Ranger - Core Longbow Roamer

The community gave this build a rating, making it second-tier: Good

Focused on: Direct damage

Designed for: WvW Roaming

Difficulty:

TBD

This build was last updated on March 16, 2023 and is up to date for the October 8, 2024 patch.

Overview

A power Ranger burst build for WvW roaming. Can be used by F2P players as well.

Skill Bar

Longbow

Greatsword

Utility

Skill Bar Variants

Utility

For the optional slot:

• "Protect Me!" - a stun break on a short CD which also grants a significant amount of barrier.

• Signet of the Hunt - the signet's useful against any build that relies on blocking or projectile reflection for survival. Consider taking Brutish Seals on Marksmanship.

• Signet of Stone - if you want a panic button that helps you live through any amount of direct damage.

Pet options:

• Tiger can replace Rock Gazelle if you own Heart of Thorns but not Path of Fire. If you have both of these expansions then it's just a matter of personal preference, Tiger works great with the GS burst combo.

If you're F2P and do not own any of the expansions, take the following pets (these pets are also viable if you do own them):

• Wolf for the first pet.

• Owl for the second.

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Specializations

Variants

• Take Farsighted if you want to focus more on Longbow bursts, or just don't want to work with Moment of Clarity.

Equipment

Head
Marauder

Shoulders
Marauder

Chest
Marauder

Hands
Marauder

Legs
Marauder

Feet
Marauder

Backpiece
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Accessory
Berserker

Amulet
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Ring
Berserker

Longbow
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Greatsword
Berserker

Sigil

Sigil

Rune
x6

Infusion
x18

Rune

• Rune of Superior Rune of the Pack - if you either want to trade sustain for damage, or can't afford Durability runes just yet.

• Rune of Superior Rune of the Scholar - highest burst potential.

Sigils

Either Sigil of Severance or Bloodlust can be replaced by:

• Sigil of Superior Sigil of Vision - 100% crit chance on your entire burst.

Consumables

Food

• - passive damage mitigation and great stats.

• - defensive food with Wilderness Survival synergy.
  • Budget version:

Utility

• or .

Usage

General

• Dodging applies Protection, which also heals thanks to the trait Rugged Growth.

• Survival skills cure 2 conditions and grant Fury. Troll Unguent can cleanse 4, because it triggers another Survival skill from Child of Earth.

• Use Swoop for mobility.

• Zephyr's Speed has many uses.
  • It can be used offensively for the Quickness, most notably to boost Rapid Fire, Maul, or Greatsword autos for downed cleave.
  • Defensively by keeping your pet swap ready in case you need to cleanse 2 conditions.
  • Alternatively the Superspeed can help you escape damage or chase down targets while on Greatsword.

• Pet swapping acts as a Blast finisher thanks to Clarion Bond. Being instant, you can have Smokescale place a Smoke Cloud under you (even while you're stunned), and swap pets for AoE stealth.

• Hunter's Shot is the easiest way to gain stealth in this build, but if the projectile misses then it won't be applied. To reduce the chance of that happening (and considering how the damage of this skill is horrible) you should fire it at pets, mesmer clones, and other AI whenever possible. Alternatively, use it to quickly get rid of Blind or Aegis because it's the fastest projectile on this weapon.

• Signet of Stone is extremely useful against direct damage spikes, but you have to use it proactively and sometimes even predict when the burst is coming. Use it too late and it's wasted, too soon and your opponent can just delay its plan until the signet runs out.

Doing damage

• Using "Strength of the Pack!" before a burst makes it less likely to get interrupted whilst also increasing your damage.

• Most of the build revolves around burst combos and just surviving / using fillers inbetween.

The Longbow burst combo is rather simple:

1. CC people with Point Blank Shot
2. Optional - get Quickness from either Zephyr's Speed or Quickening Zephyr
3. Immediately follow up with Rapid Fire while you have Fury.

Greatsword burst combo:

1. Already in combat, pet swap to Rock Gazelle or Tiger (depending on which one you chose), this is going to trigger Zephyr's Speed which grants Fury and Quickness. Fury gives you Opening Strike for increased damage.
2. Use Maul and your pet F2 attack about the same time. Maul will give your pet Moment of Clarity for its next attack. Your pet should hit a split second after you've landed Maul.
3. Hilt Bash your target for CC, hopefully a Moment of Clarity proc, and to refresh Maul.
4. Maul again.

Related Builds

• Sic 'Em Roamer - Soulbeast elite spec roaming version.
• Core Longbow (sPvP) - the Conquest PvP version of the build.