Build talk:R/W Anniversary Beastmaster

Pet AI seems to vary a great deal depending on the situation. User:Kiteeye22851

It seems we're trashing that other build and no longer trying to make tactics work, so here's the beast mastery variant. Open to feedback and changes but I'll put it in testing so we can get the voting started.
 * I have been having luck with tactics, using Solider's Strike as a main source of damage, and allowing for a tactics shield. Since SS is on a 4 second cooldown, energy can be a problem, so I have been bringing You Are All Weaklings and Scavenging Strike. I have also been bringing Run as One to help stick on enemies, allowing for a Tactics Shield like Grognar's Defender (HP+45 and phys dmg -2 while in stance). Anyway, sorry if the Tactics window is closed, just my two cents.--Eprum (talk) 13:02, 7 August 2020 (UTC)

Scavenger Strike might not be needed if you bring a zealous sword. That might make it possible to spam some other decent pet attack, like Melandru's Assault. I'll test it more and try figure out what's best. -- DANDY ^_^ -- 14:57, 4 May 2020 (UTC)
 * Without having this tested I'm not yet sold on it. Pet AI is really terrible and I feel like this will be inferior to a strike as one full beast master. The only + this one would then have is an infrequent SY. --Krschkr (talk) 14:59, 4 May 2020 (UTC)
 * I agree with the points above ^. If you want SY uptime, you should run barrage. If you want to buff pets, you should use the Strike As One beastmaster, which has Strike As One to make up for the terrible pet AI. If you want damage, you should run either of those bars (or any of the other ranger bars in the build namespace). I don't see what you want to do with this build? If you want to play a sword ranger, I don't think this is the way to do it (but I also can't really think of a sword ranger build that deserves to have a place here). ZStepmother (talk) 17:05, 4 May 2020 (UTC)


 * Scavenger's Strike is stupid. You barely use energy in this build with 14 freaking expertise. Like Dandy said, zealous if you need it (Cause ur bad). What this build needs is some good IMS, like Run as One. That will help your pet stick to targets for damage, and you for better SY! uptime. @ZStepmother, if you're a ranger and you want to play non-bow (like most good rangers), you're never able to bring SY! to your team. Barrage also sucks pretty hard. The occasionaly Splinter Weapon spike arguement for barrage is dumb, because everyone benefits from splinter weapon, and every other class can use it better (scythe, dagger spam, whirlwind attack...). Rant aside (bows are dumb), this build offers the unique ability for a ranger to play melee as well as use SY!. Definitely still needs testing; but i think that this build has some potential. Willarddog (talk) 04:19, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * I was definitely able to run out of energy a lot when I went brain afk and spammed all abilities on cooldown (even NRA and Call of Protection), but much of the time Scavenger Strike didn't give me energy back because this build has no conditions. Strike as One was a lot better in that regard. The cost of Run as One is probably comparable to that between spamming NRA and cooldown and using it when it ends, so energy should be mostly fine.
 * Some notes from playtesting both this and the vetted Strike as One build:
 * Pets deal a lot more damage than I thought, and a SoH'd pet can deal consistent 200 dmg Brutal Strike's in HM (without even using GDW).
 * Having SoH on yourself and a dire pet is a lot of damage.
 * Using SaMS and Brutal Strike at once can be a really big burst against low health enemies if you're buffed, since both you and your pet only need to attack once. Despite having lower DPS than a dagger spammer or the SaO build, the burst is higher than either can do and is sometimes a timesaver, especially against healing and prots.
 * Strike as One is great to draw aggro with and mostly works fine, but sometimes the pet AI doesn't catch up with being teleported and just runs right back to where you ported it from. Simply speed boosting the pet doesn't have that problem.
 * Sometimes your pet focuses some other target, which is a bit awkward.
 * A pet with TaO is really tanky.
 * (Just saying this because it has to be said: Strike as One with Ebon Escape is awesome when running with human teams.)
 * -- DANDY ^_^ -- 05:15, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * IW Mesmer is also an unique playstyle, but it doesn't have a place on pvx because its just bad. I don't see anything that this build offers, that other ranger builds don't do better. If you insist on being able to SY, run the beastmaster build and take a spear. If you want to do damage, the beastmaster is again the better option.
 * This build forces in sword usage for the sole reason of using a sword. You take 2 adrenaline skills that cost 8 adren, and have no IAS yourself. This build is extra vulnerable to anti melee, because it doesn't have AScan / IAU. You mainly rely on your pet for damage, but your pet has trouble reaching his targets in time because he doesn't have SaO. I must say I haven't tested this yet, and I'd be quite surprised if it turns out to be better than I think. Tl;dr: you intentionally cripple yourself so you can make use of the anniversary sword. ZStepmother (talk) 07:51, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * NRA is an IAS for both you and your pet. This is about as vulnerable to anti-melee as the SaO beastmaster.
 * Feral Aggression and NRA + TaO are roughly equivalent in terms of pet auto damage, while TaO, SoH and NRA is enough to make SaMS a better damage option than Predator's Pounce. If you make those changes to the SaO build and change the elite then you've nearly created this build. You trade GDW for SY, but sharing TaO to allies can make up for that damage loss. - DANDY ^_^ -- 09:40, 16 May 2020 (UTC)


 * You did not mention the type of pet you want to use. I suppose Roller Beetle, but you may prefer a regular pet. If really looking to keep SY up, I believe we should go with Ruineternelle (talk) 09:27, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * I added the note about the dire beetle. NRA and Run as One does the same thing as Rampage as One. I'm not a fan of FGJ because of the high cooldown and there's no room for it in the build anyway. It's a lot easier to fit in Dark Fury somewhere in your team. -- DANDY ^_^ -- 09:51, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * NRA is only 25% faster attack speed, while RaO is 33%, so faster adrenaline building. This also does bar compression and can free a PvE slot for Whirlwind Attack. Sure it's a big dps and regen loss not to use the new elite though. --Ruineternelle (talk) 13:52, 16 May 2020 (UTC)
 * ToA is better because it's an EBSoH which travels with you + buffs allies. Willarddog (talk) 20:41, 20 May 2020 (UTC)

Analysis
Just putting it here incase

1) Together as One
 * The basis of all. Huge damage boost that is also party-wide, affects pets, and gives +7 health regeneration. And unstrippable. And can trigger Echoes, if we really want to.

2) Feral Aggression/Call of Haste + 3) Drunken Master
 * Self explanatory. Higher attack speed = more TaO damage. Feral vs Call of Haste depends on whether we want damage or movement for the pet (Call is also cheaper), while Drunken Master gives both attack and movement speed to the ranger. NRA+Run as One is only 25% ias and ims, but it is an unstrippable option incase the area features stance removal. I didn't run into calcs if not using alcohol.

4) -5) -6) -7) are all pretty much optional : 8) Comfort Animal
 * Brutal Strike and Predator's Pounce provide spammable damage (reached 130 dps on master of damage with that). Sun and Moon Slash is likely less damaging than a pet attack, but it helps fuel adrenaline if need be.
 * Edge of Extinction is the same as usual.
 * Ebon Battle Standard is nice but unmovable and also expensive, so if someone else can bring it is better. Same for Great Dwarf Weapon.
 * Talking about energy, Scavenger's Strike works great for energy management, but need a condition.
 * Bestial/Savage Pounce to kd casters. There are a bunch of other ways to get kd, such as ymlad or Club of a Thousand Bears, which can legitimate Bestial Mauling.
 * Fertile Season can provide an antispike when engaging a boss or similar foes.
 * Melandru's Assault, Whirlwind Attack are our only AoE options, along with Cyclone Axe (if we are not using the expertise sword).
 * Call of Protection is likely useless, because pets have 80 armor and a 33% damage reduction on top of it.
 * Feral Lunge gives bleeding. Can be combined with Gash for Deep Wound. Dismember does DW too.
 * Save Yourselves is always an option.
 * Asuran Scan/Otyugh Cry to counter block (and blind for ascuran scan)
 * Wild Blow for stance removal
 * The choice of the weapon is up to preference. The expertise sword is the best, but scythe hits three foes, spear/bow allow to play from range, so that you can put health regeneration on casters too.
 * We don't really have a choice here

Thoughts ? --Ruineternelle (talk) 18:05, 2 June 2020 (UTC)


 * Call of Haste + Drunken Master makes sense. Moved NRA + Run as One to Notes as a variant. However, I wouldn't call it the "unstrippable option;" Call of Haste is unstrippable too, and is a much better skill.
 * Feral Aggression is expensive and redundant on this bar.
 * Brutal Strike is already mainbar.
 * Moved SaMS to optionals.
 * Added EoE to optionals.
 * EBSoH doesn't fit here for the reasons you correctly stated; YMLAD is too expensive. CTB is bad. Brawling Headbutt exists (and added to optionals).
 * Team can bring condition for Scavenger's Strike if needed.
 * Added Melandru's assault + Whirlwind to optionals.
 * SY, Ascan, Otyugh Cry, Predator's Pounce, and Wild Blow are already in optionals.
 * Bestial Pounce, Savage Pounce, Bestial Mauling, and Feral Lunge are all bad.
 * 80 armor + 33% damage reduction makes Call of Protection super broken and powerful; pet is often first to run into fight, and generates lots of aggro. I think you're missing the point.
 * Choice of weapon is not up to preference. There are already builds for daggers, scythe, and hammer. If you want to run axe, bow, or spear, look for or make a different build.
 * I've updated the page to clean it up a bit. We can start chipping away at some of these optionals and narrow it down better. --Willarddog (talk) 14:46, 12 August 2020 (UTC)
 * Cleaned it up a little Willarddog (talk) 15:35, 22 December 2020 (UTC)