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Test drive Neverwinter's Hunter Ranger with an interactive trailer
Neverwinter's Shadowmantle expansion is currently live, and with its release comes (among other things) the addition of the game's newest class. The Hunter Ranger is a ranged/melee damage dealer capable of shifting attack abilities on the fly depending on how close the player feels like getting to the target. For those of you who haven't yet had a chance to create a Hunter Ranger or are curious about what playing as one might be like, Perfect World has released an interactive trailer designed to walk you through the basics. In the trailer you are able to select certain Hunter Ranger spells to see how they play out in the game world. Check out the trailer after the break. [Source: Perfect World press release]
Neverwinter's Shadowmantle launches with new class, zone, and more
Neverwinter's latest content hit today as the Shadowmantle module launched, giving players a variety of new things to occupy their time, from places to go to people to be. Players can now embark on their adventures as a brand-new class, the Hunter Ranger, which is a mix of both ranged and melee abilities. For the level-60 crowd, there is also a new dungeon to dive into (Valindra's Tower), a new skirmish to participate in (Dread Legion), and a whole new region to explore (the Dread Ring). The over-level-21 crowd can get its hands on new artifacts thanks to new quests. Other updates included in this module are a collections system, active companion bonuses, more Paragon Path choices, a voting system to kick out party members, and more. A full-run down of all the changes, balances, and additions are available in the patch notes.
Neverwinter announces Hunter Ranger booster pack
Cryptic today revealed a new booster pack bundle that will go live with Neverwinter's upcoming Shadowmantle expansion. Designed specifically for the Hunter Ranger, the Hunter Ranger booster pack offers a few key goodies that should soften the starting experience for players checking out Neverwinter's newest class. The bundle includes a Hunter Ranger-exclusive bow and hatchet, account-wide neck and slot items, and hunting hawk companion. Additionally, it contains a bag of identification scrolls, assorted skill kits, and a 24-slot bag. Those who purchase the bundle will receive the title Master of the Savage Wild. The Hunter Ranger booster pack launches alongside Shadowmantle on December 5th, 2013.
Neverwinter dev blog dives deep into building the Hunter Ranger
Neverwinter's next expansion, Shadowmantle, will bring an all-new class to to game in the form of the Hunter Ranger. The Hunter Ranger will enable players to switch between melee and ranged combat on the fly, and possesses skills designed for mobility and destruction. Cryptic has posted a detailed dev blog about the development of the Hunter Ranger, authored by one of the folks who helped to piece the new class together. The post explains how the team went about building the Hunter Ranger's playstyle by quickly prototyping new abilities and testing them in-game, and walks through the decision-making process that led to the Hunter Ranger being given two full combat styles. Hunter Ranger abilities include Hawkeye, which buffs the Ranger's next attack, Marauder's Rush, which quickly charges and strikes a distant target, Hindering Shot, which roots the target, and Hawk Shot, which deals damage based on the distance from the target. The Hunter Ranger class goes live with Shadowmantle December 5th.
Neverwinter's Shadowmantle module coming December 5th
Neverwinter's Shadowmantle update will be arriving in plenty of time for the holidays. Today Cryptic announced that the game's module 2 will arrive on December 5th. "We're incredibly excited to share the release date of Shadowmantle -- our second free expansion," said Cryptic Studios Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich. "With Neverwinter, our plan has always been to release massive regular updates that provide new unique online experiences with exciting new content for players to explore." Shadowmantle will include the Hunter Ranger class, new paragon paths, the Dread Ring zone, and the artifact system. If you're unfamiliar with it, get up to date with the changes by reading our preview of the module.
Dawn of the Hunter Rangers: Touring Neverwinter's Shadowmantle module
Considering all of the exciting reveals of Neverwinter's second module, Shadowmantle, I think it's prudent to start with the unknowns. No, we don't have a specific date of release (although it will be "by the end of the year"). No, we don't know whether Druids or Warlocks or any other Dungeons and Dragons classes are in development for next year. And no, we can't tell whether there's a massive honey badger conspiracy in the city of Neverwinter. With that said, there's plenty that Lead Designer Andy Velasquez had to reveal to us for this upcoming module. For starters, it's 100% free, just in case you were wondering. Sure, Cryptic will continue to run a robust store (and doesn't seem to have any inclination to rein in the lockbox invasion), but all of the content of Shadowmantle will be available to the entire playerbase on day one. It's shaping up to be an even meatier update than Fury of the Faewild, believe it or not. The big star of Shadowmantle is the first new post-launch class: the Hunter Ranger. But this flexible fighter won't be hogging the entire spotlight; Neverwinter will also be adding a new zone, additional paragon paths, and a spiffy artifact skill system. So read on and prepare for the stampede of players rushing to be the next online Legolas-slash-Drizzt.
