Ranger’s unpopularity

You should've just specified from the start you wanted a farming build for your ranger, and that the groups you couldn't get in to were the standard 5-man farming teams.

LoL this is funny I had just said last night "You know why there are so many rangers in random PVP areas?" lol Because they can't get in a group anywhere's else. People gotta kick outta that one. (smile). My soul purpose with my Necro/Mo is to stomp rangers, it's more fun that playing a warrior. Their whirling defense is worthless against my superior chain of life stealing skills. I stopped using degens too slow, man life stealing is where it's at. And there is no elite like OOB, surprised a nerf hasn't been screamed about this one cause it's practically unlimited energy and life stealing is continous. (smile) I only fear two things, an energy denial mesmer and a warrior with a HAMMER RUNNNNNNN! laffin Bunny Thumpers I can handle but them warriors with hammers they a pain in my arse literally. (smile)

I think you got it right.

There was a time when ranger and necros were never invited to a group. If you weren't a healer a tank or a nuker you couldn't get into a group. Now I find rangers and necros all the time. I hardly see many Ele to tell you the truth. I think Necro has replaced Ele. Here's why AOE.

The best thing that ever happened to necros and rangers was when Anet nerfed AoE dmg. Ppl had gotten used to Eles doing thier thing , but AoE went south ppl had to find alternative ways to replace AoE dmg. I think Rangers and Necros have taken that place. Mesmers on the other hand...

Ranger unpopular? That doesn''t hold water. The American and European Guild Wars Champions each used 2 Rangers inthier final builds. It was 3 Tanks, 3 Monks, 2 Rangers. No casters whatsoever. an you say Ranger are unpopular yet they are in the top level of Guild Wars Competition.

In my first post, I have addressed just that, its not my responsibility when others can not comprehend such simple message.

Here is a reminder:

PPL use rangers in PvP and being popular in amoug in a farming group is a different thing.

You are using the "top guild war competitions" as a referance of what is popular and what is not? There are many factors influence on their casting, I wouldnt based my world on them.

Beside, I disagree with you seems to belive its factual statment, I have watched many, many GvG compititions, only one that I saw, a guild brough 4 rangers, any other time, there are usually only 1 or 2, and recently, I have seen some with none.

So to me, what you've said almost seems fantasy.

At the outset, Rangers, Necros, and Mesmers were unfavorable characters to play with - simply because it takes slightly more strategy then the simple hack, blast, or heal that the other three professions possess. Most players look down on these three because they don't know how to play these professions successfully. Look at any of the top guilds and you will see that they use all six of the current professions very well. I bought two accounts so I can have a character from each prime and have successfully played PvP and solo farmed with each profession. Granted, some profs are easier to do both than others, especially with a complementary second, but once I learned how to use each prime by planning my strategy and playing towards its strength, I have done quite well.

I have found myself using my R, N, and Me more and more in the lower arenas because they are underestimated and that gives me quite the advantage over even the higher level characters simply because the person playing doesn't know how to counter my attacks. The most successful GWers have played through every profession to learn their strengths and weaknesses - those are the players you respect, because they respect everyone else, and they are the ones you really want to team with to improve your game play.

Hanok Odbrook
Real Millennium Group Guild
http://www.realmillenniumgroup.com/guild.html
Truth * Knowledge * Peace

Rangers are very well-rounded. As you advance deeper into the game, groups will be more picky on professions (they WILL want trappers, interrupters, runners, etc) and less about noobie opinions, such as "zomg rangers r suk".

http://www.guildwarsguru.com/forum/s...d.php?t=115426

PvE tombs is a blessing for those that have PvE rangers. Ranger there are the no1 choice farming characters, so for once rangers get picked first. I've done quite a few tombs runs with my ranger and have made more gold in about 1 week than I have the last 9 months playing my ranger.

You were rushed thru the game, basically run thru, and know your at the end with an underskilled(you have to know how to use the skills, just having them unlocked means nothing)ranger, and you complain that people dont like rangers, god Im tired of this argument. Get over it. I take my ele to Deldrimor Camp, and I am laughed out of there, do I make a post about how 'nobody love ele's', no I go and play the game, the way I like.
For your 'guildmates' to rush you thru the game on your first character is a BIG sign that they are a crap guild, they probably have alterior motives, want a ranger of high level for some such build, and you arent meeting their expectations, so blame the class, so rangers suck, no your guild sucks.
Start over, re do the game, learn it the way most of the best players have, by themselves, for themselves, not to make guildies happy. I suggest a different class 'cause your attitude towards rangers is probably not going to change.
Btw I just ascended my first ranger, love the class, much fun, much use, much death.

I get into groups because my ranger is cute.

Seriously, I found it a little tough to get into groups early on with a ranger, but she is my fifth character so I know the missions well enough to do almost all of them with henchies and frankly no longer have the patience for PUGS unless I have too. I attempted THK wth only henchies and almost finished! I actually did much better with henchies than in the other two groups I was in with my ranger.

Later in the game, everyone wants Rangers so flex your skill set around to the needs of the mission. Traps, barrange, interrupts, whatever the group wants be ready to do.

then go to tombs and stop bitching

I have never had a problem getting in groups with my ranger. Frankly I think the problem a lot of people have is they go and they get build instructions then they get the skills necessary for just that build. What that leaves you with is an inflexible character. Rangers have a lot of stuff they can do and they should be flexible. It shouldn'tbe anything for you to drop your current skill set and pull in new ones to compliment the needs of a given group,mission, farming are, PvP battle, whatever. I alternate between my anthrax ranger build and a styandard trapper build. I can also interrupts, spiking and with the right stuff my pet can tank. Flexibility is the key.

Again, didn't read the whole thread, but my bull meter is on high alert. Behind warriors and monks, rangers would likely be the 3rd played and used class in the game. R/W, R/mo. R/N. R/E, R/Me... all playable at a reasonablly high level. I've seen top guilds use rangers for just about everything imaginable.

There is no problem with ranger love...sorry.

First, rangers *can* tank, and if set up properly, can do it as well or better than a warrior.

In PvE, unless you're running a very specialized build, classes other than monks, warriors and elementalists aren't popular due to the mindlessness of many PvE players, who think in the most simplistic, brute-force "tactics" possible.

In PvP, however, it's another matter entirely, as Rangers are very popular there.

In PvP you fight against real people who have varied builds and simplistic brute-force tactics (IWAY nonwithstanding) don't work as well as they do against stupid, easily exploitable AI monsters with fixed builds.

rangers are the kings of New UW..everyone asking for barrager ranger there,even the other classes these days hard to join parties coz all they want is barrage spiker rangers
on other hand SF farming build doesn't contain ranger in it and nobody want to try them even for discovering new build.

Heh if you think rangers aren't loved now, just wait till assassins and ritualists appear. The unloved will be unloved even more and who knows soon rangers could just become a memory. Someone will say Ranger? What's a ranger? (smile)

My main character I'm playing in PvE is a Ranger right now. (It used to be a Mesmer, in fact I probably was one of the first mesmers to go through the game, but whatever.)

Quite frankly, if you're a Ranger and not finding things to do, then you're not playing Guild Wars at the moment. Things that I can do outside of the main missions, in PvE. (For PvP I can play Trapper, Oath Shot, Spiker, Interrupt Barrage...lot's of options)

#1. Barrage/Pet groups in Tombs UW. This is a whole lot of fun and very profitable. It's probably the most fun group to play the Tombs UW with. I tried a few other types of groups. Not nearly as fun.

#2. Trapper group for old UW and FoW. Errrr. Not so much now that most NA HA players are stuck in IWAY which sucks the life out of the balanced groups that have the best chance to win and hold halls at high level.

#3. EoE bomb farming at Noloni Acadamy. This is what I do when I'm feeling like I want solitude. It's really fun farming for Char Hides (which can be converted to Fur Squares at Ascalon...pretty good money), and the occasional Black/Silver dye. If you don't know what to do. Use Storm Chaser, run up to the lever in front, hit it. Drop the Edge of Extinction in the corner right by the gate. Run back down, start Barraging the Char as they run in. Eventually a few will die usually clearing the area, any Char left will need one hit or so. Pick up the loose gold and any hides/rune armors around.

#4. You could also trap farm Ettin's outside Beetleton. But I havn't really gotten the hang of this yet myself. The Mergoyles/Tengu's are too annoying :\

Four ideas of things you can do as a Ranger RIGHT NOW.

The basic reason why rangers, or mesmers for that matter, have a hard time finding a PUG group to join is because a large amount of GW PVE players have decided they only want to play the cooperative game with highly specialized groups. Like for example the "barrage" groups for the new UW. Or the many other specialized 5/8 or 6/8 party builds that are intended only for farming in as quick and as efficient manner as possible.

Rangers, mesmers, in fact all professions and all builds within a profession, are interesting and worthwhile to play with, as long as this "efficient farming" or 5/8 instead of 8/8 mentality is dropped. I play GW now mostly with friends but we fill up our party with whatever human players we find that seem like nice, friendly players. And we don't care about the profession as long as the party is nicely balanced. And we rather go out with a full party of 8/8 and have lots of fun rather than for example 5/8. I went out once with a "specialty" group, a barrage group, to the new UW and although the tour was quick and efficient, I found it boring and I would not want to do it again.

We went out last night to SF and filled up our friends group with 4 newcomers. One of them remarked "wow, a full party! How unusual!" We had a lot of fun, and got maybe 6 green drops during the tour.

Certainly if one just stands around TOA, War Camp, or the new UW Tombs area things can become rather depressing when trying to join a party with a build that does not fit into one of these specialty parties. But I am sure that there are more players than myself and my friends that share this playing style of wanting to go out with balanced and interesting party combinations. Just keep looking, and advertise that you are looking for that kind of party, or form one yourself.

my primary character is a ranger, and I have never problems finding a group.

I played maybe 10 times the new UW with barrage groups and its not boring at all... imo this just depends on what ppl are in your party, I met a nice guild with lots of cool ppl, and when they are online I try to make a group with them.

Maybe I love the new UW just because I love rangers

Ive got kicked from so many groups for being a ranger... no idea why. I have 6 chars... one of each.. and I think the most effective chars in PVE are Rangers (apart from a good monk maybe) Rangers can Dish out TONS of damage. They can prevent damage via interupts... blinding... prevent healing via interupts... They can tank... their pets can tank and deal as much damage as most warriors. The spirits make rangers even more powerful. The most fun group I ever played in was 6 rangers + mehenlo + Lina. Everyone brought a Spirit. It was a blood bath!