Suggestion [Skill] Fleetfoot (Ranger)

[madpear]

a) Fleetfoot- For X energy and Y mana, Ranger gains a Q% move speed increase for Z seconds.
b) Agility- For X energy and Y mana, Ranger gains a Q% move speed increase for Z seconds.

For a) the MS gain Q is lower, but the duration Z is longer.
For b) the MS gain Q is higher, but the duration Z is shorter.

When I think of a Ranger tracking somebody, I think of somebody who can catch a trail and overtake their quarry. Without a speed boost of any sort, right now the Ranger has a tendency to lag behind the entire party when following a track and it feels counter-intuitive as every other class and their sister runs out ahead of the sluggish Ranger. A heavy-handed plodder that gets even slower when he starts into a fight isn't exactly the definition of deftness.

Either seem like valid skills that would harmonize with the spirit of the class. The name and numbers in the skill could be hammered out by the balance team, but all things considered this is the biggest skill I see as missing from the class in order for it to really fit its description.

 

[Jack_Reacher]

I like "Fleetfoot" better - it seems to fit with Rangers.

 

[Dsawemd]

I have seen several Ranger mobility threads recently, and I just need to remind everyone that any mobility skill granted to Rangers would require a severe reduction of IceArrow's potential slow time.

Also, I think that Ranger does not need a strong mobility skill. I would think that a 2-3 block backflip disengage (combined with a 1-2 extra block ONLY Tumble) that can be executed while charging a shot would be more balanced than some speed boost. Unless of course major rebalancing is done and Ice is removed/greatly reduced.

 

[madpear]

A backflip isn't really a Ranger-esque ability whereas mobility+ would be, but it would be a reasonable addition. I think the reason you see mobility threads is that the Ranger class isn't capable of much "ranging" as it were. It moves and fights like the slowest class in the game, which is the antithesis of what a bow-and-quiver tracker should be.

The Ice arrow is nice, but it's not like you can keep on their tail anyway once you've landed one. The slow doesn't last very long and you lose as much ground pulling the string as you pick up in the slow, and that's if the server doesn't feel like bucking and heaving during the fight (which it does). Miss one arrow and your target is home-free. Specifically to this point: have you seen a Ranger utterly dominate with a speed 1/2 pot? I haven't, and I'm confused how anybody can be so certain a speed ability would make Ranger absurdly powerful considering the speed pots are essentially the same thing and are yet to make people flood to the Ranger as they do to certain other classes.

For me it boils down to the purpose of the class. A ranger's mobility is as low as a class is currently capable of. Either standard speed, or ~20% with an arrow at the ready. It feels awkward and cumbersome, you have little to no ability to chase, flee, or trek across a range. Sounds more like a putsy Briton longbowman from Age of Empires than a range-walker.

 

[madpear]

The more I talk with people in game, the more everybody seems to agree the Backflip would be a great idea for Ranger. It wouldn't even involve too much code because it's already written : )

 

[Dreamcycler]

I agree with Dsa, Rangers wouldnt need a speed boost, that would make it harder to shoot your enemy with a boom anyway, I think they could use a trap, Steop on the trap and it SNARES target for 1-2 secs

 

[madpear]

Depending on the implementation, that could be terribly weak to marginal. Either way it's a reasonable suggestion.

I'd still prefer to see a backflip as suggested by dsawemd or the "decreased slowness while arrow drawn" skill as suggested http://www.herocraftonline.com/main/threads/skill-quick-draw-ranger.35418/