So many people wanted BunnyThumper. But this Hammer Ranger Espec isnt very fun

[HotHit.6783]

I wanted Bunny Thumper, we got... Well a very poor execution with the appropriate goal in mind.

Untamed has been alright in PvP and it's great when I'm solo in PvE or completing DRMs because of the strike based cleave, boon strip and control. The hammer still feels too floaty, but I'm never getting Slash Kick Pounce back, so that's not a fight worth having. I'll be the first to admit I don't care to use Cantrips.

As for Strikes, well, I'm playing Specter. It forms more group cores than Druid and more easily heals clown fiestas. But I'm going to wait for the Firebrand buffs on the CM strikes patch before I flip out over bad PvE balance decisions.

 

Edited March 17, 2022 by HotHit.6783

[RainbowTurtle.3542]

To preface, I LOVE playing untamed. I don't know why, but swinging the hammer and slamming a bunch of fools into the ground and switching to longbow is really enjoyable.

 

But it is unusable in PvE, not worth taking in PvP, and barely worth taking in WvW. No DPS or boon support, a CC bot isn't needed because druid (and other professions) can do a ton of CC as well as provide something else (plus for druid ele wyvern is still a thing), in PvP you're forced to take up a spec slot for the chance to make drake tail swipe possibly work at your command, and in WvW it's a pet spec with 1-2 possibilities for projectile blocks (2 on siege turtle 1 on everything else). Even with the massive 25% (15 in pvp modes) bonus to damage while unleashed and 25% (10 in pvp modes) incoming damage reduction when the pet is unleashes it does not work.

[RainbowTurtle.3542]

56 minutes ago, HotHit.6783 said:

As for Strikes, well, I'm playing Specter. It forms more group cores than Druid and more easily heals clown fiestas. But I'm going to wait for the Firebrand buffs on the CM strikes patch before I flip out over bad PvE balance decisions.

 

Out of curiosity, how does Specter form more group cores than Druid? The only thing I can see specter making room for is the rare boon supports. It doesn't seem to output as much healing (although a secondary healer on the new strikes is very useful), and a single target healer doesn't lend itself too particularly well to 10 man content. The only thing druid truly competes with specter on is might and you need 2 might generators anyways.

[Cytoplasma.8216]

1 hour ago, RainbowTurtle.3542 said:

But it is unusable in PvE, not worth taking in PvP, and barely worth taking in WvW. No DPS or boon support, a CC bot isn't needed because druid (and other professions) can do a ton of CC as well as provide something else (plus for druid ele wyvern is still a thing), in PvP you're forced to take up a spec slot for the chance to make drake tail swipe possibly work at your command, and in WvW it's a pet spec with 1-2 possibilities for projectile blocks (2 on siege turtle 1 on everything else). Even with the massive 25% (15 in pvp modes) bonus to damage while unleashed and 25% (10 in pvp modes) incoming damage reduction when the pet is unleashes it does not work.

I have exactly the feeling you have. despite the powerful change, the dmg is still too low in  pve content, so that untamed has no access to fractal raids or strikes

Edited March 17, 2022 by Cytoplasma.8216

[HotHit.6783]

2 hours ago, RainbowTurtle.3542 said:

Out of curiosity, how does Specter form more group cores than Druid? The only thing I can see specter making room for is the rare boon supports. It doesn't seem to output as much healing (although a secondary healer on the new strikes is very useful), and a single target healer doesn't lend itself too particularly well to 10 man content. The only thing druid truly competes with specter on is might and you need 2 might generators anyways.

It's a few reasons honestly. Spectre is pretty terrible at outputting might, especially with the nerfs to rot wallow venom. It also isn't a notable single target healer since all its single target is barrier. But consume shadows is CHUNKY and ranged targetted barrier can save teammates who don't like letting you heal them. Spectre's healing is more than enough for its subgroup if the group isn't terrible at mechanics and prior to the "bug" fix of last patch, it was able to compete with scourge on picking its group back up. Throw in good personal DPS and easy alacrity uptime and all your asking for is your subgroup to give might and quickness. Whereas Druid is asking for an alacrity and a quickness provider or exactly Boon Chronomancer, which is an extremely safe but extremely low DPS core.
For the new strikes Spectre is perfect, especially Kaineng Overlook.
Spectre struggles if it is the only healer for a team comp and is assigned to a subgroup, as consume shadows doesn't care if your subgroup is at full health. This hasn't been a problem, as every squad I've formed has players that are terrified of rolling with only one healer. Spectre is also trash at might uptime (but should provide perma alacrity, vigor, swiftness, fury and 3 might at minimum). It's far easier to splash group might across the other 4 players than it is to get both quickness and alacrity.

Edited March 17, 2022 by HotHit.6783