As the title suggests - My original main back in '99 when I was a wee lad of 13 was a Ranger. It took me until PoP to reach level 50, mostly because I was a kid and early on-set alt-icitus (Beastlord took over most of my time in Luclin). I missed the first rounds of TLP, but I have been playing Live for the last couple of years. I did play Fippy for 2 expansions but they were already in Buried Sea when I rediscovered EQ. I have not seriously played a Ranger on Live due to "respect" to my original main, but always planned to recreate that character whenever a new TLP server would launch. I have read lots of reports from the TLP veterans that Rangers, Rogues, Paladins really struggle in the Classic to Velious Eras because of the lack of class defining AAs, balance mechanics add later, and lack of good weapon ratios. While this doesn't bother me in a "my character isnt bleeding edge DPS chart pusher" sense, what does concern me is will that actually impair my ability to find groups and be taken to raids? Why would you take a lousy Ranger when you can have a Monk or Mage? Even back in the day, I remember groups needing a DPS and when I would whisper them I got a lot of "Ranger? no thanks!" My heart is set on Ranger - but, is this a foolish move to make it a main before PoP?
Crazy or not, I think you should play what you want to play and find ways to make it work. There will be many people running around playing the "best" classes and there isn't anything wrong with that. At least give it a chance and if you really do struggle with finding groups, then switch for something else.
You'll be fine as a ranger. Very much so. Every class is more powerful during classic era of TLP than they were originally during the classic time. If we all managed back then, you'll manage just fine. Honestly, this is the one time (TLP servers) were you get to just go back and relive, relearn, and play what you want.
Play what you want to play man - if your heart is set on ranger then play a ranger. My very first character on Vulak was a Ranger and I stuck with him as my "main" all the way till PoP. I will say this for rangers - they are better than they used to be. Unfortunately they are worse than most other characters in almost every other way. They are not the best tanks. They cannot hold agro the best. They do not pull the best. They do not DPS the best. My ranger was really fun to play and I actually got really good at pulling Hate on him, but overall he just wasn't all that great compared to most other classes - but either way, people will still take you to raids and while groups were not as easy to find on the Ranger as say my Mage, I could still find groups with some proactive searching. So yes, being a Monk or Mage is gonna make getting groups easier, but if your proactive and you send a lot of tells you can get in groups. I also started a lot of groups as my ranger and by the time I hit 35 I was pretty much starting every group I joined (It was just faster to start them myself). If you don't mind doing that extra work then by all means go ranger. If you don't wanna do that...well find some friends to group with, cause it will make it easier for ya I will say this: 1) Go Halfling - they are the best rangers by far/ 2) If you get him to 50 you are going to be unique! Being unique is always fun and there will not be many rangers at 50, I think Vulak had like 8 or 9 rangers who actually hit 50 and by Kunark I think that number was down to like 4 or 5.
I had a 50 Ranger on Vulak, I had a blast, though life popped up and I didn't make it past Kunark. I never ran into problems with finding groups. Go for it, ranger was fun.
Well it is nice to hear that some more positive reports on early era Ranger'ing The thing that draws me back to Ranger is the utility - SoW, invis, tracking, light tanking, etc. Being a class that will likely be under represented has some appeal as well. As far as race goes - is there any reason that Halfling appears to be the winner? Obviously hide/sneak is somewhat useful and there is no denying that the exp bonus is amazing. But if i recall early eras correctly, arent the best bows restricted to Wood Elves? Faydark Swift Bolt I think it was called?
I'll be playing ranger main from server launch as well, I say the people that think playing a ranger is crazy, are themselves the crazy ones!
Definitely go for it. That was my first toon on Fippy. I re-rolled rogue, but just because I found I almost always ended up tanking in groups on my ranger, and I was burned out on tanking from other other games. Casters were so over tuned compared to melee on Fip that the tank shortage seemed to be even worse than in most games. That would be one caveat I would offer re ranger. Otherwise if you feel like playing one, do it. I don't know why people gravitate toward the OP classes on a progression server. Virtually every other game on the market right now is face roll pve. You would think people coming back might be interested in the challenge.
Play what you like...this will not be exactly like Classic. That being said...if all else fails at least you will have that famous Ranger gate that everyone brags about....the one free ride back to your bind...and this time around you will still have your stuff on ya
It's likely the bitter memories from real classic EQ. Alot of the classes were very, very underpowered and despised in group settings. I figure that plays a pretty large part when people are deciding. I played a Ranger as my first main in classic EQ, and I definitely remember what a nightmare it was trying to get into groups back then. Wizard and Necro, etc. were just as bad, but at least non-melee could just solo when groupless and level faster than in a group. As far as the OP mage obsession now, I remember they were fairly terrible back in the day, so that'd definitely be weird seeing a million of them running around in the old world. I never could stomach playing one back then, due to the lack of defense, pets dying on zoning, etc. They did have arguably the coolest epic weapon effect though.
Yeah, tanking. That was the downside of playing a ranger. I dislike tanking and pulling and such and I was almost always the main tank for the group. Bleh.
As having played a Ranger from Day 1 it launched to the end of Pop in 80% of the time, "i can do it in Rubicite" having almost no stats other then 2 ehp/regen I bet its gotten easier since back in the day. Although i don't feel so inclined to do that crazy stint ever again
