TheoryCraft What Ranger build would Counter Scourge in sPvP?

The general consensus among rangers is Druid is better in spvp.

However, the current druid meta does not counter scourge.What would you run if you wanted to counter Scourge in sPvP?

Challenge is, it still has to be somewhat viable outside of that fight.

Vanilla LB Ranger?LB Staff Druid?Soulbeast LB?

Druid can't beat scourge? I find this hard to imagine.

Druid can kill scourge, but not on point.

We only have a week left for the balance, so who knows post scourge nerf

i have been told anything that can out range a scourge will beat it

Soulbeast with Sic'Em destroys Scourge rather fast. Can be tricky due to lack of condition remove if there are 2 of them, just keep range and melt them. With the right build you can almost take their whole life bar in one Rapid Fire. So like most team fights if you speak to team mates at the start and always call target Scourge will melt before it can blink.

@LughLongArm.5460 said:Druid can kill scourge, but not on point.

No different from spellbreaker or any dangerous melee opponent.

@Magi.8643 said:i have been told anything that can out range a scourge will beat it

Current Druid Meta won't do it on point and won't do it from range with Staff. At least not in a reasonable amount of time.> @Eurantien.4632 said:

Druid can't beat scourge? I find this hard to imagine.

Not using the current meta build.Not on point and not at range.> @Sol.4310 said:

Soulbeast with Sic'Em destroys Scourge rather fast. Can be tricky due to lack of condition remove if there are 2 of them, just keep range and melt them. With the right build you can almost take their whole life bar in one Rapid Fire. So like most team fights if you speak to team mates at the start and always call target Scourge will melt before it can blink.

Is that all it can do though? That's the real challenge--- show me a build that can reliably kill scourge from range and is viable in the rest of the fights.> @Zenith.7301 said:

@LughLongArm.5460 said:Druid can kill scourge, but not on point.

No different?Druids can take power dmg much better than they can condi dmg.

I can negate much more of the power dmg.I don't see many bursty power builds. (Other than well played thieves and DragonshKitters)

This is what I generally have been running:http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQNBjYDbkQFKZxGWwlF4axykgl3b/tF3ngQt6j1EAecTgSMfaA-jpxHQBK7IAEwHAgCvAAmY/BAcQAuWZAA

Would I call it a counter to Scourge? No, not necessarily a counter, but as most games have a mix of both Scourges and Spellbreakers, I have tried my best to balance the build to have a fair chance against both. Both pets are very important as the Smokescale brings good damage and a ton of utility, and the Jacaranda brings good sustain. I have tried using pets like the Siamoth, but the condi relief that the Jacaranda brings is a huge help, and when it lands, Jacaranda's Embrace can be clutch. I have tried this with Signet of Restoration, but the fact that it a) doesn't work in Beastmode and b) requires you to be nearby your pet makes it even harder to successfully land, so I choose Signet of Stone to help survive against power bursts.

Total condi clear with this build comes from:-Troll Unguent (4x with Wilderness Knowledge)-Quickening Zephyr (2x with Wilderness Knowledge)-Lightning Reflexes (2x with Wilderness Knowledge)-Strength of the Pack (5x with Runes of Lyssa)-Pet Swap (2x with Zephyr's Speed)-Photosynthesize (2x from Jacaranda)-Sigil of Cleansing (1x on weapon swap to S/Wh)-3s of Resistance from Jacaranda

So with all of that, you have a fair amount of sustain against condi specs. It feels good except for when you're in a tight space against a Scourge, at which point most classes are fucked anyway. Unstoppable Union is what makes me feel like I can actually duel Spellbreakers; that trait is really the only really good one in the whole Soulbeast line. Sad that the adept traits are the most competitive in my eyes. I still like the utility that Soulbeast offers, though.

There are certain things in this build that feel essential, like Unstoppable Union and the whole Wilderness Survival line, and then some aspects of it that I have been playing around with. Beastmastery doesn't offer as much as Wilderness Survival does, especially if I swap out Strength of the Pack for Entangle; Nature Magic (X/X/X), Survival (2/2/X), and Marksmanship (X/X/X) would all work well. I like Beastmastery for the increased stats as well as it giving my pet more of a chance to actually pursue the enemy, but that one is more subject to change. I have also only recently started trying out Runes of Lyssa, but if I have condis on me when I use my elite, the boons given can help protect my Stability, which is even more prone to being stripped since Path of Fire.

Overall, I feel like it's a solid build, but I definitely struggle more in certain maps that clearly favor Scourge, like Skyhammer, a Scourge's wet dream. If anything, I would say my damage feels a little low at times, but with the right combos, it has very strong burst. Having Smokescale's Smoke Assault triggering after your own burst from while in Beastmode can often be what pushes them to death. Ever since Path of Fire, it seems like with specs like Scourge, Spellbreaker, and Deadeye, there is more off-point fighting than before, so I don't feel as guilty not running Bunker Druid as I would before.

With all this said, keep in mind that I don't play at a high competitive level. I like to play to have fun and improve my skill, but I am by no means a top tier ranger. This build is just what has worked best for me so far.

I've had pretty good success running a Soulbeast power build(LB/GS). LB and a buffed pet can really put in work. I kite them and soften them up before going in for the kill. Also that bush pet is amazing versus condi builds in general. Still testing and tuning, but this is what I've been running recently with some pretty good success so far in unranked. I'm no pro, so idk how it would perform at the higher levels.http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJARTnE8CN8id8CuCCctgl/AbpIkBCAPphfwwLf8eejvlY+0A-jZhRABAs/g2HBguvEAi/AAauMAA

Using a short bow w/ ancient seeds against scourge/necro provides you with quite a lot of immobilize spam. The only Issue I run into is Plague Signet, but this is easily mitigated by bringing signet of renewal. Condi Druid has a lot of potential if played right.

Hello, this is my SB build I use in ranked. I'm T3 plat with my scourge but can't seem to get higher than T2 plat with this build. Either way, I have fun playing it.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJATRnEqAtsglsAO8CUtglJBLP3+bLuNBgH3EwZyVByclY+0A-jJxHQBjb/BA8AAC4FA4alBAA

Great synergy with protection uptime, a lot of evades and great burst against every class. Just avoid swooping in with GS while scourge is around with high health ;)

@Zenith.7301 said:

@LughLongArm.5460 said:Druid can kill scourge, but not on point.

Druid can 1v1 anything on point other than scourge and spellbreaker , that's true.

Thank You Pterikdactyl

Very nice write up.

Would you say the playstyle is somewhat similar to druids (obviously without the heals)--- go mid, steal far--force them to send 2, tank the point?

How well can you tank the point? Or are you leaving before you get +1'd?

I'm not the most experienced players, but i can tell that the only class i play and i don't have problems with scourges is Ranger.Otherwise things gets real nasty with spellbreakers. I can't fight this guys.

@Artemes.4850 said:Hello, this is my SB build I use in ranked. I'm T3 plat with my scourge but can't seem to get higher than T2 plat with this build. Either way, I have fun playing it.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?vNAQJATRnEqAtsglsAO8CUtglJBLP3+bLuNBgH3EwZyVByclY+0A-jJxHQBjb/BA8AAC4FA4alBAA

Great synergy with protection uptime, a lot of evades and great burst against every class. Just avoid swooping in with GS while scourge is around with high health ;)

You have LB selected in build editor, but you meant for short bow, right?SBow GS--that is interesting.

I've tried playing sbow a number of times. It It feels so awkward to me. Maybe Im spoiled with staff.

@LughLongArm.5460 said:Druid can kill scourge, but not on point.

Necros, reapers, and scourges are always unpleasant up close.

@EnderzShadow.2506My current build SoulbeastThis build eats Necros alive, the damage is just too much. I've been dueling with it and I'm finding it too easy now.

At first I was worried cause of the Runes and Amulet I was running wouldn't cut it, but the synergy between the traits and pets turned out to have a great balance and allowed me to sustain damage from different classes not just necro condition burst while still dealing decent pressure and burst damage myself. The only complaint I have is I have no swiftness, so being mobile is a pain all I have is my Quickness and Leap, which some what does the job.

When I first used the Runes I was worried, they look garbage. But the synergy it has with Companion's Defense, Rugged Growth and Second Skin turned out to be really good. I get around 3000+ heal per dodge roll and Second Skin tones damage down big time. I was training in 1v1 and I was mitigating the damage so much just with dodge roll I didn't need to heal as often. Add in Evasive Purity and it's just icing on the cake.

Then you have Spiritual Reprieve as your team support skill, which does 6k+ heal and resistance and your elite removes 2 conditions.

I do understand Necro has fair bit of boon hate, but most of time your going to have protection up. As your at range, and cause you have Sic'Em your able to melt the necro so fast with your burst combo, and control the fight from range. You can't with any class hold the point with a necro on top of it so doesn't matter if you lose cap, so just kill the necro and try to regain the point.

Well that's my current build and feedback, I've tried many versions of the build and so far this one has proven solid vs current meta. I can't really beat good Warriors, they just have to much sustain, but I can decap the point and hold until backup comes to finish him off. Sometimes burst classes can be rough if I'm not on my game but its more of skill thing, knowing your counters and controlling them.

It's Spellbreakers you need to worry about, not Scourges. You counter Scourges with Ancient Seeds and a longbow.

Spellbreaker is the greatest counter this profession has ever faced. Unless they get some serious nerfs, good luck.

@Sol.4310 said:@EnderzShadow.2506My current build SoulbeastThis build eats Necros alive, the damage is just too much. I've been dueling with it and I'm finding it too easy now.

At first I was worried cause of the Runes and Amulet I was running wouldn't cut it, but the synergy between the traits and pets turned out to have a great balance and allowed me to sustain damage from different classes not just necro condition burst while still dealing decent pressure and burst damage myself. The only complaint I have is I have no swiftness, so being mobile is a pain all I have is my Quickness and Leap, which some what does the job.

When I first used the Runes I was worried, they look garbage. But the synergy it has with Companion's Defense, Rugged Growth and Second Skin turned out to be really good. I get around 3000+ heal per dodge roll and Second Skin tones damage down big time. I was training in 1v1 and I was mitigating the damage so much just with dodge roll I didn't need to heal as often. Add in Evasive Purity and it's just icing on the cake.

Then you have Spiritual Reprieve as your team support skill, which does 6k+ heal and resistance and your elite removes 2 conditions.

I do understand Necro has fair bit of boon hate, but most of time your going to have protection up. As your at range, and cause you have Sic'Em your able to melt the necro so fast with your burst combo, and control the fight from range. You can't with any class hold the point with a necro on top of it so doesn't matter if you lose cap, so just kill the necro and try to regain the point.

Well that's my current build and feedback, I've tried many versions of the build and so far this one has proven solid vs current meta. I can't really beat good Warriors, they just have to much sustain, but I can decap the point and hold until backup comes to finish him off. Sometimes burst classes can be rough if I'm not on my game but its more of skill thing, knowing your counters and controlling them.

Longbow will always hard counter any sort of necro. It's just the way it is, some things will never change.

@Khenzy.9348 said:It's Spellbreakers you need to worry about, not Scourges. You counter Scourges with Ancient Seeds and a longbow.

Spellbreaker is the greatest counter this profession has ever faced. Unless they get some serious nerfs, good luck.

Only class that can effectively beat a Spellbroken is Scourge, kinda funny. Nothing else really stands a chance.

@Sol.4310

Hunter's Shot while melded should give you swiftness, even if you don't hit anything.

@Zenith.7301 said:

@LughLongArm.5460 said:Druid can kill scourge, but not on point.

Druid don't have the dps to kill Spellbreaker 1 on 1 unless that spellbreaker is extremely bad.

I tried Spellbreaker a few days ago and reach platinum division 2, and I have yet to see any good ranger that stand a chance.They're like free kills to me cuz their pets screw them over. If they run Druid, they don't hurt me at all, if they run Soulbeast they can't kill me either, and they get revenge killed quite easily. Unlike fighting other Spellbreaker/ Firebrand which I may not kill them at all, or fighting Holosmith which has the potential to CC chain spike down me , or playing against good Scourge which knows how to dodge and counter Full Counter and screw me over, Druid/ Soulbeast is never a threat, and often feels like free kill and non-existence point defender. They often get decapped so fast that they might as well not exist at all.

This is the state of ranger atm.

@Sol.4310 said:

@Khenzy.9348 said:It's Spellbreakers you need to worry about, not Scourges. You counter Scourges with Ancient Seeds and a longbow.

Spellbreaker is the greatest counter this profession has ever faced. Unless they get some serious nerfs, good luck.

Firebrand is even more tanky than Spellbreaker btw.

Try fighting against a good one, or a pair of them working in duo que, they're unkillable unless your team have 2 Scourges.

@Khenzy.9348 said:It's Spellbreakers you need to worry about, not Scourges. You counter Scourges with Ancient Seeds and a longbow.

Spellbreaker is the greatest counter this profession has ever faced. Unless they get some serious nerfs, good luck.

this is essentially what it boils down to

@Aomine.5012 said:

@Sol.4310 said:

@Khenzy.9348 said:It's Spellbreakers you need to worry about, not Scourges. You counter Scourges with Ancient Seeds and a longbow.

Spellbreaker is the greatest counter this profession has ever faced. Unless they get some serious nerfs, good luck.

the problem with spellbreaker isnt its tankiness, its the mix of damage output, control and tankiness that makes it godlike