Monk vs Ranger

[Brexx]

I'm having trouble deciding on my next alt. I played a monk on live for several years so I know what to expect out of the class but I'm wondering how Rangers compare in the dps department and overall desirability at 50+.

I will be twinking this character and will be soloing most of the way to 50 but will be grouping at 50+.

I'm leaning towards Ranger since it's something I never really played on live but will I regret picking it over monk in the long run?

Any advice is appreciated, Thanks.

[baalzy]

Rangers are not particularly desired. They don't DPS, Pull or Mitigate damage as well as a Monk can (although they'll hold hate as well as a Paladin or Shadowknight) and can fill in additional utility as needed (root parking, snaring, better-than-nothing damage shields). People also are not largely aware that Iksar Monks currently have a bigger xp penalty (44%) than rangers (40%), so they don't ostracize them from groups.

Come Velious it will become much better for rangers, they gain better solo ability thanks to Panic Animal (letting them fear kite in outdoor zones) as well as removing the xp penalty.

[YendorLootmonkey]

Playing a ranger is like getting shitfaced drunk on a Sunday morning and then going to church. Fun for you, but you can't do anything very well, no one wants to have anything to do with you, and they wish you would leave and go have your fun elsewhere.

[Uberbandit]

The hybrid EXP penalty gets removed at some point in Vellious, which will give people a lot less to complain about. I like ranger over monk because you aren't just sitting on a mob mashing a kick button. The struggle as a ranger is real, and they are definitely the weakest class, but I got bored so quickly on monk that I wouldn't second guess playing a ranger instead.

[Lojik]

Unless you really don't want to pull in groups, make a monk. Leveling a super twinked monk is probably one of the most fun leveling experiences. Got my monk to 50 in less than 60 hours playtime with no power leveling(mostly solo.) Archery damage is garbage on this server and feign death is more useful than all ranger spells. Monks are the most op melee class and rangers the weakest. Two bonuses for rangers are 1) not much competition for planar armour and 2) possibly best plane of sky quest items.

[Frug]

The hybrid EXP penalty gets removed at some point in Vellious,

Iksar's (also) have a race penalty, which is kept.