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Why would you be melee when you could be ranged?

- For theme
- Higher dps
- Because tanks will be close to their target anyways


All right, now let's list off some other reasons, preferably tactical, why you would choose to be melee instead of ranged.

Comments

  • maatmonsmaatmons Posts: 346 Arc User1
    Ranged characters are fully capable of standing in melee range while shooting. I can't imagine any tactical reasons for giving up options without gaining others in return.

    I think it's pretty much just numeric and thematic. Unless there's something available on a melee attack that has no equivalent on a ranged attack? I guess Siphoning Strikes would qualify, but people other than me probably wouldn't build an entire character around spamming a single low-tier power.
  • darqaura2darqaura2 Posts: 932 Arc User
    I recently changed my tank to have ranged powers instead of melee. I tank just find and I"m loving it.
  • guyhumualguyhumual Posts: 2,386 Arc User
    edited October 2016
    Oh, this should be fun:
    1. Because you're new to the game
    2. Because you're a masochist and enjoy pain.
    3. Because you like having something to shout or complain about.
    4. Because you've already leveled up to 40 with another toon and now want to play the game on hard mode
    5. Because you like losing duels
    6. Because you want to know how the plebs play.
    7. Because you think those dudes that jump in front of bullets in the movies are so cool.
    8. Because you're sick and tired about hearing how unfair it is and are going to show everyone that melee isn't that bad.
    9. Because you want a toon for every power tree, even the bad ones.
    10. Because you thought that with a might character you'd be finally immune to knocks.
    That's my top ten list for you :smile:

    Full disclosure: I have a bunch of melee characters and this list is 100% accurate.
  • biffsmackwellbiffsmackwell Posts: 4,739 Arc User
    Because you like fighting cosmics and not being able to see your character because eight CAPTAIN MAX SLIDERS WITH EVERY ENLARGE EFFECT EVER have decided to join the fight so you die because you can't see if you're radioactive breath range or not BUT HEY AT LEAST YOU LOOK AWESOME ALL BEEFY AND MUSCLEY AND 20 FEET TALL THANKS A LOT PLEASE MAKE A TINY MUSCLE MAN COSTUME THANKS.
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  • guyhumualguyhumual Posts: 2,386 Arc User

    Because you like fighting cosmics and not being able to see your character because eight CAPTAIN MAX SLIDERS WITH EVERY ENLARGE EFFECT EVER have decided to join the fight so you die because you can't see if you're radioactive breath range or not BUT HEY AT LEAST YOU LOOK AWESOME ALL BEEFY AND MUSCLEY AND 20 FEET TALL THANKS A LOT PLEASE MAKE A TINY MUSCLE MAN COSTUME THANKS.

    Oh! Biff's response reminded me of another, one that the Devs might be slowly removing, like they did for the Anniversary event, but:

    11. Because you like surprise. While ranged characters can see the critical animations that tell you to block you prefer the spontaneity as to which attack is going to instant kill you . . . because all you see are feet.
  • chaosdrgnz43chaosdrgnz43 Posts: 1,674 Arc User
    It depends on the person really. I tried ranged builds before and I just don't like it for my taste. They just seem too easy. I probably think that because I used 2gm before it's change. PA's animation seem dull but deals quite a ton of damage. Infernal/Fire was.....meh. The only ranged I liked was probably Ice.

    Right now, I just use ranged powers for utility. Like keeping my stacks up or luring a mob.

    Also, giant growth toons are an annoyance, yes. But using /camdist 175 until it sticks( usually twice) will make you see the tells. I also use giant growth(but not the obnoxious growth w/ reciprocating gizmo), I usually stand at the edge so I don't push people to the tail during Dino. But when there's multiple GG users, I just switch to a non-giant toon.
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  • pantagruel01pantagruel01 Posts: 7,091 Arc User
    spinnytop said:

    All right, now let's list off some other reasons, preferably tactical, why you would choose to be melee instead of ranged.

    There's a few effects, such as most of the +dodge effects, that are only available in melee, or where the melee versions are faster or more reliable (for example, most of the fast knocks and stuns are melee or fairly small PBAoE). For tanks, there's nothing ranged quite comparable to the Juggernaut spec from strength. Still, you've already covered the major reasons for playing melee.
  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Posts: 4,915 Arc User
    I was going to say "because punching things in the face is fun". :p
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  • riveroceanriverocean Posts: 1,690 Arc User

    I was going to say "because punching things in the face is fun". :p

    This right here.
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  • decorumfriendsdecorumfriends Posts: 2,802 Arc User
    I'm with mark. Ditto for "hitting them with something big and heavy". :p
    'Dec out

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  • reiwulfreiwulf Posts: 442 Arc User
    thematic mainly for me. that's the main reason why I choose anything in this game.
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  • avianosavianos Posts: 6,021 Arc User
    Swords are AWESOME herotimeplz.gif​​
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  • biffsmackwellbiffsmackwell Posts: 4,739 Arc User

    I was going to say "because punching things in the face is fun". :p

    This right here.
    That s, basically, the real answer.
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  • darqaura2darqaura2 Posts: 932 Arc User

    I was going to say "because punching things in the face is fun". :p

    This right here.
    That s, basically, the real answer.
    ...

    So damn true.
  • kallethenkallethen Posts: 1,576 Arc User
    Heh. This reminds me of how back in the day melee attacks had a damage bonus to compensate...​​
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  • jennymachxjennymachx Posts: 3,000 Arc User
    Melee is a very different (fun) experience from ranged, ignoring the whole practicality of playing melee vs ranged. Whatever melee does ranged can do better, but I'm sure people who choose to play melee don't care.

  • aesicaaesica Posts: 2,537 Arc User
    Why choose melee over ranged? Here's my reasons. :D

    1) Knockback, combined with the disable effect that prevents you from doing anything while you fly back, then stumble to your feet, is detestable and is grossly overused in this game. Strength, a melee stat, helps resist knockback. Put 2 and 2 together.

    2) Generally more mobile. Then again, I suppose it kinda has to be.

    3) ...yeah I think that's about it. Ouch. :o
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  • rianfrostrianfrost Posts: 578 Arc User
    edited October 2016
    theme, i play martial arts in every game i play, monks in fantasy games(eq, wow, even had a daredevil in guild wars 2), martial arts scrapper and street justice brute, unarmed specialist in fallout 3,4, NV even my skylanders imaginator main is a brawler. shooting tends to have only one or 2 animations and they are generally pointing at stuff. lemmie wheel kick a guy in the face, palm strike his stomach and axe kick his head into the ground.
  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    aesica said:

    Strength, a melee stat, helps resist knockback.

    You can you make a ranged build with a good amount of Strength, but there is also a spec that gives a lot of knock resist when you take Con as your PSS, and there are also knock resist mods and two armor sets with knock resist on them now. Just making sure you're aware of that. Would hate to think anyone is restricting themselves to Melee due to knocks.
  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    rianfrost said:

    theme

    spinnytop said:

    - For theme

    All right, now let's list off some other reasons

    :smile:
  • decorumfriendsdecorumfriends Posts: 2,802 Arc User
    Sorry, that's the only reason that matters. :D
    'Dec out

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  • decorumfriendsdecorumfriends Posts: 2,802 Arc User
    Some will disagree, but I could never see these characters as nothing but a collection of high-end data points. ;)
    'Dec out

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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited October 2016
    gradii said:

    Sorry, that's the only reason that matters. :D

    Agreed. the character exists for the theme, without a concept there is no excuse for having a character in the first place.
    So then why did this thread get any responses?

    Some will disagree, but I could never see these characters as nothing but a collection of high-end data points. ;)

    Do you actually know anyone who does?
  • decorumfriendsdecorumfriends Posts: 2,802 Arc User
    I ran into several at CoX. I tend to just gloss over it if I see it here because I don't care, so I'm not really sure.
    'Dec out

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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited October 2016

    I ran into several at CoX. I tend to just gloss over it if I see it here because I don't care, so I'm not really sure.

    Interesting. It just kind of seemed to me like you were implying that anyone who looks for answers beyond "For theme" was being one of those people o3o
  • decorumfriendsdecorumfriends Posts: 2,802 Arc User
    Nah, that's just you digging for a fight, as usual. :)
    'Dec out

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  • zemmaxzemmax Posts: 295 Arc User
    Melee builds deal 1515150% more dps than any ranged build, excluding PA builds. You wish you could charge your ranged attacks as fast as Dragon's wrath, Dragon's Claw, etc.
  • jonsillsjonsills Posts: 6,315 Arc User
    spinnytop wrote: »
    Do you actually know anyone who does?
    Well, Spinny, if some of your comments about auras, costuming, and "just playing the game" are anything to go by, you do. (You mock people who actually want to have a particular aura because it suits a character concept, you don't seem to understand how anyone would let "building to a theme" get in the way of being the most godlike being possible, and you were in fact the person who asked this question in the first place.)​​
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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited October 2016

    Nah, that's just you digging for a fight, as usual. :)

    Oh okay, so you mentioned it for no reason. Got it :smile:
    jonsills said:

    you don't seem to understand how anyone would let "building to a theme" get in the way of being the most godlike being possible

    Your ability to ignore when I say things that don't fit your imaginary picture of me is fascinating. You know all those times I mention that theme is the most important thing to me when creating a character? That. Oh wait, what's that, this post is fading from your view because it threatens to disturb your fantasy world? oh no! :'D
    jonsills said:

    and you were in fact the person who asked this question in the first place.)​​

    I was also the first person to say that a reason to be melee is for theme. Guess ya missed that didn't ya? :wink:

    You're just too desperate to pretend I'm one of those big naughty elitists who hurt your feels in WoW jonnyboy. It's time to take the paper bag off your head and actually read what people type.
  • jennymachxjennymachx Posts: 3,000 Arc User
    I'm not surprised at the direction this thread has taken.

    This isn't the first time with you creating a poll-type of thread, where you make up some arbitrary standard as to how people should answer, even if the answer is on topic.
  • decorumfriendsdecorumfriends Posts: 2,802 Arc User
    edited October 2016
    spinnytop said:

    Oh okay, so you mentioned it for no reason. Got it :smile:

    No, I mentioned it because it's an extreme example of people I have known of.

    You added the "so it's everyone like that" to make it "controversial". Hardly the first time. ;)

    'Dec out

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  • chaelkchaelk Posts: 7,732 Arc User
    my freind plays melee for the same reason I usually play ranged. He happens to like it melee characters.


    and I agree with Smackwell about the Bloatforms. more recently, its been bloatforms with huge wings, melee and flying.
    No problem, I didn't want to see the target and tells... but the same can be said about that new whirlwind power.​​
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  • jonsillsjonsills Posts: 6,315 Arc User
    Spinny, you've said, occasionally, that theme is "important" to you.

    And then almost every time you've followed that up by dismissing someone's complaint as being something they should just deal with by building the most efficient toon, just like you, and they shouldn't worry that much about what the toon looks like either (even though the level of character customization is one of the few truly outstanding aspects of this game).

    Your ability to ignore your own words when you think you have a point to make is astonishing. And the phrasing of your initial post is quite clear, at least to those of us familiar with the English language, as is the title - it denigrates the concept of melee. "Why would you be melee when you could be ranged?" Phrasing there is more than a little slanted, kid.​​
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  • themightyzeniththemightyzenith Posts: 4,599 Arc User
    I like to be melee when I could be ranged because.........



    I'll let the OP fill in the rest as that seems to be the purpose of the thread.
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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited October 2016

    I'm not surprised at the direction this thread has taken.

    Me neither, I know how things go on these forums.

    This isn't the first time with you creating a poll-type of thread, where you make up some arbitrary standard as to how people should answer, even if the answer is on topic.

    It's not really a poll.

    No, I mentioned it because it's an extreme example of people I have known of.

    You added the "so it's everyone like that" to make it "controversial". Hardly the first time. ;)

    I didn't add that, I pointed out that it seemed to me like that's how it was being presented. The simple response would have been to say "No that's not how I meant that"... but you decided to go for a route designed to cause more arguing.
    jonsills said:

    Spinny, you've said, occasionally, that theme is "important" to you.

    I've said it more often than I've said anything about numbers being important to me. I know that fact is kind of hard to get through to you, what with that stubborn imagination you've got. First on the list is gameplay, then theme, then my position on a scoreboard( and most of the game doesn't even have those! ). Oh no, I've said something that runs counter to your fantasy image of me, is this comment too fading away from your sight? :open_mouth:
    jonsills said:

    And then almost every time you've followed that up by dismissing someone's complaint as being something they should just deal with by building the most efficient toon, just like you, and they shouldn't worry that much about what the toon looks like either (even though the level of character customization is one of the few truly outstanding aspects of this game).


    Wow I mean this is just blatantly false, I would never tell someone not to care what their character looks like. You're just plain ol' lying now Jon. Telling someone not to stress over a single aura is not the same as "don't care what your toon looks like at all" - that's a stretch even for you.
    jonsills said:

    Your ability to ignore your own words when you think you have a point to make is astonishing. And the phrasing of your initial post is quite clear, at least to those of us familiar with the English language, as is the title - it denigrates the concept of melee. "Why would you be melee when you could be ranged?" Phrasing there is more than a little slanted, kid.​​

    I mean, is it news that from a tactical standpoint ranged is the better option? Is that news to you? Or wait, is it offensive to you that I wanted to have a purely tactical discussion without including theme in the conversation because it wasn't relevant? I mean shoot jonny, I made sure to point out that theme was a valid reason right in the OP, and yet you act like I'm somehow saying it's not valid. Who's really causing the issue here?

    I like to be melee when I could be ranged because I saw drama happening and wanted to be a part of it too!

    Done :smiley:
  • themightyzeniththemightyzenith Posts: 4,599 Arc User
    edited October 2016
    spinnytop said:

    ... saw drama happening and wanted to be a part of it too!

    Done :smiley:

    From the drama attack-dog themself, I'll take that as a compliment. Hell, you're calling someone a liar in your last post.

    You were "done" a long time ago.

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    Post edited by themightyzenith on
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  • chaelkchaelk Posts: 7,732 Arc User
    children, children, lets keep it civil and at least semi mature(as opposed to cheesy). This isn't the US presidential election campaign​​
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  • themightyzeniththemightyzenith Posts: 4,599 Arc User
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  • spinnytopspinnytop Posts: 16,450 Arc User
    edited October 2016

    (◕‿◕✿)

    It's okay to call someone a liar when they're being a liar you know ヽ/❀o ل͜ o\ノ
  • kaiserin#0958 kaiserin Posts: 3,078 Cryptic Developer
    Closing.​​
This discussion has been closed.