Maybe its a bit to early to speculate or "worry" about this, but how will it be to play a Ranger?

I have a feeling (based on TES and what we have not heard) that atm if you want to play a low fantasy Ranger/Archer (via Nightblade) we have only a weapon tree for bow.

(Based on Skyrim and typical MMOs) I guess in that tree (similar to Skyrim) we have:

-boost dmg

-slow target

-knockback target (maybe)

-zoom (maybe)

-boost critical dmg

-ranger (move faster with drawn weapon)

-quick shot (draw bow faster)

-volleyshots (would be cool)

I guess hunters discipline (pickup more arrows) will not be implemented since we can't pick up arrows.

But in addition to a typical weapon tree, a low fantasy Ranger/Archer (like I like to play) needs another tree.

A tree for "getaway from melee". Yes, ofc a Ranger could switch to dual blade Legolas (or Skyrim) style. And Im sure at that is well implemented with another tree.

But, do you think Ranger type of characters will get traps, fear etc. to get away from, or be able to kite melee?

Atm there seems to be a lot of abiltites for melee classes (pulling etc.) and Mages, can Rangers become a bit secondary class?

I don't think 'kite' is a word that this game would use. I'm sure there will be certain things in the archery tree to slow down or even temporarily immobilize enemies, but 'kiting' in the WoW sense where you run away, jumping into the air to do a spin, fire a shot, and keep running is not something that we'll likely see. Rather, you're probably expected to use your bow and arrow to whittle down an opponent until he's weak enough for you to finish off in melee if he gets close enough. Or you can use your bow when you have an advantage such as fighting from atop a keep wall, or from behind a line of tanky melee fighters.

Yea I agree that we will not see kiting like we know from WoW, and that is quite OK.

But still we cant only run from trouble either (that would be rather hard playing solo pve and vs assassins type of Nightblades with light armor who will probably run faster).

There need to be some roots or slows.

Maybe they have incorporated that into trees for daggers with slow poison or similar?

I.e. you fire an opening shot on a melee, loose range switch to melee daggers with slow poison, run away (on the way switch back to bow) and fire a new ranged ability?

Nobody really knows for sure how it'll work,my understanding is that bows have yet to be previewed, or implemented in beta but I could be wrong. Even if I'm incorrect, obviously the mechanics and exact balance of PvP is bound to change in the next 6-8 months before the game is released.

My instincts tell me that kiting will be a very small part of the game. In The Elder Scrolls you kind of use your bow and arrow to kill from afar, particularly with sneak attacks but then you don't really have any mechanics to conveniently get away again once your opponent closes into range. So I think this is how ESO will probably play out as well.

I for one wouldn't want a system like WoW where a ranged class has to focus their play around staying out of reach through a variety of obnoxious and frustrating acrobatics, making the game a flurry of warriors charging, hunters disengaging, and everyone trying to time their 'escape' moves vs. 'catch you' moves so that you're either safely out of reach when all of the warrior's gap closers are down, or the hunter is in your clutches with no more tricks up his sleeve.

I would hope that ESO focuses more on, you're shooting a warrior from afar and he needs to make the decision to use stamina to sprint and close with you faster, or else endure your shots or even try and block them while he advances more slowly, and then once he's gotten close, you'll have to rely on your melee weapons to deflect his attacks and do enough damage to finish him off, with disengaging being a more problematic, but not completely impossible endeavor. Perhaps when he gets close, you then have to decide if you want to kick him in the shin and sprint away, but in doing so leave yourself tired and unable to do significant damage for awhile.

Of course, then again we know the Dragonknight has a 'fiery chain of pull-your-ass-over-here' so all of what I just talked about is probably out the window with that move's introduction.

Will of course have to wait and see what each classes skill lines have available when deciding to pick a class. The bow line itself may include both damage and CC types we need. Then from there its just a matter of which class offers the most or best complementary skills to go along with the playstyle. Then on top of that we have all the other skill lines.

So as someone who will also be building an Archer type character, I'm confident there will be plenty of options available to us.

You have the ability to switch to a new hotbar and weapon with their weapon-swap. So setup one of your loadouts to deal with basic long-ranged archery with your bow equipped to that loadout, and in the other loadout have it setup with dual wield and put CC abilities in there so that you can get out of trouble if you get swarmed in melee.

The first thing i noticed is "Assassins with light Armor" Most assassins will most likely be using medium armor because medium armor gives bonuses to Sneak and endurance which would be the key components to being an assassin. light armor gives bonuses to magika and spell damage. light armor will mostly be used fro those who wish to be casters but im sure you will see someone assassin / mage hybrids in light armor. As for archers i see most of them using medium armor going for the sniper factor from the sneak and endurance bonuses. There will be some archers that use heavy armor for more of the tank build but less stealthy.

I dont see there being kiting. I see it being very similiar to the archery in Darkage of Camelot where once you were getting interupted or hit in melee you had to pull out your melee to try to win or your other option was to try to run away and get in stealth.

Kiting will be alive and well, it just won't be executed the same as in games like WoW. There's plenty of kiting in action games/MMOs.

And i really doubt they will make the different armors allow you to move at different speeds because in PVP movement speed is the key factor letting you choose your fights. A player or group that runs faster would be able to kill to attack anyone slower than them as well as run away from anyone they decided they did not want to fight, if it comes down to armor as moveent speed you would see 90% of them using the armor that lets them move the fastest and because of that they would play the character type that benefits most from that armor.

Yea what it seems like atm.

In Skyrim that works well because you encounter enemies usually at quite a distance. But I think in a PvP environment will much often find yourself in a melee situation. Thats why I think a direct implementation of Skyrim archery might be a good start, but certainly needs to be expanded.

Though I also think that a Skyrim type Ranger might be cool in group PvP, but then it will be more like a support class and not so much for leveling.

I for one wouldn't want a system like WoW where a ranged class has to focus their play around staying out of reach through a variety of obnoxious and frustrating acrobatics, making the game a flurry of warriors charging, hunters disengaging, and everyone trying to time their 'escape' moves vs. 'catch you' moves so that you're either safely out of reach when all of the warrior's gap closers are down, or the hunter is in your clutches with no more tricks up his sleeve.

Yea TESO needs to stear away from that. Im thinking more of the direction of AoC (before revamp) might be a better way to go.

I would hope that ESO focuses more on, you're shooting a warrior from afar and he needs to make the decision to use stamina to sprint and close with you faster, or else endure your shots or even try and block them while he advances more slowly, and then once he's gotten close, you'll have to rely on your melee weapons to deflect his attacks and do enough damage to finish him off, with disengaging being a more problematic, but not completely impossible endeavor. Perhaps when he gets close, you then have to decide if you want to kick him in the shin and sprint away, but in doing so leave yourself tired and unable to do significant damage for awhile.

Actually that sounds like a very likely way for the game to go. Thanks!

Of course, then again we know the Dragonknight has a 'fiery chain of pull-your-ass-over-here' so all of what I just talked about is probably out the window with that move's introduction.

Maybe/maybe not. But atm I am more "worried" that since Ranger didnt get a to be a class of its own, tanks, mages, healers and typical rogues will get the most focus when it comes to builds and low fantasy range a bit down the list.

Yea then it will be typical AoC type of Ranger gameplay (except the combos). Thanks for sharing that!

However AoC struggled with the dilemma that comes with that. Which is... then why would anyone play a a dualwielding Rogue (Barbarian in AoC)?

Because you want the opening range attack that Rangers do best, but if Rangers can do OK in melee they will op compared to dualwielding Rogues, and the typical dualwielding Rogue would pick Ranger type skill lines instead of going all in dualwielding.

And there will to many Rangers.

Then again I got the feeling that the weapon trees in TESO will scale this better.

Yea that is true! I forgot that. So at least we won't see "assassins" running faster than "rangers".

I am thinking if you go heavy as a ranger type character then you certainly will be a support class.

I suppose there is always the possibility that bows will be relegated to the status of support weapons - secondaries, sidearms, but this seems pretty doubtful to me. Still, even if bows are viable as a main play style, I can't imagine ignoring melee weapons entirely will be viable.

I think you can be very strong with the bow especially if you perk in that tree and other factors that support it. In groups you can just fire away as long as someone else has aggro. In PVP it will probably be the strongest factor in Keep defense as well as in stand offs. But like Ravenious said I think you will need some skill with melee for being solo. Wear them down with bow before they get to you then finish them off in melee.