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Ten Ton Hammer: Whether a player is solo or in a group, they want to feel useful and accomplished. What will the Ranger’s 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 Ranger’s damage dealing is weaker than that of the Assassin or Gladiator, so depending on the situation it’s 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 Ranger’s 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 Aion’s 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.

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.