Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Well, decided to talk a look around other forums for intelligent life.

Seems to actually be some on BST forums, but that was about it. Reading other RNG and COR forums makes my brain hurt. Actually got defaulted on Alla for saying a full-time SMN/part-time COR should pick Redignote for pet augments over Mirke for Quick Draw augments. Thought it sounded sensible, oh well.

Also thought the post-nerf butthurt RNG was a thing of the past, but apparently those relics are still around swearing up and down the current ranged formula is broken (no), that we need auto-attack on ranged (go play in traffic) and then there's those people still really, really obsessed about where they're supposed to stand (not something I worry about that much).

Was happy to see yet again that RNG burns are alive and well on Odin, as I got a couple blind invites for some, too bad I was in Stellar Fulcrum waiting to do ACP at the time. Invites otherwise have been somewhat slow, but they do come.

I have run into a potential wall with RNG, though. Crafters just don't seem to be into making large quantities of ammo these days. The RNG population is pretty mild here, but you'd think based off the population that we'd still see more than enough people skilling woodworking, but the misnomer is still going around that there isn't a RNG market on Odin.

So I'm faced with the possibility of having to just start crafting the stuff myself. I think it would be for the best, really. Thing is, I might have to give up Foobar's Cooking craft to pull it off. He's just a point or two over 60, so breaking the contract wouldn't be a life ender. Not like its too terribly hard to get the jug pets I need anyway off AH, those actually seem to be in decent suuply.

While its tempting to consider learning to make bullets and arrows, I'm somewhat of the opintion that arrows would be the easier investment as arrows are the main problem. Bolts are easy to get, bullets reasonably available. Finding steady supplies of Demon, Marid and Kabura Arrows is a pain in the ass.

Foobar has light woodworking skill (early 20s) and Kitten has mid-50s boneworking). I figure this should at least carry me to 50 or 60 on Foobar. But I may as well look into bolts while I'm at it, so I need a crafting strategy there since I'm very disconnected from crafting at the moment.

[Caspian]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

As far as crafting goes, iirc, the vast majority of my skilling up on ww'ing was done on logs to lumber and often times making arrows with that lumber.
Having bonecrafting for kabura arrowheads is extra nice. Your wallet will thank you.

[Tokitung]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

I concur with the just crafting your own Ammo. The Rng ammo market is pretty dismal on Ifrit, as most people have just switch to crafting bullets which can be used for Rng and Cor. Finding anything over Demon arrows is a pain and I usually stock up the second I see any on sale.

From what I can see, many Rngs are just in hiding. A lot of old school Rngs, including myself, have had plenty of time to level other jobs that 1) Get more consistent party invites and 2) Are much less expensive to use in merit parties. Since I've had such a long time to fully pimp out my Rng, minus some few harder to get items (damn you AF2 Belt and Zha'Go's Barbut!), I feel that it is actually too powerful for everyday uses such as merit parties. I dust it off for more large scale events such as Sky, Einjhar, and some Dynamis in which case the power is of much more use.

On a side note, I love old school Arrow Burns. I remember way back, when we would exp in Den of Rancor on Lizards. Setup was 4 Rngs, 1 Brd and 1 Rdm. Rdm would pull with Gravity and the mob would be dead before it even reached the party. It would get to the point where there would be a small line of Lizards coming to the party, meeting death as their ticket number was called

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

Ah, yes, when BRDs knew how to buff RNGs.

Those were the days...

Well, now that CORs here and they know how to buff RNGs, we don't need no stinkin' BRDs and thier LOLPreludes.

I was preluded last week, I about kill that BRD >.> MINUET ONRT!!!!

Disagree about bullets being a more lucrative market given RNGs don't use bullets much before 50 and occasionally after that. Most CORs are just dumbasses that use the level 22 bullets. The market for COR bullets is actually worse, but given my playstyle on COR, I can live between the appearances of Steel Bullets on the AH. Part of why I love my Joytoy.

[Yellow Mage]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

I was preluded last week, I about kill that BRD >.> MINUET ONRT!!!!

It's okay, 'kitten, calm down, the mean old Bard isn't going to Prelude you again. Deep breaths, deep breaths . . .

[Tokitung]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

Ugh, Prelude.

I have noticed that, Brds just don't know how to buff Rngs anymore. I mean, dear god, I had a Brd specifically casting double March on me. And I mean on me specifically. I was out of range when they buffed the Melee and actually came over and gave me double March >.> My jaw just dropped and I was so close to bitching them out I almost popped a vein. Then they didn't believe me when I said that haste effects don't affect ranged attacks, unless from Snapshot/Velocity Shot/Rapid shot proc.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

I remember sometime last year hearing am EGLS BRD proclaim it was just too hard to buff a RNG PT.

See I was a BRD back in the day when RNG burns were happening. Not saying I sought them out exclusively, but I did see my fair share. I knew with MNKs and WARs you wanted accuracy and haste and when with RNGs Minuet x2 was the rule of thumb.

Prelude was for events if RNGs were having problems hitting the NMs, but not for general use.

COR does have it easier with their accuracy buffs being rolled into on buff, that way RNGs can't exactly complain about it since melees get their accuracy buff the same time the RNGs do and no one loses out on Chaos roll when that comes around.

[Mog]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

minuet x2 or gtfo

and ever since I parsed 2nd to a relic GK on DL (and outparsed another), ranger has been my favorite job. x.x

[ShepardG]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

As far as the Ammo making, I'll say when I leveled Martain's WW (it's at 92+1) It was actually break-even to profitable. I can make kabura arrows now, but they are such a pain in the ass, for the work/time ratio that I don't even bother.

I was reading a great thread over on Alla, Allakhazam.com: Final Fantasy XI about farming and crafting. I wouldn't be surprised if someone did the math, the reason ammo wasn't selling was because of the idea's discussed here.

[Andrinor]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

I'm fairly glad at this point that I leveled my craft based on my original main of RNG, so I have 100+6 woodworking for ammo making purposes. It IS still a pain for the cost savings though.

I had a BRD ask me if I wanted prelude the other day. It's tough for new BRDs really. They just haven't partied with too many RNGs and those they have PTed with are generally hacks who don't know how to play it. So they see this specific song for RNGs and honestly believe that's what they should use. I usually have to explain that and/or haste everytime I bring RNG.

Speaking of the new armors, I'm surprised by how many RNGs I've seen put Ranged ACC on the thing. I went with RNG ATK and Snapshot myself. I try not to judge them because they know how their RNG performs better than I, but I simply don't need the extra accuracy most of the time, and when I did need it I could either 1) put it in other slots or 2) use another body to get it. Eh, mebbe it's just me.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

Yeah, its been general disappointment on all three ACP Armors to see people just default it to Hauby/SH kinds of stats. Why even bother questing it if that's what you're gonna do with it? At least some PLDs and SMNs are making good use of the opportunity presented in those armors. I've seen only a couple other RNGs sporting the +10 Ranged Attack/+5 Snap choice.

All so they can go back and sell thier Hauby/Hauberk/SH. Big, dumb decision to make a little gil back. But as I always say - profit from stupidity. If you need those body armors for other jobs, now's a good time to buy them.

Ranged Attack +10 and +5 Snapshot make Mirke a great TP body for Gun and Bow, jury's still out on Holy Bolt build, though if you don't have Osode, then Mirke is still great for that, too. I even think this is the better choice for COR since they don't get much haste, but get merits for QD recast and gear elsewhere for MAB. CORs don't get a lot of access to Snapshot and this piece would help make COR relic hands worthwhile (if I'm understanding VZX's interpetiation of "Enhances Snapshot Effect" correctly, anyway)..

[Malacite]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

While its tempting to consider learning to make bullets and arrows, I'm somewhat of the opintion that arrows would be the easier investment as arrows are the main problem. Bolts are easy to get, bullets reasonably available. Finding steady supplies of Demon, Marid and Kabura Arrows is a pain in the ass.

This is an understatement. Kabura especially because the arrow heads are a 90-something smithing synth which means even if you have the WW leveled, you're still potentially fucked.

[Nataka]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

While we're on the topic of arrows, I've been wanting level ranger but upon examining ammo supplies I've noticed this trend:

1. Kabura arrows are rare and expensive, and if they're sold they're not quivered
2. Demon arrows are cheap and plentiful in both single stacks and quivered.

I've seen it said that demon is good for 75 and just use Kabura for WS...is that really the case? Especially since crafting Kabura isnt exactly easy, especially for someone like myself who doesnt really like crafting. x_x I'm actually a fisherman like the ones described in ShepardG's post.

[Tokitung]

Re: Ranger Talk! (>'.')>}==== >>-->

While we're on the topic of arrows, I've been wanting level ranger but upon examining ammo supplies I've noticed this trend:

1. Kabura arrows are rare and expensive, and if they're sold they're not quivered
2. Demon arrows are cheap and plentiful in both single stacks and quivered.

I've seen it said that demon is good for 75 and just use Kabura for WS...is that really the case? Especially since crafting Kabura isnt exactly easy, especially for someone like myself who doesnt really like crafting. x_x I'm actually a fisherman like the ones described in ShepardG's post.

Well, think of it like this. If you put one merit into Recycle and use Unlimited Shot as often as you can, you actually don't burn through them that fast. Idk about merit party, but in Sky I rarely go though a quarter of a stack of Kabura on a full Sky tour. Now if you use them with Barrage, then yes, you will burn through them pretty fast.

[Caspian]

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Demons are fine. I rarely used kaburas for anything other than Dynamis Lord. I never did any other HNM's or Gods so they really didnt get used often.