Guild Wars 2

Miyu.8137:

PvP wise:

With the healing power scaling they basically killed all druid builds, which are not using healing power. I hoped that this patch would bring some build diversity but instead players are even more forced to play with menders amulet. Druid needed some nerfs no doubt about that, but again they proved that they have absolutely no clue what they are doing, just throwing some random stuff and see what happens.

Agree. They invented the druid because anet saw that rangers are often not welcome in groups. Now there stays only the full heal druid and again…how many full heal druids are needed in a group? ^^

They also talking about making short bow more viable. Well, it’s maybe too early to say, but I doubt it will ever be viable, cause there are no good amulets which would fit the short bow playstyle.

I played shortbow as second weapon set with my condi-viper-druid. But now this build is nerfed. So no need right now for a better shortbow.
My necro does more condi-damage for example – with that little heal left there is no need for the condi-viper-druid in groups anymore. Other classes are more effective in my opinion.

Dahkeus.8243:

Been playing WoW lately as a hunter and it made me realize how bad the pet mechanics of Ranger are. WoW’s not perfect either, but here’s what I wish GW2 could also pull off:
1) Make all pets equal DPS. In WoW, the only difference with pet performance is their utility skills. This gives a lot more flexibility in being able to choose a pet companion based on flavor/aesthetics instead of just how well it performs. In a game often called “Fashion Wars”, I’m still floored that you get punished for taking a pet because of how it looks.

2) Pets in WoW are optional for one of the specs. I don’t expect this to ever happen in GW2 since the devs think that a pet is integral to the class, unfortunately, but it would be nice to have this option.

3) One spec allows for 2 pets at once and there’s castable spells that summon temporary pets. I really wish there was more done to the Beastmastery talent line to make it actually feel more like you were a “beast master”. For a class that’s distinguished by it’s reliance on a pet, it also just overall feels like just having 1 beast to ever assist at once that plays such a small role undermines the whole point of having a pet in the first place.

I totally agree. The pets are unique to rangers, we definitely need to improve the mechanics. I think that a lot of people play the ranger because of the pet in the beginning. It’s nice, adorable, it makes fun to discover the world with it. But in pvp, wvw, fractals and raids you have to be highly specialized and cannot just wander around with your most loved pet and a tune on your lips.

I always wish there would be a elite-spec for a real “Beastmaster” with improved pet handling, more than one pet or some elite-pets, special skills like a stampede (summoning more pets for a short period of time), better boonshare for groups and so on. Just take a look in pen and paper rpgs with beastmasters as a profession…there are a lot of options anet could develop and implement. I don’t want another weapon or just be most of the time a healer in a group, I really like to have more use out of my pet.

For me there is only the full heal druid left for raids, my viper-ranger-heal-hybrid there is now quite worthless…
I really would like a ranger elite-spec as a “Beastmaster”. Maybe with more pets or elite-pets, mabe stampede-skills, more boons by the pets, more effective f2 skills and so on. Maybe this can’t be calculated and implemented but I really like the idea of finally having something that is unique to the ranger-profession and has a good impact in a group, too. I play ranger because I like the gameplay of having a pet as a companion but not because the profession per se is so highly effective. (Before druid-spec: “Kick the ranger, we don’t need him! Invite XYZ instead….”) ^^

I’m really annoyed after this update. The viper condi (axe/torch-shortbow for example) is now completely useless for raids. Of course, if you are full heal everything is going to be more smooth in raids, but if I compare the damage output to a viper-necro a viper-ranger becomes quite useless with the nerfed healing (patch has reduced the base healing power, but increased healing-power contribution, that is only good for full heal).

Not enough damage in comparison to other condis and now also not enough healing to give groups a reason to choose a viper-druid.

It’s so sad, after years the ranger finally had a few builds the people really wanted in their groups and now there stays again only one functionality, the healer. Great. (kitten , viperranger was so fun to play…WHYYYYYYY????)

Of course I’m not a pro and there might be other ways for the ranger but I don’t see it in raids right now.

I dream of a great beastmaster-elite spec. Something that really only a ranger-profession can provide. Maybe more pets at once with stampedes as skill, more mighty boons over F2 for groups and so on….well, wouldn’t that be great to finally really have a beastmaster? :-)