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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Gort" data-source="post: 5782806" data-attributes="member: 11239">I always thought that the default D&D split of "ranged warrior" and "melee warrior" and very few people are equally useful at both, was a bit of a missed opportunity really.I'd like to see encounters where people use their ranged weapons until battle is joined, then they're tossed aside and swords are drawn and then there's a big melee fight.I'd also like to see the superhero-esque antics of archers go away. In reality an archer was in big trouble if someone involved him in a melee. In D&D games, outside of a few situations (completely surrounded, enemy has some kind of follow-up or rooting effect) there's no problem! Just back up a bit and you're safe - fill that swordsman with arrows! Let's ignore that a bow is a very clumsy and strength-intensive weapon and pretend you're just plucking a guitar string over and over.There's also the weirdness where it's just as easy to hit someone with an arrow at 200 feet as it is to stick a sword in someone standing right in front of you. What's that all about? If in medieval times you could eliminate an enemy force as easily from the other side of the field than by actually getting your hands dirty, nobody would ever bother with a sword!Then there's the ridiculous rates of fire people seem to be able to generate with bows in D&D. One sword swing seems to equal at least two bowshots, and that's when not even particularly exerting oneself.Finally, I'd like to see crossbows be a valid choice at range for all types of character - from the ranger who wants a main weapon to the bard who wants some backup, crossbows are just like bows, but slower and more powerful. None of this, "Oh, but they don't need a feat" rubbish, that just relegates them to the junk pile as far as D&D characters are concerned.TL;DR: What I'd like to see:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Everyone has solid access to a decent ranged ability so if there is a flying foe or whatever, everyone can get involved</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ranged is inherently less accurate than melee</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ranged gets REAL, SIGNIFICANT penalties when involved in a melee</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Rates of fire are reasonable</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Crossbows actually have a niche - power over speed.</li> </ul></blockquote>

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