Melee and Bloodlines

Thing is, there are quite a few mechanics to keep melee vs. range in check, like proximity shield. Problem is: while a ranged char can go close, a melee char can not go ranged (unless you use ST for example, which needs to be linked, would require gear/certain build, etc.bla), and those things that are nasty for ranged are seldom compared to stuff that's treatening for melee.

That said, we all know it's insanely hard to balance that stuff, so why is everyone pissed that there are things that are better than others? Have some melee fun in softcore.

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ahcos wrote:

Thing is, there are quite a few mechanics to keep melee vs. range in check, like proximity shield. Problem is: while a ranged char can go close, a melee char can not go ranged (unless you use ST for example, which needs to be linked, would require gear/certain build, etc.bla), and those things that are nasty for ranged are seldom compared to stuff that's treatening for melee.

That said, we all know it's insanely hard to balance that stuff, so why is everyone pissed that there are things that are better than others? Have some melee fun in softcore.

This ask a more fundamental question, that is : should melee be at the same level of ranged when it comes to risk ? This league, the fact that I chose (no one forced me to play) melee makes me enjoying the more tactital/risk management aspect of it compared to what I played last league (Crit split arrow/Puncture with Elreon crafted Harbinger). I'm playing it because of that. Do people want a Blizzard 2.0 balancing style "fixes" like "melee characters now take 30% less damage than ranged" ? I surely do not. If the top 50 on Bloodlines ladder all want to play CheeseBlast, good for them. Does that mean there is a huge problem with melee builds ? I don't think so.

^
Ye, choices are good. Good choices, bad choices, they keep the game interesting. As a melee this league, i do enjoy the fact that some monsters are so much easier than they were for my Crit-Bow-Ranger, and the other way round.

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ahcos wrote:

^
Ye, choices are good. Good choices, bad choices, they keep the game interesting. As a melee this league, i do enjoy the fact that some monsters are so much easier than they were for my Crit-Bow-Ranger, and the other way round.

Funny thing, i always find lvling melee easier than any other build up to merc piety and low maps. Melee is very easy to get dps and then you just have to keep your defenses ahead of the damage curve. Currently running a 2h spec in bloodlines farming piety by lvl 63 with 10k dps and terrible gear.

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BackwoodsS wrote:

Funny thing, i always find lvling melee easier than any other build up to merc piety and low maps. Melee is very easy to get dps and then you just have to keep your defenses ahead of the damage curve. Currently running a 2h spec in bloodlines farming piety by lvl 63 with 10k dps and terrible gear.

Same here.

Melee never was really viable in HC and in Bloodlines its just insanely stupid to go melee.

There is a reason why pretty much everybody does a ranged char in HC/Bloodlines.
Hell even 90% of ALL builds are flameblast, tornado shot or arc...

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Morgoth2356 wrote:

Do people want a Blizzard 2.0 balancing style "fixes" like "melee characters now take 30% less damage than ranged" ?

bullshit... Poe becomes more and more Blizzard 2.0 balancing style with all that stupid 1 shot dmg spikes and moronic monster mods... THATS the problem!

Chaos-chains, exploding shit after you kill a monster, stupid obelisks... all that bullshit GGG just copied from D3.


I hate that "Blizzard 2.0 balancing style" i want something like D2 again without annoying monster mods where you can 1-shot pretty much everything except bosses and concentrate on looting as much stuff as possible instead of killing useless white and blue trashmobs 99% of your time

But no GGG took much more mechanics from D3 as from D2. It is in the same state as the beginning of D3 where melee wasnt viable because of all that stupid high dmg mechanics wich you only can avoid by going ranged

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Peterlerock wrote:

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BackwoodsS wrote:

Funny thing, i always find lvling melee easier than any other build up to merc piety and low maps. Melee is very easy to get dps and then you just have to keep your defenses ahead of the damage curve. Currently running a 2h spec in bloodlines farming piety by lvl 63 with 10k dps and terrible gear.

Same here.

lol who is talking about lvling and low lvl maps? who even cares about that?

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azraelb wrote:

Melee never was really viable in HC and in Bloodlines its just insanely stupid to go melee.

There is a reason why pretty much everybody does a ranged char in HC/Bloodlines.
Hell even 90% of ALL builds are flameblast, tornado shot or arc...

To me, it's the other way around.

I find it insanely stupid to waste my time with a build that doesn't get in contact with mobs.
You're missing most of the game's actual content and gameplay, because literally all monsters are the same once you play ranged. And then the only thing left is loot and xp, and we all now how wonderfully rewarding PoE is regarding this.

And I actually see a ton of melee dudes online.
So not "pretty much everybody" goes ranged.

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azraelb wrote:

lol who is talking about lvling and low lvl maps? who even cares about that?

Have you seen me without my pants? Do you even lift?

Childness aside, me. Thats why I said it. Melee may be less viable in endgame content but it is certainly viable.

Bloodlines does seem to create challenges to melee more so than to others.

The Frost/Storm/Fire Bearers in a tight pack can kill the careless, and if you're melee you'll be standing on them more often.


Only solution I can think of is to create a "defensive stance" where you cannot use ranged spells or attacks, but take less damage.

I don't play melee in Bloodlines (or in any league), but from my ranged perspective, there is not a single Bloodline that is a problem for a caster or ranged build. They all seem to be more challenging or annoying for melee builds.

Judging by how quickly my totems get killed by Otherworldly Bonestalkers (big skeletons) or Cult of the Elements Rhoas, or toads with either of those, in higher level maps, I'm not sure I'd enjoy a melee build.

Respect to those who do.