Please note that english isn’t my mother tongue (so pls be patient with mistakes :P), but since the german forum isn’t as intresting as the english one, i rather post here
Firstly, i play this game for fun and not for competition. I’m not one of these guys who wants to achieve the highest damage numbers, nor being unkillable. I’m not a theory crafter who sits hours infront of statistics to get most of my build. I just play and that’s what most people should do…
Most of the community thinks, that dps is everything and refuses to accept player who don’t follow the warrior/mesmer berserker speedrun meta (referring to pve since it’s what i mostly play). Reading posts like “Don’t think that you’re going to get invited into a speedrun as a kittenin ranger.” Well, i play a ranger for fun and not for pure stats. I have fun with it and won’t become one of those 08/15 berserker greatsword/rifle warriors. Sure i won’t kill stuff as fast as they do, but that isn’t my goal at all.
I play a ranger, cause not everyone can do it. To manage a “useless pet” and dealing “incredibly low damage” i see myself still more usefull than most berserker Warriors are. I know my class in and out, have over 5 armor sets and a huge amount of diffrent bows, swords, axes, etc. I rather deal consistent damage without dieing, than being a berserker who needs to be revived 10 times during a bossfight cause he can’t dodge properly.
Sure, the ranger needs a lot of improvements such as not being forced to use the pet (when taking damage), being able to manage all pet skills and improving pet AI, … (the list is long)
But (and that is why i post this), i play my ranger and i have fun with it. That’s why i play this game, cause it’s meant to make fun. For those, who want to be most efficient, feel free to play whatever you want, but don’t critizies me, for playing what i like.
For guys new to the ranger, don’t hold back to play a class, only because people say it is bad. Try it, learn it and then make your own decision