Hunter Rangers are striker/contollers who switch between melee and ranged attacks using the Tab key. The ability to switch between melee and ranged attacks is gained upon reaching 10th level.

This allows the Hunter Ranger to access 6 encounter powers and 4 At-will powers simultaneously; effectively making the Hunter Ranger a 2-in-1 class. The Hunter Ranger's dodge mechanic, also known as a shift, is of shorter distance than the Cleric's, Rogue's, or Wizard's, but drains less stamina.

Early on the Hunter Ranger fits the role of the striker well. In late game players will have the option of making the Hunter Ranger benefit from various snares, roots, and other control options that turn it into a controller rather than a striker. If you think the Hunter Ranger acts like any other Archer in other games, this is not true to this class. Because the class switches from Melee to Range players need to be active and sometimes in the mob of monsters in order deal as much damage as possible. Generally your defenses will be lower than most classes; the trade off is the variety of mobility offered by Feats, Encounters, and Class Features.

Hunter Rangers can specialize in either AoE attacks or Single target attacking; others have found ways to incorporate both. This is a flexible class that can cater to different play styles and different party support options.