Helly.2597

Ranger has a number of good roaming specs. Soulbeast has Sic Em, Cele (boring but effective against bad players), or Boonbeast. Druid has condi. Core can be played as tanky power or condi (but admittedly isn't as effective as others. Untamed has the power tailswipe build (that imo is the most fun roaming build in the game). What in particular is giving you issues while roaming on ranger?

Nah

The roaming build I'm confused by the choice of crusader's. I get you want the ferocity but I'd rather just use zerk or marauders over it tbh. Any particular reason you like crusaders? I'd also consider firework runes, vigor and more might (and boon duration) are always nice to have. Sigils I'm not a fan of double cleansing but I also take the condi cleanse in untamed trait. I also kinda like severance on GS, but it's a bit of a meme (does result in more mauls over 10k).

For roaming untamed is the best option over druid, core, or soul beast. A lot of takes here saying it's not good or viable, but from my experience running it solo and in 5 mans it brings explosiveness the other specs don't. Has a better burst combo than soul beast once you know how to land it. And offers projectile reflect, aoe stealth (that's castable while you're cc'ed if you need to), and boon strip. While it certainly takes more micro and gamesense than soul beast, it more than makes up for this with the tools it brings.

Not sure how you don't view it as answered. Druid is always going to have easier to access team play with CA and easier setup with automatic roots. The problem with druid is mainly why would I take it for this role over a thief or engi. So if you're a ranger main and want to play the role of a gnat druid is great but it doesn't offer much special. The true role that ranger has in wvw roaming that is unmatched is (ranged) burst (untamed offers a combo of melee and ranged). Druid lacks ranged burst but gives more team play. You gain an oh kitten cleanse on CA and the most impactful "unique" aspect you bring is superspeed and stealth. Stealth can be achieved on each ranger spec through combos though. Roots are fine, but as soon as the enemy has a single scrapper or FB you're a noodle bot. Soul beast let's you actually generate a down with sic em burst. Also gives you better gap close and mobility with smokescale merge ability. Greater team play with aoe stab and one wolf pack in addition to aoe cleanse if you slot bear stance. Untamed as better setup with CC since you can control your pet fully and port means you have better mobility. Blast finisher on F2 means you can stealth allies or yourself easier with smokescale. You offer more than SB and druid don't such as boon rip and projectile block along with the 1shot potential of tailswipe. As for things like cleanse, every ranger spec has huge access to cleanse with the wilderness survival line. Sw/wh has minimal impact in fights and that's even seen in the video.

This has gotta be one of the worst takes I've ever seen. Most games balance around the idea if you're tanky you can tank, dps you dps, and healer you heal. Typically the healing is balanced by how squishy you are under direct pressure. It's gw2 that has it kitten backwards with allowing people to be tanky and support at the same time.

Druid is the lowest impact power build ranger has. Relies on LB knockback for roots and dmg. Uses CA kite and cleanse, but can be basically completely ignored by average players outside of when it's outnumbering then. Soul beast and untamed both bring more to the table until you're at 5+ then druid gains due to its roots and superspeed for the group. But I'd define roaming as 1-3 in most cases and in those situations I'd pretty much always take SB or untamed over it.

All my time playing guardian came in handy there used to playing around ports. Build is basically just pasted from spvp. I've done a number of iterations gear wise. Here is what I currently run. http://gw2skills.net/editor/?POgAMFlZwCZrMWmLOeXrR9Sk+IA-zVZYBRFbLITxgyOlWlA9KECWB0yIQxTTIetA-w

Figured since I've been playing untamed mainly in wvw and put out some videos I would lost them here. Most recent: Happy to answer any questions or comments people have.

If I were to go any other stat I would go celestial. The boon duration from ritualist is basically wasted outside of elite and celestial gets you basically the same duration but with more armor, precision, and healing power (but less HP and condi dmg obviously).

Rusty and all that but here's a video of roaming on the new Necro spec. Build is in the description. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la02AExezsE

You're totally right, trade offs are required. That is at the core of balance. But I struggle to find the trade offs for using dire/tb/minstrels. You don't lose dmg (or support ability for minstrels), you don't lose toughness, you don't lose hp. You're gotten away with countering builds (such as burst builds) that are supposed to combat yours without actually making a concession. I'm not against condi I'm against stat sets being no brainer decisions. There are reasons dire/tb/minstrels don't exist in spvp, and it's not because spvpers don't know how to properly counter builds.

Conditions are strong (busted) currently but youre not correct in your solution. Condi cleanse buffs have contributed to the current situation where too many specs are overloaded on cleanses and condis have been buffed to combat this. Cleansing sigil is absolutely broken in wvw and even if the meta isn't favoring condis was already required in builds prior to the patch anyways. I've basically been playing exclusively power revenant recently (resistance runes and cleansing sigil) and in most fights I am not overloaded with conditions as long as I play well. But... The problem with condi in wvw currently (and support) is the gear stats that are available to them in dire/tb (and minstrels for support). There is basically no reason to not take these stats currently and you don't need to think just face tank damage. This issue is only compounded with how weakness doesn't impact condi dmg but is a massive dmg loss on any power build. If these stat sets are removed we can actually start to evaluate balancing, but until then these overperforming sets will dominate any build design and balance decision and are imo the root of the current (garbage) meta.

I mean esc key works and I think is better than a stow key (no animation just stops cast) but if you press twice your menu comes up. It also stops thinks you can't normally stow like Holo forge 5.

This is unbelievable that people make the argument to remove aspects of the game that increase skill cap. Using an animation stow is extremely useful to bait a dodge or reaction to open up an opportunity in wvw and PvP and doesnt have a massive impact in pve. It might not be recognized by most of the player base but faking skills and baiting as important aspects for higher level play and are examples of well balanced mechanics. This isn't about risk and reward it's about having another layer to the combat mechanics. I don't think anet should be looking towards dumbing down combat mechanics.

Guess I actually need to update my core terror-mancer build now lol. kitten good fight though I didn't realize it went that long 2:35-4:10. Always enjoy some 1 on 1's with vt people been a while since i had a good challenge(fought yumi's shatter mes vs my cor war for atleast an hour while waiting for reset one night). I'll have to go at you again before the end of the week while we are still against each other. Nice to see scourge can roam decently again. I did a scourge build about a year ago but then made a core build got hooked and haven't gone back. Might have to give scourge some attention again when I'm bored. enjoyed the vids Thanks I appreciate it. Haha it was a good fight. Tbh you beat me and only lost cause I got the fear off the cliff. Once that happened you either could've stayed shroud and I don't pursue or you drop shroud and risk me coming down. Not a lot of options there. Not a lot of necros in wvw that force me to think, but had to pull out the stops there. Hopefully I'll be on later this week, normally due to work I only play on Sunday.

New video out. A little bit shorter due to a lack of fights this Sunday.

sicem soulbeasts are always a concern. Poison cloud is my goto for this, and constantly panning my camera around me to ensure i am not caught by surprise. Try to fight in areas you can line of sight. Walls, trees, anything. If you are in the middle with nothing to los around, you don't have much luck, but it is what it is. Save your barriers for those situations. Etc Yeah. If you're caught off guard by a ranger and there isn't los nearby you're in big trouble. Poison cloud is an option, but unless it gives you the space to pressure or get to los it doesn't have huge impact (from what I've experienced). Best advice is to play around los and just force them to make moves. Forcing the issue when they are at ranged requires you to just be better than them. And that isn't always doable. By forcing them to get close you have a better chance since shroud dominates that realm. Gameplay wise, try to interrupt their rapid fire if you don't have los. You need to dodge the lb knockback so you aren't knocked out of shades. I usually instantly put a shade down if I see a ranger about to rf me. At least you have time to react now, and if you survive the initial burst and they're full glass you can have a decent rebuttal lined up. Also remember my most common group size isn't solo. I'm usually duo or trio, so if I get pressured I can count on my allies to use that space to help me out. No necro build really evens the matchup against good rangers. It's a mixture of patience and accepting that sometimes you'll get memed by those type of builds. As a scourge (and other necro specs) you want to have the opponents reacting to you. If you can stabilize the initial burst/combo your shades help you dictate where the enemy can play. So try not to panic if they get a good burst in, focus on getting barrier up and remember that if they camp lb they only have 1 cc.

Out of curiosity, why do you play hybrid? I understand the benefit of it in that not everything you encounter will be weak to Conditions, some are nearly immune and Shades have decent Power damage, but I feel like Power damage is too low when mainly camping Scepter. This isn't a criticism on your game play but I am curious the reason you choose to do this and any other insights you might have. As I'd said a while back, I had picked up Scourge for the first time since it's introduction and have been playing it pretty much exclusively since doing so. I go with a full Condition TB build though and I use Death Magic instead of Soul Reaping. Personally, I dislike Death Magic because I find it boring and rewarding of passive game play but, I also find it helps me with a full Condition build more than Soul Reaping. I've had a lot of success with it and although I think I still have a lot to learn, my experience with Necro in general is making progress much faster than it might otherwise be if I was new to the class. Still, there are things I'd like to learn from others with more skill and experience such as yourself. Bearing in mind however, I also often play without support or solo and abuse terrain to the absolute extreme. Death magic is another option. If I went death magic I wouldn't take PC and would go aoe corrupt instead I think (which I think you do). I like soul reaping for the lower cds, lf on fear and marks, and dhummfire is a good dps increase even with all the nerfs. Probably the only right answer for why I am hybrid is because I enjoy it more and for how I play it "feels nicer." My non-gut response is a mixture of what you said about power being nice for some things and imo it does add up especially with desert shroud even if it's a lot of small numbers. I also want around 25-30% crit chance on my necro builds just for the cover bleed condi (which I would argue also adds up over a fight). But pure condi also works well, I honestly wouldn't recommend people play what I play. It's about what you find fun and what fits your playstyle. I don't usually. I know a good friend who's been having success with it recently. For spvp you're totally right, PC isn't effective cause you have fewer opponents. Weakening shroud would be the best choice there. Also, why serpent siphon? It's only 1 boon conversion. For the barrier? I dont see you pick it up often EDITAfter using my brain for a second, I guess it would be good to throw in crowds of targetsIt's a long range boon strip that also is an aoe. It can be nice to chase down ppl with that. But it's also a poison that on my build is 15s so you'll see me save it for downs a lot since it helps a lot. And the barrier is nice since it also cleanses. Those are a nice bonus, and usually unless I'm pressured I leave them for allies to pick up if they need them.

I don't usually. I know a good friend who's been having success with it recently. For spvp you're totally right, PC isn't effective cause you have fewer opponents. Weakening shroud would be the best choice there.

Thanks! A big part of my sustain here is from parasitic contagion, which gives me a decent amount of regen from being aggressive. Otherwise positioning is big on scourge and proper shade use is where a lot of extra damage comes from tbh. He's great at dodging the actual bursts + line of sighting. It makes a huge difference. Also, with healing power (I am assuming he's still running a marshall style build of some sort?) he's going to have a decent amount of barrier. Using it wisely, and at the right time, vs rolling keys over f2-f5 is huge in sustain. If I recall (I could be wrong), in the past, he ran herald shroud too for more barrier at one point but I think he's right on his choice of second tier traits in scourge. Yup, just as you say positioning is big for survival on any necro spec. Scourge gives you the opportunity to be defensive and offensive at the same time with how shades work, which is where it shines I think. I used to run a Marshal's hybrid (and might break it out again) but this build has almost no healing power. A lot of the sustain is from PC and always having a shade under my feet if I use f3. With the change to shade cd, middle trait outcompetes harbinger shroud. Since you lost a lot of dmg from only getting 1s of burning (thanks anet...) You supplement it with using shades more often and hopping from shade to shade like they're islands of sustain.

New video is out.

Thanks! Spvp is fun. Just has a different feel. Wvw just has that level of uncertainty and unpredictablity that I enjoy. I keep telling myself I should start doing spvp again, but since I only can play once a week it is difficult to make the change haha. Thanks! I'll do my best haha.

I was going back and forth between Soulreaping and Curses. I couldn't decide lol. I was going to try the snake for the extra barrier. Based off your recommendations, I think this would be my next starting point http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PSwAYt/lZwQYPMPmJm6XavMA-zRhYMJxQUiU7gLpgqCjMIwjAY0nXHA-e Soul reaping wins out almost exclusive on scourge cause it lowers the CDs for everything so much. I would take dhummfire over eternal life, since it procs on f uses and on the shade placement. They nerfed the duration but it's still a good chunk of dmg. I would keep the scourge heal over the well heal (sorry if I wasn't clear). OH I thought in order to make good use of transfusion you needed well of blood. That was the main reason I didn't take it in my original build. I didn't think a stationary heal would be smart for these types of fights. I wasn't sure on dhummfire either. I never know if I'm actually using it right when I scourge. Does it proc off every press of F1, F2, F3, F4, F5 or only F1?I know there's an ICD. Just wasn't sure which F key proc'd it because it says only shroud skill 1.Nope, transfusion just needs the trait that gives you the well when you go for the Rez which you now take. Dhuumfire technically only procs on f1 (manifest sand shade) but using any f ability procs manifest sand shade on each of your shades and so as long as the icd is up you will get dhuumfire on f ability use (unless I'm wildly out of date).

I was going back and forth between Soulreaping and Curses. I couldn't decide lol. I was going to try the snake for the extra barrier. Based off your recommendations, I think this would be my next starting point http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PSwAYt/lZwQYPMPmJm6XavMA-zRhYMJxQUiU7gLpgqCjMIwjAY0nXHA-e Soul reaping wins out almost exclusive on scourge cause it lowers the CDs for everything so much. I would take dhummfire over eternal life, since it procs on f uses and on the shade placement. They nerfed the duration but it's still a good chunk of dmg. I would keep the scourge heal over the well heal (sorry if I wasn't clear).