Ranger Archive
Thread: Question from an aspiring Ranger
I intend to become a Master Ranger in time. I have rifle and pistol from the Marksman tree, and I want to go higher with one of those to use in conjuction with Ranger. My question for the experienced Rangers is, based on the profession, would a branch from Rifleman or Pistoleer be more useful? I am thinking rifle, but have no experience to base that assumption on...
On the other hand, Riflemen (and women) rock. They can conceal, cover and take out big game with good tactics and excellent damage with relative impunity. My hunting partner is a rifleman. Together we can take out most anything.
I will give you the advice given to me by JBMatt a regular poster on these forums and a wealth of good information (also check out Ypiana's forums...both of these people have great ideas).
Do what is fun to you. Dont go for the power kill....watch how you play and choose a weapon that supports that. Dont think of damage, think strategy.
Have fun and good hunting
Draknev
Master Ranger/ pistoleer
Lowca
Such a quandry...
I love rifle, and I love trapping. Can't wait to see some improved traps too. I think one of the traps attacks the mind pool, a nice compliment to rifle skill. Can't remember offhand which trap(s) though. Thanks for the input!
If you go for Master RIfleman, including the support tree in marksman, you have 4 points left. While Master does rock there is a fatal flaw: Warping mobs. You will need to do something when this happens, or your hunting cannot be anywere but open areas and you have to wait a while when new critter spawns. For me I kept a 2-handed so that I didn't have a durni hit me for all my health in one hit. Remember: unless you are a master (and that may change - get nerfed -anyway) most critters have a speed of 2 or less and you won't be shooting that fast unless you got an incredable weapon or a spraystick.
You can probably weigh the good and bad best on the Rifleman forums. I will say this for master: Strafe Shot 2 is our flamethrower (better, actually, considering it's good at range)... If you hit... too bad you can't stim back mind tho like the Commandos can their action.
That warping is a big problem, though I would HOPE the devs are looking into fixing it...
I was thinking of keeping the Pistol part of Marksman as my close-in defense. I do pretty good using Threaten Shot to reduce those love taps (and dirt naps). Even without the Rifleman skills, I can give some red mobs a run for their money using that tactic.
Congrats
Remember that this game breaks the "in the box" thinking about how experience systems work. You are not going to like this game if "level" is your game. It's not a race, it's about he journey 
I know a LOT about the feeling of seeing peeps get master before me, usually the ones I helped get ranger boxes in the first place. I got over it when they ask where something is 
Heh, would you ever consider using carbine? I do. It's all I use. That's why it's always funny to see these pistol vs. rifle discussions. There's a third weapon! I use a decked out lasercarbine for the most part. I havea 1-1-0-0 in carbineer and will only climb the accuracy and speed arms. In addition to running missions for creds, I am pretty successful at soloing dewbacks (which con yellow to me). I also take on desert squills (still con red) by myself, as long as they are in a loose group and I can pull them one by one. I just use action shot 1 and 2, and trap and shoot until they're done. The carbine range is perfect for throwing traps and keeping a distance. Just my two cents.
I appreciate the thought Makkaio. So far I have found with carbines that my action drops faster than my targets, heehee. I'm sure that improves with skill (I would hope). I saw the sig on a carbineer saying something like "I can kill me faster than you can" or something like that.
The advantage to carbine would be to free up skill points of course, so I'll think about it.
LOL. I've never found that problem, actually. I've heard of it, but don't experience it myself. I pumped up my action bar a bit. I think it is 1100. I guess strategy plays a part as well as the HAM costs on your weapon. Like I said, I have a very doctored up laser carbine. I know it is a simple statement and makes you go "duh, yeah", but the trick is not to get hit by the critters you are fighting. I rarely get hit because I've gotten really good at trapping.
When I fight desert squills, I use action shot 1 and 2 (bleeders). Then I trap. Thenwhen I take my entire first four or five shots, I lay off the specials and just let my carbine do the work. Then I trap, scoot back to a safe spot. Land a couple legshot3's. Trap again. Depending on where my action bar is and where the squill's HAM is, I use specials accordingly. Nothing says you have to use a specialon every shot. As a matter of fact, back in my cu pa hunting days, Ifound it was better to notuse specials at all against them.They were at that in-between level of white where I could pick them off easily and not waste action. That meant less downtime for healing. Less downtime meant faster XP. Peko Pekos on Naboo were the same way.
My point is that true experience in a game isn't always a matter of acquiring game-based statistics. It's about learning what works in certain situation and what doesn't. Those people that complain about carbines eating their action bar may not really know how to use a carbine. The three basic weapon classes are very different from one another.
I'm really not campaigning for the use of carbines, I'm just passing along my experience with them and why I like them.
Happy hunting!
Black-Ice,
It takes a LOT of patience. I like to hunt dewbacks solo on Tat for XP and trapping. They aren't agro, but boy do they help out each other if they get in trouble. It's hilarious when I have to burstrun from a pack and look back and see six dews thumping after me. It's times like those that I feel really wanted in the universe.
There are a lot of myths and factsabout pulling creatures. But here is what I do. Usually, I get rid of my mask scent and head into a pack of dews. I try to get one to notice me (indicated by the ? above its head). Once I have its attention, it either runs awayor it walks up on me. If it walks up on me, I try to lure it as far away from its buddies as possible. Then I take take it out. Not sure if this is the way it was intended, but it works for me.
Other than that, As far as I know, there is no real way to keep a herd from jumping all over you when you start shooting at one of their buddies. Not even while using /maskscent or camo.
xev, as was said it depends on your play style. I started with rifle back when I was scout. I switched to pistal and stuck with it up into pistoleer. I also have the full line of ranged support. The pistal is best for running around, being up in there and tossing your traps about. The rifle is about stalking the creatures, waiting, and staying way back while shooting them. Both have their fun factor.
I actually just got back to working on on my rifle, and man it is a way different hunting style. The traps to use with rilfe are sharp bone spur, and noise maker. They both dmg the mind pool. Get a good rifle and keep the mind most low on it. Again, the biggest problem is when you miss, or can't drop it fast enough and you get charged. I try to throw a Adhesive Mesh at it while it charges. You have all 4 in pistal, so that is your best bet.Be sure to put a pistal in a hotbar slot so you can stand and switch to it fast.
If you are using pistal, Phecnacine Dart, glow wire, and adhesive mesh are your best traps. I think I stil prefer pistal to pure fun. I'm going up rifleman until I get /concealshot, for soloing those big nasties.