It's possible to get all the useless forms and let the ranger get ahead of you, but with average forms, I bet shifters are better down there both PvE and PvP.
Just to add.. I have tried more than 15 water/water (Just two to hero, others to 2nd tier or one 1st tier). And almost about 10 shifters with one water foci.
p.s. If you wonder why I tried so many water shifters, I always wanted to get Jelly fish and see it in action. Just very recently found out that it's not a normal form. (Damn the guy who put it on wiki as a normal water form.)
Edited to add that, with some of the above shifters, I had met water rangers (Both ranking with and fighting them underwater) And they didn't seem to be close to my shifters in strength, at all. I expected them being much better underwater myself.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/19/2013 01:36PM by xrus.