MMORPG.com's Josh Price takes this quick look at his early experiences playing a Ranger in NCsoft's Aion.

When the open beta started, I decided to dive head first into the Ranger class, and boy am I glad I did. After having sunk over twenty five levels with both the Assassin and the Gladiator during the previous closed beta events, I must say that I had (and am having)a good time with the Ranger, a rip roarin' good time, even. The class is not without its faults, though. Luckily, most of those faults are only below level twenty. During this time the Ranger can be a bore and a hassle to play, due to a limited number of abilities. But if you're willing to see it through until the late teens, you'll find yourself quickly filling those britches. Some might say that it's like growing into adulthood; let's just hope you're not a late bloomer.

Read An Intro to the Ranger

Nice post :)

Playing a ranger myself but haven't been playing much cause the lack of time ..

But I really look forward to level my ranger after I read your thread .. gj

Ranger of Aion: a lesson how NOT to make classes.

Below 20 imba too weak, above imba too strong.

Ridiculous.

Playing a Ranger myself in release...had played a gladiator and ranger in CB/OB and enjoyed both, but hearing all the good feedback for rangers post level 19 made me want to stick it out.  I'm up to level 15 now and enjoying him, although he is difficult to solo all the time due to his general squishy-ness.

Going to look into this weapon enhancing thing when I get home tonight.  Thanks for the tip.

-G

Good news because I started a ranger and was thinking of going back to chanter do to ranger bordem.  I will now stick it out and to see what lvl 20+ brings.  Thanks for the encouragement.

Nice post on a class I rarely see. Ranged combat isn't my style, so I went assassin, but many of the problems are similar. Keep in mind you can use a bow as a 'sin, as well.

I don't want to sound evil or anything, but you get stunning shot at 19.  16 is that rapid fire skill.  Forgot the name.

 That's right Stunning Shot is at 19. I find the cd's a bit too long for a ranger on sword and bow skills. it's not like they are doing any amazing damage where they need a longer cd then a mage skill.  I am killing stuff as fast or faster with a lev 13 Spirit Master as I do with a lev 18 Ranger ; I take a tenth of the damage and I don't have to run around like a chicken with it's head cut off to avoid taking damage.   I am hoping for bigs things with a ranger but in watching higher lev rangers they really don't seem to be doing any kind of amazing damage.  They do seem to have a lot of shut downs against casters later.  

So up to lev 18 it seems to be a kite alot class which is hard because your targets reset  if you go to far out of their pathing area.  Meaning that you might have lost half of your health to the target and they reset back to full.  Using swords on things around your level means taking alot of damage and hoping that you don't aggro anything else to dirt nap you.  Weapon swapping is ok but you risk pulling aggro from other mops and/or your target resetting.   Also, the sword attacks and bow attacks are on the same cd which is annoying because alot of times you swap to swords and can only use auto attack, and vice versa.  If you like more challenging game play esp. for the first 19 levs roll a ranger.   At this point I am not understanding the longer cooldowns, the cd's  overlapping,  the lack of damage.  Versus casters; even a clerics damage is as good and the mage class blows ranger damage off the map.  Keep in mind this is talking to lev 18. 

Yeah, I realized a while back that I mixed up Arrow Strike & Stunning Shot's level.  Oh well.

Sorry for nitpicking, but you also called the class 'Hunter' in one of the later paragraphs.  An honest mistake, but not helping the "wow clone" mentality some have toward Aion =/.

Well, I personally blame MMORPG editors for not catching that one, it was something I was doing during early on in OB but have since broken myself of it, though violently.

Started a Ranger, like him so far, kind of grindey at his current level of 12. Good to know it get's better down the road. Thanks for the info. :-)

I can speak only for all classes up to 15 (I have - so far, as I love to level all classes nearly at same time - only 2 lv. 17, both mages, rest 16 except ranger and gladiator), but so far the worst of the worst is ranger. Just bad. Damage (upgrades or not) from bow is just silly. Class specific abilities not even to mention.

For me is terrible design flow if somebody has to play ranger as assassin up to 19 or so. Or if some class is ridiculously weak nearly up to half of levels.
 

Ok, of course is possible I need to "learn" the class, maybe I’m not playing right ... but then this should be problem for me with all classes ... but it is not. Only ranger. So far the most disappointing class is ranger. Despite I'm forcing myself to play it. Have tryed differetn approach ... nothing work. Again, ok, .... always somebody is first and somebody last ... but ranger last place lags terribly behind its predecessor.