Originally Posted by
Nikijih
I'll be honest I havnt played ranger, but I'll disagree once more and reiterate my stance: auto-attack is background damage. Yes, it is a part of every build, but no, it is not central to most builds. For one, "max dps" builds are usually trash in GW2. Glass Cannons dont live long in this game. Unless of course you simply meant "the highest damage weapon combo for the class", in which case I will still disagree.
Fights are won and lost through burst, CC and well timed utility, not steady DPS. Auto-attack is the "steady DPS" component of all those builds. Rather its just the base upon which a good player will build his offensive and defensive moves. Its a platform, not a decisive element.
A guardian might get the most damage out of his auto-attack in the end, but the burst that wins him fights is his Spin-to-win. A necro might see his dagger's auto-attack be the biggest part of his DPS, but its his ability to keep himself alive through appropriate use of health-siphons and death shroud that makes him better than another. A messmer might be "spamming" his GS "1" attack, but in the end its his fantasms and/or shatters that gets him up there on the K/D board. A warrior's sword attacks are cool and all, but its his ability to set up his 1000-swords attack that makes or break the game for him.
Autoattacks are omnipresent, I agree. But they are not "important".