Monk or Ranger for soloing melee?

[VincentVolaju]

Yea I'm talking strictly leveling, not farming items / money at 50 etc. I could see at 50 the big difference in skill caps, but are the skill caps that noticeable while leveling?

Also, I'd probably be soloing outside more than inside, considering most dungeons you'd need a group anyway...for the most part at least. Don't get me wrong, I'd like to group as well when possible, however, I can only play in 2-3 hour chunks so in most situations I'd be soloing.

[Jimjam]

Trueshot longbow is acquirable at a rather low level, and as ivory points out bows can be OP in a world without fungi (if you keep arrows stocked).

For traditional tank and spank levelling i'd probably give it to the monk though. Feign death adds so much leeway and monks have a high baseline of effectiveness. I remember my (admitedly iksar) monk on blue could solo xp mobs while naked on a corpse run in guk.

[Teflondon75]

I have nothing smart to add to this conversation at all lol. But I am sitting in Steamfont Mnts right now watching as a level 8 mage is soloing the Minotaur camp significantly easier, safer and faster than I can at level 12 Ranger with full banded and a BBC. Not gonna lie....really sucks to watch lol.

[Wallicker]

Monks start with dual wield at lvl 1 the skill caps are significantly in their favor during the entire leveling process in the end though do whatever is calling you and what you think will be more fun!

[VincentVolaju]

How well does the Monk fear work?

[Fireblade7]

Monk fear works ok... just not reliable. I mostly used it in giant fort in WW to help solo. I think like every 2nd or 3rd mob would be feared for awhile. That was maxed for my level at the time. Didn’t use it past then though. (Obvs this was blue)

[kotton05]

Lol as if a ranger comes close to a monk solo. Hands down monk but in this era both monk and rangers really suck....

[YendorLootmonkey]

Lol.. you will bowkite all of two mobs before you give up because it's too tedious, time-consuming, and cost-prohibitive. Whoever said no downtime was conveniently ignoring all the time you have to spend fletching arrows. If you want to run all around outdoors with a mob chasing you, turning around to fire an arrow, and then distancing yourself again... play a bard who can do similar with multiple mobs at a time.

Root-rotting? With your DoT's you get 20 levels after druids get them? Lol.

I've played nothing but a ranger for 20 years. Here's the real scoop... without fungi (Kunark), Earthcaller or even just Swarmcaller (both Kunark era), and twinked out with some good armor, you're going to have a tough time soloing at a rate that could even be considered slightly efficient. Maybe bow-kiting after you pick up a Tolan's bracer. Plus the hybrid xp penalty working against you well into Velious?

If you want to solo as a ranger, you're better off waiting until Velious after the xp penalty gets removed and you get Panic Animal... unless you're an absolute glutton for punishment.

Don't get me wrong... the ranger is a fun and versatile class... to play as part of a group. I would not want to level one up for the 3rd time trying to solo unless I were heavily twinked and/or had Panic Animal to look forward to at 22. Just being realistic.

[Wallicker]

Monk will significantly out level a ranger solo

[Nagoya]

I asked myself the same question and my answer was a Barbarian Warrior.

So I won't participate in your thread I feel my opinion might be dumb.

(however Ranger vs Monk? well when shit hits the fan Monk can FD and make no XP and try again, the ranger can snare, sow, bow, root, meditate, dot, dd, heal, etc. and eventually get the XP. i think monk is better when things work as planned, ranger is better for all the other times. my2¢)