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Next Ranger Elite With Rifle : Yes/No


ErenYeager.3914

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  1. i don't like the idea of a firearm on ranger
  2. i doubt that it can cover a decent niche ranger needs except as an AoE weapon which could be covered in a better way
  3. Any single target ranged weapon (power, condi or support) is already covered
  4. There are already weapons that cover the hunter themed style (longbow, shortbow, axes)

So i would still put my money on hammer or even better double mace (for recombinatorial weapon choices)

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I would personally vote for the hammer, too.

What ranger is missing is a bruiser spec, something that adds alot of survivability and CC. As a reference to the infamous bunny thumper, hammer would be a great weapon and could easily provide the CC portion of the elite spec.

Meanwhile I don't see rifle as a fitting weapon for such a playstyle.

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Rifle? Sure.

Though, I'd prefer dual Pistols to be honest.

Since they could fill in the niche of long range (1200) single handed weapons, using the same logic that allows Rangers Longbow to have extra range compared to other classes (Ranger LB is 1500 range) to have the Pistols also have higher range (1200 vs 900 of other classes). So that a build could for example, run Longbow + Pistol/Pistol for fighting at range (With other off-hands being usable for utility, such as Warhorn, Axe or even Dagger).

Ranger has enough melee weapons as it is already between Greatsword, Sword and Dagger with Axe and Shortbow preferring close range combat due to their skill 2s.

Yet it has only Longbow for a proper ranged weapon (Meaning for getting benefit out of Farsighted and when utilizing Lead the Wind, your options for secondary weapons are... Another Longbow...)

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@Taril.8619 said:Rifle? Sure.

Though, I'd prefer dual Pistols to be honest.

Since they could fill in the niche of long range (1200) single handed weapons, using the same logic that allows Rangers Longbow to have extra range compared to other classes (Ranger LB is 1500 range) to have the Pistols also have higher range (1200 vs 900 of other classes). So that a build could for example, run Longbow + Pistol/Pistol for fighting at range (With other off-hands being usable for utility, such as Warhorn, Axe or even Dagger).

Ranger has enough melee weapons as it is already between Greatsword, Sword and Dagger with Axe and Shortbow preferring close range combat due to their skill 2s.

Yet it has only Longbow for a proper ranged weapon (Meaning for getting benefit out of Farsighted and when utilizing Lead the Wind, your options for secondary weapons are... Another Longbow...)

Farsighted can also get used with a shortbow and axe. Lead the Wind is the weapon trait for longbow specifically, so I think it is fine that it mostly gets benefit from longbow. But to be fair, you can technically also trigger the effect of Lead the Wind by using traps, if I am not mistaken.

I also don't see pistols adding what ranger is lacking in an elite spec, which is suvivability and cc. Ranger already has long range options, your main argument here is that they don't have another one to swap into after using the longbow? But I don't think that is how Anet wants to design things. Druid also has no other support weapon to swap ino after using the staff, for example. Daredevil doesn't have another long range option after using rifle.

Elite spec weapons mostly give access to something the class doesn't have currently. Ranger already has long range options, that is not needed. What ranger lacks is a weapon with alot of crowd control in my opinion.

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@Kodama.6453 said:Farsighted can also get used with a shortbow and axe.

Except, when you want to be up close to maximize their skill 2 damage.

@Kodama.6453 said:Lead the Wind is the weapon trait for longbow specifically, so I think it is fine that it mostly gets benefit from longbow. But to be fair, you can technically also trigger the effect of Lead the Wind by using traps, if I am not mistaken.

Yes, Lead the Wind is a trait for Longbow specifically. But like most builds in the game, you often use a second weapon alongside a primary weapon. When sitting at 1200 range to use Lead the Wind, there is no other weapon to use as Ranger.

Also, Traps are placed at your feet so that doesn't help at all with Lead the Wind...

@Kodama.6453 said:I also don't see pistols adding what ranger is lacking in an elite spec, which is suvivability and cc.

Uhh... Druid?

Lots of healing, perma-immobilize?

How is that not survivability and CC?

@Kodama.6453 said:Ranger already has long range options

They have option. Singular. They have Longbow and that is it.

@Kodama.6453 said:Druid also has no other support weapon to swap ino after using the staff, for example.

They have Warhorn, which is actually superior to Staff.

Which I've told you before.

@Kodama.6453 said:Daredevil doesn't have another long range option after using rifle.

Daredevil cannot use Rifle.

If you mean, Deadeye, then they have Pistol/Pistol as well as Shortbow.

But then again, this is Thief, which due to the way their skills work with lack of cooldowns, they don't need weapon swaps for anything but utility (Which is why Shortbow is such a unanimously popular secondary weapon because of Infiltrator's Arrow and Choking Gas being very good utility skills)

@Kodama.6453 said:Elite spec weapons mostly give access to something the class doesn't have currently. Ranger already has long range options, that is not needed. What ranger lacks is a weapon with alot of crowd control in my opinion.

They have Shortbow which has a Daze/Stun and Cripple. They have Sword that spams Cripple. They have Greatsword that has a Stun and a Knockback. They have Staff that has an Immobilize. They are also widely complained about for bringing "Perma-Immobilize"

How much more CC do you think they need?

Really, the only thing that Ranger is missing, is boonshare. But that can easily be provided by traits/utilities in the same way that Firebrand, Renegade and Chrono do rather than having a weapon specifically made around that.

Meanwhile, having a 1 handed ranged weapon would provide Ranger with a particular weapon niche they have not yet got (Keeping in mind that Axe still wants to be in melee range to use Splitblade)

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@Taril.8619 said:

@Kodama.6453 said:Farsighted can also get used with a shortbow and axe.

Except, when you want to be up close to maximize their skill 2 damage.

In my honest opinion, I don't think 1 skill really disqualifies a weapon as a ranged option.If warrior wants to maximize their damage output on rifle, they also have to be in melee range, since their knockback (which is a gap opener, just like ranger shortbow also has plenty of) also restocks their ammunition. Yet I would never claim that this disqualifies warrior's rifle as a long range weapon.

@Kodama.6453 said:Lead the Wind is the weapon trait for longbow specifically, so I think it is fine that it mostly gets benefit from longbow. But to be fair, you can technically also trigger the effect of Lead the Wind by using traps, if I am not mistaken.

Yes, Lead the Wind is a trait for Longbow specifically. But like most builds in the game, you often use a second weapon alongside a primary weapon. When sitting at 1200 range to use Lead the Wind, there is no other weapon to use as Ranger.

Yet I fail to see why this is problematic for ranger in particular. There are other traits which are exactly the same, just benefitting one single weapon and nothing else.Here is a list:

  • unrelenting criticism
  • mirrored axes
  • sun and moon style
  • sundering mace
  • deadly aim
  • duelist's discipline
  • vicious lacerations
  • swindler's equilibrium
  • fencer's finesse
  • malicious sorcery
  • lingering curse
  • focus mastery
  • warden's feedback
  • stalwart defender
  • the pledge
  • banshee's wail
  • bountiful blades
  • tranquil benediction
  • primal echoes
  • soul marks

    Also, Traps are placed at your feet so that doesn't help at all with Lead the Wind...

Placed at your feet, but you can place them and open the gap to trigger the effect of lead the wind. So as I said, technically you can trigger the effect without using a longbow.

@Kodama.6453 said:I also don't see pistols adding what ranger is lacking in an elite spec, which is suvivability and cc.

Uhh... Druid?

Lots of healing, perma-immobilize?

Druid is a support spec, I am talking about a bruiser spec like scrapper, daredevil and spellbreaker have been for their classes.

They have Warhorn, which is actually superior to Staff.

Which I've told you before.Warhorn literally has just 1 supportive skill (call of the wild) and some regeneration. I don't think this is really superior for a healing support playstyle over druid's staff. Also 1 of 5 weapon skills being supportive is enough? Ok, then give ranger a melee weapon and make skill 5 have range, problem solved, you got another ranged weapon option.

@Kodama.6453 said:Daredevil doesn't have another long range option after using rifle.

Daredevil cannot use Rifle.

My bad, was mixing up the names, I meant deadeye, yeah.

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@"Kodama.6453" said:Druid is a support spec, I am talking about a bruiser spec like scrapper, daredevil and spellbreaker have been for their classes.

If you care to build for it, soulbeast is pretty much a bruiser. I don't see what any more survivability and CC could add to, except more complains in the sPvP subforum. How can you expect a ranger e-spec with more survivability than SB to be balanced? I mean with the pet alone you already can have 2 direct damage nullification, to which you can add SoS, the stances, dodge skills, a pretty good access to sustain... etc. What more do you expect? Weren't both druid and SB nerfed due to high survivability coupled with reasonably high damage in PvP allowing them to be played as "bruiser"?

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@Kodama.6453 said:In my honest opinion, I don't think 1 skill really disqualifies a weapon as a ranged option.If warrior wants to maximize their damage output on rifle, they also have to be in melee range, since their knockback (which is a gap opener, just like ranger shortbow also has plenty of) also restocks their ammunition. Yet I would never claim that this disqualifies warrior's rifle as a long range weapon.

When the 1 skill is literally the primary damage dealing skill, then yeah, it disqualifies the weapon as a ranged option.

Warrior can get additional damage from Rifle by using Rifle Butt to regain ammunition, but the primary damage dealing skill is Volley which is ranged.

Warrior also has an issue where they lack a second ranged option to swap to outside of Rifle too (Which is a reason why many Warriors are hoping for Pistol/Pistol)

@Kodama.6453 said:Yet I fail to see why this is problematic for ranger in particular. There are other traits which are exactly the same, just benefitting one single weapon and nothing else.

It's a problem, because while there are traits that benefit a single weapon type on most classes.

Playing around Lead the Wind means playing at 1200+ range. If you weapon swap like every other class is capable of... You now no longer can attack because Ranger has no other weapon that can attack at 1200 range other than Longbow.

Meaning that in order to utilize Lead the Wind and weapon swapping, you have to also use Quick Draw so you can run Longbow + Longbow.

This is unlike other weapon specific traits, which don't rely on a specific playstyle that is incongruent with all other weapons available on the class.

@Kodama.6453 said:Placed at your feet, but you can place them and open the gap to trigger the effect of lead the wind. So as I said, technically you can trigger the effect without using a longbow.

It's still not a particularly notable effect to make up for the fact that in order to proc the trait you need to be at 1200+ range from a target, meaning you can only attack the target with a Longbow because no other weapon in the Ranger's arsenal has 1200 range (Shortbow and Axe are both 900 range even when disregarding their preference for melee combat) besides Warhorn's skill 4.

@Kodama.6453 said:Druid is a support spec, I am talking about a bruiser spec like scrapper, daredevil and spellbreaker have been for their classes.

Ahh, so you want a useless spec for Ranger.

Gotcha.

Given that Druid fulfills their Survivability and CC roles perfectly fine and is often used as Tank in PvE (Especially since Minstrel gear is oft used for WvW)

@Kodama.6453 said:Warhorn literally has just 1 supportive skill (call of the wild) and some regeneration. I don't think this is really superior for a healing support playstyle over druid's staff. Also 1 of 5 weapon skills being supportive is enough?

Warhorn provides a lot of Regeneration on both skills thanks to the trait, which happens to fill up Celestial Avatar quite fast as well as pumping out significant healing over time, which is more beneficial than Staff's mediocre healing skills that do nothing else. (Hence many people wanting Staff to be reworked into not being trash)

Also yes, 1 of 5 (Actually, 2 of 5) weapon skills being supportive is enough. Hence why Guardian has 2 support builds (Quickbrand and Healbrand) and between them only have 3 support skills (Quickbrand uses Scepter and thus has Symbol of Punishment while Healbrand uses Staff and so has Holy Strike and Empower). Chrono doesn't always even use Shield when playing support but when it does it only has Shields 2 skills as supportive weapon skills. Revenant has 3 support skills with its Staff (Auto attack 3, Mender's Rebuke and Renewing Wave)

A weapon doesn't need to be 4-5 supportive skills in order to be a support weapon. Especially if an E-Spec's traits, mechanics and utilities provide the necessary support for the build.

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@Dadnir.5038 said:

@"Kodama.6453" said:Druid is a support spec, I am talking about a bruiser spec like scrapper, daredevil and spellbreaker have been for their classes.

If you care to build for it, soulbeast is pretty much a bruiser. I don't see what any more survivability and CC could add to, except more complains in the sPvP subforum. How can you expect a ranger e-spec with more survivability than SB to be balanced? I mean with the pet alone you already can have 2 direct damage nullification, to which you can add SoS, the stances, dodge skills, a pretty good access to sustain... etc. What more do you expect? Weren't both druid and SB nerfed due to high survivability coupled with reasonably high damage in PvP allowing them to be played as "bruiser"?

Soulbeast has defensive mechanics, I don't deny that. But I think it is for the same reason why holosmith also has quite some defensive mechanics added, like additional sustain, blocks, damage reductions, etc.

Actually, many of the defensive mechanics of soulbeast are similar to the ones of holosmith. Soulbeast also has sustain, damage reduction, etc.And I think the reason these 2 have this is that they are supposed to be melee damage dealers. If your damage is applied in melee, then you need something to keep you alive while you are unloading that damage.

But in the end, I still consider soulbeast a dps spec and not a real bruiser like scrapper, daredevil or spellbreaker.It sounds to me like Taril wants to add another dps spec with pistols as weapons and I think soulbeast already fills the dps niche for ranger elite specs. It is a meta damage dealer in the end, it even has 2 power builds which are exceeding the damage benchmark of holosmith builds, which I think you would agree with me that holo is designed as a dps spec.

A bruiser spec for ranger, I would imagine adding some more blocks to it's arsenal. And yes, people in PvP might complain. They will do anyway, no matter what spec you introduce, it is always the same. That shouldn't hinder Anet to design elite specs. I think adding some knock downs to ranger would be fine, again, as the bunny thumper reference. Maybe the added survivability for the spec could also get tied to hard cc, like how system shocker gives scrapper barrier for every enemy you cc.

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@Taril.8619 said:

@Kodama.6453 said:In my honest opinion, I don't think 1 skill really disqualifies a weapon as a ranged option.If warrior wants to maximize their damage output on rifle, they also have to be in melee range, since their knockback (which is a gap opener, just like ranger shortbow also has plenty of) also restocks their ammunition. Yet I would never claim that this disqualifies warrior's rifle as a long range weapon.

When the 1 skill is literally the primary damage dealing skill, then yeah, it disqualifies the weapon as a ranged option.

I have to agree with this, I really really dislike Axe 2 on Ranger and it's one of the main reasons I don't often use the weapon.. at least in MH.Splitblade is a very weak skill unless you can land every hit on multiple foes and even then it's still pretty weak compared to other classes Axe 2 skills.Plus MH Axe is like some sad hybrid.. Needs power to boost it's auto but needs condi to boost it's secondary skill.. that's just weird.This is one skill I would support getting a redesign or something, it's just not that good or practical to use.

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@Taril.8619

Quite arrogant and baseless claim with that useless spec, but ok. My best friend is maining ranger for years and she is desperately waiting for a bruiser spec, something that allows her to do what I am doing with my scrapper by being able to dish out good damage while being basically unkillable in the mid of the enemy.Hence why I am advocating for her wish for a bruiser spec, which also makes the most sense looking at Anet's design philosophy so far.

But if that is your discussion culture, then I will simply stop discussing with you. Have a good day.

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@Kodama.6453 said:

@Kodama.6453 said:Druid is a support spec, I am talking about a bruiser spec like scrapper, daredevil and spellbreaker have been for their classes.

If you care to build for it, soulbeast is pretty much a bruiser. I don't see what any more survivability and CC could add to, except more complains in the sPvP subforum. How can you expect a ranger e-spec with more survivability than SB to be balanced? I mean with the pet alone you already can have 2 direct damage nullification, to which you can add SoS, the stances, dodge skills, a pretty good access to sustain... etc. What more do you expect? Weren't both druid and SB nerfed due to high survivability coupled with reasonably high damage in PvP allowing them to be played as "bruiser"?

Soulbeast has defensive mechanics, I don't deny that. But I think it is for the same reason why holosmith also has quite some defensive mechanics added, like additional sustain, blocks, damage reductions, etc.

Actually, many of the defensive mechanics of soulbeast are similar to the ones of holosmith. Soulbeast also has sustain, damage reduction, etc.And I think the reason these 2 have this is that they are supposed to be melee damage dealers. If your damage is applied in melee, then you need something to keep you alive while you are unloading that damage.

But in the end, I still consider soulbeast a dps spec and not a real bruiser like scrapper, daredevil or spellbreaker.It sounds to me like Taril wants to add another dps spec with pistols as weapons and I think soulbeast already fills the dps niche for ranger elite specs. It is a meta damage dealer in the end, it even has 2 power builds which are exceeding the damage benchmark of holosmith builds, which I think you would agree with me that holo is designed as a dps spec.

A bruiser spec for ranger, I would imagine adding some more blocks to it's arsenal. And yes, people in PvP might complain. They will do anyway, no matter what spec you introduce, it is always the same. That shouldn't hinder Anet to design elite specs. I think adding some knock downs to ranger would be fine, again, as the bunny thumper reference. Maybe the added survivability for the spec could also get tied to hard cc, like how system shocker gives scrapper barrier for every enemy you cc.

First, saying that soulbeast is a melee e-spec is a ridiculous claim.Second, I don't think having a spec aiming for a specific "role" is a good thing. Each spec are generally oriented in 3 directions which can be defined like the following examples:

  • Druid: Utility/support, heal and control.
  • SoulBeast: Defense, sustain and damage.

For me the next e-spec should revolve around the concepts of debuffing, mobility and evading which aren't outside the domain of the ranger's abilities. It shouldn't be something as bold and unclear as the concept of "bruiser", a build make you a bruiser not an e-spec. Now, sure the 3 concepts can lead to a bruiser but not necessarily, just like druid and soulbeast can lead to a bruiser build.

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@Kodama.6453 said:Quite arrogant and baseless claim with that useless spec, but ok.

Not really.

Every attempt at a "Bruiser" spec from ANet has failed and resulted in a sub-par DPS build or in Scrapper's case, a support build.

Further to that, Ranger already has bruiser tools in what is currently available, with Druid providing ridiculous defence and a plethora of CC albeit with a supportive role and Soulbeast has the capacity to be really defensive or do a lot of damage while being bruiser-y.

Ranger in of itself, is already quite loaded with CC too, with many weapons having CC effects and then having pets for an additonal source of CC (With the epitome being Soulbeast that can have a pet with a CC, then merge and get the pets CC skill themselves AND also have a CC skill from the merge ability)

@Kodama.6453 said:But if that is your discussion culture, then I will simply stop discussing with you. Have a good day.

If you wish to put across the notion of a bruiser spec, then you'd need to actually talk about what such a spec would do that is not possible with Druid and Soulbeast already.

Bruiser builds are quite possible right now.

Meanwhile, ANet's current attempts at "Bruiser" E-Specs have almost unanimously ended up as disasters.

@Kodama.6453 said:It sounds to me like Taril wants to add another dps spec with pistols as weapons and I think soulbeast already fills the dps niche for ranger elite specs.

Actually, if you note, I clearly stated:

@"Taril.8619" said:Really, the only thing that Ranger is missing, is boonshare.

As it stands right now, Druid can apply some general boons but only in PvE where Spirits are useful and people are stacked up for Grace of the Land. But beyond that Ranger doesn't have a proper Boonshare build that can enable them to provide boon support in WvW zergs.

If the next E-Spec was designed around this role, then it doesn't necessarily need a weapon that has a bunch of "Supportive" skills on it to function, since as is the case for Alacrigade, Quickbrand, Boon Chrono and Banner Warrior none of these actually rely on supportive weapons while providing their buffs. As such, a 1 handed ranged DPS weapon such as Pistols could still be an adequate weapon (Which could also be used in a way to have /Warhorn as a secondary weapon if additional support is desired by a player)

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@kharmin.7683 said:

@"Lan Deathrider.5910" said:Hammer and a pet bunny.

I really hope not. I hate this.

Well hold on, hammer is our big CC weapon offering our pet oodles of goodies for striking once we land the CC. Each one offers different bennefits and if the strike cc's a target who isn't already cc'd it provides them with a "devastate" proc which will make them do a big AoE cleave. Pair this with our pets being the focus, getting huge buffs and upgrades and us being more tanky and this could work. Utilize some of those veteran skins that are wondering around, and let us have alpha versions of our pets with new abilities that are only accessible through this spec. Then make our special new set of gimmicks, something close to a F3-6 where we have the options of maybe calling in aid or having different forms of gap closers? And yea. There ya go. A solid spec.

A tank, with a pet who is a pack hunter. Or how-about duel focus's as fist weapons? Or a land spear?

Something like this!
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Druid: pet nerfed for Celestial Form and group supportSoulbeast: only one pet in combat, but uber buffs the Soulbeast in Beast Mode

So the next spec should heavily focus on buffing the pet at the expense of the ranger. I suspect only a single pet will be able to be taken in combat. Having a CC weapon like hammer would emphasize this dynamic with the pet. You'd have traits like this:

You pet deals +25% damage versus controlled targets.Hitting a target with a crowd control skill gives your pet quickness and gives you protection.You and you pet have increased critical chance versus controlled foes (+25%).You and you pet steal health when you strike controlled foes.

You'd also gain physical skills that also CC the enemy.

Basically Warrior with hammer and physical skills but the pet gets to do fck tons of damage for you. It would be broken and OP AF.

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@"Lan Deathrider.5910" said:Druid: pet nerfed for Celestial Form and group supportSoulbeast: only one pet in combat, but uber buffs the Soulbeast in Beast Mode

So the next spec should heavily focus on buffing the pet at the expense of the ranger. I suspect only a single pet will be able to be taken in combat. Having a CC weapon like hammer would emphasize this dynamic with the pet. You'd have traits like this:

You pet deals +25% damage versus controlled targets.Hitting a target with a crowd control skill gives your pet quickness and gives you protection.You and you pet have increased critical chance versus controlled foes (+25%).You and you pet steal health when you strike controlled foes.

You'd also gain physical skills that also CC the enemy.

Basically Warrior with hammer and physical skills but the pet gets to do kitten tons of damage for you. It would be broken and OP AF.

That wouldn't be good for WvW. Nor would it be welcome in sPvP. Might eventually find a place in PvE. My Heart say "No!", my mind say "Well, knowing GW2's devs..."

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