New to Project 99 Ranger question.

[LeorickEci]

Hello fellow EQers, Let me start off by saying I played EQ from '99 to '07 and I've pretty much forgotten everything about the game. I logged into my old account since EQ is F2P, and didn't know what to do, because I've gotten used to other MMOs and different play mechanics.

Now I've been missing EQ for a long time, but I hated EQ pretty much since PoP and onwards, game got lazy and stupid. I remember the glory says of camping in BB, for me it was Black Burrow, because I started in Qeynos, I know every other person refers to it as Butcher Block. I loved the days in HHP/HHK, and the most fun was in LG.

All that being said, I remember how Rangers at the time kinda really sucked, we couldn't tank well, most people referred to us as paper tanks, we had good melee, but the bow was practically worthless, though I loved to fletch and was happy when I made my... I think it was the Rain Caller bow... been too long. Flash forward to Velious and the game change, AAs. Rangers started to become a real DPS class with Endless Quiver (Though I had a Tolan's Bracer already, loved it) AM2, and I can't seem to remember the other bow specific AAs. That's when people wanted to have Rangers in the group, so here's my question.

How are Rangers in this game, I hear that P99 is going to unlock Velious sometime in the near future. Are Rangers still only good with melee in the current incarnation? Or are Bows actually worth something? I loved my Bard, which was my Primary, but I had more fun as a Ranger especially with the AAs, I was able to solo kite with ease.

Are Rangers sought after for groups and raids? I don't know how much time I'm going to commit to P99, but I definitely don't have the time to play like I used to, no more 200 people groups breaking Time staying up for 50 hours, those days are long gone.

Thanks for any input.

[Ziggy]

you are correct, rangers are as you described them.. they are additionally unwanted in groups because of their high exp penalty (which is removed in velious). that being said they are pretty good in pvp, the best outdoor pullers, and decent soloers if correctly geared. AA's don't come into the game untill Luclin, so... if you are looking to roll up a solo class that can sometimes group i would look elsewhere, try something you haven't played before.

[Ziggy]

oh and welcome to the server! :D

[Lune]

Ranger guide for P99 (http://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156572&highlight=ranger+tips)

As stated above, rangers here will never see the nice archery AA's unless the year is 2063, we're in our 5th year of Velious, and Rogean's cyborg grandson decides it's time for custom content.

Are Rangers still only good with melee in the current incarnation?

Yes, bow dps is miserable under current mechanics. If you're extremely patient you can take forever and kill things with arrows, but it's inferior to melee.

Are Rangers sought after for groups and raids?

They are not sought after. Nobody will say, 'Damn, we need a ranger', ever, unless they want a seb key or something. Many people are indifferent. Some people actively hate rangers and go out of their way to bar them from groups. Some people like rangers and will group with you enthusiastically. If you play your character well, and are a likable person, the people you group with will usually always want to group with you again in spite of your class.

On raids you are just a body. You might be called on to kite, track, or pull. Rangers have tanked dragons and VS. I believe only poor raid leaders will prioritize you for death touch over something that does less dps or lacks some other critical role. You get weaponshield + trueshot discs, and some unique buff in velious.

[sox7d]

51 ranger here. Never had any issues being excluded from a group that would have taken anything short of an epic'd rogue.

Please don't listen to the min-maxers. You may hit some difficulty in finding a group for seb, but other than that you'll be absolutely fine.

At 51 with modest gear, I tank and pull KC with no issues whatsoever. Ranger damage is actually quite good once you grab a woodsman's staff (definitely obtainable by your mid 30s).

And for the record, the "HUGE EXP PENALTY" just treats your experience take as that of someone 2 levels higher, idiots often interpret it as everyone in the group only gets half exp. Rangers sucking is just an archaic joke at this point.


Btw, learn to use camo/harmony/bind sight + know mob pathing and you will be a GOD in mistmoore.

[maskedmelon]

Sox sums it up prey well. Rangers are not awful at all and I the contrary a valuable contributor to groups. As stated though, there are retards who remain rabidly devoted to unfounded hybrid hate and promote misunderstanding of XP penalty mechanics.

On the topic of AA, those were not released with velious and as a result will never be released here. AA we're added with SoL.

Take the plunge, roll ranger! ^^

[fadetree]

plus the gear is cheap! Any fool can roll a rogue or a monk, and often do! (zing!) Go for the gusto, play a hard class in a hard game. When you hit 60, people will be impressed...when people see a 60 rogue or monk they just yawn. Same goes for Knights, when I see a 60 Sk or Palllie I know I'm looking at a dedicated, skilled masochist.

[Swish]

Just to add regarding the XP penalty... it doesn't disappear on launch night, it's patched in later in the timeline.

I think everyone's braced to play their hybrids from day one at the moment :p

[Bodybagger]

The most fun you can honestly have playing a ranger on project 99 is probably playing red99, lvl 9-30 or so is a LOT of fun as ranger... thoroughly enjoy them in PVP which surprised me... and with 500p or so invested you're very viable against even the twinks, from there you just become stronger.

Tracking is priceless there, ranged dps is awesome at low level for pvp... all around fun stuff

But if you don't like fighting other players, ranger is basically a shitty bard afaik. Even if you like killing other players, ranger might be a shitty bard... but 2handers to joust and ranged dps...

[Swish]

ranger is basically a shitty bard

I've never seen that analogy but I like it :)

[sox7d]

ranger is basically a shitty bard


wtf? that makes as much sense as saying a druid is just a shitty rogue. bards do shit DPS and don't tank. rangers don't buff/CC/mana regen.

Only similarity I can think of is that they can be played by the same races.

[Sajan]

wtf? that makes as much sense as saying a druid is just a shitty rogue. bards do shit DPS and don't tank. rangers don't buff/CC/mana regen.

Only similarity I can think of is that they can be played by the same races.

Pretty much my thoughts except Rangers do buff/heal and CC. I've saved many near wipes with clutch Greater Heals and Root CC on my Ranger. No one has ever complained about having Storm Strength or Chloroplast whenever a Shaman or Druid weren't around.

[86753o9]

I think when they invented the ranger class they anticipated, wrongly, that the bow would be a practical weapon in eq.
http://wiki.project1999.com/images/Ranger.gif

[ghost182]

The only hybrid with both dual wield and double attack. Have a few quick cast nukes at higher lvl that are worth casting. Greater heal in the end game is alright, as is chloro (especially with a fungi). Doesn't hurt having skin, dmg shield(s), Str, Agi either. Though all buffs can be overwritten when shamans/druids/clerics etc are around, its still good to have them as an option when those classes arent.

Double damage with the bow on stationary targets and crits... it could be worse. Hey its damage with minimal aggro.

It's hard to compare ranger to the pure classes, they get the abilities we don't in high damage kicks, triple attacks, backstabs, melee-crits, and discs.

But were right on par as a dps/utility hybrid.

Come velious when we get panic animal, it's one of the few classes that can snare and fear something. Track is over powered. not just the distance either but the ability to sort the list by lvl or spawn-time. Also it's not so bad having the ability to slow mobs (swarmcaller/earthcaller).

All in all it has it's moments, but one of the stronger classes, no.

[scythic]

just do yourself a favor and play on TAKP instead. p99 is just a money maker for RMT plat farmers

[Sadre Spinegnawer]

Ranger guide for P99 (http://www.project1999.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156572&highlight=ranger+tips)

As stated above, rangers here will never see the nice archery AA's unless the year is 2063, we're in our 5th year of Velious, and Rogean's cyborg grandson decides it's time for custom content.....



You forgot the part where the servers are located somewhere in the Villa Straylight

[LeorickEci]

Thanks for the input all, lots of mixed feelings out there. But I pretty much played every single class in EQ, had two accounts, duo boxed a post Luclin Shammy and Ranger, I was invincible, Slows with Haste and my AAs were unstoppable.

My bard was solo kiting oh crap I can't remember that zone in PoP, but Rangers being a shitty bard??? I don't get it, Bards were unique and I've seen some amazingly great bards, and some god awful twink bards. I'm on the higher end of the good bards, wouldn't consider myself great, I nearly wiped some raids, because of my bad timing on hitting FM while pulling.

I had fun with the necro, but it got boring, was too easy to play. Druid was very similar to necro as far as ease in soloing, DoTs and Root, sit and med. Sure made tons of cash farming, but there was no challenge. Pally was a tough class to solo, even with a 2H, I never had a good technique with them. SK was fun to solo, pet and HT helped a lot. Beast Lords were also fun. I never got used to Zerkers, they are great dps, but solowise, my mind was set was not used to their class. Clerics, definitely was a challenge in soloing, burned too much mana on DDs, so only hit the undead zones.

Now I don't want to start playing a Bard again on Classic EQ, even though it was my first love, Ranger was my second, loved the DW and DA combo, but I'm definitely looking for a fun class to play with my wife. She never had any experience with EQ, she started playing MMOs way after WoW and EQ2 times, so she's not going to be used to hard core gaming. My thought is probably make a Shammy and let her decide on what kind of role she wants to play.

Though I might go with the Ranger, just going to be sad I won't be a Bow Ranger in this incarnation. I can't remember how many times I've died in Fear back in the days, and 6+ hours on CRs.

[LeorickEci]

One other question I have to ask, since it's been ages. As a melee/tank Ranger, which stats should I go for, in the past it was stamina all the way, but do I need to concern myself with Dex/Str or even Agi?

[fiveeauxfour]

This game is 15 years old.

[blondeattk]

`I won't be a Bow Ranger in this incarnation.`

its true that ranger dps is underwhelming in any direction on this server.....however, you can fill in the blanks a bit at 45 (tolans bracer) and by hanging on the coat tails of a mage.(summon arrows).

Theres 2 types of ranger....the anally retentive types who insist every one uses melee.....`cos its more damage` and the rest who say ****off! i play ranger cos i enjoy using my bow....plink plink...

If you find a friend to carry you, then you can still enjoy this class. Otherwise its a class of endless frustration on this server; you will feel constantly underpowered.

[or go back to live and make a headshot ranger, for alot of fun!]

...or just see the light and make a necro instead!

[Clark]

you are correct, rangers are as you described them.. they are additionally unwanted in groups because of their high exp penalty (which is removed in velious). that being said they are pretty good in pvp, the best outdoor pullers, and decent soloers if correctly geared. AA's don't come into the game untill Luclin, so... if you are looking to roll up a solo class that can sometimes group i would look elsewhere, try something you haven't played before.

[maskedmelon]

This game is 15 years old.

This thread is 2 months old. My hat off to you for the sly resurrection ^^

[webrunner5]

wtf? that makes as much sense as saying a druid is just a shitty rogue. bards do shit DPS and don't tank. rangers don't buff/CC/mana regen.

Only similarity I can think of is that they can be played by the same races.

There are about 12 GOOD Bards on the whole server and you know that. Most are one song Wonders who are AKF half the time. A Good one is great, most are a waste of a slot in a group on here. :p And half of them are ass holes that hog a whole zone kitiing.

Not much Bard love from me. Rather have the Ranger.