Ranger Archive
Thread: Is Ranger worth it?
My original plan was to go Carbineer/Ranger, and towards that goal I've almost mastered the scout branch. However, after looking over the Ranger abilities, I'm kind of wondering if its really worth all the points required? Ranger requires mastery of a lower profession to get, yet doesn't seem to offer very many rewards for that time. You get a few better traps, better camps, better speed/camo, and better harvesting. It doesn't really look like much new there compared to the Scout, its just a bit better.
So, to all you Rangers out there--is it worth it? Are the camps that much better than the scout's camps? Are the traps that much better? Its hard to tell on paper whether the Ranger can actually do cool stuff, or is just a 35% more effective scout.
I'd love to know, since I'm almost there . . .
If you are a Master Scout, the only benefit you could gain from Ranger if you don't intend to go Master Ranger, is to work on Camps, and perhaps Bioscience to get the bonuses to hit and harvest creatures. I think the Scout Traps, Camoflauge,and Terrain Negotiation bonuses dont' really improve in the Ranger line (at least right now).
So i'd just focus on one or two of the trees and don't worry about traps and speed/camo for now - spend those points on something more useful like Medic or more Carbine skill....
- Zarn of Corbantis
If that's true XionLion then I really hope they do some work on the Ranger since Master Scout is required to get there. If the traps and terrain negotiation lines aren't much of an improvement over master scout, yet master scout is required, it sounds like half the skill lines are a bit of a waste 
Well, I'm only a casual player, I'm lucky if I have 10 hours a week to play this game so untraining and starting over isn't much of an option. I guess I'll just stick with it and dabble in Ranger and hope they get around to adding to the class. Somehow I have the worst luck at picking professions in these games--Carbineer is currently broken compared to Pistoleer and Rifleman, and it doesn't sound like Ranger is all that amazing either. I don't want to be yet anotherBounty Hunter or Creature Handler though
NRaas wrote:
Obviously you have not read this forum before.
Why would I? i'm not a ranger yet...I'd pick up Ranger just to come and talk in this forum.. We're very nice here, and constructive. If we flame someone or make fun of them, then they REALY said something .. really stupid.. like.. super stupid.. super duper stupid... you get the idea.
As a Master CHer, I don't think you'll get a great deal of use out of the Wayfaring nor the Trap lines.
Wayfaring for crawling
As mentioned, Wayfaring's Terrain Negotiation modifier only affects crawl speed. Awesome for Ranger/Rifleman, Pistoleer and Carbineers, but not so much for a Creature Handler or a Bounty Hunter Lightning Cannon user (you take a penalty for prone firing... kneel is best all around).
Camo Kits are arguably useful. I have as much luck using Mask Scent as I do Camo, and honestly, if you're travelling to missions, your vehicle's getting you there faster than a creature can keep up anyway.
Traps Maybe
Traps are fun, but I use Adhesive Meshes (Scout Trapping IV) and Glow Wire Traps (Scout Trapping III) to the exclusion of everything else. If I need to do real-time crowd control, I'll use Ranged Support's /warning shot and a Mesh Trep. Glow Wires are just great for debuffs, though it's hard to determine if they actually do anything in large fights that end quickly
The advanced traps basically stun and blind. Those can be useful when you have a player tanking. Theoretically that'll result in the player(s) getting hit less often, which helps with keeping them alive But since you're a CHer, your pets can take quite a bit of damage. And PetStims heal the mind pool (boo hiss for the lack of ability for players ).
Tracking Perhaps
Tracking depends on how you hunt. Do you do missions exclusively? Then you don't need Tracking. It's great to be able to track NPCs and players though, but you've gotta want to do it to make it worth the points.
Camps useful for GCW
Finally, camps. I love my camps. I really do. Soon you won't need to use them to call your pets, but if that's all you're using a camp for anyone, stick with the Scout ones. Ranger camps are inspiring. I'm constantly amazed at how few people, even long time ones, see them. They get all impressed and stuff
But seriously, the one strong case I can make for camps has to do with the Galactic Civil War. If you are an Overt faction member, you can place a camp and actually requisition Items (Weapons, Mines and Armor) and Installations (Turrets, Headquarters, Minefield, Covert Scanner), from the camp itself. I just learned this a few days ago (from a thread here in fact ), and have tested it a few times. This could be real cool, but I'm a real neophyte to the GCW. The only noticable difference is that you cannot call Personnel Support (as in an NPC or the AT-ST) nor Droids at a camp, and what you can call will cost a percentage more than buying it (with Faction Points) from a Rebel Coordinator/Instructor (Field Base Camp is 14%, which could depend on camp type or faction rank)
If you've ever had dreams of establishing a forward mobile (as in, take down and erect a new one) base for your Imperial or Rebel friends, the Ranger Frontieering line is for you.
What is a Ranger though?
Most of us don't see Ranger as a set of skills. Rather, it's more like a calling. We backwards engineer the profession all the time (though I'm relatively new-ish to it compared to the veterans here), talking about things like how we could be this or that. But it's a testament to the players the skillset attracts that even without everything we could be, we still love it.
It's a way of life. Even though I personally know a Ranger has very limited offerings to make in PvP (mobile base, camo kits and tracking almost being it), my heart is in the wilderness and exploration. That's why I'm a Ranger first and whatever combat skills I pick for today quite a distant second
My only question would be, what are you going to use as a combat profession after mastering CH and Ranger (along with Scout).
Please, don't say "My pets..." . You will at times, fairly often in fact, find that the mob you are attacking ignores your happy little pets and comes to make you into a Ranger Lunchable. It is a well known and accepted fact of life here on this forum that any aggro in a grid square will launch an attack on a Ranger first, ignoring anybody, one, thing, else... eat the Ranger.
Not a flame, just a simple fact of life. Rangers are the flame to the Mobs moth reflex.
As to is it being worth it - I think if you have to ask, no. Being honest. Don't take Ranger if you think you are gonna make a million dollars off of docs. You may, but you will spend half of that on stims, armor, weapons and what not.
Do what makes you happy. It's the journey, not the destination.
And kudos on not doing it cuz a holo said to. They get flamed, as to BHs, just because most deserve it.
JB
I have been a Master Ranger since October, and there is justsomething in it I like. Not sure really sure which something it is tho. We have no real skills to speak of, but we all like the profession as a whole, and what it should/could be.
We have the best forums by far, the funniest replies,a realistic perspective on how to make the Ranger better, and NRaas.
Plus it is really hard to get flamed here. Like stated before, you have to say something really super dooper stupid, to even get a little flame from this forum. Making a statement like "My holo told me to master ranger, what is the quickest way to get ______xp", you will probably won't even get a reply.