Which other profession do you run to complement ranger and what do you use your ranger for?

[Rhailex.2513]

As title says.

I main ranger but also like to play revenant lately because of how different it is and how it can do some things ranger can't. There are very few "Oh it's just like ranger but other vfx" skills so it's a nice change of pace.

I've been very disappointed lately in how fractured the profession is. Looking mainly at untamed. I REALLY loved the fast paced PvE gameplay of the spec with the cooldown reduction and it finally felt like I am fighting with my pet as my sidekick rather than just a stupid npc getting beaten up for me. It seriously felt like playing a superhero when doing more difficult "defense" events with multiple swarms from multiple directions... Haven't felt that with any other profession, sadly. I wish untamed had a minor trait (so it doesn't break the weaponmaster update in the future) that reduces all cooldowns by 20% or something like that to get back that fast placed gameplay. 

[Mell.4873]

40 minutes ago, Rhailex.2513 said:

As title says.

I main ranger but also like to play revenant lately because of how different it is and how it can do some things ranger can't. There are very few "Oh it's just like ranger but other vfx" skills so it's a nice change of pace.

I've been very disappointed lately in how fractured the profession is. Looking mainly at untamed. I REALLY loved the fast paced PvE gameplay of the spec with the cooldown reduction and it finally felt like I am fighting with my pet as my sidekick rather than just a stupid npc getting beaten up for me. It seriously felt like playing a superhero when doing more difficult "defense" events with multiple swarms from multiple directions... Haven't felt that with any other profession, sadly. I wish untamed had a minor trait (so it doesn't break the weaponmaster update in the future) that reduces all cooldowns by 20% or something like that to get back that fast placed gameplay. 

I use Ranger pretty much only for PvP. It was sad that the cooldown reduction element to Untamed was removed. The cycling Unleashed Weapons swaps or managing pet to get Ferocious Symbiosis isn't so bad. 

[Ashantara.8731]

I rarely play my Ranger anymore, because the profession doesn't (and never really has, to be honest) feel like a true Ranger class, unless you play a condition shortbow and traps build. Never really got into Druid, and Untamed is plain awful in many regards.
 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Ashantara.8731

[Rhailex.2513]

18 minutes ago, Mell.4873 said:

I use Ranger pretty much only for PvP. It was sad that the cooldown reduction element to Untamed was removed. The cycling Unleashed Weapons swaps or managing pet to get Ferocious Symbiosis isn't so bad. 

11 minutes ago, Ashantara.8731 said:

I rarely play my Ranger anymore, because the profession doesn't (and never really has, to be honest) feel like a true Ranger class, unless you play a condition shortbow and traps build. Never really got into Druid, and Untamed is plain awful in many regards.
 

What do you guys play with instead?

[Ashantara.8731]

33 minutes ago, Rhailex.2513 said:

What do you guys play with instead?

I play the story on each profession, but for daily endgame content I am maining Firebrand, Virtuoso and Mechanist.

[Mell.4873]

2 hours ago, Rhailex.2513 said:

What do you guys play with instead?

I use Mesmer for end game PvE and Revenant for Open World meta events. 

[Valfar.3761]

I exclusively play Ranger. I only played other classes to get my required ranked PvP wins for the legendary achievement and then never touched them again. Last month's Ranger changes have destroyed my favorite builds (Fervent Force double axe which I liked for when I was playing by myself or doing meta events, and my casual low APM hammer/spirit build that allowed me to contribute in group content and relax) and has dampened my enthusiasm for playing.

[Gotejjeken.1267]

9 hours ago, Valfar.3761 said:

I exclusively play Ranger. I only played other classes to get my required ranked PvP wins for the legendary achievement and then never touched them again. Last month's Ranger changes have destroyed my favorite builds (Fervent Force double axe which I liked for when I was playing by myself or doing meta events, and my casual low APM hammer/spirit build that allowed me to contribute in group content and relax) and has dampened my enthusiasm for playing.

Same, I've only played Ranger in all modes since 2012 and only multi-classsed in sPvP for Ascension.  The classes I played there were Specter and Bladesworn in addition to my Ranger.  

I think I know the class too well now to want to play anything else, despite getting bodied by harbs, condi specters, condi renes, etc. in WvW if I'm not paying attention as I still usually run condi Druid there.

For Untamed, I'm finding hybrid is the way to go and I don't even use cele--just a mix of Dire and some other gear.  Running speed runes and pretty much playing it like I would my Druid, lots of battles of attrition but finding it slightly harder as don't have the instant stealth access.  Something different to do I guess, but Untamed really does need something else to make it a little less of a steep learning curve.  

[Mauti.3520]

I've mained the profession since mid HoT and probably never enjoyed and played it as much as I do now.
Though I was VERY unhappy for a while the months following EoD release. I am a certified Fervent Force and Spirit Herder Gameplay hater.

I play many Ranger PvE Builds frequently in Instanced and OW (Power Untamed, Condi Druid, 3x Soulbeast, Quicktamed, Heal Alacrity Druid) and hope Condi Alacrity Druid will wholly join the pack soon. Also always enjoyed it for some PvP/ WvW Roaming and started to like the WvW Zerg Druid as well.

My "2nd" classes are mainly Elementalist and Guardian. Though I technically have "every build" and play and enjoy a good amount of them. Some Mirage, a bit Specter, a tiny bit of Spellbreaker, Reaper and so on.

My Elementalist also sees a very broad amount of PvE content as well, be it for DPS as Condi/Power Weaver or Alacrity DPS or Heal Tempest. Guardian I play mainly in PvE when I need or want to play Quickness Heal. Not much else. I really enjoy Willbender though.

To give a rough overview about what I play in PvE:

- OW? - Anything I feel rn.
- DPS? - Pick one of the various and great Ranger or Elementalist builds and maybe some Willbender.
- Alacrity? - I mainly go for Tempest, when Healing it's about equal between Druid/Tempest. Some Specter/Mirage/Mech if it's useful and maybe some Willbender soon.
- Quickness? - Untamed for qDPS, QFB as a backup if their stab/util is really helpful and not just a greed feature for monkeys. HFB for Quick Heal. Always good ol' HFB.

In terms of WvW Elementalist and Guardian own the lion's share of my WvW playtime these days. They are a complete package for it.
- Essential Zerg Support Build
- Great Zerg DPS Build
- A wide selection of strong and flexible roaming /smallscale builds.

I would say WvW remains the only slightly somewhat Achilles' Heel of the Ranger kit in general.
We have our roaming and we have an excellent Zerg Build in Heal Cleanse Druid now - I am really grateful we have WvW Druid - but still on the DPS side of things in zergs and organized play it looks a bit grim.

 

Edited July 25, 2023 by Mauti.3520

[Mic.1897]

My entire GW experience is currently tied to Ranger lol it's all I know

[Dante.1508]

I used to main Ranger many moons ago in PvE but after the plethora of nerfs because of botters and after it just dragged as a class, it was useless in any grouped content and became a bit of a meme class, as time went on i left it behind some what, mostly Thief, Mesmer or Necro these days. I did see its been up and down over the years and i did play the Trapper build with Soulbeast in PoF days but after they destroyed spirits for me, i dropped Ranger again pretty much.

These days i mostly Run EoD specs mostly Specter but after a lot of nerfs i've switched to Necro Harbringer mostly and occasional Virtuoso. Only in PVE.

Another thing that bothered me about Ranger was the gimmick pets, like a ball and chain dragging along behind me. I miss Guildwars 1 Ranger that could completely remove the pets.

Edited July 25, 2023 by Dante.1508

[Rhailex.2513]

21 minutes ago, Dante.1508 said:

I used to main Ranger many moons ago in PvE but after the plethora of nerfs because of botters and after it just dragged as a class, it was useless in any grouped content and became a bit of a meme class, as time went on i left it behind some what, mostly Thief, Mesmer or Necro these days. I did see its been up and down over the years and i did play the Trapper build with Soulbeast in PoF days but after they destroyed spirits for me, i dropped Ranger again pretty much.

These days i mostly Run EoD specs mostly Specter but after a lot of nerfs i've switched to Necro Harbringer mostly and occasional Virtuoso. Only in PVE.

Another thing that bothered me about Ranger was the gimmick pets, like a ball and chain dragging along behind me. I miss Guildwars 1 Ranger that could completely remove the pets.

I totally get what you're saying about ranger. Before specializations, the two main complaint of ranger were always "Just get rid of the pet" and "Wish we had more control over the pet", but I feel like soulbeast should've been the core ranger while untamed & another different spec to replace soulbeast should've been more different and unique

[Rhailex.2513]

18 hours ago, Valfar.3761 said:

I exclusively play Ranger. I only played other classes to get my required ranked PvP wins for the legendary achievement and then never touched them again. Last month's Ranger changes have destroyed my favorite builds (Fervent Force double axe which I liked for when I was playing by myself or doing meta events, and my casual low APM hammer/spirit build that allowed me to contribute in group content and relax) and has dampened my enthusiasm for playing.

I really enjoyed fervent force hammer ranger. You had the option to chill or try-hard with all the CC CD reduction. And just being able to use it for everything else on the ranger was really fun.