Is it allowed to play this profession?

[Cynder.2509]

Since there has always been such hate for rangers how are the current situations?I never used this profession aside from the druid in raids when my squad needed a healer but overall it just seemed useless to all the years. (I'm a bloody meta player who used more useful professions such as guardian or elementalist)Now I took up on the few characters that are doomed with this awful class again (one of them is the heal druid which I only used in certain raid situations and two who were actually only for roleplaying) and I ask myself if it's safe to play it.I've seen a lot running around with a longbow again and I've seen a lot of roaming montages including it where nobody hated it even if it's a useless weapon but it kinda got me interested on picking it up.I don't want to get yelled at for stepping out of the meta zone for a while (I just want to get back to the fun this game once was) and that's why I ask these question.I'm very unsure about it since it has been a hated profession for years and I need clarification about stuff so I can feel safe when playing.(I'm a very paranoid and anxious player as well so "enjoying" it has been very hard for me since it got me interrupted 2 years ago as I returned from my break I took from 2014 to 15)Thank you for the time and have a nice day. ^^

[InsaneQR.7412]

Well its pretty solid as a condi spec and counts to the upper end. For open PvE its good in the power spectrum to clear trash mobs.I havent touched LB for years so i can tell you not much about it, only facts i know from observing.For WvW LB is a must and probably the best long ranged weapon in WvW IMO , it has fast hitting long ranged hits, a stealth, a AoE for zergs, a hard CC and especially 1500 range when traited.

Ranger got some improvements over the years, still needs some but every profession does.

Soulbeast is feeling like under construction and for rerolling into ranger i would choose base or druid at first glance, or at least until the next balance patch is out.

Druid is a solid as a support, control or condition spec.

Now for PvE: When you are not raiding or doing high level fractals just use base ranger its a good profession. You can also use druid just for more CC and more sustain.

Overall: Yes its a good profession and you can play it without any remorse. Its not perfect,mainly because you have to learn the pets. And dont use LB #4 on mobs that are in meele range of other players (thats basically what got them the hate in the first place).

[Sandzibar.5134]

@InsaneQR.7412 said:and especially 1500 range when traited.

LB has 1500 range right out of the box. Trait improves recharge, piercing and attack speed these days.

[Cynder.2509]

For raids and fractals I mainly use guardian or other more needed professions so ranger won't be there as an option.And yes, I am aware that only 2 skills are usefull on the bow. In some of my testing times I always casted them and swapped to a more usefull weapon then. Never even thought about using the 4 if it's not on a champ or a legendary.I'm also not inexperienced or new in any way, I've been there since 2012 and only wanted to try out something new again since it got a bit boring.I was just asking if it's fine since there are a lot of bad mouthings about this certain profession. ^^

[Sandzibar.5134]

What will you be using Ranger for?WvW? sPvP? or just open world? (if you are using Guard for Raids and Fractals).Either way Ranger does ok in WvW roaming and backline skirmishing.sPvP is a tougher fight in a world of spellbreakers / scourge / mirages and thieves.And every class works in open world pve tbh.

[Evolute.6239]

Top tier condition dps as soulbeast, top tier core meta condition druid in fractals, top tier core healer/condition support druid in raids, great bunker druid in sPVP, top tier roamer as druid or soulbeastMediocre in blobs in WvW

Far from useless.

[InsaneQR.7412]

@Sandzibar.5134 said:

@InsaneQR.7412 said:and especially 1500 range when traited.

LB has 1500 range right out of the box. Trait improves recharge, piercing and attack speed these days.

Yeah i wrote it kinda odd on the rush, i ment the 1500 range and increased attack speed when traited .

[wrathmagik.3518]

For a spec thats hated and useless I still see thousands of them running around everyday. They are as popular as ever.

[jcbroe.4329]

@Evolute.6239 said:Top tier condition dps as soulbeast, top tier core meta condition druid in fractals, top tier core healer/condition support druid in raids, great bunker druid in sPVP, top tier roamer as druid or soulbeastMediocre in blobs in WvW

Far from useless.

Pretty much this.I'd like to just add the organized WvW groups worth their salt will run heal Druids, even if they don't actively recruit them.

So really that only leaves "bag tagging" as something that's mediocre.

[Redemer.2601]

@InsaneQR.7412 said:Well its pretty solid as a condi spec and counts to the upper end. For open PvE its good in the power spectrum to clear trash mobs.I havent touched LB for years so i can tell you not much about it, only facts i know from observing.For WvW LB is a must and probably the best long ranged weapon in WvW IMO , it has fast hitting long ranged hits, a stealth, a AoE for zergs, a hard CC and especially 1500 range when traited.

Ranger got some improvements over the years, still needs some but every profession does.

Soulbeast is feeling like under construction and for rerolling into ranger i would choose base or druid at first glance, or at least until the next balance patch is out.

Druid is a solid as a support, control or condition spec.

Now for PvE: When you are not raiding or doing high level fractals just use base ranger its a good profession. You can also use druid just for more CC and more sustain.

Overall: Yes its a good profession and you can play it without any remorse. Its not perfect,mainly because you have to learn the pets. And dont use LB #4 on mobs that are in meele range of other players (thats basically what got them the hate in the first place).

with the extra projectile speed that is now baseline auto has a range of about 1700 with the fall of that starts at 1500 :)

[Redemer.2601]

Rangers work ppl mainly complain about ppls use of LB4 in their dmg rotation so a word of advise dont use LB4 for dmg generaly speaking LB1 does more dmg anywaySoulbeast works great Druid works great base ranger imo there is no reason to play base ranger anymore but why would you with elites like one wolf pack :)

[Redemer.2601]

@wrathmagik.3518 said:For a spec thats hated and useless I still see thousands of them running around everyday. They are as popular as ever.

I wouldnt call 30k axe 5 or 12k RF useless just saying

[Bast Bow.2958]

@jcbroe.4329 said:

@Evolute.6239 said:Top tier condition dps as soulbeast, top tier core meta condition druid in fractals, top tier core healer/condition support druid in raids, great bunker druid in sPVP, top tier roamer as druid or soulbeastMediocre in blobs in WvW

Far from useless.

Pretty much this.I'd like to just add the organized WvW groups worth their salt will run heal Druids, even if they don't actively recruit them.

So really that only leaves "bag tagging" as something that's mediocre.

Woohoo ranger!! o/

[Cynder.2509]

@wrathmagik.3518 said:For a spec thats hated and useless I still see thousands of them running around everyday. They are as popular as ever.

That is because a lot of new players jump on this class. That's also one of the reasons for the hate.

@Sandzibar.5134 said:What will you be using Ranger for?WvW? sPvP? or just open world? (if you are using Guard for Raids and Fractals).Either way Ranger does ok in WvW roaming and backline skirmishing.sPvP is a tougher fight in a world of spellbreakers / scourge / mirages and thieves.And every class works in open world pve tbh.

For nothing specific. I just wanted it for some random fun and because I wanted to try something different from the other more popular ones.For WvW I always use more needed classes like guardian or warrior or elementalist since I'm always running with my zerg.

@Redemer.2601 said:Rangers work ppl mainly complain about ppls use of LB4 in their dmg rotation so a word of advise dont use LB4 for dmg generaly speaking LB1 does more dmg anywaySoulbeast works great Druid works great base ranger imo there is no reason to play base ranger anymore but why would you with elites like one wolf pack :)Never used the 4 anyways except on bosses with a CC bar.Already got each of the elite specialisations and I want to have some variety in my characters (just like with the other professions I have more than one of. Playing each character on a different build. 98% of them are Meta while a few others are own concepted ones used for nothing specific so I won't go in any raid with these)One of them is the heal druid I talked about, another one is a condi soulbeast and the other is a power druid. The heal one was the one I used more as it was needed sometimes in raids. The rest was more used for Roleplaying but my group kinda lost contact with eachother and I don't want the characters to rot in a corner.