Best solo melee class?

[Ennewi]

So two obvious, non-melee aspects of the class are telling when looked at in combination. The bard has free movement while casting, uninterrupted, no concentration required, and yet it's allowed all of 1 skill point in meditation. That isn't a caster in any traditional sense. It also disregards channeling altogether and, typically, does not consume mana when casting. It isn't subject to mana drain effects, even when succored. Each one of these features is unique and excludes it from all other casters.

None of its combat skills come with an asterisk when compared to other melee classes. It has mainhand damage bonus, dual wield, and the epic proc specifically benefits melee attacks, its own and others.

[zelld52]

Originally Posted by Ennewi [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

None of its combat skills come with an asterisk when compared to other melee classes. .

Au contraire:

Riposte: Bards Max = 75. Next lowest is Shadowknight at 175
Parry: Bards Max = 75. Next lowest is Shadowknight at 175

And of course, they do not get double attack.


Worst damage mitigation skills of all the melee combat characters, probably done to balance the class out against their powerful songs like Slow, Mez, Charm, etc.


Also, if you parse raid encounters where bards are actively DPSing with melee, and not just providing support, you notice a trend- Bards are wayyyyyy at the bottom of the DPS parses below the knights, ever so slightly above mage pets (and in some cases Mage and Necro pets out DPS bards). This is because they don't get double attack and can't use any of the cool 2 handed weapons. This improves alot when they finally get double attack AA, but they are still the worst melee DPS.

Bards are melee, but just barely. Bards primary role on raids is not to add melee DPS or tank (the two options for a melee focused character), its to provide support. In a group, while levelling: Bards primary role is also not to add melee DPS, but typically to pull and/or provide support in the form of crowd control, song buffs or mana regen. The best bards I've grouped with don't even equip a weapon most times.


To anticipate the argument: "Well monks primary role is to pull, not to DPS"

Sure - but monks are also the second (and sometimes best) melee DPS on raids or in levelling groups. They can also tank raid mobs, or tank for levelling groups.

Rangers can't tank shit at level 60 - but they have like 2x the melee DPS of bards with equivalent gear, and fall behind monks and rogues, but do way better than Knights, and are mostly on-par with warriors. Knights can't DPS for shit, but they get great tanking abilities.

[zelld52]

This message is hidden because Cecily is on your ignore list.

Just ignore me back Cecily, I have no interest in having any type of discussion with you, ever, about anything.

[Zuranthium]

Bards are unique, of course. But casting spells through alternate means than mana, or being able to move while casting, are things that could be built into the design of another caster class.

In the dichotomy of deciding whether something is more physical or more caster, no physical class is capable of being fully effective without attacking. Bards have the same effectiveness as a caster without attacking. The height of their powers involves not attacking and not being in melee, as they want to space away from the thing they are charming (or utilize swarm kiting - very much a caster thing).

No melee class has charm, mesmerize, haste and mana regen buffs, slow and mana drain debuffs, and mass AoE spell damage. It's possible to design hybrid melee classes that do have some of this, but when you're able to "cast" high potency spells non-stop, you have to be considered more of a caster than a physical class.

[kjs86z2]

lol

[zelld52]

Originally Posted by Ennewi [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

But that isn't a unique difference that's class-defining. Same line of reasoning, monks get triple attack...

The following classes get double attack:

Warrior
Rogue
Monk
Ranger
ShadowKnight
Paladin



The following classes do not get double attack:

Cleric
Shaman
Druid
Necromancer
Enchanter
Magician
Wizard
Bard

[Ennewi]

Originally Posted by zelld52 [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

The following classes get dual wield.

Warrior
Rogue
Monk
Ranger
Bard



The following classes do not get dual wield:

Cleric
Shaman
Druid
Necromancer
Enchanter
Magician
Wizard
Paladin
Shadow Knight

[kjs86z2]

bard is a caster that can get away with melee if piloted by a VERY competent player

maybe 5% of bards leveling can pull off melee properly

odds are that isnt you...keep that lute out and do your actual job (pulling / quarterbacking the group)

[Crawdad]

People who hate their wrists Good bards are going to have Hand to Hand (100) by 60 from swapping, should really say it all. If not, realize casters get epics with clicks and meleers get epics with procs.

[Duik]

Originally Posted by Crawdad [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

People who hate their wrists Good bards are going to have Hand to Hand (100) by 60 from swapping, should really say it all. If not, realize casters get epics with clicks and meleers get epics with procs.

Good take.

And i never thought about the random fist bumps they'd accumulate by weapon swaps by 60.

Its like learning karate by painting the fence.