but I think you can get an idea of what the thief can do. Check my other videos for what Ranger can do as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZZMl4S4C7Sk

https://www.youtube.com/user/Needeles

I see a ranger using a shortbow (bad weapon) with Traps and no Stun Break or Condition Removal getting owned by a Thief.

While he indeed has neither of those, you cannot refute the fact that the thief is literally doing ten times as much damage than a ranger could ever even conceive of doing.

As for the shortbow, it’s a bad weapon, but it’s the most viable PvP weapon we have, especially against thieves. Going melee against them is suicide, the longbow has only one CC, and the axe has none no matter what off-hand you use.

Thief is doing more because he’s burst spec, This guy isn’t… as for shortbow.. it’s one of the worst weapons in the game, and it’s awful for fighting thieves, and going melee vs a thief isn’t suicide, you just can’t build like a fool and expect to win even vs bad thieves. I melee down thieves all day long….it’s not hard.. Sword/Dagger learn to properly play and profit.

Even if the ranger were also burst spec, the thief would still be outbursting him by miles.

Shortbow is probably the best weapon we have against thieves. A backwards evade, a daze, and a cripple are incredibly valuable. What else do we have? Axe, which can only chill? Longbow, with its single knock-back?

While I’ve theorized about the sword/dagger approach, it’s currently buggy at best due to the rooting ‘feature’. But even if it did not root you in place, that weapon combo would only be good against thieves really. You won’t be able to down a warrior or guardian with it in melee, and you don’t have a single quick gap closer to get to your enemy, unless you equip a greatsword, leaving you with no ranged weaponry.

The only Moderately good bursting spec we have is Birds and popping a bunch of cooldowns.. ..It’s similar to Thieves, but it requires a pet who’s not moronic…

As for weapons..

Axe is a Chill+Weakness, two debuff’s that absolutely crap on thieves… the Chill guts any leaping ability they have, and Weakness crap’s on their damage…

Sword/Dagger is the other weapon combo.. It craps on those heavy burst classes because it has a Cripple,Leap Back,2 Evades…By the way, Evades can be used while you’re immobilized…So Warrior hits you with his.. and then goes for 100b’s..just dodge with those two abilities and you’ll completely ignore his damage.. ..Bout the only time I die to a warrior is if i’m getting zerged by like 5 people..1v1.. I eat them alive..

Also..I swear…The only Rooting Feature people whine about…Sword isn’t like Shortbow..You don’t spam your main attack unless you’re chasing someone…Turn off auto attack with your sword…Don’t spam it…If you’re going to spam something..Spam Axe number 1 key… If you’re doing Axe/Torch and Sword/Dagger you should be following the rotation that I said..Over and Over again…

Here is the Rotation

put Sigil of Geomancy on both Weapon Sets – Condition Based Gear

(open with Ricochet if it’s a Guardian)
Winter’s Bite – Torch Throw – Bonfire (While on top of the target) – SplitBlade (so all 5 hits land) Weapon Swap (Sets of Sigil of Geomancy) – Crippling Talon (You’re now at 11 Stacks of Bleed, Have Chill/Weakness/Burn on the target) – Stalkers Strike – Serpents Strike – Weapon Swap (If it’s not up yet Do Hornet Sting, and charge back, then weapon swap) Repeat Chain.

Against Thieves at the start of the fight, soon as they vanish.. just start dodging.. because they’re most likely teleporting and trying to hit you….If you can open with the chain above.. Good.. I’m an Asura Ranger so in world vs world.. i open with Pain Inverter before everything while dodging.. this will kill most thieves…. But the Chain i linked above is easy to do…. and will kill targets.. You might have to change it slightly when dealing with certain situation.. but if you stick with it.. You will do very well.

My build destroys thieves. I use a longbow and greatsword. Condition thieves aren’t nearly as easy as glass cannon, but they are doable. Shortbow against thief is a bad idea. I’ve made a name for myself on my old server (just swapped) in WvW and in my guild. Everyone wants to know how I do well as ranger. The answer is simple, learn the other professions and create a balanced build that counters most of them. You can’t beat them all with one build, but you can shut down entire categories.

Also, you trapper rangers. Please stop. One trap at most, never 2 or 3. You need SoR more than you know in ranger’s current state to even be viable for PvP.

Thx alot for all the answers guys : )

Dware.4259:

I find it hilarious a Ranger is a DPS class…

It can pull good condition dmg.
That or sword evade/power specs tend to work well enough if you have a good mind for enemy animations.

Indoles.1467:

Also, you trapper rangers. Please stop. One trap at most, never 2 or 3. You need SoR more than you know in ranger’s current state to even be viable for PvP.

Nope.
SoR is mediocre.
Being able to evade while immobilized and a full cleanse every 10s (empathetic bond) deals with conditions very nicely.

2 Traps is perfectly fine, some people push 3 with RaO and one handed sword, but I’ve never been much for it.

I have a 80 ranger, 80 thief and 80 guardian. Geared in the opposite order because the ranger was my first 80 and yet least geared of my toons. Why? Because they are boring and lackluster at anything except solo PvE content (see: gold farming).