[Foxplay]

With Torpor a shaman can hard-carry most groups. However once you get to this point a shaman doesn't really need to group with anyone anymore (can solo most things at this point) unless you have a monk or warrior buddy and want to smash harder things.

As a new player any level of gear playing a shaman is going to contribute more to a group, simply because they are a healer..... even with garbage gear you still have a mana bar, any +mana regen from your group, your cannibilize mana, and heal spells. However they spend a large portion of the leveling experiance (Sitting, getting more mana, and healing) simply because its far more mana efficent, slowing mobs only becomes more mana efficient in the later levels 50+. Also nearly every caster in this game during the leveling experiance except bard will find themselves sitting doing nothing but getting more mana a decent chunk of the time... thats just how casters in this game works.... That said once shamans have Torpor they are NEVER sitting, they can be extremely active and front-lines at that point

As a new player a ranger is probably going to be just another melee dps and will not be filling the "tank slot" unless there is no other option. They CAN tank, but assuming new player gear levels there is going to be lots of monks,wars,pal,sk's that are going to tank well before you do just to be mana efficient

Summary - As a new player don't expect to be the all-star immediately regardless of class. Shaman's are almost always going to be a major part of a group....rangers not so much unless they are an amazing ranger or well-geared. Rangers being a melee/hybrid are gear dependent. Shamans at end-game are expensive, spells cost lots of plat but in terms of group synergy and overall solo-power way stronger than rangers.