Old player coming back, what spec ?

[eodis.7294]

Hello there.

 

As the title says, i'm coming back to the game after a long time so i'm basically a new player and i opted for a ranger. After scouting around on google and the internet i can't find a definitive answer as to what to play once i reach 80. I'm looking for something efficient and easy enough as all of this is quite new to me and i'm not a fan of complicated rotations. Between Power Untamed, Power Soulbeast and Condition Druid it looks like Soulbeast and Druid are mentioned the most but Untamed seems to do fine in benchmarks so i'm not sure why it seems so unloved. Also there was quite a lot of changes, buffs/nerfs recently so i'm not sure everything i read is up to date.

 

So out of the 3 specs, which one do you think has the best balance between easy/fun and an efficient dps ?

 

Thank you

[Zyreva.1078]

"Easy" depends mostly on the build, and content, "efficient dps" is something all 3 specs can offer and "fun" is highly subjective, so all 3 could be a good choice for you (and in the end it probably would be best to unlock all of them anyway - it's not like you have to limit yourself to ony one spec).

To give some more very basic information that might help you decide on which spec to try first:

Do you want to have your pet at your side at all time? If yes, Druid or Untamed are the way to go, because as Soulbeast it's best to just stay perma merged at all times in PvE, so it plays more like a "petless" ranger.

Which roles do you want to be able to fullfill? All 3 specs are viable in a dps role, but druid can also be a great healer (+boon/alac support), while untamed offers the option for offensive boon (quickness) support. Soulbeast is typically only played as dps and therefore less flexible in this regard.

Any specific weapons you want to use? Soulbeast and Untamed can make good use of both power and condi weapons, while druid is slated more for a condi and support playstyle. So if you want to pew pew with your longbow or quickly burst down grps of mobs with a greatsword or hammer - druid would be the worst option.
Soulbeast tends to be the most straightforward dps spec and also the one with the best burst, which is why it's also the most commonly played of the 3. But Druid and Untamed can offer a lot of useful utility in addition to dps, if you are willing to adapt your build to whatever is needed in a given situation.

[Oahkahmewolf.6210]

Soul beast is easiest as you don't have to worry about your pet.

both condi and power are very straight forward, some cases it can be hybrid which is the best in both worlds.

[Zyreva.1078]

25 minutes ago, Oahkahmewolf.6210 said:

Soul beast is easiest as you don't have to worry about your pet.

Some players might argue, that not having a pet to distract/tank enemies makes things harder.

Which is why i said "easy" depends more on build and content (and each player's individual strengths and weaknesses) than on the spec.

Generally i think the most important aspect when it comes to the question "what spec/class should i play" is that by choosing one spec or class, you aren't getting locked out of the other options, so if you pick the "wrong" option, it's no big deal and i would always recommend to try out different things, as that will give someone a much better idea about what they really prefer, instead of only listening to what class or spec others suggest.

Edited March 10 by Zyreva.1078

[Oahkahmewolf.6210]

1 hour ago, Zyreva.1078 said:

Some players might argue, that not having a pet to distract/tank enemies makes things harder.

That is true and agree with the statement, but you do get decent sustain and survivability while merged. Depending on the stat combo you can solo alot of hard content with SB alone.

Reason why I recommend it being the easiet as it teaches you the basic fundamentals for rangers weapons which then, later on transitions well towards other spec. Especially when untamed pet mechanics and having the pet out requires more attention and little more key input to control.

Worse case scenario, if they did pick Soulbeast and turns out they don't like it there's always option to just switch the spec. I just think soul beast is a good stepping stone to those specs later on.

Edited March 10 by Oahkahmewolf.6210

[Gotejjeken.1267]

4 hours ago, Zyreva.1078 said:

Which is why i said "easy" depends more on build and content (and each player's individual strengths and weaknesses) than on the spec.

But something like merged Soulbeast is objectively easier to play than Untamed, because you have way less buttons to worry about.  The same holds true for core ranger, which is what OP would start with if they were concerned about intensity or learning curve.

What the question sounds more like is which one is going to get through content the fastest.  

That's where we come into a problem as it's a subjective debate around what 'content' means---which OP needs to figure out themselves really.

For my two cents though, start with core ranger and figure out if you like dealing with the pet.  If you don't there's only really one option in perma-merged soulbeast or find different class.  If you do, then can add on the CA form of Druid, unleashed state of Untamed, or constant merge/unmerge of soulbeast.  

[anduriell.6280]

On 3/10/2024 at 1:18 PM, eodis.7294 said:

Hello there.

 

As the title says, i'm coming back to the game after a long time so i'm basically a new player and i opted for a ranger. After scouting around on google and the internet i can't find a definitive answer as to what to play once i reach 80. I'm looking for something efficient and easy enough as all of this is quite new to me and i'm not a fan of complicated rotations. Between Power Untamed, Power Soulbeast and Condition Druid it looks like Soulbeast and Druid are mentioned the most but Untamed seems to do fine in benchmarks so i'm not sure why it seems so unloved. Also there was quite a lot of changes, buffs/nerfs recently so i'm not sure everything i read is up to date.

 

So out of the 3 specs, which one do you think has the best balance between easy/fun and an efficient dps ?

 

Thank you

What game mode? Because the 3 differs greatly and deppending what is your playstyle some builds may fit you better than others. 

[AliamRationem.5172]

On 3/10/2024 at 6:18 AM, eodis.7294 said:

Hello there.

 

As the title says, i'm coming back to the game after a long time so i'm basically a new player and i opted for a ranger. After scouting around on google and the internet i can't find a definitive answer as to what to play once i reach 80. I'm looking for something efficient and easy enough as all of this is quite new to me and i'm not a fan of complicated rotations. Between Power Untamed, Power Soulbeast and Condition Druid it looks like Soulbeast and Druid are mentioned the most but Untamed seems to do fine in benchmarks so i'm not sure why it seems so unloved. Also there was quite a lot of changes, buffs/nerfs recently so i'm not sure everything i read is up to date.

 

So out of the 3 specs, which one do you think has the best balance between easy/fun and an efficient dps ?

 

Thank you

Soulbeast is the easiest to play and probably deals the best damage in groups as well.  It's easy because you mostly just merge with your pet, so no more messing with pet swapping.  And unlike untamed it doesn't have unleash pet/ranger and ambush skills to deal with.

On the other hand, if you want self-sufficiency in solo play I think druid or untamed are better options.  Untamed is one of the few specs I've seen that can almost instantly ramp 25x vuln, 25x might, quickness, and fury and maintain those on its own.  It also has excellent sustain even if you run it full power DPS.  Just a really fun and powerful build for solo play that translates well to group play, albeit with a bit more complexity than soulbeast.  Condi druid is like most condi builds for solo play.  You can safely tank up so that you don't have to worry about taking damage and you'll still deal solid damage.  I don't see druid played as DPS in groups much, but it's a popular pick for raid/strike healing.  Compared to these two, I think soulbeast will probably deal less damage and have more issues with sustain in solo play, although that does depend somewhat on how much sustain you feel you need.

[Joxer.6024]

Try Hardstuck...they have some great core\beginner builds for all classes!!