Rogue Legacy 2: Ranger class guide — Weapon, ability, and passive

The Ranger is the first non-melee class unlocked in Rogue Legacy 2. This class is all about keeping your distance and taking down enemies outside of their effective range. Rangers are not particularly tanky, with them only possessing average health. But this is offset by their above-average mana pool. Playing as the Ranger can be tricky, luckily we put together this quick guide for the class found in Rogue Legacy 2.

Unlocking the Ranger is an easy task, as it is the first class to be unlocked through the castle upgrades. In most cases, players will be able to unlock the ranger either straight after their tutorial run or, at the very latest, after a second run. The only upgrade that has to be purchased before the Ranger is Universal Health Stair, which is the first castle upgrade you can purchase.

War Bow

The Ranger class utilizes the hunter’s weapon of choice: the bow. More specifically, the War Bow. This powerful, two-handed ranged weapon hits hard. And thanks to its long-range capabilities, it can be used to kill enemies before they even get to you. These strengths are offset by its slow fire rate, which can make dealing with multiple enemies at once difficult.

As with several other weapons in Rogue Legacy 2, it is possible to guarantee a critical hit with the War Bow. This is done by releasing the arrow just as it shines. Doing so will trigger a Perfect Release that always deals critical damage. A unique trait of the War Bow is that. if aimed while falling. it will slow your descent. Also, shooting while in mid-air will knock you back in the opposite direction that you fired. This can be used to shoot down at enemies and stay above them, out of their reach.

Ivy Canopy

In Rogue Legacy 2, the Ranger can use the Ivy Canopy talent. This is a mobility-based talent that places down a platform when used. The platform will stay in place for eight seconds before going on a seven-second cooldown after disappearing. As an added bonus, the platform also blocks the majority of incoming projectiles — but not your own shots. This makes it a one-way shield of sorts that can be used for defensive purposes.

There is a damage bonus granted when the player is standing on their Ivy Canopy. All shots fired while on the canopy are granted the Spore Burst buff. Enemies inflicted by Spore Burst will explode shortly after being hit, dealing area of effect (AoE) magic damage. Any damage dealt with by the Spore Burst buff always counts as a critical hit.

Hunter

Hunter is the passive ability for the Ranger class in Rogue Legacy 2. It adds 10% to the strength stat and 10% to dexterity. This percentage increase is applied after all other bonuses are taken into account. This means the castle upgrades that increase these stats, like Arsenal, Sauna, Gym, and Yoga Class, are even more important to purchase for Rangers. Although, this shouldn’t affect the order that you purchase upgrades much, as these are some of the best upgrades available regardless of class.

This stacking effect makes the Ranger especially strong in the later game. If you can consistently time the Perfect Releases, most enemies will fall within one or two shots. These powerful shots are also great for bossing, as you can cut into their large health pools faster than many other classes. Although the War Bow’s charge-up time and slow fire rate can leave you vulnerable, making this a class more suited to experienced players than beginners.

Note: For more information, check out our Rogue Legacy 2 guides and features hub.