Ranger patch changes

[enkeny.6937]

Except warhorn, all changes are for soul beast. I don't think it has anything with the new elite spec. 
in PvE:
druid has no diversity.
core ranger is a non-existence.
soulbeast: "The ranger is a potent damage dealer. "

As long they think Ranger = Soulbeast, we can only hope, druid don't get worse, but for core rangers....

[bigo.9037]

17 hours ago, enkeny.6937 said:

Except warhorn, all changes are for soul beast. I don't think it has anything with the new elite spec. 
in PvE:
druid has no diversity.
core ranger is a non-existence.
soulbeast: "The ranger is a potent damage dealer. "

As long they think Ranger = Soulbeast, we can only hope, druid don't get worse, but for core rangers....

Core ranger works fine in wvw. I think it’s important to specify what game modes we’re talking about. 

[CETheLucid.3964]

On 5/1/2021 at 2:33 AM, LughLongArm.5460 said:

-retaliation removal is good news for ranger in WvW. 

 

On 5/1/2021 at 3:49 AM, anduriell.6280 said:

The removal of retal will make GM trait for longbow usable against zergs. 

 

Pew pewing into zergs is back on the menu boys! That'll be good fun for a min. 🐸

[Dragonzhunter.8506]

7 hours ago, bigo.9037 said:

Core ranger works fine in wvw. I think it’s important to specify what game modes we’re talking about. 

Since when? What do you mean "works fine"? Every core ranger in WvW is one of the main target. He die easily. The only build who can be a little troll, is the trapper one, due to his multiple stealth ability. But a Druid can do the same too, plus Druid have few more advantages. 

Doing less than mediocre things in WvW, I don't think he works fine. Soulbeast is the only one strong Ranger speciality who is doing fine, well maybe more than just fine 🙂 .

[AlexndrTheGreat.8310]

4 hours ago, CETheLucid.3964 said:

On 5/1/2021 at 1:49 AM, anduriell.6280 said:

 

 

Pew pewing into zergs is back on the menu boys! That'll be good fun for a min. 🐸

Reflect was previously and still is the main reason LB Ranger is highly advised against bringing to a zerg.

[Dragana.1497]

Update: 

 

Marksmanship

• Clarion Bond: Lesser Call of the Wild does not Daze targets.

 

Source: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topic/95207-follow-up-to-may-11-balance-preview/

 

Edited May 5, 2021 by Dragana.1497

[Zyreva.1078]

4 hours ago, Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

Since when? What do you mean "works fine"? Every core ranger in WvW is one of the main target. He die easily. [...]

 

I can say the same about pew pew slb. While playing core ranger ...

99% of rangers in WvW are absolutely crap, so ofc they are going to be an easy target (unless they play nm/boonbeast tank build). Doesn't neccessarily mean the spec is bad. Core ranger does have a few issues (mainly pet survivability) but is still a pretty good (better than power slb imo) duelist and solid solo roamer.

[CETheLucid.3964]

1 hour ago, Dragana.1497 said:

Update: 

 

Marksmanship

• Clarion Bond: Lesser Call of the Wild does not Daze targets.

 

Source: https://en-forum.guildwars2.com/topic/95207-follow-up-to-may-11-balance-preview/

 

 

Why the kitten would anything nice ever happen?

[Dragonzhunter.8506]

7 hours ago, UmbraNoctis.1907 said:

I can say the same about pew pew slb. While playing core ranger ...

99% of rangers in WvW are absolutely crap, so ofc they are going to be an easy target (unless they play nm/boonbeast tank build). Doesn't neccessarily mean the spec is bad. Core ranger does have a few issues (mainly pet survivability) but is still a pretty good (better than power slb imo) duelist and solid solo roamer.

"... is still a pretty good (better than power slb imo) duelist and solid solo roamer" - What? Anyway, gl with core ranger. If you like to play core ranger, then why not?! play whatever you like.

PS: Power Soulbeast is one of the best duelist and roamer atm, at least this is my opinion.

[anduriell.6280]

7 hours ago, CETheLucid.3964 said:

 

Why the kitten would anything nice ever happen?

I have to say an AoE daze every 12s (Clarion Bond with Wildborn notes) would be too much Daze spam for the ranger. Druid would be too much.

 

I am happy if Lesser Call of the Wild would apply AoE weakness. This would be great for the dueling builds. 

[aymnad.9023]

That's too bad for Clarion bond 😕 I understand why they do it (it probably is for the best) but it ends up being a new nerf for core power ranger. If only they could keep the old one for the trait... 

 

Edit : If I try to guess the trait will be 2s of weakness and the warhorn 3s.

Edited May 6, 2021 by aymnad.9023

[niconori.7235]

I would prefer if One Wolf Pack proc's damage is lowered, and also the cooldown lowered as well to make it a more spammable elite skill. 

[anduriell.6280]

2 hours ago, niconori.7235 said:

I would prefer if One Wolf Pack proc's damage is lowered, and also the cooldown lowered as well to make it a more spammable elite skill. 

Although i share your thoughts in that could increase the viability i think it would make soulblast too oppresive, because One Wolf Pack is capable of being shared with up to 5 friendlies (with the trait).

 

I am more of the opinion to improve other skills like Vulture Stance or Pets merged skills. Call Lightning comes into mind, that skill feels it does very little damage for a 5 seconds AoE in BeastMode. 

 

Another thing it would help SoulBeast to become less clunky is to disassociate Archetype skills from the pet's themselves. It would open builds up other pets  which are not usable otherwise. 

 

 

 

[niconori.7235]

4 hours ago, anduriell.6280 said:

Although i share your thoughts in that could increase the viability i think it would make soulblast too oppresive, because One Wolf Pack is capable of being shared with up to 5 friendlies (with the trait).

 

I am more of the opinion to improve other skills like Vulture Stance or Pets merged skills. Call Lightning comes into mind, that skill feels it does very little damage for a 5 seconds AoE in BeastMode. 

 

Another thing it would help SoulBeast to become less clunky is to disassociate Archetype skills from the pet's themselves. It would open builds up other pets  which are not usable otherwise. 

 

 

 

Yeah that's why I suggest to lower the CD and proc dmg. If proc damage is lowered, it would lower the overall burst potential, be it shared or individually, if that's what anet sees as a problem (taking into account pvp/wvw modes as well). To balance things out, we should also lower the CD so SoulBeasts have access to a low CD damage amp skill for general pve bosses, and not affecting the overall damage output in longer encounters/raids. Therefore, my suggestion is to lower the proc damage, and lower CD to 30 to 45s. 

 

I was talking about an elite skill, I share your thoughts on underused utilities.

 

Disassociate Archetype skills is a good suggestion too.

 

Edited May 7, 2021 by niconori.7235

[niconori.7235]

On 5/6/2021 at 3:58 AM, AlexndrTheGreat.8310 said:

Reflect was previously and still is the main reason LB Ranger is highly advised against bringing to a zerg.

Nah, it was retal. Retaliation was so frustrating. 1 barrage onto enemy zerg and there goes half your hp. Reflect is already bad but retal is worse.

[CETheLucid.3964]

On 5/6/2021 at 2:12 AM, anduriell.6280 said:

I have to say an AoE daze every 12s (Clarion Bond with Wildborn notes) would be too much Daze spam for the ranger. Druid would be too much.

 

I am happy if Lesser Call of the Wild would apply AoE weakness. This would be great for the dueling builds. 

 

Yeah I guess. Can't be understated how important it was to keep Firebrand in check. All things considered, nothing really changes. Warhorn will be a better weapon for it.

[bigo.9037]

1, core ranger does not need more weakness spam or daze. They should’ve kept the trait as it was, warhorn change is OK, but my main issue is boon ranger is too strong. NM needs to be gutted. Or WHAO, or the boon merge trait on soulbeast. Boons are a huge problem on ranger if you build for boons. You get too much sustain and the might from warhorn + sotp + heal or merge, not to mention battle sigils means you can too easily run around with a pet that has 25 might, YOU have 25 might, perma protection, weakness spam all over the place. It’s too much. 
 

the problem with soulbeast is rarely its damage, it’s the sustain. Boons are the main reason for this. LB GS has some sustain even on squishy builds, but what puts it across the line is the boons. Too much protection on WS + durability runes. Too much of everything on NM.  The warhorn change would be fine if it wasn’t for the fact that this makes boon rangers stronger. 

[CETheLucid.3964]

On 5/6/2021 at 2:12 AM, anduriell.6280 said:

I am happy if Lesser Call of the Wild would apply AoE weakness.

 

I also agree with this.

[Dao Jones.6720]

On 5/5/2021 at 3:49 PM, UmbraNoctis.1907 said:

I can say the same about pew pew slb. While playing core ranger ...

99% of rangers in WvW are absolutely crap, so ofc they are going to be an easy target (unless they play nm/boonbeast tank build). Doesn't neccessarily mean the spec is bad. Core ranger does have a few issues (mainly pet survivability) but is still a pretty good (better than power slb imo) duelist and solid solo roamer.

What advantage does a core Ranger have over slb? I’ve been tinkering with a condi Ranger roamer, and while it performs well enough (as well as my skill level can manage, anyway 😅), I’ve never seen enough of a benefit from NM, BM, or MM to swap out SlB.

[Evil.1580]

On 5/4/2021 at 6:26 PM, CETheLucid.3964 said:

The more I think about the balance patch related to EoD new elite specs, the more I'm thinking the pass was just to get things in line for the new spec. I expected the Sic em' nerf at this point for Soulbeast. Still don't understand why One Wolf Pack needed a CD nerf since it's exclusive to Soulbeast and not something that by itself was doing anything amazing given the utility you gave up for it.

 

The bump up from 7% to 10% with Furious Strength with the way condition damage has been changed and the overall capping of boons and conditions could prove better than it looks on paper. The AoE stun for CoTW could really stick out as a control point if Ranger ends up getting the bunnythumper spec and in general it gives ranger more access to stun which is nice.

 

It's not much but it could be interesting and pan out better as we get more info leading into new elite specs with EoD.

 Furious Strength does not increase condition damage. These 3% increase are a really really really small buff on the viper condi builds.

[CETheLucid.3964]

10 hours ago, Evil.1580 said:

Furious Strength does not increase condition damage.

 

Did they elaborate on that? I know they said they're going to make it clear what gets boosted in the tooltips but I'm not seeing anything in that regard.

[Zyreva.1078]

19 hours ago, Dao Jones.6720 said:

What advantage does a core Ranger have over slb?

Pets!

With mm you can also run tanky gear while retaining decent burst. That's for power tho. For condi slb and druid are better than core.

[Evil.1580]

10 hours ago, CETheLucid.3964 said:

 

Did they elaborate on that? I know they said they're going to make it clear what gets boosted in the tooltips but I'm not seeing anything in that regard.

 

They only said they are increasing Furious Strength by 3% (total 10%). They didn't say it would also boost all damage (not only strike), like they said about other traits.

The changes about the ranger were mainly pointed in the power direction (and are overall nerfs) and didn't touch anything regarding condi, which is sad, considering one of the main points of the patch notes is to make condi shine.

Anyway, since soulbeast gives access to daggers and the dagger is considered a hybrid weapon, it is logical that the traits should also buff condition damage. And after 11th, it won't be only logical, but also necessary because the dps gap between other classes and condi slb will be huge. I wish ANET read this and really think about it.

 

P.S. Of course, I am talking about the PVE perspective of the condi slb.

Edited May 9, 2021 by Evil.1580

[Gotejjeken.1267]

On 5/6/2021 at 3:12 AM, anduriell.6280 said:

I have to say an AoE daze every 12s (Clarion Bond with Wildborn notes) would be too much Daze spam for the ranger. Druid would be too much.

 

I am happy if Lesser Call of the Wild would apply AoE weakness. This would be great for the dueling builds. 

 

Yes, but only if this 'daze spam' didn't already exist in the form of Primal Echoes + Glyph (and if you really want to go nuts Shortbow 5).

 

From a Druid perspective, you'd only get a daze every 13 sec if you trait both Marksmanship and Nature Magic (why would anyone do this) and mindlessly spam them off cooldown; but again, can already do that on Druid with Primal Echoes and the Glyph (without taking two traitlines that don't synergize). Even so it isn't really all that effective since Ancient Seeds has a 10s ICD.  

 

Said this in the other topic, but easy way to balance this is not have it apply to beastmode at all, and only apply to an actual pet swap.  That way you have to choose to do it and your pet has to be alive (which is difficult enough in group fights).  If your pet isn't alive then you can't swap anyway.  

 

With my current build I don't think the patch is going to mean much unless they have bigger changes throughout the traitlines.  If it is just WH and SLB changes then it won't really do much (at least on the surface).  

[anduriell.6280]

I agree the changes as shown won't mean much for the Ranger in general.

 

Call of the Wild change is welcomed yet the weapon is still lacking in targets. The ranger has plenty of other better choices with single target capability so i don't think this specific change to the weapon will make it more desirable.