I've played on multiple classic EQ servers from Fippy to p99 and I've always had one vice; I want to play a ranger. I'm just wondering if the same ranger hate on p99 and sometimes fippy is also present here. Although I want to play a class that calls out to me, I don't want to be constantly ridiculed and left out of groups, it takes the point out of an MMO.
Grouped with plenty of rangers on Lockjaw. And played one to 25ish. Fun class and it's on the list of potentials for here if I can ever decide. These things get exaggerated a lot. Is a ranger ideal in classic? No. But it's not abysmal, either. Great utility and you can even tank in a pinch once reasonably geared. And, here, there's no hybrid exp penalty. Key is to know your limits. Be especially careful with your aggro. That was the big thing back in the day. Everybody and their brother played a ranger (especially after lotr movie released) and a great many of them were awful. They were notorious for pulling aggro and being a mana sponge for clerics but that doesn't mean you have to be now.
I couldn't tell you where the hate comes from, I always attributed it to elitist min maxxer masochism. I played a mage on both fippy and p99, very burnt out on that class.
If you start on Phinny within the first week it wont matter what class you play, you will get groups. HOWEVER! Don't expect people to be tripping over themselves to get a ranger into their leveling group. As an ungeared melee DPS class you are bottom of the totem pole. Once you get some levels and some gear, as long as you play smart you can be an asset to any group, unfortunatly there is such a stigmata to rangers it will always be an uphill battle. Play what you want though, it's more important to have fun and stick with the game than play something that might be a bit better and only last a couple months.
Just make one and level it up, make a list of anyone who's an overt about you being a ranger like Youngdeez there. Then when PoP opens and they're begging for rangers, call them out on it.
Speaking as a ranger from day one of TLP's and playing one every TLP.. it takes a special kind of person. They DONT suck for casual play but as stated previously for strait up min maxing the early era's.. they are bad. You can effectively tank for groups but not efficiently. You dont quite make the dps checks. Not until velious when you can load multiple instant cast nukes altho your burn isnt terrible as long as youre chain casting. Your melee dps and bow dps just blow.. seriously. Youre about the same as a warrior. The upside of all this is that for just casually grouping and leveling, none of it matters. You bring snares, heals, and some decent utility in the form of rooting and great snap agro. Its also capable of solo farming stuff if you utilize all of your abilities at max level with decent gear. Sky insta click haste is nice. The question is what are your intentions/goals? If you want to raid and not be carried then id say ranger is not for you. Not until you hit velious at least. If your intention is to just group and have a good time with friends. Youll greatly enjoy this class.
Rangers are the best grouping tanks in Classic - anyone who says otherwise doesn't have a clue. Flame Lick is the best aggro for sustained pulling until basically Luclin, end of story. So much aggro for basically no mana. And add in the root changes now, and they should be glorious. Yes, their tankability in Kunark and Velious is noticeably worse than real tanks once you're outside of Classic (or on raids) where you might want to grab a slower earlier but conveniently their offhand epic is a slow proc so barring the rare stuff that requires pre-slowing they can cover that on their own. They did have some problems in Kunark in the past because of their skill caps, but with the adjusted skill caps the difference is not drastic anymore.
I like to take the grind to max at an average pace, not quite casual but not poopsock level intensity. However I do like to actually have a semi important position in raids other than eating a DT. I might just make a ranger on the side and enjoy it alongside whatever class I main. Thanks for the input everyone.
I've been using charm for most of my experience on Lockjaw, and the odds are I'll end up doing the same in Phinny. Y'know who is really great to have at the bottom of a dungeon while using charm to hold a camp? Rangers, druids, and clerics. Y'know who I've never seen interested in joining me in a charm-infused rampage? Rangers.
Kacktus. Rangers dont eat DT's or your raids are doing it wrong. Enchanters do, or in sky wizards do. That Ranger DT joke is not only old but shows a complete ignorance in strategy from people. I laugh when i hear them but not with it, at it.
Hah. Not long time, LJ/RF was my first - but I do try to excel at my classes ASAP. I was a long time SK, that realized that SKs were compared to Rangers in 95% of their use.
SKs are definitely a fun class - definitely more of a swiss army knife - but I can't stand playing them before OoW any more, so much of what makes them superb is so far down the line. It's easy to be sour on them after nearly 15 yrs of playing them - a decade of my own and around 5 yrs of playing the wife at times. SKs after OoW, with Dread Gaze and Zevfeer's and other key lines are beautiful though. I might even consider messing with one again come Luclin once Mana Regen isn't as much of a concern. But man, the early days of expensive aggro spells and terrible mana regen is no fun to go back to after playing a "real SK". Heh. [Soloing Riftseekers in OoW era though is fun as hell - definitely alting/switching back once we get there - I'm doing CLR and wife is doing the RNG for Phin (still debating the box though)]
