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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ScaleyBob" data-source="post: 6958464" data-attributes="member: 6852514">I ran into similar problems in both 3/3.5 and 4. The PCs were quite capable of either annihilating anything at range (mostly in my 3/3.5 days) or threw out so many lockdown/control effects(4E) that any melee monster often wouldn't get to do anything.My solution in 4e was to give any monster some sort of ranged attack. Often just their melee basic attack reskinned to work at ranged, so to save me work. (I miss the Basic Attack concept, it made life alot easier.) There were some silly examples, especially when up against monster that logically wouldn't have a ranged attack, but it meant that monsters could do something even when immobilized, or dazed, or slowed and pushed miles away.In 3/3.5 dealing with a group of Magical Blasters meant a lot of ambushes, or close starting fights. Even that didn't work a lot of the time. Mostly all it really did was give me a longstanding dislike of 3/3.5, and unregulated spellslingers.I haven't run into this problem yet in 5E, although I am playing a Crossbow fighter in one game who does annoy the GM a bit. (He's fairly easily annoyed, though. - I haven't even taken Sharpshooter yet. I'm saving that for 8th level.) I do have a couple of ranged characters in my current group, so I suspect this problem will raise it's ugly head sooner rather than later.I don't really have a problem with Ranged being as good as Melee, it's a problem when it's better, or when it makes fights dull.A few ideas, other than giving everything a reskinned ranged attack. - If damage is too good, scrap any damage modifiers on Ranged Weapon Attacks. Runequest used to do this - you could add half damage bonus to Thrown Weapons, but none to Bows or Crossbows, as the weapons generally didn't care how strong or dexterous you were.Make getting Advantage on Ranged Weapons really difficult, while being generous with it in melee. Heck,even make that all melee attacks against a Ranged Weapon wielder always have Advantage. It's very difficult to parry with a bow. Have Opponents drop prone. It may slow them down on the next turn, but it gives disadvantage on ranged attacks, and if there is cover to drop behind, then that makes them totally obscured or, completely out of line of sight. It also encourages PCs to engage in Melee, so to get Advantage.Once my group hits a higher level, I'm going to be interested to see how bad it'll be.</blockquote>

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