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With a bow strapped to his back and a knife tucked into his belt, the Ranger is one of the most iconic classes in fantasy MMORPGs.  The Ranger often comes equipped with a bag of tricks and a keen eye.  These, sometimes more so than his bow, are what allow him to stop the enemy dead in it's tracks and to unleash a barrage of attacks killing the foe before it even had the chance to catch sight of the arrow.

In Aion, you can expect the same deadly skill and intent in their version of the Ranger with the added bonus of not just being another leather-clad bow jockey.  With a wide variety of weapons and character customization beyond what you see in typical MMOGs, Aion brings the Ranger from the shadows and allows for them to enjoy the same epic look that the big boys in plate typically get.

To continue our series of class interviews, Aion Community Manager Lani Blazier graciously answered a few questions for Ten Ton Hammer about the Ranger covering a wide range of topics.  Learn about armor and weapons, skills, and find out why you don't want to be within range of this deadly opponent on the battlefield!

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Ten Ton Hammer: The Ranger is a much loved class across the fantasy genre because of its trademark bow and arrow gameplay that is often exclusive to the class. Will the Rangers in Aion continue with this tradition and make the Ranger THE bow class of the game? As scouts, will they have the ability to dual wield weapons when they aren’t using their bow?

Lani: While they aren’t the only class that can use the bow (gladiators and assassins can also use them), I think it’s definitely safe to say they are the “bow class” with the strongest archery skills. That being said, they can also expertly wield a sword and dagger for close combat.

They are also a master with various traps, making them both a formidable opponent on their own and a valued member of any group. Being skilled in both long and short range attacks combined with the ability to manipulate traps makes the Ranger able to adapt easily to nearly any situation. Arrows and trap ingredients can become costly, however—this makes the Ranger one of the more expensive classes.

The combination of their lethal bow skills in addition to their duel weapon mastery will make them a quick favorite among players who traditionally like playing the Ranger class.

Ten Ton Hammer: While many fantasy games have the Ranger class, each game interprets it differently. In Aion, will the Ranger be strictly a ranged class or can fans hope to see some melee skill as well? Is there a balance or do players see a distinct edge by playing ranged versus melee?

Lani: A Ranger uses a bow when the enemy is far away, a sword when they are close and a trap when the enemy begins to draw nearer. So its strategy can change depending on the enemy’s location and situation. The idea still stays true to the Ranger playing style however; use your long range skills to deplete the enemy’s health, and then lure them in closer for the final up close and personal blows.

Ten Ton Hammer: What special abilities will the Ranger have that make it stand out amongst the other DPS classes? Will the scouts have the benefit of neat tricks like invisibility, snares, traps, etc?

Lani: The Ranger’s long range attack are definitely strong points and various opponent disturbance skills are part of what make it stand out from other classes. The fact that they can safely defeat their opponent from long range is something that sets it apart from other DPS classes. Among all the classes, the Ranger is the only one that can use traps. They can use them to block the enemy’s advances and depending on the situation, they can use various abilities, such as infiltrating behind the enemy and launching surprise attacks with invisibility skills.

Ten Ton Hammer: Scouts typically wear lighter, more agile armor leaving the fighters to adorn themselves in the big flashy plate gear. Are the Aion Rangers going for earthier, muted tones with their armor or will there be some dazzle in their gear as well?

Lani: Everyone, regardless of class, will have the opportunity to wear awesome armor and they won’t have to wait until level 50 to do so. Ranger’s primarily wear leather armor which can be further enhanced by the player’s ability to purchase dyes, allowing them more control over their appearance.