Ranger?

[Theriac90]

So I just joined P99 a few days ago and am enjoying the experience so far. My first character is a Wood Elf Ranger but I'm worried about end-game on a class that seems less than popular. I want to stick him out but I don't want to waste the time on a first character that will have a rough time grouping as he grows but also and just importantly in end-game content. I've read a million posts about how druid is the #1 first class to play, and I do have a druid as well but really just looking into insight on the RNG. Thanks

[YendorLootmonkey]

The versatility is fun, but you'll be a jack of all trades, master of none except for tracking and maybe outdoors pulling. Tank, DPS, crowd control, snap aggro, pull, lots of nifty toys (Earthcaller, Swarmcaller, Dark Cloak of the Sky, Tolan's Bracer, etc.) Solo ability via archery (tedious AF) and Snare/Panic Animal.

Raiding: Suffer through levels 1-59 to finally make 60 and have 18 seconds of glory saving the raid with your weaponshield discipline. And all the rogues want Call of the Predator.

[Bardp1999]

Play what you want. If you are worried about contributing on a Raid then make a Cleric alt, but when you have 70-100 people are attacking a dragon the group comp means very little outside of "do we have enough Clerics"

[Cippofra]

Play what you want. If you are worried about contributing on a Raid then make a Cleric alt, but when you have 70-100 people are attacking a dragon the group comp means very little outside of "do we have enough Clerics"

It's repeated over, and over, and over, and over. Everywhere. Everyone says this. It's the response someone always gives to this question.

Because it's 100% true. Are you in a raiding guild and they need a particular class right now? Are you super twinking a character to reach 60 in 3 weeks? If not, you'll be playing your choice for years. The best class is the one you enjoy. When you get to end game and want to participate in end game, you'll have the opportunity, but you have to get there without burning out first.

[Theriac90]

Good info thanks for the specifics Yendor. I kinda figured I was over thinking the choice. I just have commitment issues I guess. Was just worried about dumping time into something that doesn't have a place in the end. Play whatever I enjoy enough to make 60 then, gotcha. Thanks folks

[cannobeers3]

End game on Green and Blue is being able to quicky log on to a guild shemp for FTE if you are super hardcore. The community is too niche for 'needed raid classes' at this point. For a fresh server? Certainly. The thing is, knowledge of the game is so widespread that guilds know exactly the path to take from day one to day z.

If you enjoy the ranger, by all means stick it out! Fun as hell class. No need to worry about the endgame. If you raid, just collect the DKP and continue not getting regular sleep like a functional adult.

[Kurtanius21]

I’ve never rolled a ranger, but I have been casually raiding the last several months. I can tell you that raiding casually, very few players get to participate in recognized roles. Only the top geared tanks are really all that distinguished. Everyone else is just DPS, buffs, and heals. It’s a mass mob of barely managed chaos, but make no mistake, it is enjoyable chaos. Don’t think of raiding as fulfilling roles like being in a group. You’re part of a mob and only a small minority of the players perform the roles like tracking and tanking. The fun part is accumulating DKP slowly and finally getting that awesome raid weapon of pixelated glory you’ve always wanted.

[Toxigen]

Rangers are fine. This game is so incredibly easy you can basically make anything work.

You can literally just turn on auto attack at raids, buff people, and you'll get the same DKP as the playmakers so it doesn't matter.

[Philistine]

Rangers are a lot of fun in groups and can be cool in raids. Their dps 1-55ish is competitive enough with other dps classes that you won't feel like a slacker, and you can pull, root CC, spot heal, and even tank in most xp situations.

At 60 your dps will be modest compared to other dps classes or a warrior with a decent dps weapon, and is more on par with a knight rocking a top tier 2-hander. If that doesn't bother you, you'll be fine.

As someone already mentioned, at 60 you can Weaponshield (aka, "bump"), allowing clerics to swap onto a new tank after the first one dies. These opportunities (hopefully) don't come up too routinely but man when you get a good bump done you'll feel like a champion.

Also, with Rangers being kind of uncommon, their gear tends to be pretty affordable, relatively speaking.

A ranger was my first 60 and I love that class, in case you couldn't tell :p

[Cippofra]

Rangers are a lot of fun in groups and can be cool in raids. Their dps 1-55ish is competitive enough with other dps classes that you won't feel like a slacker, and you can pull, root CC, spot heal, and even tank in most xp situations.

At 60 your dps will be modest compared to other dps classes or a warrior with a decent dps weapon, and is more on par with a knight rocking a top tier 2-hander. If that doesn't bother you, you'll be fine.

As someone already mentioned, at 60 you can Weaponshield (aka, "bump"), allowing clerics to swap onto a new tank after the first one dies. These opportunities (hopefully) don't come up too routinely but man when you get a good bump done you'll feel like a champion.

Also, with Rangers being kind of uncommon, their gear tends to be pretty affordable, relatively speaking.

A ranger was my first 60 and I love that class, in case you couldn't tell :p

You have become better at eating harm touch like a pro (8,754)

[Theriac90]

Awesome guys thank you all, I really do appreciate the info. I could probably pick a better class to run first for pp and drops for toons but I think I'm just gonna run with rng unledss something else tickles my fancy along the way. I enjoy the path less traveled anyway

[Faxi]

So I just joined P99 a few days ago and am enjoying the experience so far. My first character is a Wood Elf Ranger but I'm worried about end-game on a class that seems less than popular. I want to stick him out but I don't want to waste the time on a first character that will have a rough time grouping as he grows but also and just importantly in end-game content. I've read a million posts about how druid is the #1 first class to play, and I do have a druid as well but really just looking into insight on the RNG. Thanks

dont do it. play Wayfarers or TAKP if you want to Ranger. seriously. Anyone who tells you to "play what you think is fun" is playing a class that is actually fun AND USEFUL. or just doesnt want to roll against you in a raid lol

[Lampolo]

If I'm grouped with a ranger and I have an opportunity to join a grp without a ranger or start a new group without a ranger I will.

[enjchanter]

Rangers are fine. This game is so incredibly easy you can basically make anything work.

You can literally just turn on auto attack at raids, buff people, and you'll get the same DKP as the playmakers so it doesn't matter.

you could literally stand there with autoattack off and get the same dkp as the playmakers

pras p99 raiding

[Cippofra]

If I'm grouped with a ranger and I have an opportunity to join a grp without a ranger or start a new group without a ranger I will.

Serves them right. I won't even acknowledge their existence. If I get SoW from one, I click it off and crawl to my destination. No dirty buffs for me.

[Woodrow]

Between ranger and druid I'd choose druid for being so versatile and having the same spells much earlier. Whatever class you play has strategies to master to feel powerful. If you stick with ranger master tracking and use of your bow.

[Snaggles]

Rangers might be the most fun class in EQ. They dps ok to great depending on the target and gear. They don’t tank well but have a discipline that can save raids. They have a very powerful spell book and some of the trickiest utility spells in the game. They are the only melee that can snare, root, track, and sow themself (one of 3 classes with the spell).

I could go on and on. If you like the underdog pick and a chip on your shoulder is motivation to prove them wrong, there is no better choice.

[Enderenter]

If you enjoy being a special snowflake in that you are unique as one of the least played classes in p99 meta, go for it with the ranger. Just realize you are playing an underpowered class. Maybe not as underpowered as the frothing-at-the-mouth min-maxers would have you believe, but significantly underpowered nonetheless.

If you really know the game/class well it makes a large difference in my opinion, but the same could be said for the widely regarded (dare I utter the word consensus on these forums) S-tier classes, and the difference between what an average player and a top 1% can do with those classes is also night and day.

[Snaggles]

Sorry you have low dps rangers and your “real melee”s don’t have CoTP. Good luck on AoW without bumps.

Team Snowflake.