Is LongBow dead?

[Mitsuko.3162]

Is longbow truly dead as a weapon for rangers for Fractal and PvE content? It makes no sense to me why rangers should be forced into a melee character using swords, daggers rather than a Longbow.

Does anyone have a decent build that highlights a Longbow as the main weapon of choice? Or do the developers just not care about this aspect for rangers anymore?

[calb.3128]

The longbow has never been 'dead', but it's rarely been optimal for organised group play owing to most of the group buffs being where the action is... and Soulbeast skills don't mesh too well with it (though the elite is handy with Rapid Fire). Those drawbacks don't stop me from using it. It's a good opener for power builds and I keep it paired with a sword or greatsword for PvE.

If you're interested in high-level Fractals or raids, don't be surprised if you're asked to run condi because of the greater damage potential or Druid - in both cases without longbow. But unlike infamous Bearbow of old, you won't get many disparaging comments from other players if you're using LB effectively in open-world PvE or low-level Fractals.

[Prophet.1584]

Longbows a great weapon for open world stuff but it's never really been optimal for group content. unless you're at max range it doesn't reach its full damage potential and then you don't benefit from group buffs. I made Kudzu a long time ago and i still use it for WvW, world bosses and story but i mainly use condi in group content.

[Krispera.5087]

Nah, not good for Instances (Fractals/Raids), but very good for open PvE, PvP and WvW.

[OGDeadHead.8326]

I would use longbow more often, in PvE, if the damn thing would pierce by default.

[ProtoGunner.4953]

As long as I see bearbows flooding the zones until the dawn of time, no, the longbow is not dead. All hail the mighty bearbow which doesn't know weapons swap using bow point blank on 1 micrometer distance to enemy and using the bear in all its inefficiency.

[Sandzibar.5134]

@ProtoGunner.4953 said:As long as I see bearbows flooding the zones until the dawn of time, no, the longbow is not dead. All hail the mighty bearbow which doesn't know weapons swap using bow point blank on 1 micrometer distance to enemy and using the bear in all its inefficiency.

Ahh. I see you have studied my style.

[Lazze.9870]

@Mitsuko.3162 said:Is longbow truly dead as a weapon for rangers for Fractal and PvE content? It makes no sense to me why rangers should be forced into a melee character using swords, daggers rather than a Longbow.

Does anyone have a decent build that highlights a Longbow as the main weapon of choice? Or do the developers just not care about this aspect for rangers anymore?

I can't fathom people that keep moaning about this. In group content where buffs from allies have a certain radius, a weapon with an auto that relies on range is never gonna be optimal. That's putting aside the fact that it is a weapon with one burst, one aoe, and two utility skills - it will never be useful for sustained dps in pve. And ranger by definition is no stranger to melee weapons anyway. I'm personaly glad I'm not only stuck with bows to choose from.

Longbow is a pvp/wvw and open world weapon, and it performs great in those modes.

[hotfreak.5907]

The Longbow is dead. Long live the Longbow!

[Vayne.8563]

What I"d like to know is why rangers insist that a ranger should use a longbow as the preferred weapon. The original ranger in fantasy was Aragorn, who used a sword, not a bow.

[Cufufalating.8479]

Players always go for optimal in raid style content. Not everything can be optimal (that's just not how optimal works..) so something will always be left out. LB see's plenty of use elsewhere in the game so I don't see an issue with it not being used in one specific area.

[Dayra.7405]

I found it very handy in PoF story, when piercing made sure that both bosses died at the same time as required :)It is still the weapon with longest range, and there are situations where this is handy :)

[Egrimm Van Horstmann.7921]

I would say it's more to do with the projectile hate that has really hindered the longbow. Also would add Marksmanship trait line isn't very strong.

[Quarktastic.1027]

@Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

PS: also the 2nd character from the right side of forum background is a Ranger with ... let me guess ... Bow! ;)

Actually, that's my buddy Broham Braham, the guardian dragonhunter.

[ParanoidKami.2867]

Use dual Longbow with that trait that lowers cooldowns so you can have Barrage on a lower timer. Then use Barrage with Wolf Pack elite for hilarious damage.

[Raging.5281]

@Quarktastic.1027 said:

@Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

PS: also the 2nd character from the right side of forum background is a Ranger with ... let me guess ... Bow! ;)

Actually, that's my buddy

Broham

Braham, the

guardian

dragonhunter.

I suppose even Guardians now realize to hunt the beasts you definitely need a longbow :)

[Shiyo.3578]

Please never use longbow and especially don't press your 4 key with the weapon equipped.

[Dayra.7405]

@Shiyo.3578 said:Please never use longbow and especially don't press your 4 key with the weapon equipped.

This is outdated, nowadays it's: Keep you LB 4 till there is a breakbar to break :)

[santso.9201]

Got to run 2 longbows and use quickdraw for double 4 on each weaponswap.

[Mister Asdasd.6194]

Core Ranger sucks, Power builds suck sans dragonhunter,Longbow on ranger sucks so combine it all and you got the worst class in the game. Core Ranger was never good and when i see core Rangers with longbow in fractals i just cringe and know i will have to carry their weight while they pew pew longbow 2 and push enemies out of my damage area with 4 doing nothing else to contribute. Ranger has the most flexible elite specialisations, he can go either healer/support or dps/condi as soulbeast. THere is no reason for core ranger to exists

[Nemmar.8491]

At least shortbow is still a thing eh?

[Dragonzhunter.8506]

@Shiyo.3578 said:Please never use longbow and especially don't press your 4 key with the weapon equipped.

@Mister Asdasd.6194 said:Core Ranger sucks, Power builds suck sans dragonhunter,Longbow on ranger sucks so combine it all and you got the worst class in the game. Core Ranger was never good and when i see core Rangers with longbow in fractals i just cringe and know i will have to carry their weight while they pew pew longbow 2 and push enemies out of my damage area with 4 doing nothing else to contribute. Ranger has the most flexible elite specialisations, he can go either healer/support or dps/condi as soulbeast. THere is no reason for core ranger to exists

Please, both of you, go to your class forum. You are in wrong area ....

[Mister Asdasd.6194]

@Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

@Shiyo.3578 said:Please never use longbow and especially don't press your 4 key with the weapon equipped.

@Mister Asdasd.6194 said:Core Ranger sucks, Power builds suck sans dragonhunter,Longbow on ranger sucks so combine it all and you got the worst class in the game. Core Ranger was never good and when i see core Rangers with longbow in fractals i just cringe and know i will have to carry their weight while they pew pew longbow 2 and push enemies out of my damage area with 4 doing nothing else to contribute. Ranger has the most flexible elite specialisations, he can go either healer/support or dps/condi as soulbeast. THere is no reason for core ranger to exists

Please, both of you, go to your class forum. You are in wrong area ....

I dont like their opinion so i want them removed from my thread.....

[Vayne.8563]

@Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

@Vayne.8563 said:What I"d like to know is why rangers insist that a ranger should use a longbow as the preferred weapon. The original ranger in fantasy was Aragorn, who used a sword, not a bow.

Dude please stop saying this stupidity. The original ranger in most or whole fantasy story/games use bow! Fantasy didn't start or stopped with Lord of The Rings!Ranger/Hunter/Archer are the name for classes who usual are range class who use bow/crossbow/rifle ... range weapon. Even here in GW2 the main weapon for Ranger was bow since vanila. Look on all pictures of vanila Ranger (wallpapers etc) and you will see that even Anet represent Ranger with a bow! All of you who say why ranger insist to use longbow, definitely you are not rangers ... but warriors, guardians etc ...When a new game are released, if you want to play with sword what class did you chose? But if you want to be a range class and play with bow ... ? The fact developers change the way of any class with next patch or expansion after release of the game, is something else.And yes, LONGBOW is not dead. Not in WvW , sPVP or PVE. At least not for Soulbeast. Ofc you can play whatever you want, with GS+S/W , Axe/Torch+D/W etc ... it's up to you, but now in W3 and sPVP one of the best build is with Longbow. In PVE Longbow is good when you play solo and you need to stay in a safe zone, otherway condi build (so not Longbow) is much better when you play with a group.

PS: also the 2nd character from the right side of forum background is a Ranger with ... let me guess ... Bow! ;)

Holy moleY> @Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

@Vayne.8563 said:What I"d like to know is why rangers insist that a ranger should use a longbow as the preferred weapon. The original ranger in fantasy was Aragorn, who used a sword, not a bow.

Dude please stop saying this stupidity. The original ranger in most or whole fantasy story/games use bow! Fantasy didn't start or stopped with Lord of The Rings!Ranger/Hunter/Archer are the name for classes who usual are range class who use bow/crossbow/rifle ... range weapon. Even here in GW2 the main weapon for Ranger was bow since vanila. Look on all pictures of vanila Ranger (wallpapers etc) and you will see that even Anet represent Ranger with a bow! All of you who say why ranger insist to use longbow, definitely you are not rangers ... but warriors, guardians etc ...When a new game are released, if you want to play with sword what class did you chose? But if you want to be a range class and play with bow ... ? The fact developers change the way of any class with next patch or expansion after release of the game, is something else.And yes, LONGBOW is not dead. Not in WvW , sPVP or PVE. At least not for Soulbeast. Ofc you can play whatever you want, with GS+S/W , Axe/Torch+D/W etc ... it's up to you, but now in W3 and sPVP one of the best build is with Longbow. In PVE Longbow is good when you play solo and you need to stay in a safe zone, otherway condi build (so not Longbow) is much better when you play with a group.

PS: also the 2nd character from the right side of forum background is a Ranger with ... let me guess ... Bow! ;)

Holey Moley! Really? Lord of the Rings was written in 1948, and pretty much all modern fantasy owes something to Lord of the Rings. Dungeons and Dragons, which is the origin of modern fantasy in games, is based on Lord of the Rings as well, down to having elf, dwarf and halfling as the original races. They'd have used the word Hobbit if they could but the description from the game is hardly open to interpretation.

The FACT is, Lord of the Rings was the first major work that influenced modern fantasy and a ranger is according to the dictionary:

oun1.a keeper of a park, forest, or area of countryside."park rangers"2.a member of a body of armed men, in particular:

You know, like a forest ranger, or a park ranger. Not exactly a bow wielding class.

Rangers range the wild. Home, home on the range. That's what a ranger is.

There's nothing anywhere to suggest that rangers much use bows, should use bows or are any way associated with bows. There's nothing anyway that suggested that the word range in ranger even means bows. I'd be happy to entertain any evidence that you could present on this matter, but so far. all you have an opinion based on your experience.

The problem with being a researcher as part of your profession is you learn not to listen to what "everyone knows" and actually do some research. So if you have evidence that ranger means ranged, or bow, I'd love to hear it. Otherwise, Aragorn was the original ranger in fantasy fiction, and Aragorn absolutely used a sword.

[Mogrey.3891]

the first edition rules of dnd named Aragorn as the influence of the ranger class. 2nd edition added some more like Robin Hood and some others i don't remember.
also one of the most famous rangers (Aragorn excluded) Drizzt Do'Urden (pure ranger class on 2 first editions of dnd) was wielding 2 scimitars.so yes rangers are not just a range weapon class. ty for your time reading some dnd insight.