Ranger Archive

It has been said over and over by veteran Rangers that the ultimate creature hunter is Master Scout or Ranger Hunt Master with a heavy weapon. So why do we have to drop MR to dabble in Commando or Bounty Hunter to be an effective creature hunter? I say we propose our own heavy weapon, something good for hunting creatures but not so good in PvP, so we can avoid the nerf cries and also so we're not encroaching on Commando/BH territory.

Actually I propose something very similar to the LLC (or FT with a creature only dot and less explosions), say a creature taser cannon or heavy taser rifle type weapon. The funny thing is that BH's mostly hate the LLC because it is so useless in PvP, they feel its only use is for hunting creatures which it does a pretty good job of. Its uselessness in PvP comes from the fact that heavy weapons are slow and inaccurate compared to elite light weapon professions. That mixed with random pool damage and their own [limited] skills mods mean they can't be template min/maxed to any level of uberness. But none of that matters when creature hunting… you don't see gurks in 80% triple layered composite, or defence stacked rancors with 125 dodge/melee defence... nope, heavy weapons are just fine for hunting.

I say give us the heavy weapon in our trapping line, with progression pretty much the same as the other Heavy Weapons (ie FT/HAR/LLC). A few additional modifications could be made to lessen it's use in PvP, say drop the AP to 0 but allow a variety of damage types so we can focus on creature vulnerabilities. Just keep the damage types to common player resists like energy/kinetic/electricity/heat etc.

As a side note, I come from the paramilitary Ranger camp and not the big game hunter. So this does go against my view (whether based of off Arragorn or a US Army Ranger) of a lightly armoured, wilderness survival, highly mobile, stealthy soldier. But the devs have made it clear that this is not us (yes I am still pissed that our camo vs npc was stolen!) and that we're creature hunters. So let's work within our blinders and get something useful! Plus a good hunter can really bring in the creds [grins].

---

seaware wrote:
It has been said over and over by veteran Rangers that the ultimate creature hunter is Master Scout or Ranger Hunt Master with a heavy weapon.

---

And I have to say it over and over: It's wrong. A master Rifleman/Master Ranger will out-harvest any other "template" besides maybe a master heavy swordsman/master ranger (just because the swordsman has the corpses lying around him ).

I disagree.

A TKM/Master Ranger will harvest the most in any given time.

Riflemen? Too slow, tho hardhitting. I can food buff, go in with pistols and smack a lair senseless way faster than any rifleman, as my rate of fire makes up for the lower damage. Put a decent power up on my sliced pistol, and watch out - I can take down an aboveaverage tortur lair in less than 5 minutes, 3 waves, 2 bulls per waves and the lair. The lair takes the longest, but that pays me my mission fee.

TKMs with a decent set of vibroknucks do insane damage. Buffed and armored, forget it. They rule.

As to the weapon aspect. Unless you get a weapon that we all can use - rifle/pistol/carbine/melee - then any one weapon is not gonna cut it. The bow has been discussed, and if we get half of what we want, it will kick butt.

And LLCs are not the answer to all PvE. A lot of creatures have high electrical resistance, more than resist heat/blast/energy/kinetic. Get harvesting the wrong creature, and your fecal matter is weak if all ya have is that Light Lightning Club.

JB

I shoot every second with every special. What's 'too slow' about this ?

And I outharvest TKM on some specific ressources any time. Dath Herbivore meat as an example, the mobs I search for hunting this have 100% kinetic resists .

TKM is nice for many targets, but the limitation to only one damagetype limits them somewhat.

(I want that editbutton)

Add to this that the VK has just light AP and most if not all 'big game' in this game has *at least* medium armor, a riflemans medium ap or heavy ap depending on the weapon does help too .

You might visit the Krayt graveyard once in a while. At least on eclipse you will find that those 'successful' there are usually groups made up of riflemen.

Sounds like a good idea to me .

It would give weaponsmiths something new to make also .How about a weapon that has a poison dot that only affects creatures .That way can tie in BE doctors or combat medicsto make the poison requirements of the weapon also .

well as a Rifleman Ranger, I don't have to get buffedand don't have to take drugs, which is money saved.

I use Vasarian Brandy, to keep me able to spam specials, but basically as good as the TKM is, a Rifleman needs no armour, no buffs, and no drugs. You can hardly say TKM is vastly better if you need to turn in to a tank every time you go harvesting.

As for weapon, I use either a T21 or DXR-6b depending on the creature resists and they do great. If there was a ranger specific weapon, something with a different ability, such as Tranquiliser Darts or something more viable than just another damage type weapon would be interesting.

---

Cambylobacter wrote:

well as a Rifleman Ranger, I don't have to get buffed and don't have to take drugs, which is money saved.

---

I disagree on this . This is not based on your combat profession, the need or no need for buffs and such is mostly depending on your ham setup.

Kope has the 'being buffed all time' setup of 400/400/400 400/400/400 1100/1100/800 (800? well something around that). I need buffs for most of my hunting :-).

well Camby isn't quite as mind HAM orientated then, I think she is something like 800 min min 600 min min 1100 600 700 (top of my head but something like that) and using Vasarian Brandy (+ canapies if needed, but don't often bother) boosts her mind way high enough for me.

With Maskscent and Conceal Shot it's just not that often that she gets hit.

Sure she gets whacked sometimes (I am now allergicto Tusken Observers!) but it's easier carrying around some food than looking for a buff every time she fancies a wander about.

I am certainly not saying buffs are bad, I often get them myself, but they're a luxury when I'm feeling wealthy, not a necessity

I'm also in awe of witnessing what a buffed and armoured Master TKA can do - I'm sure Master TKA Master Doc must be the combo of choice at the moment I see it so much - but a Master Rifles / Ranger xx4x can just pick up a gun and operate with some success, I'm not so sure a Master TKA / Ranger xx4x could be as successful without buff and armour (though maybe a pixie may be good, but Ive never tried one).

Most likely, there isn't a huge difference in their success,just a vastly different playstyle.

I will say though, if Im out in a dungeon with Camby, and a Master TKA comes in, I may as well leave as they can attract the mobs and loot them before ive got a chance to (not saying that to disrespect TKA's, just saying it as I see it).

---

darmokVtS wrote:

---

Cambylobacter wrote:

well as a Rifleman Ranger, I don't have to get buffed and don't have to take drugs, which is money saved.

---

I disagree on this . This is not based on your combat profession, the need or no need for buffs and such is mostly depending on your ham setup.

Kope has the 'being buffed all time' setup of 400/400/400 400/400/400 1100/1100/800 (800? well something around that). I need buffs for most of my hunting :-).

---

---

Nemo0 wrote:

That's not the needing buffs template, it's the not get hit template.

---

With my sanu-made stocked t21 it's clearly the 'need buffs' setup. 4-5 master headshots and I am out of h and a .

The 526 maxdamage with ap3 make up for it (35% damageslice).