A higher level general Ranger battle strategy. BEWARE: ANNOYING QUESTIONS WITHIN.

[Matsukurago]

These are some tough questions. Beware the amount of specific information I am asking for

Fill in the blank. I should ALWAYS use Sharpshot with ____?

Which is best? Using Sidewinder as it becomes ready (I.E. at 100% or slightly more. Saving up 300% and using it then?

True or False. When fighting your common IT mob you should generally NEVER use Barrage and Sidewinder on the same MOB?

A very complicated and advanced question I'm wondering (and I won't hold it against anyone if they don't even touch this question.) is when do I use my abilities/weaponskills in relation to the other classes. I.E. I see someone doing something so I hold out on my abilites because using them would be excessive.

IMPORTANT AS THIS BETTER EXPLAINS WHAT I AM REALLY LOOKING FOR AND AM HAVING TROUBLE FINDING A WAY TO ASK.

If you haven't guessed I'm kinda asking for a general Ranger battle strategy. How to use what and when to use it to make my Ranger as effective as it can possibly be. This is very important in high level parties so I need to learn. I'm looking for the most commonly accepted and used Ranger plan out there. A standard that parties expect a Ranger to follow and that the majority of Rangers use. Better yet, anyone point me to a post/faq/website that is covers every aspect of the Ranger class and is indepth for late game parties? I guess you could say I'm seeking a Ranger strategery guide.

These are some tough advanced question so please (and I mean this with the best regards) don't try answering if your just guessing or repeating what you heard through the grapevine. I know that sounds mean but I seriously doubt a level 15 Ranger has the experience to answer my questions. Now you know why I said that.

So sorry if I sound condesending or rude. I really do not mean to be, it's just the way I talk. Furthermore, keep your flames out of this post PLEASE. The general disrespect and "flamming" I have seen lately over FFXI has been driving ME NUTS! I do not understand why people get SO worked up over a game. That's besides the point and I am trailing off topic, which I would really like to avoid in the topic.

If someone posts something you totally disagree with in the topic then please, voice your opinion and try to counter there point with intelligent, relative information in a calm and courteous manner. If you wish to get into a heated irrational debate please do so via PM, new topic or some other means. Please don't ruin my topic I worked so hard to make >.<

To anyone who taked on the monumental task of attempting to quench my thirst for knowledge you will have much eternal love and respect from me if you didn't already. ~.~y

THANKS!

[hatey]

I think you should change your main job to ninja, and use your 2 hour, saves us the time of explaining. No, seriously, I hope some high level rangers help you, good luck.

[FeralisCallidus]

I'm still three levels away from sidewinder, but I will give it a shot.

As you level you will begin to get a feel for exactly how much hate you induce with Normal Arrows, Multiple Arrows (Barrage), Sharpshot Ability, Barrage Ability and even your dagger swipes.

Now, from this, you will learn how much hate Sidewinder creates (as it is significantly stronger than a successful barrage).

From there on out, it is simply a matter of hate balancing. If you have been consistantly landing your arrows on an IT and think sidewinder would be a death wish, save it for a killquick, or use in a dancingedge/viperbite skillchain that will slap the hate back on the paladin.

There are no rules of thumb really to follow here (unless you are talking about the half HP rule, but even that is oversimplified and flawed out the ass), so just use your best judgement and do your job as a damage dealer to balance the hate you gain.

Hope that helps a little o.x;

[McClane]

It all depends on the tank

If you have a good pld/nin that keeps hate you can use barrage easy without getting hate too long/too much
You are 30 right now and maybe going to garlaige soon, there you may fight bats, then you gotta hold on on the damage cause you will barely miss bats and will do lots of damage to them, dun know about barrage here, think you can better use it to kill the bat or not use it at all
If in a battle I would miss 2 times in a row and have sharpshot and barrage rdy, I use it mostly too, cause I missed 2 times I won't get the hate for long, the only thing I never do is use barrage/sidewinder before the pld's second provoke, if the pld can't get a second provoke off and you hit the mob hard it will not be nice, you'll take alot of dmg, tank needs to heal a lot for hate, you need healing, lot of wasted mp

when you get sidewinder it's mostly in the renkei, so you'll wait till the mob is @ 50% HP or a bit lower and begin the renkei and/or MB and the mob will be dead or soon to be dead :D

when sidewinder is not in the renkei I would use it to kill of the mob, if the renkei/MB doesn't do it

I would use berserk only if the tank can handle it

That's the way I see it for now....

[Trimpton]

I have sharpshot on my TP attack and Barrage macro.

Hate control depends on the tank, you should not have a problem balancing your barrage and sidewinder. You will pick it up more as you play.

If you cant figure out hate control when you are 55, just change jobs because you are gonna die alot and most likely kill your group.

[Seishi]

heh...I'm a lv56 RNG now. Whenever I have full TP and mostly assign into 2 different renkeis. So After pull up a monster, run over to the PLD's side, <call2> Renkei #1. Now Activate Barrage, Sam would be the perfect teammate for RNG, Sam's 2nd WS->Sidewinder, then shoot again for the Barrage. Wait a bit for the MB to land. Now the TP is up to 100%. <call2> Renkei #2. (Sam's 2nd WS)->Sidewinder. This guarantee that the mob will be on you. So I usually do blink before each Renkei and stand behind the PLD. lol

But usually after the 2nd renkei, the mob would be dead.

[McClane]

If you use sidewinder and barrage just after you pulled monsters the pld will be a bit useless cause you are really tanking ^^
About 2 sidewinders in 1 fight, it's only doable if barrage hits full and if you are lucky enough that sidewinder hits with only 100%-110%

And this tactic could only be used once every 2, maybe 3 battle's cause barrage needs 5 min. reload
I usually try to use sidewinder every battle, 1 battle, 1renkei, 1 MB that way you can take the mob down to 50% health, maybe a bit less to renkei and MB and kill or almost kill the mob

[qweezy]

Here's what I do usually:

Round 1: 150% TP, Sharpshot, Sidewinder

now that Sharpshot is on timer.....

Round 2: 150% TP, Barrage, 200% TP, Sidewinder

Because you have no Sharpshot this round, the extra TP gain from Barrage will increase your Sidewinder accuracy.

Round 3: Same as Round 1

Round 4: Same as Round 2

*If mob is not dead after the renkei + mb in Round 1 or 3, feel free to finish it off with Barrage, the tp will carry to the next fight.

I'm Rng/War, I squeeze in Berserk whenever I can.

[Matsukurago]

the extra TP gain from Barrage will increase your Sidewinder accuracy.

This has been proven? I have seen the arguements many times but I did not know it was true. Thanks guys.

[Spider-Dan]

It says as much in the in-game description:

"Accuracy improves with TP."

(or something)

[Matsukurago]

Ahh I don't have it yet so I didn't know that was its bonus effect with more TP. Thought maybe it was the much argued about "Does accuracy increase weaponskills ( as in Sturmwind, Red Lotus Blade, etc. etc. etc.) debate. Thanks.

[McClane]

qweezy's tactic is the way to go

I usually try to do it like that too