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The Ranger combines physical strength with an impressive arsenal of healing and attack magic to make for a versatile, balanced fighter. “Jack of all trades, master of none”, the Ranger has no glaring weaknesses. Rangers are an excellent class for soloing, but can also be an asset to any party.
Equipment
Rangers can equip Swords, Daggers, Bows, and Staves. They can use a variety of armor ranging from heavy chain mail to cloth. In their offhand slot Rangers can equip Bracelets and Necklaces. In short, a ranger's equipment options mirrors their versatility in terms of skill choices and play style.
Skill Trees
Skill Trees are the basis of leveling and customizing your character in NEStalgia. The skill tree menu unlocks at level 5 and at that point the player will be able to customize their character with available skill points. There are two ways to gain additional points:
- Gain an experience level, which grants one point.
- Progress through the plot of the game, which grants one point after completing the main quest connected to Verity's lighthouse and an additional point after completing the main quest connected to the Arctic's ice palace.
As of v1.68 this allows for a maximum of 30 points to spend.
Nature Tree
|
| Branch |
Level |
Description |
Image |
| Regrowth |
5 |
Increases the base power of all healing spells per point, up to a maximum of +8 to spell power. This branch includes the spells Heal, HealMore, and Detox. |
 |
| Holy Power |
20 |
-8% MP cost of all healing spells, up to a maximum of -32%. This branch includes the spell HealWave. |
| Nature's Fury |
5 |
Increases the base power of all storm spells, up to a maximum of +6 to spell power. |
| Tempest |
8 |
-5% MP cost of all storm spells, up to a maximum of -20%. This branch includes the spells Electro and Sizzle. |
| Cloud Burst |
15 |
+5% to storm spell multi-target damage, up to a maximum of +20%. This branch includes the spell Lightning. |
| Sagacious |
5 |
+2 to Intelligence per point, up to maximum of +12. |
| Staff Mastery |
5 |
+2% to both Plus Storm and Plus Healing when using a staff, up to a maximum of +8% to both. |
Nature Tree Overview
Hunter Tree
|
| Branch |
Level |
Description |
Image |
| Quickness |
5 |
+3 to Agility per point, up to a maximum of +18. This branch includes the skill Counter. |
 |
| Awareness |
8 |
+20% to Repel's effect vs. stronger monsters, up to a maximum of +40%. This branch inludes the spell Sense. |
| Guts |
10 |
+3% to Fire, Ice and Storm resist per point, up to a maximum of +9% to each. |
| Daring Offense |
5 |
+2% physical damage per point when using either a bow or a staff, up to a maximum of +14%. This branch includes the spell Soften. |
| Steady Aim |
5 |
+1% to bonus crit. |
| Dead Eye |
15 |
+1% to bonus crit. |
| Solid Defense |
5 |
+2% to physical defense per point when using either a sword or a staff, up to a maximum of +14%. This branch includes the spell Harden. |
| Moving Target |
5 |
+1% to bonus dodge. |
| Agile |
15 |
+1% to bonus dodge. |
Hunter Tree Overview
- Quickness: Investment in this tree has no immediate benefits aside from keeping a ranger's turn early on in the battle order. With full investment, a ranger can not only counter multiple incoming single target attacks but they have the option of learning how to reduce incoming elemental damage on top of any protection their intelligence and equipment provides.
- Awareness: If making Repel more effective is of interest, then points here are well spent. Also, Sense can provide a good gauge of how much longer a boss fight is expected to last. This in turn allows the ranger and their teammate(s) to adjust their strategy as needed.
- Guts: There's nothing wrong with reducing the amount of elemental damage taken from enemy attacks, so if the skill points are available then Guts is a fine choice.
- Daring Offense: The second of three ranger branches that have a synergy with one or more weapon types, Daring Offense is a big part of any physical ranger build. If the bonuses to physical damage aren't enough, then there are the options of increasing the rate of critical hits via further skill point investment along with being able to lower a target's defense via Soften.
- Steady Aim and Dead Eye: A 1% increase to critical rate for one skill point is a fair bargain. It helps that these two branches are an easy way to increase a stat that is otherwise difficult to boost.
- Solid Defense: The last of the three ranger branches that have a synergy with one or more weapon types, Solid Defense does for reducing physical damage received what Daring Offense does for physical damage inflicted. Any ranger build that seeks to increase physical durability with the option of increasing the durability of others as well should place points here.
- Moving Target and Agile: Like with Steady Aim and Dead Eye, these two branches allow a way to boost a stat (dodge rate) that is otherwise limited to a few pieces of equipment.
Abilities are skills that the player can use both inside and outside of battle. These abilities will either be bought on the skill tree using skill points or will be learned automatically once the player hits a certain level.
Learned Automatically
| Ability |
MP Cost |
Level |
Description |
| Shock |
4 |
1 |
Inflicts Storm damage on a single target. |
| Sense |
0 |
3 |
Shows nearby foes in the overworld, and examines foes in battle. |
| Guard |
0 |
4 |
When used on an ally or the ranger themselves, the ranger's physical defense is increased. If used on an ally, the ranger will also take all single-target attacks that were directed at that ally. Occurs at the start of the round. |
| Heal |
5 |
5 |
Heals an ally for a small amount of HP. |
| Impale |
2 |
7 |
Inflicts minor damage on a single target: chance to cause bleed. |
| Electro |
9 |
10 |
Inflicts greater Storm damage on a single target. |
| Repel |
5 |
13 |
Reduces the frequency of or outright prevents monster encounters in the overworld. Has a reduced effect if monsters are equal or higher in level compared to the leader of the group. |
| Lightning |
15 |
14 |
Inflicts Storm damage on all enemies. |
| Outside |
4 |
15 |
Used in caves and other dungeons; returns the party to the entrance. |
| Headshot |
0 |
18 |
Inflicts minor damage on a single target: chance to cause confuse. |
| HealMore |
12 |
20 |
Heals an ally for a moderate amount of HP. |
Learned from Nature Tree
| Ability |
MP Cost |
Description |
| Detox |
7 |
Dispels Poison on an ally. |
| HealWave |
20 |
Heals all allies for a small amount of HP. |
| Sizzle |
5 |
Inflicts Storm damage over time to a single target. |
| Voltcross |
10 |
Creates a shield around yourself which when hit inflicts massive Storm damage to the attacker. |
Learned from Hunter Tree
| Ability |
MP Cost |
Description |
| Harden |
10 |
Boosts the physical defense of a single ally. |
| Soften |
6 |
Lowers the physical defense of a single target. |
