May 2021 Poll: Are you happy about the current state of ranger?

[kappa.2036]

Poll and discussion about the state of ranger and class presence in the current meta (PvE/PvP/WvW)

Edited May 18, 2021 by kappa.2036

[Impling.4170]

I enjoy playing the class, I just want ANet to put some care into making Druid a better support choice in PvP/WvW.

[singanushiga.5803]

I'm a WvW player so I'll write mostly about it. For zerging, Soulbeast (immobeast build, axe-axe/gs variant), in squads isn't performing pretty well unless your squad has enough boonstips. Soulbeast can be replaced by a boonstrip class, support and damage classes. Because in terms of damage, there are better damage classes, even though immobilize is really powerful condition, if squad doesn't have strips, your immo not going to work on enemy (or it's going to be cleansed by good enemy supports). Because of tons of projectile reflects and barriers, your damage always be limited and even though Barrage is a skill that not effected by projectile block barriers, it's damage isn't that punishing. I haven't tried Druid support in squads yet but I'm guessing because of the Celestial Form cooldown, it's support not that available and there is no need to talk about core, when it comes to team play, it's just awful. For roaming, imo except Power Druid, all ranger builds performing pretty well. Ranger itself a pretty strong class for roaming but there is a bug that irritates me so much. When you use Maul and if you sheath your weapon before animation ends, Maul is going to be on cooldown. It can be so annoying while doing 1v1 against a Spellbreaker. My expectation from patch was a rework on Druid for making it more viable specialisation but it didn't happen. I feel like they spent their time on reworking other classes so much, there wasn't enough time to touch ranger. At the end of the day, Anet isn't filled with robots at all, I think they'll reconsider Ranger's situation in future. Personally, I just want them to fix bugs instead of fully focusing on nerfs or buffs.

Edited May 19, 2021 by wolkzel.9706

[Infusion.7149]

4 minutes ago, wolkzel.9706 said:

I'm a WvW player so I'll write mostly about it. For zerging, Soulbeast (immobeast build, axe-axe/gs variant), in squads isn't performing pretty well unless your squad has enough boonstips. Soulbeast can be replaced by a boonstrip class, support and damage classes. Because in terms of damage, there are better damage classes, even though immobilize is really powerful condition, if squad doesn't have strips, your immo not going to work on enemy (or it's going to be cleansed by good enemy supports). Because of tons of projectile reflects and barriers, your damage always be limited and even though Barrage is a skill that not effected by projectile block barriers, it's damage isn't that punishing. I haven't tried Druid support in squads yet but I'm guessing because of the Celestial Form cooldown, it's support not that available and there is no need to talk about core, when it comes to team play, it's just awful. For roaming, imo except Power Druid, all ranger builds performing pretty well. Ranger itself a pretty strong class for roaming but there is a bug that irritates me so much. When you use Maul and if you sheath your weapon before animation ends, Maul is going to be on cooldown. It can be so annoying while doing 1v1 against a Spellbreaker. My expectation from patch was a rework on Druid for making it more viable specialisation but it didn't happen. I feel like they spent their time on reworking other classes so much, there wasn't enough time to touch ranger. Anet isn't full with robots at all, I think they'll reconsider Ranger's situation in future. Personally, I just want them to fix bugs instead of fully focusing on nerfs or buffs.

Re: druid in WvW, It's more that you can't control where the pet goes and cannot reliably stealth push with a pet out. The pet also steals any overstacking heals or boons in a subgroup. On top of that the astral force generation hasn't been rebalanced after the Feb 2020 changes that hit both healing and damage on every class.

[Abyssisis.3971]

Nerfs on top of nerf just so rangers have text in the patch note is how anet has been balancing rangers. 
 

[KeyOrion.9506]

I'm still listening to Discord for WvW.  They're still spat on, "don't bring anything to the group" every week of every month of every year.  Been playing Ranger in GW2 for 8 years.  And for the last 5 of those years it's "Ranger's are so useless."  "Ranger's can't main."  "Ranger's don't bring anything to group play."  Of course Anet listens to the guys that go "Ranger's are OP, they need to be nerfed...", and all I can think of is..."Excuse me?"  I listen to discord day after day, week after week in WvW channels, and it's ranger's suck, rangers can't do this or that...and then we're called OP, and then we get nerfed?  Excuse me?  I don't get it.  For WvW, we suck, and we're "role specific", and then the few people that say we're OP and our Dmg needs to go down, and our boons for specific Specializations are super max.....I don't see it.  I mained Ranger in GW1, and we were considered "meh" in elite missions, and then I'm maining ranger in GW2, and it's this "go roam on the map, or help the team out and play a different class..." how the hell are we OP, if were spat on?  Basically Ranger fills a "niche" and that niche is pretty much useless according to some within a large community of players in certain non PvE fields.  So my current assessment of ranger is, NO, i'm not happy with the current status of ranger.

Edited May 19, 2021 by KeyOrion.9506
Frustrated about how my favorite class is dealt with by community and GM's.

[KeyOrion.9506]

For once, I would love to go into WvW, and hear a commander go, "We dont' have enough ranger's" and say it as if they truly meant it in a serious way, and not as a joke.  Or worse yet, say right in my ear that they'd prefer something other than a ranger in group composition.  You have no clue what it feels like, for 5 full years of listening to every single commander single your class out as worthless, or niche specific.  I want to be on the front lines.  But I'm told, role something else.

Edited May 19, 2021 by KeyOrion.9506

[Sea Wolf.7368]

This is my first post in 7 years of continuous play

 

I don't like playing as ranger anymore. Ranger turned into a boring class. Ranger is mediocre in PvP, useless in WvW and niche in PvE. The Druid is only used in one game mode and has serious design issues. This game is not made for the role of a pure healer. If you can do good damage, then you are more likely to be taken into a group than a support. 1 druid for 10 people in the raid. Glyph skills are almost useless. Celestial Avatar energy management is bad. Stance skills of soulbeast is nice but you can't bring a lot support to your team.

 

Game problems:

There are too many buffs in the game. The maximum amount of buffs can be imposed by one character (Bad mechanics)

The game is focused on close combat. To deal more damage and get more buffs, you need to fight in close combat. The Ranger is conceived as a class that is more powerful at ranged than melee. Ranged attacks are largely useless due to the large number of projectile reflections in the game.

 

Ranger problems from my point of view:

1) The ranger lacks AoE skills. In this game, almost all activities involve a battle with a large number of enemies at the same time;

2) Projectile reflections mechanic should be reworked;

3) Very pet-specific in many specializations. I don't mind this, but pets have bad mechanics. Pets die very quickly and do not bring anything for massive battles. Very often, pets do not inflict damage, because they do not catch up with the target, they hit the void;

4) Hybrid weapons like axe main hand (I find it useless);

5) DPS skills which are channeling and can be easily interrupted (3 main DPS skills Rapid Fire, Whirling Defense, Barrage). Two of these skills cannot be used while moving and one of them have small radius. This does not allow for normal combat, as many boss mechanics involve mobility.

6) Almost from the start of the game, the only normal combination of weapons for the rangers was a longbow and a greatsword.

7) Spirit's slave druid with no dps or great heal. Only 2 traits are used Nature's Vengeance and Grace of the Land. It would be nice to see the return of spirit's movement.

8) Elite Specialization Penalties (talking about all classes). Example: Anet reduced Druid pets stats, removed pet swap (It's nice due to theme of soulbeast but please make more skills for it), reduced the amount of scrapper's vitality and then added even more skills in the form of volumes to the firebrand, without making any penalty for using the elite specialization (Nice balance btw).

9) The Ranger seems like a simple class that can only do pew-pew, so the entire forum constantly wants to curtail his capabilities.

 

I've been playing as an engineer more than a ranger for a long time. The engineer has more possibilities, he is more flexible. Recently years, the ranger changes have been about removing mechanics or weakening, while giving nothing in return. It seems to me that the developers do not play their game, otherwise I cannot believe what is happening with some classes. I like the nature theme, but unfortunately it becomes less and less enjoyable to play as a ranger. Maybe someday the balance will change and playing as a ranger will be fun again

[Gotejjeken.1267]

Ranger definitely has a lot of problems, not sure any of them are fixable though. 

 

Since launch the biggest problem is the pet, but they can't fix that without someone complaining, so it remains mostly useless.  Really, if you want an example of how hopeless this is, look at Soulbeast--it was specifically made to take away the pet and then hit AGAIN with taking pet swap in combat away, because reasons.  

 

The weapons and traitlines all have never really been updated either.  Specifically about traitlines, like what even is beastmastery anymore? None of the traits do anything, and you can't even take the line for shouts because they randomly changed that to something else that has zero synergy with any runes ("commands"), and didn't compensate.    

 

There is currently zero balancing effort as well.  We can blame it on all the resources going to the expansion, but seriously what even was this last patch? It tells me that Ranger at this point in time is too broken to fix.  

[bigo.9037]

My problem is currently this:  (wvw roaming perspective)

1, rangers skill ceiling is not as high as other classes, it feels like our reduced mechanics is to blame for this.

 

Thief has multiple teleports, so they can get very good at attacking ppl who are  in stealth with teleports.

 

Engineer has so many skills and mechanics and that alone this means skill ceiling is higher simply because of more options. 
 

Ranger does not have any possibility for growth beyond a certain point. We have less skills than engi but we also don’t have access to outplay mechanics like teleports and rely entirely on a cookie cutter rotation that can only accomplish so much. 
 

2, boons are a big problem on certain soulbeast builds , still. Even tho ranger has low skill ceiling, it also has a pretty high skill floor if you pick the right build. Most people can pick up a BM-WS - soulbeast with durability runes and some diviners or commanders trinkets mixed with zerk or marauder and perform very well after just a few hours of gameplay because of dolyak stance and access to perma prot just from passives. As someone who has tried this many times but mains BM-skirmish, the difference is just huge. It’s insanely easy to perform well on the boon variant.

so on one hand we have boonbeast carrying people way more than it should, but we also don’t have any boon steal, which is just so frustrating. No traitline on the entire class gives access to boon steal. Combined with an excess of stab boonbeast has, this is just too much of an issue.

 

Personally, i think they should nerf the boons on dolyak stance and the prot uptime from WS.

To get ranger viable in blob combat wvw , it doesn’t need stab on a 30s cd. We have guardians for that. Ranger needs to fill a niche spot in a blob that no other class can, and be actually useful for that. Stop giving ranger buffs for blob combat that involve trying to copy some of what makes other classes successful. 
 

if you do this, ranger could fill a niche but useful role in blobs while not being overloaded with boons in small fights.

I would suggest better access to aoe, like they could rework axe skills entirely , making the AA either unblockable or melee based, new power based replacement for splitblade, make Axe #3 unblockable but it’s ground targeted and easier to see, maybe longer cast time  (cus there’s just too much reflect to make it useful otherwise) , increase radius of Axe#4 so it’s not so difficult to land, make it pierce too. Increase radius of Axe#5 by 60 range units so it’s not so awkward to use after pulling enemy since you often have to move into range cus axe5 radius is too small.

Edited May 19, 2021 by bigo.9037

[sneakytails.5629]

Core Ranger should be viable like Core Warrior, of course it would require huge changes, but core specs should have the most choice, and be viable.

[kappa.2036]

3 hours ago, bigo.9037 said:

Personally, i think they should nerf the boons on dolyak stance and the prot uptime from WS.

To get ranger viable in blob combat wvw , it doesn’t need stab on a 30s cd.

I personally disagree with this statement. WS is MANDATORY on any competitive pvp build (check ranger/druid/slb pvp builds, they ALL play with WS) because it's the only line that grants re-sustain. Without prot uptime ranger will be basically deleted from the competitive scene (where it already has low impact since it's not even meta) and will be forced to play meme pewpew oneshots builds even more.

 

Dolyak Stance is fine as it is. Stability is not a guardian exclusive, in fact, also engies can grant aoe stab. Having stability "backup" classes is not wrong. Dolyak Stance also grants movement-impairing conditions immunity, which is a role that i think would fit the ranger class.  For example, engineer could be more focused on cleansing only damaging conditions, while ranger could be more specialized on terrains granting immunities or special movement buffs.

Edited May 19, 2021 by kappa.2036

[Zyreva.1078]

1 hour ago, sneakytails.5629 said:

Core Ranger should be viable like Core Warrior, of course it would require huge changes, but core specs should have the most choice, and be viable.

Pretty sure core ranger is already on par or better than core warrior for most of the content.

[Dragonzhunter.8506]

My answer for this poll is yes!

I am Ok with Ranger atm. I am playing mostly WvW, and as a roamer I can say Ranger is doing very good. For zerk squad, well if you are accepted you can still doing good with piercing. How can I say ... "you can have a lot of fun"

The only think I wish  (well there are many, but this is the most), I want back swap pet in combat. Even they will nerf somehow the pet, or their ability when you are in beastmode, but I want this back.

The SB fights were more entertained, more diverse, more dynamic before.

Maybe we should do a poll to bring back the swap pet in combat!

 

[Arheundel.6451]

So 99% of the yes are WvW players using PvE stats...ok but the class is garbage tier in PvP where you don't have access to PvE stats

[Avatar.3568]

For 99% playing pvp, Ranger feel cuttet in dmg and sustain, dodge on auto attacks, that you can time is removed , maul krits with 3-4k on zerker without marksman ship, marksman soulbeast, after not being that viable, has no unblockables = nerfed, same for core Ranger, pets have no unblockables more, not a big nerf, since we applie weakness (on 240 radius lol). 

Viable are still sic em soulbeast with lb/gs or axe warhorn/gs. 

Also some kinda viable are 2 druid builds, but it's still druid, 20 seconds CD on ca while having a mystic ca mechanic, I would like to have 15 seconds CD and more like shroud, so you don't need full ca but yeah. 

 

In general it feels like they take many ways away from Ranger to play while not being meta = not rly happy

[Sea Wolf.7368]

20 hours ago, Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

For zerk squad, well if you are accepted you can still doing good with piercing.

It will not work because in WvW we have endless AoE projectiles reflect from guardian, necromancer, engineer, warrior.

Roaming is strange cause WvW game mode is more about massive combats. Roamers not often fight 1v1. As a roaming you cant bring anything to your world except camp or flag capture.

[anduriell.6280]

50 minutes ago, Sea Wolf.7368 said:

It will not work because in WvW we have endless AoE projectiles reflect from guardian, necromancer, engineer, warrior.

Roaming is strange cause WvW game mode is more about massive combats. Roamers not often fight 1v1. As a roaming you cant bring anything to your world except camp or flag capture.

And in my experience a single nade scrapper can bring enough reflects to make most of the projectile attacks useless. 

[Dragonzhunter.8506]

2 hours ago, Sea Wolf.7368 said:

It will not work because in WvW we have endless AoE projectiles reflect from guardian, necromancer, engineer, warrior.

Roaming is strange cause WvW game mode is more about massive combats. Roamers not often fight 1v1. As a roaming you cant bring anything to your world except camp or flag capture.

 

1 hour ago, anduriell.6280 said:

And in my experience a single nade scrapper can bring enough reflects to make most of the projectile attacks useless. 

 

Maybe you didn't understand me. Ranger (SB specially) is doing ok in zerk not as a AOE damage dealer. But he can kill one by one ppl from zerk. He is one of the best damage dealer for sieges, he is good against thieves who are trying to sneak behind our zerk. SB can put pression on front line enemy zerk with his 1500 range, even they will use reflect, at least you force them to use it and then our group can engage them. In small group of 10-15 ppl Druid can be useful too, with his roots, CC. I am not saying we are where suppose to be, but in my opinion we still can fit somewhere in the zerk group. At least I am ok, and I am doing a lot of things with my ranger when I am with a zerk.

[bigo.9037]

On 5/19/2021 at 11:32 AM, kappa.2036 said:

I personally disagree with this statement. WS is MANDATORY on any competitive pvp build (check ranger/druid/slb pvp builds, they ALL play with WS) because it's the only line that grants re-sustain. Without prot uptime ranger will be basically deleted from the competitive scene (where it already has low impact since it's not even meta) and will be forced to play meme pewpew oneshots builds even more.

 

Dolyak Stance is fine as it is. Stability is not a guardian exclusive, in fact, also engies can grant aoe stab. Having stability "backup" classes is not wrong. Dolyak Stance also grants movement-impairing conditions immunity, which is a role that i think would fit the ranger class.  For example, engineer could be more focused on cleansing only damaging conditions, while ranger could be more specialized on terrains granting immunities or special movement buffs.

I stated in my post it was from wvw perspective, ik ranger is garbage tier in spvp. 

[anduriell.6280]

2 hours ago, Dragonzhunter.8506 said:

Maybe you didn't understand me. Ranger (SB specially) is doing ok in zerk not as a AOE damage dealer. But he can kill one by one ppl from zerk. He is one of the best damage dealer for sieges, he is good against thieves who are trying to sneak behind our zerk. SB can put pression on front line enemy zerk with his 1500 range, even they will use reflect, at least you force them to use it and then our group can engage them. In small group of 10-15 ppl Druid can be useful too, with his roots, CC. I am not saying we are where suppose to be, but in my opinion we still can fit somewhere in the zerk group. At least I am ok, and I am doing a lot of things with my ranger when I am with a zerk.

 

Maybe i don't understand you but I can't agree with your statements, from my personal experience as Soulbeast.

 

Soubeast is not one of the best damage dealer for sieges, Staff eles are if we are talking of siege on a wall. Otherwise Heralds or Renegades are better at damaging siege than a soulbeast will ever be. 

 

Ranger can not put any pressure in a zerg at 1500 range, at that range the only damage coming  is from your bow and that can be easily ignored by a zerg. And if  you manage to tag the commander with a rapid fire the zerg can cross those 1500 units in less that a second with all the superspeed the zergs have access now. It has happened to me a couple of times so it happens. 

 

When I use barrage at that range is not for putting any pressure but for bag purposes. 

 

Roots (or immobs) are useless against a semi-competent support in a squad. Ancient Seeds is a trait only server to grieve players and do not bring anything good to the game. 

 

You think you are doing a lot but clearly is not enough to compete with other classes  otherwise Ranger would not have all this problems to join a zerg. 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2021 by anduriell.6280
grammar

[Dragonzhunter.8506]

2 hours ago, anduriell.6280 said:

Soubeast is not one of the best damage dealer for sieges, Staff eles are if we are talking of siege on a wall. Otherwise Heralds or Renegades are better at damaging siege than a soulbeast will ever be. 

 

Ranger can reach sieges inside the wall where Ele's Meteor Shower can't. Also, there are some spots on walls/stairs where Ele can't reach either. A cata behind the gate can be easily be hit by Ranger's Barrage. On Towers, Barrage can reach even cata near supply depot. I didn't play with Revenant lately, so I don't know if they can hit from outside any siege inside the wall or on the wall when a siege is on the interior side of the wall.

 

2 hours ago, anduriell.6280 said:

Ranger can not put any pressure in a zerg at 1500 range, at that range the only damage coming  is from your bow and that can be easily ignored by a zerg. And if  you manage to tag the commander with a rapid fire the zerg can cross those 1500 units in less that a second with all the superspeed the zergs have access now. It has happened to me a couple of times so it happens. 

Pressure doesn't mean only damage, but cripple and vulnerability, also when are you playing glass cannon, any autoshot can hit with 5-6k and the Barrage is powerful too. I am not saying you can kill, but is not pleasant for the enemy zerg to be hit without using healing or reflect, which gives your zerg an advantage. And usually these days in zerg are many glass cannon players, you can down them easily. Only guild squad are playing only raid classes.

That's why I am saying I am having fun when I am playing with my zerg against other zerg. Because I am looking for weak spot into enemy zerg. I can say I have more fun than playing Ele support or Warrior front line.

Edited May 20, 2021 by Dragonzhunter.8506

[Aaron Forestman.4758]

Rangers lost a huge amount of utility in PvE with the patch. Power Soulbeast was a solid pick for fractals (outside of CM 100) and raids before this, while now it's a pretty terrible choice. Condi Soulbeast was already getting overshadowed in practically every way by other classes, and druid is on its way out as it gets replaced by more consistent healing classes. The last thing ranger needed was to be nerfed.

[kappa.2036]

48 minutes ago, Cal Cohen.2358 said:

Hi everyone,

 

We’ve made a few additions to the Edge of the Mists arena that will go live with the May 25^th release and we wanted to give a brief overview of what those changes look like.

 

The Mists Arena was originally built as a more accessible space for players looking to self-organize structured fights using WvW skill balance, but the lack of team selection has always limited its usefulness. That won’t be a problem moving forward, as we’re adding the ability for players to manually select and switch between two different teams in the Mists Arena.

 

The new flow of the Mists Arena island looks like this:

• Upon teleporting to the island, players are automatically switched onto a new team for spectators. This team is friendly to the two combat teams and cannot enter the arena floor. Spectators who attempt to enter the arena will simply be teleported back to the team selection area.
• On the edge of the arena are flags that players can interact with to freely switch between Mists Arena teams. Players on either of the combat teams will be able to enter the arena floor.
• Leaving the island will revert players back to their original WvW team.

 

We’ve also added a transformation option for spectators, which removes their skills and allows them to float above the battlefield to get a better view of the action. This transformation is forced to maintain a certain height above the arena floor, and players in this transformation will be invisible to combatants inside the arena. This is available by interacting with a flag in the same area as team selection.

 

It’s a small set of changes, but players will no longer be dependent on their Edge of the Mists team placement when looking to fight in the Mists Arena.

 

Thanks for reading, and we’ll see you in the mists!

 

-The Systems Team

I think Anet's ideas are increasingly being directed towards favoring the gvg aspect, which is good. Problem is, the ranger class is poorly welcommed in this type of content. Differences between ranger and the meta classes will be even more emphasized.

I think every player's biggest fear is being forced to play another class because its main class is not up to par with the others in high end-game content.

[Lazze.9870]

No.

1. The core mechanic has too many issues.

2. Druid is incapable of being a decent support in pvp/wvw. Not just because of flaws within the elite spec, but lack of reworks on core ranger traits and skills that would benefit such a role. The Nature Magic trait line especially is underdeveloped in that regard and should be more focused on "support", or at least have its few support options reworked or buffed significantly.

3. Core mechanic is even worse when you pick druid. Would arguably have been better off as a support spec if the pet was replaced entirely for a new set of F1-F4 skills unique to druid, despite the fact it would hurt the spec's dueling and roaming capabilities.

4. Lackluster AoE and groundtargeted damage skills (enough with the projectiles, please). This could change with any elite spec, but I get the feeling EoD will give us some AI heavy nonsense that will pull the profession in the opposite direction. Give ranger a decent weapon and some good damage utility skills, and it would probably work as a pure damage dealer in wvw zergs similiar to core guardian/dragonhunter these days.

 

TL;DR: flawed core mechanic (in all modes) and lackluster team fight and large scale options (pvp/wvw). Potential is there, but Anet doesn't act on it.