Build - Soulbeast (Burst Mode) (SPvP)

Hi, with the release of balance patch it gave me chance to see if my build still works, well it does but it did get harder.

Few things before you read anymore, this build won't carry you it has much higher skill cap due to lack of survival. I learned my lesson if you don't play at 110% you won't get the results you wanted.

Build Link - Soulbeast Burst Mode

Build Video -

Build Break Down - Build is designed for Team Fights and +1, this build isn't a solo build. Doesn't mean it can't but I don't recommend it.

Defence. The build has signet of stone, stealth, block and weapon evade with limited condition remove. The build has one escape rotation using Greatsword, the sigils combined with your limited condition remove which should cover until you can reset or escape, it doesn't always work but you can't have everything. Learning your positioning is key and knowing your weakness is key, always keep range and never push in on a fight if there are condition spammers it will hurt you more than it will do any good, this doesn't mean you can't just not recommended.

• Mesmers,shatter or conditions they are your hardest matchup, burst them before they burst you. It's hard due to their clones will take most of the damage but if you can land a clean spike the fight will go in your favour, also note do not try to fight condition Mesmer 1v1, won't matter if there crap they just hard counter you. There mobile conditions are just to easy for them to apply. Burst mesmers are 50/50 just kill them first, you hit them as hard as they hit you.
• Thieves, depending on skill level of thief will depend on the outcome, always hit first and if they stealth coming towards you I recommend you doing the same. This matchup can be tricky if you can't land any of your attacks I recommend trying to stealth or escape. Landing your CC is a must and don't be scared go ham and burst them back you hit harder.
• Every other class, you can handle some fights will go 50/50 depending on cooldowns and who lands thier attacks first, just be aggressive and fights will go in your favour.

Offence. Strength of the pack > Quickening Zephyr > Sic'Em > Beast mode, are the key components to your burst rotation always try to open with these skills on your target. You have Unstoppable Union, always use it as Beast mode it's on a 10 second cd. Don't be scared to use your Greatsword, it has decent damage and vs some classes and it's sometimes a better option than your Longbow. Smart option vs some spec's is to change to Gazelle and Greatsword and use your rotations, land your dazes and follow up with Mauls and F2 attacks.

• Necro, doesn't matter what build there running, you can delete them just don't get close try to keep your range and burst them down only teleport into range if your sure they aren't going to slow you down.
• Warrior, are now decent matchup still hard as they hit so god damn hard, if they land a stun/daze combo good chance you will lose most of your life bar and it's not like you have the best of stun-breakers, good idea is to save your beast mode and once there in your face change to greatsword and focus on evades and counter play while using your pet's damage to break them, soon as you get chance stealth move to range burst and repeat.
• Every other class, burst them at range and teleport in to finish some classes like Engineer will proc there auto "save me" but almost any other class you can take down rather fast if you land your spike, apart from Druids and Firebrand bunkers. You can beat them 1v1 just takes time, you're better off rotating to different point and teaming up on these targets as killing them in 10 seconds compared to 2mins is better option.

Mobility, Your healing skill gives you swiftness to move around map fast, you Greatsword and Gazelle are also options for movement. Most of you already know this.

Rune, Rage, Why? well the build doesn't have greatest access to Fury and something I noticed about Soulbeast is it requires high uptime on Fury, so if you're going to change the runes pick something that offers Fury.

Sigil, I've ran the tests and there really isn't any better options. You require the sigils on your Greatsword to help clear conditions and escape and your longbow is just better off with more % to damage.

Traits, I wouldn't recommend changing anything, the build syncs up you could change traits but you won't see much of an improvement.

Pets

• Smokescale, I don't really need to explain much. Just make sure to always use following combo while in Beast mode F2>F1>F3 that's the burst rotation.
• Gazelle, is a tricky pet at times. I highly recommend using it as counter pet and mobility, when I say counter pet I mean if target gets on top of you pet swap into Gazelle and use its F2, it's a way of self-peeling. The burst rotation from F2>F3>F1 can be rather solid if you land it but don't count on it. Normally if there are downed targets I will use F2 to daze guy trying to res, followed with F3. The damage can turn fights majorly in your favour if you land them try to land your Beast mode rotation with Unstoppable Union.

Sic'Em, is the key to Soulbeast being able to burst targets down fast and effectively. Yes it takes up a utility slot but it's game of risk vs reward, I strongly believe there isn't much of point running a Burst build with Soulbeast if you're not using Sic'Em. There are other builds sure, but none of them come close to sheer damage output of this build, I'm still learning how to use Sic'Em better and I'm not going to lie it's hard at times, you're going to waste your burst at times it happens. Also not saying other builds using Stances aren't a option, but if you're going to do something might as well go all out.

Hope you enjoy the build, I recommend if you're going to use this build make sure to have Druid setup, not every game will favour you going full burst mode and take the time to do unrated to get feeling for the build, not every build matches everyone's playstyle.

Thanks for this. This is the build you were running in your video?

Pack runes might be a good alternative

@ZhouX.8742 said:Pack runes might be a good alternative

Pack is decent option, damage between Rage and Pack is almost same. Sometimes Rage will Crit higher, the only reason I use Rage over Pack is it has better Fury uptime, and the build I use doesn't have greatest amount of Fury uptime over extended periods of time.

Currently working on releasing new video, this one is highest burst know to Ranger ever. I went Berserker with Scholar, I was rather surprised how well it goes when you have decent team. But I'm still rusty, still mess ups but I've been going for over year now and only been back few weeks it's rough getting back into groove of things. I don't plan on tryharding it as Druid this season, I'll be honest I'm probably only going to play full Berserker Ranger until I quit again as there isn't competitive side to game anymore

Was testing on my soulbeast yesterday and Rage is definitely better than Pack. Especially if you are good at stacking might, to make up for the little loss of power.

Nope nope and nope. Sorry guys. If you want to be burst soulbeast, wilderness survival has to go.

I have a Soulbeast build I used at +1700 matches against many legendary players, and it had 2 weaknesses. Mirage, and 1v2 situations (when melee) so please... That build can burst 1 guy every 30 second. But it doesnt work in teamfights.

Ps. Amulet is wrong to fight against power classes soulbeast is supposed to counter.

@ninjambo.3784 said:Was testing on my soulbeast yesterday and Rage is definitely better than Pack. Especially if you are good at stacking might, to make up for the little loss of power.

It's not far off in terms of Power due to +5%, anyways there both good options like I said I only use it because of the Fury uptime.

@Mutaatti.2789 , bitter much. Honestly remind me of people who demand that their opinion matters when they offer nothing. If you're so good why don't you make some videos showcasing how Soulbeast is meant to be played.

@Sol.4310 said:

@ninjambo.3784 said:Was testing on my soulbeast yesterday and Rage is definitely better than Pack. Especially if you are good at stacking might, to make up for the little loss of power.

Sorry didn't mean to be bitter or anything. :D Of course anyone can play any build they want. The fact just is that build has so little condi removal that you would die to a thief immobilizing you. And about burst... Sick Em is one trick pony. It works on lower division matches and even once against pro players. After that surprising enemy off guard is gonna be tricky.

Just play what you guys want as long as you like it. ^^

@Mutaatti.2789 said:

@Sol.4310 said:

@ninjambo.3784 said:Was testing on my soulbeast yesterday and Rage is definitely better than Pack. Especially if you are good at stacking might, to make up for the little loss of power.

We just have different views, things that worry you doesn't worry me. Don't take this the wrong way, but it sounds like you have commen ranger problem, Druid syndrome lol and I didn't mean that is a-hole way, players are so used to playing a build that is easy and does to a certain level carries the player, you have forgotten what it's feels like to play high caliber build that requires much more skill to get results.

Sic'Em isn't one trick pony, it's a deletion service I provide for my team. Jokes aside it's a skill I feel it was meant to be used with Soulbeast, 10 seconds of +40% damage is just so worth taking the risk.

Condition remove, will always be a problem if you want to have a high damage output you have to give up something, I have other builds I've played and survival was really good but I started to notice problems such as their damage output really only comes from Rapid Fire, Barrage, Worldly Impact, you can't rely on your pet doing much damage in this meta getting close to target is almost impossible for them due to how much cc there is. I then noticed I was better off playing Druid, as the damage wasn't much better than playing Marauder Druid and had much more survival and offered better team support.

Soulbeast, I believe was meant to be hybrid but ended up being poorly designed and offered more in terms of raw damage output once stacked. After around 400 games as complete burst I've gotten used to the build and I find it hard going back.

When I quit over year ago I was at top of NA's Ranger player base which was small as most of known Rangers on NA are only known for being Fotm Rangers and became known only due to playing for teams which got streamed when there was far better rangers that couldn't play at competitive level due to RL I was one of them rangers due to RL to a point, the worse meta for Ranger was Spirits, there was 3 Ranger's who become "So Called Top Tier" due to being apart of team that played on Stream, and Genyen was one of them Rangers, skill wise when it came to ranger outside of Spirits he couldn't play ranger to save himself.

I also didn't come back to GW2 to be competitive I came back as I enjoyed the PvP and with release of PoF it gave me reason to try out some new and refreshing, Druid was meta for way too long and is still meta, so by all means if you feel the need to play at top tier level do so but game is dead and there is no longer need for that kind of player. If and when they bring back competitive team play just maybe than I'll go hard again but I can't see that happening I think if this current meta isn't fixed soon many more players will quit and never return making player base even smaller than its already super small player base.