Guild Wars 2

Judge Files, episode 2 – Field Trip
A group of FBI agents investigate the strange and unexplained.

I want to believe.
https://youtu.be/cwPVWKrQ_pY

I was testing a melee build Fluffball came up with (https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Fluffy-s-WvW-roaming-build/first ) and gave it a go during the weekend, his build was amazing for 1vs1 and 2vs2s but for bigger groups it wasn’t doing too well sadly. I did some rather stupid mistakes while running Fluffy’s build, I’m too used to that when I hit my stunbreaker, it takes me away from trouble but with Renewal.. I just sat there and took all the hits wondering where did my backwards somersault go or I just forgot to pop the signet alltogether :x

Inspired by Fluffy I also tweaked my own Defenders build I ran some time ago and changed few things around http://tinyurl.com/FrouDefender
First part of the video contains clips where I run Fluffy’s build and the second part my own one. These may not be the most powerful and optimised builds for group roaming but I had good fun while bouncing around again!

I didn’t inspire your build, you’ve been playing stuff like that for years!

I’ve seen most of your videos before, but watching this with a new perspective highlights the completely different circumstances we play in. It looked totally alien to me. :-O

Two of the biggest factors in my roaming build are the culmination of regen (SotW, regen, NB, food, and NH) and the eagle’s fast F2 attacks with RaO up. Did you try either of those? I’m kind of curious how well the pet holds up with the full regen in a larger-scale roaming situation. I’ve hooked up with a few small scale zergs (like 15ish people) and attacked enemy backlines during clashes like I was a thief, but that’s not a lot different than my normal 1v1/3s.

Fluffball.8307:

I didn’t inspire your build, you’ve been playing stuff like that for years!

I’ve seen most of your videos before, but watching this with a new perspective highlights the completely different circumstances we play in. It looked totally alien to me. :-O

Two of the biggest factors in my roaming build are the culmination of regen (SotW, regen, NB, food, and NH) and the eagle’s fast F2 attacks with RaO up. Did you try either of those? I’m kind of curious how well the pet holds up with the full regen in a larger-scale roaming situation. I’ve hooked up with a few small scale zergs (like 15ish people) and attacked enemy backlines during clashes like I was a thief, but that’s not a lot different than my normal 1v1/3s.

Well lets just put it this way that I gave up on the Defender runes pretty quickly when I tried them for the first time and I didn’t even think BM builds could work that nicely with the runes until I tested your build :> I shall keep on experimenting with it while I’m out there duo roaming but when I’m running with 3-5 people in my group, the enemy group size grows and the aoe from 5+ enemies keeps on killing the birdy bird almost instantly even with the high regen and to prevent that I need to switch pets on cooldown, which obviously is not ideal for your build.

I think the biggest difference for the two us comes down to that you build around your pet while I have to build around my group. I can’t drop out Signet of the Hunt because our roaming group is very mobile: when the enemies balls up we kite and stretch them out or else we won’t be able survive outmanned situations, either retaliation or their aoe cleave kills us so I have to be able to get in and out. It’s just a matter of time when a blob rolls over us and without the signet I’m pretty much dead even with all the sword skills to bounce away with. So that leaves me with 2 utility slots, one slot is reserved for a stunbreaker and the third one ofc could be the Wild signet. I ran with it for a bit but I found myself not activating it at all as I am not used to having any stability, so I just kept saving it thinking I will need it more later and that moment never came.. Which brings me back to Signet of Stone, it’s just too good. It helps me to cover occasional stomp, tank some damage while ressing friendlies or if I’m getting focused it keeps me going till I can heal up.

And then there’s the big question, Rampage as One or roots? I prefer roots: sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t do a thing but it’s one of the few support skills I have to offer for my group. When me or someone else is getting chased it’s nice way to slow down the enemies. Also every now and then it works nicely when I need to stomp someone and I see an enemy coming for a ress. Just like with Wild signet I tend to just save RaO for a stomp and then I forget to pop it when I’m actually stomping someone :x In the end it’s just the enviroment I play in, I have never been spoiled with stability so I don’t have the situational awarness for it when I should use it.

TL;DR I can’t even.

No I get it, I think the survival skills in general are better than the skills I’m using for group play, not even a question. Except SoR, RaO and my signets are 100% selfish. I sort of embraced that selfishness and made what I’m more and more considering an outstanding solo roaming build. I’m getting more kills than survival condi or glass LB.