Guild Wars 2

It didn’t really dawn on me until now…..why does a ranger even have a great sword?

Axes? ok.
War horn? Ok
Swords? Meh
LB/SB? Obvious.

But a great sword? Why the hell does a ranger need a great sword? Rangers aren’t aimed at melee, so why does it have a weapon that is highly used in melee damage specific professions?

Is this a real question?

Rangers are fantastic in melee.

TheFool.4589:

Rangers aren’t aimed at melee, so why does it have a weapon that is highly used in melee damage specific professions?

facepalm

Professions in GW2 are not split into ranged or melee categories. They all have the option and can do quite well with either method, sometimes both at the same time.

As for rangers specifically, I’ve seen and played both great melee and ranged specs.

Edit: is this question more aimed at the misconception that Rangers are only supposed to be using ranged weapons? If so, look again at the origins of the word and please try again.

Because “ranger” don’t mean “the guy that hit things at range”.

And, as a very dumb argument, I’ll take the Walker texas ranger argument! You barely see Chuck norris using guns or range weapon! What he love to do is smack it’s fist and feets in the face of it’s foes. And that’s obviously in mele range.

Dunno guys, just wanted to know why a great sword? They have axes, and swords for melee. Was just wondering, lol

TheFool.4589:

Dunno guys, just wanted to know why a great sword? They have axes, and swords for melee. Was just wondering, lol

Because Aragorn from Lord of The Rings Series is one example of a Ranger theme.
And what was he using? Could you guess?

Games and not even reality are made on “1 weapon per mode” basis.
Are Rangers capable of fighting with Greatswords? Yes. Does it fit thematically? Hell yea!

What would be the problem then?
Greatsword is awesome for “defensive utility stance”. Has the block, CC, lots of passive evade, has mobility, spiky damage. In case you asked for the use, and not the thematic filter.

Yeah, i think this comes down to a common misconception. Ranger is not a “ranged fighter”, a ranger (at least in this context) is more like a park ranger, nature oriented guardian of sorts, just to glorify it a bit. It just so happens that a ranger in those context lends well to ranged weapons, but it’s just as well for any other weapon type.

Because they don’t give any advantages to using a single longsword so a GS is the closest thing :/

Everybody knows the best GS in the game has 1200 range anyway.

Many of our ranged options are well suited to catching or softening up our mark at range. Rapid Fire, Winter’s Bite, Crippling Talon, Crippling Shot, etc. But none of our weapons are as inescapable a predator as our Sword and once this predator pounces only the predator or the prey is gonna come out of this fight alive.

But what does this have to do with our Greatsword? Well, committing to an all out offensive in a chaotic battlefield or against big game is downright suicide so the Ranger uses another weapon as a defensive tool to protect themselves as they look to land armour crushing, group clearing Mauls. That kind of fighting style is very thief-like, but using such a heavy weapon is what makes it something unique to the Ranger. A Hammer is not as suited to defence as a huge blade and I guess they wanted to reserve staff as a magic weapon for the Ranger, that’s why the greatsword is a perfect fit.

Plus I’ve been loving the Ranger Greatsword for years and I’m still not bored, specializations are just adding more depth to such a beautiful weapon.

Tragic Positive.9356:

TheFool.4589:

Dunno guys, just wanted to know why a great sword? They have axes, and swords for melee. Was just wondering, lol

Because Aragorn from Lord of The Rings Series is one example of a Ranger theme.
And what was he using? Could you guess?

A longsword, if you go by source material (ie. The books).

Gs is great in wvw where you need speed and block

Tragic Positive.9356:

TheFool.4589:

Dunno guys, just wanted to know why a great sword? They have axes, and swords for melee. Was just wondering, lol

Because Aragorn from Lord of The Rings Series is one example of a Ranger theme.

Which hobbit was his pet? Or did he just use perma stow?

Justine.6351:

Tragic Positive.9356:

TheFool.4589:

Dunno guys, just wanted to know why a great sword? They have axes, and swords for melee. Was just wondering, lol

Because Aragorn from Lord of The Rings Series is one example of a Ranger theme.

Which hobbit was his pet? Or did he just use perma stow?

Which Aragorn do you have in mind? Did they have Wi-fi in the Shire to play Guild Wars 2-updated lore or something?
I seem to be missing some of the point. They made the Ranger a pet-class in Guild Wars 2. It was not the other way round.

Do you consider Texas Ranger’s pet a pistol? You can’t possibly mean your question seriously.

Tragic Positive.9356:

Justine.6351:

Tragic Positive.9356:

TheFool.4589:

Dunno guys, just wanted to know why a great sword? They have axes, and swords for melee. Was just wondering, lol

Because Aragorn from Lord of The Rings Series is one example of a Ranger theme.

Which hobbit was his pet? Or did he just use perma stow?

Which Aragorn do you have in mind? Did they have Wi-fi in the Shire to play Guild Wars 2-updated lore or something?
I seem to be missing some of the point. They made the Ranger a pet-class in Guild Wars 2. It was not the other way round.

Do you consider Texas Ranger’s pet a pistol? You can’t possibly mean your question seriously.

The blonde woman was his pet.

I thought his beard was his pet.

That was no beard, that was a meta-goatee/3 day growth that never gets longer.

Aragorn’s pet was the legion of undead. Dude multi-classed.

But yes. A longsword/greatsword is a viable weapon for a ranger. The idea that a ranger must be a ranged class is a misnomer as people see “ranger” and thing “ranged attack” when it really means “ranging” as in traveling far distances. Rangers oversee places and act as wardens.

The rangers of Lord of the Rings used mostly melee weapons. Aragorn used a longsword and one other ranger used a spear. Their purpose was to protect the former lands of Arnor from Sauron’s minions. They lived out in the wilderness and tirelessly tracked down and slew Sauron’s agents to prevent Sauron from getting a foothold in the north.

Only one of the original Power Rangers used a bow, and even she mostly fought in melee with it. They were rangers in that they protected Angel Grove and the world from the evil witch Rita Repulsa and her monstrous minions.

The main reason bows are so strongly associated with rangers in most games is because a bow is a good weapon to have in the wilderness. It’s great for hunting and a good stealth weapon. However rangers are not rangers because of the bow. Rather the bow is a part of their weapon selection because it’s good for ranging.

A ranger is someone that does exploration.

verb (used with object), ranged, ranging.
*To pass over or through (an area or region) in all directions, as in exploring or searching:
*They ranged the entire countryside.

So rangers who hate sword can still have something to melee with.

why bow?? i dislike using a bow. too much trait investment. so i guess i am one of the few ranger out there who goes rather melee then using a bow. don’t get me wrong use one here and there. and after patch i might pick it up again. ah also my weps of choice is gs.
i run with melee in wvw. do die fast ? nope i play as a ranger in and out of combat to not rally my enemies. getting off topic here.
1th autoattk on ranger passive evade
2th.mauloffensive attk
3 th leap ( i use to get in out of combat leap to the comm)
4th block skill. someone using ac np block the ac pew pew)
5th skill is a pain in the kitten tbh almost never use. it but people that try to run away get my hilt bash in the face.
( i would like a better range on hilt bash would be awesome.)

Don’t forget that you can just use Hilt Bash to buff your pet with an AoO, you don’t need to hit anything.

Because male norn who can’t swing a greatsword around is a wussy. And my norn ranger is male:>

Why not a wood spoon … just saying … makes as much sense as the rest of this nonsense.

Why not a staff? eh?

You could use a giant wooden spoon as a staff.

I think we’re onto something … it should obviously be a ranged wood spoon though because the letters r-a-n-g-e are in the word “ranger” … so obviously everything should be ranged :-p

While we’re at it … the letters a-n-i-m are in “animal” … so our ranger pets should either resemble animatronics or anime … duh.

Also … bow (the weapon) and bow (the action; bend at the waist) are spelled the same … so our bow weapons should make people bow.

Sword has w-o-r-d in it … so I should see words, not numbers, when I swing my sword. Additioanlly, I should just see the word “great” every time I swing my “greatsword”. Make it so.

Axe has an “x” in it like in x-ray … so it should let me see through people’s armor to their underwear … because obviously it should give me x-ray vision … and that’s obviously how that vision works.

Horn is just missing a y … it should make everyone want to love on my big sexy norn ranger.

Dagger has “gg” … just by equipping this weapon, every fight should be over and end in my favor.

I’ve got nothing for Torch … Fire burns.

Sebrent.3625:

snip

Greats"word" – The ultimate Scrabble weapon.

Back to OP : Why a GS ?

1. it’s an awesome melee weapon for the ranger.
2. it looks frikkin cool.
3. It’s an invaluable asset of any self respecting ranger.

Personally, i’d like to be well prepared, so i carry LB, GS, SW, Axe, WH. The point being that you can switch out depending on the situation/activity.

And honestly, who doesn’t like smashing things with a huge sword.

Tragic Positive.9356:

TheFool.4589:

Dunno guys, just wanted to know why a great sword? They have axes, and swords for melee. Was just wondering, lol

Because Aragorn from Lord of The Rings Series is one example of a Ranger theme.
And what was he using? Could you guess?

Games and not even reality are made on “1 weapon per mode” basis.
Are Rangers capable of fighting with Greatswords? Yes. Does it fit thematically? Hell yea!

What would be the problem then?
Greatsword is awesome for “defensive utility stance”. Has the block, CC, lots of passive evade, has mobility, spiky damage. In case you asked for the use, and not the thematic filter.

So why not thief profession have greatsword? They have block, CC, lots of passive evade, have mobility and spike damage?

It would not make sense correct?

Same reason why it do not make sense for ranger profession to have greatsword.

Greatsword is a heavy weapon: how do a light armor and medium armor able to carry and swing this heavy weapon with high speed with accuracy without breaking their arm?

If it is a fantasy game: give all professions heavy weapons and delete heavy armor professions: warrior and guardian profession.

Give ranger profession hammer, mace, give them all warrior/guardian professions weapons, why not?

After doing that: delete warrior/guardian profession: why not?

Why waste their time and energy in the game if every profession can carry heavy armors like them: even better than them?

What is the sense of having diferent armors/weapon stats in the game: if they all can do the same thing?

The Op is correct to ask: It do not make any sense at all!

Question: cats and birds: they both are fast, they both can see far, they both can hear far, so why not give cats wings like birds to fly?

Again, Do you understand why it do not make sense?

DarkSyze.8627:

snip

So why not thief profession have greatsword?
They don’t need it, they have fast attacking daggers. Which do lots of damage. But I’m willing to accept they could use it, depending on the skills.

Same reason why it do not make sense for ranger profession to have greatsword.
Ofc it makes sense, read on…

Greatsword is a heavy weapon: how do a light armor and medium armor able to carry and swing this heavy weapon with high speed with accuracy without breaking their arm?
If you think about it, it would be easier for them because they are not encumbered with heavy plate armor as well.

If it is a fantasy game: give all professions heavy weapons and delete heavy armor professions: warrior and guardian profession.
Now, that is what makes no sense.

Give ranger profession hammer, mace, give them all warrior/guardian professions weapons, why not?
I agree, we had a hammer in GW1, it was a fantastic build, bring that back with the next specialisation please. Bring back Bunny Thumper!

After doing that: delete warrior/guardian profession: why not?
Because they have heavy armor and a totally different playstyle, role and traits.

Why waste their time and energy in the game if every profession can carry heavy armors like them: even better than them?
What?

What is the sense of having diferent armors/weapon stats in the game: if they all can do the same thing?
Oh, yeah, because Mesmer/Ranger/Warrior/Guard Greatsword skills are all the same.

The Op is correct to ask: It do not make any sense at all!
You are very wrong.

Question: cats and birds: they both are fast, they both can see far, they both can hear far, so why not give cats wings like birds to fly?
Evolution.

Again, Do you understand why it do not make sense?
No, because it does.

Ah, Darksyze is here. The king of the slippery slope fallacy once again abuses his authority.

For the record, two handed swords tend to require less strength to wield than one handed swords, due to being used in both hands and not weighing all that much more. Also (and this annoys me to no end), a ‘longsword’ is actually a two handed weapon (it can be used in one hand, but it generally wasn’t, at least not on foot). If you’re referring to the single handed knightly sword, you’re talking about an arming sword.

At any rate, if you aren’t using a shield, then a two handed sword would be a reasonable weapon choice in order to minimize the advantage that someone going sword and board would otherwise have over you.

DarkSyze.8627:

…

I will try to make it as short as possible, Sir.

You are forsaking yourself.
You have no idea about the design of any class in this game, mechanics, reasons, physics, basic knowledge as in a game so in the real world.

You have no idea what are the basic requirements for a Role-Play game, not to mention you have no idea about purpose of any given thing (why a character wears different types of armor for example).

You … Basically … Have no idea. At all.
I believe everyone else sees that. So instead of teaching you something new – I won’t (because I know you wouldn’t learn a thing), but instead I’ll give you an advice.

If you don’t want people to remember your name as the one to skip over anytime it appears on the screen, you should either try to change your way of thinking, way of learning, or at least stepping out of your own world where nothing makes sense but your reasons.

A ranger to me – at lest in fantasy = Range fighter sure Some fantasy’s are not like that like LOTR but its fantasy can do what ever i want and every mmorpg i ever played ranger = ranged

And as for Great sword .. Have you every tried to use the 1 hand sword / dagger combo so so . auto attack makes you not be able to dodge when you want to and you are all over the place don’t no how many times i seen a ranger fling him self off a cliff do to that and kill him self lol

OP think of Rangers in this as Rangers from The LotR universe or even a modern day Park Ranger due to the patrolling of forests etc. Think of Aragorn, they are proficient in melee and ranged and patrol huge swaths of land. That is what the term Ranger refers to, patrolling borders and forests not using a ranged weapon. RPGs and MMOs and modern fantasy has just decided that Rangers have to use bows because that’s obviously what they are referring to right? It makes total sense for Rangers in this to have access to both melee and ranged weapons and fits the name much better than someone who just uses ranged.

Basically we are Aragorn

The original GS Ranger