Can Rangers Tank Group Level Content?

[knottyb0y]

Rangers tend to be the hot new topic.

They are a class with the taunt skill, but they use chain armor. Is it viable for a ranger to be a group tank (not raid obviously). At what point does their ability (if they have it) to tank taper off? How much is equipment a factor in the equation (warriors can tank old world up to 45 in bronze, does a ranger need to be elitely geared just to make the cut?).

What are some good gear/weapons for a low level ranger on a budget?

Any other advice would be welcome

[Aadill]

It is possible to tank deep sebilis with a properly tuned group (slows and big heals). Overall, however, I think there's a falloff after 55, as xp mobs like to hit harder and fast. Honestly you'd have better luck leveling in plane of hate than normal kunark xp spots.

[Kevlar]

we used rangers as offtanks in kael, ntov, and ssra, so any groupable content is no problem for a well geared ranger. This was pre-pop. With pop gear we had a wizard tank AoW just for giggles.

[Bockscar]

Yep, they'll do fine for XP groups. It'll be worse than a plate tank, so you shouldn't ever want a ranger to do it, but they can.

[deneauth]

I have tanked numerous groups in KC mainly with my ranger. It is pretty easy to do even without CC. Big heals are a must though. Rangers can slow with Swarmcaller which also doubles as a great aggro generator as well. With some fancy CC and Harmony rangers can single pull any outside zone or dungeon.

[knottyb0y]

I keep hearing "big heals" in these statements, does this mean a Ranger requires a Cleric as healer if tanking in a group? Would a Shaman suffice(particularly with slow on the npc)? How well can a druid do in the situation?

[Xanthias]

if you have slow, shaman works fine.
I have tanked KC, Seb, CoM...
druid would be tricky, because then it becomes dependent on the proc of swarmcaller to slow.

[Aadill]

I keep hearing "big heals" in these statements, does this mean a Ranger requires a Cleric as healer if tanking in a group? Would a Shaman suffice(particularly with slow on the npc)? How well can a druid do in the situation?

By time Velious comes around the majority of priests have heals big enough to keep a ranger up, regardless of mob type. A torpor shaman can keep up a normally equipped ranger well enough to do named content up through Velious (Lodizal). It's not efficient, and that is the only reason why I said that rangers are not the best of tanks post-55 without big heals, but it can (and will) be done.

[Snaggles]

It's not a matter if they can tank it, it's a matter of if the healer can heal it. ;)

In a solid group with good dps and a healer who isn't an idiot you can destroy almost anything that doesn't two-shot a tank. Having the pseudo-tank with decent ac and hps is key too.

As you know healing is a factor of tanking efficiency. CH is a key of the more hps the better. Maintaining efficiency is the important thing once you get past the "can it be done?" question.

At least Ranger's can keep aggro with spells. Often that's where half your healer's mana goes...to the rogue...then the monk...then the wizard. Etc.

[Rieve]

http://i.imgur.com/YVxSP.jpg

Real rangers tank dragons.

[Gwence]

Rangers are the hot new topic??

Is that a joke?

[Snaggles]

Rangers are the hot new topic??

Is that a joke?

Is this rhetorical?

[Gwence]

Is your face rhetorical?

[Cujoy]

here's the basic, rangers make great tanks up to level 50 properly geared in old world gear, it gets better with planer. Some argue they made great tanks up to 55, again that's more gear dependent than to 50. The problem is the ranger defensive caps start to show after 50 so at that point its up to the healer/group make up whether they're a good tank.

That's my humble opinion

[Snaggles]

Is your face rhetorical?

Is that a joke?

[gprater]

I posted this as a reply to a thread long ago. If you want to search psots from me Im sure you can find it. But, rangers can tank very well here. Ive had the privledge of playing with a regualr group for more than a year. There are 5 of us(im the cleric) and a ranger tanks for us. On occasion we pick up a 6th (WAR or sometimes SK) on many occasions(but not everyone) the ranger was easier to heal(less CH's overall) than the the true tanks. I realize that there are several factors that can affect this but he has tanked from the mid teens through currrently 55. IN all the dungeons up to and including karnor's. We found out that ranger tanking isnt feasible in Seb....at least for us.

[Bockscar]

the ranger was easier to heal

That'll have been because your ranger friend was better geared or higher level. There's no mechanic that makes rangers easier to heal than plate tanks. Normally it'd be the opposite, but obviously this can be changed by gear. Rangers will tank worse than all plate classes and possibly monks (though monks can have a hard time holding aggro) and anecdotal evidence like the above is pretty useless. Of course a ranger doesn't tank better than a warrior by default.

[Duie]

I posted this as a reply to a thread long ago. If you want to search psots from me Im sure you can find it. But, rangers can tank very well here. Ive had the privledge of playing with a regualr group for more than a year. There are 5 of us(im the cleric) and a ranger tanks for us. On occasion we pick up a 6th (WAR or sometimes SK) on many occasions(but not everyone) the ranger was easier to heal(less CH's overall) than the the true tanks. I realize that there are several factors that can affect this but he has tanked from the mid teens through currrently 55. IN all the dungeons up to and including karnor's. We found out that ranger tanking isnt feasible in Seb....at least for us.
Add a shaman in that mix and cold resist gear, he will do fine in upper seb... ills and lower umm no, Even im not that crazy

[Snaggles]

Fact is good groups make all the difference.

On live I've been in groups with warrior tanks who couldn't get their crap together. Been in ones with Ranger, Monk, and Bard tanks. Not as much with knight hybrids (sadly). I've even rogue tanked with a Willsapper just fine.

Grind groups aren't that tough unless you're doing HARD hitting mobs. Efficient mana use is the art.

[Xanthias]

Tanked in hole last night rather easily.

[mwatt]

Just a note on a Shaman enabling Ranger tanking up to low 50s...

Yes a Ranger could tank slowed mobs and be healed by a Shaman. If however, a Shaman must do both, he will run out of mana pretty easily (sans C2 or some other mana augmentation such as Bard or Necro). You'd have to control the rate of pull.

[Lazortag]

Bards, Rangers, Shamans, SK's, Pallies, Monks, and Warriors can all tank just fine.

[Vondra]

Doesn't really matter much long as they're geared. In reality they're probably better tanks than monks (who also have the same exp penalty), do not as much damage but good enough...and have agro tools.

Hell in dungeons tanking is probably the best spot for a ranger if you're looking for their role in your group.

[Estu]

Doesn't really matter much long as they're geared. In reality they're probably better tanks than monks (who also have the same exp penalty), do not as much damage but good enough...and have agro tools.

Hell in dungeons tanking is probably the best spot for a ranger if you're looking for their role in your group.

Monk penalty is lower:

By Class:
Paladin / Shadowknight / Ranger / Bard -40%
Monk -20%
Wizard / Magician / Enchanter / Necromancer -10%
Rogue +9%
Warrior +10%

[Vondra]

Monk penalty is lower:

Heh kinda funny.

All this time, even after seeing that list you posted like 200 times...I glossed over and assumed monk were 40% all this time, oh well.

[aresprophet]

Iksar monks have a 44% penalty (1.2 x 1.2) which makes them slower than any race Ranger.

[visage]

yes

[Alkorin]

Never thought I would do this, but,

yes

[knottyb0y]

Basically Rangers do best in midsized groups where they can use their spells and abilities to fill holes. They have utility as a Tank, Puller, and DPS (obviously not the best at those but they can hang). In a small group their buffs are likely more useful (example their DS and hp buffs in a group with a Shaman as primary healer/buffer). In outdoor zones they make great pullers due to track, and in indoor zones track lets you keep an eye on pops and rare spawns. It seems to me a ranger is made for the 2-4 man group where having more than just one ability is greater than specializing in one thing. Whereas a group full of balanced non specialists would find less utility out of a ranger, but still a ranger would be able to offer DPS and offtank ability.

[Juugox2]

sk or ranger? i have to say that sk is tanking dawgs but if the ranger had slows and we were siting there getting no xp... lol

[Xanthias]

sk or ranger? i have to say that sk is tanking dawgs but if the ranger had slows and we were siting there getting no xp... lol

Swarmcaller procs slow Tagar's Insects....

[Duie]

Just a note on a Shaman enabling Ranger tanking up to low 50s...

Yes a Ranger could tank slowed mobs and be healed by a Shaman. If however, a Shaman must do both, he will run out of mana pretty easily (sans C2 or some other mana augmentation such as Bard or Necro). You'd have to control the rate of pull.

it is not the slows that the shaman bring, enchaters can do that. It is the extra 1k hps post 50 a shaman can give that makes the difrence..... slows/and healing are Big bonuses.


on a side note, I will never understand(eventhough it is debuff) how a level 9 flamelick out agroes the majority of lvl 50 + spells. If i got hit by an ac debuff+3 per tick dot or an ice comet, Id sure as hell go after the 1k damage guy first Or the person that is healing them. <shrug>

[pickled_heretic]

it is not the slows that the shaman bring, enchaters can do that. It is the extra 1k hps post 50 a shaman can give that makes the difrence..... slows/and healing are Big bonuses.


on a side note, I will never understand(eventhough it is debuff) how a level 9 flamelick out agroes the majority of lvl 50 + spells. If i got hit by an ac debuff+3 per tick dot or an ice comet, Id sure as hell go after the 1k damage guy first Or the person that is healing them. <shrug>

see also: disease cloud

[gprater]

That'll have been because your ranger friend was better geared or higher level. There's no mechanic that makes rangers easier to heal than plate tanks. Normally it'd be the opposite, but obviously this can be changed by gear. Rangers will tank worse than all plate classes and possibly monks (though monks can have a hard time holding aggro) and anecdotal evidence like the above is pretty useless. Of course a ranger doesn't tank better than a warrior by default.

Yep, thanks for your input. I covered my statement that you quoted just after had you read a little bit more. also as stated the ranger wasnt always the easiest to heal. My point overall, in case that escaped you, was that the answer is yes to the OP question.