New to GW: Ra/W or W/Ra?

Hi, new to GW, but so far I like the idea of a Ranger and it fits with classes I've played in other games. I'm curious though, what are the main differences between a Ra/W build and a W/Ra build? I plan on going the roleplaying route to level 20, so a build that can solo the PvE areas is important, but I also would like to find PvP groups at lvl 20.

Any helpful advice someone could give would be most appreciated. Much Thanks.

SolZer

R/W: A ranger primary, with expertise, but tactics for stancing to avoid damage like a warrior would. This is great if you feel you'll need extra protection in the long run vs melee, so you can just pump up tactics, get stances/ranger dodges and traps, then have fun and not worry about getting damaged a whole lot.

Also, on a R/W, I wouldn't suggest meleeing, as warrior armor cannot be gotten on a ranger primary which means you aren't the best choice for tanking. Although you can't tank, it doesn't mean a pet can't. Mr.Fluffly FTW.

If you want more on this, contact me via private message.

W/Ra: This is more used for warrior primary due to better armor and the fact you simple deal more melee damage. Don't Get me wrong, a W/Ra can still kick but with bow, but I don't recommend warrior/rangers for trappers as they have slow mana regen. You also do very well with "splash" poison damage. Example: Capture the 'elite' skill later in the game called 'apply' poison. Then use a ranger prep called kindle arrows. They both stack, so when the arror hits to deal group damage, it also poisons them. This is where I run and start meleeing if I were a W/Ra.

W/Ra's are all over a nice rounded build too, as you take damage, dish it, and if you have to be, the person dropping spirits/traps if the time calls for it. Also is nice having a pet. Mr.Fluffly FTW.

As above, if you want more info, PM me.

Hope some of this made sense.

--The Shim

Ok, there is no "better" in this game, there may be a "better for this task".

To sum up the differences:
A warrior has better armour vs physical damage, and gets to use the Strength skills effectively, which help when tanking, dealing melee damage and so on. Strength also boosts damage by bypassing part of the opponent's armour when using attack skills. The have limited energy regenration, the tightest in the game, and make do with many "adrenaline" based skills instead of energy.

A Ranger has more energy available and gets to use the Expertise skills effectively. Expertise lowers the cost of skills (not spells), so they can use many energy based skills on their energy pool. The efficient energy skills of the warrior benefit well from this added cost reduction, allowing a R/W to spam energy skills like crazy. They however have weaker armour vs physical damage.

Presuming you plan to be in Melee, either is doable, but with slightly differnt styles. The R/W will typically be using stances/Throw Dirt to avoid attacks - the warrior's extra AL lends itself well to AL boosts and thus they will often work to boost AL. Both styles have vulnerabilities - stances can be broken, blindness can be removed; AL doesn't affect some attack types and doesn't avoid the effects of an attack (poison, activation of a hex, interruption, knockdown)

If you want to use a bow, be a Ranger primary - the ranger skills are balanced for the use of expertise, on anyone else the skills tend to cost too much.

As to "soloing" - neither of these builds are great "soloists" - to truly solo most places requires very dedicated builds, generally with monk primary or secondary, though there are other builds (trapping for example, is one). If by "solo" you mean, able to grab some AI henchmen and go, either is fine. If you mean singlehandedly taking on the game, less likely.