Guild Wars 2

I think this is becoming a thing, as people are anticipating the buffs to ranged DPS, so I thought I’d share what I’ve found is effective vs a comp like this as a D/P

Vs teams with two (or more) ranged DPS builds, like Shatter and Power Ranger for example, I find myself contributing minimally in team fights, unless an enemy is out of position and they can be focused from melee range. Most of the time you’ll find yourself needing to use shortbow poking their front line. Land your weakness combos as best you can.

It’ll be infrequent at best that there will be openings worth taking. Spiking at the 50% threshold is the best you’ll get, but don’t reveal yourself if possible. Try a ranged cluster bomb and time your BPHS into Steal to land just after the cluster bomb hits. You’ll be stealthed, so you can’t be targeted. Obviously if you’re anticipating a heal to be incoming, just make the steal and DPS away after the interrupt. Then get away from the body, because there will likely be heavy cleave. Don’t use Shadow Step in team fights unless absolutely necessary, because then you lose on opportunity to decap.

One of your best options is to decap, which is easier said then done vs two intelligently position ranged DPS builds (and depending on map). If you are caught decapping without having shadow step and SR available (even after you decap), you should be dead. You’ll likely pull one of the ranged builds. You should leave at this point, because if you get baited into a fight, it’s usually in the enemy teams best interest to commit the second to you once you engage. If you find yourself without SR in that situation you’re likely dead. Shadow step might save you depending on the map and if you have enough initiative to infiltrator’s arrow a time or two.

Ideally you’d get the decap, and they’d send both at you, but a smart team will send one with the other on standbye. Once you get the decap you just want to leave. Then ideally you’d go after the second ranged dps build while the other is recapping the point from you, and your team should support you on the other ranged DPS. But be ready to port away with something, because you’ll quickly need to once the fight shifts to you and the other ranged DPSer.

Ideally, this will at least force the opposing team away from the point where the fight is happening. Smarter teams that play two ranged DPSers is h@rd on a comp with a D/P thief in my experience, mainly because you’re so vulnerable and usually outpositioned. I don’t know how S/D fairs, but I’d imagine it could be worthwhile to jump into team fights if you can pull their focus while maintaining evade frames.

Your team should fair better in skirmish situations where there are fights of 2s and 3s. Be careful if in a 3v3 with the two ranged dps profs.

A lot depends on the rest of each comp, but I thought I’d share some of what I’ve been noticing.

honestly, thief isn’t designed for teamfights. you should be backcapping and intercepting while your team handles the teamfights. if you wanna help though, choking gas + cluster bomb on point breaks down the opposing team’s offense and healing all at once.

of course, if for some reason you have to go to a teamfight, you have to reach for the guys on the backline of the enemy team (who will hopefully be distracted by your own team). thief in teamfights is a harasser, not a dealbreaker.

I find my role as a thief in teamfights is indeed going for the enemys backline which will include the Ranged DPS (Power rangers, shatter mesmers, …). This kind of dps will likely also stay at the edge of the fight since they probably also will be zerkers (Power ranger/ Shatter mester) and with our teleport abilities we are perfectly equipped to get to them fast and take them out. The art is however not to get focussed before you reach them, and this si where clever use of kiting, terrain, stealth and teleports come in.