Maybe it's just me but i feel like the choices of companion's are pretty bland in looks and passives. At the end of the day, you will end up using a boar or a bear because they're the only pets that can take a few hits on POTD SOLO. Here are a few things I feel would make Rangers more neat.
1. Option to choose a different pet skin (e.g Black Bear, Polar Bear/ Wof -> War Hound)
2. Pet Stable/Shop where the ranger can switch to a different companion or have access to different companion skins maybe at a price, can we get a bird too? I mean if your the main character of the story, and you can't have an exclusive pet... it's kinda sad.
3. Let pet's have special unique actives, because at the current state whats the point of having a wolf with only increased damage when he has no accuracy to hit, and he gets 2-4 shotted, when you can have a boar who regens and can take a few more hits, or a bear with amazing armor. Even a once per a encounter move would be a big help to a ranger.
Examples for abilities
1. Wolf - Pack Howl - Increases nearby allies/ranger damage/ action speed for a short period of time
2. Lion - Pounce - A stealth attack that stuns, and leaves surrounded enemies shaken for a short amount of time
3. Stag - Antler Guard - +2 Engagement with significant increase in deflection, but is unable to move from position
4. Antelope - Kick Dirt- Blind's Enemies in a small area around the antelope.
5. Bear - Maul - Attacks cleave enemies in a cone for a short duration
6. Boar - Wild Charge- Boar casts, or charges for a short duration, and will run in a linear fashion at a given location. First Enemy hit gets knocked down, and has decreased armor, or it could just knock everyone out of its way.
4. Customizable Pet Stats.. Give the ability to customize pet stats on character creation, maybe even add unique pet armors
5. Beast Master subclass, making the hunter having an extra pet.. penalty? more GRIEF yayyy
6. Last but least I want to talk about some of the skills, I just want to put it out there... but what is with binding roots being a ranger skill? It's completely out of the theme, you have every other skill based on physical attacks and pet skills, then you have that one where it feels like the ranger went to druid school for a day just to learn how to grow grass. Why not just make the ranger throw caltrop on the ground, and when the enemy walks on it you give the same effect.. this would be so useful as a starter ability... 1 attack and the enemy just ignores your pet and hunts you down like a wildebeest. Not to mention ghost heart... and the amazingly useless ghost that cant hit because the enemy keeps moving after you at the trade of a bond point, and its ability to not engage (pretty harsh).. speaking of first tier skils next point.
Wounding strike? It's pretty much a insignificant version of the rogues Crippling Strikes, what makes it worst, is that you pretty much have the option to upgrade the wounding strikes into the rogues crippling strike with a lower hobbled duration. and the other upgrade you only receive a 20+ accuracy... so your more accurate, but you can't be more accurate to expose weakness on the armor, or do a little extra damage.
Play Dead and Revive Pet- extremely redundant, why not just make it one move?
Tier 8 & 9, not worth getting., these moves should be on a lower tier..
Whirling strikes? Thats extremely out of place, you even require a melee weapon for it, especially when you have all these ranged passives then you get this skill.. I doubt anyone would use a ranger as a melee class unless its multiclassed with something else defeating the purpose of this skill. Who said Bow's and Firearms can't be used as melee weapons? Stock strike? Pistol Whip? Now that I mention it... It would be extremely cool, if the ranged firearms (because of there deadly reload time that takes 1 million years) had its specialty too switch into a melee weapon using the > that x distance, or < x distance formula even if it does significantly less damage it at close range it would make whirling strikes make more sense to have. I dont know how someone can be reloading that arquebus cleaning out the chamber while the enemy slaps you in the face... Rifles can have bayonet's... maybe this would make a good idea for a unique weapon???? haa?? wink wink*
Shadowed hunters..... again you have the rogues ability.. but this time its the final move.. WHAT!!!?!!!?! Forget the healing it has, its slow, and pointless. Only works while you hide in the corner. It might as well be closer to the starting tiers. At the end of the day it will be used the same way the rogue uses stealth.... to get out of combat. 30 seconds to heal up is way too long, at this point it's just another fancy play dead but this time the ranger escapes too. At least give it a sneak attack bonus like the rogues 100% dmg if it's going to be so high up on the tier. 3 bond is pretty pricey to be insignificant for 30 seconds
It would make more sense if rangers had a summon like Aspect of Galawain or some beast that they discovered while being independent in the wilds, or unlock special specific pet skills similar to the ones i stated above. maybe even having a pack hunter ability where you summon copies of your current pet to assist. I would even be more please if there was a aimed strike ability, that can hit vital body parts putting a deadly debuff depending on the area hit.
I don't know, but for a class whose life style is based around independence and isolation.. you feel very dependent. Feeling like a watered down rogue, with a mediocre pet that dies in 3 hits and makes you suffer more... Even chanter's summons are more tanky.
Love this game so far, but I feel some classes needs more love.. Not sure if this is the right place to post this.. sorry im a bit new on the forums ;p
Probably by design, most people picking challenge options don't also want things that make the game easier. But still, it should be an option for those who want's to use them. I wouldn't mind having 2 extra stats on all my attributes if im playing solo with all these punishing side effects that are very glitchy. I want to feel like the main character in my story. It goes with the saying, if you dont like something, dont use it. No one is being forced to use the blessings. In all truth, I don't see whats the purpose of making 2 different new game option screens.. could have just made them one entity.. more options to play the way YOU like is more exciting. It's not like this is an online game where you're competing against each other in a pit. The day this game becomes a multiplayer game, is the day I would agree with restricting specific function in specific game modes. but for now at this moment.. It is a single player game, and most of us are here for lore and to enjoy ourselves. they disabled scaling in the regular POTD mode.. why? For now im going to just cheese all the challenges with a chanter/assassin.. cant leave battle? infinite summon powers? Yes please.
