Is it just me or are rangers weak?

[dcain3456]

Got almost 250 hours in, and I just find rangers to be the weakest class in the game. The animal companion isn't durable, and their bow abilities don't come into play much from the back line. If I try to get the ranger a good shot, then the ranger comes under attack, the ranger is less durable than a mage, who at least has mirror image, iron skin and the like.

I'm just not getting them.

[Gilmoy]

But compared to what? I think all classes are fine.
Sagani (Ranger) is neither best nor worst, compared to all other shooters.
Itumaak is pretty strong, when used properly.

Caveat: I tend to play for infinity:0 damage ratio, using Ogres as meatwalls.
I'm fine having 6 shooters, risking 0 of my own Health bars.
It works on PotD, clearing all of Crägholdt (outside and inside).

I built Sagani with Stormcaller (WM1), Driving Flight, and Heart of Storm.
Then she can give 2 Returning Storm debuffs per 1 shot, which is hilarious.
Even without that, her shots are at least as good in raw DPS as any other shooter.

What do you mean by "back line"?
I have no line. My 6 guys (+ Itumaak) run all the heck over the board.
Sagani never* gets targeted by anything.
Heck, my goons never* get targeted, either. Monsters are too busy targeting my Ogres.

My mage (Aloth) casts 0 per-rests per 40+ combats in a row.
He's durable for the same reason: nobody ever* targets him.
All he does is shoot his wand, and cast his few per-encounters.

I joke that Aloth at least equal to a Ranger in raw DPS
The weirder combo is Zahua as pure shooter, using Persistence for its DoT.
Somebody's got to wield it, and Sagani's hands are full.
He's modestly OK with it, but it works.

Think in terms of sufficient DPS to average 110 kills per rest.
Ranger is equal to all other classes and builds that way.
Bows have Fast cadence, and her shots hit for decent chunk damage.

"All" you need is to find your own way to take nearly 0 damage intake all fight long.
Then patient shooting (and running ) suffices, fight after fight.

[SmellofNapalm]

I didn't get the impression that Rangers were somehow weaker, but I don't know how you built your Ranger/Sagani. Personally I felt that Sagani's pet made it a bit easier to manage the frontline and her ranged contribution seemed decently useful. But I eventually exchanged her for Zahua, so I didn't have her in the party for that much of the game.

I had more trouble making Hiravias work in the frontline as a Stelgaer. It seemed more convenient as his aoe-spells are hard to target without hitting the group. But he's pretty fragile in melee, so I started using it only when I saw a good opportunity for it.

[SkittishKavu1]

I've played through PotD ~10 times, and the easiest run by far was a custom group of a cipher, a chanter, a priest, and 3 wood elf rangers (porkers for pets - have to be porkers). Cipher (mid-line / wood elf / leadspitter) turns around an enemy to start to join the 3 porkers on the front line, Chanter / priest stand mid-line to hit everyone with chants/buffs, rangers in back with 2 persistence (helwax) and stormcaller. Utter domination - in fact it was such a pleasure to play I plan to do it over again when I've given it some breathing time.

Like many classes (chanter - notoriously), ranger utility scales up if you have more than 1, due to their ability to form a throwaway meatshield front line, as well as synergize predator's sense with persistence(x2 preferably). For me personally, it's either 3 rangers, or none.

Just make sure the pets are *boar*. Seriously... *boar*
And always get penetrating shot at level 4, and use hunting bows.