Ranger mainly a group support char?

damsel1988

I have Rogue, Wizard and Cleric up to lvl 60 and thought I will try out the Ranger. I am quite disappointed in the Ranger actually and find that the Melee version is sooooo much weaker than a Rogue and is not of much help against strong mobs when solo. On the other hand, the bow seems incredibly long to shoot, it casts cand casts so long that you basically get one shot off and they are on top of you.
I also find that shots to basic imps whilst normal imps is ok but in dungeons the fire imps take about three shots to kill them, and it takes so very long to fire off a shot, they are on top of you after one or two shots and all attacking you with their fire and you have to try and melee the bunch of them.
The jumping back 50 ft skill is pretty useless too because you jump back, then start firing off a shot that again takes barely long enough till the mobs reach you again, and then you again have to switch to melee.
I have my Ranger now to Lvl 34 but thought it is so much more fun playing my other chars where it is actually challenging and fun, than to have a char where you struggle the whole time.

Just interested what the general thought is on Rangers in comparison with other classes.

jonkoca

damsel1988 wrote: »

I have Rogue, Wizard and Cleric up to lvl 60 and thought I will try out the Ranger. I am quite disappointed in the Ranger actually and find that the Melee version is sooooo much weaker than a Rogue and is not of much help against strong mobs when solo. On the other hand, the bow seems incredibly long to shoot, it casts cand casts so long that you basically get one shot off and they are on top of you.
I also find that shots to basic imps whilst normal imps is ok but in dungeons the fire imps take about three shots to kill them, and it takes so very long to fire off a shot, they are on top of you after one or two shots and all attacking you with their fire and you have to try and melee the bunch of them.
The jumping back 50 ft skill is pretty useless too because you jump back, then start firing off a shot that again takes barely long enough till the mobs reach you again, and then you again have to switch to melee.
I have my Ranger now to Lvl 34 but thought it is so much more fun playing my other chars where it is actually challenging and fun, than to have a char where you struggle the whole time.

Just interested what the general thought is on Rangers in comparison with other classes.

At the moment HRs have a difficult time in pve. However, come the mod4 changes, that will change. Where HRs shine is in 60+ pvp. Gear one up, feat it right, and you'll slaughter the competition like chickens. Mod4 changes seem favourable to pvp HRs too, but too early to say for certain.

As for now, get yourself a good tanky companion which generates threat - a mimic, or perhaps a laughing skull, to take the heat off you while you pew-pew.

dfnce

damsel1988 wrote: »

Just interested what the general thought is on Rangers in comparison with other classes.

Many of HR in pugs care about their DPS/Paingiver title, they do average/lowest dps and contribute nothing to team.

Difference is that HR can work as a team support/aggro tank and still do more damage (even be top Paingiver) than DC/GF.

You will get Oak Skin and Fox Cunning, they are awesome both for you and teammate who may need a buff. You may give Combat Advantage to nearby teammates with Wolfpack aspect, but usually only TR and CW benefit from it.

Pathfinder path offers additional tools: Slashers Mark - daily, Hunter teamwork/Careful Attack - at-will. Teamwork drops heal potions which heal or give AP to you and team. Not a best healing in game, but sometimes these few percent decide about everything.

Once in epic Grey Wolf Den pug i played as a DC (buff/debuff + Astral Seals) and i got a pleasure to play with one HR. Our team was 8-12k gs but i believe this HR and his buffs made us very strong, almost invulnerable, our team didn't have problems with a whole run.

About tactics of killing mobs. Let mobs come to you, put Rain of Arrows, Thorn and start shifting in triangle around thorn. Use Pathfinder Action (more speed and deflection on daily) +Distruptive shot (cheat daily), activate Fox cunnng or Oak. So many HR escape from mobs while they have tremendous potential of survivability.

rayrdan

jonkoca wrote: »

At the moment HRs have a difficult time in pve. However, come the mod4 changes, that will change. Where HRs shine is in 60+ pvp. Gear one up, feat it right, and you'll slaughter the competition like chickens. Mod4 changes seem favourable to pvp HRs too, but too early to say for certain.

As for now, get yourself a good tanky companion which generates threat - a mimic, or perhaps a laughing skull, to take the heat off you while you pew-pew.

they deleted aspect of the lone wolf. pewpew is the only thing left to do, far from being viable

jonkoca

Yeah, just saw that. Let's hope the pew-pew is the elephant gun variety, otherwise we're ****ed. And to think, our only sin was not to die.

gabrieldourden

I play a Pathfinder Ranger and honestly have no problems in PvE, but had to abandon the pew-pew idea.
The best DPS power is Rain of Arrows, followed by Fox Shift and Thorn Ward. I usually go in dungeons with these three, Careful Attack, Split Shot and Seismic shot. Keep you crit high enough (I have 2,6k crit + 24 Wis + Correcting Aim, giving me close to 50% crit rate), use attacks that proc several times (all the stuff mentioned above does) and Cruel Recover + Lifesteal will keep you up (I usually slot Cruel Recover + Aspect of the Serpent).
I use Split Shot only if out of encounters or to clear lesser mobs. If you get surrounded don´t use a pew-pew attack. Use Fox Shift for immunity to CC and damage, it also disorients enemies. Dropping Rain of Arrows on your head is better that using point-blank Split Shot most of the time.
I´m not always the Paingiver but I can act as off-tank so that I can contribute a little more on top of DPS.