Ranger Archive
Thread: What is the point of bieng a ranger?
I have always enjoyed playing Rangers. Most games usually have a handful of unique skills that make them worth playing. Unfortunately after being at Master for quite some time I don't think this is the case in SWG, even despite the developer posts on the subject.
From my vantage, the only point of being a ranger is tracking and camo kits, assuming they work wreasonably well with the next patch. Anything else is doable by a Master Scout at pretty much the same efficiency. Even a Novice Dancer can go into the middle of nowhere since I do that on a daily basis without using maskscent or conceal. The rest is the romantic notion of being a ranger, despite the fact that nothing that people do as a ranger can't be done by someone else.
I also note the irony in the fact that no one mentioned the only unique ranger combat skill, Rescue. Why it's a ranger skill, I have no idea. When it will work, again I have no idea. Why a non-combat class would want everything to target them, I still have no idea. Everyone can mention they also have combat skills, making rescue worthwhile, the point is thatwe need other non-ranger skills to make a ranger skill worthwhile.
At the moment, the only reason to have Master Ranger is for the Dathomirian camo kit. Master Rangers don't harvest much better than a Master Scout. Not 63 SP worth anyway. Ranger traps don't work well at all. And even though I like my Field Bases with their amenities, I don't miss them as I haven't made one in ages. The cool factor of getting the "oohs" and "ahhs" popping it up near Theed is long lost on me.
A few more points:
- A Master Scout runs nearly (if not just) as fast as a Ranger (maybe it's a server thing but I do beat them and novice rangers in a race).
- A Master Scout's maskscent is just as good (or bad as the case may be) as a Master Ranger's.
- A medic can heal wounds in any camp.
- Doctors can heal wounds outside a camp.
- Mounts have the real possibility of making the Terrain Negotiaion skill obsolete.
- Melee rangers (such as myself) get no Creature to Hit bonus, which is clearly intended since it is spelled out in the description of the skill.
So the obvious tempation for me is to drop the Master title along with the Advanced Trapping and Frontiering lines to get back 29 skill points. I won't lose anything since I don't use those skills except the Dathomirian camo kit, which I intend to make in huge quantities after the big patch (hopefully) fixes the issues with them.
One day, the devs will get the idea that content has to be added to make rangers worthwhile and unique. Lip service really doesn't do this when the additions don't add much and core skills routinely get broken requiring weeks if not months to acknowledge, let alone fix.
To each their own. Often enough I use rescue on medics, here the musc as the mobs light up on my screen (the skill worked), and they still attack the medic anyway.
Ikochan wrote:
Rescue works fairly well when I have used it.
Essentially, when I am in a group I tend to protect the medic/entertainers. I watch for when they are attacked (huzzah for those little Xs) and when they do, I rescue them. I'm a bit more "expendible" than the doctor, since he/she can revive me while I cannot do the same.
I still think the Ranger traps are really great. The camps are very spiffy too, the crafting stations are invaluable since I do make schematics and use factories to make crated items.
"and they still attack the medic anyway."
Was the Medic still attacking?
I have noticed that /rescue does work better if the Medic uses /peace before the rescue is attempted.
Though it would nice for the Target to receive a system message stating they have been rescued, so they can move away from the critter before it decides to retarget them...
Hmmm... I think I'll add that to the list. 
Fred_Skinner wrote:
You get to read a forum that does not have a flame in every post
ROTFLMAO.
What makes it better... it is very true.
Ranger isn't for everyone. Everything is rather subjective in the end. Do you have fun? Then it is for you. If not, no biggie. I've been reading this post, and I think people have covered both the strengths and the weaknesses very well. There are weaknesses -- can't deny that. But most around here seem to be pretty patient, and some of the ideas presented are just phenomenal.
I never would have joined the "fan club" and started posting if it hadn't been this community.
nraas, you are on to something. /rescue works for me almost every time in getting the aggro off of the rescuee, but i lose it right away when they fire the next shot, and due to the downtime after rescue, i don't have a chance to get a hit in to establish aggro before i lose the creature again.
definitely have them take a look at this if you can, to see if this is really what they intend, and a system message to the rescuee is definitely a golden idea.
Versatility is probably the main focus of the Devs regarding the Ranger profession. True, we are not anywhere near our full potential (my opinion). However, I am proud to be a Ranger (a.k.a. the sixth man), especially afterfeeling my way through variousprofessions. Think on this-
What otherprofession permits you the ability for:
Resource Gathering ---
Supports the ArtisanClass Supports the Bio-Engineer Profession Supports the Chef Profession
Supports the TailorProfession Supports the Medic Class Supports the Doctor Profession
Supports the Combat Medic Profession Supports the Smuggler Profession
Supports the Armorsmith ProfessionSupports the Architect Profession
Trapping ---
Compliment groups by: slowing stunning blinding rooting damaging "creatures"
Create your own traps off of materials you can harvest
Foraging ---
Pet Food Fish Food Furr Cle Onions (500 Mind) Possible future foraging of eggs to support Chefs
Tracking ---
Exploration Missionswith insane High Payouts (group with a Smugglerfor maximum profit)
Tracking baby creatures for Creature Handlers Tracking down ANY creature Tracking down players
Wayfaring ---
Run Forrest Run! Crawling speeds faster than a 2 year old human baby
Camping ---
Complete withsongs of Cumbaya, banjos, and toasted marshmallows...
I'm losing my train of thought.There are other abilities that we get - these boards are an AWESOME source for that information... but basically everything we do is done within a support capacity. Remember that SWG is forcibly interdependent. As a Ranger, you retain the option to play solo, if that is your thing. Some classes are heavilyreliant on others. We are one of thoseprofessions that other people depend on in order for them to excel. If you take up the Ranger Profession, expect to be best friends with your neighborhood Bio-Engineer and Chef. As such, make a name for yourself. Do what you appeals to you, or do what you do best. Make money if that is what you are about. Expect not to excel at PvP (at least not at this early stage of the game)with the Ranger Profession. This may change in the future; then again it might not.
Tevoo Rerio (Deranged Ranger)
I am a BH/ranger combo. I was originally going to be a BH/pistoleer combo because I didn't like using carbines and the LLC was still broken. Once I got to BH I got bored with the class because of how monotonous it is. Luckily, they fixed BH missions so they actually pay well now. I'm starting to become more of a BH now because of increased mission payout. Camo kits do help though when working on missions. I am helping tostart a new ranger organization with someonethough, so I am probably going to split my time evenly between the two, or maybe become more of a ranger.
We should be announcing the new organization shortly. All of you will most likely want to become a part of it.
NRaas wrote:
"and they still attack the medic anyway."
Was the Medic still attacking?
I have noticed that /rescue does work better if the Medic uses /peace before the rescue is attempted.
Though it would nice for the Target to receive a system message stating they have been rescued, so they can move away from the critter before it decides to retarget them...
Hmmm... I think I'll add that to the list.
If a mob aggros you, you are attacking so any weapon you have you will use. Peace doesn't really work unless you are far enough away that you lose aggro anyway. I mean technically it works, it just doesn't seem to accomplish anything.
"Peace doesn't really work unless you are far enough away that you lose aggro anyway."
/peace stops your character from attacking... Though it doesn't stop your opponent from doing the same. 
Now I don't really know the exact intent of /rescue, but it feels like it changes the aggro of the creature to the Ranger.
Certain creatures will change aggro to the heaviest hitter, not necessarily the closest one.
So if the Ranger has not done any damage to the creatures, it may decide the Victims damage is more substantial and return aggro to them.
Therefore it makes sense for the Victim to stop attacking (thereby stop doing any damage), before the /rescue is performed.
Of course, if the Ranger doesn't do any damage to the creature either, it will probably choose the closest target... And end retargeting the original victim.
Hence a system message would be worthwhile to tell the Victim to get farther away from the creatures than the Rescuer before the creature reaggroes them.
"I can only say that hasn't been my experience. The only time I can get rid of aggro with peace is if I didn't do any damage and the mob isn't aggressive"
We are still taking about using /rescue aren't we?
I agree that /peace will not stop an attack on its own.