Need of increased shortbow range

[anduriell.6280]

So this time I’d like to discuss about a simple number change. To change the shortbow range from actual 900 to the needed 1500.

 

The change seems simple enough but it would open the ranger as a hole to condition builds in PvP/wvw if the skills stays like now.

 

Why 1500? Because it’s the range which allows the ranger to be able to fight heavy teleporting classes like thieves or mesmers, otherwise the condi ranger as a hole lacks pressure, because the teleports takes them away from normal range and conditions don’t last long from this weapon.

 

For PvE should change nothing and just a minor QoL improvement.

 

Obviously more adjustments are needed to make this weapon as useful as the LB but I’d like to start with just that simple enough change and se how it feels.

 

What would you say?

 

 

[weaponwh.9810]

I would like shortbow has more range, but in general condi ranger just doesn't do well in PvP. which why I swap gear between PvE and PvP. I rather have 1 button swap gear feature than increase shortbow range.

[Khailyn.6248]

I agree that shortbow should have at least 1200 range, I also feel the auto attack needs slowed down in speed and have its condition stacks/damage adjusted to keep the damage the same. I've always thought it looked strange firing faster than you could imagine reloading it, its a bow not a semi automatic.

[Britchie.5748]

I think the range is fine. Short bow should be played with traps, so you need to be close anyway.

[FASTCAR.7831]

SB is terrible, reason nobody uses it

1500 range,not quite right

1200 YES

better /more usefull skills also

 

OR at least make the condis longer, the auto attack bleed is really silly

So short

[Krispera.5087]

1500 might be too much, 1200 is the sweet spot.

 

And remove the flanking bonus, it's already on the weak side. Simply gives more if traited.

[InsaneQR.7412]

1200 seems good for me too. Also making some of the flanking bonusses that are given by the trait baseline. The trait is overbloated and needs a rework.

[MarshallLaw.9260]

As someone who has frequently enjoyed playing shortbow Trapper and shortbow SoulB I think the current 900 range is fine. IMO there has to be a clear difference between LB and Shortbow - one is fast action and short range, more skirmish orientated, the other slower, harder hitting with more range.

1200 is the range for all other LB users, so bringing shortbow to this level might not be balanced given the high fire rate it has and the potential to stack conditions.

[schmots.6803]

While I would love more range on the short bow, I don't see it every happening.. its a short bow, not a long bow. Plus the other two professions who can use short bow are at 900 too. Maybe a trait to go to 1000... maybe.. but anymore than that would see a massive damage nerf along with that range. When the Anet lord giveth.. he taketh so much more.

[InsaneQR.7412]

> @"MarshallLaw.9260" said:

> As someone who has frequently enjoyed playing shortbow Trapper and shortbow SoulB I think the current 900 range is fine. IMO there has to be a clear difference between LB and Shortbow - one is fast action and short range, more skirmish orientated, the other slower, harder hitting with more range.

> 1200 is the range for all other LB users, so bringing shortbow to this level might not be balanced given the high fire rate it has and the potential to stack conditions.

 

If they would make piercing baseline and some the flanking bonusses given by the trait it could be justifiable to add +300 range on the trait and give bonus condi duration when under the effects of swiftness.

Would give this trait some nice use for WvW players and some players that do not swap often weapons for quickdraw procs.

[InsaneQR.7412]

Ouu i forgot to add this: Quickshot should have charges and crippling shot too.

[Silverkung.9127]

Shotbow.

1500range is a bit to much.

1200range back to normal like b4 nerf range to 900 is make senes.

Make more bonus when shot back/flank.

[Fluffball.8307]

Range has almost nothing to do with SBs woes. It's the lack of damage and the build/utility skill problems that cripple the weapon.

 

I can barely even imagine a scenario where 1500 range SB in its current state would even be useful. You going to power autoattack an enemy zerg?

[Kovu.7560]

Its a clunky weapon with limited condition potential compared to other condition weapons/builds and almost no defensive abilities. (You could call the daze a proactive defense, but then you'd have to say that about every CC effect in the game, in which case longbow would have 3 via stealth, knockback and cripple.)

Shortbow 3's effect needs to be quickness, not swiftness. It would help with the weapons and would synergize with condition soulbeast (which isn't exactly op or all that prevalent compared to its power-based counterparts.)

 

~ Kovu

[Curennos.9307]

I like that the SB CD reduction trait also adds bonus stuf if you hit from behind or the sides, but...such a mechanic (Sadly) has no place in how the game currently plays. Add the bonuses to each hit no matter what (maybe nerf 'em a bit) and have #2 attach 5 poison stacks to each arrow, but allow it to only apply once to a person. That way you can't stack 25 poison on someone, but your damage from what seeeems to be SB's main damage skill doesn't end up easily negligible.

 

And for the sake of all that is heck, pleeeaaaase buff stances a bit? Especially the Elite. They all seem balanced around having GM trait, and are thus very lacking without it. They're not -absolutely horrid-, but they're definitely lackluster (even with said GM trait).

 

Dagger 2 could use a range increase too (or a cast speed decrease). Almost a 1 sec cast time combined with the horribly short range make it extremely difficult to land, and the difficulty doesn't match the reward of actually hitting someone with the skill.

 

Hunter's Tactics (the last minor trait in Skrimishing) could also use some love - it has the same doesn't-fit-anymore mechanic SB has with attacking from behind/sides.

 

And maybe buff Predator's Cunning (heal and/or damage) but give it an ICD? Ranger doesn't have enough consistent poison application that it could ever benefit from the lack of an ICD.

 

Oops sorry, that kinda turned from a shortbow thing into a soulbeast thing....but they do both shorten to 'SB', so that excuses it right?

[Wondrouswall.7169]

Would love it if Quickshot removed immobilize. LoYF needs another pass.

 

Wouldn't have an issue with LoYF on-dodge bonus if it were just "when you evade an attack" like Primal Reflex, but with the caveat of also removing the sword requirement on Strider's Defense so there can be a row for gaining a bonus when evading hits.

 

That and if LoYF could have the additional flanking bonuses changed to affect flanking and non-flanking. Quickshot doesn't have a flanking bonus and the bonus for Concussion Shot applies regardless of positioning, so it ends up like Lead the Wind where a trait that improves the weapon doesn't apply to every skill.

 

Something like +33% bleed duration on Crossfire, +2 arrows on Poison Volley, Quickshot becomes an ammo skill, and Crippling Shot applies torment. Vulnerability on Concussion Shot bonus can remain since it already does what I suggest.

 

Maybe go a step further and change the piercing bonus to an explode on impact to differ it from Longbow. Exploding arrows fits shortbow more than piercing and Poison Volley could benefit from it.

[voltaicbore.8012]

> @"Wondrouswall.7169" said:

 

> Maybe go a step further and change the piercing bonus to an explode on impact to differ it from Longbow. Exploding arrows fits shortbow more than piercing and Poison Volley could benefit from it.

 

I second this idea - the pierce is nice, but SB has the same problem LB has: most of the attacks are linear, and until your clump mobs tight enough, the pierce is highly inferior to other forms of cleave. The explosion is something I've thought about as well, and I imagine it to be a skill that grants you 6 charges of a unique buff (much like Sharpening Stone provides a stack of its unique buff) that you consume as you fire off attacks. While it would be cool to have each weapon skill you use while you have this consumable buff be uniquely modified, I think for simplicity's sake the buff should just add a small direct damage burst along with maybe 1-3 stacks of poison and bleeding to any attack used.

 

[ProtoMarcus.7649]

As a heavy Short-bow user, I think 1500 range is absolutely ridiculous.

 

The Short-bow is a skirmishing weapon for close to medium range, it is not a sniping weapon. I guess it wouldn't hurt to enhance the range to say 1000 but more than that is too much.

 

I really think some weapon skills for the ranger should have charges though, short-bow could also benefit from that.

[InsaneQR.7412]

> @"ProtoMarcus.7649" said:

> As a heavy Short-bow user, I think 1500 range is absolutely ridiculous.

>

> The Short-bow is a skirmishing weapon for close to medium range, it is not a sniping weapon. I guess it wouldn't hurt to enhance the range to say 1000 but more than that is too much.

>

> I really think some weapon skills for the ranger should have charges though, short-bow could also benefit from that.

 

Pretty much all OH weapons could need charges with WH as an exception.

Sb could need charges on quickshot for evasion and crippling shot fir snaring and more condi burst. Also i think that the flanking bonusses should be made basilne from the trait and remove piercing.

AA should hit multiple targets arround main targets to compensate for that.

Also also:

Crippling shot would actually made a fantastic teather skill with a pull.

Like: Cripple your target and bind them to you. Every attack of your pet applies bleed as long as they are bound

Flipover: Pull the target to you.

 

The teather applies reveal like every other teather in the game. It is unblockable and thus cannot be reflected (actually this is more to prevent weird reflect behaviour than rather competitive focus, although nice ofc)

[KeyOrion.9506]

Longbow has increased damage, the further you were away from your target.

 

Shortbow was supposed to have increased damage the closer you were to your target.

 

Increase the speed output of #1 skill on shortbow for rangers. Back when it was fast.

[Conncept.7638]

> @"Britchie.5748" said:

> I think the range is fine. Short bow should be played with traps, so you need to be close anyway.

 

I'd love for them not to but traps royally suck, even after being redesigned twice, and they are likely going to suck forever. Also, no weapon should be made around such a narrow playstyle.

 

That said, I don't think giving the shortbow more range is the answer, it's a weapon with a flanking mechanic, that has no more mobility than a single stack of swiftness. What it needs is a _real_ movement skill so you can _actually_ use its flank mechanic.

[crepuscular.9047]

> @"anduriell.6280" said:

> So this time I’d like to discuss about a simple number change. To change the shortbow range from actual 900 to the needed 1500.

 

> Why 1500? Because it’s the range which allows the ranger to be able to fight heavy teleporting classes like thieves or mesmers, otherwise the condi ranger as a hole lacks pressure, because the teleports takes them away from normal range and conditions don’t last long from this weapon.

 

> What would you say?

 

I say it's a stupid idea [Longbow vs Shortbow – What’s the Difference?](https://archerytopic.com/longbow-vs-shortbow/ "https://archerytopic.com/longbow-vs-shortbow/")

 

shortbows have always been historically lowest range with the last firing rate [https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Bow](https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Bow "https://wiki.guildwars.com/wiki/Bow")

 

just because you are getting flogged by 2 classes, that does not mean you cannot go try beat up 6 other classes.