Great!

when teh ranger was first introduced and shown off, the pet was totally useless as it always lay dead on the ground, and for a pet-centric prof, that's really bad

good thing that ANET saw their mistakes with this class and reiterated, esp the pet system. no more levelling up pets (pets are autolevelled to match your level). you can swap pets on the fly. better abilities, etc.

seeing rangers in the recent videos running side-by-side with their pets, with improved mechanics, really makes this a very attractive class to play

Sounds interesting. Hopefully there are some purely support pets (small creatures) that don't get directly involved in combat but rather provide buffs and help with certain attacks. Go for the eyes Boo, GO FOR THE EYES!!

I hope pets are extremely tough with very low DPS, and some large percentage of ranger aggro is automatically redirected to the pet.  This solves most of the problems for PvE and PvP.   This way the skill requirement is still focused squarely on the person playing and not game AI.  

Originally posted by jbombard

I hope pets are extremely tough with very low DPS, and some large percentage of ranger aggro is automatically redirected to the pet.  This solves most of the problems for PvE and PvP.   This way the skill requirement is still focused squarely on the person playing and not game AI. 

Sorry, but the Ranger doesn't work that way. If you are going to play a pet class, then you have to keep into account of your pet's well being. If you're just going to leave you pet on auto-pilot, hoping it will hold aggro, without taking advantage of the pet's mechanic, then expect your pet to die (even if you take into Beastmastery & Nature Magic).

Originally posted by Master10K

Originally posted by jbombard

I hope pets are extremely tough with very low DPS, and some large percentage of ranger aggro is automatically redirected to the pet.  This solves most of the problems for PvE and PvP.   This way the skill requirement is still focused squarely on the person playing and not game AI. 

Sorry, but the Ranger doesn't work that way. If you are going to play a pet class, then you have to keep into account of your pet's well being. If you're just going to leave you pet on auto-pilot, hoping it will hold aggro, without taking advantage of the pet's mechanic, then expect your pet to die (even if you take into Beastmastery & Nature Magic).

 

Actually I don't mind that at all.  What I don't want is for a pet to be a free DPS dot, that accounts for a significant part of total DPS.  Active ability use to make sure pet maintains aggro in PvE situations is fine, however the reason for the aggro redirect is simply to help compensate for the low DPS.  I am not sure how aggro works in GW2 exactly and that point may actually be moot.

I'm always a Ranger.  Doesn't matter what fantasy game it is.

Extremely pumped for this one.  Absolutely love the way weapons are handled in the game.

My only gripe about it is I hate Rangers that don't have visible quivers on their backs.  It irks me to no end to see an unlimited amount of arrows coming from an invisible source.

Originally posted by jbombard

*snip*

Actually I don't mind that at all.  What I don't want is for a pet to be a free DPS dot, that accounts for a significant part of total DPS.  Active ability use to make sure pet maintains aggro in PvE situations is fine, however the reason for the aggro redirect is simply to help compensate for the low DPS.  I am not sure how aggro works in GW2 exactly and that point may actually be moot.

Edit: also active aggro management shouldn't require the ranger to cripple their ability loadout by needing numerous abilities simply to make sure the pet can function in PvE. 

Your pet will be your primary way to gain certain boons or conditions, that you otherwise would not get (look here to see what I mean). They will be your primary way to help mitigate damage, but your pet will not be able to tank indefinitely, due to the high damage output on mobs and how certain mobs simply ignoring the pet. Aggro in GW2 generally works like this. The mob will attack who is closest. Send your pet in and the mob will generally attack the pet, however some tend to switch targets depending on other factors like: who's dealing the most damage, who is the furthest or who has the less armour, etc.

Master10k...do you have any idea in pvp how well the ranger performs? I am looking to change from my normal rogue class and give this ranger a shot....but I do not want to be gimped in pvp with no pet....as in a huge drop in dps.

This isn't that in depth as far as a profession review should be.

Personally I like the combination attacks that have a primary player function and a secondary pet function. I also like that no pet skills ever take up a slot on your hotbar, but instead are the profession's function key skills.

Pet's are probably the most amazing thing about the profession, they open up so many skill options due to each pet having a unique skill attached to it, any where from paralyzes to healing, hell even fears can be used from pets.

Originally posted by Paragus1

This is the class I'm the most interested in as well.  I am looking to rekindle that type of gameplay I had in DAOC on my hunter, and am hoping this fits the bill.

                 Yup, gonna have to say that most likely this will be my main character as well with my main alt being the thief. The thief a human the the ranger a Sylvari.

Originally posted by tbrocato

Master10k...do you have any idea in pvp how well the ranger performs? I am looking to change from my normal rogue class and give this ranger a shot....but I do not want to be gimped in pvp with no pet....as in a huge drop in dps.

 This is on thing I tend to worry about as well. Hunter/pet classes often get gimped when it comes to pvp performance. I'm hoping this won't be the case with the GWII hunter. 

The beauty of this game is the situation you are in dictates the build. The "theorycrafters" are not going to find the pure dps mechanic holy grail formula in this game. To much of combat relies on synergy and CD times with self healing so important.

I have been tinkering with a build that looks awesome on paper (Long Bow + Shortbow+ Drake+ Kiting) then realized it would get owned in pvp match play. But when I put that same build out in WvW, I know it will be a dangerous build for many.

I am so looking forward to this new Ranger.  I really with there was a preview video, but oh well...

MMORPG.COM is going to have a prereview for every single class? How many are there?

It would be nice to see more time spent telling us about gameplay, PvE, PvP, crafting and so on.

Originally posted by AcmeGamer

Originally posted by Paragus1

This is the class I'm the most interested in as well.  I am looking to rekindle that type of gameplay I had in DAOC on my hunter, and am hoping this fits the bill.

                 Yup, gonna have to say that most likely this will be my main character as well with my main alt being the thief. The thief a human the the ranger a Sylvari.

We think very much alike, but my ranger will be human and my thief will be Sylvari.

yeah, the ranger seems like a fun class to play. :)

Originally posted by Isometrix

Originally posted by Vorthanion

As long as the pet is treated as an optional helper and not integral to the balance of the Ranger, the I'll probably like it, but any situation where the pet can be easily removed which eliminates too much of the Ranger's abilities, then I have issues.  It creates a huge weakness to the class that no other suffers from.

I'm getting tired of games always turning Ranger type classes into pet classes and on top of that, making pets so valuable to the class that if they die, the Ranger becomes gimped and unable to function properly without it.

 

But isn't that the whole point of having a pet? If your pet dies, you should still be able to perform, but you should be weaker than other classes. That's not to say you can't win a fight if you're good enough, but if you were as strong as other classes without your pet, than having a pet is a huge advantage. If they divide the DPS over the ranger and the pet (70%/30% or so) and the pet can't be instagibbed or morphed into uselessness, it seems fine to me. Tricky class to balance either way because of this.

Seems like a fun class, not for me though. Ranger seems a little bland and uninspired. Will give it a shot but not excited to see it in the lineup, and because of the pet, it seems like an inherently weaker class in WvWvW where your pet likely gets killed instantly by the AOE going on.

 

1 solution to this is to have the balance 70% 30%  dps for ranger / pet. But when the pet dies before the ranger the ranger gets a buff thats gives 30% extra dps for a fixed duration or until the pet is revived. You see this mechanic with pve bosses alot in various games.

Originally posted by Scot

MMORPG.COM is going to have a prereview for every single class? How many are there?

It would be nice to see more time spent telling us about gameplay, PvE, PvP, crafting and so on.

Maybe, but one of the shining things about GW2 seems all professions could be awesome/useful/different. Most other mmorpgs and the short-list is short indeed!

Originally posted by Loke666

Originally posted by AcmeGamer

Originally posted by Paragus1

This is the class I'm the most interested in as well.  I am looking to rekindle that type of gameplay I had in DAOC on my hunter, and am hoping this fits the bill.

                 Yup, gonna have to say that most likely this will be my main character as well with my main alt being the thief. The thief a human the the ranger a Sylvari.

We think very much alike, but my ranger will be human and my thief will be Sylvari.

yeah, the ranger seems like a fun class to play. :)

  I just want a release date. :) Though if they suddenly came back and said something like, "After testing and player response we're going to have to delay a release date for another six months. " I'd be fine with that even. I figure any on going tweaks or changes are just going to make the game just that much better. Unlike watching SWTOR evolve before release and having to continually "re-stoke" myself to stay excited and unconcerned about changes, GWII has over all been one "Oh I like that" experience as I keep an eye on it. So it is easy to keep the sense of excitement up. :)

p.s: Apolgizes for using the SWTOR name here, it was just the most recent release experience. I did have similar off an on concerns with AoC before it released. What both had in common is that repeatly I talked myself into still getting pre order collectors editions and ignoring what my gut and mind was telling me I was seeing. I just am not having that experience with info from GWII I read/see.