Playing Soulbeast at Beta weekend i’m find him very entertaining, but i’m find myself strugling to get used to new keys in Beastmode.
Just look at attached picture and you understand what i mean.
I think here some design issues in keybinding in transition between core Ranger and Soulbeast.
One of first questions puzzled me first was:
Why our core Ranger F2 beast ability became F3 beast ability in Beastmode?
And i think here lies some serious game and human player mechanic issues, not just ordinary “you just need time to get used to new keys”.
Let’s take a look at our core Ranger F1 F2 and F3 abilityes:
F1 and F3 is command pet abilityes, their our main control tools to our core class mechanic – Attack and Passive Pet moves.
Good Rangers know how valuable that skills, they give us everything to make sure that we save pet from AoE, attack, reagro, don’t attack targets which we don’t want to attack, switch targets and etc.
They have 0 cd and we push them very often, to ensure that our pet is listen to us, we get used to it.
If we try to classify them, they our Minor skills – important and used heavely, but don’t have great impact at it self.
Because they have “on/off” switch nature, usually people keybind them very close to each other.
On opposite, our F2 beast skill is used very rarely, because of some CD on this skill and because of his tactical usage.
This is our Major skill, we use it rarely and it can give great impact, like with traits or just some skill itself (Smoke Assault for smoke filed or Bristleback burst)
Sometimes we even keep it, because our pet just not in range to use it.
So we have F1 and F3 Minor Skills and F2 Major skill.
Minor Major Minor order.
And things suddenly became odd in swithching to Beastmode:
F1 dosn’t changes at all – most of “Pet F3” skills is additional attack with low CD, so transitioning from default Core Ranger F1 Pet attack to Soulbeast F1 attack dosn’t give us reason to struggle.
Here things starts feels wierd:
F2 our Rarely used Core Ranger skill, all time as we play ranger we don’t use it so often, but now it became our Second “Pet F4” Soulbeast spammable skill with reasonable CD like 15-20 seconds.
Our Core Ranger F3, which can be used very rarely, became very important Soubeast F3 Beast skill.
I find it hard for myself mentaly switch to cituation where Button controlling our Pet Passive state became important Clutch Skill.
And here lies strugling to control and remebering it everytime switching in and out of Beastmode.
Order became Minor, Minor, Major, from Minor, Major, Minor.
And even Pet Portrait switch sides to opposite.
For example Druid’s Celestial Avatar not bring that problems, because he just change whole weapon bar to even simular skills.
Autoattack became “heal autoattack”, skils 2-5 feels just like another weapon.
But in transition from Core Ranger Gameplay, where F1 and F3 used heavy and F2 used rarely we switch to Soulbeast Gameplay, where all skills important, but F2 became F3.
“F1/F3” core Ranger Keybind, which used with “on/off” mindset, in Soulbeastmode became separate skills “F1 And F3”, where F3 more important than F1.
And because of this i can’t solve my keybinding problem:
My Core Ranger F1/F3 keybind setup lies on my Mouse Button 4 and Mouse Button 5, right under my right hand thumb.
I’m used to change my pet direction on and off in one click.
My Core Ranger Beastskill F2 is MiddleMouseButton, because usually it have 20-30 second CD and that perfect spot for me.
If i’m change to Beastmode, my MouseButton4 F1 became one more attack skill, that’s ok, but my close to it MouseButton5 F3 became important F3 beast skill!
But i’m already have important Core Ranger Beastskill F2 on my MiddleMouseButton!
And my MiddleMouseButton F2 Beast Skill became Spammable F2 skill in Soulbeast mode.
Look at picture below again.
I can’t rebind it as i used to it, because switching to Beastmode keep F1-F5 skills at their positions.
Maximum that i can do for myself is just add Alt+click everything to second bind column, to recreate order to which i get used, but i just dosn’t like remembering to press even more buttons again.
I know, because of limited Beta time i don’t adapt quickly, but i still think here is some design flaws.
If that changes be made, things become very easy to remember.
Our Pet f2 is out Soulbeast f2
Our Pet f1 attack is our Soulbeast f1 attack type skill
Our Pet f3 passive can be attack or save skill (Like bears Defy Pain F4 pet skill if Soulbeast F2 skill) in Soulbeast mode.
Pet portrait stays at same position, where our eyes used to see him.
I’m was playing 8/24/2017 too, have 30 normal games before, was druid too and yes, have 10 game lose streak too.
Dev can check my account data. 1490-1550 Rating. Always was platinum 1 in pvp seasons.
I’m not that good player, but i always have 60% wr at all seasons, i think it was pretty fair.
But that day game constantly give setups like 2 druids in my team vs their 2 thiefs in their team, same people 4-5 games in row in my team and so on.
I really can tell that people in my team not that good, it’s not bias or toxic, usually it was 1-2 players, sometimes 3. And druid class is not that good with bad team, you know, he’s not that playmaker.
Were was 3 fair close games, where we lose because we lose, like 450-500, but all others was stomps with 250-300/500 without single ray of hope.
People don’t know how to kill dead people, don’t know rotations, don’t know map objectives, which poped at right corner of monitor.
I’m on support druid have medal for most kills and offence in one losed match!
Some games we lead first 3 minutes, when something happen and people just stop play and start die.
3/4 thiefs in my games were Caltrops-traps (?) thief builds, they really feel broken, he just came to any point and spam dagger 3 and stack tons of conditions. And most importantly – tons of Immobolise, like what?!
I’m as mender druid can’t die, but he cant too and all his evades dosn’t prevent point capture, like block and invurability skills. As druid i’m use Stealth often so in any cases i lost point.
3/4 of time anyone coming to help me with that thief just die. Just stand in all his small aoe and die.
And killing that type of thief is problematic, because he is on constant evade frame without window to catch him. Only with 2-3 people with mass of CC we can deal with him, but he have his team too!
It was most terribe pvp experience at all time i was play in pvp.
And Queue Time between games was very strange. Sometime it was 1-2 minutes, sometimes in pops like in next 10 seconds after game ends and take me with same 1-2 people again.
Let’s talk about that we as Rangers want as f2 pet skill and pets f3-f4 as soulbeast skills from new and maybe old pets and our overall feelings and suggestions about it.
Some of new pets, like Gazelle, Iboga, Jacaranda look awesome and have all their 4 skills unique and impactful.
I dosn’t have a single bad opinion about them. They all awesome.
Gazelle is very fun deer type with charges and many stuns. I think it’s our breakbar control pet like electric wyvern.
Beastmode skills nice, low cd nuke and low cd charge with daze.
Iboga is just awesome. Good control-pull f2 skill with 1200 range, very high condition spam and autoattack damage scaling with condiions on target, very, very nice.
Beastmode skills is okay too – finally some access to spammable confusion.
Jacanda my favorite now – f2 is Ancient Seeds on demand.
Beastmode – very good high damage AoE nuke with low cd and heavy selfheal.
But our new Feline pets – Sand Lion and Cheetah feels really lacking.
Why they still have boring vanilla gw2 (!) Feline archetype skills?
They unique magic creatures, they not HoT Tiger, which dosn’t have magic powers.
Why they have really promicing f2 skills and they both locked behind 30 and 35s CD?
I’m want start this thread just because of mixed feelings about Cheetah:
It have amazing f2 – Savanah Strike - awesome shadowstep skill – but rest is boring generic Feline skills, which to them we gain access in Beastmode, but not to shadowstep.
Isn’t this remind you how we begging in HoT to swap Smokescale Shadow Assault and Smokefield, just to have access to smokefield and we were totally fine with Auto Smokeasault skill? And we were right and Devs listen to us.
I think here’s again same situation – we need have acces to that shadowstep in beastmode.
This pet also needs special threatment as Smokeskale and Bristleback and rest of new pets, which ALL have their skills new and unique.
We easy control our Smokescale Shadow Assault, why this pet have simular skill on his f2 and not in f3-f4 position, to make it accesable in our Beastmode?
His f2 is complicated. Damage is low, it have double strike, which dosn’t stack with some of our mechanic – Opening Strikes and Attack of Opportunity buff.
He give swiftness buff to 5 targets on shadowstep landing position, not from he starts, but it’s debatable choice.
My suggestion is split that overtuned f2 to rest of pet skills:
General f2 is shadowstep with single source of high damage with reasonable cd, like 15-20s.
f3 make another low cd 10-15s shadowstep with low damage double strike – for Beastmode
f4 make strike which grant swiftness – for Beastmode
Or pet f2 can be more support style skill, or some defencive field generator around pet
My main point – current f2 needs to move to 3-4 position, to be later used in Beastmode.
How it can be awesome and fun equip both Smokescale and Cheetah and have access to two separate shadowstep skills in Beastmode.
Second is Sand Lion:
His Blinding Roar skills is okayish as its best. Ok x3 damage, ok blinds.
But it have ridicilous 35s CD.
It’s bad practic to have pet f2 skill have CD more than 20s, people just don’t want use it often. (Currently it’s even bugged and Beastmastery don’t even lower his cd)
HoT Tiger pet was awesome just because he have strong f2 skill with really high base damage, granting Fury and with cd just 10 seconds. It alone make him awesome pet, even with old Feline skills.
Just look how awesome open world Sand Lions – they have buff field around them blocking incoming Missles.
Why we dont have it as f3-f4 skills and later as Beastmode skill? Why Ranger forever closed to awesome skills?
What’s your opinions and suggestions/bug reports about new pets?
I can deal with no petswap at Beatmode if Beastmode CD will be lowered to 5-7 seconds or even gone to 1s.
Beastmode just give us alternative ways, not empower us in some state drastically like Death shroud or Celestial Avatar.
Ranger himself must choose, if he need stay in beastmode longer, without pet help, or leave and enter that state frequently.
10 seconds after leaving Beastmode feels Punishing, we already have very long CD at our new f1-f3 skills, it’s already limit their use.
Some Beastmode skills is “Oh kitten” buttons, which can’t be needed at the moment for example. But with switching on Beastmode on demand it can be really used in time.
Camping in Beastmode with skills on CD really not that OP – it’s just petlessranger, he is really not that great without pet.
Right now how i feel (i can be wrong, because it’s first impressions) general gameplay – enter beastmode, burst your skills, leave beastmode, use pet as always and wait for next beastmode.
You just cant alternate playstile with 10s cd after leaving.
And if we really choose to camping in beastmode, we have reason to do it, we trade our pet for it and that trade in any case not that coseffective.
If with lower Beastmode CD petswap stay outside, soon or later Ranger leave that mode, for petswap and using our pet skills again, and jump to our next pet.
Beastmode swap sigils mechanic and enter/leaving traits give more unnesesary attencion and resourse management, not even count some Traits in beastmastery, which give separate CD trait on f3 skill.
I really dont like count Beastmode as petswap, because it’s mess up our cdswap traits.
Doesn’t anyone else feel, that Beastmode not need CD at all or much lower, like 3-5 seconds? And for balance purposes nothing buffing like swap sigils activations or buffs on entering.
It’s not Shrouds, which give massive buff itself, a massive health pool, or power healing in Celestial Avatar – we lose our pet complitely and in a compensate have some nishe 3 abilities with some having really long CD.
Like for example, simple rotation:
“Damage with pet – enter beastmode, use beastmode skills, exit beastmode in next 5 seconds”
– …and you have to wait 10s to next beast mode, to enter your existing pet or that you will swap. It’s feels very unnatural to me, but i assume it’s just first impressions.
But i realy like idea of much lower cd. We trade our pet, not giving at return something really more powerful for compensate above lack of pet.
Right now it’s clear that you must timing entering beastmode, it dosn’t feels free.
Some f3 skills very impactful and you want save their long CD for later.
And if you go out too soon you must again wait whole 10s, even if you don’t want.
Right now both of them dosn’t have enough reason to me to use it active effects.
For Signet of the Wild losing 180 ferocity on 40 seconds cd is big deal and Immobilize and little damage of active ability really dosn’t compensate potential damage loss.
Ranger really have enough control effects with pets, weapons, and skills and with Soulbeast his pool increases even more. Is Ranger really need that “lesser Entangle” with physical damage?
For Signet of Hunt it’s almost the same – most valueble and wanted by Rangers effect for years was given to least valueable in current state of the game skill.
HoT pre balance patch give us Swiftness from Shouts trait, Druid’s permament 33% speed from Natural Stride and Call of the Wild, both from trait and warhorn.
Now PoF with mounts deal finishing blow to reason to equip this signet atleast in Open World, which have really nice active effect and may be nessesary on later expansion mobs.
And not only this, by simply using active skill once you lose that 25% speed boost for whole 40 seconds, like really? It’s huge amount of time, in everygame mode, it’s really not worth it, so you still in need to take something generating Swiftness to your build to compensate it.
Why here such inconstancy?
Why Offensive Signet of WIld use Support Active skill and Support Signet of Hunt use Offensive Active skill?
It gives Ranger 180 toughness, making him more durable against physical attacks. By using Active skill it makes ranger immune to physical attacks.
Ranger have no regrets trading passive to active ability, because he know that passive can’t hande a potential very deadly blow.
And that amount of damage he can mitigate already compensate long cd of this skill, which blocking his passive effect.
Have counterplay – dosn’t block condition damage.
Support signet give even more support for short time. Why don’t use this concept again?
Swapped Signet of Wild:
It gives Ranger 180 ferocity, grant him more crit. damage with physical attacks. By using Active skill it makes ranger attacks unblockable.
Ranger have no regrets using active ability, because he know that passive just didn’t work anyway against target with block.
Amount of DPS he deliver with his unblockable attacks already compensate cd of this skill.
Offensive passive was traded for more Offensive active, great deal.
If Ranger never meet target with blocks, he never use active, but still have great benefit from that amount of ferocity.
Counterplay – dodge, blinds, invurable state, CC.
Swapped Signet of Hunt:
It gives Ranger 25% running speed, grant him passive source of speed. By using Active skill it makes Ranger Immobilize and damage close targets.
Ranger have no regrets using active ability, because he dosn’t need passive speed boost, because his targets is Immobilized, lol.
If it maked with reasonable CD like 20s-25s, it can greatly improve going back to passive effect uptime. 40s is totally overkill. Everyothersignet have 25-30s CD.
Support passive was traded for more Support active, again great deal.
Counterplay – dodge, blinds, invurable state, CC.
Also it can be very nice if Brutish Seals give Ranger 1-2 stacks of Stability for 5s at each activated signet.
So, i take a time to beat new raid on full zealot-glyph build and after few attempts (1 boss stage 3 max, feelsbatman) i notice something about glyphs in this type of content:
Why glyph’s don’t have separate recharge time in Celestial Avatar form and Ranger form?
Like, it’s feels wrong and slow down timings and gameplay. I notice this only in Raid citation, where i need my party heal:
Glyph of Rejuvenation – i heal other people, good, but i switch back and don’t have burst heal for self next 20s and Celestial avatar form for any healing 10s and charging time. And im already out of Evade’s because i use it on my form.
Glyph of Equality – if i use it for break stun in critical situation, i miss daze for whole recharge time after that, when i really need it after Healing form. And i really need that daze on Raid!
Glyph of the Tides – like, i never see Pull of this skill, because i already use it as Knockback 90% of time.
Glyph of Unity – then i suddenly need it for critical raid fails healing – it’s on recharge, because i already use it for safe damage state 5 sec ago.
Glyph of Empowerment and Glyph of Alignment – 90% of time use it for heal and never see other side.
And that thing’s all time – i need it on healing – it’s on recharge, because of damaging, need it for damage – it’s on recharge because of healing.
Really, situation on Raid Battlefield changes so rapidly, and it’s feels bad losing good utility because you already use it on safe state 5s ago.
Celestial Avatar form Glyphs have really low usage – and i never see it because of “it’s already on recharge”.
Please – can we just have healing glyph’s and damage glyph’s with separate recharge times, not a “choose wisely your destiny on next 20s recharge and accept it with honor”?
With recent release of Guild Wars: Heart of Thorns i spend all week playing Druid in new zones and some Fractals.
I notice overall issues with Astral Force generation and Celestial Avatar form across already mentioned in other threads and i want to share my troughs about that issues.
To Note: i’m start playing at Druid only with game release, i’m not played him at beta weekend.
First of all, before recent “Astral Force degeneration after combat fix” all our Druid gameplay looks like Sisyphus work:
1. We charge up our Force as quick as possible to open possibility to spend it. As quick as possible too.
2. All our hard work is gone after every fight, even if we not need Celestial Avatar Form.
Basic design bring a rabbit hole, what we can’t control entering Celestial Avatar form on demand, as Healer role requires – we must full charge and only after that we can do something.
And after that fix, we still limited to that “full charge me, and after that…” mechanic, what’s DEMANDS us to use staff and all our party heals to fill up that hole and have maximum charge.
What worst the most – we cannot precharge it before fight – and Druid’s trait’s what benefits from Entering/Leaving Celestial Avatar form also start have very rare usage.
Even if you put a fix that add some numbers to Weapon Damage Force generation, it’s still will be limited to full charge mechanic and healing with staff/utility.
I notice, what i’m rarely use Celestial Avatar Form Glyphs because of that – if i spend all my time to charge Astral Force, i use it only for spamming heal, i don’t have time window to use my glyphs.
So, my suggestion is transform it to two step Astral Force charge mechanic:
What we have now:
“You have one Astral Force Bar”
“You can enter Celestial Avatar Form only on full Astral Force charge”
“Celestial Avatar Form Duration – 15s”
“Celestial Avatar Form recharge Rate – 10s”
“Terminating Celestial Avatar Form retaining half current astral force”
“Healing others fills bar”
“Dealing Damage fills bar”
My suggestion (Look at attachment picture):
“Astral force bar have 2 sections – 0-49%, 50-99% and 100% full charge section”
“You can enter Celestial Avatar Form any time, even with 0 Astral Force charge”
“Charging Astral Force to full 100% reset current Celestial Avatar Form Recharge Rate”
“Entering Celestial Avatar Form on 0-49%”:
“Duration – 5s:
“Recharge Rate – 20s”
“Terminating/Leaving Celestial Avatar Form removes all current astral force”
“Entering Celestial Avatar Form on 50-99%”:
“Duration – 10s:
“Recharge Rate – 15s”
“Terminating/Leaving Celestial Avatar Form removes all current astral force”
“Entering Celestial Avatar Form on 100%”:
“Duration – 15s:
“Recharge Rate – 10s”
“Terminating/Leaving Celestial Avatar Form retaining half current astral force”
“Healing others can fills all 0-49, 50-100% bars”
“Dealing Damage can fills only first 0-49% bar”
So, how it works?
Let’s take classic “Pew-pew” Ranger trying adapt build with Druid:
We take marksmanship/beastmastery(skirmishing) and Zerker/Marauder Gear with LB/GS or LB/S&D.
For example, we take Druid line for Celestial Shadow, Druidic Clarity and Ancient Seeds type of build:
With current system we barely can charge up our Celestial Avatar form to use it frequently to proc Celestial Shadow or Druidic Clarity – dealing damage fills single bar very slow, and we don’t need full 15s of Celestial Avatar, for our needs.
With new system we just enter Celestial Avatar Form to do limited by 5s amount of time things:
“Use Celestial Avatar only for Lunar Impact Daze and Seed of Life Condyclear”
“Use 1-2 Celestial Avatar type Glyphs”
“Leave condipressure with Druidic Clarity”
“Grant Celestial Shadow by instantly leaving on DEMAND”
“Our main costs – is Celestial Avatar Recharge Rate – 20s (It can maybe more, ofc) and total no synergy with our healing traits.”
Also, Weapon fill rate only work with 0-49%, so we cannot achieve endless power 100% charge bar healing state with this damage build – only 50-99% stage sometimes, if we want, because reaching 100% need healing.
Next one is ConditionBunker or BeastmasteryBunker build types – it even can be full celestial trap ranger, poison ranger and etc, with Trooper Shout build. It can use any weapon or any trait and traitline.
In Druid line we also probably take every trait what we want for our build:
With new system we can maintain 50-99% charge state, which give us full 10s of Celestial Avatar state with almost every 15s Recharge rate, if we do our role:
“Use Celestial Avatar for all type of skills, support our Bunker role – our Party healing start to be noticeable”
“Use 1-2-3-4-5 Celestial Avatar type Glyphs”
“Use Cultivated Synergy for more AoE healing”
“Leave condipressure with Druidic Clarity”
“Grant Celestial Shadow by instantly leaving on DEMAND”
“Second Bar 51-99% Astral Force is main build oriented for entering Celestial Avatar Form, but if we spend time to charge Astral Force, we can very frequently have access to 100% charge Celestial Avatar Form”
And last one is Full Healing Support Druid with staff and all ealing/support utilities and traitlines:
Everything is same as in previous state, but because we have:
“Charging Astral Force to full 100% reset current Celestial Avatar Form Recharge Rate”
“Terminating/Leaving Celestial Avatar Form retaining half current astral force”
We can maintain Celestial Avatar State 24/7 and leave it only for buffing/utility/weapon skills or dealing damage and our healing is fully controllable:
“For example: we keep stored 100% charge and deal damage, suddenly see our Party needs Stealth or Condicleance or Healing:
“We switching to Celestial Avatar State for 1-5s, and after leaving we have like 70% charge, what we quickly charge back to 100%, which reset our 10s recharge.
With these changes, all Druid players decides for himself what access to Celestial Avatar State they wants:
“Frequently, with nice utility skills and mostly for self, with cost of high recharge rate, lowuptime and low healing.
“On demand, with medium uptime, medium recharge rate but constant healing”
“Or full controllable strong heal/utility support”
So this is my basic idea about current Druid state – it CAN be very good if it’s not be tied to 100% Astral Force charge and have levels with different strengths and powers.
One time upvote this thread for visibility. Love Ranger’s forum activity!
Let’s digress from the endless WHAO threads!
Have fun with reading!
p.s. pls dont merge, this standalone overpowered Ranger tweaks.
You ask why I do it, and then outright imply that I am doing it to be special. Which is it? Do you not know or are you resolved to thinking I do it for attention or to be special despite having absolutely no basis to state that as fact? I explained why I use italics for my font in an earlier post, but will do it again here: I use italicized font because it pleases me. I customize my font for the same reason others customize theirs when the option is presented on forums; Customizing font type, size, color, layout, signature, etc. are all part of a forum-user tailoring their text to suit their preference. As for you not liking it, I really don’t care. Reading terrible grammar is an eyesore for me but I feel no need to mention it when I see it unless it’s coming from someone going out of their way to tell me to change my text to suit their needs.
Your not customizing text, you make it totally unreadable for regular user. Bold, italic is support fonts that are required to indicate stress or emphasis. Communicating is dialogue, understandable for both sides. And English is not my native language, so i make up for it in short sentences, which carry a maximum sense.
You can easily understand my message, even with grammatical errors, even ignore it totally and don’t answer, but i can hardly read this blurred text, no matter how much meaning did he have.
Forum format text is not for “pleasing” one side, it’s support instruments for understanding for another.
Can you stop using full italic text in your posts? It’s painful to read this massive amount of text with that curve, really, why you do this? It’s not make you special, stop it.
But i agree about general troughs.
Revealed specialization is NOT Druid, not GW2 Druid, it’s Celestial-Astral spirit healer.
Utility skills is pure compensation for full heal skills from staff and celestial form.
No visible sinegry in traits. Sure, we can just add “Druid” traitline to every standart build and have access to nice addition heal with some triks, like additional disable, superspeed and invis and that’s it.
I will be more pleased, if they add this renamed “glyphs” to ranger as default, and switch Spirits to Druid and make it MORE viable.
I very hyped of power and coolness of new pets in HoT, but what i really want – is reward feel then i tame them in hard-to-reach places, like Legendary Llama, or after some hard event, even in end of wing the first raid, like in gw1: Black Moa,Black Widow or Phoenix.
They really kickkittens with their skills, but, if they tamed right in first locations, it’s sounds no fun for our old lame pets – we switch them at new and forgot.
Twohanded hammer/shovel stance on pure caster Druid specialization looks very awful and clunky. Even in Druid overall development stage.
I see on stream what a/a chain use similar to Mesmer greatsword animation, but i really, really dont want see Druid wield staff like a environmental shovel.
Can this be changed to standart Ele/Guardian one hand running/standing animation?
Short story1:
I’m have main Ranger for full 3 years, from first open beta weekend. I really like profession mechanic and how professions feels and looks, but as you i’m tired of many clunky things.
I visited almost all major Ranger threads for this 3 years – glorious aquamen update, CDI, Spirit Ranger Meta, Rising of Pew-Pew with speed up RapidFire and dozens of single threads with “up %name! it’s bugged or horrible!”
Welp, let’s started tune thing’s up to good state:
Summing up ALL Ranger situation state since release and 09.21.15 in a list:
PET CLASS MECHANIC FEELS NOT ENOUGH, WE A “RANGER” CLASS, ranger means rangmmmrrrgggllletc and so on.
50% SHOUTS BAD
50% TRAITS BAD
TRAPS BAD CONCEPT AT ALL
SPIRIT’S REALLY, REALLY BAD
WE USE SAME PET FAMILIES EVERY TIME, 70% PETS NOT NEED
AXE IS NOT CONDITION AND NOT DIRECT DAMAGE AT ALL
SHORTBOW IS DEAD
OUR GROUP BUFF VIABILITY IS "GIVE “SPOTTER”&“FROZEN SPIRIT” AND STAY AWAY OF BEARBOW THINGS, M8"
THRENCHCOATS
Aaaaand that’s it. And up-our-damage-get-rid-of-pet suggestions.
Really, we dont need total overhaul our class (which i fear will be presented at PAX).
We just need some love! I even love my pet AI at it’s current state!
We come to good state at very small steps, let’s rush forward!
Shortstory2:
First thing that i was really enjoy on ranger was Shortbow 3. In time after release, that Shortbow was really viable range weapon.
Man, this thing concept is awesome. Retreating shot animation is my favorite.
Why i cant shoot it backward all day and night?
Spinning the idea, i come to sudden conclusion what ranger don’t need DAMAGE at weapons, he need MORE SKILLS at weapons and that skills must provide additional utility and damage. Man, open gw1 wiki, we have tons arrow skills, across pet. Also this things can be, you know, prepared.
So let me present for you, additional Ranger class mechanic:
WEAPON PREPARATION SKILLS
How this thing can work?
As we know, gw2 uses system called Sequence skill, which: …are skills which, once activated, change into another skill for additional effect… …once activated, can have their second effect triggered at any time the player is able to do so…
And let’s take Thief, with additional class mechanic – Dual wield: …They are weapon skills that are determined by the combination of main hand and off hand weapons that are currently equipped…
So let’s take this proposals to form the definition of Weapon Preparations:
Weapon Preparation – is a skill type exclusive to the ranger profession.
Every mainhand and twohanded weapon have one preparation skill chain.
Two preparation skills in preparation chain have own separate recharge time and stay active (prepared) even if position first chain skill is finish recharge or after weapon swap.
To reset preparation chain, player can use same interface out of combat like changing Utility skills or reequip weapon via inventory weapon swap. Or simply use it and wait recharge time.
So, Ranger finally, once again prepare yourself to the next combat situation and have more skills to react!
QOL: All f2 traits with integration of leaping f2 proc at the end of the leap.
Commentary:
Shortbow:
Range upped to 1100 – nerf to 900 hit’s it’s weapon very hard.
1 skill – if you hit people on back in mid-close range – you have your nice bleed stacks. But i remember how this weapon can rock with direct damage and limited bleed stack by staying at max mid range, like a longbow.
2 skill – simple small aoe arrow shot, which provide blind and nice poison to take care of ress people.
3 skill – preparation chain. Mostly defensive chain, via leapback retreating, good to break close weapon combo/longrange gap closers and etc.
If we prepare and use 1->2, we can use only 1, evade, gain swiftness and continue use skills. If things go worse, again leap away and prevent next aggression by daze and confusion. 2->1 good to hold after swap from melee weapon, rapidly wash away to 240+240 range.
4 skill – now it’s good combo skill but torment last very shortly, so it’s best to burst in 1-2 second use for our multiattack-in-second skills, like Axe 2/Axe 4 pull/Warhorn 4/Spiders and Devourers 2-hits-per-one attack pets.
5 skill – long recharge time, 3/4s activation time, slow missle – but solid reward. It’s long range stun with, good potential direct damage and stun at mid range and huge surprise hit if it hit someone back.
Axe:
1 skill – it’s now applies Bear’s Mark on each target.
A/A time for Axe – 1s, so it’s stacks in time on each affected target – 1 hit 3, 2 hit 3+3-1, 3 hit 3+3+3-1-2 = 6s of mark after 3 axe hit on same target. Any multiattack-in-second skills like Axe 2/Longbow 2/Warhorn 4 give us ton of stacked 3s duration might. Now it really burst our direct and condition damage for next seconds, if we achieve that huge stack of might.
2 skill – preparation chain. Hello, Poison Volley!
Now, if we mark 1-2-3 targets and hit all them by our preparation chain – we have some really instant 25 might stacks – but for 3s (but our pet give it for 10s!) and it’s boost up our deadly condition damage combo.
Greatsword:
4 skill – preparation chain. Man, now we can hold throwing that nice two-handed sword, and don’t use it as range damage thing, destroying our hope of nice knock back. And here your overall damage bonus increase, if both skill hits! Start fights with 2->1, swap from longbow to 1->2 for block.
Sword:
2 skill – preparation chain. “Mom, can i start fight with gap closer? YES, SON!”
Prepare 2->1 to engage fight, 1->2 afterswap to leave it. A/A can stay clunky as is, now i can leap forward immediately.
Longbow:
3 skill – sequence skill. Now we can pull some outstanding combo!
“Guard” pet away, fight, shadow step away.
Call pet to attack, give him swiftness – and if we hit from 1500 range – shadowstep to enemy, swap to melee/condition weapon and burst in face.
Not work if your pet 90% of time close to you or around enemy what you don’t want see close, cuz that ele kill ya.
4 skill – preparation skill. Ranger very vulnerable to hard CC, like, incredibly (outside Rampage as One ofc).
So, with 1->2 chain we can hit hard knockbacked enemy, deal extra hard shot (hello Moment of Clarity), or break stunchains to you – possible evade, use 1, rapidfire, enemy stand and go close with another stunning leap – 2 in face and stability eats control.
2->1 good starting single shot burst at long range, if you have opportunity to do it.
Other Weapon skills stays as is – they nice. Buff Greatsword a/a by 10%
Shouts:
“Sick Em” is FINE! It’s incredibly dps skill. Your wolf hit 9k if they land their leap knockback. 9,000 DAMAGE. Drake Tail swipe hit VERY spooky. Only problem with that skill, it’s bugs then you call pet to attack and do nothing. No need anything, it’s rock. Need only bugfix.
“Guard” is fine. I saw some combo with longbow earlier and you figure out some more too, when i come close to new traits.
“Strength of the pack!” obviously is fine. Good elite, good recharge, i like it.
General:
“Protect Me’ – when pop up update with baseline Signet Mastery, it’s overshadowed by Signet of Stone. And with recent Elite specialization changes, our range skills can be pretty low and easily reflect/blocked.
So, it’s now have short duration, short recharge, but also make for some short time our attack unblockable, if so our pet is not hitting, we hit very nice.
“Search and Rescue” – for only defensive use it’s utility skill very weak, so why not add new mechanic, added in recent Scrapper specialization POI?
Out of 3 possibilities, our pet res someone, finish someone, or just chase target VERY fast and start hit em hard.
Spirits
General – i saw this idea from someone in this forum, it’s really fits and she’s GREAT!
First – spirits provide they current sequence skill immediately after cast on target area in 600 range.
After providing effect at area, spirit instantly summoned and stay’s on place, for next low time (10s), providing each second their effect to 5 targets in 1000 aoe.
Base idea – if i cast it at enemy and ally in area – it’s 50% success, if hit ally, 70% if hit enemy and if my spirit live for next 3s and provide some useful effects once or two – it’s 90% success.
So it’s like turret/banners with active nuke and aftercast, which may die, but they effect mostly used and delivered.
Water Spirit – i think it’s suppose to be AoE medium power heal, but with short cd, like Heal as One – strong self heal. Heal effect applies in 600 area around Ranger, spirit posteffect – grant regeneration on hit.
Frost spirit – main function is same – 10% damage dispenser, with 20s uptime, but now it’s have active skill – first it’s blast area, then chill, 5 initial might for allies, also good for provide some slow for unexpected ambush of many enemies.
Storm Spirit – multi-nuke in our utility slot. Again, first blast area in 600 range, grant vigor for allies, then short daze all enemy inside and then BAM, hit hard with power of storm. Good combo with “Moment of Clarity” and “Opening Strike”.
Aftercast is spirit providing semi-long swiftness even with 1 hit.
Sun Spirit – Again blast, then AoE Fire nuke with blind. All ally inside gain 1s of quickness, which always useful for activate long channels, and give fury, which also regain our Opening strike, if we have it. Aftercast spirit have more fire stacking support.
Stone Spirit – Provide Protection support, spirit last only 5s, pulses 1s of Protection.
Chain starts with Whirl, which fit sand theme more. All allies inside of target radius obtain 1 stack of stability, enemies take some cripple and torment pulses.
Nature Spirit – Active 2s long cast provide waterfiled in area, blast on it, remove 5 conditions on each ally inside, revive downed allies and immobilize all enemies. Summoned Spirit of Nature start pulsing in 1000 radius condicleance and 320 hps for 5 targets, max duration – 40s. Does not affected by own pulses.
Simply – Lord/Banner 2.0, everyone in pvp must kill him in moment.
Drawback – long cd and activation time.
Some numbers still a are very high, lol, but you get the idea of Spirit Revamp.
Traitline for Veryclose manly fights or Very Longrange not so manly pew-pew.
Minors – Opening Strike whenever gain Fury now baseline for obvious reason.
Why you take line, where 3 minor traits hit’s only once at start of the fight and don’t work at rest of the fight, until you don’t grab that GM trait? Nah, tune it down with damage and it fits nice.
Adept traits:
1 – For closerange fighting or longrange with chance to be hunted.
More critpower for god of critpower, give more for your precious 25 Might Stacks. Better than 2 trait, when your power greater than 2300. And if you always critz.
2 – For longrange fighting and soft control enemy.
3 – To tune 15s recharge, same with our BM line, it provide lesser bonuses on time, but have general 5 targets support. And scales nice with one Nature Magic trait.
Master traits
1 – Unchanged, it’s trait is too good.
2 – For keeping close distance or keeping/chasing at longrange distance. Have Proc inside of Traitline with Call of the Wind.
3 – Same, it’s really good.
Grandmaster traits.
1 – We need apply better longtimed movement conditions. And our pets too.
2 – Now this is a Dangerous Game. Very good addition to survivability in closerange/frontline Valkyrie stat build and with 1 master trait have some Might Sinergy.
3 – Our longbow trait, slightly faster.
Traitline for Swap, Swap and Swap. Also for condition apply and swift changing melee/mid range combat.
Minors – Same as it was, only 7s recharge time , to fit Rune of Soldier and small bonus after swapping weapons or under effect of fury (which we always gain)
Adept traits:
1 – More evade, blocks more melee survivability.
2 – General bleeding apply trait.
3 – Before traps get completely rebalanced (clones, pets and anything can proc it) and be able to thrown nothing to discuss.
Master traits
1 – Good trait double good under fury.
2 – If Ranger proc all bleeding on enemy, he stay’s empty for next recharging skills, this tune give more power to most spammable condition.
3 – Tricky trait. At full endurance, you can dodge 2 times and swap 1 time in first 10 seconds, later you can proc this trait even lesser or waste on something what yu need now. But it gain some flexibility in stats, such as dodge – pop better heal or activate very long boon utility.
Grandmaster traits.
1 – Welcome to world of 100000 combo. Current preparation skill can be used twice after weaponswap and, you can still use other! next weapon skill with -66% recharge.
Swap – Point Blank Shot – Rapidfire – Pointblankshot – Stability Shot – Rapidfire.
Swap – Monarch Leap, Monarch Leap
Maul – Hilt Bash – Maul – Crippling Throw, Crippling Throw
Splitblade – Splitblade – Poison Volley, swap at Shortbow Crippling Shot and shot to death.
2 – Close melee fight trait with nice blind on crits. I know about rule “1 weapon trait max each tier” but it fits here.
3 – Shortbow tuned to deadly two target weapon and Longbow can be condition weapon! Also piercing on shortbow really not fit.
Bonfire or firefield = Rapidfire with 10 stacks of burning!
Traitline to being durable or flexible above 90% hp when being disabled or bursted by direct damage or light condition damage, also provides more condition damage&poison stacking. Not very good defence at low health.
Minors – Same as it was, only 25% endurance regen, still it does not stack with vigor.
Adept traits:
1 – General condition damage trait for you and your pet.
2 – Lesser condition durable trait and new Natural Magic Procs.
3 – I always like old Hide in Plant trait, this also apply some Revealed functionality.
If you suddenly bursted with disable opening, you reengage.
Master traits
1 – Off-hand training for all, except Warhorn.
2 – Good trait for all people who like dodge around with all Ranger evades on weapons, and when caught by sudden stun still stay durable and don’t activate our Survival utility skills to often for defense.
3 – With this trait we can deal with conditions outside of GM traits.
Grandmaster traits.
1 – Very good trait with condition damage from adept 1 and Devourer/Spider pets. Many, so many delicious lethal poison stacks and poison pressure!
2 – Very good old trait slightly tuned down.
3 – 2 base scenarios: you have ranged/passive pet (spirits)/allies and they stay around you, which give some good protection support, or you pet engage battle far away, to support other frontliners. And nice access to personal stability for you and your pet.
Traitline about healing, boons, boon support, regeneration and condiclears. Current one pretty boring.
Minors – Almost all the same except new one, what clears condition from you and your pet when you or your pet aplly to yourself regeneration. Pet curing rate very good, what can help deal with condispam and bring new live to bears, moas and drakes with free access to regeneration via natural skills.
Adept traits:
1 – Standard downstate trait, add only old Healing Spring proc when downed. We know that if things will be going wrong (someone goes 100%), so we take this trait.
2 – Very poor GM again became very good f2 adept skill. Our fat moa/drake/bear draw conditions from all around, survive in hard challenging content and slowly cleance drawned conditions via regeneration procs.
3 – Now thing’s is tuned up – our drake’s/moa/spider’s/pig/s/bear’s have rickdiculous amount of vitality, so it’s upper their base power to solid 2k, so our tanky pets also hit pretty hard.
Master traits
1 – Basic healing power trait for you and your pet.
2 – And now your bear/moa/drake/spider/pig with all their fatness can be accepted!
6 stacks of might permanently, fury spikes every 6s and works for every 4.
Only keep your pet alive and damaged below 90% health. Spider here at long range looks nice.
3 – General spirit trait. Double spirit proc’s at it current rebalanced state is rock and slightly recharge reduce. Remember, they still very squishy.
Grandmaster traits.
1 – Good old one self anti burst protection trait.
2 – Now it’s really good condition removal trait, what not melt your pet to death state.
3 – Now Warhorn have really powerful boon access, also have sinergy with adept 3 on Marsmanship, with tuned down stats.
Traitline about pet stats, more pet stats, greatsword and pet f2 utility.
Minors – All the same
Adept traits:
1 – Old one, very good trait.
2 – You never took it at GM, cuz other choices is better, now we will take it for permament 25 might for our pet. Oh, and for axe using of course!
3 – Perfect old one trait, that fits at Ranger
Master traits
1 – In current state it’s only apply Weakness if f2 have direct damage. So adding direct damage to this skill make it usable for every pet, and with good power scaling power or 25 might pet stacks it can hit very hard. I think need 1/2 or 1s cast time or smtng for evade time.
2 – Very good old trait. A/A via another +5% damage is saved.
3 – Very good first year after release trait, what NEVER works. Now with pulse system it can be rally interesting and rewarding for nopetswapping.
Grandmaster traits.
1 – Taunt make Ranger very noticeable. Good as it state.
2 – New trait for bunker-survival builds, based on old one, which great reduce very high hits.
3 – Old one, nice and strong.
Conclusions:
I have no words to express how many builds i can make with this new tuned traits. Almost every possible weapon combination can have solid, good build.
No more useless pets – they are now rocks and save lives, even resurrect them!
Final words:
I’m really enjoin doing this stuff (do it almost 3 days). I know some thing’s are broken, some don’t fit with Dev vision of Ranger, but i still hope for the best for Ranger in future. Piece!
P.S Obligatory shoutout to that_shaman and his cool tooltips site. Things gett’n easy with that_shaman! Thank you!
On first stream about balance changes Brutish Seals have really impressing to me note about refreshing Opening Strike at activated signet.
But on recent stream/changelog this line is gone:
Brutish Seals: Activating a signet grants 3 stacks of might for 15 seconds to you and your pet. Your signets gain 20% recharge reduction.
I just want to up discussion about this change, because i really like it at first instance.
First, i know what this change is due to the fact that we have very extensive access to Fury: on weapon swap with Skirmishing traitline, on adept trait Clarion Bond, on Wilderness Knowledge Surival skills, and etc.
But in result we still have so much access to give Fury for self only at Survival utility skill activation’s with GM trait in Wilderness Knowledge line, why we do not receive access to refresh Fury/Opening strikes on Marksmanship traitline for signets utility skills, and where Opening Strikes/Signet trait’s live?
Our character have only 3 utility slots, it’s not changing something so much, but we will have some build diversity to mix survival and signets utility skills (core Marsmanship utility skills) and still have access to GM trait proc. for our Core Ranger profession.
And due Specialization mechanic, that leave us with only 2 traitlines.
For example, picking Marksmanship with this GM trait leave us with almost no source to refresh Opening Strikes and leave us in situation to pick Wilderness Knowledge for good access to Fury uptime, but Suvival skills in most case is conditionclears and situational skills, we cannot pop up it just for crit proc.
And what if Druid specialization have really nice condiclears itself and/or CC skills on staff/utility skills, and we just don’t need this traitline for Survival utility Fury procs.
And we stay to add Beastmastery or Skirmishing, itself it have 1 Fury proc traits, what’s not enough.
Also in Future we have some new Specialization’s, which also can be affected not adding this line.
I think this change must be revert, it’s not so game-breaking.
With this change it well synchronized with new Enlargement. Adept trait requiring downed state not good choice in many ways. I never use them.
Adept tier Vigorous Training is very good for support build like 0-0-30-30-10.
Master tier Instinctual Bond good source for raw pet damage and haste pet skills.
All effects Healer’s Celerity combine with Circle of Life to create Healing tree when revive ally (20 seconds cool-down), instead of giving swiftness and staying to Nature Magic traitline.
In Wilderness Survival branch Healer’s Celerity transforms to Hunter’s Celerity, giving on Ranger’s downed state 10 second of swiftness&vigor to allies.
For new Circle of Life trait effects, it bring back nerfed water-field source in some way.
For Hunter’s Celerity new trait, it’s going to nice utility trait too.
For example it’s good choice in everything, adding speed/evade source to allies (On WvW/PvP/Fractals it make people run away faster from thing what kill you (dodge it), or run close faster to revive you)
Associated Risks
Moment of Clarity trait change:
Add minimum 3 new possible builds, combined with all variety of Ranger weapons (Raw damage on evade, poison stacks, with or without crit stacking, with or without traps and etc).
Easy balance, switching cool-down on proc buff effect Attack of Opportunity (5, 10, 15 seconds), Poison duration (+50%, +200%)
Swapping Master’s Bond with Instinctual Bond:
Add potential to Beastmastery line on every game aspect, 5 points strong pet, no need change global HP for all pets for WvW/PvE/PvP/Fractal’s, 5 points minor trait do it for you.
Instinctual Bond trait change:
No need strong pet AI coding – pet everytime can be hasted, when Ranger itself in real troubles (less than 1-99% hp), and it comes time for accelerated pet action
Again, easy trait balance – less than 20-70% Ranger hp, with 20-50 second cd
Healer’s Celerity* and Circle of Life changes:
Traits and trait effects placed into right places, and become a great support traits on WvW/PvP
P.S.
Previously in my forum post’s, i also negate Remorseless, what at that time not have resumed crit on battle, now you change it, and skirmishing trait line became better.
Changes in current Traits and balance of Ranger weapons with an eye on these changes.
I was completely satisfied with the current concept of the Ranger, I’m not satisfied only with the pet response and location&functionality of more than 50% Traits.
Goal of Proposal
Moment of Clarity- All your changes not fix uselessness of this trait.
As a first approximation, dase and stun effect only have Greatsword skill Hilt Bash, Shortbow skill Concussion Shot and Longbow Point Blank Shot. And their daze/stun durations extremely low – 1s each. And with improvements of trait, 2s not cool at all.
200%,300% – it’s still be useless mostly for all weapons.
According “The Attack of Opportunity granted to your pet by this trait replaces, and is replaced by, the Attack of of Opportunity granted by Hilt Bash and by Signet of the Hunt, according to which is applied last. They do not stack.” we have zero changes of this trait.
My suggestion to improve this trait – add Attack of Opportunity buff after dodge rolland evasion with Rangers weapons, without staking with multiple dodge/evades and save global 5s-10s cd.
Replace +100% Daze and stun duration. to +100% Poison duration (or add trait with this proposal)
Many of our weapon skills give concept Ranger, as a class use tactical/dodge concept – switching weapons, mobility, using pet and right place to attack, keeping enemy distance.
In that case, we have changes, what adds some new combinations, what’s really presented top tier Trait – for example, we have improve Greatsword damage in autoattack chain – if proc evade, third attack will hit 50% more.
Sword&Dagger also can use this change too. Ranger really have so many evade&poison skills, what affected only 1-2 traits and zero grand tier trait. Viper nest trap, over 7 (!) poison pet skills.
In many situations, we use dodge to gap distance close to enemy, and if we have dodge proc, our “Maul” from Greatsword will have some burst damage and big numbers, what all people want. And many other uses, and not just only at interrupt.
With this change and many innative endurance restore skills on Ranger, we have cool mobile warrior, which use brain for guaranteed bonuses every 5-10 seconds.
1) Swap Master’s Bond with Instinctual Bond.
Reason: In current mechanics, the more you invest in a Beastmastery traitline, the more you need swap pet on every cool-down time. That 5 saved points on Beastmastery will help keep it to spend for 20 or 25 points traits in the other branches, for many builds it’s good choice. It’s good to WvW and PvP too, making for 5 points strong non-swapping pet, without going deep into Beastmastery traitline.
Yet it would be good to become not lost stats from pet swap, only lost from pet death. (Or make lost 5/25 charges on every pet swapping, not lost all charges)
2) Instinctual Bond must be activated on 25% health threshold, not on downed state.
New Instinctual Bond swapped with Vigorous Training.
Reason: With this change it well synchronized with new Enlargement. Adept trait requiring downed state not good choice in many ways.
Adept tier Vigorous Training is very good for support build like 0-0-30-30-10.
3) All effects Healer’s Celerity combine with Circle of Life to create Healing tree, instead of giving swiftness (20 seconds cool-down) and going to Nature Magic traitline.
In Wilderness Survival Healer’s Celerity transforms to Survival Hunter, giving on downed state 10 second of swiftness to allies.
Reason: Thieves have annoying Merciful Ambush, Guardians Resolute Healer, Rangers must be have something useful too. For Healer’s Celerity change, it bring back nerfed water-field source in some way. For Survival Hunter it’s going to nice utility too. For example it’s good choice in everything, adding speed source to allies (On WvW/PvP/Fractals it make people run away faster from thing what kill you, or run close faster to revive you)
I think that the main Ranger problem is the outstanding Beastmastery trait line, what giving ALL attributes in a row for pet. It’s simply buff pet stats, without buffing main ranger. Hence the lack of understanding:
You can build strong ranger, buffing his attributes on 5 trait lines, or you buffing in 1 (!) trait line all pet attributes, leaving a paltry attribute points for self (What’s why bunker build was so strong).
I think all trait lines MUST give attributes to ranger pet too, not only to ranger. Marksman +300 precision to ranger – +300 precision to pet.
Beastmastery trait line must focus to give something what a affect to main ranger too – passive regen, movespeed, reduce time for swap pets or smth. (all what affects BOTH ranger and pet, but it’s not main – only secondary-line attributes)
Item, what specializing pet attributes (and builds), must be basic Beastmastery traits – “Stability Training add +300 vitality to pet” and etc.
Ranger damage – 60% main, 40% pet.
If i have full berserker ranger – my pet full berserk too (or i can mix, adding some health traits, or some saver’s signets/skills on bar). In PvP what means, what i have glasscanon ranger and glasscanon pet.
If i fullbunker – my pet can only tank and do 40% of my bunkerlow damage, NOT 150% overpowered damage, because of Beastmastery trait line, buffing ALL pet attributes.
With this approach, the balance 60% main, 40% pet will be observed more carefully, without shift in favor of a strong ranger, but weak pet, or weak Ranger, but strong pet.
I like the idea for Moment of Clarity but i think it would be more useful if you get attack of opportunity from evading attacks instead of on dodging. That way it would be useful with more weapons sets than it is now.
Oh, i forgot about many type of dodge in this game. Of course, i mean “Evasion” from skills, many ranger skills – Dagger’s “Stalker’s Strike” & “Crippling Talon”, GS Power Stab and SB Quick Shot can give evasion. Also good combination will be with “Lighting Reflexes” – long evade back, and “Rapid Fire” to running for you enemy.
But also for the dissemination of this trait on a long bow and axes, should be given a chance to proc and from evasion by “Dodge”.
Current trait idea use only 2 ranger skills, and totally useless.
The only weak link in my idea, I think the low synergy with pet. But many popular pets have many “interrapt” skills, and Attack of Opportunity can be given from it source to pets. Although, personally, I would prefer to receive the bonus to attack and to pet and for Ranger, after successful evasion.
In the beginning, I want to thank Arena.net for these small changes Ranger. Under “small changes”, I mean small changes, the class still needs serious work especially spirits and many of traits.
After reading your concept regarding the Rangers, I would like to express my thoughts on the two traits – Moment of Clarity and Remorseless
Moment of Clarity - last change add 50% to dase and stun time, but not fix uselessness of this trait. As a first approximation, dase and stun effect only have Greatsword skill “Hilt Bash” and Shortbow skill “Concussion Shot”. And their durations on this skills, extremely low – 1s each. And with improved trait, 1.5s not cool at all.
According “The Attack of Opportunity granted to your pet by this trait replaces, and is replaced by, the Attack of of Opportunity granted by Hilt Bash and by Signet of the Hunt, according to which is applied last. They do not stack.” we have zero changes of this trait.
My suggestion to improve this trait – add “Attack of Opportunity” after dodge, without staking with multiple dodge and save global 5s cd. Many of our skills give concept Ranger, as a class use tactical/dodge concept – switching weapons, mobility, using pet and right place to attack, keeping enemy distance.
In that case, we have some new combinations, what’s really granted top tier Trait – for example, we have improve Greatsword damage in autoattack chain – if proc evade, third attack will hit 50% more. In many situations, we use dodge to gap distance close to enemy, and if we have dodge proc, our “Maul” from Greatsword will have some burst damage and big numbers, what all people want. We can hit very painful with “Rapid Fire”. And many other uses, and not just at interrupt.
With this change and many endurance restore skills on Ranger, we have cool mobile warrior, whish use brain for guaranteed bonuses every 5 second.
Remorseless - last changes fully fix this trait, and i love it. But conception “Regain Opening Strikes when you kill a foe” a little shaky. In many dungeon runs, i dont like this trait, because on Boss fights I can not Regain him. It would be nice to give him a resumption after a 15-20 seconds in battle, OR (which i prefer) after 5 seconds inaction (no attack and auto attacks). This would make Traits used everywhere – for example, on a Giant Lupicus, dodging of red circles and attacks, I do not attack and wait a few seconds, I can once again continue the battle with Opening Strike.
In cPvP/WwW that trait may be ideally suited to the chase of someone – using all the bonuses to attack, such as Signet of Hunt or previously improved Moment of Clarity, Ranger have some burst damage, what we need, and this damage available only after some actions. Or after 2-3 second stun/dase and fear, we can wait a 2 seconds more witout attack (like to spend it on a better position) and guaranty give 100% critical to enemy.
With this improvement in these Traits, i will really believe, that I’m agile, tactically aware Rangers, not low damage Archer with pet.
“Evergreen shoulder” – t1 sylvari medium armor shoulder (Location: The Grove
NPC: Annamh, gets transmuted on exotic medium shoulder), have vizual conflict in chest zone with “Orrian Reward Breastplate” – exotic medium chest from Arah dungeon (Location: Lion Arch NPC: Officer Hetja)
When moving, shoulder constantly touches “Dragon Ridge” around breastplate
Also “Orrian Reward Breastplate”, through of the wide skirt, have conflict with any bow’s on Sylvari male race. In a standing position the bow is always inside the armor skirt, which is annoying. And this problem is not only with this armor, that’s true to any other armor with broad skirt.
Also irritates shooting arrows with low Sylvari standing archery pose. Many medium armor have skirt’s and with that pose, with wide apart legs, armor stretched quite indecently.
Maybe you should change the animation of shooting more closer to the human, not so much bend legs for shooting, get hands and legs more up, current pose too low to the ground.
Obviously, the spirits do not need health bars – they must be like warrior banner – without HP – and only what change get spirits more useful. And all their bonuses (except chance to burning on sun spirit) must be constant. And all ability’s must be target selecting, with independent movement of the spirit to the target, with some nuke elemental damage based by type of spirit and self detraction. (without equipped traits)
In first BWE i’m played female norn ranger, and i very liked Counterattack Block animation on Greatsword – sword in the ground serves as support for a strong kick foot in face.
But on male rangers it’s only boring strong slash hit.
My suggestion – change female block animation to common both for all sexes or add random choose between these 2 animations.
Game have many awesome looked teddy bears rings/scrolls-type earnings, some strange asura amulets and many other memorable jewelry from heart events vendors, but you can’t equip it, because they don’t have awesome stats.
Some of them I would love to carry, they will reminding me of the place where they were found, or may be, they just look awesome, paying respect the work of a designer who deal it.
In the end, maybe I want to look at different rings, but not the same 2 Opal Ring of Berserker.
And it would have served as additional finance 80 level transmutation stones from the gem store.
