Guild Wars 2

Ryuujin.8236:

albert.3219:

I’ve been wanting to main a ranger since release but I haven’t seen them actually ‘fixed’ ever.

Just wondering is it worth, or mainly viable, to make a ranger after HoT to run Condi w/shortbow.

They’ve never been broken. It’s a good class that attracts bad players. For some, the checklist looks like this:

• Has big fluffy pet
• Shoots bows and arrows
• HAS A BIG FLUFFY PET
• In in tune with nature
• OMG THAT PET IS SO FLUFFY I’M GONNA DIE!

And thus another bearbow is born, and eventually they’ll write a concern thread about how rubbish their DPS and survivability is when they just sit on longbow trying to make their pet tank.

But if you’re looking for a class that is fun, mobile, flexible, has solid damage output, brings, is survivable and brings some buffs to the table with it, you’re in the right place. If you’re here for pets and bows, you’ll probably be disappointed

ahhh, never been broken? Pets have been broken since day 1 dude. There was just another pet test done and the results were horrific. https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/This-are-ranger-pets-PETS-TEST-2/page/3#post5719449.

Ranger is currently my main and I do think they’re viable, but rangers are most definitely broken.

I’m with you guys…

After the recent change to smokescale (nerf) and the lack luster effort to fix pets, I’ve pretty much given up hope on Ranger. Decided to throw in the towel and play another class until they fix pets (and i’m not holding my breath).

Its replaced and the damage has been nerfed into the ground, GG.

I’ve been having a lot of success in PVE with this build. I haven’t tried it in WvW yet but it should work pretty well. I’m using full Crusaders with druid runes.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQNBMhZ6kSFoiVskVwmVgrFskIYwX1t6X1J1t6adPBgY3MrknlG-TZQaAAQZAA

Healing and using glyphs gives a good chunk of bonus damage because of the Grace of the Land trait, along with the 10% damage increase glyph. I swap pets constantly just to spam the f2 (which is why i’m a fan of keeping the smokescale’s f2 as Smoke Assault). TBH this seemingly is the most damage I’ve been able to do as a ranger using a power type build. I pretty much switch to celestial form when ever I get the chance just to give 5 people a pretty significant damage increase. The sword / horn seems to be the only weapon that has good synergy with the staff, atleast for PVE.

So far this is the most fun I’ve had on the ranger… there’s definitely some clunkiness to work out but I don’t think its broken by any means.

Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582:

kzar.3079:

naediian.8569:

You guys are crazy. I see daily complaints about pets being worthless… we FINALLY get a solid f2 burst that can be used very reliably, and now you want them to switch it to a fairly worthless smokefield? Seriously now.

Please don’t change it, the smokescale and bristleback is one of best things to happen to the ranger.

But you wont lose the burst damage. The smokefield is only useless if you don’t know how to use it. Besides autocasting the smokefield is a dps loss and a liability in organized groups.

Don’t even try. At least he’s not using a brown bear anymore.

You sound like a real nice guy.

Back to the topic on hand… you wouldn’t lose overall damage (assuming they don’t nerf it again) but you would lose the ability to use that damage on demand. I’ve seen the use cases, including the videos posted, and its not worth losing one of the best abilities for reliable on demand pet damage.

You guys are crazy. I see daily complaints about pets being worthless… we FINALLY get a solid f2 burst that can be used very reliably, and now you want them to switch it to a fairly worthless smokefield? Seriously now.

Please don’t change it, the smokescale and bristleback is one of best things to happen to the ranger.

Vulnerability shot + QZ + Rapid Fire with rampage as one is by far much more burst than the short bow, and can be pretty exceptional in WvW if you have Piercing arrows.

Ever Tried QZ with Rapid fire?

Rhino.9607:

I know, but the true still remains that they have no real plans on fixing our broken class. Not sure how you can think nerfing is an effective way of Class balancing but that’s totally wrong, this Class is far more complex than Anet staff is able to handle. Facts are Facts, just look at their other MMO’s they have or are hosting with Ranger classes. It’s the same here as it is on those other MMO’s

I’m no fanboy, and I’ve “been around the block” in terms of MMO’s. Pet’s in most MMO’s are usually filled with bugs, that I can agree with. If you’re suggesting they should eliminate the pet mechanic, or make it play a less significant role, I could maybe get on that wagon. But saying they should erase the class all together or calling them incompetent and incapable, is well.. nonconstructive.

I always thought the Warhammer Swordmaster class was a good example of a class with pet potential. More damage with no pet out, making the pet an optional mechanic.

Exactly, they have stated numerous times how they approach class balance. They do not, and will not apply large band-aids to temporary issues. They are looking at the big picture, and while this takes more time.. I for one appreciate this approach.

Rhino.9607:

Personally, since they WILL NOT improve the Ranger Class, they should allow us(The Ranger Community) to choose another class and put all progress on that new class. Thanks JP, for the lies.
Here’s a thought for Anet. Why not wipe out the Ranger class as a whole? It seems that this Class is far more complex than your staff is able to handle.
Food for thought~

Do you realize how nonconstructive this post is? Obviously they are not going to erase the ranger class, nor can I imagine that most people who have rangers want their character erased (myself included). Am I frustrated with the lack of ranger fixes? Sure, you bet.. especially the pet mechanic. But this literally serves no purpose.

Of course they will attempt to fix the ranger class, and in general, continue to balance classes. What I think a lot of rangers fail to realize, while rangers may not be getting the updates we’d all like to see happen.. a lot of other classes have been nerfed, which is just as effective in terms of balancing the game.

Yeah, i’m with you there. Right now i’m currently just gathering the mats common to all legendary’s. Luckily the Kudzu precurser is much much less expensive than than the Great Sword precursers.. though I have heard they plan to change the way these are gotten.

Kind of interesting, I’ve been hearing a lot more of these kite builds. I would also like to point out that lasting along time in spvp is probably one of the best things you can do for your team.. especially as a ranger guarding a point. This build is definitely viable in Spvp.

Thanks for the video! Good stuff.

I would also add that toughness, in any build, is necessary.

I run mostly Power / Condition / Toughness gear with a bit of vitality. I typically run Greatsword and Shortbow, spike trap, poison trap, QZ, and depending on the situation Rampage or the Elite AoE Root. My bleed damage is somewhere between 115-125, about 250 poison damage from the trap (keep in mind poison reduces healing by 33%)

I used all 6 runes of Undead to make 5 % of toughness turn into condition damage.. I find this build extremely viable in spvp and PVE but a little lack luster when it comes to WvW. Don’t get me wrong, it’s amazing when you’re able to cleave a few a players at the same with with Maul or get some bleed stacks up on someone with the short bow.. you just don’t have that much of an opportunity to do so in WvW. The more I run WvW with my guild (KnT) I’m finding sword/horn and Long Bow to be much more viable.

The Best burst I’ve found on a single target so far for a ranger is using the cheetah pet for the 5 stacks of might, use the warhorn, use rampage, and then switch to long bow for a QZ Rapid Fire.. this is sort of risky because as well all know, the longbow isn’t the hardest weapon to dodge, but QZ does help quite a bit with this (especially unloading on someone in the middle of WvW)

So in my opinion it really depends on what you mostly plan on doing. For spvp and pve i’d say condition damage all the way, for WvW i’m currently thinking on a knights set for more burst with the longbow.