Ranger Archive

I know there is a very good template thread in the FAQ but it didnt quite touch on what I need.

I'm trying to decide between rifleman and TKM to accompany ranger in my skillset. I'm mainly looking at it from an unbuffed fighting point of view as I intend to start fighting without buffs where ever possible so that I can just run around killing things as and when I see them (or avoiding them in some cases), stop to fish here and there and generally just explore so I need some advice as to which would be best for this.

Currently I am TKM and have rifleman 0003 and will get them both mastered before finishing off scout/ranger but I want to get some opinions from those who play rifleman/ranger and those who play TKM/ranger. I also want to try and get some advice with respect to droids. Although I really enjoy rifleman and love sitting there killing things before they even realise I'm there I don't really enjoy having to stop and find a ood position to fight from etc. every time I want to kill something. Another thing, I dont like the idea of having to get up and run everytime a bleed lands or I get noticed.

I'm thinking TKM atm because it means I wont need novice medic to heal my wounds and because of this I can take a 3rd tier box in CH for lvl 19 pets and have a droid out at the same time. My main concern is that I may get rushed by social creatures and be agroed by many at the same time. Would I be ok with a lvl 19 pet and a good combat droid? I suspect I would be but I'd like to see what some of you more experiecned guys think.

Do you have any advice on what droid to get for combat? I was thinking of a melee range droid if I go rifleman to keep the mobs off of me or if I go TKM get a probot to attack from range and use my pet to tank at melee range.

Message Edited by Combat_Medic_to_be on 03-01-2005 06:53 PM

That's what I was thinking but does anybody have experience using TKM with a pet tank and a droid? I prefer the idea of TKM, fighting with a companion droid and a pet or two. If it's viable I think I'll go that route.

I do. Although I cant drop the 35k targets it doesnt take me a year using conceal shot either. TKM's abilities to powerboost as well as heal its own wounds and drop disease/poision make it hard to ignore. With the help of a combat/trap droid and a CL12 Cupa i take on socials in the 11-12k HAM level now. And probaly could go after higher level solo's but havent really wanted to.

Ah, that's the stuff! Just the kind of thing I was planning on doing Looks like TKM wins then. I think I'll master rifles anyway to try and help my friend with kryat hunting over Easter. Now I need to start looking for some good droids. Can you get a probot with a trap module in it? Say 4 combat modules and a trap module?

Remember by default probots have built in combat abilities. So what your looking at would make a good fighting/trap droid. I have been trying out different traps in my trap bot to see which has the biggest difference. And so far P-darts seem to be the most effective coming from the droid

Does the number of trap modules affect the droids trapping effectiveness or just the number it can store?

There is a trapping bonus number that the droid gets. And from what little testing i did with a droid with 1, 2, and 4 of the modules i was able to hit 5 to 10 CL's higher because of the droid. But it also adds to how many it will hold.

Best part about a trapping droid. Park it 50m from the lair with the stay command. And it will launch traps up to 60m

So would you say a single trapping module would be adequette? Or should I have a specialised R3 trapping droid with 6 modules? I'll probably only hunt mobs in the 10 - 20k HAM range unbuffed.

Well you seemed to have picked your Prof already but from the Rifleman point of veiw I like to point out that the whole conceal shot/bleed/running thing is something you only worry about the botton of the tree. Or in the top of the tree when you are trying to kill things solo that make most TKMs I've met (most, not say the people here ) pee in thier comp leggings and run home to mommy. Once you have have most of the tree you don't need to worry anywhere near as much about getting in to with in 2 m of you ideal range.

Once you are near the top or get to master /concealshot is mostly a party trick. I head shot 3 for 2k - 5k all day every day. If I had an Uber T21 istead of a normal sliced one...wow. And we get 2 mind bleeds that stack. Bleeds arn't much use on smaller critters but once the pools start getting in to the 100k range it helps a lot.

Also with the ranger +25 to hit for creatures (that only works on auto fire) I do better at point blank just standing there and shooting, than I do with /pointblanksingle. I'm not sure, but I bet the ranger to hit bonus dosn't replace any ham eating TK attack

You get to pick from 3 Armor piercing Medium guns, one does acid damage. And one Armor Piercing Heavy. There is a heat gun too if you are leet enough or rich enough. Also stun and cold. We used to have kinetic, but I guess the devs decided that we had to many toys.

Oh ya I almost forgot mask scent and conceal are about 100% more usfull as a ranged attacker.

Hehe. Well I've all but made up my mind about my proffesion but I'm going to wait until I get master rifleman to make up my mind properly. I just seem to be more attracted to TKM atm.

I am a Master Rifleman, and i only have 3/4 Camping IV left for Master Ranger.

My opinion is that Rifleman in MUCH more efficient for ranger, than TKM. Now i have never tried TK, but when i am hunting with a TKM, they are always running after there targets, especially if the prey are runners, or flyers.

With Rifles, i NEVER move. I use maskscent, and park myself 20m from the lair, and snipe all of the spawns, and send in the droid to harvest. Then i tap the lair, and snipe everything that spawns. This is much more faster, and i can collect more in a shorter period of time, than if i was to run after everything.

Although, TKM does have power boost, and can heal there own wounds. But the pure effeciency of rifles, coupled with maskscent and good maskscent clothes, and conceal shot, allows you to hunt basically anything un-buffed.

Also, the idea of hunting with a rifle is more "rangery". I dont think anyone runs into the woods, and chases down a deer, tackles it to the ground, then gives it a few uppercuts to the jaw.

B