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Originally Posted by Snagglepuss
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I liked how they moved away from the ranger being a weak melee druid to more of a scout / archer. They are still portrayed as a light armor dps class, but their ability to deal serious bow damage, especially while hidden is so cool. Add in some nature based attacks and the ability to charm animals, and they are a super versatile class that is great for an explorer / solo type of player. The different defensive stances allow you play a variety of styles like archer, melee dps, or evasive.
Also, I thought it was cool how rogues deal huge damage while being "stealthed" or hidden, much like using sneak in EQ. They remain hidden until they grab aggro and are attacked.
The attack system was really cool how you could exploit mob weaknesses through certain attacks. The chain attacks and counter attacks were really neat. Classes like rogues could create opportunities by distracting the mobs allowing group members to exploit various weaknesses of the mob.
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The ranger in EQ2 is very much a scout/archer as well. Not much different. I don't think the EQ2 ranger has a pet, though. That makes the Vanguard ranger seem more like a beastmaster.
Drizzt was a ranger in the Salvatore novels and he had a magical panther...
The EQ1 ranger is very much a oddball combination of combat and magic. I always liked it. First and foremost, the magic system in EQ is interesting because of the kiting and aggro mechanics. It's not boring like melee.
I tried playing in EQ2, but it inevitably ended up just being button mashing hack/slash and little/no kiting or aggro control. I don't know if that's how Vanguard is, but since it's the same cojmpany working on both, I wouldn't be surprised. The ranger in EQ2 can snare and kill from a distance, but it's just not the same thing - it's much more hack/slash. Yes, a couple classes can "kite" or do "aggro control", but many just kill their way to the end. A lot of this can be blamed on how EQ2 works underneath. Its mechanics are more watered down.
The Warder in EQ2 can kite (ranged spell damage) and and do aggro control (by rooting), for example. But the warder is a staff wielding healer caster that's not to be mistaken for a ranger. It's far more like a druid.
I guess some people like aggro control and kiting and others don't. To each his own. I think it'd be better if there were more skill-based games out there so we can make our own custom "class".