Rangers - A guide for WoW hunters

Ever seen a Hunter in WoW pull that off? I doubt it...

I've read in a lot of places that many WoW players will be switching over to Aion once it goes live. Three of my WoW friends will be playing the Open Beta with me, and at least another two are interested in it. Considering Hunters are the most played class in Aion, and that Rangers are Aion's equivalent to Hunters, I thought this guide might help some people.

When I say "Rangers are Hunter equivalents", I mean that in the loosest way possible. Rangers are probably only similar to Hunters in the sense that they both use bows. Let me list some key differences.

• Rangers do not have pets.
  
• Did you get that one? Rangers do not have pets.
• Rangers are one of the hardest classes in Aion to level up solo.
• A key component of Rangers' utility is kiting.
• There is no such thing as a "stat stick".
• Rangers do not have a deadzone.
  

Rangers do not have pets.
Put Fluffy back in the stables, because Aion Rangers don't have pets. The pet class of this game is the Spiritmaster, which is probably closer to WoW's Warlocks. This leads up to my second point-

Rangers are one of the hardest classes in Aion to level up solo.
Because they don't have what is essentially a second dps with them, Rangers are the hardest class to level in Aion. The lack of a pet to tank mobs for you means you'll either take the mobs hitting you in the face and heal after every fight, or learn how to kite.

I suggest the latter option, because-

A key component of Rangers' utility is kiting.
While in WoW vanilla a Hunter was the only class capable of kiting anything worth a damn, that fine art has since become a rarity since Burning Crusade was released. It got even worse with Wrath, where the mantra seems to be "pew pew first, ask questions never".

If you're a Hunter and you've never kited in your life, have no fear, for the first few levels of Aion Ranger levelling will teach you. Well, not literally. But it helps that the mobs around you while you're trying to kite are neutral and non-aggressive.

There is no such thing as a "stat stick".
By the way, did I ever mention that melee for Rangers is absolutely worthless? You're forced to play like a rogue from levels 1 to 10, but after you get your bow, sell your daggers and never buy another one again.

Ever.

See, in Aion you can only have one weapon equipped at a time. If you ever fancy sticking a knife up a pig-man's butt halfway through the fight, you're gonna have to switch to your melee weapons manually. Considering melee abilities for Rangers are really nothing special (at least at lower levels), you're pretty much just better off finishing them off with your bow. Even if they're clawing at your face, because-

Rangers do not have a deadzone.
What's that? You need a new pair of pants? It's alright, I understand.

Rangers can shoot at mobs in melee range. Point blank.

I really don't know what else I can add here besides "heck yes".

I'll probably be covering other points over the next few days. For now, I'll let this digest. ^^