My "Ranger" class idea (Long)

[Deleted]

Same here. Pet classes bore the crap out of me.

Same. Long ago I mained a hunter, because it was the closest thing to a ranger. But I always resented the pet.

Your idea is solid OP, and I would love if Blizzard produced a Ranger. And Alleria (possible) return is a perfect moment for it, although they would have to work hard to get a great and different class, and not strip other classes of skills (just like monk and DK).

[Venziir]

Eh, your "Warden" picture is not really a Warden though, it's really a Huntress or a melee Priestess of the Moon.

[Woeful]

I think when you look at a concept like a new class, you have to ask what it brings to the game. I don't see a need for a new ranged class.

I applaud people who come up with new and fresh concepts. I think if Rangers had come first and Hunters thereafter we would have the same reaction.

I have to ask myself, would I be more likely or less likely to buy and expansion with Rangers. On that test alone, I am ambivalent and therefore its not worth it to implement.

[Rhamses]

Same. Long ago I mained a hunter, because it was the closest thing to a ranger. But I always resented the pet.

Yeah. You shoot, pet runs at target. Pet taunts the target. Target dies because its double-teamed. Rinse repeat.

[Deleted]

The reason druids are popular which they even were when only 2 races for druid exist is because they're versatile and flexible. They were able to perform every role: tank, melee, ranged, healer.

I miss details on the stealth mechanic. I want a real one, in contrast to the hunter's. This could also be used to differentiate with hunters, and introduce a kind of ranged stealth class besides the archaic version hunters have as well as rogue/feral and mages. However because sheer stealth and ranged by itself is too imba there has to be some kind of debuff to damage or an otherwise disadvantage to game mechanic. One example here could be, that the first 4 seconds after the ranger comes out of stealth, the damage done is only 70% of normal. A glyph could be introduced which decreases this nerf, but in turn, makes the stealth behave like camouflage.

If the stealth would be good I'd totally play this class, rerolling to it. I love shadow magic theme, and I love sniper theme, but not hunter (hate pets for starters, and not dark enough, which is also why I won't roll warlock).

---------- Post added 2013-01-31 at 09:44 PM ----------

I think when you look at a concept like a new class, you have to ask what it brings to the game. I don't see a need for a new ranged class.

You don't see a need for a new class. OK, well, what class DO you see a need for? And why do you not see a need for a new ranged class?

Lets get this straight (and OP didn't post this tho I told him this in his various other threads).

* We currently have more classes which can play melee than ranged. Encounters prefer ranged, especially on 10m.

* Gear-wise the hunter has monopoly on (x)bows and guns. No competition whatsoever.

* Armor-type wise the hunter only shares with enhancement shaman (rare in 10m, only 1 spec). Armor-type wise the caster and healer shaman only competes with themselves, nothing else. There is no other armor-type with only 2 classes which use it. Mail is unique in this regard! Monk fixed leather used by 2 classes only.

Therefore a 12th class would need to use (x)bows and guns in at least 2 of their 3 specs, and be mail-based. A ranger is one of the possibilities in this regard.

[Teriz]

Your idea is solid OP, and I would love if Blizzard produced a Ranger. And Alleria (possible) return is a perfect moment for it, although they would have to work hard to get a great and different class, and not strip other classes of skills (just like monk and DK).

Yeah, agreed. It definitely would be tough to implement a Ranger class without overlapping with Hunters. However, I think it can be done if they stick to the core archetype of the "Elven Archer".

---------- Post added 2013-01-31 at 09:05 PM ----------

Eh, your "Warden" picture is not really a Warden though, it's really a Huntress or a melee Priestess of the Moon.

True. I chose that picture because I realized that a Warden has several looks and styles, and it looked pretty cool. Guilty as charged.

[Deleted]

I feel like most of what you suggested for the dark ranger only works for lvl'ing purposes and is just a mix between a hunter and a wralock (drain soul), you normally don't kill a lot of things in end game, so Dark arrow would never be the signature spell since you would rarely find yourself in a position to use it besides lvl'ing?

The sentinel has the hunter explosive shot and only pvp ability's like concussive shot just with other names.

Wardens just SCREAM rouge to me, fan of blades/knifes, shadow port/step, sinister strike lol.

I can tell you put a lot of effort into this and you should get some recognition for this, i just wish you hadn't blatantly copied almost every spell you mentioned either directly from classes in WoW or Diablo. That would never convince me that the "Ranger" would bring something new and refreshing to the table when I just feel you gave me a (hunter/warlock) (PvP hunter) (rogue) and mashed them together under the name of a ranger.

[Teriz]

I feel like most of what you suggested for the dark ranger only works for lvl'ing purposes and is just a mix between a hunter and a wralock (drain soul), you normally don't kill a lot of things in end game, so Dark arrow would never be the signature spell since you would rarely find yourself in a position to use it besides lvl'ing?

Well I disagree. When I play Windwalker, I still get Health Spheres to appear via Afterlife fairly often, which indicates that I killed something. Now I could have said "when you kill something that grants experience or honor", but I digress.

Also the ability is called Life Drain. Its also a classic Dark Ranger ability. I don't know where you got Drain Soul from.

The sentinel has the hunter explosive shot and only pvp ability's like concussive shot just with other names.

Which ability reminded you of explosive shot? And while I'm sure that some abilities have PvP application, being able to use Cold Arrow on a target as an archer class would be very beneficial. Wouldn't you say?

Wardens just SCREAM rouge to me, fan of blades/knifes, shadow port/step, sinister strike lol.

Fan of Blades/Knives was actually originally a Warden ability. Shadow Port is nothing like Shadowstep. Shadowstep makes you appear behind the opponent. Shadowport is a teleport akin to Blink. And it's not called Sinister Strike, its called Shadow Strike.

I can tell you put a lot of effort into this and you should get some recognition for this...

It actually wasn't that much work. I just used the Dark Ranger Hero, Dark Ranger Hero, Naga Witch Hero, and the Priestess of the Moon hero, and put their abilities together, along with some ones of my own using their general themes. If you think this was a lot of effort, wait until you see my Tinker thread!

[Justignoreme]

Wardens just SCREAM rouge to me, fan of blades/knifes, shadow port/step, sinister strike lol

Night Elves do not need to use rouge, our lovely purple complexion is plenty


On topic Wardens really don't have much to do at all with Rangers. Wardens are jailors, intelligence gatherers, barrow guards, "secret police", interrogators and assassins to a degree. Rangers are ranged infantry and scouts.
Unfortunately ranger steps on hunter toes too much to be unique. Warden and rogues share much. The best one could do is offer racial quests for a Night Elf Rogue to collector "warden" armour for example. Also the only class with a unique racial model might will cause a lot of drama, with banshee high elves as forsaken dark rangers.

[Toffie]

Ofcourse it's still like hunters... All spellcasters / melee are about the same.. I absolutly love the idea of a demon hunter without the pet, blizzard may work on something that makes it a tad speciel so it wont be just a hunter without the pet.

Although, what about one new race that covers the demon hunters? /blanket & nutella.

[Justignoreme]

Fan of Blades/Knives was actually originally a Warden ability. Shadow Port is nothing like Shadowstep. Shadowstep makes you appear behind the opponent. Shadowport is a teleport akin to Blink. And it's not called Sinister Strike, its called Shadow Strike.

In WoW, Shadow Wardens NPC Shadow port functions exactly like a shadow step. They also have move similar to mind spike, shadow blades (rogue) and so on. Simply renaming an existing ability won't make it different (for the case of FoK) and making theirs stronger than a rogues for no reason other than "we want it to be" is bad for design.

Also I must emphasize, Sentinel is a military branch, not a class. Sentinel Huntress, Sentinel Outrider, Sentinel Scout, Sentinel Striker, etc. etc are different roles. Warriors, hunters, light infantry, rogues, rangers, etc.

[nyc81991]

I like the idea. I would definitely play a Ranger class.

[Teriz]

In WoW, Shadow Wardens NPC Shadow port functions exactly like a shadow step. They also have move similar to mind spike, shadow blades (rogue) and so on. Simply renaming an existing ability won't make it different (for the case of FoK) and making theirs stronger than a rogues for no reason other than "we want it to be" is bad for design.

Well the ability IS Shadowstep;

http://www.wowhead.com/npc=54011

I got Shadow Port from uncatalogued spells

I never said that my proposed FoB was stronger than FoK, its just different. It would also use a different animation and icon:

Also I must emphasize, Sentinel is a military branch, not a class. Sentinel Huntress, Sentinel Outrider, Sentinel Scout, Sentinel Striker, etc. etc are different roles. Warriors, hunters, light infantry, rogues, rangers, etc.

In this case, Sentinel wouldn't be a class, it would be a spec within a class.

[aztr0]

Too similar to the hunter class. Will never happen, just like the bunch of you who cry for "demon" hunters.

[eScar95]

I read the thread of you suggesting 4 specs, which I didn't like. But this, this idea I like. I would love to play a Dark Ranger.

[Justignoreme]

In this case, Sentinel wouldn't be a class, it would be a spec within a class.

I mistyped. It'd make *less* sense as a spec...

[Golden Yak]

This class does seem more appealing to me than hunters. They're pretty much the only class I haven't tried. Gotta be the element of heavily magic-based abilities.

Wouldn't mind getting either Dark Ranger or Warden. Give the Dark Ranger all the Scourge-based unit abilities we haven't given to the DK yet. I've been wanting to see some kind of class that has viable melee/ranged hybrid dps, which might work for the Warden, but there's nothing really about them that'd give a realistic reason to have them switch between the two... still, Vengeance is the spell I want to see most translated into WoW.

[Teriz]

This class does seem more appealing to me than hunters. They're pretty much the only class I haven't tried. Gotta be the element of heavily magic-based abilities.

Wouldn't mind getting either Dark Ranger or Warden. Give the Dark Ranger all the Scourge-based unit abilities we haven't given to the DK yet. I've been wanting to see some kind of class that has viable melee/ranged hybrid dps, which might work for the Warden, but there's nothing really about them that'd give a realistic reason to have them switch between the two... still, Vengeance is the spell I want to see most translated into WoW.

Same here. I loved playing the Night Elves because of their archers and magic. I was pretty disappointed to not see any of that represented in WoW.

Druids helped a lot though.

[Deleted]

Well I disagree. When I play Windwalker, I still get Health Spheres to appear via Afterlife fairly often, which indicates that I killed something. Now I could have said "when you kill something that grants experience or honor", but I digress.

Maybe if your doing hc's, but there is a reason that blizz is going away from ability's that trigger from enemy's dying. Think of how many raid bosses this signature spell would be beneficial to

Also the ability is called Life Drain. Its also a classic Dark Ranger ability. I don't know where you got Drain Soul from.

You are right it's also works like Life Drain, but is also similar to drain soul (a channeled warlock ability that gave you soul shards if the target died when you where channeling) thats where i got it from

Which ability reminded you of explosive shot? And while I'm sure that some abilities have PvP application, being able to use Cold Arrow on a target as an archer class would be very beneficial. Wouldn't you say?

Searing Arrow: Fires an arrow imbued with flames. This applies a DoT after initial damage. Have you ever played a survival hunter? Hint: this is explosive shot.

Concussive Shot
40 yd range
Instant 5 sec cooldown
Requires Hunter
Requires level 8
Requires Ranged Weapon
Dazes the target, slowing movement speed by 50% for 6 sec.

And this is Cold Arrow, it only works on players and adds and the general beneficial part of this outside pvp is often limited i would say especially in raids.

Fan of Blades/Knives was actually originally a Warden ability. Shadow Port is nothing like Shadowstep. Shadowstep makes you appear behind the opponent. Shadowport is a teleport akin to Blink. And it's not called Sinister Strike, its called Shadow Strike.

No matter who the ability was meant for first doesn't really matter? right now it's a known and used rogue spell and this is what people would react to if you just gave it to another class. Pretty sure every mage would be pissed off that their "signature spell" was given to someone else. You might think that it's better that it's like blink and not Shadowstep but really the issue would be the same.

And did you edit your post? i could have sworn there was a spell called sinister strike in there that worked a lot like the basic melee rogue ability.

If you think this was a lot of effort, wait until you see my Tinker thread!

I think the Tinker would be awesome in WoW so i hope you make your vision of it feel more fresh and new, than the ranger did in this case for me.

[Justignoreme]

Same here. I loved playing the Night Elves because of their archers and magic. I was pretty disappointed to not see any of that represented in WoW.

But it is. It's just not unique to them because racial unique spells cause balance QQ balancing inequities, which why the old racial specific priest abilities were removed or homogenised.

Arcane Shot - Magic Arrow
Cobra Shot - Nature based Magic Shot
Serpent Sting - Nature based Magic
Explosive Shot - No different from your Searing Arrow, Magic
Chimera Shot - Deals pure nature damage, refreshes SS, heals you, Magic
Aimed Shot - Archer Skill, powerful ranged attack
Black Arrow - More generalised, hunter friendly version of the Dark Ranger's signature shot, no skeleton from corpse, Magic
Powershot - Archer skill, deals massive damage
Glaive Toss - A signature ability of a Night Elf huntress
Rapid Fire - all archer skill
Scare Beast - calling upon nature magics to send a beast fleeing in terror
Camouflage - Homogenised version the original iteration of Shadowmeld well, where a Huntress would fade into the shadows when she stopped moving (at night, ofc)