How to Ranger

[YendorLootmonkey]

Rangers are usually looked down upon because they are the masters of nothing (well maybe except track) in classic, and even in Kunark and beyond, except for slight perks for archery until AA (which won't come into play here). But they can do a little bit of everything, which is where their strength lies. The problem is it takes a skilled and versatile player to tap into all of that potential. Not going to re-hash what greenshag1979 has already said, because he's spot on. Rangers are the MacGyvers of EQ.

Personally, as a ranger... in my groups, I pull in the mobs and protect the group. Between harmony (outdoors), snare, and rootpark... if I don't bring only a single mob back to the group, I failed. In efficient groups with enough DPS, it's actually more effective for you to chain-pull until the healer can't keep up... run out and grab mobs and rootpark them and do the crowd control for your group and when they're down to the last 1-2 mobs, run out and tag some more. If there is competition for spawns, you are going to tag them first with 200+ range on your bow. If the other group still tries to engage after you tag them, you've got Flame Lick and Snare to lock the mob back on you, unless you're up against another ranger or a knight class. Steady stream of XP, plus you can manage on your own if you fizzle/resist a root or two. Or snare kite if needed in a pinch. Or toss heals to your chanter when your cleric is busy keeping the tank alive. With enough room to operate, if your healer goes down, there's no reason you can't snare/rootpark 3-4 blue-to-yellow-con mobs in your group and give your group enough time to escape.

[Reiker]

Two easy steps:

1) http://lucy.allakhazam.com/item.html?id=11604
2) http://lucy.allakhazam.com/item.html?id=11696

[Hiragawa]

First off... RANGA DOWN!
Second... How to ranger... Take death touches!

But anyhow. Green has a lot of good points. Although if I remember correctly from my tanking days... Best ratio is in your off hand, lowest delay is in your main hand. Unless you 'need' a proc or some such. (But that may have been tanking. I didn't do a melee dps in years.)

Your bow... You're going to use it mostly for pulling, but it can be used in conjunction with Snare/SoW and a wide open area to "Bow Kite" when soloing mobs that hit too hard. Just keep in mind that bow damage didn't really... do much... until AA's (which we won't see here)

The 40% exp penalty is painful, but despite the stigma of rangers, and SOE constantly killing the class over the years, they're really good in the right hands.