From Dark and Darker Wiki
The Ranger
Choosing the Ranger class requires players to leverage their ranged expertise while carefully managing their vulnerabilities in close combat scenarios. Always aim for Headshots!
You can end a fight before it has begun. Ranger is a very skill based class, and gives advantage to gamers with a history of FPS shooters. Especially against Mages. There are a lot of tactics like Strafing/Counter Strafing and jiggle peaking from Counter Strike which can be used and adapted in to Dark And Darker.
Skills
Quickshot:
Fire three arrows consecutively.
Must have 3 arrows to activate. Will load the 3 arrows if quiver is empty.
Field Ration:
Give 3 food rations for instant 25hp.
Has the highest amount of Healing from Skills. Good for Beginner.
Multishot:
Shoots 5 arrows in a cone shape.
Must have 5 arrows to activate. Will load the 5 arrows if quiver is empty.
Quick Fire:
Increases Bow draw back by 50% for 8 secs.
Great with QuickShot!
Perks
Nimble Hands:
Increases bowstring draw by 15%.
One of the core perks. Useful for kiting.
Sharpshooter:
Increases Headshot damage by 15% to players, mobs, bosses.
The other core Perk.
Spear Proficiency:
Grants the ability to use a spear. While gaining 10 Physical power.
Great Perk if you have a spear. Makes you a sizeable threat in melee.
Kinesthesia:
Increases movement speed by 10%, when bowstring is drawn.
Helps with your kiting. More important in PVP. Since you can kite PVE without it.
Tracking:
You can see enemy footprints even if the enemy is invisible.
Great for PVP against rogues and wizards. The footsteps will appear red on the ground.
Trap Expert:
Decreases the installation time for traps.
Good utility perk make sure to buy traps at the vendor. Place them underneath bodies, Items, in doorways and make it dark.
Crossbow Mastery:
Physical Damage Bonus 5% when using a crossbow. Increases Crossbow Reload / movement speed by 50%
When you find a good crossbow it is a viable strategy to go for it. Especially the reload timer is what matters. You can go the crossbow in the second weapon slot and switch for a big shot especially with the Windlass crossbow.
Ranged Weapons Expert:
This Perk is a trap the damage bonus is negligible.
Enhanced Hearing:
Increases range for hearing enemy footsteps.
Great for Rat Ranger.
Weapons
Recommended 1-hand Weapons: Arming Sword; Rapier
take one of these when you don´t have a Spear
Recommended 2-handed Weapons: Spear
You need the Perk to equip even a low level quality is a good weapon.
Recommended 2-handed Weapons: Longbow; Recurve Bow; Crossbow; Windlass Crossbow; Survival Bow
Longbow is the strongest bow, followed after Recurve. Use the crossbows only with the crossbow mastery perk and don´t use the Windlass crossbow as the main weapon. the reload is to long. but it is a strong weapon for the second weapon slot. Only use survival bow if he has the same damage as your other bows.
Armor
Recommended Head: Leather Cap; Ranger Hood
the leather cap is actually better than the ranger hood. Go for the better bonus stats.
Recommended Chest: Regal Gambeson; Warden Outfit; Doublet; Padded Tunic
Regal Gambeson is a really good armor and gives 10 magic resistance. you get the full package. Warden Outfit has slightly less armor and gives +1 Agility instead of magic resistance.
Doublet and Padded Tunic are slightly faster but give alot less armor.
Recommended Legs: Heavy Leather Leggings; Leather Leggings; Loose Trousers
It is recommended to grab one of these from the merchant. Get the cheapest ones, since you only look for the stat bonus.
Recommended Hands: Riveted Gloves; Reinforced Gloves; Leather Gloves
It is recommended to grab one of these from the merchant. Get the cheapest ones, since you only look for the stat bonus.
Recommended Feet: Lightfoot Boots; Heavy Boots; Rugged Boots; Adventurer Boots
Lightfoot Boots are the only one with scaling movement speed. Clearly the best choice.
Play Style
Solo:
You are at a disadvantage entering solo, so make the best out of it and use Guerilla Tactics!!!
You can hear enemy Teams almost every time beforehand and let´s you evade them. Avoid noise yourself.
Move at the outer circle of the map to avoid players.
Choose your fights. Wait for enemy players to start PVE or be distracted by looting.
Hit hard and retreat.
Use your traps and don´t let them close in. Use doors to buy time and create distance. A good kiting Ranger is a menace in the dungeon.
If you have a melee weapon draw it early i have seen to many rangers trying to get the last shot in and take one or two hits for free without spacing because of the movement speed slow from the drawn bow. Instead of trying to hit that last hail marry arrow. prepare yourself the the incoming melee battle. Especially the spear is a good Poke weapon.
Going through the swarm is not as punishing as you might think.
Camping is a good strategy to give you a better chance at escaping.
when hiding in the darkness don´t wear potions in your slots. They make you visible. Store the potions in the inventory and have bandages in the belt slot instead. If you have good micro you can swap potions from inventory to belt slot while kiting.
Team:
Communication is absolutely necessary. Communicate with your team when you hear enemy players, Doors open, Mobs aggroing, Spells casting. If you have tracking always look out for footprints. Never know when you'll find a rouge, or invisible barbarian.
Be careful of Rogues hitting you in the back. Teams with rogues will bait you through a door and a rogue is almost always behind it. Counter is tracking and clearing corners.