Ranger Archive
Thread: My assessment of Ranger skills
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Beausoleil
Tue Dec 02, 2003 5:09 pm
#1
First off, lemme say that I enjoy being a Ranger, its just that it could be soooo much better than it is.
WAYFARING: This one gives you Camo and Terrain Negotiation.
From what I have seen, Camo is extremely unreliable. I find it works great on Tatooine, but sux on Corellia. I have seen mixed results on Naboo and Endor. This just sux. I was doing a pretty good job of avoiding aggro NPC's when I was a Scout. Now I have the "conceal" skill and I still have to avoid them because it breaks all the time. I find my Mask Scent works much better against critters too.
The value of Terrain Negotiation is debateable. Yes, it does give me a speed advantage over uneven terrain, and when I am alone, and playing smart I can use this against the mobs. But I am rarely alone on an advanced planet so I have to slow down for everyone else anyway unless they are all Rangers too. And because Ranger has no weapons skills, my other Profession usually provides me with a better method of keeping MOBs off of me during combat than "running uphill".
FRONTIERING: Useless. The camps are impressive looking, but nobody ever uses the crafting stations. They don't repel aggressive creatures like they should. And maybe there IS a healing bonus, but honestly.... do I want to expend all the resources to build an impressive camp suited to hold a bunch a people, when more than likely one of those people can just pop me with another stim-B and get the same result??
TRACKING: Good potential, but broken in practice. Yes, it does help me find certain things.. like special NPC's, babies to tame, etc. But the range is so weak, and the skill has so many problems keeping it from working correctly that it can be very frustrating. If they change this to allow me to "/track kimogila" or something like that and find what I want, THEN I will call it an impressive skill. Maybe then the stupid Explorer Term Hunting missions will actually get used? You know the ones that give you plenty of money for hunting and killing certain MOBs but they are always MOBs that don't exist anywhere?
The To-Hit and Knowledge pluses from this skill tree ARE useful. Just not sure how much Ranger gets that Scout doesn't.
TRAPPING: Completely useless. The two best traps in the game are Phen Dart and Glowwire. Both of which you get at Scout. Give me a trap that will knock a Faamba DOWN, or maybe one that will root a Pickett for like 3 minutes, then I will feel like a "Trapmaster".
The Rescue skill IS cool, and I have used it very effectively in the right situation.
So.. to sum up.. I enjoy the role-playing aspect and the nature of the Ranger profession. But in practice, I really am very disappointed in it. Master Ranger will be a hollow title for me at this time.
WAYFARING: This one gives you Camo and Terrain Negotiation.
From what I have seen, Camo is extremely unreliable. I find it works great on Tatooine, but sux on Corellia. I have seen mixed results on Naboo and Endor. This just sux. I was doing a pretty good job of avoiding aggro NPC's when I was a Scout. Now I have the "conceal" skill and I still have to avoid them because it breaks all the time. I find my Mask Scent works much better against critters too.
The value of Terrain Negotiation is debateable. Yes, it does give me a speed advantage over uneven terrain, and when I am alone, and playing smart I can use this against the mobs. But I am rarely alone on an advanced planet so I have to slow down for everyone else anyway unless they are all Rangers too. And because Ranger has no weapons skills, my other Profession usually provides me with a better method of keeping MOBs off of me during combat than "running uphill".
FRONTIERING: Useless. The camps are impressive looking, but nobody ever uses the crafting stations. They don't repel aggressive creatures like they should. And maybe there IS a healing bonus, but honestly.... do I want to expend all the resources to build an impressive camp suited to hold a bunch a people, when more than likely one of those people can just pop me with another stim-B and get the same result??
TRACKING: Good potential, but broken in practice. Yes, it does help me find certain things.. like special NPC's, babies to tame, etc. But the range is so weak, and the skill has so many problems keeping it from working correctly that it can be very frustrating. If they change this to allow me to "/track kimogila" or something like that and find what I want, THEN I will call it an impressive skill. Maybe then the stupid Explorer Term Hunting missions will actually get used? You know the ones that give you plenty of money for hunting and killing certain MOBs but they are always MOBs that don't exist anywhere?
The To-Hit and Knowledge pluses from this skill tree ARE useful. Just not sure how much Ranger gets that Scout doesn't.
TRAPPING: Completely useless. The two best traps in the game are Phen Dart and Glowwire. Both of which you get at Scout. Give me a trap that will knock a Faamba DOWN, or maybe one that will root a Pickett for like 3 minutes, then I will feel like a "Trapmaster".
The Rescue skill IS cool, and I have used it very effectively in the right situation.
So.. to sum up.. I enjoy the role-playing aspect and the nature of the Ranger profession. But in practice, I really am very disappointed in it. Master Ranger will be a hollow title for me at this time.
WookieInLaw
Tue Dec 02, 2003 5:31 pm
#2
Beausoleil wrote:
FRONTIERING: Useless. The camps are impressive looking, but nobody ever uses the crafting stations. They don't repel aggressive creatures like they should. And maybe there IS a healing bonus, but honestly.... do I want to expend all the resources to build an impressive camp suited to hold a bunch a people, when more than likely one of those people can just pop me with another stim-B and get the same result??
I love my Ranger camps! 
Actually, when taking long trips with my guild, I often have to leave the camp up "just a few more minutes" so people can finish using the crafting stations. And our Doctor has said that she notices a very real increase in the potency of her buffs when in my HTFBs.
Granted, I can't really argue with any of your other points -- would could stand some lovin' in more area than one -- but I'm cuckoo of Cocoa Puffs over the Frontiering line.
NRaas
Tue Dec 02, 2003 5:41 pm
#3
Yep, that is prettytruthful assessment...
- That is why the State of the Profession is so blooming long.
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