Ranger Hate

[gloopygloop]

Melees lead the charge? No reason there even needs to be a "charge".

Because enemy casters won't run toward the group when the ranged specialist pew pews them.

[Lanuric]

So if AA is so bad, maybe they should remove the PrE altogether!
And this ranger hate is nothing compared to what it was before all the PrEs and F2p. It took me 3 months to show people that I knew how to play my ranger. I did not like being told I HAD to do this, or my play style MUST be this way. And Im sure anyone told to play their class a certain way (unless they are new) would get annoyed.
My main is an AA, and will always be an AA. I can melee if I need with some nice rapiers and vorpals, but my DPS lies in my bows. And you talk about lack of DPS on an AA ranger. There are only a few people I have grouped with I didnt pull aggro off them single shotting, and Im talking decked out characters too. I do understand, however, that kiting has its purpose in the right situation. BUT: if a ranger MUST know that he shouldnt kite mobs as it slows the group down, then surely the melees MUST know that the ranger (what I do if it turns to kiting for whatever reason) dont have to chase the mob/s as the ranger will bring the mob/s to the group. I dont care for kill count, Im a team player.
And when my AA gets asked to join a particular quest or raid for my DPS by those who dont like gimp toons, even though he is an AA, enough said I think.

[Morgueman]

I am Arti.

I kite sure.... Right into the group of melee's waiting to slaughter the hapless mob i just pulled.

I stand behind (just behind) the melee's they are my tanks. I have aoe spells and Fire turrets plus my rune arms.

Do I swap out to a sword? Nope Im spec'ed for Heavy Xbows. But I also understand that pulling a mob away from the dps is a BAD idea. I pull and once the barb//pally//fighter//what ever the main tank might be intimi's I turn around or swap to the ranged target to dampen my agro on the one that was just pulled to the hack'n'slash fest that are my melee's.

My dog does not run after barrels ( thanks to not having trip or sunder) and is on passive IF he is even out at all.

Arti's already have alot of hate going for them, and with the tactics the OP posted will have even more.

But there is a smart way to play every class and how well you play your class will show others that the class can be played skillfully.

As an Arti in a melee heavy group I don't unload like I can. I know two things will happen if I do so:
1. Ill get agro
2. I'll most likely die and//or wipe the group.

So I hold off I pick out the ranged mobs take em out or help heal the warforged members of the group or the entire group with my potions. Once I see an opening I take it then but only after im sure it wont lead to a group wipe or myself getting agro.

[Meetch1972]

maybe more mobs should be given throwing weapons and brutal throw that they can switch to when it becomes obvious that they cant catch the pesky archer?

Best idea yet. Get the mob AI to adapt as well as (or in reality probably better than) the players.

[Rian]

I see countless threads about the hate for rangers, and yes, I can agree with some points. Not alot of people build them well and tend to be third wheels on quests. I myself play an AA and I get some hard times trying to get into a pug because "you're a ranger, you cant help". Its rather anoying. Another point that people bring up is rangers tend to kite, now I dont see a problem with this, I kite all the time and end up with more kills then some of the fighters or barbs iv been with. Think is, If im kiting, dont heal me, dont chase after the monsters, just keep going. I can heal myself and I can kill them, its not a problem, but people seem to think it is. This isnt about epic level content either, this is just regular quests.

Share your ranger stories

Please stop feeding the community a reason to hate us

There are situations where kiting is actually a party effort, all else, if you get aggro and happen to be a ranged focused ranger, get a shield and wait for the the DPS/Tanks to take the aggro then continue to pew pew.

The game is not about kill count, it's more about efficiency (for some), and a virtual adventure (for others) and then there's the ones who I didn't list because I'm too tired to mention.

[ddoplayer064]

I have other equipment tied up, I also dont have unlimited plat. I'm a f2p player, ranger first life, 28 point build. I think I might have 20k plat on my ranger right now, as its hard to get alot when you can only post 1 auction every 24 - 38 hours

My Ranger is a first lifer/28 point build and she has 515 unbuffed HP's. And of course 100% fort. Being f2p is no excuse for low/no fort. Do a quest called Relics of a Sovereign Past (think that's the name, quest is in House K, but the quest giver is in the Temple in House D) and get a free 100% fort neck piece. Here's the wiki link for details: http://ddowiki.com/page/A_Relic_of_a_Sovereign_Past.

[Razcar]

BUT BUT this guy actually pulled out 2 melee weapons at one time or another and used them!!

Yeah, that's true. And I never saw him kite either (although he did skate on a shield once, but that's another thing ).

[NexEverto]

This is why.

5 people in the party plan on fights going in a particular manner, and you think it is perfectly fine to do your own thing and screw with everyone else. Of course you get more kills than the melees, you are dragging the mobs out of their range all the time.

People with your mentality are why people hate rangers.

Sadly, I agree. I play an Arcane Archer myself (No I do not kite*, I have hit points above 400 (500 at points), I know when to melee and I also invest evenly in my ability to melee and ranged.) as my main character and one thing that annoys me the most about Casters and other Ranged users is when they decide to kite. Simply, I will go off and find something else to play with while you kite it around, and while your still kiting that mob, I'll find even more mobs to kill. If I'm on my Favored Soul or Bard, I prey you invested in UMD, because I'm unlikely to heal you.

Honestly, if you don't want to get hit, invest in in AC. It may mean you end up with an overall lower DPS, but, if your kiting, you make the group have lower overall DPS anyway; the groups DPS will far out way yours, so don't do it.

*I'm known to kite ToD when the Casters die, or don't know how to do it, I've also taken to kiting in the new Raids, however these are the exceptions that prove the rule.

[Micron]

It's like rogues. Rangers are a great class but people who play them in an annoying way give them a bad reputation.

I remember doing a Vale quest on a melee some time ago. I would take a mob down to 20% hp and then this AA would shoot a fearsome arrow at it from god knows where and the mob would start running away in panic. Had that player been next to me in real life at the time, I would be now writing this post from prison.

[HernandoCortez]

Last couple of days I saw an AA with 230hp. Then I see one with 310hp dying on Horoth fight. I guess thats why people don't like Rangers... being an Arcane Archer is an art. Its just not for everyone. I'm glad my first toon is AA, I took the hardest path learning how to play DDO. After AA, casters, healers, rogues and melees were easier to master.

[LOOON375]

A ton of good advice and guidance given here.

[NaturalHazard]

It's like rogues. Rangers are a great class but people who play them in an annoying way give them a bad reputation.

I remember doing a Vale quest on a melee some time ago. I would take a mob down to 20% hp and then this AA would shoot a fearsome arrow at it from god knows where and the mob would start running away in panic. Had that player been next to me in real life at the time, I would be now writing this post from prison.

ROTFL!! I know what you mean!!. Its moments like that, when i turn the mic off quickly.

[NaturalHazard]

This might be going off topic a fair bit here, but ive noticed a disturbing trend, rangers and paladins even the odd bard not healing themselves at all. Im not expecting anyone to self heal through part 4-5 of shroud or anything, but to maybe top off, or if your isolated maybe like in part 2 of the shroud, you know use those cracks in the trees get some sp cast cure? Maybe pick up those wands you find in the chest?

even go to the extreme take maximize, use a sub ardor pot, get some heal amp, you can hit yourself for 150 even over 200 hp a pop. But thats prob asking way too much but man the other day I got annoyed chasing after these 2 rangers and a paladin while on my ranger to heal them in part 2 of the shroud. "why arent you healing yourself?" Dude im a ranger not a cleric". Um "who do you think is healing you now? "the cleric is dead and the favoured soul is on the otherside of the map".

Gah paladins who dont even use their LOH in tight spots, like never use them. Bards, bards not healing themselves at all!!

/rant off.

[NaturalHazard]

Yeah, that's true. And I never saw him kite either (although he did skate on a shield once, but that's another thing ).

has anyone ever tried running backwards full speed and shooting at the same time? lolz. I know you can do the parthian shot in mounted archery but your still facing your target the horse is running away, but your turned looking over your shoulder to fire.

I know I know, shot on the run, but im guessing its running then turning like the mounted parthian shot then firing not running backwards? cause running backwards all the time just seems recipe for disaster unless you got some magic helm that mimics boba fetts all round vision one.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

has anyone ever tried running backwards full speed and shooting at the same time? lolz. I know you can do the parthian shot in mounted archery but your still facing your target the horse is running away, but your turned looking over your shoulder to fire.

I know I know, shot on the run, but im guessing its running then turning like the mounted parthian shot then firing not running backwards? cause running backwards all the time just seems recipe for disaster unless you got some magic helm that mimics boba fetts all round vision one.

DM: "you trip over a root, let go of your bow string, and shoot yourself in the foot."

[JasonJi72]

As a player who plays rangers and archers I have to comment. I know everything has already been said, but I just read through 6 pages of everybody saying the same thing. I deserve to say the same thing too darnit!

Rangers kite regularly? I must be doing it wrong then.

Artificers had already taken the mantle of extreme kiter away from the ranger. Perhaps it is because ranger players have had time to learn how to play their characters, or that the artificers draw more aggro, but the kiting crown has definitely been passed on.

One thing that artificers have done is help the ranger class tremendously. Stuff dies quickly when most of the group is shooting at it. Yes, this is a different tactic than normal, but it seems to be the norm now in pugs. Just please remember to use your melee weapon and/or shield block when the time comes.

[Grace_ana]

This might be going off topic a fair bit here, but ive noticed a disturbing trend, rangers and paladins even the odd bard not healing themselves at all. Im not expecting anyone to self heal through part 4-5 of shroud or anything, but to maybe top off, or if your isolated maybe like in part 2 of the shroud, you know use those cracks in the trees get some sp cast cure? Maybe pick up those wands you find in the chest?

even go to the extreme take maximize, use a sub ardor pot, get some heal amp, you can hit yourself for 150 even over 200 hp a pop. But thats prob asking way too much but man the other day I got annoyed chasing after these 2 rangers and a paladin while on my ranger to heal them in part 2 of the shroud. "why arent you healing yourself?" Dude im a ranger not a cleric". Um "who do you think is healing you now? "the cleric is dead and the favoured soul is on the otherside of the map".

Gah paladins who dont even use their LOH in tight spots, like never use them. Bards, bards not healing themselves at all!!

/rant off.

lol I was in a group with an AA awhile back that did not stock any heal or resist spells. He was too uber with his AA Huge Damage Spells™ and so had to beg the other ranger (me) for resists and teh hjealz.

[Mindspat]

Its rather anoying. Another point that people bring up is rangers tend to kite, now I dont see a problem with this, I kite all the time and end up with more kills then some of the fighters or barbs iv been with. Think is, If im kiting, dont heal me, dont chase after the monsters, just keep going. I can heal myself and I can kill them, its not a problem, but people seem to think it is.

That's not being a team player.

While I've never had a problem with a range being accepted into a group I have frequently had problems with thier poor selction of a playstyle. Kitting is not the most effective method to utilize while grouped. From my experiance the kitting ranger is usually doing a great job pulling mobs off the melee characters, preventing the melee character from completing their role, and getting their ass handed to them in process.

I will refuse to assist a Ranger who consistently pulls mobs off a melee and starts running around while getting beat on. I always make it known I'm not chasing something and if it runs off I'm going to ignore it which includes other players.

the reason you're getting a higher kill count, which does not mean you're a better player, is that you're preventing your party from being able to fullfill their role by engaging mobs in melee combat. Running around in circles kitting mobs means you simply cannot kill the mobs quick enough with your choice of a playstyle.

Suggestions:

• Make sure that what ever you attack is going to be dead before it get's to you.
• Use Diplomacy to reduce hate allowing a melee character to retain agression.
• Learn to play in a team as a team.

Another point i'd like to make is, IM the one thats usually pulling agro off of the casters

That right there IS a good playstyle. Learn to balance your playstyle and you'll find things go much smoother overall.

[Jandric]

From my point of view:

Yes, kiting is a problem, whether you think you can "take care of yourself" or not.

Solo and do it. It is not for a group, not in my eyes - if I have the choice between a ranger kiting one mob not with the group, or a fighter/barb/monk/paladin/rogue/<insert here> that is working WITH and staying WITH the group, I'm picking the anything except the kiter....

To me (and many others) kiting is not generally efficient from a group standpoint, it isn't better - it is a solo way to play. To me and many others, you hurt the group by not being on the same page, whether you like to admit it to yourself or not.

This. Un-necessary kiting is irritating when done in groups. It's even worse when done to a mini-boss while the melees are standing around watching you run around and shoot arrows- especially when the party as a whole could have DPSed him down faster.

[taurean430]

That's not being a team player.

While I've never had a problem with a range being accepted into a group I have frequently had problems with thier poor selction of a playstyle. Kitting is not the most effective method to utilize while grouped. From my experiance the kitting ranger is usually doing a great job pulling mobs off the melee characters, preventing the melee character from completing their role, and getting their ass handed to them in process.

I will refuse to assist a Ranger who consistently pulls mobs off a melee and starts running around while getting beat on. I always make it known I'm not chasing something and if it runs off I'm going to ignore it which includes other players.

the reason you're getting a higher kill count, which does not mean you're a better player, is that you're preventing your party from being able to fullfill their role by engaging mobs in melee combat. Running around in circles kitting mobs means you simply cannot kill the mobs quick enough with your choice of a playstyle.

Suggestions:

• Make sure that what ever you attack is going to be dead before it get's to you.
• Use Diplomacy to reduce hate allowing a melee character to retain agression.
• Learn to play in a team as a team.

That right there IS a good playstyle. Learn to balance your playstyle and you'll find things go much smoother overall.

As a player who warns, then slows down a kiting ranger, I'll have to second this. If kiting is slowing things down and people are complaining I have absolutely no problem shutting you down. There are multiple ways to do that.