Ranger stats limited?

While talking to a guild mate last night, I got to wondering if Rangers are more limited with their stats then any other profession. Why? Because our primary weapon is a two-handed weapon and the stats never compare to having 2 single items in each hand. Every other class can viably use single handed weapons. As a result, they get more opportunities to add HP, Energy, and other helpful stats.

Unless I get extremly lucky and actually find a bow with some energy (I think I've seen one, total), it seems like I'll be stuck at 31 energy always as long as I stick with the Druid armor.

Does this seem right? Is there some sort of trade-off that Rangers get the benefit of that I'm not considering? I wonder if it'd be fair to allow Rangers to benefit from the stats of the item in their off-hand, even though it cannot really be used. For example, a shield. Perhaps wear it on their back.

Rangers have Expertise to counter that energy loss. It lowers the cost of all ranger skills, if you're having energy problems I would suggest that you pump Expertise a little and see what it does for you. And only a ranger primary can have expertise, so no */R can get it.

Edit::
I dont know why I didn't post this at first. But there is a great bow upgrade that helps with energy concerns. A Zealous Bow String. Give up to 5 energy on hit, downside though is -1 to energy regen, but with a fast firing short bow and barrage, you will never have energy problems.

Expertise helps immensely, and i dont really see a 2 handed weapon as a disadvantage, get up on a cliff and throw some arrows downwards at some charr and marvel at the damage

Expertise is nice, but it doesn't affect everything. It is helpful though.

But there is more to off-hand items then just adding extra energy. At least I'm pretty sure I've seen off-hand items with other stats.

This is true, but bows can have all kinds of stats applied too. For instance you could have a:

Sundering Flatbow of Fortitude 15-28
up to 20% armor penetration
up to 20% extra damage when hp > 50%
up to +30hp

And thats just an example. Of course getting a really top notch bow and set of upgrades is hard, but it is very do-able.

Actually, zealous bows only ever steal 1 energy per hit.

Of course we can get that on a bow, but other professions can get all of that on a one handed weapon as well, I believe. Which is kind of the point I'm trying to get at. We're sort of stuck at a disadvantage of being short one item slot.

If you don't like using a ranged character... don't.

barrage= multiple arrows in group.... energy gain on hit PER arrow and barrage can hit up to around 8 targets i think.... so yeah 5 energy per barrage sounds right... with the skill cost and everything

Even with 0 expertise, a zealous barrage is essentially free. With a higher expertise you're actually gaining energy while doing higher damage. Not too shabby.

If the inability to use a focus item is such a bad thing, then why do so many people use staves and hammers?

what was the point of bringing this back from the dead?

I could be wrong, but it seems to me like staves are equal to having a wand and an idol (or other off hand). Bows can have more range than other wepons, but isn't that the trade off you make for dealing less damage than a warr? Only my opinion, but bringing expertise into this discussion is unaplicable(sp) as all primary professions have one attrabute special unto themselves.. In the beginning I always hoped I might find some sort of one-handed crossbow. still looking though...

u even can put ur experties to 0 and still have energy more than many proffessions, how?

u can use zaelos string with elite skill marksman's wager which provide as min 5 energy each hit for 12 sec but lose 10 energy every miss hit so u need zealos recurve bow

There should be a Ranger off hand, something like Arrows of "Blalbla", that would be cool. Which would add something like +3 Life Stealing, +3 Fire Damage, +3 Water Damage, +3 Air Damage etc.

Expertise applys to the situation because one of your complaints is that Bow using rangers are stuck at 32 (its 32, not 31) energy with Druids.

They dont need more..The MOST a ranger skill is going to cost under high expertise is about 13..and most rangers only use skills that cost 2-4 under expertise. Eles need 80 energy because they cast off 25 energy spells that cause exhaustion and such....

As for dealing less dmg than warriors - Bows have higher base dmg than Swords and Axes...Plus your not counting in preps. With preps and multiple arrow shots - a ranger can pack on dmg - and quick. Hence "RANGER Spike" teams. If you bring IWAY into the mix saying warriors can attack fast too - Remember that IWAY has Charm Animal for more ally deaths - and Charm Animal is a ranger skill

Their are also Wand using rangers..their called trappers..can get 60-70 energy.

did u see iway r/w team? lol

Some teams have both W/R and R/W, I even saw a full R/W team once

i think half iwa team as ranger is stronger than w/r because they can use ranged attack plus advantage of experties attribute

It happens.

And even with W/R ..IWAY really is only a "powerhouse" because of the /Ranger....

I wanna see an IWAY group try to use IWAY with noone having pets on the team..