Guild Wars 2

Hello,
new lv 80 thief, green/blue condition gear, PvE focused for now, I need a way to survive in the water, while I gather resources.

So the questions are:
- melee / ranged weapon and WHY?
- what utility skills would fit that weapon?

Thank you for your time.

When I gather resources, typically I use Shadow Refuge. Underwater, I almost always use a harpoon gun because you can seemingly kite forever with it.