In an action passed game such as this where maneuvering and position are so important, it stands to reason that ranged characters have an advantage over melee characters simply from being able to attack at a safe range. This becomes very apparent in end game boss battle like the Aboleth Overseer. Just to name one example. On the lower scale lots of mobs have an Aoe burst attack that centers from themselves. Melee characters must stop attacking to avoid this while ranged characters can continue attack safely outside the area. And if they where in the area it is a very simple matter for them to dodge and continue attacking. Unlike a melee character that must run out of the area then run back in after the attack in order to continue there damage.
It stands to reason that Melee characters would be tougher in general and possibly do more damage with there base abilities than ranged characters to compensate. However this is not the case.
Let us compare two classes. Cleric and GF.
Both are meant to support there party and mitigate damage
The Cleric is ranged and the GF is melee.
After playing both to 60 I found that all cleric attacks deal more base damage than the GF they have more Damage resistance powers and can stack mitigation higher than what a GF gets in full plate plus they heal and they share a lot of this damage resistance with the rest of the party while a GF can't compare. Plus of course the have the advantage of being a ranged class.
I played a pure DPS cleric just to see how it would go an I would out damage rogues left and right while leveling I was #1 DPS in all my levelling runs except for one where a rogue did beat my damage. And yes I ran with Astral Seal and Sun Burst for healing, as well as Astral Shield 50+
If you don't believe me just look at the attached pictures. All of them are the base powers of a lv 60 character equipped with nothing but there lv 60 purple Delzoon weapon for there class.
I'm putting this out there because I think it is necessary for melee classes to be tougher and/or deal more damage than ranged characters because they are target of more attacks as they put themselves in more danger to attack mobs. Rogues seem fine in the damage area. however the fighters are very lacking.
As for cleric I think the class is fine the way it is and needs no change. Leveling cleric I found it very easy low levels challenging levels 30-50 and very rewarding level 50+ this is how classes should be. I think Cleric is a good example of a class to balance the other classes too. Like the GF should be on par with clerics mitigation and ability to protect the party but deal more damage and be able to block more attacks. GWF should deal a lot more damage than either class but focus on buffing the parties offense while having strong mitigation just for himself.
Hopefully this can become part of the sweeping changes we are expecting to see.
30k TR's bleed ticks? Show me cleric's skill doing that. 80k Anvil of Doom? My GF does more dmg then a TR on AOE fights. Then TR outdamages me at boss fights ofc. I also have a T2 geared cleric (11.2k GS), his damage is nowhere near my GF.
Also, ranged have no advantage in this game. Everyone has to stand in Astral shield, otherwise they'll die. Even 2 stray trash mobs can chain CC and kill you in 3 seconds.
TL;DR - TR can afk half a boss fight and still outdamage any class in the game (gear equal).
Yes, it's a dot. It's also the reason that makes me depressed when relogging from cleric to my GWF and looking at Sure Strike.
You do understand that it's a DoT right? It does tat damage over time. Now go and at-will attack a dummy for the same amount of time this DoT ticks, compare results, weep.
Wait Clerics seriously have a 3500 damage at Will at lv 60. WTF?
Partly, its like 8 (+- 2, didn't count) ticks (1 per second) and thats the total dmg. Can't be stacked but given to several ppl - more like a kind of encounter.
But ofc its not spammable at single targets, well it is but doesn't make sense.
On topic. I definitely think ranged classes have the distinct advantage over the melee classes in this game. One key factor I've been finding is delay. I've been lvling a CW at the moment (46) and my god are they ridiculous. I have a lvl 60GWF with fairly decent gear that I leveled as my first char. The CW feels like half the time, when fighting melee, I hardly need to put any effort in to get out the way of their abilities. Only if i'm half asleep or just playing terribly will a melee class actually manage to do anything to me. I think some of this though is partially down to the delay you see, especially in PVP.
Partly, its like 8 (+- 2, didn't count) ticks (1 per second) and thats the total dmg. Can't be stacked but given to several ppl - more like a kind of encounter.
But ofc its not spammable at single targets, well it is but doesn't make sense.
Which would be all fine and dandy if we all had only one at-will attack, but we have two. Putting brand and then spamming any other at-will is single target dps from at-will that GWF can only dream of.
Why are you hi-jacking someone elses thread to advertise your <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font>? Seriously, GTFO.
Says the person who decided to QUOTE IN FULL someone hi-jacking the thread to advertise their <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font>. The irony is staggering......
Anyway to answer the Op, ranged classes are generally better than melee classes just because of the points you mentioned.
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Also, ranged have no advantage in this game. Everyone has to stand in Astral shield, otherwise they'll die. Even 2 stray trash mobs can chain CC and kill you in 3 seconds.
TL;DR - TR can afk half a boss fight and still outdamage any class in the game (gear equal).
Yes, it's a dot. It's also the reason that makes me depressed when relogging from cleric to my GWF and looking at Sure Strike.
You do understand that it's a DoT right? It does tat damage over time. Now go and at-will attack a dummy for the same amount of time this DoT ticks, compare results, weep.
Partly, its like 8 (+- 2, didn't count) ticks (1 per second) and thats the total dmg. Can't be stacked but given to several ppl - more like a kind of encounter.
But ofc its not spammable at single targets, well it is but doesn't make sense.
Which would be all fine and dandy if we all had only one at-will attack, but we have two. Putting brand and then spamming any other at-will is single target dps from at-will that GWF can only dream of.
Says the person who decided to QUOTE IN FULL someone hi-jacking the thread to advertise their <font color="orange">HAMSTER</font>. The irony is staggering......
Anyway to answer the Op, ranged classes are generally better than melee classes just because of the points you mentioned.