Longbow Ranger - Issues and Changes I would like to see

Ranger the iconic hero which longbow is supposed to be associated with feels like has some of the worst skills, traits, and specializations for the longbow.

With a slow rate of fire, it doesn't benefit much from critical, which is why many people go for power.With so many utilities heavily focused on condition damage - you and up crippling your self if you go with Longbow on Raids \ Fractals.

Some changes I think would benefit LB RangerOpening Strike changed to -> Sunder

SunderQuickfire applies stacks of vulnerability

Precise Strike ChangedFirst shot while invisible always critically hits

Remorseless changed toCritical hits reduce cool down of hunters arrow by 1s.Gains Ferocity when invisible

Lightning ReflexesCreates a Dark Field after you roll back

I feel the changes would allow Longbow to be very valuable in single target damage and better combo with each other, first applying vulnerability stacks then firing hunters arrow and following up with a critical.

This would make the hero more valuable in endgame content without having players thinking conditions are the only way ( as it is currently the best damage option for ranger )

Might consider moving this discussion to the Ranger sub-forum for better visibility.

That would allow rangers to enter stealth more often and deal stronger criticals more often.

That would not be good for balance.

What longbow needs is a minimum range for Long Range Shot, Rapid Fire and Hunter's Shot, so they can't be used on targets that got into melee range, forcing the ranger to switch to a different weapon if Point Blank Shot is recharging and they can't push them away.

And all projectile ranged weapons would benefit from the rythm of having a ammo count and a 'reload' delay.

You forget the most important thing: all group buffs are applied in mele range, so your longbow ranger would be forced to shoot arrows in mele range. It's not a problem of the ranger abilities or traits, it's a problem of the mele-only oriented combat system.

ranger may not be the best in raids and most pve content however ranger is one of the champs in pvp and wvw, that can easily insta burst someone with rapid fire, and even norns can increase crit as much as they can to do a 20k+ Point blank shot, they may need to look at it for pve content especially cuz I don't really know anything about it but as far as pvp it needs no change, they would almost have to ONLY tweak pve it needs no more buffs in pvp/ people already struggle dealing with really good rangers as is :p

This would make soulbeast even more powercrept so no

I'd like to see a longbow Elementalist...arcane archer plz...

@"MokahTGS.7850" said:I'd like to see a longbow Elementalist...arcane archer plz...

Frost bow says "hi" (but is then quickly saddened as to its real usefulness)

5.5 year Longbow Ranger main here.

Have never found my bow to be slow to respond or ineffective ever since I slotted a Superior Sigil of Rage into it (+3 seconds quickness per crit, 20 sec cooldown). It's hilariously fast. When Ranger was tweaked a few years ago to increase the skill speed, I actually busted out laughing, because my guy literally moves in a blur when the quickness activates.

I find the survivability solid (Zerker stats) in most game modes, but I can still be killed by players who are as quick as I am, so the balance feels alright to me.

My secondary weapon set is torch and sword, which seem to do quite well when I need to get in close and make use of condi damage.

the only skill i would to see changed is barrage, allow us to move around while shooting.

@sorudo.9054 said:the only skill i would to see changed is barrage, allow us to move around while shooting.

actually it could benefit from shorter cd instead movement. Its the only ranged aoe skill the ranger has.limited speed Movement could benefit the axe#5 instead

@anduriell.6280 said:

@sorudo.9054 said:the only skill i would to see changed is barrage, allow us to move around while shooting.

As discussed in another thread, axe #5 does not need movement.

@anduriell.6280 said:

@sorudo.9054 said:the only skill i would to see changed is barrage, allow us to move around while shooting.

I would actually like to see a one time channel that does absolutely nothing until the end. So it synergizes better with stealth. Like you channel for 3s and you can move during that channel. Dodging, weaponswapping/stowing or going out of range cancels the skill. After that channel you get the full duration of barrage.This would synergizes better with stealth and would give LB a better flow of battle.