Beginner's guide to playing a ranger

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The purpose of this guide is to assist inexperienced players understand and easily surmount the challenges of rolling up a new ranger from the ground up. It focuses on the entire process of character creation and slightly beyond into the beginning of a ranger's life, including character development, choosing initial stat placement, designing a skill training plan, and basic hunting strategies to bring those skill sets to life.

That said, the character building strategies described within this guide are meant to be only that – a simple guide – and are not to be taken as the only viable methods for doing so. The player is encouraged to take these generalities and build their character into the living, breathing person they envision. Gemstone IV provides an extremely vibrant and expansive world in which nearly anything a player can think up may be done.

What is a Ranger?

A ranger is someone who appreciates and respects the beauty and simplicity of nature. Someone who may value the company of delightful forest creatures over that of other people. Someone who is happy to sleep in the nook of a tree under a starry sky. Due to a deep appreciation and understanding of nature, rangers can call on nature to aid in their defence or summon nature to assist in attacking unfriendly creatures through knowledge of their unique spell circle.

A ranger may eventually form an everlasting bond with a companion animal. This companion will provide the ranger valuable assistance in hunting as well a friendship that will play a significant role in both their lives.

More generally speaking, rangers are one of the three semi professions in Elanthia. Rangers typically hunt using a combination of physical attacks and spells (with spells from the Ranger Base and Minor Spiritual spell circles). Popular hunting tactics for rangers are diverse. Rangers can succeed using any tactic from ranged sniping using some spells to help conceal themselves; wielding a sword and shield while summing nature to help smite their foes; hunting armed only by a runestaff and their own spells or anything in-between.

Roleplaying and Character Development

The fundamentals of character development are all about the shaping and defining of one's character. To begin the process of character building, it is highly recommended that new players take some time familiarizing themselves with some of the game's lore found on the main website and within this wiki. Basic knowledge of the game's lore is invaluable in helping a player decide what they want their character to become, or at least start them on the path to discovery. Will he be a contemptuous half-elven pariah, exiled from some remote city in the Turamzzyrian Empire, or will she be an obedient giantman from the Grishknel Wolf Clan, a scout for her nomadic village? Getting to know even the littlest bits about the world of Elanthia will put a player leaps and bounds ahead into deciding who they want their character to be.

One of the best places to start the investigation are races and their respective subcultures as this will be one of the first things that players will be required to choose for a character before playing (technically, a subculture may be chosen later at leisure using the title verb, but a race must be selected when starting a new character). Cities and the political powers that govern them are another excellent option for starting character development (e.g. the cities of the Elven Nations and the Human – that is, Turamzzyrrian – Empire). Even looking at skill descriptions and game mechanics can help a player understand what’s possible within the world. However, looking into one subject can lead down the rabbit hole into a seemingly unending series of articles and subjects, so it is suggested that players pace themselves and remember while researching that they don’t have to figure out absolutely everything right away. The purpose of initial research should just be to get them started. Characters can and should continue to develop throughout their entire existence as they continue to gather experiences, make friends and enemies, and travel the world.

Of course, a player may decide to eschew this process initially and get right into playing. Many decide after character creation who they want their characters to be.

After character creation, one of the best tools to progress a character’s development is for the player to interact with others: watch people, talk to people, and ask questions. Watch the calendars for upcoming events and get involved (e.g. by joining a house). Make sure to explore and see the things there are to see – there are hints about the world everywhere. Finally, have fun and live the character’s story.

Character Creation

This module of the guide follows every step of the character creation process in the exact order they appear when a player creates a new character through the game's main website.

Gender

Gender is entirely up to personal preference, as it provides no mechanical advantage in any way during gameplay.

Profession

Because this is a ranger guide, it is recommended that “Ranger” is chosen here.

Race

There are quite a number of driving factors players rate and choose by when deciding to play a particular race. This section explores some of those reasons in order to help new players make a more informed decision when choosing a race themselves. It is recommended that the reader refer to both this section and the section on stats before making any final decisions, as both subjects are entwined.

Perhaps the most obvious reason for choosing one particular race is simply due to creative or personal preference. To borrow a couple stereotypes, a player may want their character to be a high born elf or a drunken dwarf. Roleplaying choices such as these are extremely common and encouraged.

Racial modifiers to stats are another example (the effects of these modifiers will be conceptualized here, while their mechanical effects will be detailed in the stats section). Halflings, for example, are physically weaker due to their size than other larger races. This trait manifests itself mechanically when determining how much weight the halfling can carry around, or in how fast he can swing a weapon/draw his bow. Next, take a giantman for example: while they are physically powerful, they are not known for being the most dexterous race. This time, the trait can manifests itself in the giant's stunted ability to fire a bow well. It is primarily in these ways (through stat modifiers) that each race brings to life their particular strengths and weaknesses.

Other racial modifiers not linked to stats are yet another reason players prefer a particular race. Each race, for example, has a differing maximum health point limit. Some races (halflings and dwarves) have natural bonuses to their magic defenses, while others (elves) are very resistant to poisons and diseases.

As one last note on the subject of choosing a race: players should take care to understand that the aforementioned modifiers or any combination thereof of any particular race do not make that race unplayable. It is possible for a ranger of any race to be highly successful and enjoy their adventure.

Culture

This setting allows players to choose between their selected race’s cultures. Culture, like gender, proffers no mechanical advantages beyond opening up the ability to speak in the language associated with that culture, if applicable. Otherwise, this is completely up to personal preference. Culture is also one of the only options (the other being certain appearance options, discussed below) players are not required to select when creating a new character. If a player is not ready to choose a culture at the time prompted, they may select the option labeled “None” and later access the options again via the TITLE verb in game.

Appearance

Appearance is one of the first things other players see when looking at a character. These options are entirely cosmetic (appropriately) and up to the player’s creative preferences. Beyond the basics (hair style and color, eye color, and skin color), all other options here may be set later, if at all. Once in game, players have the opportunity to change these traits as they please in the “New Look” pavilions located in every major city. Occasionally, feature alteration services may be offered by special merchants so that players may further customize their appearance.

Statistics

A character's statistics may be thought of as the innate aptitude for, or lack thereof, a given quality. Is a character strong or weak, nimble or clumsy, etc. Mechanically speaking, stats make you slightly better, or slightly worse at performing the tasks the stats operate on. Stats are also split into three groups: physical, mental, and hybrid (a combination of the former two), which can help players conceptually understand the types of systems each can affect.

Each statistic has two values associated with it: a base value and a bonus value.

The base value for a statistic is an unmodified value that is used in part to determine the same stat's bonus value, and collectively to determine the number of training points a player can spend on skills. It is otherwise very seldom used in other mechanical systems.

The bonus value, which is used in a wide variety of systems, is a modified value that is determined by the stat's base value and the race of a character. The bonus value is the value used in formulas that calculate a character's defense, attack strength, ability to hide, etc. along with skill bonuses and other non-stat/skill related constants.

The following is a list of statistics, coupled with descriptions of what each is, and what each affects as it pertain to activities a ranger would expect to do.

Physical Stats

Strength: A measure of a character's physical prowess. It is used in determining the strength of melee attacks, the speed of ranged attacks, and encumbrance (how much a character can carry without suffering adverse effects).

Constitution: A measure of a character's hardiness. It is used in determining starting and maximum health points, stamina points (it is the most heavily weighted stat in this calculation), encumbrance, how well a character takes damage, and disease resistance.

Dexterity: A measure of a character's hand-eye coordination, balance, and aim. It is used in determining the strength of a ranged attack, the speed of a melee attack, how well a character can ambush, and how well a character can skin.

Agility: A measure of a character's quickness and ability to defend itself. It is used in determining defensive strength, how well a character can avoid detection while hidden, how well a character can dodge attacks, and the speed of melee attacks.

Mental Stats

Logic: A measure of a character's ability to reason. It is used in determining how much experience can be held at once and how fast it is absorbed, and a character's ability to use magic items.

Intuition: A measure of a character's insight. It is used in determining defensive strength, how well a character can dodge attacks, foraging ability, and a character's ability to use magic items.

Wisdom: A measure of a character's problem solving ability and affinity with spiritual magic..It is used in determining a character's ability to cast and defend against spiritual spells (spells in the ranger circle are considered spiritual), and starting mana points.

Influence: A measure of a character's charisma. It is used in determining how well a character can haggle in shops.

Hybrid Stats

Aura: A measure of a character's connection to the magic nature of Elanthia. It is used in determining spirit points, and a character's ability to defend against elemental magic.

Discipline: A measure of a character's determination and self-control. It is used in determining how much experience can be held at once, a character's ability to hide and avoid detection while hidden, and a character's ability to defend against mental magic.


Prime Requisites

Prime requisites are stats that are used in the calculation of training points (discussed next). Two stats from the above list are assigned to each profession for this purpose. The prime requisite stats for rangers are dexterity and intuition.


Training Points

Training points (TPs) are what a character spends on skills. They are broken down into two types: Physical Training Points (PTPs) and Mental Training Points (MTPs). These points are calculated using a character's base stat values to generate a number of each type of TP for a character per level.. Physical stats are used to calculate PTPs, mental for MTPs, and hybrid for both. Prime requisite stats are valued twice as much as any other stat in this calculation.

Training point costs for skills will be discussed further in the skills section of this module, as some skill sets require larger amounts of one type of TP than the other.


Racial Modifiers to Stat Bonuses

Racial modifiers to stat bonuses, depicted in the table below, show the particulars of each race's strengths and weaknesses.

Racial Modifiers to Stat Bonuses
Strength Constitution Dexterity Agility Discipline Aura Logic Intuition Wisdom Influence
Aelotoi -5 0 +5 +10 +5 0 +5 +5 0 -5
Dwarf +10 +15 0 -5 +10 -10 +5 0 0 -10
Elf 0 0 +5 +15 -15 +5 0 0 0 +10
Elf, Dark 0 -5 +10 +5 -10 +10 0 +5 +5 -5
Elf, Half 0 0 +5 +10 0 0 0 0 0 +5
Elf, Sylvan 0 0 +10 +5 -5 +5 0 0 0 0
Erithi -5 +10 0 0 +5 0 +5 0 0 +10
Gnome, Burghal -15 +10 +10 +10 -5 +5 +10 +5 0 -5
Gnome, Forest -10 +10 +5 +10 +5 0 +5 0 +5 -5
Giantman +15 +10 -5 -5 0 -5 -5 0 0 +5
Halfling -15 +10 +15 +10 -5 -5 +5 +10 0 -5
Human +5 0 0 0 0 0 +5 +5 0 0
Krolvin, Half +10 +10 0 +5 0 0 -10 0 -5 -5


Setting Up Initial Stat Placement

Coming soon...

Skills

A ranger's skill selection will vary somewhat depending on the path they have chosen. This is intended to be a very general training guide for any ranger. For further details on training in particular hunting styles, please refer to (links to specific hunting guides go here).

Core skills

These are the very basic things that every ranger should train in each level. Here, Cost refers to the training point (TP) cost expressed as (MTP/PTP) for a full single train at each level. A second training at each level costs double the TPs of the first one (so double training a skill will cost three times the listed value). Note that since level zero exists, it is possible to train at one's level plus two for the single training costs. This is referred to as being fully single trained. The skills listed here should be fully single or double trained unless indicated.

# Cost Skill Reasoning
1x 4/0 Physical Fitness Necessary for full hitpoints, good as a cheap defense for maneuvers and for redux.
2x Weapon Skill Whatever the weapon choice, the training should be maxed out.
1x 7/5 Dodge Dodge helps you avoid incoming attacks entirely.
1x 0/17 Spell Research Learning new spells, improving the effectiveness and duration of others.
1x 0/5 Harness Power Should be exactly at the character's level (not fully 1x) for 3 mana at each level.
1x 0/2 Perception It's cheap, provides maneuver defense, helps rangers be even more amazing at foraging.
Total 9/29

Weapon Skill

The total cost of this training does not include weapon training since it is meant to be very generalized. Weapon training costs for a single weapon can vary from 9/3 for edged and ranged to 21/6 for polearms (if there are actually any rangers who hunt with polearms).

Depending on weapon choice and hunting style, a ranger will want to train in different skills each level as well. For example, an edged weapons user may wish to double train in Shield Use for an additional (15/0) training points. Archers will typically want to double train in perception (+0/4) and either single or double train in ambush (3/3 or 9/9) as well as double training in stalking and hiding (6/3) if they plan on sniping.

If the training points are too difficult to fit in all of these skills at lower levels, a ranger may choose to skip training in dodge, especially if they choose to hunt from the shadows. Since mobility provides rangers with 20 ranks of dodge (plus an additional rank for each subsequent ranger spell learned), rangers can be effectively more than single trained in dodge after level 18 without ever actually training in the dodge skill as long as they continue to train in the ranger base. Thus, it is often advised to save the TPs for other skills, though dodge can be trained if desired and if the training points allow.

Spell Research

Although spell research can be fully singled, it is not possible to use a spell with a spell number higher than one's level. Fortunately, rangers have access to two spell circles, so they can pick up the first rank or two in the Minor Spiritual spell circle while still learning a new Ranger Base spell each level. Since this provides the ranger with an additional buff spell, it is often a good idea to do this, though not strictly necessary since many other professions know this spell and others may offer assistance.

A common way to train in spells is to obtain one rank in minor spirituals, and study in the ranger base each level up to level 40, learning Wall of Thorns. At this point, rangers will often focus on the minor spiritual spell circle at least until they learn Lesser Shroud before switching back to the ranger base for Assume Aspect. However, some rangers continue in the minor spirituals until they learn Spirit Guide, especially if they are interested in rescuing and are not a member of the Order of Voln before resuming study of the ranger base spells while others may skip the rest of the minor spiritual spells entirely until they have finished leveling.

Some rangers also stop training in spell research after learning all the spells they wish to learn, but many continue to study ranger base spells due to the additional benefits to ranger spells achieved in this manner. Rangers who choose to fully single train in spell research at each level typically end up learning 40 ranks in minor spirituals and 62 in ranger base.

Threshold Skills

These are skills you can train and then forget about. Once again, the costs listed here are the costs for a skill that is fully single trained at most.

# Cost Skill Reasoning
30+ 5/0 Armor Use 30 ranks is required to use brigandine with minimal spell and maneuver hindrance.
10+ 2/0 Climbing For low- to mid-level hunting grounds, somewhere around 10-15 should be enough to get around. You can add more ranks as necessary.
5+ 2/0 Swimming For low to mid-level hunting grounds, somewhere around 5-10 should be enough to get around. You can add more ranks as necessary.
25 0/5 Spirit Mana Control 24 ranks for perfect sharing and an additional one for double incanting ability.

Note that many rangers choose to train to heavier armors if they want additional protection and spell hindrance doesn't bother them, so training up to 70 for minimal spell hindrance on augmented chain or up to 110 for chain hauberk is also reasonable. The spell casting penalty beyond chain armor cannot be fully reduced. It is also generally a good idea to train this skill only when a ranger wishes to move to the next armor sub group (AsG).

Additionally, while most of these skills are immediately useful even at low levels, many rangers avoid studying more than about 10 ranks spiritual mana control until they are very high level. If you have a hunting partner who uses spiritual magic, you may find it useful to train in this skill earlier on in your career.

Additional Training

Finally here are some additional skills you should train when you can spare the training points.

# Cost Skill Reasoning
?? Combat Maneuvers Adds attack, defense or other special abilities.
?? 0/5 Magic Item Use This skill increases the odds of successfully activating a magic item as well as increasing the duration of the spells contained in these items. It can be especially useful for rangers, who have the ability to create magical items.
?? 0/10 Spiritual Lore, Blessings Increases the benefits and abilities for spells.
?? 0/10 Spiritual Lore, Summoning ibid
1x 1/1 Survival It's cheap, helps skinning, helps foraging, helps move around in tricky places.
1x 2/1 First Aid It's cheap, helps skinning and allows more effective wound tending.

Combat Maneuvers

Depending on a ranger's chosen hunting style, combat maneuvers can be very beneficial. Melee weapons users (e.g. edged, two handed) may want to fully single train in this skill from the outset because every two ranks in this skill will add one to their attack strength (+1 AS). Ranged weapons users may choose to avoid studying combat maneuvers until later in their career since they miss out on this bonus, however, they can benefit from the abilities unlocked by specific combat maneuvers as well as defense against combat maneuvers.

Lore Training

It is sometimes recommended to obtain one rank of both blessing and summoning lores as soon as possible. Later in a ranger's career, they will definitely want to train more in each of these lores and many rangers choose to fully single in them. However, since rangers are limited to single training in Spiritual Lores, each ranger must choose how they balance their lores since these each offer different benefits to different spells, which are outlined in great detail in the lore chart.

More generally, a ranger who hunts in a more magical style may choose to learn more summoning lore to increase the effectiveness of their vine, spike thorn and nature's fury attacks (in addition to others) as well as for creating better imbued items. A ranger who hunts in a more physical style may prefer to learn more blessing lore since this will increase the defensive benefits of natural colours, resist elements, self control and their ability to give their armor better resistance to nature. Eventually, all rangers typically train up to some threshold in each to achieve some sort of balance.

Name

A character’s name. Choose wisely. This is one of the few settings players will never be able to change within the lifespan of their character.

See Also

References

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