Guild Wars 2

DutchRiders.2871:

Ohoni.6057:

TL DR; If they add a easy mode, it doesn’t give the same rewards (not even just less, ie: none or different ones) and its just there for lore, storyline and learning for the people who don’t want to do harder content but can still do the storyline.

It should offer the same type of reward, just less of it, so that players who do easy mode would need to make more repetitions to achieve the same results as someone on hard mode. People who actively enjoy hard mode should have absolutely no reason to NOT play hard mode, because they will get a higher return on their time investment by doing so, but players that do not enjoy hard mode would not be completely locked out of anything either.

If they like the idea of existing raids, they should not hate the challenge level. Your statement in of itself is a contradiction.

Not as I said it, that’s why I coupled those two statements. It’s like saying “I enjoy this spicy chicken sandwich, but it’s too spicy for me.” What that means is “the other elements that make up this sandwich are things that I enjoy, but the spice is ruining it for me. A version with less spice would be awesome.”

So I believe that there are plenty of players, myself obviously included, who would enjoy a type of content that includes all elements of the raid that are NOT about challenge. This would include the setting, the specific boss encounters, all that, just toned down in risk so that the results are less likely to lead to a wipe if mistakes are made. I understand that this is not the experience you want, and that’s fine, because you already have your version, but I have trouble believing that you cannot even comprehend the sort of version I am describing. I mean, if someone came to me and said “I’d like to see a Shadow Behemoth encounter, only much more challenging,” I could easily picture numerous ways to make that happen, even if it’s not necessarily something I’d want to play myself.

Except I enjoy absolutely having to clear a difficult challenge to obtain cool rewards. An opt out like easy mode as you describe it would destroy my value. You might not want the same or you might not agree, however you must accept this what I like and what used to be missing in gw2 for me. And guess what ? I am the target audience for raids and you are not.

Very well put.

Ohoni.6057:

All we need is some sort of easier versions of the existing raids, so that players that like the idea of the existing raids, but do not like the challenge level, will still be able to play and have fun with the content. The hard mode raiding is just not everyone’s cup of tea, and yet so much of the new stuff is locked behind it, like lore, environments, legendary weapons, and the ability to do anything with XP in Maguuma maps.

Too bad Ohoni, you have your final answer. You can leave it now (surprise me)

Hurray for crystal reids answer. I’m glad. Looking forward to next week

jcbroe.4329:

snip

Nice to read. I haven’t WvW-ed much since HoT, was wondering whether druid would function as a healing bot, was aware of the snare capabilities. Always fun throwing them all out and seeing that enemy mini blob getting a bit less organized.

in short, yes gin. Let ranger bring sun spirit and druid bring something else.

It also depends on the raidboss and as always, personal or squad preference.
For VG example definitely, so the druid can take glyph of the tides.

Yes and yes. Currently condi druid being more popular than condi ranger

Good to read Jcbro. Seems you know what’s up in WvW lately.

Haven’t been playing of WvW for quite some time now, and I have done it a lot, interesting to see what it’s about nowadays.

I remember a thread not long ago someone asked for a good WvW ranger/druid zerg-build, and there were some pretty well known rangers in these forum, at least to me, that posted melee builds with no toughness and no stability and 1 stunbreaker, also not mentioning to depend on good squad compositioning, and saying that 1 stunbreaker was “very important!”. I was kind of shocked really, thought they really knew their stuff. Which they maybe do, but for sure not for WvW zergfights.

A good reminder, also for me, that these forums also holds players that are willing to help, which is nice, but maybe overrate themselves a bit about their knowledge of certain game types.

Hi Vukorep. Good questions. I’ll answer them as I see it and from my point of view and experience, which is both pugging and raiding in guilds (not experienced and experienced groups), since the raids started.

In my oppinion it all comes down to whether you’re playing in an experienced group or not. If you’re playing in an unexperienced group, I’ll call that pugging for now, I’d say you’d better be safe then sorry, so I’d go for as much healing power as you can. Better to go for the kill then to go for a good time on the clock.
If you’re going with an experienced group, you can experiment and go for more damage output.

So, to answer your questions.

1) Pugging: Yes. Go for the kill, and don’t go for a good time on the clock. And a kill should be easily doable if you’re full magi and others know their stuff. Experienced: No.
2) No.
3) Pugging: Yes. Experienced groups: No.
4) No question here

You’re final question is a good one too. Because I do mix when I can.
I started making a full magi set, then a full berserker set, then a viper’s set. Not saying that is the ideal order, it’s how it went for me. Because of this, I did not make a zealot set, and when I’m playing with an experienced group and I’m the healer, I sometimes go magi with zerker trinkets mixed up (or full berserker, if that’s possible). That way I try to lean towards as much damage as possible while I also provide the necessary healing for the group. Going with these 3 sets, another plus is the full zerker set is nice for open world PvE, dungeoning, fractals, HoT events etc.

Imporant to note that there was a recent update for the druid considering healing/healling power, which makes it harder for raidgroups to go with 2 damage druids (i.e. berserker and viper’s) and have enough healing to keep everyone alive. This makes healing stat druids more popular again, allthough I believe I read very good groups can still pull it off without healing power druids.

Hi OGDead.

Yes if your focus is maximizing healing output I would say lingering light is a good option. Grace of the land on the other hand gives extra dmg. The other grandmaster gives more cc. More a matter of preference I guess but if you only want to focus on healing I’d say go for it, the blind is a nice touch too

Haha I love your introduction. 30 yo here and can relate v much. On phone and don’t have time now for in depth answer

About rune of the krait on the Vipers Raid build. I was wondering yesterday how that would be less effective in raids than 4x nightmare and 2x trapper? Considering everything krait offers: +% duration bleeds (don’t we deal most dmg via bleeds?) +condi dmg. Keep popping your elite: bleed, torment (how good/bad is torment on raid bosses, anyone?) and poison which all sync well with our traits for specific condi dmgs (SK bleefd, WS poison).

Maybe I’m missing something obvious.

PS sorry for a bit off topic

And you can look here for updated builds madpieman:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/external?l=http%3A%2F%2Fqtfy.enjin.com%2Franger

Keep in mind what wondrous said about you and your group being experienced or not, chosing between zealot’s or magi

Stubie.5834:

Take off all gear and only use melee.

Haha! Good one

Cool Cecilia. Nice of you to share. I also still like the druid very much

I prefer something less squishy than the builds posted above me if it also has to be viable in WvW. If it would be PvE I’d go with those builds.

More WvW oriented, and just safer in PvE, I ran http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQNAnfVjEqQNL2yCesAVLWMEsmOQwqFAvVHrpVmAwor0lyV54MTA-TVyCABHfCA8U9HGOEAJqEcm9HyS5HAHBAk1HowDAIAACwFbxW8iBGv4Fv4Fv4hUALqsC-w

go for shared anguish if you’re being bounced around too much by your opponent

goal: lock down your opponent with all your CC skills and elite, drop a fire field in it. And kinda just drop everything you have on them/him/her. Melts like a charm.

Ah, I see

15 chars

Yeah I was just thinking you’re not dealing dmg for 3 secs because you’re rooted, but I guess that doesn’t make much of a difference then compared to the 2 to 5 bleeding plants vs the glyph of unity in normal form

Really MrTj?

That’s really interesting. So take root does more dmg than the elite glyph?

Nice to see most people appreciate what they did for the community

You don’t have to use the guides if you don’t like them for whatever reason.

http://qtfy.enjin.com/ranger

Scroll down to power druid

all classes are there, ranger specific: http://qtfy.enjin.com/ranger

Ty qT

https://m.reddit.com/r/Guildwars2/comments/58zahk/qt_updated_guides_and_dps_benchmarks_for_all/

Ty qT

Mr Greggles.5908:

The numbers you give are actually slightly off, I’ll correct you on them all, given the adjustments Anet made to the original equations (you can read the specifics yourself).
http://tinyurl.com/j3m6md6

Given the equations from the Wiki:
(these will change in time, so I won’t post links)

Cosmic Ray | 650 + 0.4*HP -> 325 + 0.608*HP
Seed of Life | 500 + 0.5*HP -> 400 + 0.665*HP
Lunar Impact | 2452 + 1.1*HP -> 1618.32 + 1.793*HP
Rejuvenating Tides | 810 + 0.35*HP -> 648 + 0.5005*HP

Equating these to each other gives the break points (you can check the math yourself if you wish):

Cosmic Ray | Healing Power = 1562.50
Seed of Life | Healing Power = 606.06
Lunar Impact | Healing Power = 1203.00
Rejuvenating Tides | Healing Power = 1076.41

These are the real break point values of the CA form skills. What this means is, if you have more Healing Power than these values above (eg. >1562.50 HP for Cosmic Ray or >606.06 HP for Seed of Life), those skills on an individual basis will do more healing than they did before the changes.

Inversely, any Healing Power below these values will result in a lower effectiveness due to the changes (this goes for zerker/viper’s druids especially).

To clarify, I’ll compare the effect this change has made for High and Low Healing Power builds.

For simplicity sake, I’ll be using 1700 Healing Power for “High” and 0 Healing Power for “Low”.

1700 Healing Power results:
Cosmic Ray | 1330 -> 1358.6 | Improvement = +2.15%
Seed of Life | 1350 -> 1530.5 | Improvement = +13.37%
Lunar Impact | 4322 -> 4666.42 | Improvement = +7.97%
Rejuvenating Tides | 1405 -> 1498.85 | Improvement = +6.68%

0 Healing Power results:
Cosmic Ray | 650 -> 325 | Improvement = -50% (nerf)
Seed of Life | 500 -> 400 | Improvement = -20% (nerf)
Lunar Impact | 2452 -> 1618.32 | Improvement = -34% (nerf)
Rejuvenating Tides | 810 -> 648 | Improvement = -20% (nerf)

Conclusion:

There have been very minor improvements to CA healing effectiveness in High Healing Power builds and major nerfs to CA healing effectiveness in Low Healing Power builds. The specific amount to which it has been nerfed/improved will depend on how far you vary from the break points (mentioned above) of each of the skills.

Bast Bow.2958:

Aomine.5012:

I kinda knew it all along.

This balance patch will make non healing gear heal significantly less while with healing gear, you still heal less or just about the same.

Win-win situation on Anet’s part of gutting ranger down once more.

going full heal like full magi without food makes you at 1557 HP. With food even more 1757 HP, wouldn’t that make full magi more viable and not less or just about the same like you said?

edit with food

You are right.

I was wrong guys, OP is right, forgive me.

Thanks!
It didn’t need math to compare my rejuvenading tides before patch and after to see the difference, healing for a bit more in full ascended magi.
I was waiting for someone to state the correct numbers and do the math, thanks.

I don’t get why people start calling things that aren’t true at all. It isn’t that difficult to see the difference in numbers.

Tarasicodissa.7084:

Thanks to the baseline nerfs of Druid healing, you’ll be seeing less heals overall no matter the gear (even full magi Druid will do less heals than pre-nerf).

In my calculations this isn’t so. Could you care to share how or where you got your information from?
When I’m in full magi with food, I’m healing more in CA than pre-patch. (PvE)

Kilrik.6320:

Bast Bow.2958:

Aomine.5012:

I kinda knew it all along.

This balance patch will make non healing gear heal significantly less while with healing gear, you still heal less or just about the same.

Win-win situation on Anet’s part of gutting ranger down once more.

going full heal like full magi without food makes you at 1557 HP. With food even more, wouldn’t that make full magi more viable and not less or just about the same?

Unfortunately not….Full healing gear still heals less than before. Even if it was the same, it would be less than before simply because celestial avatar form up-time was nerfed by 50% which would thereby make an additional nerf to average-over-time condi cleanse and stealth as well.

Yes, in PvP and WvW the recharge time changed. Not in PvE

Aomine.5012:

I kinda knew it all along.

This balance patch will make non healing gear heal significantly less while with healing gear, you still heal less or just about the same.

Win-win situation on Anet’s part of gutting ranger down once more.

going full heal like full magi without food makes you at 1557 HP. With food even more 1757 HP, wouldn’t that make full magi more viable and not less or just about the same like you said?

edit with food

Well I’m very happy with the shortbow changes, can’t wait to test them out
I will need to experience the change in CAF base healing and healing and healing power. It looks different, not bad per se, at least not for the general pve-end game content player, it probably will be for the speedclear people

AnariiUK.7409:

Is it just me or is the shortbow “crossfire” buff bugged out at the moment?

Seems like it’s applying the short 1.5s bleed regardless of if you’re flanking or not.

If I’m understanding the update notes correctly shortbow should bleed in all cases now, hitting from front, side or behind. Only difference is the duration. Front: 1.5 s. Behind or side (flanking): 3 s.

These shortbow changes are awesome! Very happy about it. This will mean a lot, will become a much more used weapon

Jim Hunter.6821:

Tragic Positive.9356:

Bast Bow.2958:

Ranys since when is condi meta in wvw zerg/blob fighting? I haven’t wvw’d much in a year but those fights used to have more then enough cleanses for condi to be viable. Raw dmg was always the way to go?

I believe the trapper did good in WvW.
It was also stated as a popular build on metabattle. I’ve never been a WvW player but that’s what I heard.

Trapper is terrible in wvw, even more so in zerg fights. Traps were decent when you could still throw them but since they were nerfed they have become useless. Without a point to fight over there is no reason for anyone to stand in them.

@Bast bow, condi is strong for small zerg/large havoc against unorganized pug zergs because epi bombs can melt a group. This tactic doesn’t work against organized zergs because of resistance boon share.

Ah yes. Then nothing changed much in that perspective. Ty

Ranys since when is condi meta in wvw zerg/blob fighting? I haven’t wvw’d much in a year but those fights used to have more then enough cleanses for condi to be viable. Raw dmg was always the way to go?

No you’re not the only 1 bigpapasmurf.

But not wanting the holy trinity was a nice idea but doomed to fail beforehand imo, not being a gamedeveloper. I posted that pre-beta. Because people always tend to min-max their stats. There will -always- be 1 profession that can do 1 of the holy trinity-roles best, being it with a tiny margin. Add to that pretty hardcore endgame content, people will definitely look for the best healer, tank and dps-classes.
But every profession has a viable (meta) end game PvE build, which is nice.

You blind them 24/7 with fosfor trap?!?!

bearshaman.3421:

Snip.

Thanks for the clarification. Interesting to read. It’s a good explanation. It still doesn’t match how I feel about it and what think that fits. A matter of taste?
Also I got used to all the ‘not realistic’ things pretty quickly and it doesn’t bother. But it is the reason I can’t relate to the engineer-archetype, if you could call it like that, and I am fond of the ranger-archetype, and I can relate to all others too.

Elite trap! Yes cool! Gw1 seems a good source for ideas

Hm ok, Ty for explaining. I’ve played guild wars and mained ranger for years untill Gw2 released and can’t recall hammer as a weapon. Not sure how I missed that. Or maybe I didn’t like it either back then and just never played it.

I still can relate better with a mh dagger or offhand axe.

No. Indeed I do not.

In my experience the usual pug group needs at least full zealot’s in healing power, preferably even full magi, especially if you’re the only druid in the squad.

Ghotistyx.6942:

Zoberraz.2694:

Coming in to ranger, I was disappointed to see the axe being a mostly thrown weapon (offhand 5 being the exception). Not to mention something as big as a battleaxe being thrown over and over with unlimited ammunition was kind of jarring (thrown daggers/arrows are easier to swallow). But axe was done; and I’m reluctant to see dagger go the same way (offhand 5 is enough for me).

Everything is infused with magic. That’s how armor universally protects regardless of actual material or coverage, and how Warriors can boomerang a Greatsword every 15 seconds

Even though I think you are right, I’m still with zoberraz on this one. There was a similar discussion about firearms recently.

@wondrouswall. Care to explain? I’m curious

No hammer plz! Leave it to brawn over brain classes, which we are not

Rather mh dagger or offhand sword

Meanma.5623:

What a lovely community! I have added you lot as friends but I suspect all of you are playing on the US side? I’m on EU.

Eu here too

Hey Meanma.

I’m sure there are some fellow rangers happy to help you out in the ascalonian dungeon, of which I am one. You can add me in game, and we’ll get through the dungeon without being pressured, and enjoying the content which is new for you.

I won’t be online much this week, so maybe there are also other players that could do this

Snakes!

Venomous ones and constrictor ones. Conditions like poison, immobilize etc

Hi Twicedead. Which is interesting btw.

Raids, pugging or not very experienced groups: A/T-Shortbow Viper’s is more popular than Longbow-S/A Zerker, for now, Zerker is catching up on Viper’s. With the exception of Keep Construct, condi dmg doesn’t work (as well) as raw dmg there.

Raids, (very) experienced groups: Either. Both Viper’s and Zerker. These groups don’t need so much healing, so they go with a zerker and a condi druid, rather than a healer and a condi druid. (Sometimes switching up a few zerker trinkets for healing trinkets, if they are short of healing just a little, but want to keep on min-maxing their dmg output)

Fractals: they recently rescaled toughness in fractals, which makes power more viable again. I can’t tell which one is favorite at this point, maybe someone else can fill in on this. Either way, I don’t think it makes much difference.

Dungeoning: Zerker

AnariiUK.7409:

Grace of the land is applied separately to the heals, so you can still give the buff to players that are at full HP. You can also give the grace of the land stacks to entirely different players than those that are being healed, due to the heals overflowing.

Interesting, didn’t know that yet

Yes. All very good reasons why firearms fit well in game and aren’t more powerful per se than more classical weaponry.

Then only remains my personal preference of the older more ‘classic’ weapons.
I think the more classic weapons need more skill and/or work to get a kill, while the firearms only need to pull a trigger (I’m aware of gunpowder older guns and their routine etc, but still), which makes them firearms… down on my list I suppose.

Hm yes. Forgot about those.
I have things to think about. Ty for your contribution

I understand you better now. I never thought of enchantments and magic in that way. Interesting way of looking at it.

I agree on the charr and technology, I think it’s awesome as well.

Also, it maybe is logical tyria has moved up and advanced in time too, so their weaponry did as well.

Then why am I still a bit repulsive against a fight between any of the more classical weapons and a rifle with a grenade? I’m afraid we’ll be going towards more and bigger explosions and weaponry in future, we have too many particle effects as it is.
Maybe I’ll have to think more about the enchantments and weapon part you stated.

about that shooting in the head: yeah so no firearms! :p
I find it hard to follow about putting enchantments into arrows, but I see where you’re comming from, I think.

It’s just my oppinion. I liked GW 1 better about this topic: no firearms, grenades and weird ‘new’ weapons which imo would obliberate (? no native speaker) the more classical weapons. It just feels off and not fitting. But hey that’s just how I feel about it. I do got used to it, it got implemented very well. But still, if I could scrap (pun) all and start over, no more ‘new’ weapons firearms belts nades tools, what’s next launchers? Then we roll into 20th century weapons blegh stop before the firearms! :p

I’ve never really liked the fact firearms were added to the game in the first place. Maybe comming from a too realistic point of view: putting 2 evenly (non) skilled persons against each other, 1 with a modern firearm, the other with a classic shortbow or longbow, the modern firearm would always win. I find firearms way too powerful and modern to be implemented in game.
Also the reason I didn’t like the engineer at all. Too modern and too powerful comming from the same point of view, being equipped with those modern weird weapons and tools.
Also I remember warrior being special because it could equip most weapons. Now with the elite specilisations warrior feels less special since all professions can equip another weapon. Even though warrior still can equip most.
Because of this I’m like yeah wth not also equip us with firearms. Every profession is getting everything eventually? But being totally honest. No! Blegh firearms go away from elegant stylish old fighting with honour.

MrThompson.8347:

So I’ve been playing Zerk Druid (LB + Sword/Axe) for a good little while and wanna try out a Condi build, will buy full Carrion, Axe/Torch, and probably a shortbow or just keep staff for running around and use Axe/Torch as main weapons

Basically wanna know if Condi Druid is good for PvP/WvW too

Hi MrThompson!

Can’t say much about PvP.
I’ve had much fun with condi builds in WvW roaming. I would suggest some toughness though as others also stated, going full carrion would leave you pretty vulnerable.