Fractal Druid/Ranger advice please

[mossmere.9503]

I am just starting to learn fractals. Doing the dailies in T1.  Currently running a SB build not meant for Fractals, (I know, I know, ) yet easy to use to learn the basics. However, I want to druid my way through the Fractals for the most part. I'm using Fractals for gear/infusion before stepping up to Raid training but would also like to push myself as high as I can get.  I have enough AR for up to T3, but only for one set of gear. So I have to pick which one I'm going to stay put on for a bit.  I have only used druid a few times. I'm at best a mediocre healer at this point. I need to learn the build way way better.  (I traditionally play healers and have for years. It makes me happy. So I do have a decent measure of where my skill should be at and it's T2 level, okay early T2. LOL)  I am considering switching to the Druid now, while I learn the fractals to also learn how to properly druid.  I realize this is not needed by other players in T1. However for me to be good enough to be needed I need to practice first. What do you recommend?  Do you have tips for better Druid'ing?  I hope to hear from some veteran players both rangers and other classes. Thank you!

[Infusion.7149]

You don't want to run druid in fractals generally. Once you hit T4 more or less all groups worth joining run heal firebrands for quickness.

 

You're better off gearing all ascended in viper or berserker stats. Run hybrid soulbeast or power soulbeast.

 

https://discretize.eu/builds

 

If you just want to practice druid for raiding do that in strike missions. Make sure you run grace of the land for 10 man might.

Edited August 18, 2021 by Infusion.7149

[Swagger.1459]

10 hours ago, mossmere.9503 said:

I am just starting to learn fractals. Doing the dailies in T1.  Currently running a SB build not meant for Fractals, (I know, I know, ) yet easy to use to learn the basics. However, I want to druid my way through the Fractals for the most part. I'm using Fractals for gear/infusion before stepping up to Raid training but would also like to push myself as high as I can get.  I have enough AR for up to T3, but only for one set of gear. So I have to pick which one I'm going to stay put on for a bit.  I have only used druid a few times. I'm at best a mediocre healer at this point. I need to learn the build way way better.  (I traditionally play healers and have for years. It makes me happy. So I do have a decent measure of where my skill should be at and it's T2 level, okay early T2. LOL)  I am considering switching to the Druid now, while I learn the fractals to also learn how to properly druid.  I realize this is not needed by other players in T1. However for me to be good enough to be needed I need to practice first. What do you recommend?  Do you have tips for better Druid'ing?  I hope to hear from some veteran players both rangers and other classes. Thank you!

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Ranger

[aymnad.9023]

Sadly @Infusion.7149is right you can play it but you will not find that many groups asking for druid in high level fractals. Even when people were saying that druid was used for everything you could see the cracks in the kit.

Last time I played it, it was because we did not want to take too long to find someone and I did not want to swap gear to my hfb (now with leg armory I cannot say that anymore X) ).

 

The heal / aoe / range are relatively small, you do not have some (broken) boons to defend your allies, your reactions are bound to your CA and kind slow.

Druid as a healer works in raids because this environment is mostly predictable, there is way less damage and you can use some offensive utilities.

 

Now that I got all the negative points out of the way, you could play it with harrier if you want to play it in raids too, you could add some minstrel if you want some defense and the build would pretty much be the same as the one in raids.

Pick some spirits and nature vengeance (Nature magic), spotter (skirmishing), Grace of the land (druid) and healing spring for some great cleanse + explosion combo thanks to quickdraw (skirmishing) and find pets with strong cc and damage.

 

Also with a druid you are still bound to an alac and a quickness giver. I would recommend starting a group with friends that can fill these roles.

Edited August 18, 2021 by aymnad.9023

[mossmere.9503]

22 hours ago, Infusion.7149 said:

You don't want to run druid in fractals generally. Once you hit T4 more or less all groups worth joining run heal firebrands for quickness.

 

You're better off gearing all ascended in viper or berserker stats. Run hybrid soulbeast or power soulbeast.

 

https://discretize.eu/builds

 

If you just want to practice druid for raiding do that in strike missions. Make sure you run grace of the land for 10 man might.

Ah thank you! I had read the exact opposite. I run Sb now but thank you for the tips on gear!

[mossmere.9503]

21 hours ago, Swagger.1459 said:

http://metabattle.com/wiki/Ranger

Thankfully, I'm not a new player. I main a mesmer normally and have been using Metabattle for years.  Helpful to new players if it included context. But thanks anyways. 🙂

[mossmere.9503]

16 hours ago, aymnad.9023 said:

Sadly @Infusion.7149is right you can play it but you will not find that many groups asking for druid in high level fractals. Even when people were saying that druid was used for everything you could see the cracks in the kit.

Last time I played it, it was because we did not want to take too long to find someone and I did not want to swap gear to my hfb (now with leg armory I cannot say that anymore X) ).

 

The heal / aoe / range are relatively small, you do not have some (broken) boons to defend your allies, your reactions are bound to your CA and kind slow.

Druid as a healer works in raids because this environment is mostly predictable, there is way less damage and you can use some offensive utilities.

 

Now that I got all the negative points out of the way, you could play it with harrier if you want to play it in raids too, you could add some minstrel if you want some defense and the build would pretty much be the same as the one in raids.

Pick some spirits and nature vengeance (Nature magic), spotter (skirmishing), Grace of the land (druid) and healing spring for some great cleanse + explosion combo thanks to quickdraw (skirmishing) and find pets with strong cc and damage.

 

Also with a druid you are still bound to an alac and a quickness giver. I would recommend starting a group with friends that can fill these roles.

You are super. So it's not just me? It's clunky and has crappy heals? I feel better already.  I might just switch back to my mesmer and say done. LOL. I am dropping the druid in fractals completely. I'll either SB or switch back to mesmer. Not sure yet which one.  I will not ask my family/friends to run specific builds to accommodate a druid, that's just crazy. LOL 

 

I have ran Druid in the Strike missions once or twice and found I preferred the mesmer role more.  sigh.... Full harrier gear, Grace of the land. Basically the same set-up.  So at least I was on ball there! 

 

Thank you so much!

[Xukavi.4320]

1 hour ago, mossmere.9503 said:

I will not ask my family/friends to run specific builds to accommodate a druid, that's just crazy. LOL

 

Just want to elaborate on what he meant by having friends run Alac and Quickness givers. Its just easier having friends cover those roles than needing to PUG them, especially when you're learning a new role yourself.

 

For instanced group content you want a group that covers providing all boons, healing and enough CC for breakbars. Since in fractals you're group is 5 man its optimal to have a profession that can cover multiples in order to also leave room for dps.

 

Currently meta group comp for Fractals is Alacrity Renegade (provides Alacrity and CC + can provide about 10 stacks of might), Heal Firebrand (provides healing, might, quickness and aegis) and 3x dps (one of those optimally being a banner slave warrior).

 

As stated Druid doesn't really fit well based on the above information. Druid provides heals, 25 stacks of might and unique ranger buffs like Spotter and Spirits. You can run Heal Druid in the group but then you still need a quickness source l, which means running a 3rd support for quickness which means less dps overall. Looking at what Druid provides compared to HFB, HFB can provide similar healing, stacks might and on top of that fives aegis + quickness. That means that the only thing that Druid would provide is the core Ranger buffs like Spotter & Spirits which you can provide as a SB Dps.

 

Again, High end fractals is all about optimizing the group for covering the necessary healing and buffs while pushing for as much dps as possible.

[aymnad.9023]

It is not just you 🙂.  I hope you can still find some fun with slb and still try some druid gameplay in raids. Some bosses are fun because you are in charge of mechanics, some are a bit boring because you just rotate your heals.

 

@Xukavi.4320 gave a great and detailed answer.  I will just add that if you just plan to do standard T4 (not cms) as a druid once in a while, having your friends fill those roles the will make it easier to lfg and a bit less likely that somebody asks you to swap so (s)he can play hfb instead.

Edited August 20, 2021 by aymnad.9023

[Strider.7849]

On 8/17/2021 at 8:57 PM, mossmere.9503 said:

I am just starting to learn fractals. Doing the dailies in T1.  Currently running a SB build not meant for Fractals, (I know, I know, ) yet easy to use to learn the basics. However, I want to druid my way through the Fractals for the most part. I'm using Fractals for gear/infusion before stepping up to Raid training but would also like to push myself as high as I can get.  I have enough AR for up to T3, but only for one set of gear. So I have to pick which one I'm going to stay put on for a bit.  I have only used druid a few times. I'm at best a mediocre healer at this point. I need to learn the build way way better.  (I traditionally play healers and have for years. It makes me happy. So I do have a decent measure of where my skill should be at and it's T2 level, okay early T2. LOL)  I am considering switching to the Druid now, while I learn the fractals to also learn how to properly druid.  I realize this is not needed by other players in T1. However for me to be good enough to be needed I need to practice first. What do you recommend?  Do you have tips for better Druid'ing?  I hope to hear from some veteran players both rangers and other classes. Thank you!

As someone who has mained ranger since launch and played druid in all high end PvE content, WvW, and sPvP - I recommend learning druid through strikes and raids at the moment. 

 

Druid is not needed in T1 nor is it needed in T4. It's heals are gated by celestial avatar, DPS is low, and it brings nothing useful to the table. It's also highly dependent on receiving alacrity. What this will translate to in T4's is slower runs at best, constant wipes at worst.

 

For ranger, something I'd highly recommend for T4's+ is condi soulbeast. DPS is pretty good, it brings useful buffs and party wide DPS increases through stances and spotter. 

[Leonidrex.5649]

5 hours ago, Strider.7849 said:

As someone who has mained ranger since launch and played druid in all high end PvE content, WvW, and sPvP - I recommend learning druid through strikes and raids at the moment. 

 

Druid is not needed in T1 nor is it needed in T4. It's heals are gated by celestial avatar, DPS is low, and it brings nothing useful to the table. It's also highly dependent on receiving alacrity. What this will translate to in T4's is slower runs at best, constant wipes at worst.

 

For ranger, something I'd highly recommend for T4's+ is condi soulbeast. DPS is pretty good, it brings useful buffs and party wide DPS increases through stances and spotter. 

+1
condi, power or hybrid soulbeast is the way to go, but after the changes I would lean towards condi or hybrid.

[Joncal.9623]

This is so depressing to read, even on the forums.

 

As a returning druid (that never really made it to endgame before I took a several years long hiatus) it's so disheartening reading this both ingame, here and on reddit.

What content "can" a druid do then (aka according to the playerbase)?
Beside being a raid slave, that is?

*rerolls a necro in the meantime bc SB are not his cup of tea* 😒

[Lazze.9870]

2 hours ago, Joncal.9623 said:

What content "can" a druid do then (aka according to the playerbase)?
Beside being a raid slave, that is?

 

It can do several things, but it is outclassed in every area of the game. Spirit slave for 10 man PvE content is the only meta role it has.

[mossmere.9503]

Thanks everyone! I spent a few days on my mesmer for play comparison and I am way happier on the ranger. I am going to stick with SLB. When I'm ready for raids or if in a strike I can Druid, but I might stick with dps for the moment just to learn the fights.  Right now I only have power or druid gear, so Condi will be my next set of gear to work towards. 

 

Joncal: I have heard of and seen Druids being played in WvW and PvP. Rare from what I can gather, but some players are pulling it off. If you ignore the meta and know the class like the back of your hand, there's no reason not to. Don't let it discourage you!  I don't ignore the meta but that's just me. And there are PUGS that could care less if your meta or not or what class you are.