There are a lot of flying creatures out there. Most epic (and heck, even a lot of paragon) monsters have flight. The problem is that more than half of the PC classes are solely melee-rangers. A lot don't even have any powers that reach beyond a square, or at most two. Even most ranged characters have a max range of 5 on most of their powers (Cleric, I'm looking at you). About the only characters that can attack at range 11+ are the Wizard and Ranger (longbow).
Well, ok, but surely the melee rangers aren't expected to sit back chucking javelins for the majority of their Epic levels, right? I mean, they have higher level powers, surely they're expected to use them sometimes, right? So I started a search for powers/rituals/potions/magic items that granted flight. And I found, to my dismay, about 4. One Wizard power (mass fly), one cleric power, one Angelic Avenger power, and a flying mount. Not a single magic item gives you flight for more than a round or 2, and even those are stingy.
So, what's the deal? Is it expected that if melee-rangers want to contribute at epic levels, they NEED to have a ranged mount? (And the only one I found was the rimfire griffon). It seems to be an odd paradigm. WotC put in all these beautiful flying creatures, but no way for the 50%+ melee classes to contribute except to spam ranged basic attacks.
Now, there are a few counter-measures. All parties should have at least one dedicated ranged character, and in theory that character should have a power or two that is capable of bringing that creature to the ground (via prone or stun). But as there are no at-will attacks that will achieve this, you are stuck with encounter powers. If you're fighting 4 flying creatures, you almost certainly don't have 4 powers that will do that (and you'd still need to hit, which is only 50% or so). And even if you get them on the ground, they will be back in the air after a round or 2.
But short of that, I don't see what my fighter is expected to do when we fight flying characters. I have a magic javelin, but because I have no Expertise feats and Dex isn't my main stat, my chances of hitting are about 15%. If you're a class that has no reason to have Dex, you're basically praying for a natural 20.
Am I missing something here? Or did WotC just not give adequate ways for melee-characters to be useful against flying creatures? Which is to say, almost all of Epic tier.
Does anyone who has played extensively at high paragon/epic tiers have any input?
Well, ok, but surely the melee rangers aren't expected to sit back chucking javelins for the majority of their Epic levels, right? I mean, they have higher level powers, surely they're expected to use them sometimes, right? So I started a search for powers/rituals/potions/magic items that granted flight. And I found, to my dismay, about 4. One Wizard power (mass fly), one cleric power, one Angelic Avenger power, and a flying mount. Not a single magic item gives you flight for more than a round or 2, and even those are stingy.
So, what's the deal? Is it expected that if melee-rangers want to contribute at epic levels, they NEED to have a ranged mount? (And the only one I found was the rimfire griffon). It seems to be an odd paradigm. WotC put in all these beautiful flying creatures, but no way for the 50%+ melee classes to contribute except to spam ranged basic attacks.
Now, there are a few counter-measures. All parties should have at least one dedicated ranged character, and in theory that character should have a power or two that is capable of bringing that creature to the ground (via prone or stun). But as there are no at-will attacks that will achieve this, you are stuck with encounter powers. If you're fighting 4 flying creatures, you almost certainly don't have 4 powers that will do that (and you'd still need to hit, which is only 50% or so). And even if you get them on the ground, they will be back in the air after a round or 2.
But short of that, I don't see what my fighter is expected to do when we fight flying characters. I have a magic javelin, but because I have no Expertise feats and Dex isn't my main stat, my chances of hitting are about 15%. If you're a class that has no reason to have Dex, you're basically praying for a natural 20.
Am I missing something here? Or did WotC just not give adequate ways for melee-characters to be useful against flying creatures? Which is to say, almost all of Epic tier.
Does anyone who has played extensively at high paragon/epic tiers have any input?
