Final Fantasy XI Ranger Guide
Are you a fan of gunslinging, taking down enemies from afar, as well as dealing high numbers in melee mode? In that case, the Ranger class might be for you. Damaging mobs while being in safety range, while damaging them enough to close in for the kill, is a fun aspect. I highly suggest this guide if you plan on maining this class in your Final Fantasy XI playthrough.
Who are Rangers?
Rangers are long-range attackers who specialize in guns and bows. They can do significant damage from a safe distance. However, remember that mobility isn't their strong suit, as you will struggle with your survivability if you are not smart enough.
Playing in a team and allowing other party members to tank your hits for you (paladins are great members) and support you well enough to output your best damage.
Remember that although Rangers can be the most robust class, they are heavily limited by your money. You need to purchase your ammunition, and depending on the quality of said ammunition, it can get costly. You must spend enough time grinding for Gil (in-game currency) to make the most of this kit.
Although you have enough money, love the playstyle, and love dishing out significant damage, you should try the ranger!
Ranger Job Abilities
Similar to other MMOs/RPGs, some skills are specific to your class, more of which can be unlocked by levelling up your character. In addition, there are exciting skills pertaining to rangers, which are as follows:
Sharpshot is one of the essential abilities that you get at level 1. It is probably the most integral part of your kit solely because of its simplicity. You get increased range on enemies, helping you evade danger and increasing your general accuracy. It is important to note that using it in dire situations is advised, and shouldn't be a 'used-whenever-available' skill, as it is only up for a minute and has a 5-minute cooldown. Pairing this up with your other skills will help you output your desired damage.
Scavenge is a skill that unlocks at level 10. It is a decent skill, helping you acquire items that help you make ammo. Considering how expensive a ranger can be to build and maintain, this skill can help take some load off. Similar to a sharp shot, it has a cooldown of 5 minutes, so use it wisely.
Camouflage is a skill that is very situational but can be handy. It is unlocked at level 20 and can help you avoid certain mobs. However, it is only activated for a short time and is usually not recommended to use amid combat. Unlocked at level 20, be sure not to rely on it too much.
Barrage is one of your best job abilities and is catered to your role as a DPS. It fires 4-6 normal shots, depending on your accuracy. To maximize this skill's potency, ensure your accuracy stat is maximized for the 6-shot damage. Each shot also gives you a lot of TP and deals significant damage. Using sharpshot with this skill will help you gain accuracy stats, and since both this skill and that have the same recharge time (5 minutes), you can spam these two attacks every five mins. This skill unlocks at level 30.
Shadow bind is a skill unlocked at level 40. A bind ability can do the action for 20-25 seconds. It has excellent accuracy and is very reliable. I recommend using this ability to make quick getaways when you are low on health/getting pummelled by enemies.
Velocity Shot is your ranged attack stance. It gives you a boost to your ranged attacks at the expense of losing melee damage. However, since you are a 'ranger,' this is an excellent skill for you, provided you have unlocked it. It has a low cooldown of 1 minute and lasts 2 minutes. Unlocked at level 45, it is advised to use this skill.
Unlimited Shot is an ability unlocked at level 51. It helps you attack enemies without using ammunition. It is a fantastic skill, especially when you are low on ammo and must dish out damage.
Flashy Shot is a very niche skill, only applicable in a few scenarios. However, it allows you to deal more damage based on the difference in levels between you and your enemy. A skill unlocked at the high level of 75, it's an ability that CAN be good provided you meet the situational criteria.
Overkill is a skill unlocked at the high level of 96; it increases attack speed and can activate double shots. However, it lasts a short time of 1 minute. Recommended when fighting challenging bosses/mobs.
Using these skills optimally while also knowing which ones help you in combat or not is the key to using a ranger to the best of its abilities!
Job Traits
Traits that are specific to your class come under this section. Various traits can be very beneficial to combat or help you evade it entirely. They are:
Wide scan is a trait that scans the area for monsters. Can be helpful if you're trying to avoid combat.
Alertness gives you a slight chance not to enter combat with sound-based mobs. It isn't a very viable trait, as the chance is minimal.
Accuracy Bonus, as the name suggests, boosts your accuracy significantly. It is an excellent trait for this class.
Rapid Shot helps reduce the delay of your attacks. It requires some getting used to and skill application. Nonetheless, a great trait.
Resist Poison gives you resistance against poison.
Recycle helps you conserve ammo, as there is a chance you won't use ammo when attacking. A great addition to the kit, given how expensive ranger can be.
True Shot gives you more significant damage based on the distance between you and your enemy. This also is very hard to pull off but provides a significant damage boost.
Sub-jobs
The best sub-jobs for the ranger are:
Rangers can be a costly job, requiring you to put in endless hours in the Gil grind. However, even after a lot of grinding, it can still not be enough. Making ammunition can be a very arduous task, especially when your in-game finances limit you. Fortunately, FFXI Gil is quite cheap to buy.
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To conclude, rangers are one of the best damage-dealing jobs, carrying and helping you beat most, if not all, content in the game.
Hopefully, our guide helped you understand how to use this class optimally. That being said, we hope to see you on the battlefield, with your bows handy and guns loaded!
