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Question about mmorpg class system?
FireRed574
Member Posts: 8
Just a few quick questions about the general class system of mmorpgs.
1) You know those elemental melee weapons, such as swords imbued with fire powers? Are they mostly categorized with mages, or warriors?
2) For the general warrior class, is it categorized more with melee weaponry, or melee combat?
What I mean is, like for example, sometimes classes have ranged attacks with melee weapons such as blade beam or stuff like that right? And then there's melee combat without those ranged things.
So, generally, since I see many state that warriors are melee oriented classes, how would they differ from classes such as archers if they can also use ranged attacks with their melee weapons? It's basically the same thing, except one uses a sword to use ranged combat and the other uses bows and arrows >.>
thanks 
Comments
any thoughts?
Usually it's like that.. Warrior can always considered as using a weapon and does melee attacks...
Usualy one brings utility to compensate. (at least in DnD where most of the MMO got their classes archetype from).
Melee damage would also have to be slightly more effective since the damage dealer has to commit himself/herself unlike a ranged damage dealer. It is harder to deliver melee DPS than ranged DPS and you are more vulnerable when you are up close. Usually melee classes get more armor than ranged classes for this reason.
Both can have means to control the movement of their target but if the ranged class is stronger in this regard, the melee class can quickly lose majority of engagements in PvP.
I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where it has been -Wayne Gretzky
This sort of class dynamic is typical with MMORPGs but like everything there are always exceptions to the rule. Take Guild Wars 2 for example. Their Warriors can use pretty much all the melee weapons in the game (Swords, Axe, Hammer, Mace) yet they can also use ranged weapons like Longbows & Rifles just as effectively. This doesn't mean it'll use the bow the same way as another class in the game (Ranger) thus making said class redundant. Heck, the game even has it's caster classes using melee weapons like Daggers & Axes. And by the OPs logic, a necromancer wielding an axe is the same as a warrior wielding an axe.
This sort of things are all determined by the game's combat mechanics.