Guild Wars 2

Shadelang.3012:

That will set the grandmasters into 3 primary parts as well.

1: Buffing druids will take Grace of the Land. They won’t get Celestial form as often but it will boost the raids damage when they do.

2: Healing druids will get Celestial form more often and be more dedicated to there role as healers.

3: Control druids won’t get Celestial Form as often but will gain better lockdown capabilties for CCing specific foes.

Thats my idea on the matter atleast. I believe this will properly set druids as a burst healer without having to be confined to specific build types or dealing with clunky astral force generation methods.

Edit: Fixed an eronious name on first grandmaster trait

Actually i would do this to the whole traitline:

Minor: first two are fine, but natural mender would have a better place in the staff trait.

Adept:
Cultivated Synergy→Burstheal (BH) is fine

Druidic Clarity→Apply Stunbreak arround you and regeneration arround you →Support

Primal Echoes: Instead of the Stun on Swap replace it with the Natural Mender part. →Sustain Heal

Master:
Celestial Shadow: Actually IMO this Trait dont fits into Druid, i would put this one in a ranger baseline Trait → Something like the old Ranger stealth trait.
Instead i would say you pulse little heals arround you when in CAF. →Sustain Healer
Call it for example “Celestial Presence”.

Natural Stride: Put it as GM Minor Trait instead of Natural Mender.
Instead Put Primal Echoes on this place and i would stun 0.75s every weaponswap (ICD 9s)→Support/Control

Verdant eching: Is fine but a little bonus instant heal on the glyphs would be nice. →BH

Grandmaster:

Grace of the Land: Is fine, improve the incoming healing 2% per stack. →Support, sustain

Ancient Seeds: Change the ICD on target and not on the whole thing. reduce the entangle duration a little bit to tweak it right.→Control

Lingering Light: healing an ally applies the buff lingering Light, for 10s. Allies gain heals when they attack foes while buff is active. When the Buff ends apply Blind arround allies. (ICD 20s) →Burst, Support

This way Lingering light gives good heal and blind with a reasonable CD .
This way Druid would be a good Control/Support.

Actually itr makes sense, that you no more get Af when you heal yourself when you are on full health, but it was kitten usefull and the only synergy ranger traits and abbilities had with Druid.

Just reverse it and do more condition possibilities on staff and change traits a little more so you can play support OR control.
Its anoying nas hell, that every ranger player has eather play ranger base or are pushed to a healer, although the glyphs are very good in pve and the traits have so much potential.

Ranger are actually the only class with some kind of right for upgradable class mechanic, not strenght wise but cosmetic wise the pets could be improved while progression.
And mechanic wise its the only class mechanic with major issiues.
E.G
-Controllability
-unfair distributed stats between pets
-AI
-Skills not working properly (Birds F2 has a delay) or just poor designed (porcines F2)

If everything asked from the ranger community is going to be improved on the pets, we will have our elite pets

Actually i thought of something similar, but not just pets who spawn after an event, but just pets you can only tame with an elite spec.

Later when new elite specs arrive there could be new pets for the elite spec to tame.

And now for the druid i thought about Oakheart and other treants.
They could be an awesome pet with condi clear, entangle, pull etc.
Just about 2-3 would be enough per elite spec and it would give every elite spec of the ranger its own pet flavour bonus.

bump !
Totally agreeing.
All these issiues are requested since launch.
Plus: Make the pet controllable for the ranger please Anet we are begging you for 3 YEARS!

I like to Druid really, there are many good parts of it and of course some to improve. But the one thing bothering me the most is the animation of some things, especcially CAF.
lore-Wise is the Druid Bonded to plants, Nature and spirits.

The CAF is the kitten Nightsky! No plants no jungle.

The Staff is ok, but some Animations could improve.
For example they could make all skills looking similar.
Solar beam stays.
Astral wisp put more leafs in it.
Ancestral Grace, put more leafs in it.
Vine surge fine.
Sublime conversion make as thorny as vine surge and not a bloom garden ( i mean you are fighting right?!)

Glyphs:
All glyph animation is fine Except the glyph of alignment.
It would fit better theme wise if it would be more greenish and thorny (because of poison application etc.)

Now the CAF:
The Form itself:
In Game you are a image of the nightsky in this form.
My idea is exactly the opposite, make it like a sunny summer day glowing with leafs (similar to the staff animations)

Now skills:

Cosmic Ray: just make it like sunlight and not some starlight stuff.

Seed of Life: THIS LOOKS LIKE A KITTEN ALIEN!
Change it to a real flower similar to the healing spring just bigger and with some yellow blossom.

Lunar Impact:Same as Cosmic ray

Rejuvanating Tides: The Idea of the Planets moon etc is cool, but it would be nice if the light of it would be like sun (yeah i repeat myself) and that also a mini sun is surrounding you while casting.

Natural Convergence: Same as Tides.

What would you change on the Druid animations ?

First: Bump ^^

Second: I think some traits need a rework or improvement not just natural mender.

The Minors:
Celestial being →as pointless as every Elite spec first minor

Live vicarously →is actually pretty good for sustain (selfish ftw^^)

Natural Mender → is good but as you said just misplaced. ( iw ould even made a little rework)

Adept:
Druidic Clarity →good Trait but not worth picking (IMO), it would be better if CAF skills would pulse condi remove in periods arround you.

Cultivated Synergy → is good for healing spec and pet sustain, but the area should be improved, otherwise you have to stack with your teammates for this extra heal.

Primal Echoes →Staff is heal based weapon (i would give it a Heal condi function, but this is another topic), this means Daze on swap doesnt make sense.
Merge it with natural mender as suggested and every time you heal with a staff skill outgoing and received healing from allies (which are healed) is incresed for a certain period→similar to alicrity from chrono just a static buff that improves something.
For a visual feedback i would say something like a yellowish white flame arround your allies.

Master:

Celsestial shadow: Actually not my trait but a good group support.
additional applying blind all arround you would be even better and aoes would not instantly desteahlt.

Natural stride:
All arround buff should be GM Minor.
When you break out of stun should also be applying effect of natural stride to your allies for a short time.

Verdant etching: Trait good but the seed should be improved

Now because Natural stride is GM:
Primal Echoes:
Trait has nothing to do with staff.
Every time you swap weapons you daze foes arround you (CD 20 s for example), this would made DPS druid more desireable and with a balanced cd you can not just face roll one weapon swap and faceroll the next and swap again.
Plus i would say also applying daze arround your pet when you swap pets→yeah thats a trait that interacts with the pet (woooohooo).

GM:
Ancient seeds: Is good but it would be awesome if Roots are improved and count as debuff and not a graphical fancy version of immob and bleed combination.
The CD should be per target and not per application.

Lingering Light:
It was nerfed a little bit to hard, 8s would have been fine instead of 12.

Grace of the Land:
I am not sure if this stacks or not, and im not sur if it effects yourself or not.
If not pls change.

Actually the traits are after the glyphs the best part of the elite spec^^

SLOTSKILLS:

Feel free to criticism, this wopuld make the Ranger class more distinct and diverse, i planned that every trait line, weapon get a theme and every skilltype are diverse and i tried to include stunbreaks in every skilltype.

And yes i had to make 2 posts because this is so many stuff^^’
Seeya ^^

Actually i posted a lot of suggestions or you can say mere overhauls of the ranger class.
This means traits, weapon- and utilityskills.
But the rules said no subtopic commentary sooo…
THIS is gonna be a long post^^

TRAITS

WEAPON

Please post everything you know,think and suggest should be improved in case of the pets. Doesnt matter if its species related, skill or just the AI.

For example:

Base Handling:

We should could use the 2 main abbilities of the Pets (or even three if possible).
Make the return to me button to a Ground-targeted positioning skill ( like guard, just no stealth->pet moves to area and attacks everything in this area but nothing out of it)
The Combatmode switch should be similar to weapon switch or a chain attack.
->your pet is defensive baseline, this means when you are out of combat it attacks thinks in melee range to you.
->if you activate the combatmode button the pet attacks and follows your target.
->if you activated again or you get out of combat it switches back to the defensive mode.
You can do some settings for stowing pets:
-if stowed it stays till unstowed
-it only unstowes when you attack
-it only unstowes if you get in combat

UI:

Pet names should stay
Pet organisation should be better (take a look how its done here http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQBAA ->thats how a pet organisation should be)

Species:

The F2 of the porcine should be something like Steal from Thief, you activate Forage and the Random item appears instead of Forage. If the item is used it is activated by he ranger itself like a theft-item.

Now guys its your turn, say what everything is wrong with the ranger pets!

PS: sry for bad english ^^’

Actually i think As should proc on Knockdown/-back, launch, daze and stun and condi dmg should also count as proc dmg.
This way it wouldnt matter if condi or pure dmg build, and LB,SB,GS,Axe-Off and Staff (traited→on swap) would work with it and wozuld give more build variety.

Yeah there are a lot of discussion about Weapon skills (especially sword and SB)and how they should work properly.
This Topic is about merging Ideas for Weaponskill improvements (pls nothing OP).
First i suggest just sword and SB, because these two need the most love.

My Suggestions:

Sword:

AA: I would chain the AA just because its clunky, rooted, to exposed to foes and very difficult to control (Jumping down cliffs or into wrong foe etc.)

Chain 1 of the AA:
Slash: Hit multiple enemies in front of you and apply cripple (Same duration as the old AA 2)
This Attack should be Power Based and the Cripple is for soft CC of the enemy.

Chain 2 of the AA:
Pummel: Deal dmg and Interrupt enemy when you crit them (ICD per enemy)
This Skill gives you and your pet might. This Part ofr the chain is also Power based but with lower base Dmg as 1.

Chain 3 of the AA:
Slice: Hit up to 3 enemies in front of you and apply 2 stacks of Bleeding on them for 2.5s. This Attack is Condi based.

Of course you are mobile while AA and you can evade properly. With the mix of Power and Condition based Dmg, the boon generation, some CC its a all around weapon and useful for several playstyles.

Skill Number 2:
Because we lose the leap on the chain i thought of change the Number two to a leap with an evade as the second part of the chain.

Chain 1 of Skill 2:
Vipers Leap / Monarchs Leap: Jump into battle and apply weakness to multiple targets (max 3).
I would give this a very short CD (5s), but not as much Dmg, because its for the mobility. And the Weakness is for Dmg mitigation because you throw yourself into the fray.

Chain 2 of Skill 2 and Skill 3:
Here there are two possibilities i would both appreciate.
First: Serpent Strike is the second part of the Number 2 Chain.
Second: Hornet Sting is on the Second part of the Chain.

Eatherway i would change both just slightly.
Serpent Strike: While evading you leave behind you a poison trail which forms a poison field at the end of the animation.
Hornet Sting: You were surrounded by Hornets when you activate this skill. While active all enemies hit by you get slowed and tormented ( i would say this skill would be just last as long the number 4 skill of the Guardian Torch lasts). All allies arround you get swiftness and a short evade on skill activation.

With both these Changes the Sword would give more utility and support/teamplay.

Shortbow Skills:

AA: Add Bleed on Default and 1 additional one if you hit from tje side and another one if you hit from behind. Base Dmg increase 25%.

2: Similar to the 3 of the DH Longbowskill, just a Big Projektile applying Poison (2 stacks) on Multiple enemies (5 Targets) and add a Blast finisher.

3: Give swiftness on Default and Quickness (2.5 s) on evade. Add Projektile finisher.

4: Apply Torment on your foe (2 stacks) additional one if you hit from behind or the side. Your pet next several attacks applies Cripple.

5: Apply 3 Stacks of Confussion. Additional apply daze if you hit from the side or Stun if you hit from behind. Knockdown disabled foes when hit by this attack.

This way the Shortbow is stronger and still unique in his playstyle.

These were my suggestions for this two weapons.
Please post your improvement suggestions for the ranger weapons below.

yes please Anet change it like this way !!!
it would been even better if you could distribute stats of the pet and every pet has the same amount of stat points (but different stat caps→bears could have more vitality than birds etc etc.), because if you want to have a specific type of pet, but it has not the right stats or just less than another kind of pet (E.G. Drakes have more stats than a canine) it will just broke the expirience.

Tragic Positive.9356:

“Forced Pet Traits” are not really at wrong places.
Pet Swap is a core pet mechanic regardless of traits you use. Having Party Support (Call of the Wild) on pet swap is a good thing that has literally nothing in common with beast mastery itself.

Fortifying Bond should be baseline, that’s another discussion.

Invigorating Bond is just weak, but potentially placed on a good traitline. Team support. That’s about it.

I dont think they are bad placed because they are Pet based traits, i think they are bad placed because they are the only one in the spec line or dont fit the specline theme.

WARNING LONG POST:

You have to agree with me that the ranger class has many many skills which have problems to be competitive or solely designed about a niche function.
I thought about some suggestions to improve the weapon, utility,heal and elite-skills to make them more useful. I increased espiacially the number of fields and finisher to give the ranger a more skill based playstyle.
I do NOT make suggestions for Druid related things, this is just for the core class.

First Weaponskills:

Longbow:
3. could get use of quickness on hit or superspeed (for dmg output or repositioning)
5. give it a projektile destroy (this way you would provide better attack against ranged foes

Greatsword:

4. Give it a Block with a duration and IF you block you can activate the knockback if you want. If you do not you can still throw your greatsword. The Crippling Throw Skill also pulls enemies to you on his backway (like path of scars)

Torch:

Could get use of a little CD reduction.

Dagger:

4. Apply 3 stacks of poison and weakness to your foe instead of poison stacks.

5. I thought about a little mechanic change of this skill. ou throw the dagger and after impact you shadowstep (just with leafy animations) to your foe applying 3 stacks of Poison arround you, in addition you do a explosion Finisher.

Warhorn:

4. PbAoE Hit foes arround your target with Hawks and Apply dmg and Blind

Shortbow:

1. Apply 1 stack of Bleed on Default, Apply another one if you hit from the side and apply 2 more if you hit from behind.
2. Shoot a Poison Arrow at your target, which shatters in 6 fragments arround your Target creating poison fields.
3. Swiftness on Default and Quickness for 3s if you evade attack with it. Add projektile finisher
4. Apply Cripple and 2 stacks of torment on hit, apply 2 additional stacks of torment if you hit a foe, who is cripple, chilled, immobilized or disabled.
5. Apply 2 stacks of Confusion and daze your foe, if you hit from behind or the side apply 1 additional stack of confusion and stun your foe. If you hit a disabled foe knock him down instead (regardless of hit direction.

Sword:

1. Normal autoattack like warrior or guardian (not rooted and no leap at the end of the chain) Effects and speed stay the same, except the last attack gives you and your pet swiftness and the first hit of the chain applies bleed.
2. A mixture version of Monarchs leap (#2 chain 2) and serpents strike (#3). First you jump at your Target (with some fancy jumping snake animation) and apply vuln and poison (2 stacks) and after that you have access to the 2nd chain, which is serpent strike like default.
+15% all arround dmg increase
-> Here i tried to improve the shortbow, but still kept his unique skirmish like playstyle.
3. The old #2 Hornet sting skill, but with a little bit bigger range and you apply bleed (3 stacks) on the hit and create a hornetswarm line behind you (Which applies fury and swiftness to your companions and slows and dmg your foes).
->sword is now a mobile all arround weapon (base dmg on #1 good condi on #2 chain and even a little support on #3

Axe:

Mainhand:
1. a little dmg increase and apply cripple inside the range threshhold (240)

2. This skill no more applies bleeds but it hits about 3 targets per axe hit (this makes 15 Targets with 1 throw) + increase of dmg because of the remove of the bleeds.

3. AoE on Default, field also applies weakness, your pet gains might for every foe hit. (max stack of 9)

Offhand:

4. Leave a Trail of shards behind the projektile, every enemy crossing them gets immobilized.

5. Change animation so you can move

-> i made the axe a pure flat dmg weapon and not a condi weapon hibryd thing, because the sword takes its part as the condi onehand weapon.

Spear: (yeah i dont forgot them^^)

2. also gain retaliation

3. Gain superspeed to you and all alies you are passing through, only apply vuln on hit, but 8 stacks instead of 5.

4. like i the greatsword #4 ,block all hits in a duration and get acces to the kick IF you block a hit.
(if you dont block you can still use the throw spear skill)

5. is awesome as it is

Speargun:

2. Apply bleed (3 stacks) and 1 additional stacks of torment (up to 4) the further away he is.

3. Give your pet quickness instead of fury.

4. DO extra dmg per condition on your foe (10% per condition)

5. leave a smoke combofield behind you.

Slotskills:

Shouts:

Guard:
Name Change: Defend:
Ground Targeted: Pet runs to area, creates windsphere (similar to whirling defense animation, just 400 range) which destroyes projektiles and pushes foes outside the sphere (like the guardian bubbles)->good for recovering, bunkerin etc.
Duration about 7s cd about 50 s

Protect Me:
Name Change: Protect
Taunts foes and blocks attacks for Duration
Prevents downed allies from bleeding out.
Breaks Stuns.

Sic Em:
Pet Gains superspeed and Quuickness, reveales foes in an 600 range area. Your Pets attacks Apply vuln, cripple and Disabled foes get knocked down.

Search and Rescue:
Name Change: Rescue: Pet heals allies arround, apply protection and allies get automatically rescue if they were downed.
Explosion Finisher.
->Note: Change the Trait “Allies Aid” so that your pet lick the wounds of your allies, this wouldn’t change the effect of the trait, just the skill the pet is using (still counts as a shout)

We Heal as One:

No Change

Strenght of the Pack:

No change

Survival:

Quickening Zephyr:

No change

Lightning Reflexes:

No change

Muddy Terrain:
Slow foes instead of Cripple

Sharpening Stone:
CD reduction to 20s
Also applies Torment on Critical hits.

Troll Unguent: No Change

Entangle: Add Explosion Finisher and Stability(1 stack) on Cast

Signets:

Renewal:

Passiv: Also cleanses Condis from your pet every 10 s
Active: Cleanses 3 Condition from you and your Pet, get boons on the numberr of conditions removed:
-1.Vigor
-2.Protection
-3.Regeneration
Remove Stunbreak
lower CD to 40s
Instant Cast
->Better Utility for you and your pet, more boon generating, stun break removed to Wild

Wild:
Passive: No Change
Active: Base Heal and You and Your pet gain Might ( 7 stacks, 10s) and fury.
Add Stunbreak
40s CD
Instant cast
->more active dmg buff, add stunbreak on 40s CD, removed stability to stone

Stone:
Passive: No Change
Active: Add Resistance(6s) and Stability (2 stacks, 6s)
->better dmg resistance,->no condi dmg and no cc

Hunt:
Passive: No change
Active: do 10% more dmg while active. Immobilize your foes arround your target and your pet attacks apply cripple for the duration.
Duration:15 seconds
CD:35s
-> more control and better dmg buff

Traps:

Frost Trap:
Add Stunbreak
First Pulse on foe Freezes them into an ice block.

Vipers Nest:
Also Apply Torment per Pulse
increase Duration to 5s (5 pulses)

Spike Trap: No change

Flame Trap: Increase burning duration and duration of Trap.

Spirits:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Ranger-Overhaul-Suggestions/first#post5632341

->exactly how i would suggest the spirit changes should been made.
Except Natures Spirit effect.
Cleanses Condis in its area and pulses stability
Activate: Revives up to 3 Downed Allies in the Targeted Area and applies roots to your foes.

I also made a Trait Overhaul Topic matching to this one:
https://forum-en.gw2archive.eu/forum/professions/ranger/Trait-Overhaul-Suggestions/first#post5632252

I would like to hear some opinions from you guys and wha you think about it

[quote=5586259;Castaliea.3156:]

Holland.9351:

The only things that really bother me at the moment are:

• All 3 Marksmanship minor traits are as good as useless without Remorseless and 1 of them is a forced pet trait.
• Fortifying Bond is another forced pet trait outside of Beastmastery.

Yeah actually i thought of a complete Trait overhaul, because most of the Traits are placed bad or just on Wrong Places.
Like the two examples of you are many skills Heal, Pet or Grandmaster placed or misplaced and espacially with the Ranger are many lacks of Synergy between Trait placement and Playstyles. Furthermore there are many Trait which force you to take another specialiaziation line for one specific Playstyle, which is unprofitable for us Rangers.

Holland.9351:

The only things that really bother me at the moment are:

• All 3 Marksmanship minor traits are as good as useless without Remorseless and 1 of them is a forced pet trait.
• Fortifying Bond is another forced pet trait outside of Beastmastery.

Yeah actually i thought of a complete Trait overhaul, because most of the Traits are placed bad or just on Wrong Places.
Like the two examples of you are many Traits based on Heal, Pet or Grandmaster placed and dont fit inside the Traitline, espacially with the Ranger are many lacks of Synergy between Trait placement and Playstyles. Furthermore there are many Trait which force you to take another specialiaziation line for one specific Playstyle, which is unprofitable for us Rangers.

Actually i thought about some different idea to improve the sword skills.
#1: no leap on the final chain but apply vuln on hit or weakness on crit(the idea of superspeed or swiftness is pretty good though)
#2:As you said the leap on the first step of tzhe chain, but the second would be cool if it was the old #3, for example you jump in with a snakejump (apply poison or torment or weakness) and after wards you can do the evade inside the battle to get arround your foe.
And Finally the #3: The Hornet sting evade + leave a poisontrail field behind you to combo with and applying Torment(for example)

It doesnt matter if the Greatsword has a gap closer and the sword would get one too, the warrior has Plenty of gap closers and 3 of them are on weaponskills (including bursts)

Another Suggestion of mine is to give the Ranger a Hunterweaponskill.
Like the stealth skill of the Thief but this skill works similar to opening strike. Your first strike in combat is your Hunterskill #1 and it is replenished when leaving combat.
For example: You can put the leap of the sword chain on this Skill to get your beloved gap closer.
Or you can put a short immob on the Shortbow #1 Hunterskill.
etc etc.

This would give this class a lot more skill and build variety, which is needed because the skills of the Pets are only two you can use at the same Time.

WARNING VERY LONG POST:

I think some of the Ranger Traits should be overhauled and improved to synergize better with playstyles and builds.

I chnaged the Traitlines, so that Marksmanship is more distinct and signet based; Skirmishing concentrates on bleeds, dmg and swiftness dmg buffs; Survival is more about Bunkering and poison application; Nature Magic is Build arround boon application and duration; and Beastmastery is more build arround Pet dmg and Boon Sharing between the two of you.
I have only suggested function and speculated some numbers.
This are just ideas and i would like your opinion.^^
Its a lot of stuff but have fun to read:)

Marksmanship

Minor:
They are fine, but alpha Training could be included to Opening Strike
And i would put something like you gain Opening Strike when you gain Fury and chnage its place with precise strikes. (With this comes a remorseless tweak)

Adept:

Clarion Bond: IMO it would have a better place in Nature Magic and change it with Bountiful Hunter.

Rest of the Adept are Fine.

Master:

Brutish Seals: is fine

Moment of Clarity:
Predators Onslaught takes its place, because its farely underwhelming in comparisson to the other Grandmasters.
Moment of Clarity merged with Remorseless. (you will see^^)

Steady Fokus: Fine

Grandmaster:

Remorseless: Gain Fury when you interrupt daze etc. etc. (Like Moment of Clarity part) and your Opening Strikes do more dmg as default.

Lead the wind is fine for LB.

New Grandmaster: Reinforce: Activate Signet of Stone when reach 25% health, all passive Signet effects stay after activation.

Skirmishing:

Minor:
I would change the Effect of Hunters Tactics to a 15% higher Crit Chance when under the effects of Quickness or Swiftness.(This would give it more flexibility and synergy instead of a raw crit chance increase) Rest is Fine.

Adept:

Primal reflexes:
Merge with Natural Vigor in the Survival Line and remove it from here.
Replaced with tweaked version of Instinctive Reaction, just let away the stat change.

Sharpen Edges:
50% Chance to Grand a Stack of minor Sharpening Stones (like sharpening stone just 3 stack → this gives more synergy with survival skills)
cannot apply buff if buff is still active.

Trappers Expertise:
Move to Master for better Condi Build possibilities.
to Take the Place of Trapper Expertise i would put a better version of Ambidextry of the Survival Line →Gain Stat depending on your Offhand weapon
Axe Offhand: Power(150)
Torch:Condi Duration(10%)
Dagger:Condi Dmg(150)
Warhorn: Boon Duration (20%)

Master:

Hidden barps:
Merge with Expertise Training and the Bleed applycation part of the Companions Might trait.->Bleed does more dmg like default, Pet has incresed Condi Dmg and Duration, its Auto Attack applies Bleed.

Striders Defense: Removed to the Place of Ambidextry, but a little tweaked.
Replaced by Trappers Expertise like default +I would make the Traps throwable again, this would made the Ranger to a Trapmaster again.

Spotter: is Fine

Grandmaster:

Most Dangerous Game:Now its Fine

Quickdraw: Fine

Light on your Feet: Gain Swiftness after dodge, gain Quickness after evade.(This would give synergy with the minors and the evade powers of many Ranger weapons) and the pierce of Shortbow of course.

Wilderness Survival:

Minors:
Natural Vigor: Increase the Vigor effectivity (20%) and gain vigor after evade.
Companions Defense: as Default
Bark Skin: Take less dmg and Gain Retaliation when get struck above the Threshhold.

Adept:
Expertise Training Merged with Hidden Barbs in the Skirmishing line
Replaced with Refined Toxins plus the Poison Dmg increase of Poison Master.

The other Two are fine.

Master:
Ambidextry: Removed to Skirmish Line.
Replaced by Striders Defense tweaked version.->Chance of Projektile Reflection if Hitting Enemy in Range Distance(240 above), Chance of Evade after Hitting enemy in Mele Range(240 and less) and Axe and Sword Mainhand CD decrease.
Refined Toxins:
Changed to Adept.
Replaced with new Trait: Poisonous Hide: Gain Retaliation when you get Protection. Apply Poison to foes who got struck by your Retaliation (with ICD for the Balance)

Shared Anguisch:
Exchanged with vigorous Training of the Nature Magic Traitline. Plus also Gains swiftness to allies on Swap.

Grandmaster:

Poison Master. Change the Apply Poison on Pet swap mechanic to generate Poison field on PetSwap mechanic (at the Locatio of both) in a 240 Range maybe, each field pulses poison and is a combofield.

Empathic Bond: Exchanged with Protective Ward of the Nature Line

Wilderness Knowledge: Change the Mechanic of this Trait to gain Effects specific on the survival Skill. Reduce the CD of Survival Skills but remove other effects of the Trait (Fury and Condi cleanse on cast)
Troll Unguent: Cleanses Condi every Heal pulse. ->This will grant continous Condi Cleanse for 10 s instead of spamming survival skills to remove condi.
Sharpening Stone: Gain Might when Hitting a foe while under the effect of Sharpening stone or Minor Sharpening stone.
Zephyrs Speed: Gain Fury and resistance on cast
Lightning Reflexes: Stun enemies Struck by this Skills (2s maybe)
Entangle: Add explosion Finisher and Grants Stability to allies.(1 stack)

(take a deep breath 3 of 5 Traitlines are over^^)

Nature Magic:

Minors: They are fine. But Rejuvination is Replaced by Clarion Bond of the Marksmanship line and removed to the place of Bountiful Hunter.

Adept:
Allies Aid: exchanged with Natural healing from the Beastmaster line

Bountiful Hunter: Replaced by Rejuvination
->Actually a new Trait: Rejuvinational Aura: Rejuvination effect + foes apply less dmg when you are effected by regeneration

Instinctive Reaction:
Changed to new Trait :Spiritual Inspiration: Gain Temporarly Boon Duration Increase when using a Warhorn skill(yeah i know there are two boon duration traits, but this one is temporarly and it mades the spirits a little bit more viable)
+Gain Healing Power based on your Power.

Master:

Evasive Purity: Just remove Condi on Dodge, remove additional one if yo evade an attack with the dodge. (10s ICD)

Vigorous Training: Exchanged with Shared Anguish

Windborn Notes: Is fine

Grandmaster:

Invigorating Bond: Fine as it is

Natures Vengeance:
First: The Life of the Spirits Should be increased on Default.
Second: Boon Applycation is Fine (except stone spirit: Stone Spirit should cause Bleeds on default and gain Protection when traited and not double protection)
Spirit activate there active abbilities when they die. Spirits Produce a Combofield when they die Violently(killed by foes)
Water Spirit: Water field pulsing Regen
Sun Spirit: Fire Field pulsing Burn
Ice Spirit:Ice Field pulsing Chill
Storm Spirit: Lightning Field Pulsing Daze
Stone Spirit: Effect Field Pulsing Blind (Sandstorm)
Nature Spirit: Just Knockdown Enemies on 900 range for some seconds
(Thats Really vengeance)

Beastmastery (Final Line, soon i am over^^):

Minors: Fine

Companions Might: Your critical hits Grants Might to your pet critcal hits have a chance to copie his boons on you(10% maybe)

Go for the Eyes: Fine

Resounding Timbre: Fine

Master:

Natural Healing: Exchanged by Allies Aid

Two-Handed Expertise: Fine but you also gain fury to your pet.

Wilting Strike: Fine but also applies slow

Grandmaster:

Beastly Warden: Fine but also applies Vuln

Honed Axes: Changed to Arctic Training: Winters Bite is AoE, everytime foe get struck from your pet while under the effect of Weakness or struck by you while under the effect of chill you steal a boon from your foe (ICD for you and your pet individualy)

Zephyrs Speed: Also apply the effect when activating Pets.

Its over its done^^

Padra.1678:

-A Collaborative Thread By The Ranger Community-

Ever since the condition damage update I feel like shortbow is probably the the most underwhelming weapon that the ranger has which is sad because it is our only real “ranged” condition damage option. A base range increase to 1,200 would be very nice. A base damage increase of all weapon skills by 10% would really help this weapon fit into a “hybrid” kind of niche.

Crossfire: Inflicts one stack of bleed for 3 seconds when strikeing a foe from behind or the side . . . Considering bleed damage is pathetic this skill is really bad. I would Increase the bleed to 3 stacks for 2 seconds when striking a foe from behind or the side or I would make it so the bleed is applied no matter where the arrow hits.

Cross fire: Maby make it into a chain attack that bleeds every hit regardless of direction but on the 4th hit will cause a few stacks of torment for a few seconds.

Poison Volley: Fire a spread of 5 poison arrows. This is a really great skill that kind of defeats the point of shortbow as you have to be in close combat to use it. I would suggest making this skill a single 900 ranger projectile that that inflicts 5 stacks of poison on hit. This change would make the short bow feel alot more like the ranged weapon it is. (as has been suggested before.)

Poison Volley: A single arrow that inflicts 5 stacks of poison and inflicts a poison field if it strikes from behind or the side."

Poison Volley: Rapidly fire 5 arrows that splinter on impact dealing damage and applying 5s poison around the target, also applies 3s torment if flanking.

Poison Volley: Maby make it so its a single arrow that aoe (250) 5 stacks of poison on hit.

Quick Shot: Fire a quick shot in an evasive retreat. Gain swiftness if shot hit. This is one of the only skills on the shortbow I think is fine. Maby a “pet cripples for 3 seconds on its next attack” kind of thing would be nice but i really dont think its nessary. This skill should be a projectile finisher.

Quick shot: Maby add a “you and your pet gain superspeed for 2 seconds on hit. Projectile Finisher.”

Crippling Shot: Fire an arrow that cripples and adds 1 stack of bleeding to your foe. This is deffintaly one of the most disipointing skills on the shortbow. I would suggest removeing the bleed on hit but allowing to skill to add an additional 3-4 bleeds stacks if the target is moving when struck as a way to help out shortbow bleed stacking.

Crippleing Shot: Still cripples but remove the single bleed on hit and applie 4 stacks of torment for 3 seconds if target is moving while hit.

Crippleing Shot: Increase the Cripple duration from Crippling Shot by 3seconds. Your next 3 attacks inflict Torment if your target has 3 or more conditions on them.

Concussion Shot: Daze your foe with an arrow, stun if strikeing from behind or the side. I think this skill is fine.

Concussion Shot: Keep the same but add a few stacks 2-3 of confusion when striking from behind or the side. Alternatively gives 3-5 stacks of confusion when interrupting a foe.

Concussion Shot: Keep the same but add 1 stack of torment and 1 stack of confusion for 3-4 seconds on hit from behind or the side. Alternatively add 2 stack of confusion and 2 stack of torment for 3-4 seconds on an interrupt.

Maximum potato: Concussion Shot: Stun your target, based on how far away they are from you.
(900-600 range: 0.5s)
(600-300 range: 1s)
(-300 range: 1.5s)

If anyone else has any suggestions for the Shortbow please post them here. Hopefully the Devs will see it.

I think your suggestions are really good.
I would say for the AA of the SB 1 Stack of Bleed (4s) if you hit from the front, 2 Stacks (5s) hit from the side and 3 Stacks (6s) from behind. This way the Shortbow has still his positioning mechanic but is more powerfull.

Poisonvolley: I would made this skill something like the Alpha-Version of Barage. You shoot a volley of arrows in an arch and when they hit the ground they produce a poison field (Ranger lacks poison fields), i would say eather ground targeted or PBAoe arround the target.

Quickshot: Give swiftness baseline and quickness if you evade an attack. Add projektile finisher.

Crippling Shot: Cripple foe apply 2 stacks of Torment and apply 2 additional ones if the target is crippled, chilled or disabled (Synergy with traits and concussive shot)
Concussive Shot apply daze and confusion (2 stacks for 6s), stun 2 if you hit from the side or behind(+1 confussion stack) . Knock down if foe is disabled (Stun, daze etc.)

And of course a baseline 10-15% dmg increase.

This are my suggestions to make the SB better and still unique in his playstyle.

mistsim.2748:

these are excellent, realistic and reasonable suggestions +1

I would really like hornet’s sting (sword 2), to leave a trail of hornets that pulse 2x torment 3 times. a lot of our weapons have horrible condi output, and in the current meta s/t a/d just doesn’t cut it dps-wise.

WH 4 suggestion I disagree with. it just needs a greater effect. if we go with the blinds, then it needs a 30% dps increase. id prefer to leave damage low and give it greater utility like boon stripping or another condi. OR an aoe effect like mad king runes.

The idea with the Hornet is really nice, it could also have a poison field to more synergy with the leap to apply weakness or with projektiles for poison.

The WH idea is nice, especcially the one with the AoE idea. Ithought about just hit 3-5 enemies with Hawks. But a blind affect would be still nice (dmg mitigation→WH support weapon)

I have to agree with you in some points, espacially in the case of the sword skills.
But i go over all improvements i would do to all ranger skills.
It would be cool if the sword could grant might also to you and not just to your pet.
The first chain is okey but the leap is really annoying. But i think it would be better if the 2nd skill chain is changed together with the third. I thought about something like:
First the monarchs leap with some serpent animation and afterwards the second part of the chain is the serpent’s strike. Both apllying 2 stacks poison, the leap with a finisher and the serpentstrike like we know it.
And for the third skill i would prefer the Hornet sting alone, because its main purpose is to evade, and not do an evade to jump a second later into battle. Tweak it with applying slow to improve the movements of your foes a little better.

Now the axe mainhand skills. AA is fine, a little bit lackluster but fine. Splittblade is the same as ricochet, it would be cool if the thrown axes came back to you to apply a little bit more bleeds.
Wintersbite should be Aoe on default with ice field, this would give this weapon more utility and control and of course this way the trait for this should be replaced.

Axe offhand: Path of scars is fine, the behaviour of the projectile is weird as you said, this should be improved.
For axe 5 the root is understandable because of the animation but just replacing it with whirling axes is not the optimal solution. If they could improve the animation, so that you can move would be neat espacially it would give this offhand good utility in projectile defense.

Dagger Offhand: Now the most under used weapon of the ranger. First i would improve the stalker strike with a an attack all around you, this way you could apply poison all arround you ( you could tweak it with a litte poison field but thats just an option), the evade stays of course.
Now the second ability i would change entirely. I thought about something like a shadowstep like power. You throw the dagger and after the hit you port yourself to the enemy (with this shadowstep like leafy wind animation ^^’). The first hit applies weakness in a small area (3-5 targets) and after the port you apply a daze in the same area (good for engage battle).

Torch Offhand: CD are bit to high but the weaponskills are fine.

Shortbow: Increase the Bleedstacks of the AA (1 for hits you do from the side, 2 for hits from behind plus cripple)
Increase base dmg a little bit.
Poison volley ( is fine, but decrease the cone, the outer arrows never hits from middle distance)
Shortbow 3: add leap finisher
shortbow 4: you apply 3 stacks of torment to your enemy and your pet applies slow.
(this gives you a little bit more active role and the control of your enemy is still there)
shortbow 5: its fine, a knockdown when you hit from behind would be sweet. and the stun from the side as default.

longbow: I am fine with longbow but the 3 and the 5 need some tweaking.
The 3 could use some superspeed and it should also stealth your pet and take it out of combat, so you can reposition and attack from the shadows.
Barrage should get some kind of improvement, slow and cripple and 5 stacks of vuln on the initial hit for example.

GS: Its fine as it is

Warhorn: As you said, blind on 4.

Shouts: Improvements, so your pet gets more boons, for more boon sharing with WHAO
We heal as one (WHAO)→ Fine
Sick em→Just give your pet 10 stacks might, fury and quickness instead of a raw dmg boost.
Protect me→ Pet gains aegis, protection, regen and takes your dmg taken.
Guard→Defend: Gain stability and arround the pet is whirling blades sphere, that pushes enemies out of it and destroys projectiles ( something like the bubble of the guardian but arround your pet)
Search and Rescue→Rescue: Do a strong heal pulse arround your pet and yourself, downed allies within the radius were rescued. (The trait with search and rescue could get tweaked to wound licking instead of search and rescue in the tooltip)

Spirits: Spirits should apply Combat effects on you and pulse boons when traited. When you execute the spirit effect, there should be some kind of finisher or field. Plus some visual effect for the spirit radius would improve PvE life quality.
like above, eather they can walk or improve the radius.

Sun Spirit: Chance to apply Burn, pulses vigor when traited, blinds enemies and produce a light field.
Earth Spirit: Chances to apply bleed, pulses protection when traited, slow enemies and suck them towards the spirits location.
Storm spirit: Apply vuln, pulses swiftness and quickness (3s every 10s) when traited and rest as default.
Frost spirit: 10% Dmg boost ( i know we all love it), pulses might when traited and produces frostfield when destroyed/triggered.
Water spirit: Heal chance o hit, pulses regen when traited, leaves a water field and an explo-finisher (triggered itself of course)
Nature-Spirit: Condicleanse on Hit chance, pulses stability prevents downed allies from bleeding to death, rescues fallen allies and roots enemies in radius range (plus a little stun, so you can escape to heal up)

PETS!!!!:

Just screw the old UI and let us control all attack skills of our pet, except the auto attack. Let us manage the Stats of our Pets, so we can change the playstyle with them, just give them a stats cap and let us distribute them→more customisation and freedom and give us an ground targeted skill to give our pet an position order.
For behaviour: The attack this button is redundant, because we can choose a target and command a skill, like a weapon. Pets should be our extended combat arm.

soooo nooow im finished, thanks for reading

I played druid with sinister gear and had actually kind of fun, but i have to agree that some components of the new druid staff should be improved.
First the staff:
The AA is fine, heal is good dmg ok
The second attack could use an aoe field, make it combo light for some condi cleansing
The rhird is a really good skill but the animation channel has some bugs.
The forth skill is good, dmg is sweet but the immobilize would be awesome if it was a root with some bleeds (this change could be included to the grandmaster ancient seeds if to strong baseline)
Second the glyphs:
alignment: put bleed dmg on it and increase the radius to 360
Equality: stun is good but the stun break is not usable if you are in normal form, reverse it or include the stun break in the astral form and change the second effect of equality + improve dmg
Tides: pull in normal form, push in astral would be bether for combat, increase range and dmg (or tweak it with vuln)
Empowerment: its ok but some boons would be nice to, might, fury or quickness for allies and in astral some protection and regen
Elite: is fine but improve animation of the theathering and increase radius.
Astral form:
AA need some kind of dmg
Second is good but the seed looks like an alien (later on this )
3. This skill is good stun and works well with ancient seeds
4. The water field time is to short and the animation is to spacey
5. Seema alittle out if place, give it a root with plants with a little bigger range that weakens and bleeds

ANIMATION: i am.a person who loves animations, and the astral form animations are really ugly, make them more greenish, more plant and druid like.
Like the ones of the staff.