Why do people trash talk the Ranger?

[Koota]

Originally Posted by Starwynd [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I've heard all the jokes, in fact, there were endless ranger jokes last night in the group I was in, however, it didn't deter me from continuing to play the game with the class I like. Yes, the class exp penalty sucks, especially paired with racial penalty, but I have not found a group that has outrightly refused to join me based on my class/race. Don't forget the essense of the character is the player behind the screen. I've grouped with people who had horrible skills, regardless of their class and race. Last night I was in a group with a failure-of-a-warrior who couldn't pull aggro off me when I pulled with a single bow-shot.

The job of a ranger is flexibility and although not as powerful compared to when I played on Live w/ PoP, rangers can hold a variety of jobs including light healing, crowd control (snare and then root later on), class-specific buffs and two major components to being a well-rounded rangre - use of ARCHERY and PULLING. For the past two nights in Oasis, I have been the main puller for 7 continuous hours of grouping (ya, a bit of overplay for sure). If people claim that rangers do not add that much DPS to the group, then fine, do what you do best - and it's to chain pull mobs so that as the tanks mob falls on the ground, the new one arrives. While you do not have sneak/hide likes rogues (at lower levels) and FD to rely on, using a combination of a watchful eye for adds/paths to take, you can easily single out mobs using bow/arrow or a combination of spells which allow for fast pulls (any DD spell) or slow pulls (snare) - the optimal condition is to not overburden the group with too many mobs at a time.

Playing a class is about using the unique abilities and making the best out of it, not about a "greater" or more "superior" class. Also, refining your gaming skills is what makes a good player, because a level 50 character with a player that has no gaming capacity will fail much more than the level 1 soloing in gfay. My character is by-no-means a twink char as I'm poor and underequipped, but a few levels ago in CB and Unrest, I was the MA with a fully effective group. The group compoisition was messed but we made amazing exp, 1 ranger, 3 clerics and 2 druids. Finding a zone and mobs that work for you when in a group depending on your role is key to success. While I might not have pushed out great DPS, the clerics with their v.s undead nukes won our exp over as long as I could hold aggro (flame lick + snare + taunt/beg).

For the most part when ranger jokes come along, I just ignore them because if you let it get to you, then it's just like letting someone provoke you into a fight. If I group with someone who I deem to be a poor player or poor attitude, I simply will not friend them at the end of the group, but I will continue to play professionally for the sake of the other members. If you want revenge on a particular person 'cuz they're mouthy, do it after the group - a nice train or high-level mob ought to shut them up most of the time - track makes it easy to find mobs that would naturally slaughter them. Snare the mob, sit near the person you want to kill as the mob walks over slowly and /camp out [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

When I played on Live, I never really struggled with getting a group, as much as I've seen similar postings on forums where "rangers have it bad" and stuff. If you're finding problems getting a group, you have one of two options available, 1) make more friends when you DO have a group so you can rely on getting groups via connections and, 2) create your own groups. I'm not sure how I adopted myself to this playing style, but I've found rangers to be extremely versatile and learning to chain pull with good timing often wins over the hearts of many. Don't forget the exp penalties can easily be made up by consistent exp. A group that spends half their time doing CR's or sitting to med is no better off.

Keep in mind that because rangers are paper-tanks for most things above white cons, you should dump the mob as quickly as possible to your tank or better yet, have a competent tank who can get the aggro off you before you even get hit as you're pulling. Just last night I had a horrible experience with a completely incompetent warrior (funny that he left the group because he was the one who caused the death), so I enjoy the company of pally's or SK's because of their ability to prevent me from taking damage and thus healers can dedciate more time to healing the tank and reduce expending mana on me.

The thing about forming groups yourself is that you can "bite back". Keep a blacklist or poor players and players who have previously denied you grouping rights because of your class (which I have on an excel spreadsheet for searching purposes) and when they come asking you to join the group, tell them to piss off and remind them of their previous actions. It's not nice, but maybe it'll show them how karma works. I honestly prefer to make friends more than enemies, especially because in EQ, your reputation matters and will severely impact your ability to get or not get groups in the higher levels when there are dwindling number of players. If you create a good name for yourself, getting groups as a ranger is not hard at all and you will find that there is lesser negative-talk to rangers if you can prove yourself to be worthy of company.

tl;dr

[Bumamgar]

While I think Rangers add a decent bit of utility to a group, the overall perception of Rangers probably comes from the fact that they simply don't bring anything unique or compelling to the table.

There's really no reason to "pick" a Ranger over another class at this stage in the game. All of the things they can do, other classes can do better.

When you switch focus from grouping to raiding, the poor Ranger really starts to have issues, because there's really not a single thing they can do that makes them a worthwhile addition to a raid.

DPS? Get a Rogue or Monk instead
Puller? Monk or Bard
Healer? haha
Buffer? haha
Crowd Control? Enchanter or Shaman
Tank? Warrior, Pal, SK

The only thing pre-Weaponshield that Rangers are good for at a raid is as a Death Touch sacrifice, since the raid doesn't lose any key functionality when a Ranger dies [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Of course, many of these issues were addressed in later expansions. Weaponshield pulling when combined with AE-Taunt is an extremely useful tactic in later encounters, and they even give Rangers some decent buffs eventually that are desirable for raiding, as well as a strong DPS boost. However, none of those features are in scope for this project (since AA isn't till Luclin).

[azeth]

Originally Posted by Bumamgar [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

DPS? Get a Rogue or Monk instead
Puller? Monk or Bard
Healer? haha
Buffer? haha
Crowd Control? Enchanter or Shaman
Tank? Warrior, Pal, SK

+

Originally Posted by Bumamgar [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Of course, many of these issues were addressed in later expansions. Weaponshield pulling when combined with AE-Taunt is an extremely useful tactic in later encounters, and they even give Rangers some decent buffs eventually that are desirable for raiding, as well as a strong DPS boost. However, none of those features are in scope for this project (since AA isn't till Luclin).

QFT

[YendorLootmonkey]

Originally Posted by Bumamgar [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

While I think Rangers add a decent bit of utility to a group, the overall perception of Rangers probably comes from the fact that they simply don't bring anything unique or compelling to the table.

There's really no reason to "pick" a Ranger over another class at this stage in the game. All of the things they can do, other classes can do better.

When you switch focus from grouping to raiding, the poor Ranger really starts to have issues, because there's really not a single thing they can do that makes them a worthwhile addition to a raid.

DPS? Get a Rogue or Monk instead
Puller? Monk or Bard
Healer? haha
Buffer? haha
Crowd Control? Enchanter or Shaman
Tank? Warrior, Pal, SK

The only thing pre-Weaponshield that Rangers are good for at a raid is as a Death Touch sacrifice, since the raid doesn't lose any key functionality when a Ranger dies [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Of course, many of these issues were addressed in later expansions. Weaponshield pulling when combined with AE-Taunt is an extremely useful tactic in later encounters, and they even give Rangers some decent buffs eventually that are desirable for raiding, as well as a strong DPS boost. However, none of those features are in scope for this project (since AA isn't till Luclin).

40% XP penalty for what then? [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[fugazi]

Originally Posted by YendorLootmonkey [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

40% XP penalty for what then? [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Choosing the wrong class when you could've gone bard [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

[Vanech]

Rangers aren't bad - they're just misunderstood.

I grew up with a WE ranger from orc hill (at lvl 4 shortly before kunark was released) to farming mobs in HoHa... shiny brass shields to the windblade and practically every drop in between. He tanked *everything* and got us through every single mob our little cadre of non-affiliated hardcore players could handle, from Nagafen to Doomshade in UP. We took down Klandicar with seven people Mid-Luclin (pre-grieg's end) with 5 of the 7 sporting kunark level gear just for the fuck of it.

His name was Ieawenpo - and I hope that he finds his way here to P1999 - cause his ability would put all of you to shame, and I mean 'all of you' from the most ice ridden hoar-frosted regions of my heart.

Rangers are only bullshit in the hands of bullshit players... I watched this guy man up and handle anything we wanted to take down.

N' despite all you naysayers who lament on the amount of heals that had to be laid down - he constantly operated on a one Cleric one patch healer status... Cecil was the Cleric (HE) Bastile or Shoud were the Patchers (WE druids) We wiped maybe, in our 150+ raid targets.. 10.. 12 times, and he tanked every single time with a ranger by the name of Trajen as his off-tank 90% of the time (thank you guys for getting my monkey his earring of voracity off of DS!)

[guineapig]

Originally Posted by Bumamgar [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Crowd Control? Enchanter or Shaman

Shaman?
Not bard?
Or hell, even necro!

If root is considered crowd control then wizards and druids have better root spells.

[eqgamer]

Originally Posted by guineapig [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

You people need to start coming up with new ranger jokes instead of the same 10-year old jokes you keep repeating.

I feel like I'm hearing knock-knock jokes.

Why didn't rangers get Feign Death?
















'Cuz the fall to the ground would kill em!

[quellren]

Originally Posted by Vanech [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Rangers aren't bad - they're just misunderstood.

{...snipped...}
His name was Ieawenpo - and I hope that he finds his way here to P1999 -
{...more snipped}

There can't be more than one guy choosing that seemingly random combination of letters to form a name. If so, I saw him on the PEQ server earlier in the week. I think he might have even been a ranger. In case you wanted to reconnect. It's a long shot but, hey.

[Kastro]

Rangers are Good for Guild VS guild PVP.. good track.. Snare.. Nice fast nuke at 49... Get a Windstriker... http://everquest.allakhazam.com/db/item.html?item=5522 that thing is a game changer... that and the combust dagger from Howling stones... or use an Argent Protector.. Rangers can be pretty sick with the right gear and played right.