Ranger Archive

Sorry to sound like I'm complaining but I guess I will anyway NRaas wrote...

• Because I will be entering combat on a constant basis, it is not cost effective for me to use /conceal on myself (as it will break when I take damage).
  
• In this case /maskscent is more than adequate

However when attempting to sneak through a blockade of humanoids that I can not fight, /conceal will come in handy for me as well...

• That is, as soon as they resolve the A.I. issues concerning humanoids ignoring concealment.

So in other words we get to spend 14 skill points on a skill line that iswn't cost effectiove to use since it drops every time we enter combat. It will only be worthwhile in TWO instances...

1) for any non-combatants in our group (how often do you group with someone who doesn't fight at all??)

2) for sneaking past humanoids...WITHOUT fighting them (even if /conceal is 90-95% effective that still means that it will likely drop when a group of 10 are trying to sneak past an NPC camp so you're gonna end up fighting anyway and when you do /conceal drops on everyone anyway!)

Also, what's the big deal about no aggro even if /conceal does drop at more then 40m? If you just stay about 60m away you can avoid just about anything without even using /conceal or /maskscent!

I'm not attacking you NRaas, I'm just frustrated that this skill, which is essentially all there is in this skill line, isn't very useful. Why would it be so overpowered to keep it up during combat or have it stack with /maskscent to have a 99% chance of success or make players using it drop off radar for PvP or even give us a denfese bonus vs ranged attackers even if we are discovered (since we blend so well with the environment even after detection). Sure I'll wait until it hits the live servers to check it out and see how it works but if it turns out to work the way it's being described I may toss out my plan for Master Ranger and dump that line of skills to put the points into something worthwhile...

Guys,

I'm going to take some heat for saying this, but I thought I would provide you all with my perceptions.

From the conversations and posts I've read from the Devs, neither mask scent nor conceal were ever designed to be "combat" type skills. Meaning, that you use them to make yourself better in combat (stealthy, etc.)

When I asked GreenMarine specifically what the point of mask scent was, his response was "to make you more survivable in the wild". Now, that could or could not be construed as meaning "better at combat". From what I've seen, however, is that the meaning is more "if you aren't looking to fight, you won't have to".

I recognize that this is not what 75% of you want from this skill.

Here is, in my opinion, what mask scent and conceal are good for now (after the change):

• Sneaking past aggressive creatures on your way to a destination.


• BE's sampling DNA for their crafting


• CH's taming babies

Now, the argument is whether or not that is good enough. Personally, I'dlike to see the combat change only go into affect for mask scent. Mask scent doesn't require any crafting, can be reapplied immediately after combat is over, and doesn't have any HAM costs. But conceal shouldn't break on entering combat - and there are both game mechanic and real life reasons why this should be.

I hope N'Raas adds this to his list.

B

I would have to agree with DeltaXi65 in that /conceal should not drop on entering combat, there should be a greater risk of detection but I picked up the skill thinking it would be an improvement on /mask for myself and the group I am in. At the moment it is not.

"Personally, I'dlike to see the combat change only go into affect for mask scent. Mask scent doesn't require any crafting, can be reapplied immediately after combat is over, and doesn't have any HAM costs. But conceal shouldn't break on entering combat - and there are both game mechanic and real life reasons why this should be."

I 100% agree with Delta on this.

There is no reason for our camouflage to suddenly fly off of us just because we engage in battle.

"But conceal shouldn't break on entering combat - and there are both game mechanic and real life reasons why this should be."

There are game mechanic and real life reason for why it should break as well.

• If I get mauled by a bear, I'm pretty sure that my camoflauge is going to get messed up.

If you can go the whole duration of the battle without taking any damage, you won't lose the the camoflauge.

But yes, I will add it to the list...

If I get mauled by a bear, I'm pretty sure that my camoflauge is going to get messed up.

Unless the bear decides to undress you, you'll still be mostly covered in camouflage.

Considering we can go from mauled to full health in a few minutes though, I think we can overlook the time it takes to mend a few rips in your shirt...

"Unless the bear decides to undress you, you'll still be mostly covered in camouflage."

A good swipe across the chest with a clawed forepaw would most likely compromise any camoflauge that a hunter would be wearing.

• As well, flowing wounds (in real life), has a tendency to give away a hunter's position tocreatures withwell endowed noses.

My comment was directed towards attempting touse a real lifesituation to explain how camoflaugeshould remain.

• However, in most cases a real life hunter would need to mend their camoflauge (read re-apply) to return to full effect after being attacked.

Considering conceal's main benefit is that NPCs cannot see us, I will maintain that there will be enough clothing remaining that a simple patch will suffice in keeping its effectiveness.

If you want to get realistic, after your first significant wound maskscent shouldn't function until you return to a city and get a change of clothes. Further you should probably bleed to death before reaching the city and if you die you won't be ressurected as a clone. Let's not depend upon reality too much.

From a game and balance standpoint, I think letting conceal remain active is a good thing. It can be suspended for those in the group under attack, but it does not need to break.

Under an ideal system, the camouflage rating should degrade as the wearer takes damage, not the on/off toggle that exists. Then we both get what we want, but probably very few would be happy that their camo isn't at full strength all the time.

"If you want to get realistic"

Personally, I don't want to get realistic.

Another poster brought up realism, and I countered with my example.

"Under an ideal system, the camouflage rating should degrade as the wearer takes damage"

That idea was suggested under the Ghillie Suit request...

• Where a camo kit combined with a tailor made overcoat could be used for a long duration camoflauge outfit.


• The Condition of the overcoat would define the duration of the camoflauge

Personally, I think this idea would be a very cool addition to the system... Hopefully we can sway GreenMarine to implement it.

"Has a date been set for the patch that is supposed to "fix" the /maskscent Rangers are haveing?"

If you mean the "issue" where Master Rangers seem to break /maskscent more often than Master Scouts:

• This issue was looked into and the no obvious error in thesystem was located

Most likely what Rangers were seeing was an offshoot of the others problems corrected with the next patch

• Such as /maskscent checking twice per critter

Most Master Rangers are also more inclined to go against more difficult critters.

• More difficult critters will break a players concealment more often, and this might have skewed results

What I am referring to is the fact that as a Ranger when I use /maskscent I AGGRO the creatures on top of me. I am also a CH and am unable to approach aggro creatures to tame their babies. I am referring to the fact that if I am in a group of folks and use /maskscent to get thru some red cons, I have them warp on top of me and my party. As a Ranger I dont have the skill /maskscent. I have the skill /eatme. Are they fixing this?

Ranger/CH/Pistoleer
League Of Lunatics
-LOL-

"I am referring to the fact that if I am in a group of folks and use /maskscent to get thru some red cons, I have them warp on top of me and my party."

Yes... That issue should be resolved in the upcoming patch.

Has a date been set for the patch that is supposed to "fix" the /maskscent Rangers are haveing? And will it basically put it back the way it was prior to the last patch?