GS / LB Soulbeast , tips needed for duelling Spell Breakers

[FoxGoesFloof.8049]

Hi guys. As per the title, is winning duels mechanically possible against good Spell Breakers or is this a bad match up by design ?

I'm running sic em Soul Beast with Smokescale GS/LB.

I'm talking about PvP

Are there specific utility choices or any tips experienced rangers can offer in duelling Spell Breakers specifically?

 Or am I completely off the mark ( pun intended ) and should I be looking at other weapon sets and builds to be successful?

 

Thank you for any input

Edited August 12, 2021 by Little Howl.5231

[Lazze.9870]

PvP, WvW?

 

In PvP the matchup is in favor of the spellbreaker, especially on node. In WvW you can easily adjust to beat them.

 

I honestly prefer to drop the longbow and play sword or axe with off-hand dagger against them in WvW duels.

[FoxGoesFloof.8049]

Would the GS / Axe , Dagger be a condo hybrid build ?

 

Would you kindly share the build you're suggesting in PvP context

 

Thank you 🙏

[anduriell.6280]

16 hours ago, Lazze.9870 said:

PvP, WvW?

 

In PvP the matchup is in favor of the spellbreaker, especially on node. In WvW you can easily adjust to beat them.

 

I honestly prefer to drop the longbow and play sword or axe with off-hand dagger against them in WvW duels.

Sword -X  does not provide anything over the GS. 

Axe-dagger/GS or Axe-axe/GS. 

 

17 hours ago, Little Howl.5231 said:

Hi guys. As per the title, is winning duels mechanically possible against good Spell Breakers or is this a bad match up by design ?

I'm running sic em Soul Beast with Smokescale GS/LB.

I'm talking about PvP

Are there specific utility choices or any tips experienced rangers can offer in duelling Spell Breakers specifically?

 Or am I completely off the mark ( pun intended ) and should I be looking at other weapon sets and builds to be successful?

 

Thank you for any input

Lb is not useful in PvP because that is weapon which benefits from kitting and in PVP there is a limitation  how long you can kite or risking losing the node. The Sicem meme noob stomper is actually a pretty unreliable build and very ineffective against seasoned players. 

 

Try Axe MH / X instead LB. Weakness is your friend against warrior, Axe#3 provides that. Because you will be using smokescale you can experiment with Warhorn it should provide another weakness in ridiculously small radius (like seriously who though 240 radius in warhorn was a good idea...) and a blast for more stealth.  

 

Bursts don't do good against a warrior because they have strong access to healing so constant pressure does the trick with them usually. Axe mainhan fill that role. Try to avoid staying melee against them in any case because the F1 are almost on demand and a ranger can not compete in long melee fights against most other classes.  

 

Edited August 13, 2021 by anduriell.6280

[Lazze.9870]

2 hours ago, anduriell.6280 said:

Sword -X  does not provide anything over the GS. 

Axe-dagger/GS or Axe-axe/GS. 

 

Here's a suggestion: don't take stuff out of context. Read what I'm saying. Understand what's being said, and then leave it at that.

 

Dropping the longbow was my point, I just added that I usually drop it in favor for axe OR sword, with off-hand dagger when dueling spellbreakers in WvW. I didn't suggest that OP should exactly that, I'm just saying I sometimes do it. Which means it obviously works for me, and that you don't have to bother telling me what sword provides and what it doesn't provide.

 

I asked whether this is PvP or WvW, so I obviously haven't a proper answer yet.

Edited August 13, 2021 by Lazze.9870

[Lazze.9870]

11 hours ago, Little Howl.5231 said:

Would the GS / Axe , Dagger be a condo hybrid build ?

 

Would you kindly share the build you're suggesting in PvP context

 

Thank you 🙏

 

Axe/dagger works in all builds. Power, condi, hybrid. With GS you'll be playing power though.

 

LB/GS sic em soulbeast should currently be built glassy and be played as a +1, not to take duels on a sidenode. There are some matchups you can still win on a build like that, but a good spellbreaker isn't really one of them. In fact, a good spellbreaker should have the upperhand against any power based ranger build in pvp atm, even the core valkyrie ranger that is considered "meta".

 

Your best bet to duel a good spellbreaker in pvp atm is probably to play condi soulbeast to be honest. Abuse trapper runes, merge with a stout pet for the additional stun break and invuln. Don't get magebane tether on you, otherwise you can't stealth.

 

Otherwise you can try the above mentioned core ranger build, it's on metabattle. It uses the GS-Axe/dagger setup.

[anduriell.6280]

4 hours ago, Lazze.9870 said:

Dropping the longbow was my poin,, I just added that I usually drop it in favor for axe OR sword, with off-hand dagger when dueling spellbreakers in WvW.

In wvw LB is a superior weapon than the combos you pointed out. This again is in EU, in NA I understood they play different.

 

In wvw the reach a longbow will give you overcome the shorts from the projectile hate. Also in WvW  hybrid builds do much better than sicem meme noobstomper. In wvw an lonely spell breaker is not a problem. 

But this thread is about PvP, on another and after the balance patch I will be more than happy to exchange notes. 

 

[bigo.9037]

Since this is tips for mechanics:

 

1, don’t use your block until the warrior is casting shield bash , gs5 or bulls charge. 
2, be extremely careful of when you’re casting skills to avoid wasting attacks because 

3, avoid Proccing FC at all while in melee

4, save dolyak stance (if you run it) for if he has the rampage elite.

5, bait dodges or blocks with LB auto attacks, only use LB skills if he’s on GS and you have a feeling for his endurance Bar. then follow up but beware he might chain blocks into an evade if he thinks you can time his block properly.

 

6, get a feel for his timing. Sometimes you can precast a gs4 knockback if you KNOW he’s about to self interrupt his shield block into a stun or something else, but ofc this is risky cus you gotta save all your melee tools. 
 

7, if you are squishy, your LB barrage actually hurts him. Cast while stealth for example. 
 

[Arheundel.6451]

On 8/13/2021 at 10:17 AM, Lazze.9870 said:

 

Axe/dagger works in all builds. Power, condi, hybrid. With GS you'll be playing power though.

 

LB/GS sic em soulbeast should currently be built glassy and be played as a +1, not to take duels on a sidenode. There are some matchups you can still win on a build like that, but a good spellbreaker isn't really one of them. In fact, a good spellbreaker should have the upperhand against any power based ranger build in pvp atm, even the core valkyrie ranger that is considered "meta".

 

Your best bet to duel a good spellbreaker in pvp atm is probably to play condi soulbeast to be honest. Abuse trapper runes, merge with a stout pet for the additional stun break and invuln. Don't get magebane tether on you, otherwise you can't stealth.

 

Otherwise you can try the above mentioned core ranger build, it's on metabattle. It uses the GS-Axe/dagger setup.

Spot on analysis, a well played spellbreaker in pvp is a losing MU for a similar skill level ranger

[Lazze.9870]

On 8/13/2021 at 2:43 PM, anduriell.6280 said:

In wvw LB is a superior weapon than the combos you pointed out. This again is in EU, in NA I understood they play different.

 

In wvw the reach a longbow will give you overcome the shorts from the projectile hate. Also in WvW  hybrid builds do much better than sicem meme noobstomper. In wvw an lonely spell breaker is not a problem. 

But this thread is about PvP, on another and after the balance patch I will be more than happy to exchange notes. 

 

I'm on EU. Longbow obviously works, but you can easily change things up and abuse evades with poison and weakness instead of pewpewing when doing pure duels. Roaming is different.

[anduriell.6280]

5 hours ago, Lazze.9870 said:

I'm on EU. Longbow obviously works, but you can easily change things up and abuse evades with poison and weakness instead of pewpewing when doing pure duels. Roaming is different.

Well yeah in duels the PvP rule apply, you are not supposed to run away and keep resetting the fight. So LB in duelling is not that effective the same as in PvP. However duelling in WvW... Why? you are taking one of the very limited spots and PvP is better balanced for that type of content. 

 

But when roaming you need the reach for those high / low mobility builds so they have a harder time running away or getting close to the ranger. Once they are within a threshold it's time to switch to the real weapon which is also the original design/idea for the ranger's LB skillset. 

 

 

Edited August 14, 2021 by anduriell.6280