Classes

Hi. I have a Ranger atm (still in pre). I wonder what would be a good secondary to complement it for PvE. I'm choosing between Mesmer or Necromancer. I would also like you to consider that if I choose Necro as my secondary on my Ranger I will have to go Mesmer on my Elementalist, so it gotta fit there as well, as I already decided for a cookie cutter W/Mo for my 3rd slot :P.

Please help me out

Don't go Wa/Mo :P Resist the urge....

Rangers don't *need* a secondary, but it can be helpful. I'd lean toward mesmer given those two options - while the necromancer has some decent skills (curses in particular for a ranger) I think that you'll get more use out of the defensive stances (Mantra of Frost+Winter for example, Physical Resistance) and hex/interrupt prevention (Hex Breaker, Mantra of Resolve) than you will from the other.

Remembering that Ranger expertise affects skills though, Vampiric Touch starts looking like decent self preservation/damage. Mesmers offer Blackout for example, but you are less likely to make use of that in PvE. Baiscally, either has good options, it's a preference thing.

I know Rangers really dont need a secondary, I was just thinking of unlocking all the skills with 3 chars (4th is PVP) and then I need a combination. I haven't actually planned on using anything beside Ranger skills anyway :P. But I'm leaning towards Mesmer. Would E/N be viable in PVE?

Hi,

I played the game for 4 months, I only have one character, and that is a W/Mo, still didn't master it yet.

Not sure what u mean by a cookie-cutter W/Mo, just play the game and works things out for yourself

Wish people would stop bashing W/Mo

You may find that you play an elementalist like a ranger - with little from the 2nd profession being used. So ele/necro is fine. Investing in blood magic can provide some healing that is lacking on the elem side.

W/Mo is by far the best warrior soloing class in PvE. In group PvE, not so good because its skills focus on self healing. In PvP, it's not so great at all.

I love my W/Mo for the first reason above.

Ranger/Monk = Judge's Insight + Ignite Arrows
Ranger/Monk = Judge's Insight + Barrage

Ranger/Necro = Necros have touch skills that are affected by Expertise.

Ranger/Elementalist = Conjure Flame/Lighting/Ice (not the best)

Ranger/Mesmer = Echo + Choking Gas = eternal interruption

Ranger/Warrior = I've never even considered it. Is it viable?

As a Ranger (and beginner of this game), I started with Ranger/Warrior, thinking that I could manage melee and far distance attack whenever suited. However, I soon found out that for a Ranger it is easier/better to just stick to bow/beast attacks, making it insuitable for close range things.

Because a Ranger has high lvl armor, low energy costs, high range attack things, I often found myself the only "survivor" of a PVE group. If only I had rez that can be used multiple times.... Therefore I changed my 2nd to monk. That way, I could also help to 'monk around', because lot of times there is no or not very good monk available to do quests/missions. Also, R/Mo makes me a bit more 'self-supporting', so that the monk in a group can focus on the more healing/protection needed teammates, like tanking warriors.

Last but not least. Rangers do have a hard time getting accepted into groups. There are million other threads that focus on that stupid pre-assumption that rangers are less usefull then monks or warriors. However, lot of players do have pre-assumption. Being a monk as second, they might think 'well at least we have a spare-helping-monk'. Of course, once accepted, you will prove you can do much more then that...

Very viable. Just take a warriors stances with a rangers ranged capabilities. Need I say more? If things aggro you, bonettis for energy on hit while still focusing on others. R/W are very cool classed if played properly.

--The Shim

Why not use a massive +Energy item and Wards for trapping? Drop some traps, aggro the monsters, use Ward Agains Foes, drop Flame Trap... sounds fun to me ^_^

As to the viability of the R/W, it's probably the hardest one to make work well. Melee is an option, but so is the extra defense for Point-Blank Trapping.

Personally, I'd say that R/Mo is probably the most versatile overall. Just don't use Healing Prayers, you get better bang out of Prot and Smite.

I've played my Ranger as /warrior and most other professions and found the melee ranger to be fun. The warrior skills are reduced by expertise and most cost 5 so are extremely spammable. You can combine apply poison with cyclone axe or hammer with tigers fury or sword for poison + bleed + deep wound + victory is mine.

Just don't try to mix a bow + melee toon.