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-   -   Ranger solo gameplay style (/forums/showthread.php?t=376208)

Selene 01-13-2021 02:48 AM

Ranger solo gameplay style
 
Hi, I am looking to figure out how rangers play in a solo situation, as I've finally narrowed down my favorite kind of classes to the hybrids. I play casually for the most part and grouping has never interested me much in this game (not fun for me when you and 5 others just grind through a chain of mobs with hardly any thought or resourcefulness required).

I like hybrids because I think they require the most resourceful and thoughtful approach to gaining xp since soloing does not come so easy for them, and I prefer challenges and using all my abilities to their limits. My question is, how do rangers solo for the most part? Can they face tank as they solo? I don't like the idea of rooting a mob and then just shooting endless arrows at them that barely do any damage, so if that's the route then I probably won't go for it.

Also, how do they solo at the high end/end game? Can they take down nameds in dungeons? Can they dungeon crawl? Thanks!

Zipity 01-13-2021 07:54 AM

Rangers can face tank with solid gear to about 50 and then recover with healing spells etc. Don’t expect non stop killing though at Higher levels.
Fortunately at 50(until epics) the swarm caller exists which will allow you to slow enemies and this coupled with a full bar of mana will let you kill some named!
Any dungeon flagged outdoors like KC you can harmony and pull anything single super easily and also rangers have the best track in the game for doing those pesky outdoor named farms! Ranger is a very diverse class that gets a bad rep but they are pretty solid and will be able to solo all the way to 60 if you are patient.
But no you aren’t going to be killing 53+ caster named solo.
This is my general understanding of the class I’m sure someone much more versed in the intricacies of the ranger class will pipe in eventually :)

Jimjam 01-13-2021 08:15 AM

They can facetank solo most of the way up - that is just a case if finding the correct mobs.

Get a Dark Cloak of the Skies (50% haste click), twin epics (slow proc, decent ratio, worn haste and attack) and 55+ they are very decent. They can solo most of the KC named and move about the zone in relative comfort. They can also do the forager cycle in Trakanons Teeth, some Velks named and even slowly solo level 61+ Ice Burrowers in Western Wastes for silk with a decent bow. Not enc/nec/shaman tier, but respectable.

Crede 01-13-2021 08:22 AM

I generally agree with you on full groups being terrible but don’t pass up a good duo or trio which imo is the sweet spot in this game. But I think what you’re looking for here is a pally. They’ll be way more self sufficient than a ranger and are excellent at killing nameds later on. They just have that perfect dungeon crawl solo spell set whereas a ranger just gets spanked really hard. Ranger will be more fun to raid but that didn’t sound like your thing.

Crede 01-13-2021 08:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimjam (Post 3244126)
They can facetank solo most of the way up - that is just a case if finding the correct mobs.

Get a Dark Cloak of the Skies (50% haste click), twin epics (slow proc, decent ratio, worn haste and attack) and 55+ they are very decent. They can solo most of the KC named and move about the zone in relative comfort. They can also do the forager cycle in Trakanons Teeth, some Velks named and even slowly solo level 61+ Ice Burrowers in Western Wastes for silk with a decent bow. Not enc/nec/shaman tier, but respectable.

Keep in mind OP this isn’t casual gear unless you want to start raiding pretty decently to acquire this stuff or you casually are making a ton of pp on an alt to buy it.

jolanar 01-13-2021 08:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimjam (Post 3244126)
They can facetank solo most of the way up - that is just a case if finding the correct mobs.

Get a Dark Cloak of the Skies (50% haste click), twin epics (slow proc, decent ratio, worn haste and attack) and 55+ they are very decent. They can solo most of the KC named and move about the zone in relative comfort. They can also do the forager cycle in Trakanons Teeth, some Velks named and even slowly solo level 61+ Ice Burrowers in Western Wastes for silk with a decent bow. Not enc/nec/shaman tier, but respectable.

I mean no offense to Jimjam, his posts are invaluable to the forums, but he does trivialize the effort here. And as someone who doesn't raid this is a problem with lots of posts on the forums. You'll see stuff like "at 46 you'll get your epic and it's easy from there." It's just not realistic advice to most of the people who play P99.

For strategy, what I usually do is start with a root. Start softening the target with arrows. While rooted, cast snare and a dot (tolans arms are good for this). When the root wears off, facetank the mob with a Swarmcaller. Hopefully you get a quick proc, and you can switch to a higher dps weapon if you have one (hopefully a Woodsman's staff). Thankfully the Swarmcaller itself is a pretty solid dps weapon, since there will be times you don't get a proc until the mob is almost dead.

If you get low hp, root and back off. You can reapply a DoT. You can also time your arrow shots so that you can sit down and hit the meditate tick inbetween.

You are going to want to fight the lowest level dark blue mobs you can find. With snare and root you should never really die unless you get trained. To solo 55+ you are really going to want a fungi, so either prioritize leveling where you can also get decent plat or stop leveling and farm until you get one. It's doable without one, but it will just make life a million times easier.

Indoor dungeons will be difficult for a ranger. Harmony is stupid overpowered for pulling, but it only works in outdoor zones. (Unrest > Mistmoore > City of Misty > Karnors Castle you will be a single pulling god.) Any other indoor dungeon you will need to rely on root to handle adds and it's pretty much never going to be worth the effort from an exp perspective.

Jibartik 01-13-2021 09:01 AM

Pulling for your group in mm as a ranger is literally the most fun I’ve had in Eq so maybe that will change your mind.

Snaggles 01-13-2021 09:15 AM

Rangers have a TON of tricks but they really bloom late in the 50’s. It’s also a class with practice and expensive/exclusive gear the performance spectrum varies a lot. I remember the best and worst rangers vividly :). What they lack is a way to interrupt casters (besides procs) and a way to recover hps quickly. Throw in a healer and that duo can conquer almost anything even if less efficient than some combos.

Facetanking works ok with lower level old world mobs especially with a fungi. Casting Call of Flame and Firestrike (and later Calefaction) between swings with a 2h is also one of the better ways to take down casters hoping they don’t land bigger hits than you.

I never had the plat for good gear on the ranger (woodsman to 58) but still soloed to 60. I did a combo of fear kiting animals, short range bow rot (almost melee range) with the tolan’s bracer, and root jousting (turning on/off attack and waiting for the cool down). The last is quite efficient and I found while trying to proc the Swarmcaller I often would end up killing the mob before slow procced. I did a bit of this with an earthshaker too since that weapon can return a very high amount of damage per attack round.

It’s a very high mobility/dynamic hybrid. Less plodding than a SK or definitely a paladin, also higher risk. Being a bit of an underdog is fun as well, just keep at it! You still have tricks in dungeons but have clipped wings compared to outdoors. I’d bring a buddy (any class really) to make it more enjoyable unless you are trying to prove a point or impress sadistic Twitch viewers. It’s gonna take a lot of arrows...

Stonewallx39 01-13-2021 09:56 AM

Just make sure to pick a human with an eyepatch, that will improve your aim 17.777%...

All jokes aside you will spend a lot of time medding and regenerating back to full. Choosing a wood elf would give you hide allowing you to step away for 10+ mins while you med. Personally I couldn’t get over the looks of my wood elf and rerolled a human (obs with the eyepatch).

You didn’t mention which server, but during velious era rangers get fear animal which can be tedious but is also efficient. You’re basically just regenning mana after the fight instead of both hp and mana (mana regens waaaay faster). You also do more efficiently damage from behind the mob so kills will be theoretically faster.

Track is a superpower. After playing a tracker you will feel like part of the game is missing playing anything else. It’s just so cool and useful in unexpected ways. I recommend binding to a movement key with forage and sense heading while you level. Then Just find a nice corner of your screen to stick the window in.

Don’t underestimate bow kiting either. With Sow pots and eventually your own Sow spell you can kite down all kinds of major reds ( most useful for the random non casting named you come across). This is because archery doesn’t have the same check for lvl difference that melee and spells do. Where you have the same chance of hitting, and hitting for max damage as you would against a blue or green. Remember to pick up a reduced weigh quiver if you want this option as that will give your bow the equivalent weight reduction as haste.

Kirdan 01-13-2021 12:06 PM

rangers get hide as a class skill, no need to be a puny elf


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