Why play a melee character at all?

[BigErkyKid]

We all know that the pendulum of power swings 3 ways: melee, ranged, caster. And when it does, the meta tends to shift pretty hard.

Some time ago, post armor up, melees were a no brainer for most content. The best DPS and enough mitigation for most content meant that if you wanted fast progression, playing a FOTM melee was your best option.

Some months ago, however, reaper came out and the meta shifted hard against melee.

Some hard facts:

- Putting distance between you are your enemies is there best existing defense in the game.

Examples:
- Dodging arrows (~22 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ04UGLt5xA
- Avoiding knockdowns (dragon fights)
https://www.ddo.com/forums/newthread...newthread&f=37
- Avoiding hits (exercise, count how many times trash hits the player)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITErU4StXL8
- Even tanks kite
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MUpfcq5-hYw

- Perching is often a method used to be beat the toughest encounters:

Examples:
- Perching in reaper
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsjChp2qpVY
- Perching LE tempest
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ITErU4StXL8
and countless other examples

While at some points in the game (immediately post armor up, for example), melee defense has been at a good spot, time and again difficulty expansions have resulted in going back to ranged strategies. So I am going to rule out a scenario where melees are so much tankier than close range equates ranged in defense. It just isn't a reliable solution.

So in a game where distance is the best defense, why would a rational player choose to get closer to enemies?

Let us set aside "flavor" as a reason for now. The options then are:

1) Melee is more DPS, everything considered.
2) Some powerful abilities (CC, debuffs) are best applied in melee range.

And are either of 1) and 2) true? The answer, IMHO, is no. Does anyone disagree?

Shuriken fury shot boss - 24 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LGYbUMs6FQ
Shuriken blitz trash helpless - 22 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSHk9lNfc3Y
Shuriken blitz boss - 58 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wopdtmP8kDs

Ranger blitz boss - 52 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYXs...ezhxMn&index=5
Fighter monk blitz boss - 50 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYXs...ezhxMn&index=5

Pure fighter blitz boss - 49 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ITT...zhxMn&index=21

Monk dual boosting blitz trash helpless (pre dual boost nerf) - 20 seconds - this is outdated and will be worse now.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_lEgtdhgtTA
Monk dual boosting blitz boss (pre dual boost nerf) - 52 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlo0v7irXXc

Assassin trash shadow dancer helpless - 69 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b6VcfUQ7AdE
Assassin trash helpless blitz - 32 seconds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hLcgWFkAxVg

PS - This is more of a side note, but it is VERY relevant for the game nowadays. Currently the game as played by most is the racial TR + reaper XP hamster wheel. It is beyond obvious that playing ranged (vorpal fishing, insta kills, etc.) is far more convenient than playing a melee character. Virtually everyone who is invested in character progression recognizes this.