On this day one year ago, Ranger was nerfed.

[Stellar]

The job was nerfed to shit. In the "sweet spot" you can't melee, which makes your TP shit.. So now instead of insane acc, damage, TP, ranger has mediocre acc, bad damage and good tp.. once per 5 min.. shit TP when barrage isn't up.

Pld/nin will typically out damage ranger in merit parties..

[Priran]

u fake blm

[Demosthenes]

The people who were rangers because they liked how overpowered it was, have all leveled second jobs now, blm, mnk, war. The people who actually take the job seriously still make me think the nerf wasn't so bad, people just don't wanna deal with being a "tier 2" damage dealer.

Agreed.

[Mifaco]

After the patch, me and a few LS mates made a party and went to Ulli camp (this was before RMT camped the fuck out of it). It was like a party gone upside down - our linkshell's THF's DE was doing far more than the Ranger's 500ish Sidewinders. We had to tell the ranger to move back more after we saw her damage (30 per arrow, LOL).

It was both hilarious and sad seeing how the Ranger couldn't even turn the mob for SATA DE. It was then that I realized that Ranger was dead and paying for Warrior-ish damage is stupid.

Geno used to PL my WHM with his RNG Good times

[Shadida]

The RNG nerf was a funny thing, actually. I agreed that it needed to happen. I mean...

http://www.prism.gatech.edu/~gtg319h/images/omgexp.PNG

This is before EXP bonus rings existed. That is broken, seriously, lol.

Rangers were overpowered, they got invites before any other DDs, they were favored for every fight in the game (that's why CoP Wyrms resist Ranged Attacks... to force people to figure out another way to kill them), and the worst part about it was it was easy. All you needed was a pair of Hawker's Knives, a bow and some ammo, switch to your /nin sub and the rest was simple. For this reason, lots of people with Lv75 jobs would just pick up a bow and speed RNG up to 75 so they could use it in end-game events... after all, if you had money, you could be a halfway-decent RNG!

Once when I was a RNG70, a HNM LS invited me to come help with a Kirin fight. I remember doing Slug Shots with my Hellfire for 500 damage, with NIN subjob, as a LEVEL 70. A nerf was in order....

But they simply went too far. Not only did our damage take a hit (and it was a HUGE hit vs hi-level monsters) but our accuracy STUNK. Accuracy is still a huge problem... you could load up R.acc+100 and see no measureable differences in your accuracy. I as a Lv75 RNG have missed Lv10 monsters in Konschtat not once, not twice, but THREE times in a row with ranged attacks. The recent Sharpshot fix alleviated this a little, but it still is nothing like it used to be, and when MNKs NINs and WARs can parse 95% accuracy on EXP mobs, it's pretty ridiculous that a Mad Sheep could evade 3 of my arrows in a row. My first Slug Shot on Kirin after the patch did a paltry 120 damage.

We got so much shit over it too.... everyone came to RNG forums and posted about how awesome it was that we sucked now, that we should all quit the game, GTFO, start from scratch and throw away all you have worked for. It was sad to see people take so much pleasure in our misery. As a result, a lot of people who used to enjoy RNG immediately abandoned it. A year ago, before that patch, RNG was one of the top-played advanced jobs in the game, and now, we comprise a meager 2% of players. If this isn't proof that SquareEnix murdered the RNG job, I don't know what is. The game is for the players... if players were so frustrated with a job that they quit playing it or even quit the game over it, then there's something wrong.

However, I actually appreciate one side-effect of that patch. Since the job actually required WORK, and PRACTICE, it got rid of all the spoiled, lazy, point-and-shoot RNGs. I feel like since then the overall quality of RNGs has improved dramatically. Just look at the rangers who have posted here... we all take RNG very seriously, are dedicated to doing the best justice we can to the job, and actually, now we have the knowledge it takes to turn heads and demonstrate excellent ability, even after the nerf. Just look at some jobs today: BLM... MNK... NIN... so many people have dragged that job through the dirt from their ignorance, neglect, and general lack of dedication.

While I wouldn't wish a nerf on my worst enemy now, I still think that a lot of people could learn a lesson from what happened a year ago, and all that has transpired since then. As long as you take pride in what you do, you will excel beyond everyone's expectations. Oh, and quitcher bitchin. w

- Shadida

[Daahan]

I know at least 5 people who leveled the job to 75 only to have it nerfed 1-3 weeks later. It was interesting because almost everyone knew what RNG could do a long time before the nerf, but it was only until people starting bringing up things like RNG vs. Kirin, or RNG vs. whatever HNM fight that would only take 10 minutes with RNG, that people actually started leveling in masses. Ironically, SE caught on to it as well (or just listening to Alla bitching) and nerfed it.

[Michaera]

That wasn't even the worst of it...

http://img523.imageshack.us/img523/7...0016ok6.th.jpg

I think I was only 69 at the time too and that was with a crossbow. Idk. I agree with the above poster.

Edit: The one above Daahan. >.>

[Tom Chambers]

I liked it. It was just too easy. The people crying about it now are:

A) People who just leveled in as a second/third job real quick as a shortcut.

B) People who complain that things are too easy; then complain things are too hard.

C) Douchebags.

A RNG who uses things like a Ridill or K Club to get TP and then run back for a powerful SS are studs. And there's few of them, it's hard to be one. Like a DRK that pimps themselves out for DL or JoL raping, or a MNK that has a Black Belt and tens of million of gil in gear, or a WAR with the same with a Ridill instead of BB. It's tough to be top of the line...a year ago it wasn't.

Hurray for nerfs.

[Ryko]

A RNG who uses things like a Ridill or K Club to get TP and then run back for a powerful SS are studs. And there's few of them, it's hard to be one. Like a DRK that pimps themselves out for DL or JoL raping, or a MNK that has a Black Belt and tens of million of gil in gear, or a WAR with the same with a Ridill instead of BB. It's tough to be top of the line...a year ago it wasn't.

E-peen +1, 2, 3, 4: O

[Taku]

Ya know, RNG was nerfed alright, but I can't tell if people are exaggerating or what. RNG accuracy is NOT bad:

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...kuchan1184.jpg

This is a parse of lvl 70~71 party in Mire. As a RNG with Red Curry on, I'm parsing 93.4% ranged accuracy, while the WAR(subbing joyeuse though) with Sushi on is parsing 88.1%

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...kuchan1185.jpg

Weaponskill accuracy is 91.5% with sidewinder and 96.7% with slugshot, with red curry on. How exactly is RNG accuracy gimped?

Sure, I missed Arching Arrow / Heavy Shot about 10% of the time while breaking my latents in Kuftal, but I missed that many Full Breaks, Spinslashes, Gekko's and any other 1-hit WSes on the same mobs.

[Wulfgang]

There was no nerf. Shut up and learn how to play the job correctly.

Seriously though, a good post-patch ranger can still do the same damage.

Dillusional much? I hope this is some form of BG sarcasm that is going over my head. 10-15% damage reduction @ sweetspot.

You know that something is different when I did more dmg as a 75 RNG pre-patch w/o merits, E-Bow, Osode, etc than I do now with lvl 8 Archery and the aforementioned items.

I'm not really whining, I just did what everyone else did and leveled something else to merit with.

[Michaera]

This is a parse of lvl 70~71 party in Mire. As a RNG with Red Curry on, I'm parsing 93.4% ranged accuracy

I would like to know what you're doing that I'm not. xD Maybe it's in the gear. You can't wear osode/kriegs at that level, or the relic hat if you so choose, so maybe too much acc is lost there. With a lot of that fancy stuff and coeurl subs, at 75 I got crap like this in the mire, with my o-bow:

http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/517...tledzi1.th.jpg

I guess a lot of the problem with RNG post patch is a need to rethink strategies and weapon/equipment choices. A lot of RNGs sold everything, some have adapted, and some (admittedly myself) are being stubbon and trying to make everything work. Not even capped marks merits help 81% r.acc. /wrists

[Lylie]

Ya know, RNG was nerfed alright, but I can't tell if people are exaggerating or what. RNG accuracy is NOT bad:

This is a parse of lvl 70~71 party in Mire. As a RNG with Red Curry on, I'm parsing 93.4% ranged accuracy, while the WAR(subbing joyeuse though) with Sushi on is parsing 88.1%

Weaponskill accuracy is 91.5% with sidewinder and 96.7% with slugshot, with red curry on. How exactly is RNG accuracy gimped?

Sure, I missed Arching Arrow / Heavy Shot about 10% of the time while breaking my latents in Kuftal, but I missed that many Full Breaks, Spinslashes, Gekko's and any other 1-hit WSes on the same mobs.

Funny thing about Parsers is you can make them say everything and nothing, while proving nothing.

The only fact AV missed ESS twice when it was the "Big Rush to Kill AV" time proves that R.Acc IS actually bad.

[Taku]

I used mostly accuracy gear + attack food, ever since lvl 37.

Dual Trailers, O.hat, PCC, AF Body, Merman Rings, E.bow/O.bow.

I'm usually barely within melee range for TPing(also, cause I had hate a lot of the time), and then when I had 100% TP I'd take a few steps back and WS.

The Sharpshot Fix was really helpful, cause it allowed me to maximum distance and WS with 100% TP and rarely ever miss(and get the full damage mod from distance).

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a1...kuchan1182.jpg

I never felt like RNG was gimped in damage or accuracy the entire time I was leveling it, although I didn't level it pre-nerf so I don't have that to compare to. It definately takes more strategy when it comes to what gear/food you use, and where you're standing at all times. I remember back in the day RNG's would just load up on STR/ratt Gear and never miss, but I guess not anymore.

[Nagamaki]

RNGs got nerfed pretty bad, but think of some better examples than freak misses on low level mobs please. Accuracy caps and any weapon can randomly miss on anything, hell this morning while doing some FH tests in WRonfaure I missed 3 hits in a row on a Wild Rabbit (ie engaged, got a double attack and missed all 3 hits in the round).

[dragoness]

although I didn't level it pre-nerf so I don't have that to compare to

heh there you go
I didn't pick up RNG till after the nerf either, so you just don't know what you miss because you never had it
i do prefer to merit on whm because it's cheaper

[Demitrius]

For the record, prepatch Catoblepas pictures don't count. A zerked Dhalmel is probably one of the places I DIDN'T notice a change from pre to post-patch. I've partied through the bay twice since then and I've seen slugs in excess of 2k plenty of times, even as high as 2500. Seems to be a matter of the damage potential still being there, but only with massive amounts of ranged attack, far beyond what anyone could get without a mob deliberately lowering its defense.

[Taku]

although I didn't level it pre-nerf so I don't have that to compare to

heh there you go
I didn't pick up RNG till after the nerf either, so you just don't know what you miss because you never had it
i do prefer to merit on whm because it's cheaper

Oh, don't get me wrong, I don't have RNG pride... I'd never use RNG in merits over my fully meritted MNK, I'm just tired of these band wagon accusations that RNG is nerfed to the worse damage than a PLD/NIN, and ranged accuracy is fucked because someone missed a lvl 0 bunny.

[dragoness]

heh yeah the being outdamaged by pld/nin comment was a bit over it, made me laugh actually because that was just dumb :D

at times i did merit on my rng, i used o-bow, and i honestly didn't have a hard time getting TP as fast as my mnk ans war friends in the same pt, only difference is, i'd rather not slug untill 150%~ tp while they can go as soon as they hit 100%
and my WS would still hit for more then the other's WSs sometimes, with sushi on :D

[Ghostface]

I think it depends on area too. In exp I use

RNG/WAR
Vulcan's Staff
Ebow/Demons
O-hat
Osode
CFGs
Scout's Braccae
Scout's Socks
Rng Neck
Behemoth/Rajas
Amem+1
Ocean Sash
Vision Earring

and in mire I have results like yours. Then I can leave get another PT there and have shit acc. Bhaflau Thickets Mamools give me problems even when they don't have evasion bonus and sometimes aura stats do too (like 2/10 WS lolrng). RACC is real hit and miss.