Ranger Archive

I've seen several suggestions now that say we should get either a new weapon or attack and defense bonuses against creatures. Since Rangers don't have any direct combat abilities from our profession alone (other than a to-hit bonus that either doesn't work or doesn't make a difference), I totally agree that we should get something other than making a certain combat skill a requirement to get Novice Ranger.

I think we should get one or the other, and not both, but I'm torn between them. On the one hand, having a Ranger-specific weapon, such as a composite bow or something, would be very cool and could look pretty sweet in play as well. On the other hand, I've already invested a bunch of skill points into carbineer and spent the time it takes to get each box, but if I didn't have to do that, I could take up medic or something instead.

What do you think? If it came down to one or the other, which would you prefer and why? Do you have any other suggestions for giving us combat abilities of our own?

One thing that springs to mind is a "critical hit" bonus You have percentage chance (that goes up the higher the level you are in ranger) of killing the creature with a single blow, or shot, because you know where it's most vulnerable

Ranger weapon would be nice, but I'd rather have the attack bonus, and as we don't seem to be allowed to use any of our traps or stuff against other players or npc's I assume the same would apply for weapons, so me giving up swordsman wouldn't be a option.

While a "Ranger specific" weapon would be nice, I don't think it would fit in with the profession as a whole.

I do like the idea of bonuses to hit, especially the "critical hit" shot. I can also see this shot being determined by the Rangers level (rising as the Ranger progresses not up one tree, but all 4 trees, to stop dabblers) and the creature's level, as well as the level you possess in the weapon you are using (again, using all 4 trees to stop dabblers).

Example, a Master Ranger has a 20% base chance, as a 2/2/2/2 Pistoleer this drops to 10% (halfway up the trees) and he is shooting at a Tortur, which cons white to him, another 50% drop, meaning our Ranger has a 5% chance of dropping the beast on one shot. A Master Ranger/Master (weapon of your choice) suffers no percentage drop until we get to the creature's level.

Sure, I can one shot a paralope, sometimes even a bageraset. How about a chance to do the same to a tortur, or a sharnaff, or picket? This shouldn't anger any other professions, as it is weapons non-specific and profession specific.

Let's be real, no one will be one shot killing Krayts, or any other major beasts (rancors and grauls come to mind). But for anything that we can solo now, let's give "the ultimate hunters" a chance to drop a few in their tracks.

Hoping NRass is having a good time and reads this upon return.

JB

Yup, I'm of the same thinking, that a Ranger-specific weapon would just be a bit too much. Plus, as mentioned, it would probably not work on NPCs or players. One suggestion that I recently read was to have a Ranger bow that is used for delivering Ranger traps. They'd have to be new one trapsor modifications to previous traps, but these would let us 'trap' a creature from a farther distance as well as having the potential to use traps that aren't feasible as thrown items.

But yes, I'd really like to see a critical shot modifier that raises as you get closer to Master Ranger. Maybe there could also be a chance of a critical miss by the creature that causes it to fall or something similar. It would also be nice to have a defensive modifier against creatures too. By the same token that says we should know where to hit a creature where it hurts, we should also know a creature's typical behavior and attack patterns, so we should have a dodge bonus against them.

JB- From what I understand you are suggesting that the critical hit modifier should depend not only on your ranger skill, but also your elite combat skill yes? I think that would be too much work.

I would have them keep it solely in ranger, but apply like the to-hit bonus we get (but applying to melee too, like to-hit should). To limit the effectiveness of dabbling, the skill could be broken up like the *max level of pets* skill was broken up in the ch tree (it went from 10 10 10 10 all in one tree to 2 2 3 5 in each tree) while keeping the lions portion of the increase in the master ranger box.

Of course, I think a 1-hit kill chance would make us undesirable in groups. Think of it this way... when you are leveling in carbine or fencer or whatever, do you like to team with commandos? Or do you complain to yourself about how fast they kill everything and how they are soaking up the xp? Wilderness group hunts are 75% of the time xp-oriented, and 25% of the time fun/loot/harvest oriented. If rangers are killing 20% of all creatures (on average) in 1 shot, that's alot of xp we are preventing other people from getting.

Rather, I would see the critical-hit mod represent a chance to do double damage with whatever attack you are using. That might be considered overpowered though... and to prevent this from being overpowered, it should only apply to autoattack. I think people would be screaming if they saw a carbineer do 15k damage with /crippleshot b/c he was a ranger. On the contrary, with the new HAM system regarding specials coming into play (see TH's post on the 4 major combat revamps) I think it would be very beneficial to be able to deal more damage on average with autoattack.

My personal opinion for all its worth is that we should not have a weapon added to our class. If they did this I feel they'd have to require the Ranged Support Tree to get into the class, you don't get something for nothing.

That said, I'd like to see our to-hit bonus made universal so it applies to all weapons or lack there of and a damage bonus. By damage bonus I don't mean a straight 100 points I would like to see it as a percentage increase to the damage. Start at say 5% at novice, 5% at trackin 1, and 10% the rest of the way up tracking through Master Ranger, coming to a total of a 50% bonus to our damage to creatures. Combined with the chance to one shot and we truely are the creature slayers of the game.

Mynroe, I see your point. Good thinking. Max out our chance of a critical hit at MR,and spread out the chance increases across the trees.

As to the undesireable aspect - Yeah, we would be pariahs should we drop a creature with one hit, but what is the ultimate chance of doing that? But, I can agree with the double damage idea. Would tend to make fewer people mad at us.

Wondering if this will make the "Wish list"?? If I have too, I will remove my request for /wedgie for this.

JB

Considering we are a support class, I dont think a ranger weapon is universally helpful. I'd rather see an improvement to the "support" role that we are. To hit bonuses, defenses, more traps, etc

I also agree. The Critical Hit suggestion would fit in perfect with the Ranger skills. I just hope the devs are also in agreement.

Kharr Khomak
Antarian Master Ranger
Master Creature Handler

Crit shot would be fine by me... It will not totally fix us, but its a start. It would absolutely need a companion defense mod too. Could be dodge, counter attack, straight defense increase, and additional damage reduction system, anything... The bonuses we get now are pathetic.

Here is another idea. As you increase in your skill to damage creatures, you also gain a chance to give random status effects. For example: You shoot the creature in the eye and 'Blind' it. Or you hit an artery and 'Bleed' it. You hit it in the head and 'Stun' it. The list could keep on going. They could be small chances, but it would add flavor and excitement for sure. Again, each different effect could be broken up between the entire profession to stop dabblers. I dont know how practical or programmable this would be but it just popped into my head and I thought i would put the idea out there

Is everyone forgetting what the ranger weapon was supposed to do? It was never supposed to be a self-sufficiant weapon. It was supposed to do minimal damage, while causeing status effects. Not replace your pistol.

Basically, the way I see it, the more ideas the better because then there is more likely to be something suggested that everyone could agree on. But why shouldn't a Ranger weapon replace a pistol if you wanted to? If you go out hunting in the real world, you can take a rifle, a pistol, or a bow and all of them can kill a deer with one shot (and sometimes even a bear). It's much more difficult and it takes much more skill (in my opinion anyway) to take down an animal with a bow than with a rifle too, which is why it would be restricted to one profession - Rangers.

I am a Ranger/Carbineer, while it would be nice if there was either some added bonus for each weapon type or a new weapon, I think that maybe added defensive bonuses would fit better into our proffession. If you think most things of a Ranger are geared towards survival. Being able to take care of oneself and knowing who to attack a creature, where to hit it, how to keep it off you should fit in there.

Maybe a special combat move that can be used with any weapon and defensive mods to dizzy, bleeds, KD, ect. Especially anything dealing with wild animals, for example I think being able to trick another animal into fight another animal would be a great skill, I can do this somewhat with creatures that argo when they start to attack, but a move would be much better.

Trapping is all good but giving use usefull combat moves would go alot further to Improving our proffession. We should know how to cripple an animal by shooting it or dealing a swift blow to it.