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!
border="1" height="143">
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/68595"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 200px;">
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 arent using their bow?
Lani: While they arent the only class that can use the bow (gladiators and
assassins can also use them), I think its 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, howeverthis 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 enemys location and situation. The idea still stays
true to the Ranger playing style however; use your long range skills to deplete
the enemys 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?
border="1" height="144">
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/68596"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 200px;">
Lani: The Rangers 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
enemys 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 wont have to wait until level 50 to do so. Rangers primarily
wear leather armor which can be further enhanced by the players ability to
purchase dyes, allowing them more control over their appearance.
border="1" height="143">
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/68597"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 200px;">
Ten Ton Hammer: Whether a player is solo or in a group, they want to feel
useful and accomplished. What will the Rangers role in a group be? Is he going
to be strictly DPS or will the Ranger also have group utilities that make him
more than just a damage fiend?
Lani: During group play, the Ranger has the role of a powerful rear support-type
damage dealer. It also has the role of pulling monsters. Generally, the Rangers
damage dealing is weaker than that of the Assassin or Gladiator, so depending on
the situation its good to be a damage dealer or the mezz.
Ten Ton Hammer: Fans of Rangers will want to know what kind of bows will be
available. Will there be a wide range of choices from the small and simple bow
to a big and menacing crossbow?
Lani: There will be a wide array of long-range weapons available to Rangers.
They will all stay within the bow family but have a large range of damage, look
and feel. From elegant long curved bows to menacing bows of bone and metal,
there is a wide variety of look and feel that will satisfy all bow users.
Ten Ton Hammer: Playing a scout in Aion means either choosing the Assassin or
Ranger. With the coolness factor of an Assassin being so high, what aspects of
the Ranger do you hope will drawn in the player and give them that feeling of
Whoa, this class is awesome!
Lani: I think one of the cool factors of Rangers is the ability for them to
severely weaken and cripple opponents before they even get within melee range.
Assassins use a wide arrange of tools, but most of them are at close range.
Between the traps, bows, and special attacks at the Rangers disposal, Rangers
will be very elusive to actually get into melee range with before losing a lot
of HP. Of course, when you do get in close combat with a Ranger, they do have
those dual daggers.
Ten Ton Hammer: Where does the Ranger fit into Aions lore? The scouts are
obviously the sneakier types in Aion, but where does the Ranger specifically
fall?
Lani: Being as faithful as any other class, the Ranger turns to the Empyrean
Lords for inspiration. While an Elyos Ranger looks toward Baizek, the Lord of
the free spirit, Asmodian Rangers accept Triniel, the Lord who controls death,
as their model. Rangers of both sides, in their own ways, fulfill their duties
to Aion by exemplifying their patron Lord.
border="1" height="144">
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/68598"
style="border: 2px solid ; width: 200px;">
The Elyos follow the ideas of Baizel, accepting that a free spirit helps them to
hunt more effectively, as they are not weighed down by daily troubles. In this
way, they avoid the mistake of hunting their world's creatures out of anger or
carelessness and will instead hunt only when necessary--for survival, whether
that means food or battle. Maintaining a free spirit keeps the Elyos Ranger
upbeat, positive, and eager to serve Aion.
You'll find a different attitude among the Asmodians. Following Triniel's
example, the Asmodian Ranger must understand the responsibility that comes with
her class choice--the power to control who or what lives and dies is a heavy
weight that must be carried by this class. As experts in archery, they can
easily hide in the shadows, picking off lives one by one. Triniel, however,
would never be so arbitrary. To become an Asmodian Ranger, the young Scout must
understand the burden that comes with yielding such power and responsibility.
Ten Ton Hammer: In some games, Rangers also have the ability to have animal
pets. Will the Ranger continue this trend in Aion? Or will pets be off the list
of Ranger abilities?
Lani: At present Rangers cannot have pets. However, Rangers do gain the ability
to polymorph into powerful creatures that will have their own specialized
skills. We think this is an exciting twist to the classic Ranger class, where
instead of having a pet at your disposal, you become the animal and can directly
be the feared creature instead of just controlling it.
Ten Ton Hammer: Is there anything else you can tell Aion fans and the Ten Ton
Hammer readers?
Lani: Our Closed Beta Events will begin shortly! Stay tuned for more details; we
should be making some exciting announcements in the weeks to come.
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Aion Game Page.
