What's this so-called MMO influence????

[Dausuul]

In modern games with fantasy I run, guns make sure that enemies don't get to the spellcaster or sniper. IMC, Melee pretty much is something for desperate people who have no guns - or for animals. Either way, melee has not much of a chance against any competent marksman.

The role of "tank" or "defender" is not very suited to games with modern firearms, at least in my opinion. Strikers should dominate those settings.

I think the Defender role could still work, but it would do so in a different fashion. The Defender would be more of a skirmisher, a guy with a short-range, rapid-fire weapon who lays down suppressing fire and makes the other guys keep their heads down. It's the same job the Fighter has in 4E--engage the enemy, keep them occupied, and hurt them bad if they try to move out of your reach.

Meanwhile the Striker picks off high-value targets with a sniper rifle, the Controller messes with computer and communication systems and tosses the occasional grenade, and the Leader directs and coordinates them all.

 

[Fenes]

I think the Defender role could still work, but it would do so in a different fashion. The Defender would be more of a skirmisher, a guy with a short-range, rapid-fire weapon who lays down suppressing fire and makes the other guys keep their heads down. It's the same job the Fighter has in 4E--engage the enemy, keep them occupied, and hurt them bad if they try to move out of your reach.

Meanwhile the Striker picks off high-value targets with a sniper rifle, the Controller messes with computer and communication systems and tosses the occasional grenade, and the Leader directs and coordinates them all.

I'd think suppressive fire is a controller job, hemming the enemy in and hindering its movement. The tank job would be, IMHO, left to an actual tank, not a character.

 

[Dausuul]

I'd think suppressive fire is a controller job, hemming the enemy in and hindering its movement. The tank job would be, IMHO, left to an actual tank, not a character.

Hindering enemy movement at close range is Defender territory, not Controller. Look at the paladin's Binding Smite, or the fighter's super-vicious AoOs. I'm just interpreting "close range" as "30-50 feet" instead of "melee."

 

[Fenes]

Hindering enemy movement at close range is Defender territory, not Controller. Look at the paladin's Binding Smite, or the fighter's super-vicious AoOs. I'm just interpreting "close range" as "30-50 feet" instead of "melee."

And why would suppressive fire be limited to 10 to 15 meters? If you're talking short range, autofire, 50 meters is doable, or more if you got no SMG but an assault rifle.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Noteable differences between Controller and Defender:

Defender is sticky. He attracts enemy fire and makes it hard for enemies to get away from him or not attack him.
A Controller limits enemy movement, but he tries to avoid getting attacked. He might deal damage to enemy close formations.

Both Controller and Defender seem to be hard to "work" in a modern setting, since people don't have to move much when armed with guns. That doesn't mean these roles aren't needed, but they must be implemented with different means than in a more melee oriented game.
But this is leading off topic, check out http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=218098 for discussing this more.