Just a note on a Shaman enabling Ranger tanking up to low 50s...

Yes a Ranger could tank slowed mobs and be healed by a Shaman. If however, a Shaman must do both, he will run out of mana pretty easily (sans C2 or some other mana augmentation such as Bard or Necro). You'd have to control the rate of pull.

Bards, Rangers, Shamans, SK's, Pallies, Monks, and Warriors can all tank just fine.

Doesn't really matter much long as they're geared. In reality they're probably better tanks than monks (who also have the same exp penalty), do not as much damage but good enough...and have agro tools.

Hell in dungeons tanking is probably the best spot for a ranger if you're looking for their role in your group.

Monk penalty is lower:

Heh kinda funny.

All this time, even after seeing that list you posted like 200 times...I glossed over and assumed monk were 40% all this time, oh well.

Iksar monks have a 44% penalty (1.2 x 1.2) which makes them slower than any race Ranger.

yes

Never thought I would do this, but,

Basically Rangers do best in midsized groups where they can use their spells and abilities to fill holes. They have utility as a Tank, Puller, and DPS (obviously not the best at those but they can hang). In a small group their buffs are likely more useful (example their DS and hp buffs in a group with a Shaman as primary healer/buffer). In outdoor zones they make great pullers due to track, and in indoor zones track lets you keep an eye on pops and rare spawns. It seems to me a ranger is made for the 2-4 man group where having more than just one ability is greater than specializing in one thing. Whereas a group full of balanced non specialists would find less utility out of a ranger, but still a ranger would be able to offer DPS and offtank ability.

sk or ranger? i have to say that sk is tanking dawgs but if the ranger had slows and we were siting there getting no xp... lol