www.guildwars2guru.com/topic/66729-how-to-be-a-great-greatsword-ranger/I: Before You Read:
This post is designed to give a well-thought out breakdown of the Ranger Greats word from one player's perspective and will delve into light GW2 combat analysis. If you can't be bothered to read it all, please refrain from flaming me about how terrible the Ranger's Greatsword is. I know it did more damage during the Beta Weekends, but I am talking about how the Greatsword is currently.
II: Table of Contents
I: Before you read
II: Table of Contents
III: Introduction- Damage vs Survivability
IV: The Build
V: Armor, Weapons, Runes, and overall Stat choices
VI: Dungeon Playstyle:
VII: SPvP Playstyle:
VIII: General tips:
III: Introduction- Damage vs Survivability:
The Ranger's Greatsword is currently a point on contention within the Ranger Profession. Either you love, or you hate it.
Those who love the Greatsword, such as myself, find enjoyment in being up close and personal against foes with my Pet, dealing damage and controlling the flow of the battle, or, perhaps more frequently, they think Greatswords just look really cool and happened to roll a Ranger.
Those who hate the Greatsword are typically critical of either the damage output, the survivability, or the playstyle. If you dislike the playstyle of the Greatsword, then there's nothing I can do to convince you otherwise. I, for instance, can't stand the 1h Mace or Hammer on my Guardian. The playstyle just isn't to my taste, and, as we all know, you can't account for another's taste.
If you dislike the damage of the Greatsword, you and I may have a very different opinion of what matters most in GW2 combat. A good friend of mine plays a glass cannon Greatsword Warrior. It's easy to watch Hundred Blades skyrocket above 20k when fully channeled. Personally, I feel that leads to a very one-dimensional style of combat which quickly turns into, "If I don't kill my target within the first 10-15 seconds of a fight, then I am probably going to die." Again, this comes down to a matter of taste.
The Ranger Greatsword will never show a 20k damage hit. Ever. It isn't going to happen. You picked the wrong profession to see large numbers like that. What we do provide is sustained single target damage in the form of auto attacks, Pet attacks, and conditions. Every weapon of ours has a damaging condition save for the Longbow. We will never be at a disadvantage for building Condition Damage. I prefer to look at combat in GW2 in terms of: "The last man standing wins."
Which brings us to the topic of survivability in GW2. How does one become survivable? The answer to this is fairly in depth. There are a number of ways to increase durability:
-Utilize Protection: 33% damage reduction is incredible.
-Dodge: Who doesn't like being invulnerable?
-Combat Awareness: This is a tricky one which will vary from foe to foe. Are you fighting a Greatsword Warrior in PvP? Prepare your Lightning Reflexes for his Bull's Charge+Frenzy+Hundred Blades combo. Fighting a Dungeon Boss? Keep an eye on the red circles on the ground, but also try to be aware as to which member of your party he is targeting; this will give you a hint as to whether or not you need to prepare to dodge, or whether or not your ally may drop soon.
-Increase Vitality: Larger health pool means you can take more damage before your health goes from full to zero. It doesn't provide any increase damage mitigation, just makes you more 'fluffy'. You recieve 10hp for every 1 point of Vitality.
-Increase Toughness: I won't bore you with the math, but Toughness is, in my onion, one of the most important stats in GW2 combat. This is due to how mitigation works in combat games. What you end up with when you mitigate damage, is an effective increase in the effectiveness of a Heal or Shield spell. Your heal may only give you back 5,000hp, but it will take your opponent longer to chew through that health than if you had lower damage mitigation. Toughness, when compared to Vitality, increases your longevity in a fight.
IV: The Build:
Everybody's build will vary based on their own preference, but this is mine.
Greatsword/Axe Warhorn
Wilderness Survival, Nature Magic, Beastmastery
0/0/30/25/15
http://gw2.luna-atra...upf43444cg3glgr
Pros:
-High durability
-With Quickness the Greatsword's auto-attack is almost invulnerability due to evasion
-High CC
-Provides long lasting Warhorn Buffs thanks to Nature Magic
-Points in Beastmastery turn your Pet into a threat, as well as providing Quickness, and an increase in Per Survivability and Quickness uptime due to Pet-swap cooldown decrease.
Cons:
-Mediocre damage.
Pet Choices:
-PvE Solo- Anything goes, usually at least one Canine
-PvE Dungeons- Dual Bears (specifically Brown for condition removal)
-PvP- Dual Canines
V: Armor, Weapons, Runes, and Overall Stat Choices:
Prioritize Power and Toughness. Other than those two stats, every other stat has it's own place depending on how you choose to do your traits. Remember that your Pet has its own stats which are not affected by how defensively you build your Ranger.
At the moment my set up is fairly simple and cost effective. I am using Knight's Armor socketed with Emerald Orbs, Beryl Accessories of the Valkyrie, and Valkyrie Weapons. My gear is all green, save for my Weapons which are Exotic weapons I crafted myself. Weapons aside, my build easily cost me less than 50s.
I am currently working towards a set of Power/Toughness/Vitality Armor, which I am currently planning on accompany with Carrion Accessories and Weapons. You can't craft or purchase this type of armor on the Trading Post. They can only be obtained via WvW tokens, Honor of the Waves tokens, Sorrow's Embrace tokens, and Karma vendors in Cursed Shore for 42k Karma a pop.
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VI: Dungeon Playstyle:
-Speed Rally downed players with Quickness (super important since you're going to be one of the least likely players to drop)
-Tank/CC Foes
-Utilize Bears appropriately to distract bosses via
-Provide Warhorn Buffs and remove conditions via Brown Bear
-Pop Entangle when your team is about to be overrun
VII: SPvP Playstyle:
Note: I swap out my Axe/Warhorn combo for a Shortbow when I do SPvP for the additional CC
You have two main functions:
-Provide additional CC via Daze to ruin an enemy's chance at healing. This takes practice to get the timing just right.
-Backfield objective disruption. You're tanky. Use that fact to your advantage! Rush out to an area the other team controls and neutralize it. On Legend of the Foefire, it is not uncommon for me to be at their Guild Lord soloing him out within the first three minutes of the match. He's either an easy solo, or I will draw back a number of players on their team, which let my team take the other areas uncontested.
VIII: General tips:
-Use Lightning Reflexes if you get stunned. Seems like a no-brainer, but you should be the one in control of the fight due to your evasion, durability, and CC. Being on your back goes against that.
-Dodge roll frequently for protection. Don't forget to give your pet protection as well.
-Don't back out if your health is low. Barkskin will save you, or you would have died anyway.
-Don't spam Swoop for damage. Use it as a gap closer, a combo finisher, or as a last second burst to take out a for.
-Remember to use your block. It will keep you alive longer against bosses, and ruin an enemy's day in PvP.
I will continue to update this thread when I get the opportunity. Thank you for reading!
