Guild Wars 2

There are several different traits the ranger has which have some useful core design but are either kinda flawed or have to strong competitors.

I am going Through several Traitlines and give some suggestion on the lesser used ones.

First of all: The falling trait. They are pretty much only used on F2P accounts or in WvW.
give them some flavour to them. Not just use skill X when taking falling dmg and reduce falling dmg buut also give some other bonusses as well.

Wilderness Survival:

Expertise Training is kinda dull but useful for condi. Some flavour would be nice but not needed.

Refined Toxins: Cut the ICD down, its not used because the poison stacks are gone after the 10s. 3s ICD would be good IMO, it would reward the player for keeping himself save and it would improve poison ranger.

Shared anguish: The CD is higher than other CC breaker skills but i p3ersonally would change this skill to survival Instinct: activate QZ when you got stunned. CD stays the same for obvious reasons and the pet does not suffer.
It will provide dmg counter and synergize with survival trait.

Ambidexterity, also very dull trait which could use some flavor.

Empathic Bond: Again some kind of a pet suffer mechanic. I would suggest you cleanse 2 conditions and stunbreak on pet swap ( strong PvP trait that would need killing the pet for better CCing). This would provide better control over the condi cleanse.

Poison Master:
Increased duration is good.
2 stacks are very few and only the pet does apply them. I would suggest: On pet swap the ranger produces a poisonfield on its position for some 4s. 1 stack poison every second and a combofield obviously.
This would give Poison Ranger again more possibilities and one more field to synergize with.

The other traitlines will follow soon.

Skirmishing:

Trappers Expertise:
When getting stunned you lay down a Spiketrap.
This will not give you a Stunbreak but it will give you air and a good CC on your enemy. Cd reduction as default

Sharpened Edges: Got nerfed is still good but kinda dull
Would be interesting if you would have a 20% chance on crit to activate sharpening stone, this would give synergy and the wanted bleed effects. Sharpening stone cannot be applied if you already have it obviously for balancing. This suggestion is rather optional.

Striders defense: Gain reflection when gaining vigor. Sword attacks recharge faster.
It gives this skill a controllable component and synergy with primal reflexes.

Light on Your feet: Increased Condi dmg and duration while under the effects of swiftness. SB skills pierce and recharge faster. Removes the waist of endurance to be useful and gives synergy with a lot of ranger skills.

Most dangerous game:
This trait has 2 major flaws. It needs the ranger to have low life and it has a too short boonduration.
My suggestion: When evading an attack share all your boons with your pet and gain 2 stacks of might. for some short amount. ICD is slightly under the might duration to reward good gameplay.

Marksamnship:

Minors:
Merge alphatraining and opening strike. Move precise strike to master. New GM Minor trait: Furious Strike: Gain opening Strike when gaining fury.

Remorseless: Opening Strike does more dmg. it gives you one stack of unblockable when you gain opening strike. (ICD 10s).

Clarion Bond: Change the CD to 20s (this is a 33% reduction), and cut the boon duration also 33%. This would streamline it without letting it lose impact.

Predators Instinct: Cut the CD down to 15s. Additionally Cripple is more effective and reduces movements speed 75%.

Steady Focus: Default + gain vigor after dodging (This does not punish the will to survive)

Brutish Seals: Add fury to the might for more synergy.

Lead the wind: Also increase movement speed and endurance regen.
This will go well with steady Focus and skirmishing.

Nature Magic:
Fortifying bond: This should work back and forth. When your pet gains a new boon you get it too and if you get a boon your pet get it too. Swap with Invigorating Bond. Because the healing of invigorating Bond is not competitive with Nature ward or Natures Vengeance(if Spirits are used). Also its has a very good spot as a minor and Fortifying Bond would be very powerful GM with this change.

Bountiful Hunter: Also increase Condi Dmg not solely dmg per boon.(This should apply to all profession skills with this design thou)

Beastmastery:
Every Trait is Fine EXCEPT:

Honed Axes (obviously):
Winters BIte is AoE on default and not trait required.
While wielding an Axe in mainhand you gain condition duration while wielding it in the offhand you gain Ferocity. Axe recharge faster.

Every constructive critic is welcome.

Hmm… If talking purely trait modification without touching utilities and so-forth, I think a bit of refining can be done. Improvements that build more meaningful and create new synergies.

I’d like those changes. More synergy within core Ranger, creates new synergies within and with other traitlines, and adds more uses and involvement with Pets.

I like your changes too i have to say. I tried to keep mine simple and as you said my main goal was synergy and more pet uses instead of abuses.
I am actually doing another thread about solely skills after this one.

Ps: I like your most dangerous game suggestion. Mine was kinda overkill.

InsaneQR.7412:

I am actually doing another thread about solely skills after this one.

Looking forward to it

I’m really curious about what makes it on the list of skills, as I can’t think of too many besides the ones that are occasionally brought up, like Muddy Terrain and Frost Trap.

Wondrouswall.7169:

InsaneQR.7412:

I am actually doing another thread about solely skills after this one.

Looking forward to it

I’m really curious about what makes it on the list of skills, as I can’t think of too many besides the ones that are occasionally brought up, like Muddy Terrain and Frost Trap.

Signet, spirits, some insight in lesser used traps(including FT of course) and MT and heals.
I also will put weaponskill suggestions in this coming thread.