Guild Wars 2

My bad, just re read your original post. I would have serious doubts about running without a horn. It gets you out of to many bad situations… Situations at times out of your control, like your pet pulling everything on 1/2 the map. Plus you would have to use atleast one trait slot for speed and it isn’t fast enough for getting you out of sticky situations. W3 maybe if you can keep up and the group your running with is group buffing for speed. If not, you can get left behind in a hurry.

Plus, what Daemon said below…

I can’t see playing the game without the speed buff of the horn. Pve or PvP or w3. Suppose you could play with the trait that grants speed, but it still isn’t as fast as the horn. That horn has gotten me out of sticky situations in both pve and pvp, especially with a pet, who’s AI takes it all over the place to gather mobs you’re not intending to attack. You look up and instead of having 2 in front of you, there is now 5.

vespers.1759:

NargofWoV.4267:

vespers.1759:

i run full zerk and if i land a full rapid fire i’ve hit 9.8k max (vs an upleveled ranger lol).

couple that with entangle and jaguar 3k crits and many people go down quick. longbow on a tank build is pretty bad, but don’t under estimate what it can do.

also don’t forget about pet swap for quickness and rapid fire. it comes out quick when not expected.

Making sure you understand me, my original statement was LB at range or at Max range… Entangle and pet swaping are not a good idea at 1500+ range when it takes so long for your pet to run up to the person. They won’t be just sitting there waiting for you pet to arrive, because you swapped them out so you could acquire quickness.

I run with 24K health, your nice crit and cat crit has taken me down to 1/2 health, to which I’ve now popped a 940 tick TU… You ready for your next set of cool downs? Hope you get your crit on those as well.

Edit: What should really get your goat is… with 24k health, I’ve been 3 shot by a thief.

nobody ever uses longbow at max range unless it’s a zvz. in a 1v1 i usually ignore the number 1. only 1 is affected by distance from target. rapid fire works best at close range because more arrows land. besides, the longbow still crits for about 1200 when in about 600 range with my build, so that’ll overcome your troll anyway.

going into a 1v1 i unleash 3 and then 2 while running up to the target, then i entangle, swap to sword/horn and go to work with my invis jaguar. then i can swap back for the number 4 and another rapid fire.

tbh, rangers are the easiest class for me to kill, which i guess is kind of sad. most are using bows and they die before they escape my entangle.

Interestingly enough, we’re running the same weapon group. However, again, my analysis on the LB was about max range inefficiency to the OP. The OP never said anything about LB coupled with Sword and horn. He asked is the Longbow really this bad. And frankly, as a killing machine, the LB is terrible by itself.

Now, if you want to enter a thread, interject a whole new set of dynamics then call someone a name for pointing it out, then….

Just out of curiosity, since this is a “concern” thread… Why would Dev put an ability on a “legendary” weapon that requires you to equip and un equip it to get the proc to work? Thought the whole idea behind the legendary was to show off your hard work? Now you have to run around with it unequipped then swap it real fast when you meet and enemy? Makes zero sense.

vespers.1759:

i run full zerk and if i land a full rapid fire i’ve hit 9.8k max (vs an upleveled ranger lol).

couple that with entangle and jaguar 3k crits and many people go down quick. longbow on a tank build is pretty bad, but don’t under estimate what it can do.

also don’t forget about pet swap for quickness and rapid fire. it comes out quick when not expected.

Making sure you understand me, my original statement was LB at range or at Max range… Entangle and pet swaping are not a good idea at 1500+ range when it takes so long for your pet to run up to the person. They won’t be just sitting there waiting for you pet to arrive, because you swapped them out so you could acquire quickness.

I run with 24K health, your nice crit and cat crit has taken me down to 1/2 health, to which I’ve now popped a 940 tick TU… You ready for your next set of cool downs? Hope you get your crit on those as well.

Edit: What should really get your goat is… with 24k health, I’ve been 3 shot by a thief.

Grigthar.1892:

TheRatso.2956:

I use a longbow and even though I know already that it doesn’t do as much dps as the short bow ,I has a longer range and it has a knock back and the #5 skill is quite useful (in basic pve anyway) then I switch to the greatsord and maul them,whereas when I use the short bow I do quicker damage but less aoe’s and its less useful imo I haven’t tried doing pvp with it yet so I Dupont know how good it is there

It actually doesn’t have a longer range. Short bow and long bow both have a 1,200 range.

Agree’d unless you trait for the longer LB range, but you know that.

Answers above are way to complicated. PvP > PvE. It is that simple. Plenty of games out there better than this one if you wish to PvE. But battling folks in real time for strategic points > battle the PvE mobs.

Personally, the silence from Anet has more to do with the past issues with making promises and then having to retract them (Rangers promises and re starting w3 are two examples). Anet is figuring out it is better to stay quiet and deliver product then make promises they have to back track out of. Tell us about it once it is finalized rather than tell us what they’re planning to do, then not be able to deliver it.

my 2c.

vitali.1609:

If six digit crits are an irritant than thats fine with me and rolling wont save you.

I’m not shooting mice. I was talking in w3. I’ve yet to see a 6 didget crit on any player. Like I mentioned, I can’t recall dropping anyone at distance on my ranger (afk’rs aside). I’ve sat on wall after wall, over 600 keep defenses and I don’t recall killing anyone at max range with my LB alone. Of course it doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened, but if it has, it is a pretty rare event…. Not something routine at all, not even close.

yes it is, with the ranger LB you’re pretty much relegated to assisting others take down targets. Don’t even both on someone full health at range, the LB is just a minor irritant, nothing to be feared by a single target. Don’t believe I’ve ever taken anyone down from full health at range with a LB, well anyone who wasn’t afk. Don’t think any other Ranger has ever taken me down at max range with a LB. Like pointed out, to easy to roll out of most damage.

LB is the main weapon I use in w3… I’ve never used much of anything else besides the axe/horn swap out. Tis why I rolled a Ranger. Had I wanted to roll a Warrior and use blades, I would have made one.

It really depends on what you wish to do in W3. I use a full set of Dwayna which is mainly Power, Toughness and Vitality, with a splash of Prec and healing pwr. My feelings, a dead Ranger does no damage, so I like Vitality, 24k with my bow, Healing power gives me 940/tick of Troll Ungent, coupled with Camo in plain site, a strong HP pet with pet takes all damage for 6 sec. I can be a tough kill. I don’t kill anything, but when I run with folks, I help them kill stuff.

me im not.9357:

Some servers have huge population advantages during certain peek times in their tier. Last week— they were all complaining about the que situation.

This week— the que situation seems to have died down and instead everyone else is complaining about the zergs and that its not fun anymore.

Can Anet find a solution to make everyone happy? Will this clash of frustration be the undoing of gw2? Which group should be appeased if only one group can be made happy? Discuss.

Point 1. Our server is getting raged on for having huge off peak advantage.
Point 2. Our server is having que issues, last night prime time, the wait was 1/2 hour all bg’s.
Point 3. My solution would be to make the maps a bit larger. I could be wrong, but it might spread things out and make less zerg issues (and by default clipping). But, that is just a guess on my part. Maybe spreading things out might make smaller group type fights more viable.

Frosty and Frosty Law Firm.4981:

Aveneo.2068:

Dante Dragonhand.2538:

nerva.7940:

ranger is bottom of the barrel in wvw, bringing nothing useful for the team (except maybe barrage). a well done spirit buff could change this.

A well done rework could change this.

Unfortunately, they’re apparently going to nerf AoE’s. So I guess we’ll be bringing nothing useful for the team unless we’re going to see some major Ranger updates in the next patch.

We won’t. It would give us a chance at killing daddy’s favorite, the warrior.

Where is the information on this?

Example, Today finishing up my daily, I was killing Skelk’s in a level 15 zone, well actually letting them hit me for the Dodge portion. Finally, complete I begin to finish off the two skelks on me. My pet helps me with the first Skelk, then turn and runs 1/2 way off to clip range to attack a Skelk nest, even though I switched to the second Skelk standing in front of me and even though I had never attacked or targeted that nest.

This sort of thing happens in wvwvw as well. Someone hits the pet with some ancillary damage and it is off on its own tangent, regardless of what I have targetted. My choice is either to use the F2, F1 hope it responds and hasn’t traveled to far, or swap it out.

Yes, I tend to sit out at long range, as much as possible. No I do not play a Melee Ranger and no I’m not going to gtfo. When the pet accounts for so much of our damage, this sort of AI really makes certain segments of our class, at times, feel underwhelming.

Edit: Funny thing is, I know that the Dev’s know this, and feel that this is proper, because if it was fixed, making ranged too deadly in WvWvW, it would upset the balance between Melee and Ranged. They just won’t come here and explain..

To help me survive I use Dwayna gear, full set (mainly Berzerker jewelry). My healing is decent, my health is high, but I do suffer some offense for it. However, a dead rangers has zero offense. So 24k health, and 930+ ticks of hp per TU. I also use the ability that upon a stun or such I go invisible and the ability that puts all damge on my pet for 6 seconds. Can’t even begin to tell you how much that has helped me survive.

I’m traited for survival and LB therefore a short bow is only situational to me. I probably should use it more when I’m running in a small guild group looking for small combat. However in keep work, either defense or taking, the LB is the better choice. Or in large zergs where the LB AoE really helps. Also, in Large zergs using a sword/GS is problematic as you tend to die quickly to AoE if you’re trying to play in the front lines.

Oh, I use Axe/Horn off hand. I find the Axe to be a semi counter to Culling as it will hit invisible (to me) targets.

Culling effects everyone equally… Adapt or perish. Learn to embrace the Cull. Be the Cull.

Warlito.4506:

When using QZ with Rapid Fire the ‘’progress bar’’ doesn’t go any faster. Meaning you’ve shot all your arrows before the bar is full. The skill doesn’t stop half way, QZ just makes it fire quicker.

Graphical thing.

It is probably more than graphical, it would also have to do with our cooldowns. Our bar has to travel at the same pace to make sure QZ doesn’t 1/2 our cooldown time between abilities.

Ok, I’ll bite… Who thinks the Ranger class is strong? We seem to have 1 build that is viable in sPvP, and the rest of the time we Rangers argue about the level of uselessness of our class in wvwvw. So, who’s considering us strong?

Kefro, I feel bad for you. I do. This is what a world wide based persistant wvwvw consists of. If you have this system, then you have off peak playability. I’ve been hearing this arguement since the original 3 realm (or world) game DaoC. It is still the bench mark by which all other 3 realm or world games will be judged.

It is still funny that ever since JQ took the top spot, this is an issue, where as, SoS had no problems with holding on to Tier 1 for months.

phabby.8945:

kefro.9312:

This is why wvwvw will die all population on wvwvw is at 1 server. Ithink it passed the point of no return.
If this dont get any better, when ESO beta comes gw2 will die for sure cause their wvwvw will be balanced by numbers so no more band transfer on the wagon to make better coverage

I have to agree with you on this JQ from 17,000 – 29,000 in 7 hrs, with no resistance from sos or sor has to be rasing some eyebrows at anet. WVW is suppose to be a balanced game and everyone cannot say without being honest about the transfers, that it is in no way balanced anymore in T1. JQ was always competitive now it is becoming a joke , either anet gets in and fixes the balance issues or restrictions need to be applyed to severs or wvwvw will die a quick death.

Really? Did everyone have this same attitude when SoS controlled Tier 1 for months?

capuchinseven.8395:

NargofWoV.4267:

our guild Rangers, we call out whenever we manage a Badge, it is such a rare event.

Your story would probably convince more people if you read about how the random loot drops for badges work.

Really, its worse than I thought, the fact I actually might have killed someone to get a badge is all chance now? I know we can get them other ways, but I was speaking to killing in WvWvW. I know when I run with the guild and do small unit kills, I see a badge when I do the majority of the damage, I actually sometimes see 2 badges, but you’re telling me the rest of the time its just random?

Great. Here I thought I was doing actual damage using skill to acquire these badges. How much playing time does that kid have in WvWvW with over 8,000 badges of honor if so many are random. As in my story, I was in that zerg for almost an hour, I got 1 badge. He’s been in WvWvW for 8,000 hours? Lets see 2040 hours in a normal work week in a year, that’s almost 4 years of normal 40 hour work weeks. Or, I bet he isn’t playing a Ranger.

demonlynx.2384:

This has been the most fun week I’ve had in WvW since I can remember. The fights have been epic with the exception of a few “game mechanic abuses” seen on all servers.

The coverage JQ has is insane. Props to your recruiters. SoS. Your tactics are interesting yet effective. Great job to all the servers for making this competitive and fun. Can’t wait for the reset! Fight the good fight!

I couldn’t agree more, this last week was filled with some of the most epic (on a grand scale) battles i’ve been in, in a loooong time. Props to Anet, SoS and SoR.

“Jack of all trades, master of nothing” sounds like grand mediocrity if you ask me. We Rangers are not useless in WvWvW, we can build siege, man seige, fix walls, do jump puzzles, PvE camps, look scary in large mobs. However, best for us to leaving actual killing to others, we can help, but do enough damage to actually kill and survive while doing so? Rare event.

I ran around in the JQ/SoS/SoR’s EB the other night. Had some great sucess in big 60 on 60 zerg battles, probaby 8-9 such fights. Our crew NEVER lost a single one of these battles in fact in a few, we didn’t lose a single player… 1 badge of honor is all I managed the entire night. So of the 480 (roughly) kills we managed, I got 1 badge of honor. So of the 960 awarded badges, I got 1. We’re great helpers!

In our guild vent, we do a funny thing now, we being our guild Rangers, we call out whenever we manage a Badge, it is such a rare event.

Not worth it, nevermind.

Well, he does offer a caveot in running around solo… I’m sure his sPvP skill set will allow this and that it would be viable in picking off straglers, etc. I don’t feel useless in WvWvW, but I sure do feel I’m the KING of the battlefield. I’m great support DPS for folks who actually kill other players.

Best keep battle I’ve been in last night on SoS BG at Bay. Great 3 way battle for the keep. SoS knocked the door down, SoR came in behind them, we sat in wait. That battle lasted a good 45 min… before SoR came out on top.

Great fun. Nip and Tuck the whole way.

JJBigs.8456:

This thread is hilarous

I know, right… Last night we were taking a supply camp, 2 rangers and a Mesmer in guild vent. 1 Theif killed all three of us. Although the theif and the last ranger standing came down to last blow, it was a sad state of affairs. Said a lot about the Ranger class, granted we were partially distracted by guards and Vet, but still.

Now, earlier I helped a thief kill a thief, while the two of us were taking a camp, just a pug theif and I, didn’t know him from Adam. Odd, huh.

Jazenn.7526:

To all of you claiming pets or a certain build isn’t viable, speak for yourself. There are people all over this forum that manage to succeed at the things you claim are impossible to do so with. If you can’t do it, doesn’t mean someone else can’t.

I guess the expectation has to do with your experience playing ranger. If you don’t feel satisfied personally, the ranger must be weak and need an overhaul. If you love the class how it is, it seems to live up to expectation. I guess there is no way to agree on a ground where everyone can say whether the ranger class is in the right place or not.

I’m not sure anyone is claiming the class is unplayable. I have certainly given examples of issues I’ve found being a ranged Ranger, with pet pathing, pet dying, pets not hitting moving targets, pets picking their own targets (happened again last night). However, you yourself have stated you had to find your perfect place with the ranger class, and that was in Melee Combat, where your pet works great. Well, Melee is only 1/2 the class in a game where each class is suppose to be viable in all aspects. Now if you define viable as ok. Then fine. However, if the definition of Viable is having the same ability as say a Warrior at range, at all times, then our class isn’t viable in comparison due to the issue many have stated above.

I still play my ranged ranger. I will still wish it to be as viable in damage as say an Elementalist or a Warrior, but I also understand I’m not balancing the game or seeing the behind the scene results (funny how they’ve changed Honor Medals, I wonder if that has something to do with certain (ranger) classes not getting them as well as other classes?

I know what’s missing… Sapper pets. Upon death thier f2 ability is an AoE explosion.

I’ve been playing MMO’s constantly since 1997 (actually Diablo before that), this tab/targetting system is the worst at doing its job. I will go in and look at the settings as recommended, but I find it unreliable especially with a pet. Pet has its own, tab/target at times. Example. Yesterday I was finishing the kill daily, think it was 50, anyway, I killed a red target and out of the blue, my pet runs up to a Yellow Moa and attacks it. I was like, wha???? I never targetted that.

EDIT: Tab Target was on something other than Nearest Enemy, hopefully this will fix the issue I was having. Thanks for pointing this out.

I believe that Warhorn #4 should be a set it and forget it skill with no LoS issues. Once the pets are On Target, then they should stay On Target as long as the original LoS was good. That includes running through those blue walls at keeps. But that’s my 2c.

AiursFallen.6213:

As for pets, and their many and myriad failings, I say only this: if you dislike your pet dying consistently, might I suggest one of the support pets? Put them on passive, and simply spam their abilities. Is it the best use of something that should give us a significant dps boost? No, but until the pets are granted some fashion of durability for large aoe in either WvW or dungeons, having a pet around that can give a 15 s fury or might is a great asset to any group.

The issue is that a support pet on passive gimps your damage by 30-40%. That is no answer. May as well ask a two hand warrior to put down one of his two swords and just play with 1 with nothing in his off hand. You really hit the nail on the head, in large fights… ala WvWvW open field pets are pretty useless for DPS as they die almost instantaniously. Plus, unless you spec in “Guard” they’re pretty useless for DPS in keep work defense, and about totally useless in keep taking, all WvWvW options. Now in Dungeon’s I’ve not had as much of a problem as long as I run ranged pets and keep them swapped, but I haven’t been to all dungeons, so I’m not familiar with all problems.

The only person here that loves the pet and its attributes doesn’t use his Ranger for ranged work, but instead fights right alongside his pet basically nullifying all of the pathing, AI issues that Ranged Rangers have. Plus, chances are, if his PET is AoE’d down, he’s pretty soon to follow. However, I’m glad he found that narrow spot where all things are perfect for him/her in the world of melee rangerdom.

Jazenn.7526:

@people bashing pets:

I couldn’t disagree more. My pet is invaluable to me in WvW and he does more damage than I do, I need to use it in order to down people. It hits whoever I target and obeys my command fine. For some reason you can’t control your pet and blame it on bad AI lol.

Actually for your situation, being melee, your pet is with you right next to you fighting. Makes sense it doesn’t seem broken. However to anyone who plays a ranger at range, the mechanic is broken, the pet mechanic is an issue, for instance my pet can be chasing my target to my max range, then if someone I re target is behind me, it has to run across two full ranges to re engage a target (potentially) which equals zero damage. You in melee range just need to turn around and the pet too. This equates zero pet damage and useless in my ranged Ranger book.

Personally, If I wanted melee when I made my toon, I would have picked Warrior or Guardian or Thief. So I’m glad you made the class “work” for you. To me it isn’t. Pet mechanics are poorly developed for the ranged Ranger because pets do so much of our damage, pet issues such as , Pet Pathing, Pet ignoring your re choice of targets (lagging), Pets dying easily, all these things aren’t at the optimal performance level for all the ranged Ranger skills.

Jazenn.7526:

@wolf

Yes, pets will suck if you are willing to do nothing in order to utilize them or work with them, whether it be with traits, managment, or even simple button pushing. The rangers who expect the pet to do well without being paid attention to will be dissappointed, as it takes “serious” effort. You can switch ranger with any profession and pet with any class mechanic for that last statment.

If you claim it’s too hard or too annoying, I’m sorry but I don’t think that will stop you from playing.

It isn’t that it is too hard, but at times it is impossible. If you’re destracted because you have to concentrate on your own PvP actions in WvWvW, then you can’t be concentrating on your pet, well at least I can’t. Plus even when you do concentrate, a minor slip up with your UI can send the pet 1/2 way accross the map. Tab Target should give you nearest to farthest agressors, this doesn’t work as intended, two night ago killing 3 skritts within AoE distance from me, in JQ Boarderland, I tab targetted and watch my pet run off to near Clip distance to pull a 4th Skritt. Seriously? Was something wrong with the other 2 standing right beside me? This kind of Kitten, is what messes up this class and its mechanics.

Jazenn.7526:

I can see the ranger being at least on par when it comes to bows (archers), but it is not really unparalleled. It just seems like an exaggeration. I don’t see many warriors run bow, and thiefs that do don’t really stand out either, so then again maybe this has some truth to it? At least half if not more rangers use the bow, does this translate to the ranger’s archery skill being better than others? Not sure about that answer.

About Pets and Spirits, I think they can be useful, despite “ai issues” or whatever. I can see a problem in their ability to survive though. I know there are those who can make them last long enough to count, I surely can, but many rangers argue that the health is not enough. If they increased the health of spirits that would help them. At the same time, if you play them right, out of the way of danger, either dodging them out of aoe or placing them out of danger, they will survive much longer. With pets, I think if a dodge is implemented that would satisfy many. Maybe put a dodge into f3 and put it on a short cooldown? Personally, I think pets currently fill their intended role. There is always room for improvement though.

I really have issues with pet pathing, especially in wvwvw, when you have to switch targets on a moments notice, your pet may never get to where it is suppose to go. Therefore, its pretty useless. I see it all the time, folks rotate on the field of battle, run forward, dump their cooldowns then run back. My pet’s running all over the battle doing much of nothing as folks ebb and flow from the front line to the back line.

If someone moves out of your range, the pet should start to return to you immediately. Or when you switch targets, it should move to the new target. This doesn’t happen with enough regularity.

Is this about balance? Is the ranger class balanced verses all other DPS ranged classes? We really can’t answer this question, I think Dev needs to. They have the statistics, do we DPS in total as well as other ranged classes (pet included)? Do we kill as well as other classes? Jon?

Honestly, I can complain about not killing folks, but I’m not exactly spec’d for killing, I’m spec’d more for survival. Hence I always call myself and Assist DPS. I help others kill people.

However, not everyone is spec’d like me. So if Dev is happy with our comparisons behind the scene, then they should tell us, so we can shut up and play this class or swap to another “perceived” better class.

You guys are wrong, we have our pet to make up the differance.

Of course, the pet is fighting the theif that ran by 10 seconds ago, but that’s a different story.

Really, I find my pet moves quickly to anything I happen to tab target half way accross the map and not at all interesting, then takes 20 seconds to run back at whatever else I have targetted. Was killing Skritt’s in JQ Bg to complete my daily last night… I’m surrounded by 3 skritts all attacking me in AoE range, my pet goes after #4 just on the inside of clip range on tab target.

Everything is working peachy.

Stealing was one of the downfalls of UO. Way OP, didn’t even have to kill anyone to get real sweet stuff, just took it from them, not if they were wearing it but if it was in their pack. Boat Deeds, House Deeds, armor, weapons.

Playing a Ranger is better than it was. Still not where I like to see it.

RyuDragnier.9476:

NargofWoV.4267:

The ability to actually kill an opposing player? Too much to ask? bah.

Was defending Garrison the other day, found an either lagged out warrior or someone who got into the lord room and went afk, or worse he was ignoring me. Dumped 3 sets of cool downs into him…. Never budged his health bar below 10%. Finally he wandered away, ignoring me.

Were you using traps and DoT skills?

No, I do not use a trap build, but it wouldn’t have mattered, the guy was either AFK or lagged out. He just stood there and I dumped my cooldowns into him 3 times… LB.

Substance E.4852:

NargofWoV.4267:

The ability to actually kill an opposing player? Too much to ask? bah.

Was defending Garrison the other day, found an either lagged out warrior or someone who got into the lord room and went afk, or worse he was ignoring me. Dumped 3 sets of cool downs into him…. Never budged his health bar below 10%. Finally he wandered away, ignoring me.

Unless you were a lvl 5 trying to kill a lvl 80 I don’t see how this could be possible without some kind of bug.

Um, no.. I’m in Full Dwayna gear from the Karma vendor with deep gold bow. Level 80, and I got that wrong … It should read “Never budged his health bar below 90%” He just stood there and shrugged off my 3x full cool downs. My pet never made it to him, but that’s what happened. “He came too” from behind a pillar and walked into the fight.

jkctmc.8754:

NargofWoV.4267:

The ability to actually kill an opposing player? Too much to ask? bah.

Was defending Garrison the other day, found an either lagged out warrior or someone who got into the lord room and went afk, or worse he was ignoring me. Dumped 3 sets of cool downs into him…. Never budged his health bar below 10%. Finally he wandered away, ignoring me.

We can kill, it’s just that we do it slower than other professions. We don’t really have a burst, not like say a Warrior, or Thief. I think if they can iron out pet issues we’ll get the burst we were supposed to have in the bird, and cat pets.

There is a rather large “if” in there someplace. I don’t think Anet see’s the IF. We have uses don’t get me wrong, we are the dps assist guys. We HELP kill other players.

Is the reverse possible? I have recently noticed when I use certain LB skills it will track invisible players.

Huh, I use it and have it go off fairly often, It often surprises me, I think I’m dead, and I notice folks trying to kill me all run away. I think they think I’m a “clipping” and leave the area figuring Rangers can’t stealth so its lag. Anyway it has saved my bacon on more than one occassion, so I keep it.

If you’re meaning sPvP then the only two I’ve heard about that seems viable are the dodge swords builds (I’ve heard it called several things) and the trap build. Look for those.

In WvWvW, there are a lot of builds you can get by with, depending upon how you play and who you play with. For instance, if you are constantly running in groups then a glass cannon build could work. But, whatever you choose to do, you need a LB for keep work.

The Polar Bear for me, mainly because when I pop the skill where the bear takes all damage it has enough life to get me through most of my AoE, when up on a wall defending a keep. Must be frustrating for folks to shoot at me, hit me and not see my Health Bar move.

Funny thread. Ranger love thread yet it is filled with these quotes from folks who love thier rangers: “potential”, " needs some love", “fixed eventually”, “but” (which nullifies everything you just said before), " (pets) … actually paid attention to" (are great, but not if you can’t always pay attention cause your having to dodge or move etc..), “sturdy versitile” (read mediocre), “class is broken”, “yes, you need to work twice has hard”.

This isn’t a great testimonial to the Ranger Love Thread. It is the only class I play. I have my uses in WvWvW, which is what I enjoy, but it is far from being the best class to play in WvWvW. That’s to bad, but it is what you get in a game about balance, sometimes the balance is off. Sure in a perfect situation our class can shine, or with the perfect build in the perfect situation, however, overall it is an average class.

Oh simple, WE have a pet, they do not. We get to add pet damage to our overall dps, they do not.

The ability to actually kill an opposing player? Too much to ask? bah.

Was defending Garrison the other day, found an either lagged out warrior or someone who got into the lord room and went afk, or worse he was ignoring me. Dumped 3 sets of cool downs into him…. Never budged his health bar below 10%. Finally he wandered away, ignoring me.