[b41] New Class: Ranger ( Archer with Pet ) v8

[eliotn]

I have a bug report. The on crit damage of the killing shot is way too high. I think you accidentally added an extra 0 to the critical multiplier.

[Dekar]

Yes, looks like I used 70 instead of 0.7 for the critical power.


B39 will get eveybody a new ranger version, yay! *

I might even add a new "surviving in the wilds" tree if the idea juice is flowing.

*Promise void after Diablo 3 release

[Dekar]

New Version for b40!

Changes:
tame animal now takes 1 game turn instead of 1 attack turn, making stuff super hard to tame (probably)
counters needed to tame reduced, making animals super easy to tame ( probably )
beastmastery related trees are now wild gift. that doesnt really have any significant impact except always taking one game turn ( I think )
no more generic tree ( might return to give other classes access to pets ) have fun running out of class points!
nerfed critical killing shots by 99%
display tame progress in game log
cant tame better than elite anymore
now with 60% less edits to core tome and t-engine files as they got implemented into the main code!
elite beastmastery passive can now reduce cross skill cooldown of commands from 4 to 2
new talent: blitz: instant attack of ranger and pet

Feedback requested:
easy prey active effectiveness late game
does protect work? didnt test it in b40 yet, but it should be ok
general balance: any skill that is completly useless? skill not worth putting more than 1 point into it?
Favorite / Least favorite skill


Known Bugs:
Barrage and Blitz range doesnt increase with archery range
Animal Companion Settings talent doesnt work yet, forgot to disable it

download: http://te4.org/games/addons/tome/ranger ... -class-b40

[Dekar]

http://te4.org/games/addons/tome/ranger ... r-class-v6

Beastmastery is now a generic tree.
Pets can be named on taming!

Still buggy:
Pressing Cancel on naming dialoge gives an error.

[Dekar]

v7 updated for b41, no matter what the filename says.
http://te4.org/games/addons/tome/ranger ... ranger-v41

Now with 100% less T-Engine file overwrites!

[daftigod]

The .teaa file has the wrong structure! Just FYI

One other thing, can you enable arena mode in the birth.lua please? I like to experiment with new classes in the Arena.

This class is alot of fun, great work Dekar!

edit - just checked out how the class works out in the Arena, and there seems to be a problem with the Tamed animals. They are still marked as alive enemies, so the round never ends. I'm not sure if there's a work around but thought you might like to know.

Also, maybe swap the default weapon set to the sling instead of the bow, since sling mastery is unlocked at birth. I really like the fact that he has a choice, but maybe just default to sling for a little hand holding at first. I also really like the option of switching to an off-hand set for another reloading strategy (just switch out for a full quiver/pouch), so I'm glad it exists!

All I can think of right now other than I really like this class as a whole.

[Dekar]

Thanks for the feedback!

Heh, I discovered that the file structure was wrong but forgot to update, partly because I started working on some fixes.

Im planning to add a starter pet, partially so that NPC can make better use of the class. I suppose that would fix the arena as long as you dont tame a different one. I will talk about the arena bug with the other guys, maybe its worth a maingame fix for the future.

DG already suggested making them slingers, and while I at first hated slingers like nothing else they have the shield block mechanic now, and I like that one. So currently I'm thinking about turning them into pure slingers and adding another tree non-pet tree.

If you discover any grave balance issues or bugs, let me know!

Lets hope this work! http://te4.org/games/addons/tome/ranger ... ranger-b41

[Dekar]

Yet another new version!

http://te4.org/games/addons/tome/ranger-class/ranger-v8

changes:
Start with a wolf companion! For a far easier start.
NPC Rangers might also spawn with it, please report if you see one.
Cancel on naming dialoge gives error no more.
Cookie speed faster to allow easier hitting of your pet.
On tame progress shows how many tame points you need.
Treat autotargets friendly when used.
Leap checks if the pet is pinned ? ( needs confirmation but should work )
Ranger can now be used in Arena and ID.

[MisiuPysiu]

Hi,

I started playing the class, first few levels were great. Then a bug came:
After resting, my pet moved to the place where my char was. I was unable to move in any directions, couldn't do anthing.Time just flew by very quickly.
Sadly this broke my save, I cant continue...

hope this is nothing serious, i like this class very much (reminds me of my time with WoW).

Cheers.

[Sradac]

Suggestions:

Honestly, fix the class. So many talents are still broke or so next to useless rangers are nothing more than gimped archers for the first 10-15 levels.

Why are you putting fixes into leap checking for pin, when Leap dosent even work? Not once has it ever actually made my pet Leap, through all versions of this class, on any of the pets.

Barrage uses way too much ammo to be useful, either give it more damage or reduce the amount shot. At level 1 it wastes 5 of my arrows to do slightly more damage than a normal shot if I am lucky enough to have 2 of them hit.

Turn off debug, every time I try to tame something I get debug messages on the checks made.

All of the beast-mastery talents have a "|" after their name?

Unless you take a pet from heart of gloom, most are weak weak weak. Your pet should be a bit weaker than a golem, because you have the freedom to switch it out whenever you want. However, the animal should NOT be weaker than summoner summons. Have the pet inherit something from you, be it resistances, damage bonus, anything, and not just whats from your talents.

Even after level 20, I still feel super weak. Around 20 is when most classes have their turning around point, when they start to feel truly powerful and in their prime. Rangers dont have this, and it sucks because I WANT to like this class. But having a pet that dies in 3-5 hits for the first hour of gameplay is just....not fun. Then here i am with my lackluster bow skills, doing measly damage.

[Zaive]

A small note about using barrage is that if there is an enemy directly in front of you, if you fire the max distance all 5 arrows will hit it. Very much a point blank skill.

I've had leap work most of the time. It fails when targeting an enemy, which the talent auto-targets enemies... I think it needs some checks to see what to do if the space targeted isn't available.

From what I've tried, taming pets is a pain early on. It doesn't even work half the time. I've nearly died trying to tame a snake, which then doesn't really help me fight much at all. I can't imagine trying to actually tame a competent pet, like a dragon, while it's tearing you apart. Maybe a 1 turn daze if tame works? I suppose starting with a pet helps, but I still can't see using tame 7 turns in a row when an elite is trying to kill you.

I also find it annoying that you can't tame a new pet when you already have one, and no good way of getting rid of your current pet. I'd rather just lose the current pet when I tame a new one rather than not being able to tame a new pet at all.

I really like the idea though. Just needs some fine-tuning.

[Dekar]

Hi,
After resting, my pet moved to the place where my char was.

That shouldn't be a Ranger specific problem unless you actively moved it there with a skill like leap, and even then it should just be able to move out of the tile again. Do you have a save with the bug?

Honestly, fix the class. So many talents are still broke or so next to useless rangers are nothing more than gimped archers for the first 10-15 levels.

If talents are broken please report them, same goes for specific talent balance. I wrote in the first post that I didnt balance them yet and want feedback on talents.

Why are you putting fixes into leap checking for pin, when Leap dosent even work? Not once has it ever actually made my pet Leap, through all versions of this class, on any of the pets.

Not sure what your problem is, leap works fine as long as it goes over visible and unblocked tiles ( and not targeting enemies as Zaive said ). The current problem is only about specific cases like targeting black tiles doing no leap at all instead of partial. Nobody else seemed to have problems with it either yet. Apart from that, some fixes are easier done than others, especially when they are similiar to other things I'm working on.

Barrage uses way too much ammo to be useful, either give it more damage or reduce the amount shot. At level 1 it wastes 5 of my arrows to do slightly more damage than a normal shot if I am lucky enough to have 2 of them hit.

I already moved Barrage to T2 and Easy Prey down for early game accuracy in my unreleased version, gives you more time to find a larger quiver. If the class gets turned into a pure slinger, the larger pouches will help with it, too. If you aim Barrage far away in the direction of someone standing infront of you, all missiles will hit the single target, with enough accuracy its a very good burst skill.

Turn off debug, every time I try to tame something I get debug messages on the checks made.

You shouldn't have to tame stuff all the time, and as it is not a finished class I want to provide the insight for balancing so players can report if it turns out far too easy or too difficult.

All of the beast-mastery talents have a "|" after their name?

These are exclamation marks, maybe the new font has a problem with them.

Have the pet inherit something from you, be it resistances, damage bonus, anything, and not just whats from your talents.

Thats the kind of mid-late game balance I didnt get to do yet. If more people give their oppinion on that of if I get to test it myself I see whats needed.

Even after level 20, I still feel super weak.

Again, give me specific things to change and I will most likely do it. There is also a potential new Ranger/Survival tree to be added in the future that can include stuff like herbal knowledge for increased hp partywise, so dont hold back with specific changes that dont fit the existing talents.

From what I've tried, taming pets is a pain early on. It doesn't even work half the time. I've nearly died trying to tame a snake, which then doesn't really help me fight much at all. I can't imagine trying to actually tame a competent pet, like a dragon, while it's tearing you apart. Maybe a 1 turn daze if tame works? I suppose starting with a pet helps, but I still can't see using tame 7 turns in a row when an elite is trying to kill you.

I dont like want to be the taming a completly trivial process, but as you can tame lower level enemies and they instantly level up to your level, the taming in the future might become more simplified.

I also find it annoying that you can't tame a new pet when you already have one, and no good way of getting rid of your current pet. I'd rather just lose the current pet when I tame a new one rather than not being able to tame a new pet at all.

Yes, its a bit clunky at the moment. I will probably a skill that opens a little dialoge for revive/send pet away or something that basically kills it/equip pet with amulet and infusions ( whatever gets implemented in the end ), similiar to talk to golem.

[aberk]

This class is a great idea. ToME needs rangers!

What would make this class even better is to have a symbiosis with your pet. I think of a true ranger as having a link to a pet that extends beyond being able to give commands. The power of nature bonds ranger and pet, almost merging the two souls into one.

Keeping with this theme, I would like to propose the pet symbiosis tree below. Think of it as taking soul bond to the next level. I will admit right now that I can't code, so it's up to someone else to make this tree a reality. Also, the ideas are rough, but I want to start a discussion.

Pet Symbiosis

1. Shared Senses: Your pet lends you its keen senses, granting +1/+2/+3/+4/+5 infravision and +5/+10/+15/+20 accuracy. Maybe higher critical hit chance at level 5. 15 equilibrium sustained.

2. Life Share: Your life force combines with your pet, balancing the scales of life to keep you both alive. When either you or your pet drop below 40% health, the other heals the wounded comrade for base 40/60/80/100/120 at the cost of 25%/20%/15%/10%/5% of the other's health. Amount healed scales with Willpower. 15 equilibrium sustained.

3. Shared Resistances: You and your pet learn to share each others strengths, better protecting both partners from the dangers of the world. You and your pet gain 10%/20%/30%/40%/50% of each others positive resistances. 30 equilibrium sustained.

4. Breath Weapon: Upon command, your pet will attack a breath weapon. The breath weapon issues from the pet, but you target it. All pets have a breath weapon because you are granting it to them with the power of nature. I have no idea how the damage will work with this one, but it would take 30 equilibrium per use.

Let me know what you think.

[bleedingapathy]

for the life of me It says acess denied when I try and get this addon. Do I need special permission to aquire this addon?

[Dekar]

@aberk:
Development for this class is currently on indefinite hold, as I had no time in the last months. If I ever work on it again, there will be a partial redesign of the class, most likely replacing taming with multiple permanent and multiple temporary summons. Not sure if a symbiosis tree will fit in then.



@bleedingapathy:
No, you should not need special permissions to download it. I tried it and it worked fine.