The Ranger - Skill Changes

As the game has progressed over the years the ranger seems to have been forgotten in many skill updates. Its very sad to see one of the best and versatile classes taking the back seat of the live teams minds as far as updates go so I decided to make some skill changes and post them here.

- All skill changes are for PvE only since I retired from GvG a very long time ago and I am not familiar with the current meta. Anet can split skills between PvE and PvP so there should be no problem.

- The function of ranger attributes will remain untouched.

- I assume most know that pet AI is horrible and has been discussed before on other threads. I am sure the live team knows this so its all in their hands.

- As a quick reference all spirits remain unchanged except for the casting and recharge times (this excludes Favorable Winds). All spirit casting times are 1 second and recharge times that were 60 seconds are now 45 seconds.

- As a quick reference traps are no longer easy to interrupt by themselves but the rest of their stats and descriptions are unchanged.

- If you don't like a certain skill change don't let it be a deal breaker for the rest. Please state the skill(s) and why you don't like it/them and offer some of your own ideas if you think they are better. If it your idea is better I will change it. If the skill seems too powerful(or funky) I will revert it back.

- If a skill is not listed it is because I feel it does not need to be changed at all. If you think there is a skill not listed that should be changed speak up but just an FYI I am trying to keep the list short as possible.

- Some skills have been moved to other attributes. The goal is to make rangers more fun, not assassins.

- Even if all I did was change the casting time or something small I included entire skill descriptions to give it a polished look and to make future changes if necessary.


Beast Mastery(Nothing but spirits listed)

Edge of Extinction

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Deals 14...43...50 damage to creatures in its range whenever a creature of the same type dies. Does not affect spirits. No damage to creatures above 90% Health.


Energizing Wind

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (1...25...31 second lifespan). Skills cost 15 less energy (minimum cost 10 energy) and recharge 25% slower for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Fertile Season

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Party members and pets in range have +20...56...62 maximum health and +8 armor.


Lacerate

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Bleeding foes in range have -2 Health degeneration. End effect: Inflicts Bleeding condition (5...21...25 seconds) on foes in range that have less than 90% health. Does not affect spirits.


Predatory Season

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Foes in range receive 1...7...10% less from healing. Party members and pets in range gain 5 health each time they hit with an attack.


Primal Echoes

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Pets in range have a +6...18...21% chance to critically hit when their owner activates a pet attack.


Symbiosis

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Party members and pets in range have +5...17...20 maximum health for each enchantment on them. Does not affect spirits.


Toxicity

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan.) Poisoned or Diseased foes within range have -1 Health degeneration.



Expertise

Disrupting Accuracy

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 12 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your arrows deal +3...9...10 damage and interrupt actions when they critical. No effect unless Expertise 8 or higher.

*** Moved to discourage crit barragers ***


Expert Focus

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (36 seconds.) Your arrows have a 0...4...5% chance to critically hit and do +1...8...10 damage.

*** First part changed because Barrage and Volley would be too cheap ***

Glass Arrows

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 12 Seconds

Elite Preparation. (18 seconds.) Your arrows deal +5...17...20 damage and inflicts Bleeding condition (4...10...11 seconds).


Infuriating Heat

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Increases adrenaline gain for party members in range by 25%.


Lightning Reflexes

Energy: 10
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Stance. (5...10...11 seconds.)


Practiced Stance

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Stance. (5...15...18 seconds.) You attack 25% faster and bow attacks recharge 10...22...25% faster.

*** Changed since preparations have faster casting and recharge times ***


Trapper's Focus

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Elite Preparation. (12...22...24 seconds.) If a trap would be interrupted you instead lose 2 energy or Trapper‘s Focus ends. You gain +0...2...2 to your Wilderness Survival attribute.

*** First part changed because traps by themselves are no longer easy to interrupt ***



Marksmanship

Barrage

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 1 Second

Elite Bow Attack. Deals +5...17...20 damage. Hits 6 foes adjacent to your target.

*** Yes, this skill no longer removes preparations and fires 1 arrow at the target and up to 6 arrows at adjacent foes like in the description. ***


Body Shot

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Bow Attack. If this attack hits, you deal +5...17...20 damage. If it hits a foe with a condition, you gain 0...3...4 Energy.

*** Changed since Forked Arrow inflicts cracked armor ***


Determined Shot

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 10 Seconds

Bow Attack. Deals +5...17...20 damage. Your next non-elite attack skill recharges instantly.

*** Changed to be more useful than the current in game version ***


Dual Shot

Energy: 10
Recharge: 10 Seconds

Bow Attack. Shoot two arrows simultaneously at target foe. These arrows deal 30...23...20% less damage.

***Moved from No Attribute to Marksmanship since Forked Arrow has been changed***


Favorable Winds

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Arrows move twice as fast and are unaffected by low elevations. Does not affect spirits.

*** The latter effect applies to shooting arrows uphill and acts is if the target(s) are at the same elevation as you(shooting them downhill still increases damage) ***


Forked Arrow

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 6 Seconds

Bow Attack. Deals +5...17...20 damage. Inflict Cracked Armor (5...17...20 seconds) if you land a critical hit.

*** Current in game version sucks ***


Rapid Fire

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 10 Seconds

Stance. (1...6...7 seconds.) You attack 33% faster. -10 armor


Read the Wind

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (36 seconds). +3...9...10 damage. Your arrows move twice as fast.


Splinter Shot

Energy: 10
Recharge: 5 Seconds

Bow Attack. Deals +3...13...15 damage. Deals 5...13...15 damage to adjacent foes if it hits.

*** AoE damage from this attack would be armor ignoring ***


Volley

Energy: 10
Recharge: 2 Seconds

Bow Attack. Deals +1...8...10 damage. Hits up to 2 foes adjacent to your target.



Wilderness Survival

Apply Poison

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 12 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your physical attacks inflict Poisoned condition (3...13...15 seconds).


Barbed Arrows

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 24 Seconds

Preparation. (18 seconds.) Your arrows inflict Bleeding condition (3...13...15 seconds).


Choking Gas

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation.(3...8...12) Your arrows deal +1...7...8 damage and spread Choking Gas to foes adjacent to target. Choking Gas interrupts spells.


Dryder's Defenses

Energy: 5
Recharge: 30 Seconds

Stance. (5...10...11 seconds.) You have 75% chance to block and +18...30...33 armor against elemental damage.

*** Changed to give Rangers a bit more defense since Lightning Reflexes lost its block mechanic ***


Dust Trap

Energy: 25
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 10...22...25 earth damage every second (5 seconds.) Inflicts Blindness condition (3...7...8 seconds) every second (5 seconds).


Equinox

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Exhaustion is doubled for Exhaustion-causing spells cast within range.


Famine

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 lifespan). Deals 10...30...35 damage to creatures in range that reach 0 energy. Does not affect spirits.


Flame Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 5...17...20 fire damage every second (3 seconds). Inflicts Burning condition (1...3...3 seconds).


Frozen Soil

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit. (30...54...60 second lifespan). Resurrection skills have a 50% chance to fail for foes in range. Does not affect spirits.


Greater Conflagration

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Converts physical damage to fire damage for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Healing Spring

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (10 seconds.) Affects adjacent allies. Heals for 15...51...60 every 2 seconds.


Ignite Arrows

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your arrows deal 3...15...18 fire damage to target and foes adjacent to target.


Kindle Arrows

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) +3...20...24 fire damage. Your arrows deal fire damage.


Melandru's Arrows

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Elite Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your arrows deal +1...13...16 earth damage. When your arrows hit a foe with a condition adjacent foes take 1...13...16 earth damage. No affect unless wielding an earth weapon.

*** Changed because glass arrows inflicts bleeding condition ***


Muddy Terrain

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Foes in range have 15% slower movement. Does not affect spirits.


Nature's Renewal

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 second lifespan). For foes in range, enchantments and Hexes[sic] take 50% longer to cast and it costs twice as much Energy to maintain enchantments. Does not affect spirits.


Pestilence

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 second lifespan). When any foe in range dies, conditions on that foe spread to one foe in the area with a condition. Spirits are not affected.


Piercing Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 5...41...50 piercing damage. Deals 6...12...18 more damage to any foes with a condition.

*** Changed because forked arrow inflicts cracked armor ***


Quickening Zephyr

Energy: 25
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (15...39...45 second lifespan). Skills cost 30% more Energy and recharge twice as fast for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Quicksand

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 second lifespan). Creatures lose 1 Energy each time they attack or use a skill. Does not affect spirits.


Roaring Winds

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Chants and shouts cost 1...4...5 more Energy for foes in range.


Serpent's Quickness

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Stance. (15...27...30 seconds.) Your skills recharge 33% faster.

*** No longer ends if health drops below 50% ***


Smoke Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Elite Trap. (90 seconds.) Inflicts Blinded and Dazed conditions (5...9...10 seconds) to nearby foes.


Snare

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Inflicts Crippled condition (3...13...15 seconds).


Spike Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Elite Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Every second, (for 2 seconds), this trap deals 10...34...40 piercing damage, causes knockdown, and inflicts
Crippled condition (3...21...25 seconds).


Tranquility

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (1...25...31 second lifespan). Hexes expire 15% faster on party members and pets in range.


Tripwire

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Deals 5...17...20 piercing damage to nearby foes. Causes knock-down to Crippled foes.


Troll Unguent

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 10 Seconds

Skill. (13 seconds.) You have +3...9...10 Health regeneration.


Viper's Nest

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 5...29...35 piercing damage. Inflicts Poisoned condition (5...17...20 seconds).

*** Moved to be with its family ***


Winnowing

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Increases physical damage by +4 for party members and pets in range.


Winter

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Converts elemental damage to cold damage for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.ttributes will remain untouched.

- I assume most know that pet AI is horrible and has been discussed before on other threads. I am sure the live team knows this so its all in their hands.

- As a quick reference all spirits remain unchanged except for the casting and recharge times (this excludes Favorable Winds). All spirit casting times are 1 second and recharge times that were 60 seconds are now 45 seconds.

- As a quick reference traps are no longer easy to interrupt by themselves but the rest of their stats and descriptions are unchanged.

- If you don't like a certain skill change don't let it be a deal breaker for the rest. Please state the skill(s) and why you don't like it/them and offer some of your own ideas if you think they are better. If it your idea is better I will change it. If the skill seems too powerful(or funky) I will revert it back.

- If a skill is not listed it is because I feel it does not need to be changed at all. If you think there is a skill not listed that should be changed speak up but just an FYI I am trying to keep the list short as possible.

- Some skills have been moved to other attributes. The goal is to make rangers more fun, not assassins.

- Even if all I did was change the casting time or something small I included entire skill descriptions to give it a polished look and to make future changes if necessary.


Beast Mastery(Nothing but spirits listed)

Edge of Extinction

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Deals 14...43...50 damage to creatures in its range whenever a creature of the same type dies. Does not affect spirits. No damage to creatures above 90% Health.


Energizing Wind

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (1...25...31 second lifespan). Skills cost 15 less energy (minimum cost 10 energy) and recharge 25% slower for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Fertile Season

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (15...39...45 second lifespan). Creatures in range have +50...130...150 maximum health and +8 armor. Does not affect spirits.


Lacerate

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Bleeding creatures in range have -2 Health degeneration. End effect: Inflicts Bleeding condition (5...21...25 seconds) on creatures in range that have less than 90% health. Does not affect spirits.


Predatory Season

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Creatures in range receive 20% less from healing. Creatures gain 5 health each time they hit with an attack. Does not affect spirits.


Primal Echoes

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Signets cost 10 energy for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Symbiosis

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Creatures in range have +27...125...150 maximum health for each enchantment on them. Does not affect spirits.


Toxicity

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 second lifespan.) Poisoned or Diseased creatures within range have -2 Health degeneration.



Expertise

Disrupting Accuracy

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 12 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your arrows deal +3...9...10 damage and interrupt actions when they critical. No effect unless Expertise 8 or higher.

*** Moved to discourage crit barragers ***


Expert Focus

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (36 seconds.) Your arrows have a 0...4...5% chance to critically hit and do +1...8...10 damage.

*** First part changed because Barrage and Volley would be too cheap ***

Glass Arrows

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Elite Preparation. (18 seconds.) Your arrows deal +5...17...20 damage and inflicts Bleeding condition (4...10...12 seconds).


Infuriating Heat

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Doubles adrenaline gain for creatures in range.


Lightning Reflexes

Energy: 10
Recharge Time: 12 Seconds

Stance. (3...9...10 seconds.) You attack 33% faster. You have -10 armor.

*** Changed to give Rangers a decent IAS stance instead of Bestial Fury/Tiger's Stance and a preparation (Rapid Fire) ***


Practiced Stance

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Stance. (5...15...18 seconds.) You attack 25% faster and bow attacks recharge 10...22...25% faster.

*** Changed since preparations have faster casting and recharge times ***


Trapper's Focus

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Elite Preparation. (12...22...24 seconds.) If a trap would be interrupted you instead lose 2 energy or Trapper‘s Focus ends. You gain +0...2...2 to your
Wilderness Survival attribute.

*** First part changed because traps by themselves are no longer easy to interrupt ***



Marksmanship

Barrage

Energy: 10
Recharge Time: 1 Second

Elite Bow Attack. Deals +5...17...20 damage. Hits 6 foes adjacent to your target.

*** Yes, this skill no longer removes preparations and fires 1 arrow at the target and up to 6 arrows at adjacent foes like in the description. ***


Body Shot

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Bow Attack. If this attack hits, you deal +5...17...20 damage. If it hits a foe with a condition, you gain 0...2...2 Energy.

*** Changed since Forked Arrow inflicts cracked armor ***


Determined Shot

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 10 Seconds

Bow Attack. Deals +5...17...20 damage. Your next non-elite attack skill recharges instantly.

*** Changed to be more useful than the current in game version ***


Dual Shot

Energy: 10
Recharge: 10 Seconds

Bow Attack. Shoot two arrows simultaneously at target foe. These arrows deal 30...23...20% less damage.

***Moved from No Attribute to Marksmanship since Forked Arrow has been changed***


Favorable Winds

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Arrows move twice as fast and are unaffected by low elevations. Does not affect spirits.

*** The latter effect applies to shooting arrows uphill and acts is if the target(s) are at the same elevation as you(shooting them downhill still increases damage) ***


Forked Arrow

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 5 Seconds

Bow Attack. Inflict Cracked Armor (5...17...20 seconds) if your target is hit.

*** Current in game version sucks ***


Rapid Fire

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (36 seconds.) You attack 33% faster while wielding a bow.


Read the Wind

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (36 seconds). +3...9...10 damage. Your arrows move twice as fast.


Splinter Shot

Energy: 10
Recharge: 5 Seconds

Bow Attack. Deals +3...13...15 damage. Deals 5...13...15 damage to adjacent foes if it hits.

*** AoE damage from this attack would be armor ignoring ***


Volley

Energy: 10
Recharge: 2 Seconds

Bow Attack. Deals +1...8...10 damage. Hits up to 2 foes adjacent to your target.



Wilderness Survival

Apply Poison

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 12 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your physical attacks inflict Poisoned condition (3...13...15 seconds).


Barbed Arrows

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 24 Seconds

Preparation. (18 seconds.) Your arrows inflict Bleeding condition (3...13...15 seconds).


Choking Gas

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation.(3...8...12) Your arrows deal +1...7...8 damage and spread Choking Gas to foes adjacent to target. Choking Gas interrupts spells.


Dryder's Defenses

Energy: 5
Recharge: 30 Seconds

Stance. (5...10...11 seconds.) You have 75% chance to block and +18...30...32 armor against elemental damage.

*** Changed to give Rangers a bit more defense since Lightning Reflexes lost its block mechanic ***


Dust Trap

Energy: 25
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 10...22...25 earth damage every second (5 seconds.) Inflicts Blindness condition (3...7...8 seconds) every second (5 seconds).


Equinox

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Exhaustion is doubled for Exhaustion-causing spells cast within range.


Famine

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 lifespan). Deals 10...30...35 damage to creatures in range that reach 0 energy. Does not affect spirits.


Flame Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 5...17...20 fire damage every second (3 seconds). Inflicts Burning condition (1...3...3 seconds).


Frozen Soil

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit. (30...78...90 second lifespan). Creatures in range cannot activate resurrection skills. Does not affect spirits.


Greater Conflagration

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 15 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Converts physical damage to fire damage for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Healing Spring

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (10 seconds.) Affects adjacent allies. Heals for 15...51...60 every 2 seconds.


Ignite Arrows

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your arrows deal 3...15...18 fire damage to target and foes adjacent to target.


Kindle Arrows

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Preparation. (24 seconds.) +3...20...24 fire damage. Your arrows deal fire damage.


Melandru's Arrows

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds

Elite Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your arrows deal Earth damage and deal +8...28...34 damage.

*** Rangers should have a prep that deals earth damage especially if the prep has their own earth goddess in the name ***

*** Changed because glass arrows inflicts bleeding condition ***


Muddy Terrain

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 second lifespan). Creatures in range have 10% slower movement: also negates speed boosts. Does not affect spirits.


Nature's Renewal

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). For creatures in range, enchantments and Hexes[sic] take twice as long to cast and it costs twice as much Energy to maintain enchantments. Does not affect spirits.


Pestilence

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 second lifespan). When any creature in range dies, conditions on this creature spread to any creature in the area with a condition. Spirits are not affected.


Piercing Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 5...41...50 piercing damage. Deals 6...12...18 more damage to any foes with a condition.

*** Changed because forked arrow inflicts cracked armor ***


Quickening Zephyr

Energy: 25
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (15...39...45 second lifespan). Skills cost 30% more Energy and recharge twice as fast for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Quicksand

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Elite Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...78...90 second lifespan). Creatures lose 1 Energy each time they attack or use a skill. Does not affect spirits.


Roaring Winds

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...54...60 second lifespan). Chants and shouts cost 1...4...5 more Energy for creatures in range.


Serpent's Quickness

Energy: 5
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Stance. (15...27...30 seconds.) Your skills recharge 33% faster.

*** No longer ends if health drops below 50% ***


Smoke Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Elite Trap. (90 seconds.) Inflicts Blinded and Dazed conditions (5...9...10 seconds) to nearby foes.


Snare

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Inflicts Crippled condition (3...13...15 seconds).


Spike Trap

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Elite Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Every second, (for 2 seconds), this trap deals 10...34...40 piercing damage, causes knockdown, and inflicts
Crippled condition (3...21...25 seconds).


Tranquility

Energy: 15
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (15...51...60 second lifespan). Enchantments expire 20...44...50% faster on creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Tripwire

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Deals 5...17...20 piercing damage to nearby foes. Causes knock-down to Crippled foes.


Troll Unguent

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 10 Seconds

Skill. (13 seconds.) You have +3...9...10 Health regeneration.


Viper's Nest

Energy: 10
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 20 Seconds

Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 5...29...35 piercing damage. Inflicts Poisoned condition (5...17...20 seconds).

*** Moved to be with its family ***


Winnowing

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 45 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Increases physical damage by +4 for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.


Winter

Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 Second
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds

Nature Ritual. Creates a level 1...8...10 spirit (30...126...150 second lifespan). Converts elemental damage to cold damage for creatures in range. Does not affect spirits.

Lot of ppl in guru have been voicing out about the ranger. And I do hope that with more voices, Anet will really do something. Come on, live team, you guys may want to consider the ranger as your next upcoming project. Ranger, after all is in gw2. Will be a great way to do some advertising too.

I do not really consider any of the preparations enough broken coupled with barrage or volley to justify a nerf. Rangers will have to compete with much more potent classes in pve and i feel that to give barrage increased energy cost while letting most preparations you would really use it for (like ignite and chocking gas) be nerfed instead looks not only as a nerf to those preparations, but a nerf to incendiary as well (ok i know, who cares about that skill anyways ). To have ignite not ending for example would maybe create a viable choice for barragers to compete with splinter weapon and the likes (to have the ranger actually dealing the damage and not the ritu) while chocking gas do not look like its a big deal compared to a panic mesmer with dual wastrels and mistrust that blows the entire mob up with rupts and damage in matter of seconds. Of course we do not want to powercreep them to an unwanted level, but right now it looks like some of these changes would leave rangers at nearly the same situation they where in before. As for spirits fixing the recharges and cast times is only fixing one part of the problem. The spirits are dual in their functions and the effect is commonly pretty weak since it got a huge aoe. And they are still stationary and easily killed even when put far back since mobs have this lust for smacking low armor and low health units. Then added to that we have the "nah let the ua grab it" situation. In thigh parties a non ranger could often use the spirit in question in the few situations it is viable to nearly its full extent. It is a tough nut to crack and i realize that.

And to make traps a viable choice it won't help with making dust trap deal earth damage, revert back to armor ignoring since it is the primary trap for trappers (spike trap is for holding down the mob over the dust traps).
Though it would be nice to finnaly see viper nest moved to ws. Why on earth did they put it in bm?

But it is good to see that someone care for rangers.

It is neatly balanced suggestions, but the question is weather they are too neatly balanced.

Seems like balanced suggestion. However, I have an alternative suggestion for anti-barrage/volley preparations:

Instead of ending after hitting an adjacent target, end after firing (x..x) arrows. In essence multiple arrows will use up the preparation faster. This should be balanced so most preparations will last for full duration at 33% IAS with single arrows @8 rank.

Barragers could of course use multiple preparation to counter this which is ok, they do it at the cost of an additional skill slot.

Honestly, my ranger is my main and I don't think they need much of an update. Maybe a few skills here or there to make more builds viable, but nothing big. I think the biggest problem with the ranger isn't the skills, but their perception by the playerbase and I think making them OP is not a good solution to that.

Yes, please just keep roundtable buffing each class. Its not like powercreep has made PvP worse and less diverse or that it has turned PvE into a c-space easymode.

That is powercreep.

Tbh, the real problem of the ranger isn't get moar powercreep for him, but actually use the skills he already have...
I mean, every prof has his chunk of stupid skills, some more, some less, but the ranger have:
-the usual amount of stupid skills
-the TRAPS. Really, in normal/not for lulz PvE, do anyone of you use them? (Defensive missions excluded).
-Nature rituals. The best way to buff your enemies. And the old-like spirit cast time and recharge doesn't help. Prolly the only 2 constantly used are EoE (cause your team isn't expected to die) and FS (with the not really nice drawback of no res for you too).
-Beast mastery (aka: stupid pets AI). Ok, BM builds exists, some works too.....but they do not worth it generally.

And tons of skils that do the same thing.

The point imo is mostly make all above thing actually viable, more than introduce dmg.
(Same goes for paras. Eles instead are different, cause 90% of their skills are intended for pure dmg. They lack of it in HM, which makes them really underpowered using their skills).

Obviously the pvp side is much better(as for eles :P), but pets are harder to use, traps even less useful (no stupid AI, exclude Z Elite), rituals even more a double-edged weapon.

P.S:I haven't played ranger myself in very high pve, but played a lot with a friend using it.

My 2 cents.

Some of the changes are ok (For PvE of course, 1 second spirits in pvp is too fast).

But it seems you are saying many skills suck when in fact, they don't.


Current forked arrow is better than your suggestion, yours is still inferior to other applications.

Archer's signet does have use although limited.


Disrupting would go from some use to zero use. Rangers don't crit enuff and bows fire too slow to use rangers.

Lightning reflexes - Unneeded

Practiced Stance - You lower prep time already, then a skill makes them instant cast? No

I could go on, but these are all mainly useless. Preps could use a 1s cast time in PvE, but the only main spirit used is EoE, which has someone dragging it around constantly.

Most of the bow attack changes are pointless. Try again

In my opinion there are 2 guild wars.

Original guild wars where the idea was for players to team up and the designers felt that every class had its place in parties.
Over time this proved not to be the case while many classes were chosen as secondary not every class had the same value as a primary in teams. Mesmer was a prime example of this prejudice later Assassins and Ritualists to were dismissed as bad or just badly played.

Now we are in New Guild wars where power creep is the norm and once it starts its impossible to go back.
So the only way it to review each class and boost them till they are on a par with all the others.

New Guild wars demands that all classes have the ability to solo or team up and can run equally powerful builds so they can be accepted into parties.
Its bs of course but its the only way to go now they have started down that rout.

On a plus point many things have been learned about what works and what doesn's so GW2 shouldn't make the same mistakes.

Made some changes and cleaned up the post a bit.

All preparations now have 1 second cast times and 8 second recharge times.

Chocking gas, Ignite Arrows and Kindle Arrows are no longer removed by barrage and volley.

Archer's Signet: Now inflicts cracked armor instead of deep wound.

Lightning Reflexes: Recharge reduced to 8 seconds.

Practiced Stance: Instead of being related to preps it now is an IAS and recharges bow attacks faster.

Forked Arrow: Reduced energy cost and increased cracked armor duration

Melandru's Arrows: Instead of inflicting bleeding condition it now deals earth damage and additional damage.



As I said this is for PvE only.

For general pve play they do.

The current forked arrow is a joke with dual shot and the current pve skill triple shot. If you become enchanted by an ally or hexed by an enemy the skill becomes a wasted skill slot and I dont want to have to micro heroes to not cast enchants(which are a huge part of the game) and remove hexes constantly for a single skill. I find it silly that rangers are the masters of conditions yet they have no way of inflicting cracked armor within their own class. They even have a skill that benefits from cracked armor.

Again not for general pve play. Making conditions last longer is pointless since mobs usually die fast even in HM. Not to mention there are elites way better than the current Archer's Signet.

This I know. I am having trouble thinking a way to make this skill better. With Chocking Gas buffed Disrupting seems useless. I will be thinking about this skill.

Are you sure? Currently the only IAS for rangers are in beast mastery and in the form of a prep. With this they can now have one without having to invest in beast mastery or wasting a prep spot. Reflexes is not horribly OP though since you would then have 60 armor while its active.

This I agree with but I couldn't think of a way for it to really be involved with preps at the time once I lowered the casting and recharge but now I switched it to recharge bow attacks along with being an IAS for rangers

Hmm the new prepared stance looks somewhat useable but 25% skill recharge on bow attacks is pretty vanilla, not that i am suggesting that we get the old experts dexterity back.

EDIT: and forked arrow could be good support if introduced in pvp, rangers have no means of damage themselves anymore anyways.

how would you feel if I made it a solid 33% faster recharge?

Also I have been thinking of putting "Weapon spells have no effect" for barrage and volley. Rangers would take barrage and volley back from the Ritualist and make sure preps are used with barrage for damage. This of course would not affect defensive weapon spells at all.

Archer's signet is mostly used with technobabble for a 10s daze.

Your suggestion could see minor use if coupled with volley, but unlikely since the conditions are random (There's a reason drunken blow is rarely used)

Never rampage alone is a upkeepable IAS (Also, a skill-not removable) with no investment minus bringing a pet. Current lightning reflexes is 2/3 upkeepable with dwarven stability.

Forked Arrow: There's a reason they don't have a skill that inflicts cracked armor, it's because they have a skill that benefits from it. Let me know when warriors can use body blow for the DW. Or paragons can use chest thumper effectively.

I gotta agree with this to be honest.. Most of [xx] profession love update had big impact on PvP ( usually very bad one ) but didn't do anything on PvE , whereas i guess their point was the opposite....

Just to say , whole PvE except let's say endgame areas and a few HM dungeons is doable with anything,... It was already doable with 3 heroes + henchs , and now with 7 heroes it's even easier....

So to be honest , i understand players want to have fun playing their own profession , but :
- at this state of the game , it pretty much won't change anything at all for PvE. The best they could do would be to change meta builds used to farm places such as DoA , UW , etc....Doing simple nerfs that will affect NM and HM vanquishs eventually are pointless
- disaster impacts on PvP : new professions which need revamps( warrior looks a joke after dervishs ) , and etc.... There will always be one profession better than an other , and this can be solved only by reversing all skills at their original function when game was released...

I wish...

Holy powercreep....

Change traps and spirits to be useful in general PvE, that's all I really want to see for rangers. All the damage++ stuff is way too much.

That's not true. Mesmer update made mesmers crazy popular in PvE, it's even normal to run with 2 or 3 of 'em.

Quote for truth.

I'd add pets, but maybe is just me.

And if the mes update was awesome both pve wise (mes, both human and heroes are top bars now) and pvp (very powerful in right hands, but not massively OP), the derv one is a balance fail(and following fixes too!) so far in pvp perspective.

This more or less turned into screwing around with skills and not being serious.
3 Things I do want are...

1. Better pet AI
2. 1 Sec spirits for pve
3. 1 Sec preps

I would be a happy camper.

Ditto. I want to use my pets.

Heroes actually got better ai than pets imo.

Ctrl + copy from it and it would be less awkward.

You guys are really going the wrong way. Rangers are inferior to other classes right now because other classes are overpowered. Hard Mode is easy mode in PvE. It's a joke. Why do people who play PvE want to play a game that basically wins for you? All you do is load 3 PvE only skills + whatever overpowered damage skills you have on your bar (usually SoS), take 7 heroes with a wiki build out into a zone and then smash your face against the keyboard until everything dies (takes about 10 seconds per mob). However, if you are a ranger or an elementalist, it takes about 15 seconds per mob, so the obvious solution is to buff rangers and eles to the point where a full team of them could kill a mob in 5 seconds... and everybody will cry tears of joy at how awesome they are.

f****** brilliant.

Seeing how Necros and/or Mesmer and/or Ritualists can do that.

It does seem like a good idea.

^This. The Ranger doesnt need a huge update, just a few pushes in the right direction that could come out in small updates.

While powercreep may be the culprit, it would be easier to buff Ele's, Rangers, Paras, and Smite Monks, than to nerf everything else. Not to mention Anet has been going in the direction of powercreep for years. So, powercreep suggestions are more likely to be implemented, just look at the last 3 major profession updates. See a pattern?

The only reason Necro, Mesmer and Ritualist skills are overpowered is because they do armor ignoring damage. The Mesmer however is the main culprit with his skills that do typeless damage along with the Ritualist and his spirits. The necro has some skills that do shadow damage but they arent horribly OP, including SS. Discord currently does typeless damage.

A swift and simple way to achieve balance would be to remove most of them from the game by making them do damage that is checked by armor.

Mesmer = Switch damage from skills to chaos damage and have armor check for chaos damage

Ritualist = Make armor check for dark damage from spirits and fix Ancestors Rage. Its silly to have a skill that does lighting damage to also be armor ignoring.

Necro = Make discord deal cold damage and the requirement to only check for either a cond or a hex. Fix necrosis as well to check for both a cond and a hex along with dealing cold damage.

I saw some individual skills that were either too low on energy but I like the balancing. The one major problem I saw is that you are way too kind on recharge times. You have stances that recharge before the stance ends.
Anet seems to stick to a 33%-66% of recharge time rule.
BTW, I love your suggestion for Barrage. I would recommend making Volley keep the prep removal though, otherwise who would need Barrage?
Some individual gripes:

Barbed Arrows
Energy: 10
Activation Time: 1 Seconds
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds
Preparation. (36 seconds.) Your arrows inflict Bleeding condition (3...21...25 seconds)

So basically it's like apply poison, only costs 5e less, recharges in 8 sec, and causes great degen.

Make it 15e, make it last 20 sec. and have a 25 second recharge (suggestion would make it the only preparation that is ever used.

Dust Trap
Energy: 25
Activation Time: 2 Seconds
Recharge Time: 30 Seconds
Trap. (90 seconds.) Affects nearby foes. Deals 10...22...25 earth damage every second (5 seconds.) Inflicts Blindness condition (3...7...8 seconds) every
second (5 seconds).

First off, you just made HM devourers in the Crystal Desert stronger than Aatxes. Lower damage to (8...14...16) every second and have it only afflict blindness at the beginning for 4-9 seconds.

Glass Arrows
Energy: 5
Activation Time: 1 second
Recharge Time: 8 Seconds
Elite Preparation. (24 seconds.) Your arrows deal +5...17...20 damage and inflicts Bleeding condition (10...18...20 seconds).

Increase to 10e, recharge to 25 seconds (one second w/o is still generous) and bleeding condtion 8-16 seconds (perma-bleeding a little silly)

A few other nitpicks but those were the ones that stood out.

I really like the ideas you had for individual bow attacks, you should focus on those.

Err? Basically nerfed current versions??

Archers Signet
Removed this skill from the list. If anyone has a good idea for this skill post it but I want it to be related to conditions.

Glass Arrows
Reduced duration, increased recharge and lowered bleeding duration. Increased energy.

Disrupting Accuracy
Arrows now deal more damage along with the old effect.

Lightning Reflexes
Increased recharge from 8 to 12 seconds and lowered duration to 3...9...10 seconds.

Body Shot
Added this skill to the list and lowered energy gain but works with any condition.

Dual Shot
Added this skill to the list and moved to Markmanship. Damage is now based upon rank in marksmanship.

Volley
Now shoots only 3 arrows. Reduced recharge

Barbed Arrows
Lowered Bleeding duration. Increased recharge and lowered duration.

Piercing Trap
Lowered the bonus damage but works with any condition.

While I do agree with Barbed and Glass Arrows I don't agree with Dust Trap. Its 2 seconds and that is plenty of time to rupt it, if rupted its on a 30 second recharge and the devourer will be dead before it can use it again.

Agreed, in a perfect world I'd rather Rangers got a smallish pve buff and the others classes were nerfed back to just "very good" level rather than facemashing win op-ness that they are currently. However Anet are retarded at balancing anything and prefer everything to have bigredwin buttons.

1] Damage
Nothing massive, just a small increase on damage for skills and preps to give a slight dps increase.
Maybe some functionality changes to give a bigger +dam if foe is suffering from xyz conditions, maybe help encourage condi builds more.

2] Preperations
A suggestion by someone in the Ranger forum i really like was to have preps last a certain number of shots like "IatS" instead of just 24 secs. Something like 15-20 arrows (i know this is more than 24secs / refire rate) would be nice and I'd also couple that with Barrage not removing them. Recharge times set so standard single shot builds can perma upkeep preps but barrage builds have a reasonable downtime.

3] Rituals
Rework them to even up their cast times/recharge times with rit spirits at a minimum. If possible some functionality/effect/damage changes to make them worthwhile more often than for just the occasional ultra niche foes as they are at the moment.

4] Pets
Fix my Pet AI ffffffs. I love my pets, plz make them not retarded

Because a game that wins for you is a good idea? Why don't you go play the card game "war" with your little sister and leave those of us who actually want to play a game that is FUN to skill balancing Guild Wars?

Forum Suggestion: Change title of thread to "Nerf Necros and/or Mesmers and/or Ritualists" instead of "The Ranger - skill changes" because Rangers are actually somewhat balanced... unlike just about everything else.

Prepared Shot, Sundering Attack, Penetrating Attack, Hunter's Shot, Read the Wind, "I am the Strongest!", Drunken Master, Optional

This has more DPS than any other attack class in game. Making builds is hard.

Rangers are too tanky to make them deal thousands of damage per second like this. Preps + Barrage + Splinter + Orders = EXPLOSION and then throw in the fact that they are unkillable... that's a good balance right?

Here's an idea. How about adding res signet to every single NPC foe in the entire game. That suddenly makes frozen soil vastly more effect no? Then give NPCs more defensive protection enchantments. NR Tranq is a lot better too (assuming you spec your party with ritualist weapon spells and heals instead of monk enchats). This is the kind of balance GW needs, not "Make skill X more powerful by making it a brain dead fire and forget explosion of damage". You can make skills more or less powerful simply by adapting the meta around it. It's called thinking outside of the box.

Ritualist spirits are the most imbalanced thing in the entire game right now. So what do we do to solve this? Add more imbalance. Good idea. Don't tone down rit spirits though... that's unconscionable

In response to pets, I actually like the idea of buffing them in PvE. Pets are a fun novelty and I think having them be useful is a fun idea.

I'm guessig everyone on this thread plays ranger alot? I have a suggestion for you guys: stop trying use rangers for hard dmg and use them what they are meant for which is pressure and interrupting. No buffs required. Go do slavers hm on a ranger and dshot the hell out of monks so they can't heal anymore. Now complain dshot has a dmg cap. Rangers take stratigy to use, it's not super retard dmg like necro or eles where you can throw random skill in and blow shit up. Instead of begging for buff, just realize what rangers are meant for and get better at that...


I do agree with the spirit cast time tho. Shit gets real when ur sittin there for 5 sec and ur team kills half the stuff before you're done

The ability to split skills should never be used as an excuse to outright refuse to attempt balancing a skill for both formats at the same time.

What's wrong with cross-profession combos?

Why though? Crit barragers aren't really that much of a problem and don't compete that much with ranger barragers in the first place, last I checked.

This skill is already tied to Expertise, so the only profession it really benefits is the ranger. You say before that you don't want these changes to benefit the assassin more than the ranger, but then you go out of your way to nerf this skill which is exclusively beneficial to the ranger, and could even be a single skill to define why a ranger barrager would be preferred over an assassin one.

Besides, in taking this skill, you drop the cost of Barrage to something like 4 or 5, but you lose the potential to take other preparations which would probably have a greater impact in this situation, like Ignite Arrows or Apply Poison. It allows for a choice between a cheap elite or a powerful one, but this revision of yours just sucks in comparison to how much benefit other preparations can give. The choice no longer exists. That's not a good change.

It's beyond me why you believe removing Glass Arrows' ability to "hit" targets that block your arrows is such a buff that the cost needs to be increased and the skill can't be maintained permanently. Coupled with your change to Melandru's Arrows, and you're asking to remove a somewhat unique mechanic for the ranger that's not necessarily useless.

It's like an awful version of Frenzy for rangers. It's probably still good enough though (see: recharge, duration) that it would become an essential spiking skill for rangers in PvP, and any period of rangers strutting raw power in PvP tends to backfire later on. Additionally, I see nothing wrong with the current revision of Lightning Reflexes, especially in PvE, and even more so when used with Dwarven Stability.

Possibly as ripe for abuse as your revision of Lightning Reflexes in PvP, if not worse since most of the damaging skills for rangers are non-elites anyways. It would be really easy to create a series of turret rangers with a change like this. It's even worse that it's tied to Expertise, so now I can increase my attack speed, decrease recharge on my bow attacks, and reduce their cost all with one attribute.

We already have two skills which grant energy on striking a foe with a condition, and this suggestion pales in comparison to each of those and its current form due to its pitiful energy return.

What's this about Forked Arrow inflicting cracked armor?



Martial professions should not be applying cracked armor because their being the best damage dealers means they get the most benefit, and it is such a significant boost to their damage that it is extremely unsafe to be giving them the ability to apply it and benefit from it themselves. The dervish is the unfortunate exception here, not the rule.

The current revision is similar to Dual Shot in both mechanics and power, so I would not object to seeing it changed, but this is not the way to do it.

Won't (or shouldn't) see play with the Lightning Reflexes change.

Hell, why even bring interrupts anymore? Just load up Practiced Stance, Volley, and this skill, and you can just spam gas on a backline all day. What's your incentive for making Choking Gas recharge so quickly? You're giving casters no kind of downtime in which to react against a ranger which could be shutting down all of their spells.

The skill is still awful and nobody will end up using it because your revision of Lightning Reflexes is worth taking the hits, and is also a stance.

The damage conversion is laughable. It's like bow strings don't exist that can change damage types. The unconditional damage boost is extremely scary, especially since this prep can be easily maintained and can be coupled with stuff like your revision of Lightning Reflexes. Even the current revision of Lightning Reflexes could make this an extremely dangerous skill.

In closing, it was really hard to read though these changes because of how they were sorted. I would recommend that you group together similar changes in the same section. Like, all the traps in one place, all the spirits in one place, all the preparations in one place, other skills getting related changes bunched together, etc.

You did read post #18... right?

I noticed that by the sheer volume of prep shot turrents i encounter.......
The prep change was a mechanism change with the same result as extending prep uptime either of which i think should be done, don't really see when i ask for super-op-ness, however Barrage+preps could too strong be if not implemented right.

Again, not looking for super-op-ness, but a useful attrib line as opposed the the current situation whereby other than the odd occasion no-one uses them at all. If that means changing foes or environment to make them useful that is very cool, if not then change the mechanics to make them work somehow. They are shit in the current incarnation and should be fixed.
Did you read what i actually wrote at all? "I'd rather Rangers got a smallish pve buff and the others classes were nerfed". I figured that since i said OP classes should be nerfed that it was pretty obvious rits were in that group.....

Ranger rituals are fairly shit with hopeless cast and recharge times but 1s cast/30sec recharge times may make them slightly more attractive to use.
Once again, didn't ask for a buff, the skills seem fine to me just the AI need sorting to make it as effective as the skills should be....

It used to be hugely popular until it was nerfed in PvP. It is still completely viable in PvE though and it does more DPS than any other attacking class. It's not an opinion or a belief. It's calculus. Do the math.

No. The duration of preparations is fine. Almost all of them can be maintained and the ones that can't are that way because they are extremely powerful. Barrage + Preps absolutely will be too strong the way they are implemented in the OP. Since no other alternative has be presented, I have nothing else to address. Simply saying, "it needs to be implemented right" is not a suggestion. It is a cop out.

What you are looking for and what you are suggesting are two entirely different things. People call unintended consequences "unintended" for a reason. Value is always scaled based around opportunity costs i.e. what you are forced to give up in order to have whatever it is you want. Right now you devalue ranger skills. That being said, the best way to balance the game is to make specific skills more or less valuable based on the situation. When a specific skill is highly valuable for the vast majority of the time, it is called "overpowered" and vice versa. Your aim in balancing skills (for pve) should be to make certain skills more valuable against opponent X, and that same skill not very valuable against opponent Y.

A good example of a perfectly balanced skill is Bull's Strike. The reason why it is balanced is because the effectiveness of the skill is entirely conditional upon many different factors. When I say "conditional" I don't mean to say it is dependent upon having an enchantment or requiring your opponent to be suffering from a specific condition like a lot of other skills. What I mean is that the power of the skill relies upon the ability of the person using it. Bull's Strike, in the hands of a good warrior, is invaluable. Contrast that with a bad warrior and it is almost entirely useless. Also, the skill is conditional to the ability of the person it is being used against. A good caster will be able to predict when a warrior will use Bull's Strike, stop moving, and greatly reduce its effectiveness whereas a bad caster will eat Bull's Strikes all game long.

The OP fails because the skill balances (and I use that term loosely) that the OP is suggesting have no down side. The skills being suggesting are "push button, execute effect" and that is always an unhealthy game mechanic for anybody looking to have FUN in a videogame.

I suggest putting more thought into your balances. Ask yourself, when is this skill good? When will it be bad? What will people be required to give up if they choose to take this skill? Does this skill promote active thought and careful timing? What purpose does it have? Will this skill be fun to play?

EDIT: I wouldn't mind seeing a PvE update making it possible for primary ranger class to bring a pet without requiring them to bring a skill. For PvE only, making all beast mastery skills revive the pet with 5% hp if used while the pet is dead. Just add a check box in the party formation window that allows you to select whether or not you want to take your pet.

Without entering the debate here...

Fixed that for you.

@OP Suggestions:

You mostly appear to address activation times and apply some damage increases and decent skill reworkings. I particularly liked DA moved to Expertise.

What you didn't address was the inherent problems of nature rituals in that they grief your own party just as bad as the enemy, not to mention many of the effects (Equinox, Primal Echoes) are totally useless even if they only affected enemies. You also leave most at 45 second recharge, which is way too long. Many ritualist spirits are 30 seconds and they have many ways of recharging them fast, if not instantly.

You also leave too many skills costly. Apply Poison at 15e? I don't care that it can be used with a spear or scythe now, why does it cost so much to do so little? I don't like what was done with Barrage. Glass Arrows (one of the best skills) also moved to 10e and gets nerfed?

Needling Shot needs to be restored, Quick Shot needs to be worth something, Concussion Shot and Broad Head Arrow need to be more wieldy. Skills with senseless drawbacks like Marauder's Shot need functionality changes and skills that inflict a condition need to do more than just that. Conditions like cripple and degen are not that useful in PvE, it shouldn't cost base 15e or your elite to do just that.

I could go on but I'll just stop there. Ending it by saying I liked the starting point but a lot is missing and there are some issues with some suggestions. Thank you for putting it out here though, I hope Anet realizes us rangers are not happy and aren't going to let them forget we are a core profession and deserve treatment.

You made it less accurate. In GToB I can average 80 DPS over 20 seconds against the Master of Damage. Find another build that can do that much sustained damage per second. I have yet to find one. And just to add insult to injury, also make it as tanky as a Ranger with Lightning Reflexes and 100 armor against ele damage. And then on top of that, make it ranged and unable to be kited or dodged due to Read the Wind.

I think my point has been made. People just like to complain.

Im working on changing spirits to buff the party and pets instead of all creatures. If you have any suggestions post them but keep balance in mind.

an R/P spearchucker/pet will do 80dps+, whether or not that qualifies on your final point of being un-dodgable is up to you...

Pets aren't ranged.