Need good ranged focused class/build suggestion for fractals

[Azure Kitsune.4256]

So, I did Fractals after being away a couple years. That Sorrowful elemental caster was THE WORST. I was using melee, and it was garbage. I forgot how slow we move by default.
To heck with that nonsense. I need suggestions of any class/build range that I should look at. Seems all the top Snowcrow ranks are melee. (Though not a single Reaper /sad)
Is there not a good ranger bow only build?
Or a caster focused Necro?
I need something good so I'm not chasing mobs around just to get a few swings in like that Sorrowful lady fight and still doing my part.

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

Necromancer with Harbinger specialisation and a condi build is what you want. Use Nightmare runes, Sigil of Malice (1x only), Super Veggie Pizza and the right mix of Viper and Bringer's gear to bring your condition duration to 100% on all conditions. Alternatively they can be played with torment condition only if you want to take mostly Grieving gear instead (with torment runes+sigils).

 

Your weapons should be pistol/focus (for boonstrip), and staff, which got heavily buffed.

 

This build is 100% ranged even in Harbinger Shroud, has two movement skills to keep up with the opponent and also provides permanent Quickness to allies at a DPS loss, so you can fill the QuickDPS slot which makes it highly viable. Just keep in mind Blight mechanic, which lowers your health, so you might need need Ritualist/Bringer instead of Viper/Bringer if you struggle with surviving.

Edited October 7, 2022 by Mariyuuna.6508

[Azure Kitsune.4256]

5 minutes ago, Mariyuuna.6508 said:

Necromancer with Harbinger specialisation and a condi build is what you want. Use Nightmare runes, Sigil of Malice (1x only), Super Veggie Pizza and the right mix of Viper and Bringer's gear to bring your condition duration to 100% on all conditions. Alternatively they can be played with torment condition only if you want to take mostly Grieving gear instead (with torment runes+sigils).

 

Your weapons should be pistol/focus (for boonstrip), and staff, which got heavily buffed.

 

This build is 100% ranged even in Harbinger Shroud, and also provides permanent Quickness to allies at a DPS loss, so you can fill the QuickDPS slot which makes it highly viable.

Sounds good! Do you have link to Skill build suggestion?

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

20 minutes ago, Azure Kitsune.4256 said:

Sounds good! Do you have link to Skill build suggestion?

CDPS: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PSyAo2ZlVwCZbsPGJWqX5xfA-zRRYNBhbGdcHlRupQIVgwTiidAA-e

QCDPS: http://gw2skills.net/editor/?PSyAo2ZlVwSZbsPWLWqX5xVA-zRRYNBbGdsyI3UIkKQ4JRxOAA-e

 

No boon duration is required for the Quickness variant. It does require some changes in the trinkets to make up for the lost condition duration, however (so you'll need two sets of trinkets).

 

The rotation is simple (its considered a low intensity build), you use all your skills out of shroud, then enter shroud, use 1 and 2 for damage, 3 and 4 for movement, and 4 and 5 for CC. While DPSing, only 5, 1, and 2 should be used, or you'll consume your Blight stacks and have an overall DPS loss.

 

You should stay in shroud as long as possible to give your elixers time to cool down, otherwise you won't be able to bridge the 10sec gap when shroud is down and you aren't giving Quickness.

 

Pistol is for single targets, staff for packs of enemies. Always use Chilling Grasp without a target so it behaves as a PBAoE and try to time your projectile block for the right situations, but otherwise you can just spam it for massive poison damage again bosses and such.

 

You can take the green elixer on the QCDPS build for more group Might if needed.

Edited October 7, 2022 by Mariyuuna.6508

[Cyninja.2954]

Power Mechanist even after the nerf remains a go-to easy ranged build. Easy to gear on top of that.

[Azure Kitsune.4256]

Curious if there are any good ranged-ranger builds, or if everything has kinda fell into soulbeast type melee builds.

[shib.1369]

On 10/7/2022 at 6:06 PM, Azure Kitsune.4256 said:

Curious if there are any good ranged-ranger builds, or if everything has kinda fell into soulbeast type melee builds.

Shortbow only condi soulbeast is an ok-ish build if you can flank/stay behind the target. Otherwise it's very subpar and I would not recommend it. The meta power soulbeast uses axe/axe and longbow. For good dps you  must stay close for splitblade, whirling defense and beast skills, but both weapon sets have ranged autoattacks and many other ranged skills (rapid fire, barrage, point blank shot, winter's bite, path of scars) so you'll still have okay dps uptime while away from boss. 

Edit: Splitblade is ranged but most hits will miss if you are away from a boss with a small hitbox. If the hitbox is large you may be able to get most hits in, depending on how far away you are from the boss.

Edited October 10, 2022 by shib.1369

[Bakeneko.5826]

Just run condi scourge - good dps, ranged, sturdy

[SoftFootpaws.9134]

3 hours ago, Bakeneko.5826 said:

Just run condi scourge - good dps, ranged, sturdy

OP was specifically talking about Sunqua, Scourge can't keep up here as they're not only incredibly slow unless they take portal, but the need to place shades limits their capabilities in this encounter.

 

I know, its one of my main Fractal characters.

Edited October 10, 2022 by Mariyuuna.6508

[Bakeneko.5826]

On 10/10/2022 at 10:35 PM, Mariyuuna.6508 said:

OP was specifically talking about Sunqua, Scourge can't keep up here as they're not only incredibly slow unless they take portal, but the need to place shades limits their capabilities in this encounter.

 

I know, its one of my main Fractal characters.

In Sunqua scourge is very effective. Not as good as virtusoso or specter, but being 3rd best choice is still good.