"Support" Melees

[Samadhi]

What is a "support" melee and what is the point of one? Does it have a place in DDO?

I had this discussion with a guildie this morning and couldn't get an answer that satisfied me; so I'll see if the population at large can; or if folks mostly just look at it like I do.

My general thoughts: If you can't do reasonable* DPS or aggro holding, then you are a wasted party slot.
"But my UMD is awesome!!" So is the UMD of many toons that do piles of DPS.
"But my AC is 19 billion!!" And you have aggro, when?
"But I can hit mobs with cursespewing/destruction/etc" Superduper, but I would rather you just kill it.

I'm all about versatility and originality - so if someone can show me the value of this - I'm game. But I'm not seeing it. The value of just making the mob dead seems notably more valuable in 95% of the content out there.


*(Please note I don't think you have to have a Ravager/Monster/Etc. to have reasonable DPS. I'm mostly referring to the high dex/no str/non-rogues; or that S&B toon w/o intimidate that never puts down the shield).

[Goldeneye]

The cool thing about DDO is you can have a support melee-toon that can also do tons of DPS.

A good example is the paladin: lots of party-buffs, lay on hands for emergency healing, Aura can give +AC/Saves..... however w/ a greataxe, or dual-weilding weapons, this toon can also do some serious damage.

[Cedwin]

Support DPS is anyone else other than the main DPS character, simple as that.

Edit: I totally misread the first post. Support "melee" would be anyone that doesn't do "as much" DPS as the main DPS, but offers buffs or other enhancements to increase the DPS of the entire party, or increase survivability.

[Zenako]

In my mind a "support melee" is one who is focused on the group beating the quest effectively. Sometimes that means cranking the DPS, other times that means hitting key mobs with effects to nullify them, other times that means making sure the main DPS is not overwhelmed and is taking damage faster than can be healed.

TOo many toons end up so focused on DPS, that without a 24/7 healing IV they are nothing but meat puddles in a few seconds in many fights. Sure they dish it out, but they also tend to be moments from dead all the time. They focus on killing a mob in 8 seconds regardless of cost versus taking 12 seconds and hardly spending any resources doing it.

Support melee might also engage in tactics (trip, stun, etc) which will lower their DPS a bit, but tend to change the NET DPS hugely in the parties favor. The concept of NET DPS comes into play a lot. And that is what is often missing from the builds that focus solely on their output and not the whole exchange.

[bunkerhugger]

A support melee is also useful when things don't go as planned. Doing Tempest Spine last night and our rogue disconnected. No big deal until you hit the one locked door - which our paladin picked. I've also seen a paladin provide backup healing, burst damage on end guys, and dead recovery with his super saves. While these things aren't always as valuable as a pure dps guy filling the slot, when they are needed, they can't be replaced by a dps guy.

[Zenako]

A support melee is also useful when things don't go as planned. Doing Tempest Spine last night and our rogue disconnected. No big deal until you hit the one locked door - which our paladin picked. I've also seen a paladin provide backup healing, burst damage on end guys, and dead recovery with his super saves. While these things aren't always as valuable as a pure dps guy filling the slot, when they are needed, they can't be replaced by a dps guy.

Good point. Every melee can do some level of DPS. Not many DPS focused toons can do things most support can do. Flexibility and surviveability are valuable traits in many cases.

[Talon_Moonshadow]

To make a gimped char?

On a more serious note, I hate the term.

I se it as an attemp to find a role for a char who does not fit into a traditional role. Like Main Tank, Healer....etc.

I also see this as something from other MMOs like WOW.

D&D is more flexible. And DDO does not require roles.

Players want defined roles though.

So someone who wants to play a fun char who does not fit in to the established roles, tries to call their char a support char.

As for me, I'l take any six players who will work together to whatevere their chars' strengths are and succeed, without defined roles.

[Lleren]

A support melee, in my opinion is one that melee's and makes the other characters in the group bettter. For example most bards.

If you take any feats that help you buff other characters you have fallen into the realm of support. If you generally choose spells that make other character in the group function better, then you are acting as support. Some include crowd control in this category as well.

A portion of a support's contribution to the group or raid is the increase to other's DPS and/or surviveability.

[Angelus_dead]

What is a "support" melee and what is the point of one?

Because Inspire Courage lasts for 8 minutes, so I need something to do in between singing.

[Maxelcat]

I have a Fighter / Rogue support build that I love playing. Hes completely built to trade agro with the primary DPS. DPS hits, gets agro, I SA, loose Agro to DPS wash rinse repeat. And there's a really nice satisfaction SAing with a Two handed weapon.

When he wears his light armor hes a great caster hunter, otherwise hes in his heavy armor tanking it out.

[Twerpp]

One guy is usually gonna be the star of the show, the rest are just there tickling the monsters with sticks. They are support melees.

[entropiccanuck]

I'd say my bard, a spellsinger, plays this role. She makes everyone better with song buffs, GH, displacement, and haste, does some spot healing, charms/holds/dances/fascinates mobs (she's specced primarily for this), breaks enchantments, etc. Her melee damage is pretty poor though, as she doesn't have the str bonuses to get big crits. But she can hit, so she uses paralyzers, cursepewers, destruction, disruption, etc. The groups I'm in have been happy with my contribution. (Warchanter bards can do better pretty good damage, but with a shallower buff pool, less healing, and much less CC.)

[valorik]

I have a friend who was goign to make some sort of halfling heroes companion fighter that used bastard swords just for the gimmick of it all... Last time I checked he was waiting for PDK info...