Ranger elite specialization for the 3rd expansion.

[TheLadyOfTheRings.9148]

> @"Fueki.4753" said:

> > @"TheLadyOfTheRings.9148" said:

> > camouflage abilities (the image in my head is the shield as part of the camouflage, hiding the ranger)

>

> This game needs **less** hiding, not more.

> You already have Deadeyes for your ranged hiding elite spec.

> Ranger should not become a Deadeye with better sustain, better ranged damage and the pet on top.

>

>

 

I never said the game needs an elite spec. like that, I simply shared one of the options I would like to see :)

[Heimskarl Ashfiend.9582]

Spirit Shaman:

Ranged Hammer with ground target Marks

No pet.

F1-F4/5 replaced by spirit animal utility skills which give unique buffs to allies around the Ranger Shaman. Like the engi toolbelt based on what skills you use.

Skills: Ground target Spirit Weapons (Animals) Bear/Wolf/Raven/Owl/Ox. These do various AoE damage/buffs/CC.

[Bast Bow.2958]

My bets are also on what InsaneQR and Heimskarl said.

 

Build around control with a Hammer.

[Decklan.7540]

The more I think about it the more I think we will get a Ritualist with our pets all getting spirit forms.

 

You have to think what Anet can do logistically, so ideas like, swapping places with your pet or totems, or what not may be great ideas but also too much of a burden on their engineering and design team.

 

With spirit animals it's a simple art request. Tell them to take the model for whatever pet and turn it blue and translucent lol.

 

Programming wise the AI is already there (although it's mediocre at best) and you could just have the spirit animal automatically cast a few spells with some spells that are manually cast through the f1 through f3 skills. Disable auto attack on the pet in this form. I think giving the spirit animal five manually cast spells would be a little too powerful.

 

Three would be fine. The pet would hang out at the rangers side like a familiar of sorts.

 

The biggest issue here is that buffs like swiftness, regeneration and protection would be totally wasted on your pet. Maybe the pet transfers buffs to the ranger?

 

In terms of a new weapon I would bank on either 2h Hammer OR Focus.

 

In terms of utility skills they could have wells that summon animals from the spirit realm to do damage, cc, or conditions (whichever design direction they go here is fine as long as we get some sort of ranged AOE utility skills).

[Eric.7813]

> @"Bealis.6023" said:

> Hello, I had two ideas, which could give really nice touch to the ranger. First is the one with rifle, Ive always wanted it since the day one, but, as you said, I wont go over it here as its been spoken about alot.

>

> Second one would actually be more interesting, and that is Ranger getting the Ritualist. As original Guild Wars wiki says, Ritualist is a type of ranger that is connected to spirit world, or nature. It would fit with both themes of our ranger profession and Cantha (If it wont get a whole new profession treatment that is).

> Weapon of choice could be a focus. I would love having those focus skins with my ranger.

> Its elite spec mechanic would probably have to do something with the pets, and best thing that comes to mind would be using spirit power - so casting spirit enhancement on your pet, altering it with selectable spirits. Thats still different from Soulbeast and doesnt cross with Spirit skills.

> New skill line would either be weapon enhancements for yourself and allies, or urns for temporarily raising dead. (necro players wouldnt probably like that, but whatever)

>

 

I agree that the ritualist elite spec would work well on ranger. Although I would rather see the ritualist come back as it's own profession. It had so many great attributes...

[ledernierrempart.6871]

weapon:; Hammer

[Xenash.1245]

Just a random question since I've seen a few people commenting about it, but why do you guys not want a pet focused elite specialization when it's our general class mechanic to begin with? It may sound a bit old and dry and I'm not trying to sound rude, but why do you play this class if you don't like it's core mechanic.

[Fueki.4753]

> @"Xenash.1245" said:

> Just a random question since I've seen a few people commenting about it, but why do you guys not want a pet focused elite specialization when it's our general class mechanic to begin with? It may sound a bit old and dry and I'm not trying to sound rude, but why do you play this class if you don't like it's core mechanic.

 

Because the AI sucks and people already complaining that pets are OP.

Do you want even more whining that **will** eventually cause severe nerfs to the core functionality of the specialization?

Just look at Mirages and their lone dodge.

[DeathDealer.6731]

I also like the Warden idea, but I would go so far as to say warhorn (mainhand) shield (offhand), make the warhorn have 2 frontal cone aoes, maybe spirit animals that come forth from your call, Id like it to have a few base pets that are only available to the warden elite, pets that are only found in echovald forest. Choose a between of druid and beast, defensive capability with healing and nice dps but nothing over the top. Maybe even 4 to 5 skills that can summon the spirits of beasts that lived in the echovald forest instead of a real pet.

[Thornwolf.9721]

> @"Fueki.4753" said:

> > @"Xenash.1245" said:

> > Just a random question since I've seen a few people commenting about it, but why do you guys not want a pet focused elite specialization when it's our general class mechanic to begin with? It may sound a bit old and dry and I'm not trying to sound rude, but why do you play this class if you don't like it's core mechanic.

>

> Because the AI sucks and people already complaining that pets are OP.

> Do you want even more whining that **will** eventually cause severe nerfs to the core functionality of the specialization?

> Just look at Mirages and their lone dodge.

 

With guardian, engie and necromancer existing as they do I couldn't really care less if people find the pets OP. I want a pet based spec and I want to run around with my pet, I've ran core since PoF came out and honestly the pets arent OP. If not a pet based spec focusing on making them stronger while we bring the CC, then just dont give ranger a spec and double the amount of pets they give us so we can compensate.

 

I really dont want another soul-beast which in my eyes was a cop-out and damn near made me drop the class as a whole.

[FrownyClown.8402]

Make pets work like revenant and changes your utility skills depending on the pet type.

[Dante.1508]

I hope they add a class without pets, like Guildwars 1

[Dante.1508]

> @"Krispera.5087" said:

> > @"Mokk.2397" said:

> > > @"Krispera.5087" said:

> > > > @"Fueki.4753" said:

> > > > If you were to remove the spirits, **core** Rangers would lose their connection to Nature and a substantial part of the lore behind them and suddenly become nothing more than another iteration of the bland _pew-pew Archetype_ that many games incorporate.

> > >

> > > Ok, then, let's keep useless spirits that only work with Druid in raids for the sake of roleplaying and lore.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> >

> > Spirits are stand alone, buffed by one single trait . Non of the specializations have any effect on what spirits do.

>

> I'm well aware of that ? I don't think you understood what I meant.

>

> I'm saying spirits are only used by one build and it's by the Druids in raids. It's not even used in Fractals anymore, because of the Stability nerf.

 

I use spirits in my condi shortbow build.

[Halbarz.3854]

I would like to the rifle, let's be honest every class in this game does better range damage than the ranger.

The rifle should be heavy damage dealing weapon but with a twist, some skills do tons of damage but the recoil can damage you.

 

While the numbers might be off, I thought the below could be fun :P

 

The rifle should be mid to long-range with 1 AOE that cripples and burns the enemy and 1 AOE (bounce between target) that blinds.

The other attacks:

- Auto-attack (3 stages) - first shot bleeds the target, the second shot blind the target, third shot grants fury

- The second attack is one of the AOE's

- the third attack: unload - reload your weapon and grant yourself 5 might shoot a barrage of bullets that on critical hit cripples and bleeds the target.

- the fourth attack: lay down your weapon, and kick it towards the target where it overloads, stuns the target, and does heavy damage. on crit, the skill unloads (number 3) resets.

- the fifth attack is the second big AOE

 

new utility skills: Gadgets

- Piercing laser: Passive, precision is increased by 150, active: all your shots now pierce their target

- Ranger's vision: passive, your shots no longer being reflected by player abilities, active: put 5 vulnerability on the target and grant you and your allies for 5 seconds fury and might. you take 30% additional damage for 8 seconds.

- Dome of courage: you gain toughness (+300) and deal 30% less damage for 8 seconds, all spells have a chance to be neutralized in your area.

- Electroshock: Stun all targets around, when the stun breaks they are blinded for 3 seconds. Deal minor damage, if the target has vulnerability the damage done by this skill is increased by 300%

 

New elite: Frontline massacre; Jump forward, creating momentum, you and your allies gain quickness and stability while all ranged projectile damage are unblockable. for 10 seconds.

 

I think this could be fun as it would also make the abilities of other classes that are not that often used anymore ... more relevant again in pvp/wvw and in Pve it could bring a new dynamic.

[kharmin.7683]

> @"Dante.1508" said:

> I hope they add a class without pets, like Guildwars 1

This would certainly be a different take on Ranger for me. I never played one w/o a pet in GW1 or GW2.

 

[InsaneQR.7412]

I think we get a class mechanic that will replace the pet with a new control spec and more AoE damage capabilities.

 

We got a support and an additive mechanic. That focussed mainly on healing and some crowd control.

We got a damage spec with an enhancing mechanic that focussed on damage (condi and power) mainly single target.

Lastly it will be a control spec that will focus on area denial and protective buffs.

 

Thats atleast my prediction.

 

For the weapon there could be a double mace setup ir just hammer.

Shield is also an option.

[FrownyClown.8402]

Offhand sword with a 600 range leap and another skill with an evade.

 

Gain the ability to summon pets instead of swap, allowing for 2 pets at once. Tradeoff is they cant be unsummoned and need to be kept alive to get any use out of them. When a pet dies it goes on a 30s cd.

[Kodama.6453]

> @"FrownyClown.8402" said:

> Offhand sword with a 600 range leap and another skill with an evade.

>

> Gain the ability to summon pets instead of swap, allowing for 2 pets at once. Tradeoff is they cant be unsummoned and need to be kept alive to get any use out of them. When a pet dies it goes on a 30s cd.

 

The need to keep your pet alive is not really a trade off in the sense of how they are used by Anet....

 

Maybe they should remove the pet abilities and replace it with the ability to summon a second pet of the same type you already summoned, but with reduced stats.

[anduriell.6280]

> @"Kodama.6453" said:

> > @"FrownyClown.8402" said:

> > Offhand sword with a 600 range leap and another skill with an evade.

> >

> > Gain the ability to summon pets instead of swap, allowing for 2 pets at once. Tradeoff is they cant be unsummoned and need to be kept alive to get any use out of them. When a pet dies it goes on a 30s cd.

>

> The need to keep your pet alive is not really a trade off in the sense of how they are used by Anet....

>

> Maybe they should remove the pet abilities and replace it with the ability to summon a second pet of the same type you already summoned, but with reduced stats.

 

like the hyena ? thanks i hate it.

 

 

Shamman with ceremonial hammer, melee Weapon hard focus in CC and with ranged leaps or teleports which moves the shamman to target locations.

Shaman uses Chants as skills, Chants are transformations into the totem animal they choose.

Totems can be activated to transform the shaman into the animal they represent (similar to how combat transformations work) giving then shaman a new fixed set of skills (it still can use the weapon equiped) And specific buffs representing the spirit (Bear can give extra HP and/or damage reduction, Raven can give superspeed, Wolf extra damage or use more Cantha themed spirits).

While the shaman is transformed it pulses a passive unique effect which also transforms pets (effects like [Enlarge ](https://wiki.guildwars2.com/wiki/Enlarged) ), applying weaker versions into other allies. Chants are not time limited, the shamman can stay as long as needed. Chants can be rotated directly without the need to to return to the original form. Pulsing effects buff allies or debuff (an interesting debuff could be one that increase CDs up to 10s of all skills) on foes but they should not apply direct conditions or boons on anybody.

 

The aditional skills are designed to define to reinforce the role of the spirit, very focus and pigeonholed into its role, it is possible to have Chants without a heal skill or with only ranged AoE skills. Elite tranformation will not be stronger as it would provide a different set of tools from the rest, as CDs should all be around 60s. In game mechanic chants trigger the effects of shouts but there could be a rune set exclusive for chants as well.

 

Traits can extend the range of the leaps (from 900 to 1500 or 2000), while other can extend the CC durations and damage. It can make the passive effects of the tranformations stronger. It can provide an offensive PbAoE effect when the shamman exits the transformation or change to another form.

 

The role of the shamman in squad should be as first striking force to break the range, using the leaps to get in the middle of the enemy zone disrupting the enemy squad and using the tranformations to be as tanky or destructive (depending on the Spirit chosen for that moment) as required.

 

Shammans are the endgame for the ranger, the ranger looking for the ultimate comunión with the nature ultimately becoming one with the spirits of the wild. Shammans enjoy staying in the animal form permanently as they consider going back to their original is an step back.

 

And in cantha the ranger gets to tame Mistfire Wolf as pet at some point.

[Kodama.6453]

> @"anduriell.6280" said:

>snip

 

Ranger is loaded with unique buffs for allies already, so I wouldn't give them another specialization that gives more unique pulsing buffs to allies.

Also you transforming into a werebeast and then pulsing weaker versions of your buffs to allies around feels a bit too similar both mechanically and flavorwise to the shared stances from soulbeast for me.

 

I just personally would prefer to give ranger an elite spec that focuses on the pet. Soulbeast removes one pet, druid weakens your pet. Having a new spec that improves pets instead would be great. Either by strengthen your existing pet or by being able to summon more pets at your side, which then will maul your target you are keeping stunned with your hammer and hard CC utilities.

 

In general I like the idea to revive the bunner thumper in this game in some form. Obviously, they can't take the name bunny thumper for the spec, so I would use "stampede" instead. It puts emphasis on the hard CC theme of the spec as well as the aspect that you might get killed by a hoard of animals.

My choice for utility skills for such a spec would be physical skills.

 

 

[Supreme.3164]

> @"FrownyClown.8402" said:

> Offhand sword with a 600 range leap and another skill with an evade.

>

> Gain the ability to summon pets instead of swap, allowing for 2 pets at once. Tradeoff is they cant be unsummoned and need to be kept alive to get any use out of them. When a pet dies it goes on a 30s cd.

 

Rangers at large simply don't want an elite strongly based on pets because....

 

1-The AI is pretty terrible

2-The pets will be hard nerfed in the end if they prove to be useful or worst do great DPS

3-This sub-community needs something that offers more WvW presence , another duellist build is surely not needed...we have already dozen of them

[FrownyClown.8402]

> @"Supreme.3164" said:

> > @"FrownyClown.8402" said:

> > Offhand sword with a 600 range leap and another skill with an evade.

> >

> > Gain the ability to summon pets instead of swap, allowing for 2 pets at once. Tradeoff is they cant be unsummoned and need to be kept alive to get any use out of them. When a pet dies it goes on a 30s cd.

>

> Rangers at large simply don't want an elite strongly based on pets because....

>

> 1-The AI is pretty terrible

> 2-The pets will be hard nerfed in the end if they prove to be useful or worst do great DPS

> 3-This sub-community needs something that offers more WvW presence , another duellist build is surely not needed...we have already dozen of them

 

Soulbeast can make a perfectly acceptable frontline build. Not our fault its not meta.

http://gw2skills.net/editor/?POwAEdflRweYhsI2JmyX7PzRMH-zVRYhBLG1sTQjraGB-w

[Fishbone.4187]

I'd love to see the Ranger getting the Ritualist specialization and a focus.

[anduriell.6280]

> @"FrownyClown.8402" said:

> > @"Supreme.3164" said:

> > > @"FrownyClown.8402" said:

> > > Offhand sword with a 600 range leap and another skill with an evade.

> > >

> > > Gain the ability to summon pets instead of swap, allowing for 2 pets at once. Tradeoff is they cant be unsummoned and need to be kept alive to get any use out of them. When a pet dies it goes on a 30s cd.

> >

> > Rangers at large simply don't want an elite strongly based on pets because....

> >

> > 1-The AI is pretty terrible

> > 2-The pets will be hard nerfed in the end if they prove to be useful or worst do great DPS

> > 3-This sub-community needs something that offers more WvW presence , another duellist build is surely not needed...we have already dozen of them

>

> Soulbeast can make a perfectly acceptable frontline build. Not our fault its not meta.

> http://gw2skills.net/editor/?POwAEdflRweYhsI2JmyX7PzRMH-zVRYhBLG1sTQjraGB-w

Is not meta because is not good enough. There are already threads which show the stats and why ranger is not a good option in squads.

 

> @"Kodama.6453" said:

> Ranger is loaded with unique buffs for allies already, so I wouldn't give them another specialization that gives more unique pulsing buffs to allies.

> Also you transforming into a werebeast and then pulsing weaker versions of your buffs to allies around feels a bit too similar both mechanically and flavorwise to the shared stances from soulbeast for me.

>

> I just personally would prefer to give ranger an elite spec that focuses on the pet. Soulbeast removes one pet, druid weakens your pet. Having a new spec that improves pets instead would be great. Either by strengthen your existing pet or by being able to summon more pets at your side, which then will maul your target you are keeping stunned with your hammer and hard CC utilities.

>

> In general I like the idea to revive the bunner thumper in this game in some form. Obviously, they can't take the name bunny thumper for the spec, so I would use "stampede" instead. It puts emphasis on the hard CC theme of the spec as well as the aspect that you might get killed by a hoard of animals.

> My choice for utility skills for such a spec would be physical skills.

I get what you are saying, i do.

 

Focusing in the pet is not a good solution as other said: Pets AI is terrible and it doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10, they will die almost instantly to all the random AoEs because the lack of evades and cleanses.

 

Also other players keep complaining about the AI doing all the work for the ranger, Enforcing that role would make the forums to be overtaken by all the whining and the spec would be deleted.

 

Using more AI is not the way to go for ranger. I thought about totems but then again spirits in it's actual design are not wanted and we don't want to be a banner slaves.

 

So the only cool option i see is: Apply transformations like a werebeast and offer some PbAoE support.

The fact the hammer is a melee weapon with leaps is designed to force the ranger to go into melee constantly and be able to the longbow behind. The transformations are there to enforce the role and to give the aditional tankiness or damage the ranger needs to be able to play that role.

 

Soulbeast is a halfcooked spec with not clear design which at best could have a support role in an squad. We still need anspec to work in squad comps with an offensive role.

[Infusion.7149]

> @"FrownyClown.8402" said:

> Soulbeast can make a perfectly acceptable frontline build. Not our fault its not meta.

> http://gw2skills.net/editor/?POwAEdflRweYhsI2JmyX7PzRMH-zVRYhBLG1sTQjraGB-w

You're generally better off going full damage with what you posted. Nature Magic isn't helping much. If you take Wilderness Survival , you gain protection on dodge , more dodges, health gain on protection, and Muddy Terrain on heal. All are far more useful than a 2K-ish heal every 20s or Fury that is applied to others much more readily by Heralds.