Role of Ranger: What is it?

zalathorm1 · December 2013

I haven't gotten to level my ranger past level 6 yet, but I'm curious, what is their role? I mean, I know it's DPS, but how do they stack up with rogues and wizards? What their niche? Where are they better and worse than the other DPS classes?

I was surprised to see that both AoE and Single Target damage were covered by the first two at wills.

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

ranger is like a cw and a tr put together. high ranged dps, squishy, with some controll powers

midax99 · December 2013

I have the feeling the main role of a ranger in groups is to pull aggro off of the CW with split shot.

hidahayabusa · December 2013

I guess they can kite if a CW is not there, and they can help a rogue when focusing boss if a CW is there. The rest of their utility comes from some Party buffs.

Can't see if they bring something unique to the group though.

shadow5930 · December 2013

HR is a DPS class. Those whom are good at it, just haven't had enough time to really trick them out to show that. There's going to be 3 general styles of HR: Ranged only, party buffer, skirmisher. What you get, depending on the style, is what they can do in the team. Additional control, speed increase from buffs, faster trash/focused dps on boss.

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

In pve hrs will be good dps. But for pvp... its gonna be weird

shadow5930 · December 2013

I wouldn't say 'wierd' as so much as 'unknown'. Just like when the game started, people didn't know the tell for choke from CW. Now they habitually try to dodge it when they see the up movement of the hand. It's an unknown. That'll be an edge. Those who are good, will be able to ride that into the high end PVP. Once people adapt, then the real game of adjustment will begin...

.... in my own, humble opinion, of course.

sithxardha · December 2013

Apart from overused dps/tank/heal classification, HR role should be archer with strong close quarter combat emphasis.

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

As a ranger u have no cc imunities or defensive abilities that are worth mentioning. Getting up close to a good player is insta death

hidahayabusa · December 2013

Which is exactly what makes no sense at all.

sithxardha · December 2013

ikeepit3hunna wrote: »

As a ranger u have no cc imunities or defensive abilities that are worth mentioning. Getting up close to a good player is insta death

Switching to melee should be considered as tactical option, not main strategy. HR strong sides are situational awareness (provided by range) and manoeuvrability. Rangers dodge "Shift" is nice defensive ability, that can be used 5 times in a row and has no analogues. With that said ill admit that I'm far from considering self advanced player, and lots of experimentation still have to take place.

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

I played ranger on preview lvl 60 pvp. And after the nerf, even with rank 10 and junk I was having issues vs higher tiered players. The more ignorant your opponents are the stronger hr is because u can get those aimed shots off. The encounter dmg is very lackluster

shadow5930 · December 2013

That's just it. The main development emphesis was hybrid ranged/melee.

This is getting into that situation of using the tab skill or not. Why is TR so powerful? They use tab all the time. GWF? same. CW? same. DC? same. GF? not. They are forced to rely more on shift than tab, which shows a sign of the tab needing to be built up.

I'm not saying people have to *ONLY EVER* play hybrid. The main developmental emphsis is that in and out.

HR gets stealth. It's a daily that allows you to ALSO do disrupting shot. Think about it. 2 dailies. Stealth at 90' out, means they aren't going to see spit, lantern or not. Sniping from the bridge? Sniping from a tower? There's plenty that can be done.

Which leads back to my original post: it is unknown. We need someone like Hida or Hunna who's entire focus is on a class to the point of writing a solid guide to come out.

... only HR will need 3 of em. Ranged, melee, buffer.

jeffcostarica · December 2013

ikeepit3hunna wrote: »

I played ranger on preview lvl 60 pvp. And after the nerf, even with rank 10 and junk I was having issues vs higher tiered players. The more ignorant your opponents are the stronger hr is because u can get those aimed shots off. The encounter dmg is very lackluster

According to this... should we consider HR a good character or just an "insteresting" one? I understand that HR has dps damages and it can do a little of many things. But how good can HR be on 2 situations: leveling alone or PvP?

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

shadow5930 wrote: »

That's just it. The main development emphesis was hybrid ranged/melee.

This is getting into that situation of using the tab skill or not. Why is TR so powerful? They use tab all the time. GWF? same. CW? same. DC? same. GF? not. They are forced to rely more on shift than tab, which shows a sign of the tab needing to be built up.

I'm not saying people have to *ONLY EVER* play hybrid. The main developmental emphsis is that in and out.

HR gets stealth. It's a daily that allows you to ALSO do disrupting shot. Think about it. 2 dailies. Stealth at 90' out, means they aren't going to see spit, lantern or not. Sniping from the bridge? Sniping from a tower? There's plenty that can be done.

Which leads back to my original post: it is unknown. We need someone like Hida or Hunna who's entire focus is on a class to the point of writing a solid guide to come out.

... only HR will need 3 of em. Ranged, melee, buffer.

I don't write guides tho. I really could dish out 3 builds for each class besides dc but I don't want people using my stuff lol. I'll help people 1 on 1 but not post to the public :P. I wish I didn't have to revamp all my characters because I cant make an hr for a while to test things out on live. I know what gear is going to be used on hr but figuring out which encounters to use will be problematic because I didn't test things out much after the nerf on preview

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

jeffcostarica wrote: »

According to this... should we consider HR a good character or just an "insteresting" one? I understand that HR has dps damages and it can do a little of many things. But how good can HR be on 2 situations: leveling alone or PvP?

Lvling is very very easy on hr. Easiest class to level hands down. As for pvp I'm not sure yet. They changed a bunch of things vs preview in terms of how the encounters function

shadow5930 · December 2013

PVP is the unknown. Right now, there's a flush of them. As you get higher up, there will be fewer (if you're ahead of the wave of course) so it should still be able to hold it's own.

The root from a DC? The HR can do that, often. They get an ability to auto-dodge next strike. They get the ability to be mobile, charge and flee. Or if you're ranged, just flee.

So ultimately, new trail, no one really knows the end of the path.

As for leveling solo? They have solid abilities to smash stuff AoE. Split Shot is king, don't be afraid to half-charge it. I'd avoid thorn ward as it's single target.. which if you're going AoE is counter productive. They, as long as you play actively, can do the same as any of the other classes: level quickly to 60.

shadow5930 · December 2013

ikeepit3hunna wrote: »

I don't write guides tho. I really could dish out 3 builds for each class besides dc but I don't want people using my stuff lol. I'll help people 1 on 1 but not post to the public :P. I wish I didn't have to revamp all my characters because I cant make an hr for a while to test things out on live. I know what gear is going to be used on hr but figuring out which encounters to use will be problematic because I didn't test things out much after the nerf on preview

I realize you don't write guides. Even without guides, you provide insight on other's posts that show your understanding of the classes. That's the main thing I was pointing out.

... I'd totally be 'that guy' for the HR.. if I didn't have to work.

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

shadow5930 wrote: »

I realize you don't write guides. Even without guides, you provide insight on other's posts that show your understanding of the classes. That's the main thing I was pointing out.

... I'd totally be 'that guy' for the HR.. if I didn't have to work.

:P. I have full time school but still manage to get some time for neverwinter in. If u put a few hours a day into hr I'm sure u would find out a lot of stuff/builds out. Tbh I'm curious to see if ppl will run combat/nature at all. That archery capstone is really strong

shadow5930 · December 2013

I'm actually sorely tempted to go the ranged path even as a hybrid. The crit stuff in the ranged path effects melee as well. Go up the combat path to increase deflect while in melee stance, increase stamina in ranged. It's a solid path and could be painful even in melee. Not sure yet.. I got to level 9 last night before the server shut down for maintenance.

pbuckleyhero · December 2013

They will be nasty in PvP whene they can hold their own. People are so used to dumped down mechanics in most games that the second a HR swaps weapons their not going to know how to respond. That is if the ranger can handle the damage and cc flying about.

kozi001 · December 2013

Well Split shot is definitely OP.

Instead of pvp I am more curious how Hunters will perform in end game dungeons like in the add heavy CN or VT.
It will probably 2-3 weeks to see that till they will be geared/builded properly in greater numbers.

rhoric · December 2013

Hate to burst your bubble, but split shot is not OP.

I am going strictly range. DPS is pretty good and have been using Man at Arms companion and he has been doing a good job at keeping the mobs on him as I burn them down from range.

netblaze2 · December 2013

The Ranger is classified as a stalker... The same as a rogue.. There dps will be about the same depending on the player and the abilitys that are used... This info is on the wiki plus all dnd fans should no what a stalker is.... If not just go to neverwinter wiki and all the info is there

netblaze2 · December 2013

I've done about 15 pvp runs.. lvl 15 atm.. I have to say that I have always been at the bottom of list for points and kills every game... The rogue kills me in seconds.. my movement ability doesn't dodge all the time. I ususally try to snipe from far away then switch to melee to finish people off but most of the time i die when i do that... I don't see why people are saying the ranger is op.. its dmg is the same as teh other stalker but different

mutantdemocracy · December 2013

Just started leveling mine, but it astounds me how good it is at low levels. I've only ever leveled a GF and GWF, but HR is breezing past everything low leveled like it's a **** joke... and at long range, no less.

Full charge of that second at-will literally kills any low level trash mobs instantly, while dealing high damage to anything bigger.

rosicrucianist · December 2013

mutantdemocracy wrote: »

Full charge of that second at-will literally kills any low level trash mobs instantly, while dealing high damage to anything bigger.

Keep in mind that the full charge takes a good there seconds. It's great for pulling, but during combat it's difficult to charge it for that long.

ikeepit3hunna · December 2013

rhoric wrote: »

Hate to burst your bubble, but split shot is not OP.

I am going strictly range. DPS is pretty good and have been using Man at Arms companion and he has been doing a good job at keeping the mobs on him as I burn them down from range.

perfect vorpal+cap arp+split shot=WTF in pvp

sokarrostau · December 2013

I think the biggest problem is not in the role that Rangers are supposed to fill, it's in the dungeoneering paradigm of the playerbase. This is a game where the role of "tank" is predominately to run around kiting things instead of standing toe-to-toe with the boss and "DPS is King". The playerbase not only has to "find" a place for Rangers, we also have to accept the class and allow it to work for us. People might also have to learn how to do dungeons.

I will say this much: I was able to immediately identify a HUGE, and complementary, role for the Ranger. I am still trying to convince my guildmates so that someone other than me has the right build to make things work. If things work the way I suspect, this will change how a lot of people view the other class, and we might see a lot of respec's.

alphah20 · December 2013

"Ranger" as in attacks far away and resorts to close combat as a last resort. their main focus is messing up the enemy without taking hits. in other words, if two tanks are duking it out. the victor can be decided by the competence and position of the ranger.

caexar · December 2013

Rangers are what the GWF should have primarily been, AoE DPS with support and minor control abilities mingled into it. In a party as a ranger you will find yourself primarily filling one of two roles, either one of the main trash mob group burners (usually and archer spec'd damage oriented ranger) or a strong party augmenter (the Nature Paragon Ranger with the uber buffs). You can deviate somewhat from these two primary classifications, but you will not fulfill any other roles as well as the other classes do.
That said, the way you can go about these two main jobs can vary from play style to play style, group to group and what not, but not all are as effective as others. You will come to find more so than any other class that you will know a good played ranger from a bad one when you see them in PvE or PvP.

In the few parties I've been in, whilst still leveling mine, I have found that more often than not, I am most effective "plugging the gaps" so to speak. That's to say I stand at a distance with the CW and DC, pelting damage on enemies and switch to melee to use AoE damaging and rooting effects while the CW's encounters are cooling down. I have come to find that this taking of turns managing adds seems to be most effective (for my style) and overall increases survivability by quite a bit. I didn't expect to find myself at the top spot in the damage given stat, but was surprised to find myself there several times (until boss fights at which point the TR will catch up and surpass everyone)
I haven't tried the party support role yet, though I am very eager to do so as from what I've seen on the preview, the HR can just make everyone else better at what they do.

From a PvP stand point, I am of the opinion that HR's are very imbalanced at the moment, especially with rooting effects by-passing immunities and the ridiculous damage the at-wills can do. There isn't a sentinel GWF around at the current range I'm in that I could not solo with my ranger, and many of the very well played ones I've encountered went down way too fast because of being rendered helpless by rooting effects. For those who are stating that the HR is fine as is, I tell you now, the HR is OP in pvp and I foresee a nerf/correction being made to balance them back out. This may simply be conjecture from the way I play my character, but I honestly see a need to tip the scales in the other direction.

Role of Ranger: What is it?

Comments