How do you feel ranger is doing? Debating on switching to it.

TL;DR

• Do you feel its in a good place for solo/small group wvw/pvp?
• Is it any where close to optimal in a PvE dps position?
• Do you feel its more engaging then warrior? I also need some tips on how to play it.

I returned about 3 weeks ago and have been playing warrior/spellbreaker mostly but it's kind of getting boring. I have a max level ranger sitting around I leveled years ago and it seems like it might be up my alley but I don't hear as much about it as I do other professions. It's mostly "Mesmer this, spellbreaker that, scourge them" and when I do hear about it, it's just as a raid healer. I like the theme of ranger (brings to mind Dúnedain of the north), the weapons, and the medium armor I can leave or take. I play mostly WvW(roaming)/PvP and open world pve. I Do plan on doing raids and fractals some day but I don't want to heal.

So far (a whole evening of playing it, totally an expert now \s) to me it feels like a weaker and squishier version of warrior. I've been playing core LB - GS or Sword/Dagger and I tried soulbeast but I want to learn core before moving onto that. I doesn't seem to put out nearly as much damage as my core warrior and am way squishier. If someone gap closes on me and applies pressure, R.I.P. Disengaging and finding space seems to be hard even with sword/dagger and lighting reflexes.

The burst from bow is...underwhelming. For being a multi-hit attack, even with quickness and unblockable I'm lucky to hit a squishy for 1/3 of their health IF I land the full thing using zerkers while they are stunned. The vuln it applies is laughable with all the cleanses. Where as with warrior I can bull-charge into level 3 eviserate and there goes 3/4 of someone's health instantly (though a shorter range than LB 2). I don't see the use in GS. I rarely have maul hit more than 6k which isn't bad but if it's avoided easily and then you're basically a sitting duck. I can counter attack and swoop away but anything other than scourge will just "lol where do you think you're going" and gap close on you. Sword/dagger is a lot of fun with the evades but I never see it do any damage and I mean that in an almost literal sense.

This is my current build gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJARTjEqQBL2yCmsAVLG2DqeG6hh47gj4p3mIAO7S8YaA-jpQSgAA7PAWGAA I've done most my testing in 1v1's in pvp, I figure most anything will work for open world pve so I'm not worried about that. If you can give me any suggestions that would be appreciated. I want to like the profession more than warrior but like a mentioned it just feels like a cheap knock off to me so far with a bad AI pet.

1vs1 , melee , warrior will always win, normally.

when i use warrior in pve, is like mobs die in half time or less than i need to kill them with ranger, warrior have a GOD TIER trait tree, so, it helps a lot in pve and Spvp o WvW.

in WvW ranger is fun to play with, you need a high skill ceiling with ranger to be in even ground with a lot of classes (Holo,mesmer,warior,scourge) in 1vs1, and if you make a single mistake while dodging,moving,merging with your pet (if your are soulbeast), or using stealth you are dead meat.

In Wvw classes have better Gear than in Spvp so, altought in Spvp mesmer,warrior etc are good they are far better in WvW compared to ranger xDD, the only exception could be scourge, 1vs1 any decent ranger with a Lb should be able to take down any scourge.

You should use Nature Magic->protective ward, one of the best traits ranger has at least for me.

Ranger is fun to play, but is really frustrating when there are classes that only need to faceroll the keyboard to be effective, while a ranger need to play like a chessplayer to not die.

@"Zexanima.7851" said:

• Do you feel its in a good place for solo/small group wvw/pvp?
• Is it any where close to optimal in a PvE dps position?

The general opinion is that it is "OK" in those modes, but definitely not the best. YMMV, I think that player skill makes significantly more difference than many people credit, but if you care about what is most loved, it won't be ranger.

• Do you feel its more engaging then warrior? I also need some tips on how to play it.

I found it less quirky than ranger, but a relatively low complexity professions. It used to tend toward "don't suck" buttons, such as previously requires weapon swap on cooldown, or your damage sucked. (that is, a "don't suck" button involves no decision making, no strategy, just press the button on cooldown or you suck)

This is somewhat less true today, but worth keeping in mind, as it is technically a minor DPS increase today, and may make a resurgence tomorrow, so if that sort of thing bothers you...

The big exception to that is druid: that has a rather difference play style to ranger/soulbeast, for support, and is more complicated in terms of rotation and, of course, timing for healing effects.

See metabattle for more details on this, and their open world section for more general PvE guides if that is necessary for you.

I returned about 3 weeks ago and have been playing warrior/spellbreaker mostly but it's kind of getting boring. I have a max level ranger sitting around I leveled years ago and it seems like it might be up my alley but I don't hear as much about it as I do other professions. It's mostly "Mesmer this, spellbreaker that, scourge them" and when I do hear about it, it's just as a raid healer. I like the theme of ranger (brings to mind Dúnedain of the north), the weapons, and the medium armor I can leave or take. I play mostly WvW(roaming)/PvP and open world pve. I Do plan on doing raids and fractals some day but I don't want to heal.

You will find that non-support / non-healer roles are not that much loved in PvE, I fear.

The burst from bow is...underwhelming. For being a multi-hit attack, even with quickness and unblockable I'm lucky to hit a squishy for 1/3 of their health IF I land the full thing using zerkers while they are stunned.

Longbow? Yeah, that ... isn't a strong weapon.

Ultimately, I think you will not be long term happy with a ranger main, at this time, based on what you have to say about it.

@SlippyCheeze.5483 said:

@"Zexanima.7851" said:

• Do you feel its in a good place for solo/small group wvw/pvp?
• Is it any where close to optimal in a PvE dps position?

• Do you feel its more engaging then warrior? I also need some tips on how to play it.

I returned about 3 weeks ago and have been playing warrior/spellbreaker mostly but it's kind of getting boring. I have a max level ranger sitting around I leveled years ago and it seems like it might be up my alley but I don't hear as much about it as I do other professions. It's mostly "Mesmer this, spellbreaker that, scourge them" and when I do hear about it, it's just as a raid healer. I like the theme of ranger (brings to mind Dúnedain of the north), the weapons, and the medium armor I can leave or take. I play mostly WvW(roaming)/PvP and open world pve. I Do plan on doing raids and fractals some day but I don't want to heal.

The burst from bow is...underwhelming. For being a multi-hit attack, even with quickness and unblockable I'm lucky to hit a squishy for 1/3 of their health

IF

I land the full thing using zerkers while they are stunned.

That makes me sad, I like the them a lot.

If you know what you're doing, you can win 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

if the warrior is stupid enough, perhaps, normally, no xD

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

Even against top tier warriors you can take very little to no damage if you play properly.

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

could you elaborate "play properly" ? if ranger could beat warrior so easily as you claim, he would be meta.

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

Here, you can't see me fighting but you can look at the map.

I was 1v1ing Tarcis, a top tier warrior. The timestamp is when the 1v1 starts, 30 seconds later at (01:07:27) is when the fight ends. Look at my health for the duration of the fight.

This is the second 1v1 in the same match.

You can also see me full capping him very quickly in the first fight and holding the point neutral in the second.

Also, just to clarify, I respect Tarcis a lot as a warrior player. These clips are just examples of a ranger being able to beat a warrior in a 1v1 on point.

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

Did i miss something?? we were talking about Ranger vs Warrior, and your point is you can kill them with a Scourge?Wrong video perhaps?

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

Yes, you missed something.

Did you read what I wrote? I'm obviously not Naru. However, those two instances show me 1v1ing and winning against Tarcis on Quarry. Look at the map and the log on the right side of the screen.

I was S H A D O W F A L L, the ranger on Naru's team.

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

I could really use some advice then if you are having good results with it, because I'm not.

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

Against Spellbreaker?

1. GS4 the dagger 2.
2. Dodge the Dagger F1
3. Bait Full Counter.
4. Stow weapons and pets when a warrior uses Full Counter.
5. Dodge GS3.
6. Dodge GS5.
7. Strafe GS4.
8. Dodge Arcing Slice.
9. Dodge Shield 4.
10. Don't attack Shield 5.
11. Knock the warrior back AFTER he uses a dodge.

If you do these, a warrior shouldn't be able to kill you.

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

How could i knew that , man ¬¬.

no offense intended but, if i cant see the fight how could i know what the warrior did or not?? perhaps Tarcis is a top Warrior, but to lose against a ranger in point, well , perhaps you are better Ranger than him Warrior, but in even ground, warrior normally beat ranger , it is easier to climb the ladder with a meta class than with a non meta class.

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

1. GS4 the dagger 2.
2. Dodge the Dagger F1
3. Bait Full Counter.
4. Stow weapons and pets when a warrior uses Full Counter.
5. Dodge GS3.
6. Dodge GS5.
7. Strafe GS4.
8. Dodge Shield 4.
9. Don't attack Shield 5.
10. Knock the warrior back AFTER he uses a dodge.

Honest questions here, do you have a good way of regenerating endurance instantly? Because If I'm playing warrior I won't give you time to pull 2 dodge then regen endurance and pull two more dodges (you listed 4 dodges,). If you dodge sheild 4, then a dagger f1 will follow, and if you doge that then a swap gs f1 will follow, and if you dodge that then a bulls rush, and if you dodge that gs3. IF you dodge all that, then on defensive I go. I won't pop shield 5 if I'm fighting a LB ranger UNLESS they knock me back in which case I'll just stun break and shield 5 becuase I know LB 2 is coming. If it has pen, then cancle block, dodge roll, full counter in their face. I've maybe fought 1-2 rangers as warrior that were difficult, and they ran full melee.

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

I mean warriors in general are very telegraphed and predictable. If you have good reaction speed you can avoid everything a warrior throws at you.

I can almost guarantee Tarcis would beat 98% of rangers in the game. Most people don't practice enough and learn how to actually beat one in a 1v1, that's why they lose.

Although ranger isn't meta, I still would've finished at rank 2 last season if I didn't try to break 1800 the day before season ended.

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

The same that happens in League of Legends, when you use meta heroes (here we have classes) to carry you to high elo, there you will find people that is more skilled than you, so altought player matter , class help a lot, when your class is worst you have to improve as player, then player that relies in class mechanic fail....

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

1. GS4 the dagger 2.
2. Dodge the Dagger F1
3. Bait Full Counter.
4. Stow weapons and pets when a warrior uses Full Counter.
5. Dodge GS3.
6. Dodge GS5.
7. Strafe GS4.
8. Dodge Shield 4.
9. Don't attack Shield 5.
10. Knock the warrior back AFTER he uses a dodge.

Double energy sigils and permanent vigor.

Spellbreakers don't run Bull's Rush. If you're fighting a core warrior, you can dodge/gs4/lightning reflexes when he uses it.

Also, that's a big point. You say "I know LB2 is coming." But what if it doesn't? Good players will bait your cooldowns. I don't use defensive skills unless I need to and I don't attack unless I know it will land.

It's worth noting that I will not hit a warrior's Full Counter 99.9% of the time.

If you want to 1v1 me, I can run ranger and you can run spellbreaker to see how I play.

@urdriel.8496 said:1vs1 , melee , warrior will always win, normally.

Not really, no. Rangers have a very decent chance to win their 1v1 vs warrior.

@"shadowpass.4236" said:Yes, you missed something.

Did you read what I wrote? I'm obviously not Naru. However, those two instances show me 1v1ing and winning against Tarcis on Quarry. Look at the map and the log on the right side of the screen.

I was S H A D O W F A L L, the ranger on Naru's team.Shadow you are mixing oranges and apples here.

Urdriel is moslty been talking about wvw (he/she did just one mention about spvp) and you talk about spvp exclusively. You know traits are different between those game modes,when the warrior would be nerfed in wvw at the level of spvp it will be possible to kill one of them in a power setup. But of course then they would become useless as they would melt before being able to land any burst.

Your gameplay is based in abusing the boon mechanic and how the coping boons in the soulbeast works with strong emphasis in the shout We heal as One , if at any point "we heal as one " is balanced to lets say copy 3 boons at a time instead refill your boon bar i think ranger would be better balanced in spvp.

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

1. GS4 the dagger 2.
2. Dodge the Dagger F1
3. Bait Full Counter.
4. Stow weapons and pets when a warrior uses Full Counter.
5. Dodge GS3.
6. Dodge GS5.
7. Strafe GS4.
8. Dodge Shield 4.
9. Don't attack Shield 5.
10. Knock the warrior back AFTER he uses a dodge.

That would be great! I don't claim to be a great warrior(only gold2), I just don't have many difficult fights against rangers. Since I want to learn how to play ranger it would be great to see how others play them.

This spellbreaker does run bull's rush, just saying. I run kind of core build/spellbreaker hybrid.

@anduriell.6280 said:

@"shadowpass.4236" said:Yes, you missed something.

Did you read what I wrote? I'm obviously not Naru. However, those two instances show me 1v1ing and winning against Tarcis on Quarry. Look at the map and the log on the right side of the screen.

I was S H A D O W F A L L, the ranger on Naru's team.Shadow you are mixing oranges and apples here.

In WvW, Rangers are heavily favored to win against Warriors.

Yes, traits are different in WvW compared to sPvP. However, both Rangers AND Warriors get stronger in WvW.

I don't always play boon builds. I can do just as well with zerker or marauders amulet as I can with diviners or seekers.

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@Zexanima.7851 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:

@urdriel.8496 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:If you know what you're doing, you can win a 1v1s against warriors on point without taking any damage at all.

1. GS4 the dagger 2.
2. Dodge the Dagger F1
3. Bait Full Counter.
4. Stow weapons and pets when a warrior uses Full Counter.
5. Dodge GS3.
6. Dodge GS5.
7. Strafe GS4.
8. Dodge Shield 4.
9. Don't attack Shield 5.
10. Knock the warrior back AFTER he uses a dodge.

I'd be happy to help!

I don't log on GW2 anymore unless I have a specific reason to. So, if you're on NA and would like to 1v1, send me a pm on the forums to let me know when you're ready.

@shadowpass.4236 said:In WvW, Rangers are heavily favored to win against Warriors.

Yes, traits are different in WvW compared to sPvP. However, both Rangers AND Warriors get stronger in WvW.

I don't always play boon builds. I can do just as well with zerker or marauders amulet as I can with diviners or seekers.Not at the same scale as the most used traits and warrior skills keep the PvE version in WvW. Anet explained why and it makes sense still doesn't mean it breaks the warrior at small scale.

@anduriell.6280 said:

@shadowpass.4236 said:In WvW, Rangers are heavily favored to win against Warriors.

Yes, traits are different in WvW compared to sPvP. However, both Rangers AND Warriors get stronger in WvW.

I don't always play boon builds. I can do just as well with zerker or marauders amulet as I can with diviners or seekers.Not at the same scale as the most used traits and warrior skills keep the PvE version in WvW. Anet explained why and it makes sense still doesn't mean it breaks the warrior at small scale.

Okay just to clarify, if you play correctly in melee range of a warrior, he shouldn't be able to land anything.

So it would stand to reason that when we're not confined to a small point, it should be even EASIER to avoid everything. It doesn't matter if the warrior has access to the PvE version of skills in WvW, if he can't hit you, he won't win.