I think most Druids who read these recent threads by the OP and those like him/her feel that we are being attacked by Rangers. Another poster aptly stated "leave us out of this," and I agree.
I don't see the reason for the Druids being quite as aggressive on these threads , Druids definitly have their own issues and certainly mana is the main concern, but I see no reason why Druids secondary roll should be better than rangers. I have no desire to see Druids nerfed , Druid dps is not cost effective and IMO not worth the hassle, but it's a fact that Druids dps is better than ranger dps and I think by a fairly wide margin. I don't want Druid nerfed just make ranger best at something , and if not even best make us frigen good at something at the very least.
If Rangers are having issues, fine. I sympathize. I would love nothing more than you to get some OTM love. But it has nothing to do with Druids. The fact that a player can create a Druid machine is one thing. Using that very very small fraction of the Druid population as a "benchmark," as it has been called, is preposterous.
The truly full out DPS Druids are few and far between. Sure, they might be able to out DPS a Ranger, but it comes with great sacrifice. I agree with you. It is very cost ineffective, and I don't do it. I am a standard DPS leaning Hybrid Druid, and I never get the kill over a standard Ranger.
The thing is, though, Druids have gone patch after patch, update after update with very little. Many of us feel that (even with the massive Energy problems) the class is coming closer to being balanced and desirable. Many of us can now (finally) create builds that are helpful in clan, and are still able to defeat a gladiator on our own. That has nothing to do with any other class.
Some like yourself, Eli, have thankfully said that you are not asking for a Druid nerf, just a Ranger buff. I would like to second that sentiment. Truthfully, though, that statement should never have had to be made. There was no reason to drag Druids into it in the first place.
The argument made should have compared the very well balanced Ranger of Update 3 to the crippled Ranger of Update 4.