WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: Jack.1469

Jack.1469

Title. Sorry if it’s been brought up, but forum search doesn’t do its job.

Noticing the builds and strats threads trickling in slowly post-buffs. Recently got my ranger to 80 and was hoping y’all could advise me on builds to explore for small group roaming and zerg busts. Guild and I generally run with 10 people+a handful of pugs to face down enemy zergs. When it gets slower, we shift into roaming mode, change builds and gear, and take camps and towers.

LB/GS seems to be a popular combo. Warhorn seems helpful for the LB burst.

Any builds you guys could recommend?

(edited by Jack.1469)

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: Skroo.1560

Skroo.1560

I’m running a modified version of this:

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Ranger_-_Longbow/Greatsword

Full soldiers on the armor/amulet is too tanky for me, but you probably have your own gear preference that you run with anyway. I’d avoid full glass though. Maybe Knights or a mix of Soldier and Zerker. So many rangers in wvw are running full glass now they just melt. One feedback and they nuke themselves. If you can do that and live reliably, good on you, but most of the glass rangers I run into just sit in Longbow the whole time and never swap. I unload my rapid fire on them then swap to gs, leap, and they are downed before they look up from their rapid fire cooldown timer. It’s also nice to see warriors expecting you to be glass and getting a nice surprise when you can take their hit and then dish out some pain in return with your GS.

Skroo [POV][ROLL] – Yak’s Bend

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

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Posted by: ArchonWing.9480

ArchonWing.9480

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fNAQNBjYD7kRFaYx+VwWQ4axA9B16HofDgm7QAz8f/gSGVTA-TFTBwAFVSsTljg7PgTdkrK3QpZAvOgFXEAEmkkoEUzDAAwRAgMALbB-w

Pretty straightforward LB build, switch out eagle eye for piercing arrows if you know you’ll be fighting bigger groups. The combination of protect me/signet of stone is good at blocking all damage if you must close in. I used to use signet of the wild instead of protect me but that long cast time has screwed me over too much.

I use warhorn for the group buffs mainly. Sword is mostly used to run away (just turn around when you use monarch’s leap and that will annoy people) but it can be used to push in and beat down on enemies if you have stone/protect me active. Ask a guardian friend to give you stability, or you’ll have to use rampage as one. I think I’ll explore axe mainhand eventually.

For smaller groups I like using spider and then pulling out the raven to push some damage on people. For bigger fights I put pets on passive and will often use a moa to give out the occasional protection.

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards,
for there you have been and there you will long to return.

(edited by ArchonWing.9480)

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: Jack.1469

Jack.1469

I’m running a modified version of this:

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Ranger_-_Longbow/Greatsword

Full soldiers on the armor/amulet is too tanky for me, but you probably have your own gear preference that you run with anyway. I’d avoid full glass though. Maybe Knights or a mix of Soldier and Zerker. So many rangers in wvw are running full glass now they just melt. One feedback and they nuke themselves. If you can do that and live reliably, good on you, but most of the glass rangers I run into just sit in Longbow the whole time and never swap. I unload my rapid fire on them then swap to gs, leap, and they are downed before they look up from their rapid fire cooldown timer. It’s also nice to see warriors expecting you to be glass and getting a nice surprise when you can take their hit and then dish out some pain in return with your GS.

Yeah, the general consensus I’m seeing is that full berserker for WvW zerg busts is a huge no-no. I definitely don’t want to be one of the many glass rangers in WvW that seem to get downed in 2 seconds or less.

I’ve I came across that build too and I’m wary of going full soldier’s as well. I might opt for a mix with knight’s too.

I might swap out RoO for Entangle. Problem with that is I’d have to redo the traits for condi damage!

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: shadowpass.4236

shadowpass.4236

huh, that build is very similar to the one I use now

I was a power ranger before it was cool.
Guild Leader of Favorable Winds [Wind]

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: ArchonWing.9480

ArchonWing.9480

I’m running a modified version of this:

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Build:Ranger_-_Longbow/Greatsword

Full soldiers on the armor/amulet is too tanky for me, but you probably have your own gear preference that you run with anyway. I’d avoid full glass though. Maybe Knights or a mix of Soldier and Zerker. So many rangers in wvw are running full glass now they just melt. One feedback and they nuke themselves. If you can do that and live reliably, good on you, but most of the glass rangers I run into just sit in Longbow the whole time and never swap. I unload my rapid fire on them then swap to gs, leap, and they are downed before they look up from their rapid fire cooldown timer. It’s also nice to see warriors expecting you to be glass and getting a nice surprise when you can take their hit and then dish out some pain in return with your GS.

Yeah, the general consensus I’m seeing is that full berserker for WvW zerg busts is a huge no-no. I definitely don’t want to be one of the many glass rangers in WvW that seem to get downed in 2 seconds or less.

I’ve I came across that build too and I’m wary of going full soldier’s as well. I might opt for a mix with knight’s too.

I might swap out RoO for Entangle. Problem with that is I’d have to redo the traits for condi damage!

Well, full PVT would definitely be overkill on a ranger that does not have to engage in melee all the time. If I make ascended armor for my ranger, I would like to do valk/knight or something. All PVT is also useless in anything outside of zergs. I do like melandru runes though as they help address the main ranger problems— condi removal and stuns.

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards,
for there you have been and there you will long to return.

(edited by ArchonWing.9480)

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: Jack.1469

Jack.1469

I guess the one other question is, if I go with a bunkerish ranger with LB/GS and maybe warhorn swapped in occasionally to buff my pew-pewing, what pet would go best? The selections are numerous!

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: Expiatus.4210

Expiatus.4210

@ Skroo or Archon,
What type of food do you use? Loaf of Saffron Bread, Lemon Grass Poultry, Roasted Lotus Root?

Anvil Rock – Out manned, out gunned and no repair costs, so Leeroy up and dive in.
See you in Tyria.

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: ArchonWing.9480

ArchonWing.9480

@Jack

The options are indeed numerous. The easy, no effort option, are spiders. By virtue of being ranged they are most likely to stay out of trouble if you manage them well. Immobolize on your target is great too. The hound is also good for CC but is a bit less survivable.

Blue moa gives protection, and that’s just nice to pull out.

@Expiatus
It really depends on your budget as wvw isn’t always the most profitable venture and I can’t really bear to use expensive food regularly. I find saffron bread just good for general use and it’s cheap— more counter to condis and help when stunned is invaluable. The weaker Tarragon Bread is practically free and the reason why you should never run around wvw with no food.

The more expensive option is as you suggested, lemongrass or the almost as good and more economical poultry and leek soup. This is never a bad choice. A lot of people think -condi duration and cleanses are for so you won’t bleed to death or something. Sometimes this is true, but I find cripple, chill, and espeically immobilized to be the most lethal and even if you have good cleanse, having these on you for too long will easily kill you worse than anything else. And these things come en masse! Immobolize = dead ranger which is also why lightning reflexes is a very solid choice to take these days.

If you KNOW that your group has more than enough stab and condi removal, I think mango pie isn’t a bad idea. This is pretty rare from my experience.

For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards,
for there you have been and there you will long to return.

(edited by ArchonWing.9480)

WvW zerg bust/Small group roam builds?

in Ranger

Posted by: Zenos Osgorma.2936

Zenos Osgorma.2936

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?fNAQJATRjMq0yaHLWsQ1ag8gadAUwnerjw9CvEx9B7q5A-TFUBABJqDgPNBR8AAwSJRZKTWUJ4CXAAMVh4p9FM+QAgj6AeqSyVKFuRFhuUCBwRAIAACwNvZ28mBSohbezbezbezSBkyyI-w

this is zergable/roamable but still has to avoid the big hammers , its able to surf around the commander with Relative ease.
it doesn’t focus on one set up, since i generaly are ether with guildies or roaming with guildies or guild allies.

this is my current build, Some times i Swap my LB for Axe+dagger / gs and just change two-hanned training for Natures bounty for that little more Regen.

The pets Wolf is main.
Drake i take Depending on the situation (if i need more regen ect taking a furnwolf)
or a Spider with f2 vun + weakness has helped me weaken on my Long range targets in addition to the opening strikes.

using the spider + gs will let you stack Aoe vun of up to 8 Vun+10(if opening strikes)
and the poison helps too.

my current use i like to use the Ice drake on Wall choke points , Keep wolf out f2 fear > swap , F2 ice drake when his near the stairs> (quickly plant muddy terrain during the Ice breath build up) > Barrage .

this on a choke can Cripple and slow up to 10 targets long enough in a Aoe area to down quite a few people even before they reach a lords room.

the Cavalir+ few Pvt gear pieces i find very helpful and the PO with this amount of Mobility condis the combo above also deals a good amount of damage.

Reasons for Spotter is to get that crit hits to a good amount of 60-61% on the LB and more while using a GS.

maintaining 2.77k armour , with the cripple condis and gs for defence/Pushing it does quite well.
though if a push is Planned , i quickly swap back to Rampage as one rather than Entangle.

in the Situation , I mainly focus on the edges and tails of groups , while using muddy terrain on the centre with a wolf f2 to slow the hammer train for 1-3secs

Predators instinct (is one of my Favourites) if you wait a few seconds then cast Barrage , a bit risky but if it procs people below 50% they will get a high amout of Cripple and most people Pushing through a choke ether use a stun break or a condi clear before the Barrge is finished.

this build allows you to drain most of the group your targeting to use all there condi removals to get out of damaging Aoes.

the other option instead of Predators instinct , is keen edge , the reason for this is so you Can burst using Rapid fire without having to use Utlity the low amount of bleed , could be helpful to reduce any Weak regen but its main use is to avoid using a utlity when it is not needed)

hope this helps with your choices.

(edited by Zenos Osgorma.2936)