[Hamahakki]

The main strike against rangers is that any group which wants a role filled is not going to want a ranger:

- A group which needs a tank wants a warrior, or at least a paladin or shadowknight.
- A group which wants more dps wants a rogue, or at least a monk.
- A group which wants crowd control wants an enchanter, or at least a bard.

A ranger can perform any of these roles passably. The "rangers are utterly useless and cannot do anything" crowd is way off-base, but it is true that the "perfect" group doesn't have a ranger in it.

In 90% of my pre-50 groups, I was the tank because tank classes are so under-played at lower levels and because rangers are very good at holding aggro. At 55, mobs hit hard enough that durability is more of a problem. I still tank once in a while, especially if the group has both a shaman and cleric. Usually I just DPS, though often I will pull or CC as well. Rarely, I will even be in a group where most of my mana goes to healing.

Rangers aren't horrible; if exp penalties didn't exist, I don't think there would be much ranger hate.

In this ranger's opinion, the most important perks are:

- Tracking! (This is #1)
- You offer a lot to small groups (duo/trio) where versatility is more important.
- Soloing as a ranger is much more pleasant than as a rogue, monk, or warrior.
- Since we have decent DPS, we are never completely redundant. A ranger is more useful to a raid than say a third shaman.
- You can sow/chloro/strength/skin/thorns yourself, or lowbies, or anyone in a group without these buffs.
- There are few other rangers so you get most ranger-only loot uncontested.
- The rangers you do see share a secret ranger bond.
- Rangers have more fun than anyone else.