Rangers are the best of their class when it comes to bows. Though gladiators and assassins can use bows, they won’t be as efficient as rangers since the rangers’ combat skills dedicated to take down enemies at long distances. Aside from their bows, rangers are also capable of deploying traps to halt enemy advance or if ever they get too close for comfort, rangers can also wield dual-daggers or swords, a skill inherited from being a lowly scout before. Rangers can only wear leather armors like assassins and since they don’t have that much defense against attacks, rangers will need to rely on their marksmanship skills to keep enemies from reaching them or their evasion skills if the situation calls for it. Unlike rangers from other MMORPGs, Aion rangers won’t have any abilities to call forth pets; they become one with the help of polymorphing skills. Rangers fulfill the role of pathfinders and snipers in a group, capable of tactically placing traps and keeping the enemies at bay.
After completing their ascensions, new rangers start off with two class-exclusive combat skills, a passive skill that increases their bow range while in flight and a morphing skill that allows them to transform into a Mau Templar. This transformation will increase the ranger’s physical attack, attack speed and speed, depending on the skill level and will last for an entire minute. The stat bonuses of the transformations will vary between the two races but not that significant. At level 13, they’ll have access to their first trap, capable of immobilizing an enemy, as well as lowering its evasion rate significantly. Traps consume tripeed seeds in order to be deployed and are only available to the ranger class. As rangers progress through their skill tree, they’ll be introduced to more traps and bow combat skills, including long-ranged attacks that may stun or slow down enemy movement. They’ll also gain access to traps that can immobilize targets mid-air and supporting abilities to attack afterwards. Rangers can perform these deadly chain skills from a safe distance, and even execute counterattacks after dodging melee attacks. This makes rangers very versatile fighters, when traveling alone or even with a group. Unfortunately, rangers in Aion won’t have any advanced healing skills in their later levels which means that they must still rely on bandages or potions or better yet, the assistance of allied clerics or chanters.
Rangers need to maintain a good supply of arrows and tripeed seeds, making them one of those expensive classes. Players that wanted to eliminate targets safely and accurately at a distance while maintaining average close-combat capabilities will surely love playing as rangers.
