Eric Flannum, lead designer on Guild Wars 2, has taken the time to answer some questions regarding the newly revealed ranger profession. This reveals a lot of interesting new information such as the return of preparation skills, differences between shortbows and longbows and the return of popular weapons from Guild Wars. Add to that the questions that were answered last week and we’ve already got a fairly solid picture of what the ranger will play like.
I’ve written up a concise overview of the newly revealed information as always, so read on for that. A lot remains to be revealed regarding Guild Wars 2, not least of which the remaining five professions, so be sure to keep an eye on the official Guild Wars 2 website and ArenaNet company blog for the latest information and media.
Should you have missed out on the wealth of Guild Wars 2 information that’s been made public already, then you may wish to read up on the design manifesto, combat system and elementalist profession, dynamic events system #1 & #2, the personal story system, the warrior profession and traits system #1 & #2, the recent pieces on non-combat activities #1 and #2 and the additional information on activities and travel in Tyria.
It should be noted that the first Guild Wars 2 novel, Ghosts of Ascalon, will be released in five days time. I’ve got a copy pre-ordered and may cover it here.
Rangers
- Preparation skills return in Guild Wars 2. Think of these as ranger buffs on very short timers.
- Multiple rangers can deploy the same trap or spirit at the same time and in certain cases the effects will stack. For example, a bleeding effect from traps might stack whereas blindness would not.
- Pets do not count towards maintaining a spirit or trap. The ranger himself needs to be in close range to keep these active.
- Traps can only be triggered by and affect enemies.
- Shortbows and longbows differ to much greater extent than they did in Guild Wars. Rangers utilizing these weapons will not only see altered range between the two, but also acquire different skills and damage values depending on the type of bow they carry.
- Shortbows can be used on the move along with certain skills like Spread Shot.
- Longbows can’t be used on the move, but have longer range and are more powerful. Barrage is thus a longbow skill.
- Hunter’s Call summons hawks to attack the targeted enemy and can only be used with a warhorn (off-hand weapon).
- Whirling Defense can block any blockable projectile, which includes arrows, bullets and fireballs. It’s a channeled ability, so it continues to drain mana while it’s active.
Whirling Defense is an active defense skill that blocks incoming projectiles
Pets
- Once again: rangers are much less powerful without their pets.
- Pets do not go into downed state, but straight into a defeated state.
- All players can revive a defeated pet in melee range. Some ranger skills allow for reviving a pet at range.
- If you’re defeated then your pet will revive along with you at the waypoint you selected.
- There is no pet customization such as specific armors, dyes or decorations. The only way to gain a different pet is to charm a different animal.
- Pet levels determine the base health, armor and damage statistics. This always adjusts itself to the rangers’ level.
- Pet evolution levels are gained by actively using that pet. As it gains experience it will gain these evolution levels and with it new skill slots and abilities. The maximum evolution level is 20.
- It’s not possible to activate pet skills manually. The only form of control is in sending commands such as attack or heel.
- Players can change any skill their pet uses whenever they are out of combat.
- Terrestrial pets cannot go underwater. The reverse is likely also true ;)
- Pets do not need to be fed.
Spread Shot can be used on the move in conjunction with a shortbow
General
- Many popular weapons you know from Guild Wars will make a return.
- Torches grant weapon skills. Bonfire was shown in the ranger Spread Shot Video. This creates an explosion of flames at a targeted location.
- Most projectile attacks can be dodged like in Guild Wars. Only auto tracking projectiles, which are a minority, cannot be dodged.
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