Barrage?

In my opinion, a barrager deals a lot better damage than an ele, and is harder to shutdown too. Faintheartedness
Shadow Of Fear
Wail of Doom
Spirit Shackles }
Empathy } overkill
Spiteful Spirit }
Reckless Haste
Blind
Blurred Vision
Ineptitude
Clumsiness

The list goes on.

We're not talking about the idiots who bring Barrage to Alliance Battles when you can practically guarantee you won't be hitting more than 2 targets. In general PvE using henchman Barrage/interrupter works perfectly. It covers up for the damage the henchman are too bad to do and goes to work on the group of enemies that surround Sister Ta(nk)i.

That of course and to get through many smaller groups you can watch tv at the same time and press 1 and c alot.

Its the best skill to use with Judges Insight too.

I don't have a problem with barrage itself and I find it a useful elite for quite a few missions. The thing that bothers me most about it is the bad labled its received by people running "B/P" in almost every situation. Try asking people why they use two skill slots to bring a bet when there is no way they can effectively put points in beast mastery, marksmanship, and expertise and still have a decent damage output. The response you'll no doubtedly get is "stfu noob." Probably from some kid who heard or read on guildwiki about a barrage/pet build being effective in tombs and they assume that it works in every situation. It honestly bothers me every time I see someone spam "B/P lfg". Another problem with barrage is that it has officially become the noob ranger skill since it doesn't require any skill to spam "1". Without a doubt, there are good rangers out there who effectively use barrage builds. Its probably only a 1 in 5 chance that you'll get one of those in your pug though. Spamming 1 might be simple, but it's not playing a ranger efficiently.
Even with an Ithas Bow, which has the same refire rate as a shortbow (I believe they have the same stats... otherwise I have been misled), barrage recharges before you're ready to shoot again. Simply hitting 1 over and over again will interrupt your character's motion and lower the DPS. It's better to let him shoot the non-barrage shot then trigger for barrage. Keep it timed like that and you'll out-damage all the B/P n00bs who bring a vampiric bow with no backup into AvA.
The only skill that makes a build is the player skill.

Spirit Shackles } I hate that

Oh, and just for the record, breaking animation doesn't lessen your dps, especially if you are shooting against groups. I wasn't talking about groups. Against a single target over an extended duration it does. Sorry you got confused.

OathShot - Spirit Spammers in HA or active trappers...both are not pve
P.Stance - Choking gas...again...not pve.
Lunge - BM? You serious
Broad Head Arrow - Don't really need dazed in pve except maybe a boss..and it costs alot. Oath Shot is good in the right build anywhere.

Practiced Stance/Choking Gas is very powerful in PvE - enemy casters cluster, this suppresses. I've creamed through tough areas with CG/PS. Sure, it's not damage, but you don't NEED to be dealing damage.

Enraged Lunge kicks butt. If you don't believe it, try Jenosavel's (or another) Enraged Lunge build. +80 damage every 5 seconds = good skill.

Broad Head, debatable - unconditional daze is powerful anti-caster mojo, works well in some missions.

As for others, some are situationally useful. Don't write proclaiming skills useless, you can't support the argument. Yes, Barrage is a good skill, but there are many good skills.

Broad Head, debatable - unconditional daze is powerful anti-caster mojo, works well in some missions. Yeah sure in the land of henchman.
The Shiro'ken Elementalist boss in Raisu Palace. Defeated by BHA and attack spam? Or Shelter and Shatter/Drain/Remove in any form Enchantments. What you saved, your elite slot and 2 more classes that are likely to be there using those 2 skills.

If your in the land of henchman and obviously can't fine tune there builds to kill bosses with ease then its powerful. In any normal group there are better skills. The only possible exceptions been that frigging Ele L-Surge boss on the way to Gyala Hatchery where an unconditional interrupt is the end of it and the Ride the Lightning boss.

Beyond an aid for skillcapping this skill is useless.