Guild Wars 2

Sup everyone.

I’ll get straight to the point. The rifle getting its Kill-Shot buffed was a godsend, and Brutal Shot buff was the icing on the cake.

But despite the many nerfs to longbow, and the slow but sure buffs to rifle, the long range weapons of Warrior are not quite where I personally envision them to be. Mainly, Longbow has an overwhelming utility advantage through conditions that the rifle cannot surpass. In a damage aspect, the rifle still falls short despite the fairly decent uptime on vulnerability which other professions readily provide.

The question is, what needs to happen to make Rifle Warrior a thing?

Normally, I would go through a narrative on my position, but as I said before, I’ll get to the points:

- Across the board, on all rifle skills raw damage needs to go up, the power of the skills needs to be higher than the damage of the conditions of the longbow. This means 1, 3, and Burst needs a strong flat damage buff, scaling is fine. The reasoning behind this is that while Rifle provides raw damage, the utility and conditions behind Longbow make it a more sustained weapon. You go Longbow when you want to wear out your foe to death, Rifle is for the quick burst kill with more damage outright.

- The Rifle does not have much synergy with the warrior skills. ….That’s not fair, what I should say is that the warrior skills that mesh with the Rifle, suck. It is apparent that the Physical Skills have a role in how a Rifle Warrior would work, but on both a cooldown or utility basis, the physical skills are outmatched by other utilities, which are better with other weapons! The Longbow remains viable just because it has far more use in far more situations. If the Physical Skills were actually buffed in-line with what we saw Berserker Stance receive, we would see rifle make an actual awakening!

Even if the Rifle had the same amount of damage as the Longbow, it would still be inferior due to the conditions the longbow inflicts, utility does matter in both PvP and actually in PvE in some situations. Rifle needs help, maybe not in both of these sides but in ONE of these.

Thank you.

I think rifle damage is fine. In fact, Killshot does more damage than Eviscerate and it’s easier to land now :/

Rifle 2 and 4 are really boring though.

rifle does not need it’s -damage- buffed of all things, the burst it can provide is high and it’s not like warrior’s need to commit to their swap for the full 10 seconds.

what it would be nice to receive is better utility.

What really kills rifle for me is actually the auto attack.
It’s damage is OKish but it is just sooooo slow
Trying to hit anything that knows how to move usually ends in missing, so hitting thing like S/D thief becomes impossible, and you end up never using it at all.
I would gladly trade half dmg for half cast time for this skill, the procs from air/fire are what doing most dmg anyway

Just give me spear+harpoon on land. That combo is a beast with it skill synergy. Something that gs+rifle will never archieve.

I’d say Rifle is best compared to Ranger longbow. And you can easily see that every skill on rifle is incredible weak compared to their longbow counterpart;

- The autoattack from longbow, even when at the lowest possible range, is still 12% stronger then rifle and has better scaling. At 1000+ range? 67% stronger and twice the scaling.
- Volley, when compared to Rapid Fire also seems incredibly weak. RF has about 20% more damage and 25% better scaling, on top of adding 10 stacks of vulnerability. More hits also add more possibilities to proc, and you can get 1500 range for this skill.
-Point Blank shot and Rifle Butt. Rifle gets a 130 range knockback of 400 and a lil more damage. PBS gets 400 knockback at the worst possible range, going up to 600 when closest, and you can get a traited range for this skill of 1200.
-Brutal shot is incorporated into Rapid Fire, thus opening up a slot for great utility in the form of Stealth on a ranged attack.
-Add to all this that longbow has a lot of good traits for it, and rifle has only 1 (which is good, I’ll give it that), and rifle is just the ugly duckling amongst warrior weapons. It comes off as if the devs once said; ’Let’s give the warrior a rifle! – No, they have no more room left for traits… – Who cares, IT’S A KILLSHOT!!!’

All in all, I can not believe that differences in class allow for such a crooked comparison in weapon skills. Sure, Rifle gets killshot, but this is the single most telegraphed skill in the game, and even with the casttime reduction, you still have to fight a plant to get it off reliably.

I don’t think longbow is OP, although I do think Rapid Fire has dumbed down the ranger class to the point of a PU condi mesmer.

Giving Volley vulnerability stacks, thus opening up a much needed utility slot for rifle would be a step into the right direction.

I know hardly anything about anything, but I agree the rifle still needs a little more buffing.

I would say the only skills that need to be looked at are Fierce Shot and Aimed Shot. The damage on the AA is simply not that good considering its rate of fire. Either that rate needs to go up, or the damage does. I guess the intended synergy with skill Aimed Shot was with Leg Specialist, but what build has room to bring that trait when you’re already wanting to put most of your points in damage skills?

Maybe giving Aimed Shot 2 stacks of vulnerability with a 15 1/2 second duration would work. It wouldn’t make the skill do too much more, but being able to stack a bit more vuln would make it synergize with Brutal Shot. Witht hat, you may not even have to change the AA because the vuln would make it hit harder anyways. The weapon would become one that leads to a steady increase of damage as the fight does on if they don’t cleanse the vuln and ends with a devastating Kill Shot.

A thing they could do is introduce a new grandmaster-trait which makes killshot being able to be executed while moving. This should be in the Arms traitline.

Ash ketchum.2051:

A thing they could do is introduce a new grandmaster-trait which makes killshot being able to be executed while moving. This should be in the Arms traitline.

if something like this implemented, i would have a field day with my warrior lol.

Ash ketchum.2051:

A thing they could do is introduce a new grandmaster-trait which makes killshot being able to be executed while moving. This should be in the Arms traitline.

Yeah i will definitely going to pick up a gm trait to enhance 1 ability. I hope you were joking

Scoobaniec.9561:

Ash ketchum.2051:

A thing they could do is introduce a new grandmaster-trait which makes killshot being able to be executed while moving. This should be in the Arms traitline.

Yeah i will definitely going to pick up a gm trait to enhance 1 ability. I hope you were joking

well, look at thief.
killshot while moving and farther reduce cast time
lul
0.5 cast time killshot, kaboom

BurrTheKing.8571:

I would say the only skills that need to be looked at are Fierce Shot and Aimed Shot. The damage on the AA is simply not that good considering its rate of fire. Either that rate needs to go up, or the damage does. I guess the intended synergy with skill Aimed Shot was with Leg Specialist, but what build has room to bring that trait when you’re already wanting to put most of your points in damage skills?

Maybe giving Aimed Shot 2 stacks of vulnerability with a 15 1/2 second duration would work. It wouldn’t make the skill do too much more, but being able to stack a bit more vuln would make it synergize with Brutal Shot. Witht hat, you may not even have to change the AA because the vuln would make it hit harder anyways. The weapon would become one that leads to a steady increase of damage as the fight does on if they don’t cleanse the vuln and ends with a devastating Kill Shot.

I think more vulnerability on rifle would not make it stronger. You just stack vulnerability better, but it is still one and the same condition. One cleanse, and all your stacking is gone.

I feel like the Rifle was actually better before they replaced Bleeding Shot. Mistake, IMO. Come to think of it, the autoattack on the Longbow is stupidly weak also. I wonder why.

Edit- actually, the reason is obvious. A weak autoattack means poor sustained DPS. They most likely want to discourage warriors from staying at long range for long periods, which means forcing their ranged weapons into utilitarian roles.

Einlanzer.1627:

I feel like the Rifle was actually better before they replaced Bleeding Shot. Mistake, IMO. Come to think of it, the autoattack on the Longbow is stupidly weak also. I wonder why.

Edit- actually, the reason is obvious. A weak autoattack means poor sustained DPS. They most likely want to discourage warriors from staying at long range for long periods, which means forcing their ranged weapons into utilitarian roles.

Ironically, longbow is not a ranged weapon if you use it well. You have to be close to your enemy (and preferably keep them close) to get any real damage from your longbow. #2 hits more arrows if you’re in melee range. #3 misses if you are not in melee range, they can just walk away. #5 is easier to hit when close (less travel time = less dodge time). Burst skill is a large AoE field that you want to combo your #3 and other might stuff in. So yeah, when 4 out of 6 skills are best used in melee, GG on giving us a ranged weapon Anet.

The only reliable utility longbow provides is condi cleansing though. Other then that, you get some serious zone control from it, which is only viable in conquest pvp.

On the auto attack, they sell it by saying it generates adrenaline quicker because it hits twice. Yay.

Cygnus.6903:

Einlanzer.1627:

I feel like the Rifle was actually better before they replaced Bleeding Shot. Mistake, IMO. Come to think of it, the autoattack on the Longbow is stupidly weak also. I wonder why.

Edit- actually, the reason is obvious. A weak autoattack means poor sustained DPS. They most likely want to discourage warriors from staying at long range for long periods, which means forcing their ranged weapons into utilitarian roles.

Ironically, longbow is not a ranged weapon if you use it well. You have to be close to your enemy (and preferably keep them close) to get any real damage from your longbow. #2 hits more arrows if you’re in melee range. #3 misses if you are not in melee range, they can just walk away. #5 is easier to hit when close (less travel time = less dodge time). Burst skill is a large AoE field that you want to combo your #3 and other might stuff in. So yeah, when 4 out of 6 skills are best used in melee, GG on giving us a ranged weapon Anet.

The only reliable utility longbow provides is condi cleansing though. Other then that, you get some serious zone control from it, which is only viable in conquest pvp.

On the auto attack, they sell it by saying it generates adrenaline quicker because it hits twice. Yay.

Yeah I noticed this as well, which really doesn’t make any sense. It’s cool that it’s versatile I suppose, but the fact that it’s better in melee than it is at range is rather absurd.

Lots of feedback here, which seems to be a general consensus that there is something still lacking when you give a Warrior a Rifle.

Before going back to the Rifle, I want to address my thoughts on the Longbow. Specifically, I don’t expect warriors to use the Longbow in the precise and dexterous manner rangers do. You can definitely see the longbow being used for more wide-spread, AoE functionality to the point where it almost seems like a ‘shotgun’ for the Warrior, get in close and personal to light things up.

The Rifle if we were to go by this idea, would try to emulate what a ranger does. Maybe not quite the range, but there is certainly either a lack of power, or a lack of effect when a Warrior turns his sights on someone, with the exception of Killshot which I feel is just right in its current state.

Personally, as I said before Warrior needs either the rifle to do damage, maybe even in the areas of its auto and its volley only. Or, it needs to be able to have slightly better synergy with the profession as a whole, or act as its own independent VIABLE build.

I been doing some various tests with the Rifle for a time now, and I really, really would think it might be wise if they swapped out Leg Specialist with something in either Strength or Arms. That one trait gives Rifle 2 and the Rifle as a whole an amazing utility that makes sense for landing Killshot, yet it somehow lands in the tree you really wouldn’t want to go into for running a rifle build. That alone would be a good first step.

One idea would be Powerful Banners and Leg Specialist Swap, Tactics will get a 3rd trait for banner build, and Rifle gets a much needed trait in Strength tree.

Rifle needs a target to hit reliably. Piercing Killshot is good on paper but is not easy to pull off even against a WvW zerg. It lacks cleaving for the okay damage it deals.
Make rifle AA cleaving like a shotgun (limited to 5) then maybe it becomes viable.

1. and #4 damage is smaller than the others.

Suggestion:
Make traited rifle do a Spread or a Cone AoE.
Make Killshot piercing by default OR hit the intended target regardless of meat in between except for obstractions like walls or trees.

http://www.twitch.tv/blacktruth009/c/6099867

You decide whether rifle is bad or not. Rifle definitely gives Warrior an edge right now on landing DPS.

Around 2:07:20 for rifle potential vs. a top player.

BlackTruth.6813:

http://www.twitch.tv/blacktruth009/c/6099867

You decide whether rifle is bad or not. Rifle definitely gives Warrior an edge right now on landing DPS.

Around 2:07:20 for rifle potential vs. a top player.

I decide that the Rifle got buffed but it is not yet there.

Sorry the video was not showing the optimal potential of the rifle. VaANSs sold the idea better in http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ReYGfRGiuNw

Sykper.6583:

One idea would be Powerful Banners and Leg Specialist Swap, Tactics will get a 3rd trait for banner build, and Rifle gets a much needed trait in Strength tree.

This is actually a really good idea towards making Rifle more viable.

A lot of dedicated rifle users, such as myself, stopped using their rifles when the changes came in. The fact that it can no longer be used with a killshot opener makes the weapon useless for sniping. Additionally, the loss of the bleed shot was a real kick to people who actually made use of that.

It became a dedicated damage weapon that….doesn’t actually do very good damage except with the occasional killshot that lands. Compare to the ranger bow option, rifle is clearly a poor imitation.

Rifle is a dead weapon and its a shame, because I benched my GS/Rifle warrior since that time and haven’t played it since.

Rifle has always been a trash weapon for warrior.

I’d support it being buffed, sure.

From a utility perspective it’s one of the most boring weapons in the entire game.

it only needs a better autoattack and maybe a shorter CD on rifle butt imho, or just a better autoattack.

skill 2-4 are boring but still useful (and guaranteed projectiles), skill 3 is a decent burst. killshot is also a lot nicer now with the reduced casting time.

always keep in mind warrior only needs to have a rifle in it’s hands for 5 seconds and the biggest weakness the rifle has (melee pressure) is countered by swapping. the only thing it really lacks is sustained pressure when skill 3 is on CD and that’s where the better autoattack would be a solution.

adding weakness to any of the rifle skills would also be a nice touch (possibly something like 4 sec on rifle 5).

rifle dps may be low but there aren’t many spec able to kill you 1v1 at range, most classes with better range damage are also several times squishier than the squishiest of warriors.

I think the rifles AA is fine, if anything 3 should get a buffed base damage and scaling.

This would also be easier to balance for pvp since 3 offers more counterplay and could therefore be buffed much harder than 1.

Ability wise, the rifle always seemed like a raw dps weapon to me, its weird that bow does more damage and has quite a bit of aoe and burns.

Not that you can directly compare class weapons… but just putting rifle warrior next to longbow ranger is pretty sad. Ranger longbow is superior is pretty much everything except missing killshot… but of course they have totally different class/F1 mechanics to replace it.

Brigg.6189:

Not that you can directly compare class weapons… but just putting rifle warrior next to longbow ranger is pretty sad. Ranger longbow is superior is pretty much everything except missing killshot… but of course they have totally different class/F1 mechanics to replace it.

Just gonna quote myself here.

Cygnus.6903:

All in all, I can not believe that differences in class allow for such a crooked comparison in weapon skills.