Best PVE weapon combinations?

I love the Ranger class, but I am guilty of having a hard time choosing weapon combinations. I play PVE 100% of the time, so my weapons and stats are usually chosen with that in mind. Throughout all of my years of playing various Rangers (most I have deleted due to boredom), I almost always end up using the Longbow and Greatsword. Not so much Condition damage there, unfortunately, which is where GW2 seems to want us to go in recent years. However, I find the axe can unnecessarily bring extra enemies to a battle, and I don't enjoy the 2nd skill of main-hand Sword. Obviously, I have pretty much chosen my weapon preferences, but I really want to know what weapon combinations all of you enjoy using for PVE content, in case it can give me better ideas to play around with.

Power = Sword / AxeCondition = Axe / Torch + ShortbowHealing = Staff

Subject to change upon the release of PoF

I am the same, for example i love soulbeast looks like an improvement for wvw (still not wow but better than current) still what i am kinda not impress is the weapons. Anyway this been PvE i suppose greatsword and longbow is good, tho greatsword is not good in damage (sadly, nothing is perfect). Longbow tho is alright feels meeeh, not a big fan, sword is ok but like you i rarely use num 2. Sword/Axe is ok, could be so much better but ok. For now i think sword/axe, longbow and maybe greatsword is the best for power. Condition well shortbow, i love the shortbow but i am not a fan of conditions, still one of my fav weapons as ranger (i started with it back when it was the weapon to use for everything). If you are condition go shortbow and axe/torch maybe? i dont know much of that

I posted something that might be useful for you.https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/discussion/419/petless-ranger-dps-testing-data#latest

You can observe the dps and choose your weapon set accordingly.

Do note Axe bounce to two targets on default and warhorn has the advantage of boon application, while GS has mobility and Axe offhand has pull.

In general I'd say Sword Axe + Axe warhorn is the best general usage if you're not traveling between long distance alot, since it stays at highest dps while giving you option to self apply lots of boons. This could be especially useful if you also grab we heal as one too. Sword can also generate might to pets for you to copy the boons, while axe generates might to yourself from the get go.

I always run with Staff/longbow. I use a power glyph build, and I absolutely love it. It's great for open world PVE.

I haven't played Ranger in years, does sword still do that annoying thing where the chain locks you in place for a second?

Shortbow/Shortbow is also pretty good for Condi Ranger. Plus it has the worlds easiest rotation and no the animation for Sword is totally different now so you don't get locked in place.

@Bloodtau.4672 said:I haven't played Ranger in years, does sword still do that annoying thing where the chain locks you in place for a second?

no, thank god at least they fixed that a while ago. That was what made sword kinda useless, at least now it doesnt do that.

@OumaShu.4502 said:Shortbow/Shortbow is also pretty good for Condi Ranger. Plus it has the worlds easiest rotation and no the animation for Sword is totally different now so you don't get locked in place.

ahh nice to know =) might dust the ranger off then! really liking the Soulbeast, reminds me a little of an anime I use to watch called "Shaman King"

@Bloodtau.4672 said:I haven't played Ranger in years, does sword still do that annoying thing where the chain locks you in place for a second?

Nope, they changed the animation.

Longbow/Staff on my main druid. Longbow & axe/axe on my alt account druid. One of these days I might make one or the other of them a condi...but I like what I'm playing for now.

I'm using shortbow/axe+torch on my current main condi ranger and I really enjoy it, but yeah, it does sometimes draw a lot of enemies in when I would prefer to just fight one of them at a time. I'm looking forward to getting mainhand dagger though with pof, and I'm definitely going to try swapping axe out for that, since I don't think it has any abilities that would draw too many other enemies in. I didn't do extensive testing of it during the demo weekend though so I don't know for sure.

@thequeenofbees.4250 said:I'm using shortbow/axe+torch on my current main condi ranger and I really enjoy it, but yeah, it does sometimes draw a lot of enemies in when I would prefer to just fight one of them at a time. I'm looking forward to getting mainhand dagger though with pof, and I'm definitely going to try swapping axe out for that, since I don't think it has any abilities that would draw too many other enemies in. I didn't do extensive testing of it during the demo weekend though so I don't know for sure.

shortbow is my favorite weapon, well i made the dreamer before the buff to longbow and SB was not been used as much. I have think of going condi, since for what i read condi dmg dont suffer as much as power in rangers but changing all this gear, runes and everything is a pain.

I mostly PvE, and use shortbow and axe / torch. The shortbow tends to get the most use because I'm lazy and forgetful (oh right, weapon swapping is a thing...). The extra mobs being dragged in can be a little annoying but I find dropping a spike trap, Bonfire, weapon swap, dodging back and Poison Volley tends to wipe everything pretty quickly. Failing that, running away works well too ;-)

I enjoy Longbow / Axe+warhorn. Lets me snipe my targets, often dropping them before they ever reach me, while still being melee capable and condi handy. I can also more easily target a single enemy or a mob, as preferred, especially in conjunction with my pet to kite.

Since you mentioned repeated attempts and boredom, I suggest trying out a combo you wouldn't normally use.

+1 for the Shortbow/Axe + Torch bandwagon I guess.

I love the flanking style of play the shortbow brings, and the axe brings a tiny bit of aoe when you need to run with a group. I really wish they'd bring the third bounce back though...

@kaehlys.1074 said:I mostly PvE, and use shortbow and axe / torch. The shortbow tends to get the most use because I'm lazy and forgetful (oh right, weapon swapping is a thing...). The extra mobs being dragged in can be a little annoying but I find dropping a spike trap, Bonfire, weapon swap, dodging back and Poison Volley tends to wipe everything pretty quickly. Failing that, running away works well too ;-)

Sadly, I hate using traps. Every single class in any video game that utilizes traps...never touch the traps. It just isn't my playstyle. I prefer straight-up damage (conditions are very welcome, I will point out, which is why I feel frustrated with the GS lacking any by default, but liking the leap skill and how you can swipe at multiple enemies at once with its basic attack).

As far as PvE goes I usually go with longbow/axe+warhorn and have a greatsword on the side (mostly for PvP). That's for vanilla ranger, but it's not a bad setup. It proved good for world bosses and genral survival.

@Moyayuki.3619 said:

@kaehlys.1074 said:I mostly PvE, and use shortbow and axe / torch. The shortbow tends to get the most use because I'm lazy and forgetful (oh right, weapon swapping is a thing...). The extra mobs being dragged in can be a little annoying but I find dropping a spike trap, Bonfire, weapon swap, dodging back and Poison Volley tends to wipe everything pretty quickly. Failing that, running away works well too ;-)

Well, the greatsword is not intended to be a condition weapon, so putting damaging conditions onto it would be useless at best and sabotage its role at the worst (since either its damage or utility would undoubtedly be nerfed). It is, at its core, a PvP spike and utility weapon. I agree that the Ranger could use a main hand condi weapon (hopefully they'll buff the dagger and make it effective in that role). I would also appreciate another rework on the sword, to be honest. I hate how it forces you to retreat in order to execute a leap toward your target, and the poison on #3 just seems out of place on what is nominally a power weapon.

@chibi.2537 said:As far as PvE goes I usually go with longbow/axe+warhorn and have a greatsword on the side (mostly for PvP). That's for vanilla ranger, but it's not a bad setup. It proved good for world bosses and genral survival.

is axe MH good for a power build? Tough it was more of a condi weapon, not a super fan of it but for wvw its the only weapon with AOE, for zergs it could be ok, no idea.

Yeah, I play power builds on my ranger so it's a good weapon combo. But I can't say how it would fare in WvW now because I haven't stepped into WvW for like 5 months and when I was last in WvW I tried my PvP build with longbow/greatsword. But axe+warhorn proved great for PvE (even as a main weapon instead of longbow) and it's very useful for world bosses (if nothing else for warhorn skill 5 - Call of the Wild: 15s of fury, might and swiftness, what else could you ask for?). As far as PvE goes longbow/axe+warhorn is my main weapon combo.

Condi - SB and axe/torch or dagger. I get tired of torch in open world. But SB is a big reason I went from power to condi, it's so fun. I do like GS for power; and sword/axe is fun. LB sure I would use also with power. Oh and yeah Axe/WH at times for mobility in open world. I am still power/shout in WvW tho haven't done that for some time.