You do realize that we have to melee 90% of a solo fight, do you?

[justright]

Incase you didnt notice the range in ranger its not very useful any more in soloing. I get one chance at pull to sink a few arrows in th mob. More often than not the mob parries my shot (sometimes from behind!).  Cheap shot is hardly worth the effort. I swear that most of the time i dont even manage to get a single shot off with the time needed to back up enough to get a distance and shot. More than i can count the mob warps (cmon, ist it really supposed to be buggy like that) on me with out even getting a chance to shot. The rest of the time mobs parries. This is on solo mobs in TT 3-4 lvls below me. Also there is no way on norrath i can snare a mob and run around kiting it with all the agro. The rest of the time im stuck with meleeing. Fun fun fun. I think you overdid it in LU24, but it seems you dont think so. Maybe give us a boost in melee skills since that what im stuck at doing for now.

[justright]

Oh and btw the lunging blade root is a joke.

[Vlath]

hmm I have to disagree....but that may be because of my level...

 

First, I never use cheapshot to get another ranged attack in...Your right in that its too short, but then I dont think it was meant to be used that way..Im of the mind that its for our stealth/backstab.

 

Second, our 4 sec root allows to get two of our faster CAs in. With Poise, you can get three or two of the longer casting ones. It was never meant to be more than that.

 

As for soloing...Its true you can see alot of parries...if your in defensive stance. In offensive, rarely does a mob parry my shots. Most of the time I either kill the mob entirely or get it to half health before it even reaches me. Open with veiled fire, use Legshot master 2(64% snare) then fire off triple shot, debilitation arrow, amazing shot (all adept III) and the mob is dead or if its higher, its at half. Root, and fire off two more. By now you need to let your reuse timers expire so you goto melee. this works 90% of the time. There are always those moments when something goes wrong and you have to flee. In that case, Snare with vines or trick of the hunter, run it out and try to finish off with more Ranged CAs.

 

Soloing is very viable with the right CAs at adept III or better and with the right equipment.

 

Not sure what level you are, but at 69 , it works well for me.

 

Good Luck.

 

 

[Draghixia]

I don't know how your playing but if I only get a mob down by 10% when it gets to me and I'm soloing something is very wrong.  Since LU24 I have had absolutely no impact on my soloing with the Ranger other than the addition of social mobs which isn't a Ranger related issue. 1) When you want to get a ranged shot in mid fight just snare them before you root, start backing up then stun/root them when it breaks they are still snared and you've got plenty of time for a ranged CA, if you time it close you could even pull off a hidden shot but that's up to your timing.2) Cheap shot?   I don't know what the problem is, I still have plenty of time to smack something use a stealth providing art, run behind the mob and backstab them before they turn around.  I would highly recommend a macro so after your cheap shot lands you hit 1 button to fire the macro and let it stealth you while you run behind and pick your flavor of stealth attack.Mobs parrying arrows it'll happen but not all that often. AsI said I've had no impact on soloing but I'm not one of those people who tries to take out Heroic mobs solo anyway if you happen to be one of those folks you'll be spending allot of time frustrated.If you want some help with the macros for Cheap shot/stealth/backstab PM me and I'll send you screen caps of my setup.   The time cheap shot stuns for should be plenty of time for you to run through the mob, also make sure that you have "auto face" turned on under the UI settings this will turn you to face the mob so all you have to do is run through it not  around to get in position for a back stab.  Let me know what level you are as this will obviously affect which arts your using in the macros.

Part of being a Ranger is adapting to the endless "adjustments" to our class it's been that way since EQ1 and it'll be that way in EQ5.  Yes some of the changes make you wonder if they have the idea manates from SouthPark working in the back office just shrug it off and learn how to make it happen with the cards SoE deals to you.  Six months from now some other class will get "adjusted" and we'll benefit from what happens there it's just a matter of perspective.Good luck and try not to let the game bother you that much.

[Jayad]

Lunging Joust is the most useful skill you have in soloing because you can recast it in melee.   Also, use it as soon as they come in range and fire off your snare and slow skills (if you didn't already use the snaring shot line).  Then they are rooted for a bit and you can get off some more CAs.   There's NO chance of it breaking, unlike many types of roots based on damage.  Of course, it's a very short duration root.

 

I don't like soloing with a ranger at all, it's very painful.  But it can be done.

[TaleraRis]

---

Vlath wrote:

 

Soloing is very viable with the right CAs at adept III or better and with the right equipment.

---

Please tell me you're talking about soloing heroics. I can't fathom that you're actually saying we shouldn't be able to kill solo-oriented mbos (read, mobs that are marked Solo not Heroic) with less than Adept 3 and decked out in Legendary equipment. These are solo mobs. They are meant for one person to kill. Why in the world should we be required to have Adept 3 spells just to take these Solo mobs down?

Heroics, yes, I will agree with you. If you want to solo Heroic mobs, then you should have Adept 3 or higher and have good gear. But these are solo mobs. We should not need Adept 3's to handle solo mobs.

 

As to the rest of the thread, I'm a soloing ranger. I have been for all of Gwyn's 50 levels. I group now and then for the rare quest or just to level a bit, but I'm a lone frog most of the time. I have never had trouble soloing with Adept I or App IV skills and using normal or rare crafted gear for the tier I'm in.

I'm having issues now. Even in offensive, my CAs don't do nearly enough damage. Before I could make this up by hitting Cheap Shot, getting behind and using stealth backstab, normal backstab, surveil and hitting the raven embers line. The last would be going off as the mob turned, but raven embers line doesn't have a positional requirement. Now I can barely get to Crippling Blade and it's showing in how I can solo. I can't take much of a hit, and losing those 2 seconds has greatly affected my solo play. I'm losing health faster, losing more health per fight, and I even had to run a time or two.

Root and Point Blank Shot are only useful for me for 1 Sharp Shot. Trying to get anything else off, such as Miracle Arrow or Deb Arrow results in the CA starting to cast and receiving the Too Close message as the mob moves into range before the CA is done firing.

Maybe it will get better when I have AA, but frankly since the expansion is optional, AA should not be required to kill solo-flagged mobs in this game. I should not have to have AA to bring my class up to where it should be in terms of survival against normal mobs.

Message Edited by TaleraRis on 06-21-2006 03:53 PM

[Serventof Wrath]

I was a solo ranger up to lvl 50.  From 50 to 70 tho had to group for any kinda of xp.  Harpys and Clops in PoF are good xp groups and then claymore line, SoS, PoA, and for the last push from 68 to 70 as many HoF runs and you can get. 

I can still solo at lvl 70 but mainly just to save myself when harvesting and getting adds.  At lvl 50 the mobs parry skill is insane and they hit to hard and to fast to solo like I could up to lvl 50. 

[Jayad]

In KOS mobs have more HPs, much more HPs relative to your damage.  It only gets worse.  There's also less room to run around before getting aggro, and xp is slow as moss growing on dirt.

[Nak]

chances are, if you melee 90% of the fight theres several possiblities 1-your not using a bow so your ranged CA's don't work 2-your using ap2 ranged CA's 3-you suck theres several ways to stun, root, and snare mobs...

[Lightomen]

Wait til you try the trials in The Tower of the Four Winds and tell me how you fair.

 

Sniper Shot parried not once but twice in 8 attempts.  That is 25% from mobs level 68-71 (v or -, depending on the trial).  I was in offensive stance and self buff to 317 STR, 427 AGI, and 255 STA without food or drink.

 

Sanctum of the Scaleborn - Died because Droags socialed on the Sentinals I was killing.  I always kill a certain way in SoS when i have to kill sentinals to get past them.  I always trap them then single pull them from max bow range to kill them more before they get to me.  So a droag walks past the one I didn't pull and makes a B line straight for me.

 

But, yes we have had yet another tool given to us and snatched back so Summoners can continue to rule DPS in EQ2 and Brawlers can be better scouts then ANY scout class.

[Saihung23]

First let me start by asking what level are you referring to...as at level 62 I have no serious problems solo'ing.

I solo yellow ^ solo mobs with difficulty, somtimes I die sometimes I dont...

Other than that, I can still mow down mobs.

[Carna]

If you melee 90% of the time as a Ranger the problem is all yours not the class.

[TerriBlades]

---

Carnagh wrote:
If you melee 90% of the time as a Ranger the problem is all yours not the class.

---

I completely agree with this.  Its rare that you ever have to melee a mob with more the 75% health, and much less if your snare, or backshot it up..  The real question here would be... Do we really need another post like this? I mean honestly.

Nesse

70 Ranger / Oasis

[wvorster]

I have to agree here ... 90% melee in solo you don't really know how rangers work ie. i was doing claymore quests in Sots Solo - part 5 / 6 can't recally. Mobs are lvl 63 - 64 ^^^ droags. Solod the named in the jail room too. *shrug*I'd focus fire , pull with Veiled , lands rain of arrows , devitalize. hit Killing instinct and the Bloodlines Haste CA. Then the mob is on me, i use lunge , more back , fire 2 more ca's i then cheapshot , flip around and land Rangers blade ( if you're quick you can still get it off actually - this doesn't allways land , 3/5 ). meanwhile i've debuffed his defence. i use point blank , back up - hit it with snaring shot, Vines ( stacking snare ). If things get sticky drop a thorny trap and move back. while moving back autoattack pwnz. By the time the mob is on me again my Lunge is up and i can root again , getting off some more dps. If i'm all outta snare / roots i might fire an HO chain. If my cheapshot comes up , i fire it and use droag mastery attack.In fights i lose anything  more than 40% hp,  that was a bad fight.I use Drelakor's shield that procs a 120 heal, and also vitality breach that procs a 175 heal. Most of the time i end up with 80% + hp.So it would probably be the other way around ... i would say i melee 10% of the time solo.

[ADPowe]

You could try and use focus aim (hopefully you took it as your master 2 choice) then leg shot, or higher in that line.

If you havent got crap arrows then your auto attack will either kill the mob before it gets to you or at least do 50% of the damage.

It works more often than not.

Just a thought ;P

[Teksun]

I haven't noticed a big change in my solo methods since the update. I still have no trouble.And no, you don't need AD3's for solo mobs. I have none and have no trouble.

[Saihung23]

My only adept III's are my defensive stance, storm of arrows (stop laughing), offensive stance...

Master 2 Veiled Shot or some such

The rest are adept I, and Amazing Shot, Selection, and one other I think are app. IV

Mobs run from me crying about how brutal I be

[pseudocide]

i disagree with OP, i can solo using only ranged/kiting if i try, a typical battle would go something like this...

 

pull with backshot line,  backpeddle until autoattack goes off, hit flaming or trick arrow, lunging thrust, use hidden fire or another range CA, use cheap shot, another range CA, snare, kite, and then if the mob isnt dead get close and use melee skills until it is

 

i love soloing with my ranger, it takes practice and some effort to get the right gear and weapons, but it can  be very effective

[BSbon]

maybe it's opposite day again and he meant 90% ranged and 10% melee?

[TaleraRis]

Wvorster, what sort of AA do you have? Do you have anything that reduces casting time?

I can't get a second shot off on a Cheap Shot or our Lunge line. I can start the second shot, but even with an extremely short casting one, the mob will move into my range and I get the Too Close message. I'm already moving back when I set these CAs off, but the second shot always gets interrupted. I don't have AA to reduce casting time however.

[BSbon]

---

TaleraRis wrote:

Wvorster, what sort of AA do you have? Do you have anything that reduces casting time?

I can't get a second shot off on a Cheap Shot or our Lunge line. I can start the second shot, but even with an extremely short casting one, the mob will move into my range and I get the Too Close message. I'm already moving back when I set these CAs off, but the second shot always gets interrupted. I don't have AA to reduce casting time however.

---

here's a little tip that i use all the time to get 2 CAs off in 4 seconds. both cheap shot and the root line are castable on the move. mobs are slow to respond to your movements so here's what you do. start moving backwards while casting the root. once the root lands you should be far enough away to shoot arrows. stop moving the instant it lands and you'll have the full 4 seconds to shoot. you need to be very coordinated and have good timing to accomplish this but it can be done.

[Serventof Wrath]

---

TaleraRis wrote:

Wvorster, what sort of AA do you have? Do you have anything that reduces casting time?

I can't get a second shot off on a Cheap Shot or our Lunge line. I can start the second shot, but even with an extremely short casting one, the mob will move into my range and I get the Too Close message. I'm already moving back when I set these CAs off, but the second shot always gets interrupted. I don't have AA to reduce casting time however.

---

Poise final one in the agility line reduces casting time on all CAs

[TaleraRis]

---

TaleraRis wrote:

I'm already moving back when I set these CAs off, but the second shot always gets interrupted.

---

I also know about Poise, which is why I asked. I don't have Poise and if we're basing our ideas of what can and can't be soloed on having a massive amount of AAs, that's a significant point that needs to be clarified. Gear and status of spell upgrades are another that will affect how much melee you have to do for a fight.

[Stormhawk]

It isn't that hard to get in 2 CAs during a Lunge or Cheap Shot, but you have to use the right ones.  You can fit a pair of 1.5 and 1 second cast time CAs easily.  You don't need Poise to do that, just no lag.

Message Edited by Stormhawk on 06-22-2006 03:12 PM

[wvorster]

AGI     4  - 4  - 4 - 8 - 1(STR   4  - 4  - 5 - 8that's 50 AA pts

[Omnikain]

I don't even bother backing up to fire arrows with Cheap Shot.  I suppose I should...I'd probably do more damage, but I usually do enough with my initial Hidden Fire + Triple Arrow not to bother.  For some reason I prefer Cheap Shot > Longshank > Crippling Blade/Tangleflame (whichever is up) > Tear > Survival of the Fittest > THEN back up and fire Sharp Shot + Miracle Arrow or Leg Shot or some other low casting time bow CA.  If you do it fast enough the mob is stunned the entire time and you're just unloading the damage.Of course, Cheap Shot is nigh on useless on ^ mobs.  Really annoying.  I love how I managed to solo the 49^ Rujarkian Orc Leader last night, yet I couldn't take the 47^ Spatterblind.  I know named mobs get a boost, but good lord.  I finished the Orc Leader with over 1k hp left, and Spatterblind waxes me 3 times.  Ok!Anyway, short of the occasional ^ mob, I have no issues soloing....even if I do melee more than most.Oh and btw to any devs that might be reading...would it be at all feasible to maybe get like .5 seconds added to Point Blank Shot?  Good lord, talk about an ability where you have no time (unless your timing is -perfect-) to pull off anything.  Thanks =P.

Message Edited by Omnikain on 06-23-2006 12:46 AM

[Jay]

Yeah, PBS seems to be over before it starts, nowadays. I wonder if I have room on the shelf for another CA... it's getting pretty crowded with Stream, Thorny Trap, Hawk Dive, etc...

[TaleraRis]

I'm not at home so I can't verify directly, but I know Sharp Shot is 1.5 when I examine it. Miracle Arrow is either the same or that might be shorter. Deb is longer to cast than Sharp Shot.

 

Which CAs are 1 second? I can't recall having any, but again I'm not at the computer to verify. Even following Sharp Shot with Miracle Arrow gets interrupted and Miracle Arrow is the fastest casting CA I have. Do we get a faster casting one later than 50?

 

And I always preferred doing the Cheap Shot-Pouncing Attack(I think, I always forget the name)-Crippling Blade-Tangleflame myself, although with the new duration of Cheap Shot I can only get up to Crippling Blade.

[Teksun]

Granted I DO have poise, but I have know problem getting off trip shot with PBS...

[TaleraRis]

What's the trip shot equivalent at my level? I have Trick Shot which I don't remember having damage on it, and Leg Shot which I've been trying to have as my second shot after Hidden Fire. Do you mean Triple (I think I have Arrow?)? That's a pretty long casting one and I can't even get it off using the root, let alone PBS.

Message Edited by TaleraRis on 06-23-2006 03:35 PM