ok now we are a month or so into live lets have an update on how we feel about our chosen class.
i think this is the ranger i have been waiting for. my ranger has a great mix of melee/ranged combat. i wanted to find a ranger along the lines of legolas! (yes i know hes not a ranger) a char that is great with a bow but also can dish it out in melee. so far at level 17 i have been rewarded with just that.
i can fight blue mobs and at times take them out before the reach me with my bow. if i am fighting a higher mob i can snare and kite him down a bit before finishing him with a few melee skills. so far i am a bit worried that they may not get track in the game at all. which would be a huge disapointment! as i think that should be a rangers defining skill. forage is a lot better after the recent changes. other than now i can use a higher tier arrow my foraged ones arent that good. at lower levels i could cope with the rare reeds as when i made them i got rewarded with real nice damage arrows. but now i can buy better
overall i am happy with the VG ranger. i can solo, i can perform great in a group. and feel comfortable in both melee and ranged.