The Ranger is an Advanced Vocation in Dragon's Dogma. It costs 1,000 Discipline Points (DP) to switch to this vocation.
Description
No class is deadlier from afar than the Ranger. A sniper equipped with a massive longbow, Rangers deliver punishing arrows from a distance, taking out enemies before they’re able to come near. And thanks to their dual daggers, Rangers are capable of facing multiple opponents up close.
- Primary Weapon: Daggers
- Secondary Weapon: Longbow
- Primary Offensive stat: Strength
- Armor : generally Light Armor Sets, or similar non-set components - A trade off between defense and mobility is required. Custom arm armor leaves one hand unrestricted for dextrous use of the bow. A ranger's armor requirements may be slightly less than the strider due to them fighting more at range, and less in melee.
Strengths and Role
Expert Sniper/Marksman: Rangers are the only class able to equip longbows, which allows them to do massive amounts of damage from long distance. They can target and attack multiple enemies at once, deal heavy damage to a single opponent or cover a wide area with an impressive volley of arrows -- all from a safe distance.
Massive Range: The skill Meteor/Comet Shot allows Ranger to act as a long-range sniper, killing enemies over great distances before they even know what hit them.
Selection of Arrows: Rangers can unlock several different skills that allow them to hinder, wound, or otherwise incapacitate enemies. Coupled with various types of equip-able arrows (Oil, Poison, Blast, Sleeper, Petrifying), the Ranger has a wide variety of attacks to fit each battle.
Deadly Accuracy: The Ranger's arrows are the most accurate of all long-range options, especially over medium to long distances. Some of the Ranger's skills allow it to target a creature's weak spot and fire up to ten well placed arrows at once, or fire one massively powerful shot. Rangers can also fire a wide spread of arrows, ensuring some will strike the target, or a close-range shotgun blast of arrows that will decimate crowds.
Boss Killer: When Great Gamble is charged with a high stamina stat, this skill will inflict devastating damage to an enemy. Its drawback is instant stamina depletion upon completing its firing animation.
Highest Stamina Growth: Rangers have the highest stamina growth of all vocations, allowing the character to run longer, cling to foes longer and use more skills. Stamina growth is intentionally built into the Ranger stat growth since it is used to charge Great Gamble, a skill only available to the Ranger class.
Weaknesses
Weak Melee Combatant: The Ranger does not unlock any further dagger skills past the base skills the Strider acquires. When confronted up close, it is often better to retreat to a safe distance and continue to fire arrows, which can be difficult to do in some close quarters dungeons. The Ranger's climbing speed is on par with the Assassin and Magick Archer; no vocation climbs as fast as a Strider.
Low Defense: The Ranger class has one of the lower defense ratings in the game (on par with the Strider and Assassin), rendering them very easy to overpower. A Ranger caught unaware can be slain by bosses and ranged attackers.
Bow Mobility: In exchange for the power of the longbow, the Ranger has slow walking speed while aiming. Additionally, some skills completely restrict movement. This can leave a Ranger vulnerable if enemies approach from a blind spot or attack too quickly to evade via a dodge roll. Moving with the bow drawn can also decrease the aiming accuracy of a Ranger Arisen.
High Stamina Usage: Many of the longbow skills, while powerful, require a lot of stamina to use and sustain. Repeated or improper use can very quickly lead to a lack of stamina in heated battles.
No blocking ability: The Ranger must rely on dodge roll and Instant Reset for its ability to instantly interrupt a skill animation to avoid incoming attacks.
Skills
Augments: 25,900 DP
Core: 6,000 DP
Longbow Skills: 48,700 DP
Dagger Skills: 10,800 DP
Total: 91,400 DP
Skills in bold are unique to the Ranger.
Skills in italics can only be obtained via skill rings found in Dark Arisen.
Dagger Skills:
| Skill | Rank | DP | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scarlet Kisses | Already learned | - | Concentrates a flurry of slashes on a single point, easily shredding foes with meager endurance. |
| Biting Wind | 1 | 200 | Dashes past the target with blades extended, delivering slashes that can be followed with further attacks on contacs. |
| Toss and Trigger | 3 | 700 | Steps in with blade strike that sends the target aloft. Additional button presses throw and detonate a store of powder. |
| Cutting Wind | 4 | 900 | An advanced form of Biting Wind. Slashes past the target, appending more strikes to the onslaught upon connecting with foe. |
| Dazzle Hold | 4 | 900 | Casts a firework explosive into the fray that stuns nearby foes. |
| Reset | 4 | 900 | Returns the user to a neutral stance, eliminating openings caused by other actions. |
| Advanced Trigger | 5 | 1,200 | An advanced form of Toss and Trigger that both strengthens the upward slash and broadens the subsequent blast. |
| Dazzle Blast | 7 | 2,000 | An advanced form of Dazzle Hold that tosses an explosive crafted to stun foes within a broader radius. |
| Hundred Kisses | 7 | 2,000 | An advanced form of Scarlet Kisses that focuses a quick flurry of slashes on a single point, allowing for more strikes. |
| Instant Reset | 7 | 2,000 | An advanced form of Reset employable even while under attack that returns the user to a neutral stance, eliminating openings caused by other actions. |
| Shearing Wind | Requires Daggerist's Ring/Band | - | An advanced form of Cutting Wind that increase the attack range, the amount of strikes, and the speed of dash. |
| Thousand Kisses | Requires Daggerist's Ring/Band | - | An advanced form of Hundred Kisses that heightens the speed and number of slashes in the flurry. |
Longbow Skills:
| Skill | Rank | DP | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dire Arrow | Already Learned | - | Focuses the user's gathered strength into a single, devastating shot that grows in power as it is charged. |
| Heptad Shot | 1 | 300 | Looses seven arrows along a broad sweep. |
| Deathly Arrow | 3 | 800 | An advanced form of a Dire Arrow that increases the attack power with the amount of time spent preparing. |
| Foot Binder | 3 | 800 | Pins the target to the nearest wall for a time with a well-placed arrow. Quite effective in cramped quarters. |
| Sixfold Arrow | 3 | 800 | Fires six arrows in rapid succession. |
| Meteor Shot | 4 | 1,250 | Looses an exceptionally fast arrow, so that one may strike before foes notice. Requires considerable Stamina. |
| Endecad Shot | 4 | 1,250 | An advanced form of Heptad Shot that fires eleven arrows instead of seven. |
| Body Binder | 5 | 1,700 | An advanced form of Foot Binder that binds the target for a longer period of time. |
| Flying Din | 5 | 1,700 | Fires an arrow that produces a deafening blare on impact, stunning the target, through it deals nearly no damage. |
| Tenfold Flurry | 5 | 1,700 | An advanced form of Sixfold Arrow that fires ten arrows instead of six. |
| Whirling Arrow | 6 | 2,500 | Looses a spinning arrow that delivers a barrage of hits to an area. Especially effective with Poison or Oil Arrows. |
| Comet Shot | 7 | 3,300 | An advanced form of Meteor Shot that lets the user adjust the arrow's range, making it easier to strike faraway foes. |
| Fearful Din | 7 | 3,300 | An advanced form of Flying Din that produces an even louder noise. |
| Invasive Arrow | 7 | 3,300 | Looses an arrow that deals paltry damage, but delivers a toxin to weaken the Defenses of whatever body part it hits. |
| Spiral Arrow | 8 | 4,500 | An advanced form of Whirling Arrow that appends still more strikes to the barrage. |
| Crippling Arrow | 9 | 6,000 | An advanced form of Invasive Arrow that weakens the target area for a longer period of time. |
| Gamble Draw | 9 | 6,500 | Exhausts the entirety of the user's Stamina to fire a seeking shot which the user may steer for a time. |
| Great Gamble | 9 | 9,000 | An advanced form of Gamble Draw that boasts still greater power and can be steered for a greater length of time. |
| Reaper's Arrow | Requires Ranger's Ring/Band | - | An advanced form of Deathly Arrow that can be charged an additional level to loose an even mightier arrow. |
| Secure Binder | Requires Ranger's Ring/Band | - | An advanced form of Body Binder that knocks its target farther back and pins the target for a longer period of time. |
| Corkscrew Arrow | Requires Ranger's Ring/Band | - | An advanced form of Spiral Arrow that shortens the charging time and adds still more strikes to the barrage. |
Core Skills:
| Weapon | Skill | Rank | DP | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daggers | Carve | Already learned | - | Continuous attacks with a dagger. Press [Light Attack] repeatedly. |
| Daggers | Two Step | Already learned | - | A two-level stabbing strike straight forward. [Heavy Attack]. |
| Daggers | Vault | Already learned | - | Executes a jump to a higher location. Press [Jump]. |
| Daggers | Roundelay | 1 | 600 | An advanced form of Two-Step that appends a whirling slash to victims. |
| Daggers | Engrave | 1 | 800 | An advanced form of a Carve that includes kicks after a flurry of dagger blows to strike at a broader range. |
| Daggers | Double Vault | 5 | 1800 | An advanced form of Vault that kicks at the air to propel the user in a second leap. |
| Daggers | Forward Roll | 5 | 2200 | Curls forward into a tumble effective as an evasive maneuver. Hold [Right Bumper] and press [Jump]. |
| Longbow | Loose | Already learned | - | Fires equipped bow. Can execute while moving. Hold [Left Bumper] and press [Right Trigger]. |
| Longbow | Quick-Loose | 2 | 600 | An advanced form of Loose that requires less time to nock the next arrow. |
Augments:
| Skill | Rank | DP | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Longevity | 2 | 700 | Increases maximum HP by 100. |
| Radiance | 2 | 700 | Increases a lantern's illumination radius by 20%. |
| Efficacy | 6 | 3500 | The effect of HP and ST restoration items on the user is increased by 20%. |
| Morbidity | 6 | 3500 | Increases cumulative damage to foes debilitated with non-Archmagick attacks by 30%. |
| Trajectory | 6 | 3500 | Causes arrows to fly 30% further. |
| Precision | 8 | 7000 | Keeps arrows from flying off mark when fired whilst moving. |
| Stability | 8 | 7000 | Prevents mighty winds from hampering mobility. |
Stats
Stat Growth
| HP | Stamina | Attack | Defense | Magick Attack | Magick Defense | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lvl 10+ | 21 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Lvl 100+ | 5 | 15 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Tips
| Distance | Damage | Relative Damage * |
|---|---|---|
| 0-8m | Moderate | 89% |
| 9-25m | High | 100% |
| 26-33m | Low | 74% |
| 34-90m | Very Low | 59% |
| * Figures are approximate | ||
- To get maximum damage output from the Longbow, shoot mid-range from the target. Unlike the shortbows of the Strider and Assassin vocations, the Ranger's longbow diminishes in strength at close range.
- When facing enemies with good defence the choice of optimum range may magnify the differences in damage, with only arrows at the most optimum doing significant damage.
- Tenfold Flurry is very effective at taking out any enemy quickly and with little trouble. One well placed burst from Tenfold Flurry into a Cyclops's eye can kill it instantly. This is the Ranger's power shot.
- Meteor/Comet Shot is the Ranger's lesser sniping skill. The execution is quick and the arrow moves incredibly fast. Aim for the head for critical hit increased damage.
- Heptad/Endecad Shot is a wide shotgun blast. This skill is extremely powerful at short range, significantly less so the farther the Ranger is located from the target.
- Gamble Draw/Great Gamble is a sniper's perfect boss killer move and the slowed down time and arrow curving make for easier aiming and a good photo. Giving a Great Gamble pawn Mushroom Potage will make that Ranger a stamina battery for the entire party since the pawn will instantly use a curative to refresh its stamina once the shot is made; when the only stamina curative available to the Great Gamble pawn is a group curative, then the entire party benefits.
- Cutting Wind is not only very useful for quick evasion, but will cause the Ranger to flank and strike at the unguarded rear of an enemy on a second skill button press. A rear strike from Cutting Wind is devastating to an enemy bearing a shield or magick shield since shields/magick shields do not protect the enemy's back side. This skill is significantly better at accurately targeting a fast-moving enemy than the Strider's Helm Splitter/Skull Splitter/Brain Splitter.
- Instant Reset is designed to interrupt an existing movement/animation. Very useful when followed by a dodge roll to avoid damage, it is faster to Instant Reset out of a bow skill than to sheath the bow and then dodge rolling. The small stamina cost is not that great of a price when compared to saving health points. Conversely, Instant Reset can be used to instantly recover to one's feet from a knockdown or dodge roll.
- Unlike the Strider's Mighty Bend, a Ranger's feet are completely immobile while charging both Great Gamble and the Dire Arrow/Deathly Arrow skill. While charging, it is helpful to have pawns nearby to keep enemies at bay.
Trivia
The Equipment of the Ranger in the Change Vocation Menu is:
- Weapons: Stilettos / Reinforced Longbow
- Torso: Blessed Vest / Chestguard
- Arms: Iron Bracers
- Legs: Urban Hosen / Fine Over-Knee Boots
- Cloak: Scholar's Cape