Brand new to EQ2 and Ranger. Father/son team, need FAQ and starting guidance

[Kaaz]

<p>Hi all.</p><p>My son loves the Ranger, but I'm not sure what would be the best combination class to play with him.  I have a fury only lvl 7 atm, is there a more suitable combination for us?</p><p>I don't see a beginner guide or FAQ sticky on this forum, and started reading a few of the stickies but they are a bit advanced.</p><p>I'm not clear exactly what a Ranger is or does.  It seems like a dps class, good puller etc.  But obviously with leather and no shield or taunt won't be a good tank.  Would a conjurer with a tank pet be good?  I don't find I have to heal him all that much yet, so I'm wondering if the fury is a waste.  Should I just do another dps with him for quick kills?  He is the explorer type, we do a bit of questing, but fun for him is just running around slaying stuff (he's 7 yrs old, been playing Warcraft with him since he was 4).</p><p>Oh I don't much enjoy playing tanks, a bit boring.  But if that is the best fit, I'll do it for him.  Maybe a zerker would be fun though?</p><p> We are casual players.  I already figured out jeweler is the craft I'll be to keep his skills up.  He doesn't have the patience for crafting.</p><p> Thanks for any advice and or links for us to get started.</p>

[Ranja]

<cite>Kaaz wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Hi all.</p><p>My son loves the Ranger, but I'm not sure what would be the best combination class to play with him.  I have a fury only lvl 7 atm, is there a more suitable combination for us?</p><p>I don't see a beginner guide or FAQ sticky on this forum, and started reading a few of the stickies but they are a bit advanced.</p><p>I'm not clear exactly what a Ranger is or does.  It seems like a dps class, good puller etc.  But obviously with leather and no shield or taunt won't be a good tank.  Would a conjurer with a tank pet be good?  I don't find I have to heal him all that much yet, so I'm wondering if the fury is a waste.  Should I just do another dps with him for quick kills?  He is the explorer type, we do a bit of questing, but fun for him is just running around slaying stuff (he's 7 yrs old, been playing Warcraft with him since he was 4).</p><p>Oh I don't much enjoy playing tanks, a bit boring.  But if that is the best fit, I'll do it for him.  Maybe a zerker would be fun though?</p><p> We are casual players.  I already figured out jeweler is the craft I'll be to keep his skills up.  He doesn't have the patience for crafting.</p><p> Thanks for any advice and or links for us to get started.</p></blockquote>Welcome. You son chose the best class<img src="/smilies/283a16da79f3aa23fe1025c96295f04f.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" />. However, it is one of the hardest classes to duo. I would recommend a paladin for you. They can tank and heal themselves and with amends you can keep aggro off of your son all day. You are going to have to get creative because rangers cant really tank and need range to do damage. You might also consider a plate healer and you can do the tanking. Healing yourself while you take a beating will keep aggro on you.Honestly, though I think a SK or Paladin is your best bet because they are plate tanks that can heal themselves. It also depends on what content you are trying to take on. If you are satisfied duioing low green heroics a fury/ranger might work but it is going to take some practice. Neither one can take a hit. If you want to do white/blue heroics, you are gonna need a paladin/sk. Their heals and wards will give you some extra survivability.

[Kaaz]

<p>ok thanks -</p><p>What about a monk?  I see the ranger can stealth - doesn't a monk have stealth too?  they can tank a bit and heal also can't they?</p><p>Still hoping there is a starter guide somewhere.  thx for posts.</p>

[Ranja]

<cite>Kaaz wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>ok thanks -</p><p>What about a monk?  I see the ranger can stealth - doesn't a monk have stealth too?  they can tank a bit and heal also can't they?</p><p>Still hoping there is a starter guide somewhere.  thx for posts.</p></blockquote>Aye I was thinking Monk/Bruiser as well. Monk can stealth but stealth totems are so cheap anyways, that should not be a factor. However, with the monk/bruiser you are gonna be stuck doing green heroics. As brawlers will take a beating and need more heals from anything high blue or white.The more I think about it the best and safest combo will probably be paladin/ranger.

[Kaaz]

ok great.  tyvm!

[Kaaz]

<p>Ok so I just noticed Ranger can wear chain (after buying all leather for him!!)</p><p>So if I do Paladin, I can craft as a heavy armorer and make plate and chain yes?</p><p>Then the other will be a jeweler to keep his skills up.</p><p>Guess I'll need an alchemist for my Pally skills too then, and we can just buy weapons.</p>

[Andok]

<cite>Kaaz wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Ok so I just noticed Ranger can wear chain (after buying all leather for him!!)</p><p>So if I do Paladin, I can craft as a heavy armorer and make plate and chain yes?</p></blockquote>Yep. I leveled my ranger from ~15 to 70 by duoing with a paladin about 90% of the time, and I think the two classes make a very good combo.  His job was to tank and heal himself, and my job was dishing out the DPS.  With his Amends on me, he rarely ever had trouble keeping aggro off of me.

[Crowe]

Yup, both chain and plate are from the same (as mentioned).Rangers need spells crafted by jewellers.Rangers need poisons crafted by alchemists.Rangers need (lots and lots) of arrows crafted by woodworkersPaladins need spells crafted by alchemists.Hmmm. We rangers sure are a needy lot!

[Ranja]

<cite>Kaaz wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Ok so I just noticed Ranger can wear chain (after buying all leather for him!!)</p><p>So if I do Paladin, I can craft as a heavy armorer and make plate and chain yes?</p><p>Then the other will be a jeweler to keep his skills up.</p><p>Guess I'll need an alchemist for my Pally skills too then, and we can just buy weapons.</p></blockquote>An armorer can craft both chain and plate. But you do not want to pick that profession. By far the most expensive class is the Ranger. So pick a profession that will help fray his costs. Jeweler is a good idea or an alchemist. I personally would go alchemist. This way you can make fighter AD3 spells, poisons and potions. Poisons will be the greatest expense the ranger has and if you are duoing you will want to be running the best poisons at all times.

[Saihung23]

<cite>Ranja wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Kaaz wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Ok so I just noticed Ranger can wear chain (after buying all leather for him!!)</p><p>So if I do Paladin, I can craft as a heavy armorer and make plate and chain yes?</p><p>Then the other will be a jeweler to keep his skills up.</p><p>Guess I'll need an alchemist for my Pally skills too then, and we can just buy weapons.</p></blockquote>An armorer can craft both chain and plate. But you do not want to pick that profession. By far the most expensive class is the Ranger. So pick a profession that will help fray his costs. Jeweler is a good idea or an alchemist. I personally would go alchemist. This way you can make fighter AD3 spells, poisons and potions. Poisons will be the greatest expense the ranger has and if you are duoing you will want to be running the best poisons at all times.</blockquote><p>I was thinking the same thing....plus, the by-product from the "spells" you craft will enable you to make rare potions or poisons...you can make simple buffing and emergency healing potions for yourself as well...</p><p>Good Luck to you and your son, have fun and come back to get any questions answered or let us know how your son is fairing :)</p>

[Gareorn]

<p>Just thowing this out there...  I currently Duo with my wife who plays a Templar.  We do things a little differently, I tank with the Ranger, and she keeps me healed and debuffs/nukes the mobs.  If she does pull aggro, I just fire off one of my big ranged hitters and that usually gets aggro right back.  Plus she wears plate, so she can take a few hits -- no comments about the wife being able to take a few hits please. <img src="http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/images/smilies/ed515dbff23a0ee3241dcc0a601c9ed6.gif" border="0" alt="SMILEY" width="15" height="15" /></p><p>Templars have some very nice defensive buffs that can make a tank out of just about anyone and has some pretty nice reactive heals to boot.  Their regular heals are on long cast timers so that has to be taken into consideration</p>

[Kaaz]

<p>Thx all for the comments.</p><p>Hmm, Templar is interesting.  He does like to lead and pull and tank.  thx for thoughts.</p>

[Ranja]

<cite>Kaaz wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Thx all for the comments.</p><p>Hmm, Templar is interesting.  He does like to lead and pull and tank.  thx for thoughts.</p></blockquote>If you dont mind the travel, an inquisitor would be a better match for the ranger. The evil plate healer , the quizzy has some of the best melee buffs in the game for a healer. DPS mod, power proc, and damage proc. They heal the same as templars - with reactives. Temps are more defensive in nature.

[ChodeNode1]

I'll throw my hat in for paladin just because I've duo'ed a LOT with one and I'm amazed at some of the stuff we can take down.

[gaitano]

Well, I know I am the oddball here, but I leveled a Wizard/Ranger duo.  Wizard can root, ranger gets to use his full line of ranged CA's. At higher lvls with raincaller and poisons, it gets insane how easy it is.  I can take blue ^^^ heroics with ease. It is very rare for a solo mob to even reach me with the amount of dps these two classes can put out. If a heroic does reach me the ranger (if he is somewhat well equipped) can tank it for the short time it takes to kill it. Root and nuke/shoot for heroics, for solo, just nuke/shoot and it is dead. I have tried a lot of duo's, there are probably better combos for hunting named or such, but for for speed, these two kill super fast.

[Beldin_]

<cite>Gareorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Just thowing this out there...  I currently Duo with my wife who plays a Templar.  We do things a little differently, I tank with the Ranger, and she keeps me healed and debuffs/nukes the mobs.  </p></blockquote><p>I really wouldn't do that because Ranger DPS sucks hard in melee-combat. For that a Swash or Brig is much better. </p><p>I would also think that Paladin works best for a duo, or else maybe SK.</p>

[Xalmat]

You could try a Conjuror + Ranger duo. So long as the Conjuror pet is Adept III, and it gets the first blow in combat, you won't have aggro problems. Not to mention Conjurors can dish out some pretty good damage, even with a tank pet out.

[Gareorn]

<cite>Shalla@Valor wrote:</cite><blockquote><cite>Gareorn wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Just thowing this out there...  I currently Duo with my wife who plays a Templar.  We do things a little differently, I tank with the Ranger, and she keeps me healed and debuffs/nukes the mobs.  </p></blockquote><p>I really wouldn't do that because Ranger DPS sucks hard in melee-combat. For that a Swash or Brig is much better. </p></blockquote>Shalla, ya need to think outside the box a little.  Just because I have a Templar healing me, doesn't meant I stop fighting like a Ranger.  Toe-to-toe melee is not my fighting style.  Besides, I can't hold aggro if I don't use my bow from time to time.

[Shaulin Dolamite]

<cite>Kaaz wrote:</cite><blockquote><p>Hi all.</p><p>My son loves the Ranger, but I'm not sure what would be the best combination class to play with him.  I have a fury only lvl 7 atm, is there a more suitable combination for us?</p><p>I don't see a beginner guide or FAQ sticky on this forum, and started reading a few of the stickies but they are a bit advanced.</p><p>I'm not clear exactly what a Ranger is or does.  It seems like a dps class, good puller etc.  But obviously with leather and no shield or taunt won't be a good tank.  Would a conjurer with a tank pet be good?  I don't find I have to heal him all that much yet, so I'm wondering if the fury is a waste.  Should I just do another dps with him for quick kills?  He is the explorer type, we do a bit of questing, but fun for him is just running around slaying stuff (he's 7 yrs old, been playing Warcraft with him since he was 4).</p><p>Oh I don't much enjoy playing tanks, a bit boring.  But if that is the best fit, I'll do it for him.  Maybe a zerker would be fun though?</p><p> We are casual players.  I already figured out jeweler is the craft I'll be to keep his skills up.  He doesn't have the patience for crafting.</p><p> Thanks for any advice and or links for us to get started.</p></blockquote>I duoed with my wife for most of our eq2 career, im the ranger and my wife played an illusioinist. We could take just about anything. She would do all the pulling and keep her pet up. She and her pet consta stun and root and do what damage they could, my ranger would be there to just bring the pain. If i got the argo usually wanst a big deal cause the mob was on its last threads of life. Before EoF came out we could duo places like the nest np : ) We are in a raiding guild now so dont duo much anymore but with the lvls changing soon we will have to blow off the dust and get at it again. If this sounds interesting shoot me a PM and ill try to give you some more info and good strats to use. GL! : )