Ranger Javelin: The Basics
The jack of all trades and master of none is the class that the Ranger falls into. The Ranger is the starting class, but you can progress into other javelins during gameplay, but you may not want to. The Ranger is the most well-rounded/versatile javelin available. The studio (Bioware) have stated that despite it being a starter class, it will have a big place in the end game of Anthem.
Speaking of versatility the Ranger can wield any type of weapon in Anthem, except for heavy weapons, which are exclusive for the bullet sponge (Colossus Javelin). The melee skill/close range for the Ranger, can also do some serious damage, it’s essentially the giant shock baton from Star Wars the Force Awakens. It has the ability to electrocute enemies when struck.
Ranger Javelin’s Role
You will want to play to fill any void your team is missing. The true power of the ranger is to alter your playstyle to have the most impact during battle. Whether guiding friends through the game, or fitting into a random team, you will never feel useless while playing as the Ranger.
Diversity is the word (much like the bird is the word), whether it is your grenades or wrist mounted weapons. The function of these skills/abilities can drastically change gameplay and damage in a team setup.
For example your grenades can set enemies on fire, or freeze them, or break into clusters to do AOE damage (Area of Effect). The wrist mounted projectiles are even more versatile than the grenade options. Single target, AOE, an energy laser, and even poison darts, all of these options will help you deal combo damage with your teammates. A full breakdown of combos will be listed below, along with all your options for gear.
While the Ranger is quite diverse and can use AOE abilities, the true power of the ranger will be single target damage. You should focus on eradicating the big baddies in Anthems world. This will include Snipers, Turrets, Elites, and basically anything that can be a major threat to your squad/team. The Ranger is the perfect choice to take out these types of enemies.
Ranger Javelin’s Unique Melee Ability
The Rangers ability to smack things with it’s electric baton is not to be underestimated. It will electrocute a single target from the ground, and AOE damage if you use it while dropping from the sky. Though the most effective way to use this ability/skill is to set up combos with your team, it is the only melee ability in the game with an elemental effect attached. Combos/damage will be listed later on. Your main goal is to focus high value targets.
Ranger Javelin’s Defensive Capability
Your defense as the Ranger, is second only to the Colossus. So you’d be amazed how much more mobile you are than, the big fat mech that’s essentially a 747 airplane. This Javelin will allow you to focus on all types of mobility with ease, it’s a unique power to the Ranger, so don’t let all the flexibility of movement go to waste.
Ranger Javelin’s Ultimate Ability
The Multi-Target Missile Battery, AKA your Ultimate for the Ranger, is a great way to deal AOE or Single Target Damage. When you activate this ability you hold down the button and scan your enemies, and can hit them with a barrage of missiles. OR if it’s a single target, usually the elite of the mob, you will fire the same amount of missiles into the one target. Just keep in mind, that you should fill in where your team is weak, so use your ultimate to bridge any gap in damage.
Ranger Javelin Full Ability List
GRENADES
- Frag Grenade – Ideal for damaging groups of enemies
- Inferno Grenade – Sets enemies on fire, dealing damage over time
- Frost Grenade – Freezes enemies, leaving them vulnerable to attack
- Seeker Grenades – A single grenade breaks into multiple pieces, tracking all nearby enemies
- Sticky Grenade – Latches onto a single target, dealing excessive, focused damage
ASSAULT LAUNCHER
- Pulse Blast – Target a single enemy with high damage
- Seeking Missile – Fire a long range missile that follows a target and damages nearby enemies
- Spark Beam – Fire a single beam that deals damage over an extended period of time
- Venom Darts – Deal acid damage with a swath of darts
- Blast Missile – Deliver an explosive payload, dealing damage across a wide area
SUPPORT GEAR
- Bulwark Point – Drop a bubble shield for increased protection inside
- Muster Point – A bubble that increases the damage of those within it
MELEE ABILITY: SHOCK MACE
- Deal electrical damage up close or deliver an area-of-effect blast if you melee while flying.
ULTIMATE ABILITY: MULTI-TARGET MISSILE BATTERY
- Fire many small tracking rockets at once. Capable of wrecking large groups of small targets or focusing entirely on a single large target.
Customize Your Ranger Javelin
As you can imagine, there’s a lot of different combinations you can create that will allow you to personalize your Ranger in Anthem. We recommend that you give all of these a try, to see what will end up being your favorite, and most effective combination. Remember, not everything in every game is going to behave the same for each person that is playing. Everyone has a different skill set, and a way of thinking so they each ability can be applied differently.
