Ranger’s unpopularity

...all the hard missions there are (pretty much stuff starting after Dragons misson) everyones is "LF RANGER". In THK, trappers are almost a need.
VS flint, try 3+ trappers w/ crippling shot, and u just pwnd flint.
also Int rangers are also widly "accepted"

Could you tell me what is a:

LF Ranger
THK
INT Ranger

Looking For Ranger
Thunderhedge Keep
Inturrupt Ranger

You completed the game in a week?
You mean your lvl 20 guildies completed the game in a week for you, while you were in the party...

Rangers are getting more and more popular.
People are starting to realise how good they are.
Barrage/Interupt/Pets rangers are great in tombs
You can do it in about 1hr flat.
5 Ra/mo
1 minion master
1 order
1 pure healer

If yur having trouble getting in groups, then your not trying that hard.

I would say, about 15% were aided by them for missions, and when it comes to caping all the elite skills, I have recived 80% aid from them.


The game to me is fullfilling, but its not that difficult even as a Ranger in terms of all the missions and bonus. But the fact is that you have to re-word my achievement in the way you did, shows how petty your character is.

I think it is diffcult and very narrow minded to deny other people's experience. I am glad you have an "easy" time in finding group with your ranger, that is, if you play one full time.

I can accpect that the US servers might run a different culture in terms of the value of a ranger, however, what I have said about how un popular the ranger where I play, stays a fact.

I feel I do not need to address how much effort I have put into getting in a group to you, but I can honestly tell myself, I hold no regret in the effort I have made. Its very simple to find out this fact by yourself while people looking for a group, they would shout out what classes they need, and you can see if for yourself how much the ranger is in demand compare with other classes such as nukers, monk and mm, ss, and tons of terms I am un aware of.

That's your problem right there. You have no idea how to play a ranger.

The missions alone take about 25 hours to do, usually more, as most people fail missions at least once because they don't know tricks such as using a "gear tank" in Elona. That has never been your problem, because you've been playing with people who've acted as walkthrough & trainer, telling you what to do and when, giving you gear you werent supposed to have access to, and showing you shortcuts.
Of course it isn't when you're being helped by experienced high-level players.
Basically, having played only two weeks, most of which carried by other players, you're an extremely inexperienced guildwars player, regardless of what gear you have or what level you are. You may chose to not believe me, but it's true. Normally after two weeks of gaming people are somewhere around Piken Square.
I have a ranger I'm presently playing on the EU servers. He's level 20, presently at Thunderhead Keep. He's not weak, he's not impopular - he doesn't get four blind invites per minute like my monk, but hell, compared to my mesmer he's positively *loved*.

But I suspect you're not really talking about PvE missions and quests here, you're talking about farming, and specifically farming in GF/SF and the new underworld. Isn't that right?

That's a different story, because just like mesmers, rangers don't fit in the standard 5-man nuker+mm or ss-necro+boonprot or bonder or healmonk+geartank teams.

I fail to understand your complaints.

Barrage, Traps, Spirits.
No, the value of conditions is not taken lightly, and ranger interrupts are practically demanded by a lot of groups. I dont think we're playing the same game. Either that or you always find the worst groups.
Have you considered that you may not be using your skills to their maximum benefit ? Carrying Power Shot, Penetrating Attack etc. is not going to help you kill anything. Necros should not be a problem for rangers and warriors are only difficult to handle if all you are doing in mediocre physical damage.

As far as farming is considered (besides the fact that there are numerous Ranger solo builds) you have UW trapping and Barrage teams in Tombs (with up to 6 rangers). Both of these builds are very easy to run, and rarely fail because they are so safe and easy.

Rangers and Mesmers are the least loved, get used to it, it gets worse as you get higher in level for PVE. PVP is a different story, rangers get a little more love in PVP, an Mesmers still hang onto the last rung of love. Screaming for fairness, screaming for equality, screaming like a woman for attention. (smile)

And if you ever wonder where the majority of rangers and mesmers are playing in PVP? Just have a go at the random 4x4's there no one can keep them out. lol There's thousands of em.

I love my ranger... (1st character) he doing great now since he got a companion, I dont care for what people say but so far BM skills rock on a ranger. I must say I do run into problems getting a group though on the odd occassion. But who gives if I dont get a group I just get henches.

You may be speaking out of personal experience but that is just plain wrong. Rangers get a sudden jump in usefulness after they obtain a few key skills (before that they are a little weak and frustrating unless you know what is to come). I havent played a PvE mesmer so I cant comment on their role in that part of the game but mesmers are very, very useful in PvP (in all its forms).

I recommend you play as both of these classes for some time before making sweeping comments. That or uninstall the game

*sigh*

well, its the same old story basically. Rangers are the most versatile class in the game. This often means that people end up trying to do everything at once with them. Rangers can tank, if its ele damage, and especially if they have the same tanking skills a warrior has, but its not their forte.

Often it seems tht rangers can do everything, but to a lesser degree than other professions. A jack of all trades if you will, and a master of none. This is not true. Having played as a ranger since day one (5 months ago) i know what akes a good ranger, i know what makes a rubbish ranger. The rubbish ranger is usually the one that trys to emulate other proffesions. They use the rangers ability to do almost any job to a degree as an excuse to do jobs better suited to the warriors, or the elementalist.

A good ranger sees the niche that rangers can fill. They are enormous damage dealers, perhaps more so than elementalists and warriors. They also have the longest range, and a lot of condition adding abilities. Combined with a good use of the secondary profession a ranger is a major help to any team.

This said, they are the most difficult class to master. Warrior have skills that go in levels, its obvious that gash and sever artery were made for each other With rangers its more difficult. Only a few skills compliment each other obviously, and there are no real universal skills. As a result people often end up just throwing together skills that do little to compliment each other, or compliment the needs of a team. A good ranger can pin a target down, gluing them to the spot, or spread conditions around a team, or utterly disable casters for some time.

It all goes wrong when somebody trys to do it all at once, like a warrior bringing sword, hammer and axe abilities. As a result rangers are often massibely underated. They are not seen to fill any part of the group, along with necros and mesmers. Warriors tank, eles do the damage, and monks stop you dieing. Thats all you need. right?

wrong. anyone who has played GW for any lenght of time knows these proffesions worth in both pvp and pve. Rangers can trap, which if a team uses correcly, does far more for the team than an extra warrior. Rangers can snipe, taking down soft targets with ease from range.

Its a shame that they are so uderated by pve players. I had the same problem as i went through the game. Essentially, if a group cant see the worth of a ranger, then they are not worth your time. Imo if any proffesion is overrated, it the warriors.

Remember ranger ppl, slap anyone who thinks a ranger is useless. and then plant a arrow where it hurts.

I went with a variation of this last night (2 monks and one MM). We cleared Tombs in under an hour. It was my first trip with my Ranger and it was by far the easiest and fastest (I had taken my Nuker or SS necro on other occasions). And as an added bonus I got two greens in the end. I'll be taking her back on a more regualr basis now. And if you go to Tombs, probably 70% of the players and Rangers now. You won't have any trouble getting into a group. If you want to go fast though, do a Barrage/Pet group. Trapper groups are painfully slow. They work, but you better put aside a few hours of play time.

Rangers unpopular? Are you freaking kidding me?

All I see in are ranger trapping groups and 2 man SS runs

All I see in tombs are barrage teams.

No, rangers aren't unpopular. Not by a longshot. Mesmers on the other hand...

Rangers are only popular for specifics (trapping/barrage etc). For the game itself, forget it. I've played a ranger since release.

Honestly, if you're bothered by people not wanting you and you don't want to take henchies, get a 'cookie-cutter' build. But those people who insist on having Char X with X skills, they're not worth playing with. People like that need to be forced into playing Rangers and Mesmers to show them how moronic they are. A group who will accept a ranger is probably a far better group at teamwork 90% of the time and will make it a far better time.

Oh and if my guild didn't want me along because i'm a ranger, I'd be out of there before you could say Melandru.

you can get every skill you want...just switch up your secondary profession
there are far too many elite skills to cap in a week, plus you will need EXP to get skill points to get cap sigs to get those elites. I have yet to cap every elite on one toon.

but as far as complete everything in one week....wow....you must have played 24/7

i've only completed ROF missions on 2 characters....been playing months and I still dont consider that completing the game. try unlocking all your secondary skills, that alone could take a month or two.

romeo, could you post one of the builds you use as a ranger?

As I continue to play my ranger, and taking CONSTRUCTIVE advice from different directions of the community, I have recently have found one single route that supports and shows the value of the ranger.

Which is the Ranger Barrage/Pet Team work at the UW, I have done it before with other typs of team, but of course, the most comfortable and easy, and fast method to do it is with a pack of other rangers (and MM, order and monk).

So from this one direction, I have picked up my sprit again.

Rangers are good indeed when it comes together with other rangers.

However, for thouse who, fail to see the complain, rangers are un popular in many other ways as some of which has been described in the eailer posts, I think it comes to the matter of rather you choose to believe them, rather then the lacking of ability to see this fact.


Arturo:
My Barrage build: Barrage, Distract Shot, Throw Dirt, A Sprit, Cham Pet, Troll, Comfort Pet, Rez Sig.

PvP: (all of which changes around a little )

1) Kindle arrows, Dual Shot, lighting reflex, Troll, Rez Sig, Pen Shot, Defence, savage.

2) Mel's Arrow, Dual Shot, Troll, Rez Sig, hunter shot, Defence, lighting reflex, distracting shot.

3) cripple, distracting, savage, distoation, hunter shot, troll, apply posion, rez sig.

4) punishing shot, distracting, savage, distoation, black out, troll, apply posion, rez sig.

Constructive advice wellcome.

I've never had much trouble getting in groups with my ranger (on the EU server btw) and rarely trap as I find it so boring - I usually play as an interuppter/condition spreader and use barrage/judges insight when undead are about.

The groups that don't want rangers (or mesmer's for that matter) are incredibly short-sighted - our regular parties to clear SF/FoW/UW/Tombs UW always take a ranger and mesmer as they can shut down all those annoying things you come up against like casters/monks/siege wurms and the ranger is a major damage dealer v undead. In fact, the only place I've found a non-trapping ranger less than effective is the early part of UW, but once you start through Twin-Dragon mountain where ranged attacks are best for the behometh's and get to the chaos plane and spawning pool the ranger really come's into their own.

Luckily the guild I'm with and the regular players from other guilds we party with are more open minded and rangers/mesmer's are very well represented and my ranger has managed to do every mission/bonus/quest/2nd proffession quest in GW apart from Final Assault which I still have left, also got every skill/elite too.

My favoritre build is:

Distracting Shot/Savage Shot/Choking Gas to shut down monk's/casters.
Barrage/Judges Insight for undead slaugtering
Troll Unguent - although rarely used
Rebirth/Storm Chaser - to get the parties arse out the fire if it goes tits up

If no undead likely then I'll normally drop storm chaser (need the space), Rebirth, Barrage and Judges and go Mesmer 2nd with Epidemic, Res Sig, Crippling Shot and Apply Poison - great fun inflicting a condition or two then interuppting removal attempts