Core Ranger Build (Open World)

Following build is designed to guide you through your first playthrough, or simply offer you a decent and reliable Core build if you are on Free to Play account. Core builds are not advised to use later in game due to superiority of elite specializations.

Ranger is a powerful Core profession orientated around keeping your enemies at the distance when needed with your Longbow, and punishing them in mid and melee range with Axes when forced to.

This build offers solid damage and self-applied boons such as , , , , and , it also has a lot of the fundamentals that lead to the end-game build Power Soulbeast, which should be next on your path to unlocking strong build.

Build Fundamentals

This build combines lots of passive damage increases from traits with high damage skills from Longbow and Axe/Axe. It also has , , and generation for itself, three out of four key offensive boons in the game.

Weapons

Your Longbow is a long-ranged weapon focused on keeping and damaging enemies at a distance.

Your two hardest-hitting skills on your Longbow are Barrage and Rapid Fire. Try to use them at the max range to maximize the usage of your Farsightedand Lead the Wind traits. Take note that Barrage will get interrupted if you move during its cast.

Skills

Most of your skills will serve to increase your damage rather than offering any utility.

Your heal skill "We Heal As One!" not only heals but also copies any boons you have to your pet and vice versa. If you are not in danger, you can use it offensively when you have lots of boons on yourself (ideally, shortly after switching from Longbow to Axe/Axe and engaging in mid or close-range combat).

Quickening Zephyr is an instant cast ability that breaks you out of Crowd Control effects and gives you a few seconds of . You can use it offensively during an attack that will benefit most from such as Rapid Fire, Barrage, or Whirling Defense, but remember that Quickening Zephyr is your only stun break, use it wisely.

Signet of the Wild passively gives you and your pet ferocity (an increase to critical strike damage). The active effect can be used to nearby enemies. However, it’s not recommended to do so as when you use a signet you loose the passive effect which in this case massively reduces your outgoing damage. If you find yourself in a situation where you need , consider taking the Entangle elite skill instead.

"Sic 'Em!" will increase you and your pet’s movement speed and damage, try to use it when your pet is already close to the target to not waste the damage increase.

Finally, your elite skill "Strength of the Pack!" grants you and your pet generation on hit, , , and 10 stacks of . Due to being generated on hit, this skill will be best utilized when used just before some multi-hit attacks like Rapid Fire, Barrage, or Whirling Defense. If you are facing an enemy with Crowd Control effects, you might want to use it as a defensive tool for .

Note: If you want a bit more convenience, your pet F2 skills can be set to auto-cast (similarly to your auto attack) by using Ctrl + Right Click.

Crowd Control

Gearing tips

Since this build is designed to be your entry point to Guild Wars 2 world, let’s start with the basics, if you haven’t checked the guides below, give them a read to make yourself familiar with game basics.

Game basics – first steps in Tyria This short guide contains answers to the questions you might have on the first days of your adventure, such as where to look for tips, how to look for a group (LFG), what are the most important parts of the interface, and more! Game systems and mechanics Downstate, dodging, skills tied to weapon types, heart quests, and meta events, it all can be overwhelming for the new player. This guide attempts to answer all your questions, even those you don't yet know you have. Gearing guide for PvE This guide aims to teach you about the easiest, fastest, and most importantly, cheapest methods of acquiring your first entry-level equipment for instanced PvE content. Introduction to the Ranger Learn how to tame and control powerful pet companions, lure your enemies to your traps, snipe them with your bow, or support allies with spirits.

Don’t try to invest in Runes and Sigils before you acquire proper level-80 Exotic gear with Berserker’s stats as transferring upgrades is not possible without destroying the item, and retrieving them during the process has a small chance with most salvage kits.

From drops, crafting and level-up rewards pick items with Power, and on later levels supplemented by Precision and Ferocity.

Unlocking skills and pets

If you’re looking up this build as you’re leveling through the wide world of Tyria we recommend unlocking Signet of the Wild and "Sic 'Em!" first, then Quickening Zephyr.

Unlocking "Strength of the Pack!" can be delayed at the cost of unlocking your first specialization first if you are getting close to level 21.

The first specialization at level 21 should be Marksmanship as it offers the most useful traits in early levels. At level 45 get Skirmishing and finally at level 71 unlock Beastmastery.