Curse

Aviator The Hunter · Sep 16, 2011, 01:45 PM // 13:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amazing Stroopwafel

IMO rangers need a few fixes/changes

Kick off with drawing nature rituals equal to binding rituals in terms of PvE casting time.
preparations need a shorter casting time (3/4th sec)
Barrage (& volley) should not remove preparations
Expertise should include stances (and PvE Traps <_<)

I agree with you, if that's the case in PvE only.

Pew · Sep 16, 2011, 11:43 PM // 23:43

I'd agree with a Nature Ritual casting time reduction, but not to the extent of Binding Rituals. You're changing the entire surrounding environment with a NR, a Binding Ritual is communing with a single spirit or channeling it's power from wherever it lies. It makes sense that changing the area would take more time.

Preperations are an unremovable buff. There is only the 2s window every ~24s to remove that. Also is 3/4s really enough to prepare for ~24s? It might not make much difference in PvE if they were to split it, aside from being retarded; but in PvP that would be pretty broken.

Barrage and Volley are spam skills, that hit multiple targets. Not having them remove preperations would be a bad idea. If you want a skill that hits multiple foes without removing them, go for Incendary Arrows. The difference being that it isn't a spammable skill. There's obviously a good reason that preperations aren't able to be used as well as spammable AoE attacks.

Expertise was nerfed for a reason, although yes, it'd be nice if it affected PvE skills.

Aviator The Hunter · Sep 17, 2011, 07:59 AM // 07:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pew

Not having them remove preperations would be a bad idea.

Yes it will be a bad idea in PvP, but in PvE it would help much better by spamming conditions on the foes. I'm using now Poison Tip Signet + "I Am The Strongest" + Glass Arrows then hit many foes with Triple Shot/Duel Shot/Forked Arrows with a Splinter weapon Rt, to maintain my Conditions+Spam on the foes.

Its pretty much working but could be easier with Barrage (Non-removing conditions) .

Pew · Sep 17, 2011, 01:55 PM // 13:55

When was the last time you saw either of the two being used in PvP? (lolJQdoesn'tcount)

The only thing that I can think of that would even be useful with Barrage would be either Choking Gas (But why do that when you have Panic), or Ignite Arrows + Splinter + Barrage + EBSoH. Glass Arrows + Volley maybe too? Unless of course you're going to use Rapid Fire for perma IAS. (Although there's already options for IAS, they take 2 skill slots, one of which is a PvE slot.) And if you'd be using Barrage to spam Apply, then you're doing something horribly wrong.

The reason I think it would be a bad idea is because it makes the only reason for taking a different elite skill redundant.
And you'd also be encouraging even more use of Barrage. Which; correct me if I'm wrong; the thread was trying to move the Ranger away from by giving it more options than purely Barrage spam. ie, improving it.
ups?

Showtime · Sep 17, 2011, 10:14 PM // 22:14

Arenanet could easily fix rangers (elems) and make them another popular pve option. They dont do it cuz theres still money to be made from expansions. The only way to get them to fix the ranger etc is to let them know that we will buy diablo 3 instead of gw2 if they don't. Someone make petition for this and let's see what they do.

Katastroff · Sep 17, 2011, 11:52 PM // 23:52

Why would any ranger run anything else then SoS when you can spam spirits without any E-management skills?

I`ve fiddle with about all of ranger`s skill over the past 4 years and a pure ranger skill bar is mostly about utilities.

Just nerf expertise so it dont affect ritualist`s spirits and you`ll see a lot more ranger using a bow.

spun ducky · Sep 18, 2011, 08:19 AM // 08:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by Katastroff

Why would any ranger run anything else then SoS when you can spam spirits without any E-management skills?

I`ve fiddle with about all of ranger`s skill over the past 4 years and a pure ranger skill bar is mostly about utilities.

Just nerf expertise so it dont affect ritualist`s spirits and you`ll see a lot more ranger using a bow.

Why on earth would you want to remove one of the stronger builds for pve rangers? I also want to point out that you won't see more rangers using a bow because none of them will be a getting a group.

It is nice that at least a r/rt can substitute in a pinch for the rit role in fowsc. The only meta role left would be SF whirling tank that while it is powerful can't do near all the perma roles because of certain limitations.

The reality is ranger needs a large overhaul in pve in most regards and the nature rituals need a functionality change for pve. I think they are decently balanced in pvp while not devastating like they once were in the early days.

Taevion0 · Sep 18, 2011, 10:58 AM // 10:58

increase prep durations and overall bow atk spd =D

wesman · Nov 01, 2011, 10:57 AM // 10:57

Just give us some skills like Thackeray has in his mini missions... those where fun xD

they where more single target DPS/shutdown though.

makosi · Nov 04, 2011, 10:33 PM // 22:33

I endorse the suggestion about reducing ranger spirits to 1/4s activation. I can't think of any reason why ritualist spirits would be 3/4s to 1s activation and not the ranger's.

The ranger spirits are also far too squishy with low health which means that they're a prime target for monster AI and therefore futile unless placed quite far away.

Kunder · Nov 06, 2011, 01:46 AM // 01:46

Reverting ranger spirits to the old mechanic would be cool. i.e affecting the entire battlefield. Then revert EoE!

LifeInfusion · Nov 06, 2011, 04:49 PM // 16:49

There's still no reason to use rangers for ranger spirits. See EoE/Frozen Soil on rits. Spawning Power does more for spirits than expertise ; Splinter Weapon Barrage is better on Rt/R.

So Rt/W with Barrage + SY! or Infuriating Heat + Volley + SY! is basically the only thing atm that's a Ranger build unless you want to use pets,Traps, or Incendiary Arrows.

If you want Rangers to be more useful, you would need to put in more non-spell mobs that can't be interrupted by mesmers. You'd have to have long cast times that can be interrupted by rangers. You'd also have to allow Volley with preps, like Dual Shot/Triple Shot. I think it's fair considering scythes hit 3 targets in adjacent.

The backbone skills of Rangers are pretty much suboptimal in PvE:
Apply Poison/Poison Tip Signet
Barbed Arrows/Glass Arrows/Melandru's Arrows/Screaming Shot (in PvE?)
Burning Arrow
Broadhead Arrow/Concussion Shot (see Fevered Dreams, Technobabble)
Crippling Shot/Pin Down/Melandru's Shot (see YMLAD!)
Disrupting Shot (see any mesmer interrrupt that has reduced recharge: Complicate, Cry of Frustration, Cry of Pain)
Natural Stride
Oath Shot (originally used for spirit spam before soul twisting & rit lord were made crazy)
Point Blank Shot --> might as well run spear then
Called Shot (with prep of choice)
Determined Shot under Blurred Vision/miss hexes (deal with blind via runes/antidote signet/condition removal: but Asuran Scan exists)

Iffy due to Mesmer buffs:
Savage Shot (Mesmers have reduced recharge, just use Power Spike for most situations ... 1.15*1.2*28=39 [email protected][email protected][email protected] Marks)
D-shot is still good but kind of pointless when mobs die in <20 seconds.
Choking Gas+ Practiced Stance
Magebane shot
Punishing Shot
Sloth Hunter's Shot
Keen Arrow (use with GFTE paragon)
Penetrating Attack (0.75 activation, 10% Armor penetration) ... but 1.15*1.2*28=39 [email protected][email protected]=43+25=68

Terrible regardless:
*Most bow attacks... Arcing Shot , Body shot, Crossfire (since you would need to run pet/melee hero...though it works with minions... but Asuran Scan exists), Focused Shot (+damage isn't high enough and 2 recharge doesn't mean anything due to only 3 pips of energy), Hunter's Shot (100% bad), Marauder's Shot, Needling Shot (is not + damage), Precision Shot, Quick shot (in PvE???), Splinter Shot, Marksman's Wager (it's in Expertise)
*Most Spirits: Brambles, Conflagration, Lacerate, Greater Conflagration (unless you run ranger spike or something vs Warriors/melee with high physical armor), Famine, Equinox, Roaring Winds, etc.
* Every single running or block skill (for general use)... Dodge/Zojun's Haste, Dryder's Defenses, Escape, etc.
* Pets in PvE

The dichotomy between PvP + PvE is great. In PVP you can run R/W thumpers and whatnot and be effective.