Trap question
For PVE I use Axe/Torch with the viper and spike traps. That way you can easily stack all 3 conditions fast (burn poison bleed). Its wonderful aoe damage. Dagger is a good weapon but its more for single target/pvp imo. QZ is okay for the 3rd slot I guess.
I would say if you’re going for more DPS, and less control, you’re probably better off with a torch in your offhand. It combined with flame-trap can keep flames on your target up 100% of the time, even with the occasional miss or cure.
Spiders can also make a great pet as they can apply the poison you’re missing out from in AoE, and at range, and their abilities can easily make up for the lost control with both immobilization, and on-demand stuns.
If you’re saving a spot for QZ, keep in mind that fire and frost give you combo fields that you can use QZ with. Frost trap isn’t directly DPS, but slowing down movement speed and cooldowns arguably has a knock-on effect towards relative DPS.
I haven’t tested it or anything, but for two trap straight damage, flame and spike is probably the best option since a little control helps keep them in the field longer.
Also, if you want to bring three traps, don’t forget that you can throw 5 points in BM for 2s of quickness when you swap. If you can afford to put 15 in there then you also reduce the pet swap by 20% so you have much better quickness uptime than QZ w/o the pesky heal suppression.
I like the chill trap best of all. Its a very long condition even after the trap gone you can still get 3-4 tic and it also a combo field . May not to the damage the others do but set it off on a mob of 3-4 surrounding you and your see its true power.
Definitely agree that frost trap is one of the best. It’s great for control, and it’s a life saver in WvW. No damage of course, but it sure let’s you put the hurt on in other ways.
Well, here’s my 2 cents. I’m condition/trap specced as well. I’m always swapping traps depending on what I’m doing. I do a lot of PvE so when I’m going solo I will equip the flame trap, spike trap, and frost trap. I used to used the venom trap all the time but I find the effects of frost trap to be much more beneficial. Also, I usually run eagle/owl as their dps is awesome while they also apply bleed conditions.
My weapons as of now are sword/warhorn and axe/torch. I swap between the two constantly. I’ve almost developed a rotation even. Usually I’m using horn’s 5 ability as much as possible. But I will use its 4 ability to tag the mob while I’m closing in on it. Those birds are awesome. Hit the eagles F2 to apply bleeds. Swap weaps and use the axes 3 to apply the chill, torches 4 skill to hit them with flame, axe’s 3 to apply bleeds. While i do this, I’m throwing the traps as they are key binded to my mouse. By this time I’m right next to the mob and I can swap weaps again to stab the mob in the face with the sword.
Usually they die before the full rotation is through. And I don’t do it exactly that way every time because of cool downs and such. But I’ve found that with this combination I can pretty much down anything in no time including most veterans.
I think the SB is a bit better for kiting, but if I’m in that situation then I will just change out the weapons and go about my business. No big deal. I think one of the keys to playing is to not think of anything as cookie cutter. I’m always reminding myself “don’t forget you can swap skills/weapons/traits.” I think gone are the days where we find a build and think, yep, this is the best way. Obviously there will be some build that optimal for whatever you are trying to do but hopefully you get the gist of what I’m trying to say.
I know we’re kind of broken atm, but with that said, ranger will truly be amazing once things are fixed. Hopefully…
(edited by Qixilver.3784)