Some tweaks to Deepwood Stalker, without increase Power Creep

[Requiro]

Adding more options to Wild Empathy might be good, as the DWS lacks one thing more than anything else: An identity.

AA is a bow-centered tree that uses spellpower (even elemental spell power, though nothing with the ranger synergizes with that, which is a bit of a waste), and Tempest is the TWF tree. While it is good to have a more broad tree with two specialized ones, the DWS don't really offer an interesting mechanic to be more than a supplementary tree for one of the other trees or even the universals (looking at you, Inquis... and even Falconeer, as it's a nice melee+range-hybrid tree and fills the same niche as DWS, even though there aren't really many reasons to switch from ranged to melee or vice versa).

Or maybe it would be worthwhile to look into additional effects with the current HoT-effect. Like an empowering effect for companions, like granting them your favorite enemies for a minute, or so.

Yes. This is good idea. DWS right now act only as supplement to AA or Tempest (quite powerful to be honest).
The problem is, if they add something to Tier 5 and Core 6 (the only way to not be supplement to AA or Tempest) that will require Power Creep.

If they add something there, great. If don't I will not cry.
What I wish is changes Tier 1 and 2 DWS abilities that right now are very outdated and mostly useless. Same as Core 1 and Core 2.

[Smokewolf]

Adding more options to Wild Empathy might be good, as the DWS lacks one thing more than anything else: An identity.

AA is a bow-centered tree that uses spellpower (even elemental spell power, though nothing with the ranger synergizes with that, which is a bit of a waste), and Tempest is the TWF tree. While it is good to have a more broad tree with two specialized ones, the DWS don't really offer an interesting mechanic to be more than a supplementary tree for one of the other trees or even the universals (looking at you, Inquis... and even Falconeer, as it's a nice melee+range-hybrid tree and fills the same niche as DWS, even though there aren't really many reasons to switch from ranged to melee or vice versa).

Or maybe it would be worthwhile to look into additional effects with the current HoT-effect. Like an empowering effect for companions, like granting them your favorite enemies for a minute, or so.

+1

In my experience, no-one plays a Ranger unless they have to, be it for completionist or what ever. Its always been one of classes I’ve dreaded playing in Heroics for the amount of time required to reach 20. That in itself is pretty telling of the state of the class / enhancement trees as a whole. Hell, I’d rather play a pure fighter than a Ranger in heroics as at least then i can kill large groups without waiting for cooldowns.

That being said, Yes I know that (Epic) ranged (burst) and single target (melee) damage can be really good but that doesn't make it any easier to level up, much less run one solo. Simply put, a Ranger often cant run without a group, not at least without moving along at a snails pace due to minimal healing and ability cooldowns. This is especially true for new players lacking gear, reaper points and past lives.