Ranged combat, or the lack of....

[babinro]

In designing potential encounters for my players, I came across the Young Blue Dragon (level 6 solo artillery pg 78). According to its tactics, this dragon can essentially stay in air for its entire combat.

Current Party level 6 party:
Bugbear Fighter focusing on a Bastard Sword and Shield.
Gityhyanki Wizard focusing on controlling effects like sleep, web, etc.
Tiefling Warlock focusing on Fey Pact almost exclusively.
Dragonborn Warlord focusing on Tactical powers.

It immediately occurred to me that if I were to use this dragon any time soon as an enemy that two of my party members would be entirely limited to basic ranged attacks. While there are a select number of early game powers or magical items that could be provided such as the Orb of indisputable gravity to help out a little...it seems to me this is a pretty big failing in the early 4th edition design.

I hardly expect every character to be a ranged specialist..but why can't every class have at least 1 at will usable at range? Why can't they have the odd encounter at range? While it is true that any one of these classes could multiclass simply to get a ranged attack but I don't think it should have to come to that. Needless to say, I find this to be quite a let down seeing as Basic attacks aren't exactly fun.

Without any real thought towards power or balance, I would think a fighter at-will power such as this would be pretty good:

Disabling Strike
At Will, Martial, Weapon
Standard Action Thrown Weapon or Sling
Target: One Creature
Attack: Strength vs AC
Hit: 1[W] + Strength Modifier damage, and a flying enemy struck by Disabling Strike is pulled towards the ground 2 squares.
Increase damage to 2[W]+Strength and the pull distance to 4 squares at 21st level

Again in the case of the Fighter, even just making Sure Strike suitable for a Ranged weapon as well as melee would be better than nothing. While my examples are for the fighter, this is something that should be available to all classes without multiclassing in my opinion.

Anyone else find this to be a problem? Or am I making to big a deal out of something that doesn't come up too much?

 

[UngeheuerLich]

Remember: you are better off using a ranged heavy thrown weapon than in former editions

also IIRC, a power that will make your target prone will cause a flying creature to lose height, which is effectively bringing it down to earth whith a readied action

 

[Cadfan]

1. It rarely comes up.

2. Even if there were a ranged at will available for fighters, they wouldn't pick it because they'd want better diversity of melee, where they specialize.

 

[chris.m.durham]

Having a monster well suited to a ranged-heavy group isn't broken because some groups aren't as ranged-heavy.

1) It's the job of the DM to set up encounters suitable to the PC's abilities.

2) The occasional shift out of the PC's bailiwick should be part of the challenge, adds an element of realism, and enriches the game (so long as it's not too overwhelming).

3) If I have my ass handed to me by a blue dragon because I can't hit the thing, next time I level, that will inform my leveling/retraining decisions pretty heavily.

Balance is relative.

 

[Digital M@]

It may show your players they have an innate weakness and they should think about addressing it.

 

[James McMurray]

Let them know about the dragon well in advance. If they choose to maintain a strong focus on melee without p[lanning for a way to bring it down to their level, it's their choice.

 

[Stalker0]

Most dragons have clumsy next to their fly speed...meaning they have a big penalty to defenses and attacks while flying. So even if the fighters are related to ranged weapons, they actually may have an easier time hitting the dragons.

And javelines are a strength fighters best friend. Decent damage and great range.

 

[Saeviomagy]

I think the answer is to design the encounter, rather than just pick a monster. There are many terrain features that can be added to a battlefield that will allow better tactics than "stand in the open and make a ranged basic attack".

 

[mcnathan80]

I've always been a fan of the God of War style of boss fighting where the first portion of the combat if finding a way to make it possible to attack/damage your enemy, and then you can actually pound away at them. design your encounter around the terrain your in. Are you in a ruin or possiblly a mouintain side? What about having some athletic checks to climb up the mountain or ruin (a la shadow of the collossus) and then deal some damage to a rocky outcropping to fall on it or perhaps even straight up jump on the dragon and have a skill challenge to drive it into the ground. The other characters provide some distraction and one or two characters can enact that plan, it's cinematic, memorable, and most importantly fun.

 

[chaotix42]

Most dragons have clumsy next to their fly speed...meaning they have a big penalty to defenses and attacks while flying. So even if the fighters are related to ranged weapons, they actually may have an easier time hitting the dragons.

And javelines are a strength fighters best friend. Decent damage and great range.

Actually, only one dragon has clumsy flight, and that is the Young Black Dragon.