Flux is basically right. While ranged might save some minor repositioning time compared to a melee character, the fact is that the marginal gain in lock time a ranged toon might enjoy over a melee toon is more than swamped by the melee toons being able to a) take the alpha strike b) do far more damage per activation and damage per endurance.
Where ranged toons tend to really catch up in terms of damage done is higher target caps and areas of effect for their AOEs, but in my experience, that's really only relevant for knocking down minions slightly faster. There's also some merit to the notion that if you're on a team heavy with melee pets, you may have less trouble with collision, but in general I find this to be a rare occurrence.
Quote:
This is precisely why I build all my squishy dudes for softcapped defenses. Have high personal defenses, be willing to eat inspirations, never have to wait on melee again. |
Originally Posted by Flux_Vector
The key is being quick to get from one spawn to the next. Most ranged characters don't have the ability or inclination to take an alpha strike, though, so even if they beat you to the next spawn they're going to stand there with their th... holding their fire until you or another melee dives in ahead of them.
 |
As an aside, since I'm so used to playing at range, it always kinda irritates me having to get all the way into melee on my Scrapper. Sure, he almost certainly does more damage than my Corruptors, but on fast moving teams, having to move into melee when most stuff can be obliterated from range I find to be a hassle. YMMV and all that.
Support Guides for all Corruptor secondaries and Fortunatas
The Melee Teaming Guide for Melee Mans
The Melee Teaming Guide for Melee Mans
Quote:
This.|
Originally Posted by Tocharon
hey with the multple builds why chose? you can have a Night Widow and a Fort build
|
No need for calculations.
Just make it happen.
Build each to > 185% recharge and add Aid Self in there (if you want) for have countless hours of seamless fun.
You can melee, range, melee/range, melee/AoE, range/AoE or chain AoC and TotDom spawn-to-spawn until your eyes cross. Without question, IMO, one of the best features of the entire game.
Repeat Offenders
Dazed:
I've seen Flux's builds in action. Pylon testing is good for measuring a baseline DPS for nearly any build, and that's pretty much the only reason it's mentioned. Otherwise, the Night Widow build in question does things I'm occasionally in awe of.
I've seen the Fortunata build as well, and the difference is noticeable. Things just *don't* die as fast, but they don't attack as much either.
It really depends on your preferred playstyle, which is what Flux's posts all boil down to.
If you want to be a controller who's not squishy and can mix it up in melee, go Fortunata.
If you want to be a damage monster, go Night Widow.
And over time, with dual builds, you can do both.
The key is being quick to get from one spawn to the next. Most ranged characters don't have the ability or inclination to take an alpha strike, though, so even if they beat you to the next spawn they're going to stand there with their th... holding their fire until you or another melee dives in ahead of them.
Of growing impact is the fact that 'normal spawns' really aren't an issue anymore. Incarnate powers have shifted the game that far. Normal spawns in regular content are something to just AOE down off-handedly now, and single-target DPS is primarily only a concern to me in taking down AV or higher tier targets, which are easy to close with and generally easy to stay closed with.
"Experience is the mother of good judgement. Bad judgement is the father of experience."