Why do melee classes even Exist? I have seen this idiocy in Wow. But I have also seen it in other games. Wow is a fantasy game set in a medieval universe. But the one glaring immersion destroying aspect of it is that bows and arrows, and guns also exist. To make matters worse. more than half of the population are casters with all manner of powerful
ranged spells and abilities.
I do understand that RPG games are based to an extent on a Lord of the Rings type world. And I really can’t complain about Wow too much because of that fact. But still
I find it silly for a shield bearing sword swinging character to go up against an Archer, or a Gunfighter, or a Spell Slinger. Just doesn’t look right to me.
Also even when fighting enemies, monsters, wild creatures. These NPCs just charge at you while you fire guns, bows, and powerful spells at them. You would think that after you blew a few holes in them with your ranged attacks, pincushioned them with arrows, or set them on fire, they would get the hint and run away. Instead they run right at you while you kite them like morons until they die.
I have even seen this type of insanity in battlegrounds, where a ranged character kites melee fighters around the map until they are dead. Kinda funny but silly.
You might say Well Wow is a quasi-medieval game. Ok, ok. I will go with that. But I also play Star Wars the Old Republic and I see the exact same thing happening. SWTOR is a far futuristic Sci-Fi game. Even though you have Blasters, Laser beam weapons, Phasers,
Ray-guns of all types and classes like the inquisitor that can use chain lightning and other assorted Force powers. A large segment of the population runs around with swords, pikes, axes, etc. Well ok the Light-Sabers are cute. Like giant glow-sticks. But yet kinda stupid to use. Yes I know Jedi can do all kinds of fancy stuff. But even in the Films I
wasn’t convinced their fighting style was viable even for Science Fiction.
So. Am I the only one that thinks Melee Combat has no place in a world full of Ranged Weaponry and Magic?
Is it really too much to ask that Swords not be brought to a Gunfight?
Azeroth has always been a mixture of magic and steampunk engineering. The original antagonists are extra-azerothians that traveled through space via a dimensional portal. Guns, missiles, planes, tanks, and other technology has its place along with arcane, holy, nature, and other magic. It makes a vibrant world that is different from Lord of the Rings.
Exactly. It would follow then that a character is given a range of choices to equip themselves with in order to survive.
Examples:
This would not make sense: Oh lets see I need a weapon to fight with. I have several choices here; A dagger, a bow, or a gun. Oh I know! I’ll choose the dagger!
This choice would make sense: I choose a magic spell that can melt an entire enemy squad in seconds from a far distance!
Star Wars Old Republic trailer got a tank class right. Dude isnt a Jedi, but in a sea of blasters he showcases just how dangerous melee range is in a universe that’s far more ranged favored than wow.
Because if they didn’t, casters would have very short lifespans. In combat situations you have ranged firepower (armour, artillery, etc) and infantry supporting each other. Remove one and they other dies much quicker.
Melee weapons are still dangerous to you if you have a firearm, and plates are to this day used to protect against, as I’m aware, the lion’s share of potential handheld firearm projectiles. You can also literally deflect spells away or reflect them back at their caster, even if you don’t have a shield. Add to that the general extreme strength and durability of the races of Azeroth – some sharing ancestry with literal stone – and things like I N V I S I B I L I T Y, BEING ABLE TO LEAP 40 YARDS IN A SINGLE BOUND WHILE COVERED HEAD TO TOE IN PLATE ARMOR, LITERALLY CHANNEL YOUR ANGER INTO FLAT OUT IGNORING PAIN, and it makes a lot more sense how melee combat remains so prevalent here.
