Dungeons and Dragons Online Ranger Guide

DDO Rangers

In the massively multiplayer online role playing game, Dungeons and Dragons Online, you have a choice between nine classes. One of these classes is the classic Ranger class. A Ranger is a woodsman above all else. He fights to protect the balance of nature and uses the creatures of the wild to further his cause.

An investigator, a survivalist and a hero, the Ranger will do everything that he can to prevent harm from coming to innocent individuals. A ranger can commonly be referred to as a knight of the woods. He has the same code of ethics and sense of justice, but lacks formal military training or noble heritage. Rangers are versatile and can be effective in many situations, making then utility players in the MMO. In understanding the class, you can best decide whether or not this particular class is right for you.

Read through this Dungeons and Dragons Online Ranger Guide to get a better idea of how to use the Ranger, what benefits will come with using a ranger and what you can expect to be lacking of while using a ranger on DDO.

How to Play

Fight from a distance. Rangers are often thought of as the quintessential archers who fight from afar, letting their enemies guess where they are located before striking the finishing blow. However, this is not necessarily the only tactic that can be used for Rangers. Rangers can fight from a distance using a variety of ranged weaponry; however, rangers can also excel in using hand-to-hand combat very effectively.

Rangers who fight with weapons often choose to use a dual fighting style or use pole arms to get their point across. Any martial weapon will be accessible to the Ranger, making it one of the more dangerous and unpredictable foes that you will meet.

Rangers are best fit for soloing situations. Though they can operate well in a group, they are best suited for venturing out into the wilds on their own, using their skill, stealth and speed to keep out of harm’s way or putting their enemies into it.

Rangers who play in a group often take a leadership role because of their strong charisma and ability to set up a tactic for the battlefield in a split second. They are also valuable damagers because of their versatile skills and relatively high hit points.

The Benefits

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  Versatility: the Ranger is skilled with nearly any weapon that he puts his hands to. If you are looking for a character that can use any weapon with relative ease, you will be very satisfied with the style and abilities of the Ranger.

• Moderate Magical Ability: Though it is not one of the earmarks of the Ranger class, higher level Rangers can cast several priestly spells based on the deity that he follows.

• Scouting: Rangers are great at mapping out the battlefield by using their scouting skills. They can move undetected, allowing them to see the enemies before the enemies know that they are present.

• Solo Master: There is no other class in DDO that can match the Ranger’s ability to fight in a solo capacity. If you want a true solo character, you will be hard-pressed to find one better than the ranger.

The Draw-Backs

• Low Magical Ability: Though the ranger has an advantage on most melee classes in that he can cast spells, they are nowhere near powerful enough to match priests or wizards.
• Low Party Appeal: Apart from being a good scout and fighter, the Ranger lacks the abilities to make valuable, lasting contributions to an all-purpose party.
• Low Specialty: Rangers, though masters of many trades, have a hard time perfecting any one skill set. Unless the ranger sticks to a single skill throughout the course of the entire game, there is little long-term strength in any combination that they will traditional use.

By and Large

Understand these pros and cons to understand that the ranger is a great character for more advanced players who prefer to play on their own. But, when it comes to playing in a larger, team-oriented capacity, the Ranger’s appeal wanes.

The Ranger is one of the best classes in the game, simply because it has so many different combinations of skills, so if you are looking for a handyman, the ranger is your guy. Also, take into consideration that you can mold your ranger to fit absolutely any style of fighting that you prefer with your characters in DDO.

References

All images courtesy of Dungeons and Dragons Online Official Website.