Guild Wars 2

Shouts, signets, and spirits are bad. Traps are good when traited. All other skills (mostly LR, QZ and Muddy Terrain) are okay-ish. That’s the opinion of someone who has clocked 500 hours on his ranger.

I agree with Holland (and with Informer, but that’s a whole other matter).

A new topic must need be created.

Racial elites have nothing to do with ranger’s elites. Besides, even the ranger’s elites as stronger than the human racial elites. Sad, truly, because I adore Melandru’s aesthetics.

I agree. Our viability in PvP, WvW and PvE are irrelevant compared to our need to have proper pet icons. Thankfully Anet fixed our eagle/hawk pets. Now if they fix the jellyfish as well, then we will finally be on par with the icons of other classes!

Moddo.7105:

Anyone else also notice with 1sec out of combat CD they took away the stow out of combat giving haste when entering combat and bring pet out of stow.

I cannot recall a stowed pet being unstowed ever granting you and your pet quickness.

Xante.2184:

does the pet know to try and bring up players and not downed npc’s first?

Don’t know. Don’t see how it’s relevant either. It’s a useless utility.

“Waaaaah, I actually have to pay a bit more attention to ranger pets now. Unfair!”

That’s pretty much all I’ve gathered from this thread.

firebreathz.7692:

same here.. my ranger can solo bunker guardians easy.. win almost every 1v1 or it ends up as a stalemate..

tbh i feel way op most of the time with my bunker bm build

Personal skill does not equate to the class being used being on par with other classes.

Seriously, when will people finally get this through their thick skulls?

Preaching to the choir, man. Preaching to the choir.

SafiMoyo.5130:

….but…. but I don’t like these answers! Why such a long cool down for a skill that already has so many restrictions on top of it?

Because we’re rangers, not thieves or guardians or warriors or elementalists or mesmers. We have the weakest signets, the weakest spirits, the weakest shouts, the weakest class-specific F2, the weakest traits, and the weakest weapons.

If you’re in the game to win, don’t play the ranger unless you enjoy being the underdog.

No reward here either. Was on 4/5 done, managed to kill a champion and gain a level at the same time, getting me to 6/5 done. Nothing.

Ranger is now the new flavor of the month class. Everyone will be rolling a ranger now that our birds have different icons. Great.

Aye, unfortunately the blue moa’s protection buff is a bit on the short side, but due to the AoE-vigor-on-swap trait it beats the black bear’s AoE weakness if you ask me. As for the red fury, it applies AoE fury for 15+ seconds, which is the best buff any ranger pet can give by a long shot.

Will definately experiment with it. Too bad the traits to increase trap effectiveness are in the wrong bloody tree though.

I’d definately take the red and the blue moa (fury buff and protection buff respectively) over any other pets if you want to be in a support role, especially considering you can trait to have them grant AoE vigor on pet swap (even more buffs for the team).

Other than that it seems like quite an interesting build.

The only reason I haven’t thrown away my ranger yet is because my mesmer and thief aren’t at 80 yet and I enjoy doing fractals.

Once my mesmer and/or thief is at 80, it’s character deletion time.

Florgknight.1589:

Path of scars on my power/precision/crit damage armor set did 2000 per hit, and it hits twice. Now it gets to do 8000 on double crits. The dagger is hardly mediocre, it gives you a dodge, cripple and two long lasting strong condition damage.

I highly doubt your PoS does that much damage.

There is also no reason at all to take dagger over warhorn or torch. Dagger is just infinitely worse.

But this is not a thread to discuss which weapon is worse. This thread is dedicated to evaluating the latest patch.

Guard: Pets will no longer guard areas that should be inaccessible to them.
This has always felt like it was not working as intended, and it seems Anet felt the same. Cats climbing walls as if they are spider-hybrids is unrealistic, even for a fantasy game. A well deserved change, albeit a massive nerf to some playstyles. However, Guard now officially has lost the only good use it had, so I’m hoping that the next patch will buff it in some other way. Nobody will be using this shout now.

Crippling Talon: Cooldown of this ability has been reduced from 18 seconds to 15 seconds.
A very, very minor buff to an attack of an off-hand nobody uses, and to be honest this buff does not give me any more reason to use this weapon. It is still incredibly lackluster, overshadowed in mediocrity only by the off-hand axe. I’m hoping that our dagger will be receiving more well-deserved buffs in the future, because as of now it is still one of our worst weapons. Either way, it is a good beginning.

Empathic Bond: Fixed a bug that wouldn’t apply transferred conditions to pets. This trait now transfers three conditions to the ranger’s pet every 10 seconds rather than all of them.
Ouch. A double nerf and a massive blow to many different builds. The first part of the change was admittedly a bug, as is stated in the description above, but it is still a massive nerf to the 0/0/30/10/30 build. If you are suffering from weakness, cripple, immobilize, or chilled, and EB ticks, then your pet, who is your main source of damage, can no longer do any worthwhile damage. Painful indeed, but this change was necessary.

What was not necessary however is the second part: nerfing EB from transferring ALL conditions to only THREE conditions. This change has pretty much killed one of the few good traits we have. I can only guess as to what Anet’s reasons for nerfing EB like this is, but I feel like it was undeserved.

Hawk and Eagle now have their own unique icons instead of sharing one.
It’s something, I suppose. Not much to comment on this one, other than it being a good change.

Path of Scars: This ability’s damage has been normalized between traited and non-traited versions. Damage has been increased by 85% when not traited.
Though a bigger buff than the buff to the off-hand dagger, it still leaves the off-hand axe swimming in mediocrity. Path of Scar’s damage could have been increased by 170%, and I would still not be using it. Why? Because it’s just a bit of damage. It doesn’t do anything else. It doesn’t help me survive. It doesn’t slow my opponent down. It does nothing. And besides, Whirling Defense is still a horrible skill against anything other than rangers and the occasional rifle warrior/shortbow thief. All in all, the off-hand axe could definately use some more love.

Icy Screech: The White Moa activated ability now applies 3 seconds of Chill, and the skill fact has been updated appropriately.
I’m not entirely certain whether this is a buff or a nerf, but either way I doubt anyone will be using this moa anywhere anyway. They’re simply too weak.

So, what conclusion can we draw from this patch? Well, overall we have been hit by the nerfbat, and we got barely anything in return. Shouts are still lackluster, as are signets, spirits, and none have even been looked at this patch. Our weapons have also remained virtually unchanged.

All in all, quite a disappointment, especially when considering literally every other class received nothing but love. But I suppose we are, and always will be, the adopted red-haired stepchild.

Bran.7425:

If Rangers are lucky just some tool tip fixes. If unlucky more ‘fixes’ that weaken the profession without compensation or explanation.

You were one hundred percent accurate.

Well, at least this solved the argument I was having with myself whether I would take Empathic Bond or Bark Skin. Empathic Bond is pretty bad now.

Saying and doing are two different things, Gran.

I myself am obviously hoping for some love for our spirits, signets, shouts, and various weapons nobody ever uses because they’re just plain bad, but I’ll be pleasantly surprised if even one of those earns a well-deserved buff.

If they’re going to do it the way Colin described, then a golden age for sword, greatsword, longbow, off-hand dagger, off-hand axe, spirits, signets, and shouts lies ahead.

Of course it’s ‘playable’. Even a class with only one ability is ‘playable’. That’s not the point. The point is that the ranger class is simply not up there with thieves, guardians, elementalists, warriors and mesmers. Instead, we’re down here with engineers and necromancers.

From my experience cats hit even less than birds versus moving targets.

But could you answer my question regarding drakes? Obviously their burst is less than the bird’s, but it does apply weakness in addition to granting you almost 1400 health when tail swiping within your healing spring. I’m just wondering whether that’s worth it. The vigor, swiftness, and burst from the birds are very, very nice after all.

A staff with skills which focus on boons and heals would greatly complement the class. Unfortunately I fear new weapons are reserved for future expansions.

Watched the first video. Great work. I cannot help but wonder though, considering you’re such a big fan of HS with combo finisher: have you tried using double Drakes with the trait Compassion Training? Laying down the field and summoning the drake should almost instantly grant you 1390 health.

capuchinseven.8395:

jkctmc.8754:

<face meets palm>

I know, I did the same when I read what you’d come up with!

I don’t know who started this childish argument, nor do I care.

Contribute to the topic or get out.

Your style of writing as as silly as the build you proposed.

Let me be brutally honest.

- Usefulness (Which Spirit buffs/abilities do you like? Why?)

All spirits are pretty much a waste of a utility slot, with the exception of the elite spirit which has its rare uses in PvE.

- Synergy (What other skills/traits really help to make a Spirit a bit more viable? Think outside the box, not just the more health/movement/etc.)

None besides the ones in the NM tree which directly improve it.

- Strategy (What kind of placement/timing/purpose might you use a Spirit for?)

For when I’m bored and feel like playing an ever more gimped ranger.

- Context (Second to strategy, different uses for PvE, WvW, sPvP?)

In PvE they can sometimes get one of their mediocre procs off before getting killed by AoE or trash.

In PvP or WvW they either die because of some random AoE or accidental swing of a greatsword, or they get focussed down within a split second.

What is this hunter class you keep going on about, Scoot?

Jay.3284:

Agadar.4931:

Jay.3284:

Agadar.4931:

On the contrary. I’ve been the target of many compliments, some of which complimented my class as well.

Dungeons in this game are easy. It’s more about player skill than a class’s abilities.

Your “skill” will be better of use on any of the other classes

I’ve tried leveling every other class, but for some reason I keep getting drawn back to the ranger.

That doesn’t mean the class is not terrible compared to the others.

Of course it doesn’t. The ranger class is friggin terrible. There are so many flaws with it that I sympathize with the developers for not even begin trying to clean this mess.

And yet I love the ranger with all my heart.

Jay.3284:

Agadar.4931:

On the contrary. I’ve been the target of many compliments, some of which complimented my class as well.

Dungeons in this game are easy. It’s more about player skill than a class’s abilities.

Your “skill” will be better of use on any of the other classes

I’ve tried leveling every other class, but for some reason I keep getting drawn back to the ranger.

Daemon.4295:

I totally agree that trap traits should be moved to WS but I wouldn’t hold my breath for it, re-structuring trait lines is a complex task that can damage class balance across the game if done incorrectly. Are we even sure it wasn’t done intentionally to limit trap damage?

If that was the case they could’ve just nerfed trap damage instead of putting their corresponding traits in the wrong friggin tree.

For some reason this annoys me even more than our slow arrows, braindead pets, and the numerous other issues we have.

Lunchbox.9543:

“I second Dante’s argument that no other class has a trait system so incredibly messed up as the ranger’s.”

That made me chuckle, as it is our traits at least work, maybe misplaced, but they function. Necro’s have nine broken traits. Although I do agree that the trait system needs tweaks for our class.

We have plenty of traits which do not function.

You don’t get badges for finishing, Infernia. You get badges for having dealt damage against a finished opponent. Note that you don’t ALWAYS get badges. In fact, two out of three times I don’t get any.

Daemon.4295:

Agadar.4931:

On the contrary. I’ve been the target of many compliments, some of which complimented my class as well.

Dungeons in this game are easy. It’s more about player skill than a class’s abilities.

This, absolutely. I’ve never gotten any sort of complaints for being a Ranger, whereas I’ve seen people kicked on multiple occasions for being new to a dungeon.

Admittedly though I have received negative feedback in the Jade Maw fractal due to my pet getting targeted all the time. Even my spirits are sometimes targeted. We suffer more from this than mesmers (phantasms and clones) and necromancers (pets) because they can decide not to use minion-summoning abilities, whereas we cannot stow our pet.

We’re on our own. Expect nothing from the devs. We’ll carve our own destinies.

Greatsword is a defensive weapon. True, Swoop is an amazing gap-closer, but you’re better off switching to Sword once you’ve reached your enemies.

On the contrary. I’ve been the target of many compliments, some of which complimented my class as well.

Dungeons in this game are easy. It’s more about player skill than a class’s abilities.

If spirits were viable, most dungeon-running rangers would instantly swap to a spirit build or at least use spirits.

I tried out spirits plenty enough. Most of the time they died to AoE or trash, even when placed strategically. If their buffs were powerful enough to warrant their fragility, then I would be alright with it. But they’re not.

Very slightly buffed, mainly the Greatsword.

Chopps.5047:

Agadar.4931:

Chopps.5047:

arrownin.3128:

It’s ALRIGHT. The number 4 skill isn’t all that special, and you might as well just auto attack instead of using the 4 skill. However Whirling Defense is great for ranged defense, and it also hits for a lot of damage in a pinch!

I’ve done over twenty 1000+ crits with a single toss of offhand axe #4. If there’s a tightly grouped mob, that thing is actually quite beastly.

And regarding agadar’s hurtful rhetoric, I have Bark Skin. My invitation to help you is always open.

If you think that making big crits is what counts in this game, boy do I have news for you.

When did I say that? Seriously, the point you brought up is an entirely different discussion. I think I know why you responded that way. You think I’m saying to use offhand axe all the time “FOR BIG CRITS”. That’s not at all what I’m saying. I’m saying that in the right situations, offhand axe is a good weapon and certainly not terrible and you are trying to claim.

Agadar, the fact is that sometimes you have to kill a large pile of trash mobs. Clearly, a bouncing axe dishing out 1000 point damage to a dozen enemies is a good thing or else warriors wouldn’t use 100 blades and elementalists wouldn’t use Meteor Shower.

You have to realize that everything in this game is situational. There is no “one profession that pwns them all”. There is no “one weapon that is the always the optimal/best for every situation”. There is no player than can perpetually tank a boss, so why should your pet? These are all things, in my opinion, that you ask for, based on your comment history. ANET isn’t going to make ranger OP just for you, man!

In the right situation, butt-chocolate might save your life during a fight.

That doesn’t make butt-chocolate a viable weapon now does it?

Chopps.5047:

arrownin.3128:

It’s ALRIGHT. The number 4 skill isn’t all that special, and you might as well just auto attack instead of using the 4 skill. However Whirling Defense is great for ranged defense, and it also hits for a lot of damage in a pinch!

I’ve done over twenty 1000+ crits with a single toss of offhand axe #4. If there’s a tightly grouped mob, that thing is actually quite beastly.

And regarding agadar’s hurtful rhetoric, I have Bark Skin. My invitation to help you is always open.

If you think that making big crits is what counts in this game, boy do I have news for you.

yandere.9176:

By the way I would argue the middle spot in the borderlands is usually an advantage and not a disadvantage.

Well kitten why else would you want to take it?

Chopps.5047:

Agadar.4931:

Main hand axe is used because its the only ranged main hand we have to accompany a torch or a warhorn with. The only reason we walk around with it is because it’s better than walking around empty-handed.

Off-hand axe however is pretty terrible. #4 just does a pitiful amount of damage and the #5, while having some PvE applications due to the vulnerability and the predictedness of bosses with projectile attacks, it’s terrible in PvP and WvW because nobody is going to stand still in front of you, and even if they do, any warrior, rogue or even guardian worth their salt will outDPS you.

It’s sad, because I absolutely adore the #5 aesthetic-wise.

Wow, agadar, really? You think offhand axe is terrible? I think you need to guest with me. No wonder you struggle with ranger. Please, guest with me so I can teach you how to play this profession. Also, here’s proof of the usefulness of offhand axe in a dungeon all rangers should be running:

https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Dungeon-Guide-for-Rangers-Caudecus-Manor

I don’t think the teachings of someone who believes the off-hand axe to be viable will in any shape or form be benevolent to me.

capuchinseven.8395:

lol wow, the internet comeback equivalent of “no you are!” to “you’re ugly”. Nice work man.

Thanks. Took me a little while to formulate my perfect come-back, but I think it was worth it.

Main hand axe is used because its the only ranged main hand we have to accompany a torch or a warhorn with. The only reason we walk around with it is because it’s better than walking around empty-handed.

Off-hand axe however is pretty terrible. #4 just does a pitiful amount of damage and the #5, while having some PvE applications due to the vulnerability and the predictedness of bosses with projectile attacks, it’s terrible in PvP and WvW because nobody is going to stand still in front of you, and even if they do, any warrior, rogue or even guardian worth their salt will outDPS you.

It’s sad, because I absolutely adore the #5 aesthetic-wise.

Naldor.7865:

But I wonder about the ranger’s Trap build, isn’t it overall good?

It’s a viable build. For a ranger, that is.

capuchinseven.8395:

Agadar.4931:

capuchinseven.8395:

Agadar.4931:

Durzlla.6295:

Only the ranger forums are so stupid they think their prof is broken, despite the sPvP forum saying good rangers are completely unbeatable in 1v1 when they’re using a trapper build…

Keep trying to make everyone else believe it’s the profs fault bad rangers, but it’s not working.

Only idiots who don’t know how to play can’t defeat a trap ranger, or any ranger for that matter.

Right, we only fight idiots and you fight pros, even though we all play the same sPVP teams the same tPVP teams and a wide range of players on WvW servers (T1 and 2 in my case), makes perfect sense. thumbs up

The sooner you admit you’re just bad with the ranger and move on, the better for you.

And yet I’d still beat you 1v1.

LOL wow look at you puffing up your chest and putting on your deepest man voice.

Look at you being at your edgiest.

Got killed thrice within the span of half an hour, all due to a zergfest descending upon me out of thin air.

It’s much worse than before.