Guild Wars 2

(First and most needed change: Signets now apply their active effect to the player. “Signet of the Beastmaster” trait will now also grants the signet’s active effects to the pet).

Marksmanship Changes

1. “Signet Mastery” (IV) merged with “Beastmaster’s Might” (IX).
2. “Opening Strike” (minor adept) merged with “Remorseless” (XII).
3. “Precise Strike” (minor GM) functionality changed: Opening Strike now stuns the foe for 2 seconds.
4. “Precise Strike” (minor GM) switches places with “Alpha training” (minor master).
   With these changes to Opening Strike, it should now be avoidable. If the Opening Strike misses, it is lost.
5. “Signet of the Beastmaster” (XI) switches places with “Zephyr’s Speed” (Beastmastery GM trait XI).
6. “Beastmaster’s Bond (VI)” should also affect the pet. CD reduced to 30 seconds.
7. “Piercing Arrows” (VIII) merged with “Quickdraw” (Skirmishing master trait X). Remains in Marksmanship (VIII).

Marksmanship now needs a new Master trait and a new GM trait.

Explanation: Opening Strike is nearly useless without a GM trait. Minor traits should be useful without needing to entirely spec into a trait line. Opening Strike as it is today is out-dated.

Skirmishing and Wilderness Survival Changes

1. “Quickdraw” relocated to Marksmanship as mentioned.
2. “Trapper’s Defense” (Skirmising III) merged with “Healer’s Celerity” (Wilderness Survival II). The merged trait will remain in Wilderness Survival.
3. “Trapper’s Expertise” (Skirmishing VIII) moved down to the empty _Skirmishing III. _
4. “Martial Mastery” (Wilderness Survival X) moved to the empty Skirmishing. VIII
5. “Trap Potency” (Skirmishing XI) moved to the empty Wilderness Survival X.

Skirmishing now needs a new Master trait and a new GM trait.

Explanation: As the trait-line’s stat doesn’t improve traps at all, trapper Rangers shouldn’t be forced so heavily into it.

Nature Magic Changes

1. Remove “Spirit Unbound” (VII). Make spirits always move and follow the player.
2. Break “Nature’s Vengeance” (XI) into 2 traits, so Spirit-built rangers would still have to spend 30 points in order to achieve their full potential .
3. Replace Vigor with Stability in “Fortifying Bond” (master minor)". Vigor does not affect a pet in any way – they don’t have endurance.

This is what I see in these changes:
Marksmanship receives the good traits and the bad traits are made less accessible.
A 4 second daze with 2s daze every 10 seconds is overpowered when coupled with other control skills.
Inverting signets is a careless change, because barely anyone would take SotB.

It would mean

• 6 seconds invulnerability
• Pulling all condition to the ranger, the profession that lacks condition cleanse
• Once again more power to zerkers

That could result in very tanky builds; 3s block (same as invulnerability to an extent) + 6s invulnerability (tanky pet + protect me) + 6s invulnerability (signet) + evades from weapon (sword if you have it)

After that, you got damage boost from MoC after 4s daze, plus the daze from GS, plus another 2s daze from longbow.

…

DanSH.6143:

1. Replace Vigor with Stability in “Fortifying Bond” (master minor)". Vigor does not affect a pet in any way – they don’t have endurance.

Give up on that. It’s been over a year and a half and every time an Anet dev reads that suggestion, the reaction is always the same…

solrik.6028:

This is what I see in these changes:
Marksmanship receives the good traits and the bad traits are made less accessible.
A 4 second daze with 2s daze every 10 seconds is overpowered when coupled with other control skills.
Inverting signets is a careless change, because barely anyone would take SotB.

It would mean

• 6 seconds invulnerability
• Pulling all condition to the ranger, the profession that lacks condition cleanse
• Once again more power to zerkers

That could result in very tanky builds; 3s block (same as invulnerability to an extent) + 6s invulnerability (tanky pet + protect me) + 6s invulnerability (signet) + evades from weapon (sword if you have it)

After that, you got damage boost from MoC after 4s daze, plus the daze from GS, plus another 2s daze from longbow.

…

This changes go along with my utility skills suggestions https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/balance/Skills-Changes-Suggestion-for-the-CDI/first#post3700941
Signet of Renewal according to this would be changed to simply remove all conditions.

+ I forgot to mention something: with this trait changes, Opening Strike would be able to miss out. if the attack misses/blocked, you would lose the Opening Strike.

The duration of “Signet of Stone” could be reduced to 5 seconds to compensate.

I have a suggestion in remaking the Opening strike trait like this:
Game Mode
PvX

Proposal Overview
Remake Opening Strike Trait as a special ability to Ranger instead of a trait

Goal of Proposal
To make Rangers weapon skills more and more useful in starting a fight

Proposal Functionality
Make this trait become a special ability to Ranger.
With this special ability, all Ranger weapon skill 1 will have a special skill when Ranger is out of combat.

Its very similar to Thief’s “Stealth Attacks”, but one is in stealth, another one is out of combat.

For example:
1H Sword skill 1:
Opening leap – Opening strike. Leap into the fight, crippling your foe.
Crippled: 5 s
Combo Finisher: Leap
Range: 600
Which can make Sword Ranger has a REAL opening strike, instead of walking slowly to reach the target.

Axes skill 1:
Cunning throw – Opening strike. Hit up to three foes with a single throw The first target is stunned, the second is Confused, and the third inflicts weakness.
Stun: 1 s
Confusion3: 5 s
Weakness: 5 s
Maximum targets: 3
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile (20% chance)
Range: 900
It is not too OP for the axe weapon skill set combo with any offhand weapon.
Stun = Ranger starts the fight first instead of the foe
Confusion = the second foe may not want to take risk to attack ranger
Weakness = the third foe deal less damage in this opening fight
Which can show that who is the boss in starting the fight

Greatsword skill 1
Bouncing Blade – Opening strike. Throw a greatsword to a target and bounce back to you, damaging the foe and giving fury to you.
Fury: 5 s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 600
Greatsword Ranger loves fury.

Short bow skill 1
Torment Shot – Opening strike. Shoot an arrow that your foe inflicts torment.
Torment5: 5s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 900
It’s more useful than vulnerability in using short bow, short bow is use for kiting.
This would be the first Ranger skill to apply torment condition.

Longbow skill 1
Penetrating Attack – Opening strike. The foe inflict vulnerability, the longer range deals the higher stacks of vulnerability.
0-500 range: Vulnerability4 : 5 s
500-1000 range: Vulnerability5 : 5 s
1000+ range: Vulnerability6 : 5 s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile (20% chance)
Range: 1,200
No differences but added the range condition.

It will be good to interact with related traits:
Opening strike always critical hits.
Regain Opening Strike whenever you kill a foe or gain stealth.
Pets have Opening Strike. (We can also make pets to have special opening skills)

Associated Risks
Need a 10s Cool Down, even if the skill hit is miss,
or it will make Ranger spamming these skills.
(Just like Thief in stealth mode and spam his skill 1 when he hits miss until he hit)

BlackenX.7386:

I have a suggestion in remaking the Opening strike trait like this:
Game Mode
PvX

Proposal Overview
Remake Opening Strike Trait as a special ability to Ranger instead of a trait

Goal of Proposal
To make Rangers weapon skills more and more useful in starting a fight

Proposal Functionality
Make this trait become a special ability to Ranger.
With this special ability, all Ranger weapon skill 1 will have a special skill when Ranger is out of combat.

Its very similar to Thief’s “Stealth Attacks”, but one is in stealth, another one is out of combat.

For example:
1H Sword skill 1:
Opening leap – Opening strike. Leap into the fight, crippling your foe.
(This requires more work than it seems. Anet needs to prevent spamming this skill (and others below) to move faster.)

Axes skill 1:
Cunning throw – Opening strike. Hit up to three foes with a single throw The first target is stunned, the second is Confused, and the third inflicts weakness.
(I’d rather have Weakness & Confusion on all three because one second stun at the start of the fight doesn’t help much.)

Greatsword skill 1
Bouncing Blade – Opening strike. Throw a greatsword to a target and bounce back to you, damaging the foe and giving fury to you.
Fury: 5 s
Combo Finisher: Physical Projectile
Range: 600
Greatsword Ranger loves fury.
(This is a very good suggestion. Make fury apply on hit and instead of bouncing the GS back, let me pull it out of the enemy and apply Torment or Cripple (if torment is OP))

Short bow skill 1
Torment Shot – Opening strike. Shoot an arrow that your foe inflicts torment.
(Yeah, why not… Let it apply 1-3s cripple too)

Longbow skill 1
Penetrating Attack – Opening strike. The foe inflict vulnerability, the longer range deals the higher stacks of vulnerability.
0-500 range: Vulnerability4 : 5 s
500-1000 range: Vulnerability5 : 5 s
1000+ range: Vulnerability6 : 5 s
(I think this should be a interactive skill. That is, a charge-up skill. Hold the button to charge for max 5 seconds
1 second or less: Cripple 5s
2 seconds or less: Immobilise 3s
3 seconds or less: Daze 2s
4 seconds or less: Quickness 3s, Fury 3s (if arrow hits)
Nothing in between 4 and 5, otherwise it would be OP
Full 5 seconds charge: Deal 50% of your targets current HP as damage. The arrow speed for this one is a little slower than normal and is much bigger with an additional effect to make it noticable. _This is very much required because 50% hp dealt is A LOT and it would be OP if a ranger just hid in a bush (and isn’t visible) and picked off people by going in and out of combat all the time. (Unaffected by damage modifiers)

At 3, 4 and 5 seconds, there would be a visual indicator at the tip of the arrow that tells enemies what’s happening.)

It will be good to interact with related traits:
Opening strike always critical hits.
Regain Opening Strike whenever you kill a foe or gain stealth.
Pets have Opening Strike. (We can also make pets to have special opening skills)

Associated Risks
Need a 10s Cool Down, even if the skill is used without any target,
or it will make Ranger spamming these skills.
(Just like Thief in stealth mode and spam his skill 1 when he hits miss until he hit)

(Bold part is made by me)
What do you think?

DanSH.6143:

(First and most needed change: Signets now apply their active effect to the player. “Signet of the Beastmaster” trait will now also grants the signet’s active effects to the pet).

Marksmanship Changes

1. “Signet Mastery” (IV) merged with “Beastmaster’s Might” (IX).
2. “Opening Strike” (minor adept) merged with “Remorseless” (XII).
3. “Precise Strike” (minor GM) functionality changed: Opening Strike now stuns the foe for 2 seconds.
4. “Precise Strike” (minor GM) switches places with “Alpha training” (minor master).
   With these changes to Opening Strike, it should now be avoidable. If the Opening Strike misses, it is lost.
5. “Signet of the Beastmaster” (XI) switches places with “Zephyr’s Speed” (Beastmastery GM trait XI).
6. “Beastmaster’s Bond (VI)” should also affect the pet. CD reduced to 30 seconds.
7. “Piercing Arrows” (VIII) merged with “Quickdraw” (Skirmishing master trait X). Remains in Marksmanship (VIII).

Marksmanship now needs a new Master trait and a new GM trait.

Explanation: Opening Strike is nearly useless without a GM trait. Minor traits should be useful without needing to entirely spec into a trait line. Opening Strike as it is today is out-dated.

---

Skirmishing and Wilderness Survival Changes

1. “Quickdraw” relocated to Marksmanship as mentioned.
2. “Trapper’s Defense” (Skirmising III) merged with “Healer’s Celerity” (Wilderness Survival II). The merged trait will remain in Wilderness Survival.
3. “Trapper’s Expertise” (Skirmishing VIII) moved down to the empty _Skirmishing III. _
4. “Martial Mastery” (Wilderness Survival X) moved to the empty Skirmishing. VIII
5. “Trap Potency” (Skirmishing XI) moved to the empty Wilderness Survival X.

Skirmishing now needs a new Master trait and a new GM trait.

Explanation: As the trait-line’s stat doesn’t improve traps at all, trapper Rangers shouldn’t be forced so heavily into it.

---

Nature Magic Changes

1. Remove “Spirit Unbound” (VII). Make spirits always move and follow the player.
2. Break “Nature’s Vengeance” (XI) into 2 traits, so Spirit-built rangers would still have to spend 30 points in order to achieve their full potential .
3. Replace Vigor with Stability in “Fortifying Bond” (master minor)". Vigor does not affect a pet in any way – they don’t have endurance.

Congrats..You managed to completely gut the Trapper Build…because someone told you Traps belong in the “Condition” Stat Tree….despite the fact its a tree you’re going to pickup anyway as a Trap Ranger.

Also..

Explanation: As the trait-line’s stat doesn’t improve traps at all, trapper Rangers shouldn’t be forced so heavily into it.

Will you people quit with this nonsense already..

Precision is actually very good for Traps..Whenever they pulse and do damage they can apply Sigil of Earth and Sharpened Edges.

Terravos.4059:

DanSH.6143:

(First and most needed change: Signets now apply their active effect to the player. “Signet of the Beastmaster” trait will now also grants the signet’s active effects to the pet).

Marksmanship Changes

1. “Signet Mastery” (IV) merged with “Beastmaster’s Might” (IX).
2. “Opening Strike” (minor adept) merged with “Remorseless” (XII).
3. “Precise Strike” (minor GM) functionality changed: Opening Strike now stuns the foe for 2 seconds.
4. “Precise Strike” (minor GM) switches places with “Alpha training” (minor master).
   With these changes to Opening Strike, it should now be avoidable. If the Opening Strike misses, it is lost.
5. “Signet of the Beastmaster” (XI) switches places with “Zephyr’s Speed” (Beastmastery GM trait XI).
6. “Beastmaster’s Bond (VI)” should also affect the pet. CD reduced to 30 seconds.
7. “Piercing Arrows” (VIII) merged with “Quickdraw” (Skirmishing master trait X). Remains in Marksmanship (VIII).

Marksmanship now needs a new Master trait and a new GM trait.

Explanation: Opening Strike is nearly useless without a GM trait. Minor traits should be useful without needing to entirely spec into a trait line. Opening Strike as it is today is out-dated.

---

Skirmishing and Wilderness Survival Changes

1. “Quickdraw” relocated to Marksmanship as mentioned.
2. “Trapper’s Defense” (Skirmising III) merged with “Healer’s Celerity” (Wilderness Survival II). The merged trait will remain in Wilderness Survival.
3. “Trapper’s Expertise” (Skirmishing VIII) moved down to the empty _Skirmishing III. _
4. “Martial Mastery” (Wilderness Survival X) moved to the empty Skirmishing. VIII
5. “Trap Potency” (Skirmishing XI) moved to the empty Wilderness Survival X.

Skirmishing now needs a new Master trait and a new GM trait.

Explanation: As the trait-line’s stat doesn’t improve traps at all, trapper Rangers shouldn’t be forced so heavily into it.

---

Nature Magic Changes

1. Remove “Spirit Unbound” (VII). Make spirits always move and follow the player.
2. Break “Nature’s Vengeance” (XI) into 2 traits, so Spirit-built rangers would still have to spend 30 points in order to achieve their full potential .
3. Replace Vigor with Stability in “Fortifying Bond” (master minor)". Vigor does not affect a pet in any way – they don’t have endurance.

Congrats..You managed to completely gut the Trapper Build…because someone told you Traps belong in the “Condition” Stat Tree….despite the fact its a tree you’re going to pickup anyway as a Trap Ranger.

Also..

Explanation: As the trait-line’s stat doesn’t improve traps at all, trapper Rangers shouldn’t be forced so heavily into it.

Will you people quit with this nonsense already..

Precision is actually very good for Traps..Whenever they pulse and do damage they can apply Sigil of Earth and Sharpened Edges.

I didn’t ruin the Trapper build, as I moved Trap Potency to a master Wilderness Survival trait, so you can still take “Empathic Bond” as a GM (which is the main reason you want to invest 30 points in Wilderness Survival).

Precision is only good for offensive trap builds. In bunker builds Geomancy can replace precision-related sigils/traits.

With these changes, players will be able to use much more diversed builds like:

• 30/10/30 signet/trap build
• 0/10/30/0/30 bunker BM trapper build
• 0/10/30/30 spirit or shouts + traps build.
• 10/30/30 full offense trapper build.

All of these builds will still have “Empathic Bond”, but they will be able to chose if they want more offense via crits / more offense via pet / etc

Empathetic Bond isn’t the only Trait you pickup in Wilderness Survival as a Trapper

Offhand Training is the other…and its incredibly useful for a Trapper

As for the other builds you suggested..ehh No

If you’re going to invest that many points for Traps, you’re no going to pickup other things other then Traps, About the only thing you’ll ever replace a Trap for..is a Stun Breaker…

Which mean its pointless to go 30/10/30 as a Trapper
You don’t go BM Bunker without SoTW, and a Stun Breaker Either (Which means you just invested a bunch of points into picking up 1 trap)
Shout Based Trap Builds are the same, You’re going to pickup Guard, and you’re going to have to have a Stun Breaker, so again.. that leaves room for 1 trap again.

Spirits, its even worse, You’re investing so much into both of those things, while only using maybe 1 or 2 of each one…

The Bunker version of a Trap Build, is basically..You’re deciding not to use Rabid, and instead have decided to use Dire…which is perfectly reasonable… But you’re still going to go 10/30/30 because it is flat out the best choice then all the other builds you listed.

Also i’ve never understood why you’d go Geomancy on a Trapper..Its going 30 Points down the Skirmishing Line, its going to use Precision for Sharpened Edges, You’re going to get Fury on Weapon Swap…There is no reason to go Geomancy..The only reason i used Geomancy on my BM Bunker build was because it was Cheap back then, but more importantly..I had no access to Fury, and No Precision what so ever.

Terravos.4059:

Empathetic Bond isn’t the only Trait you pickup in Wilderness Survival as a Trapper

Offhand Training is the other…and its incredibly useful for a Trapper

As for the other builds you suggested..ehh No

If you’re going to invest that many points for Traps, you’re no going to pickup other things other then Traps, About the only thing you’ll ever replace a Trap for..is a Stun Breaker…

Which mean its pointless to go 30/10/30 as a Trapper
You don’t go BM Bunker without SoTW, and a Stun Breaker Either (Which means you just invested a bunch of points into picking up 1 trap)
Shout Based Trap Builds are the same, You’re going to pickup Guard, and you’re going to have to have a Stun Breaker, so again.. that leaves room for 1 trap again.

Spirits, its even worse, You’re investing so much into both of those things, while only using maybe 1 or 2 of each one…

The Bunker version of a Trap Build, is basically..You’re deciding not to use Rabid, and instead have decided to use Dire…which is perfectly reasonable… But you’re still going to go 10/30/30 because it is flat out the best choice then all the other builds you listed.

Also i’ve never understood why you’d go Geomancy on a Trapper..Its going 30 Points down the Skirmishing Line, its going to use Precision for Sharpened Edges, You’re going to get Fury on Weapon Swap…There is no reason to go Geomancy..The only reason i used Geomancy on my BM Bunker build was because it was Cheap back then, but more importantly..I had no access to Fury, and No Precision what so ever.

The best trap is obviously “Flame Trap”, you don’t need the other ones. “Spike Trap” is nice if you don’t have anything better to take (which is the case atm).

Just think for a moment how strong BM bunkers are today, and how powerful a fully traited Flame Trap is.
The suggested trap changes allow BM bunkers to use fully traited traps without giving up almost any survivability. They could take [Flame Trap][Spike Trap][SotW].

The most effective spirit is the sun spirit. Rangers with both Flame Trap and Sun Spirit have access to a lot of burning. The last utility could be either a second spirit or a second trap.

If Signet of Stone will really give immunity to condi, it will probably be enough to make trappers want to take it, and maybe spend 10 points in marksmanship to reduce its cd.
+30% condi duration is a big deal for traps, and besides that, Marksmanship has some nice traits for a condi spec.

And about Geomancy: It’s a reliable AoE 3 stacks of bleeding. Considering how close it is to earth sigils, and that it doesn’t depend on traps/multi-hits to hit their target, stacking precision isn’t better by much.

There is no reason for a BM Bunker to ever use Flame Trap.

I have almost Perma Burning as it is on my BM Bunker Ranger… I’m not going to waste a utility slot to get more of something I already have.

and there is no way I’d ever run BM Bunker, and Run Flame Trap,Spike Trap,SoTW because i’d be giving up my Stun Break…. hell chances are I’ll be running 2 stun Breaks as a BM Bunker.

Again, Spirit Builds, if you’re not going to run 3 Spirits, you’re going to run 2 spirits and a Stun Break, you’re not going to add another Burning Ability since you already have Sun Spirit, which means, you’re going to have more then enough Burning Available to you.

There is no way i’d invest 30 points in Marksman for Signet of Stone, even if it did offer immunity to Conditions. Esp since I can get the same thing for free..Its called Signet of Restro

Also its not 30% extra Condition Duration, Its 20%..since every Trap Build is going 10 points in that line anyway for Keen Edges… Now Lets say I have Rare Veggie Pizza, That’s 50% Condition Duration if I have 10 in the Line already, picking up the extra 20% probably won’t do me much good, Because you’re going to see that when you look at your actual Conditions, They won’t reach that full extra second on them till ya hit 75% duration. And given the choice between Having a Chance to Proc another stack of Bleed vs Increasing the Duration past 50% on my Conditions, I’ll choose the proc.

And Geomancy is a Good sigil, Its great if you don’t have Precision

But this is the difference between Geomancy

and Sigil of Earth and Sharpened Edges