Are ranged rangers better than melee ones?

[Nareau]

I'm playing a two-weapon-fighting ranger, and beginning to think the ranged ranger would have been a more powerful build.

My thinking is that they're pretty well matched in terms of powers (ie, just about all the attack powers can be used in melee or ranged, or there are equivalent powers for each). But the ranged ranger really only has to focus on Dex and Wis. The melee ranger has to pump up his Str as well. And he's in the thick of things, so gets hit a lot more often and so needs to boost his AC and Con.

Is there any real benefit to playing a melee ranger?

Nareau

 

[(Psi)SeveredHead]

I'm playing a two-weapon-fighting ranger, and beginning to think the ranged ranger would have been a more powerful build.

My thinking is that they're pretty well matched in terms of powers (ie, just about all the attack powers can be used in melee or ranged, or there are equivalent powers for each). But the ranged ranger really only has to focus on Dex and Wis. The melee ranger has to pump up his Str as well. And he's in the thick of things, so gets hit a lot more often and so needs to boost his AC and Con.

Is there any real benefit to playing a melee ranger?

Nareau

Maybe if you're an eladrin (+2 damage per short sword). But otherwise the ranged ranger is usually a better bet.

And, of course, there's no support for a spear ranger

 

[blargney the second]

Archers also only need to upgrade one weapon, rather than two. I gather the TWF gets some better stuff at higher levels.

 

[Stalker0]

I think the ranged ranger is a lot better.

Dex gives you everything, ac, reflex, attack, damage, good skills, more initiative, the whole package.

Ranged rangers can do as much if not more damage, and are often tougher as they will have a higher AC.

 

[Benly]

Maybe if you're an eladrin (+2 damage per short sword).

Weapon Focus doubledips just as well as Eladrin Weapon Training does. Any damage bonus does, really.

For my part, what I most look forward to with a TWF ranger is Stormwarden's general awesomeness and eventually Heavy Blade Opportunity + Twin Strike + Two-Weapon Flurry + Scimitar Dance. Multiclassing Fighter opens up some truly terrifying bastardry as well, and of course there's Blade Cascade which is pretty sweet even if you don't go insane with it. The TWF ranger does have some stuff going for it.

Also, as noted many abilities work with either. The TWF ranger can be a quite respectable archer in his spare time and vice versa if he invests a feat in Quick Draw.

 

[Arbitrary]

I don't think a Ranger should ever consider himself one or the other. Two-Blade Fight Style is a more power ability and much harder to reproduce than the bonus feat of Defensive Mobility so unless I had planned out a specific Ranger paragon path that required it I would never, ever take Archer Fighting Style even though I believe most of the time the correct move is to shoot at range.

The large number of immediate interrupt encounter and utility powers that can cancel/counter attacks can be used both offensively and defensively and it is up to the Ranger to choose when he should be using them to get out of danger and when he should get right in the middle of things and use them to function as an evasion based Defender. The Ranger that ditches his bow and moves in with a pair of Bastard Swords and applies his Quarry to the monster beating someone to death has a pretty good chance of peeling it off and with good power selection his bow powers are also TWF powers.

Rangers are all about versatility.

 

[Agrias Oaks]

I'd have to say the Ranger paths are about equal.

TWF has the superior 'ability' by allowing you to wield a 1h weapon as an offhand, regardless of whether its too big or not. This allows a Ranger who goes TWF to do some major damage with say, a pair of bastard swords.

Attribute wise, a Dex ranger can probably just get a good dex+wisdom, and survive with a decent str score. TWF rangers seem to rely on str+dex, or if they go with something like pit fighter, they generally go for str+wis instead of dex.

Power wise, both of them can use a lot of the same powers. TWF gets Cascade of blades, which is a very unique, cool, and strong power. However its not the end all, be all of ranger powers.

Archer rangers will (generally) be placed in less danger then melee rangers, as well. They can safely shoot their enemies from a distance, shifting with every shot. Melee rangers take more risk for more reward. IMO TWF=Damage and combat positions (A lot of their powers shift, push, and knock enemies down). Ranged=Defense and mobility.

Of course, a good ranger can do both, a classic TWF ranger that goes str+dex can find himself using a Bow often, since he'll have decent enough dex and quite a few of his powers can probably used with a bow, too. Archer rangers won't be as good in Melee, but they can still fight quite well.

(And this is my first post, I felt compelled to sign up here for it!)

 

[erik_the_guy]

Heavy armor can help make up for low DEX. If you spend a lot of time in melee and your DEX is low, you can likely afford high enough CON to buy those armor feats. Plate armor specialization is an attractive option. 3 Feats to become proficient in plate armor, and one if you want to get another +1 feat bonus to AC (which stacks with the +1 shield bonus from two wep def).

If your DEX is at least 15, you probably use a bow occasionally and want some mobility. Go with scale armor, and grab the specialization feet at paragon tier (which allows you to use scale armor without taking a speed penalty). That's two feats to become proficient in scale and one to gain the +1 feat bonus to AC. One less feat than plate armor, one less AC, and one more square of speed.

The defense from heavy armor at levels 1, 15, and 30 is equal to that of light armor and a maxed out DEX score at the same levels (comparing hide to full plate with appropriate armor upgrades for the paragon and epic tiers.

 

[FadedC]

Unless I'm mistaken, there's nothing stopping a melee ranger from pulling out a magic javelin (strength based range weapon) and using twin strike with that just as well as he used twin strike with his melee weapons. He won't hit quite as hard, but he still has a very strong ranged attack with a hit bonus similar to that of the bow ranger.

Quick draw will help with that, but as long as your javelin is magic, it is not strictly required. It just lets you take a move action when you throw.

 

[Gloombunny]

Unless I'm mistaken, there's nothing stopping a melee ranger from pulling out a magic javelin (strength based range weapon) and using twin strike with that just as well as he used twin strike with his melee weapons. He won't hit quite as hard, but he still has a very strong ranged attack with a hit bonus similar to that of the bow ranger.

Quick draw will help with that, but as long as your javelin is magic, it is not strictly required. It just lets you take a move action when you throw.

Unfortunately, it doesn't matter what kind of ranged weapon you use - all the ranger powers are Dexterity-based for ranged attacks. "heavy thrown" only affects basic attacks, not powers.

I'm not sure that's a good rule, but it is the rule.