Newbie gun/ranged weapon questions

[BOG]

Can someone explain/elaborate on why ranged builds have lower performance? Can someone explain/described the gap between melee/caster builds and ranged builds?

Melee weapons have much higher variety of skills they can be used with. Many of those have AoE, nice damage, etc.
Obviously, if you cant use some strong skill with ranged weapon, you’ll be weaker.

Ranged weapons also have lower base damage, but it doesnt make much difference, especially for 1-h weapons.

[ghoultek]

@Elfalpha:
When I posted…

Also, is there a comparison/analysis between Fire Strike, Primal Strike, Savagery, Bursting Round, Chilling Rounds, and Storm Spread for single pistol, DW pistols, and 2h ranged weapons.

…I was wondering if there was a performance analysis/comparison between the skills listed above and the ranged weapon types, like if:

• a given class combo using one of the skills will produce a higher damage performance for a specific element (ex: Sorcerer with pistol + caster off-hand and/or dw pistols equals highest fire based Fire Strike ranged build)
• a given class combo will have a stronger 2h ranged damage output given a specific element than another class combo (ex: Elementalist with 2h rifle using Primal Strike equals stronger lightning based build vs. a Druid based lightning Primal Strike build)
• given a specific damage element and class combo damage performance compared between 2 skills (ex: Elementalist lightning Primal Strike vs. lightning Fire Strike)
• skill X has good performance while leveling but lower damage output at the end game than skill Y given available equipment in the game (ex: drops, crafts, rep. gear) and current game mechanics/devotions
• certain build options such as damage element X can only be done with class combo A (ex: cold based 1h and/or DW pistol ranged build with Chilling Rounds)
• certain ranged builds can only be done with very specific equipment (ex: items and/or a set that provides element conversion such as all lightning to aether given specific skills such as Primal Strike and Storm Spread)

[el_chanis]

Any ranged weapon works just as melee… with range.

That being said, USUALY they are weaker, given the range “advantage”. Now, due to the game mechanic of attacking standing instead of a proper running shots, that so called “advantage” disappear, becasue melee mobs will charge at you while you stand, and ranged monsters will hit you anyways.

There is an exception to this tho: Summoner builds. If you are able to summon strong(aka, durable) melee minions on your own, then you can make a very effective use of ranged attacks, because your minions will get the aggro and keep monsters at bay while you keep shooting.

The true effectiveness of ranged combat woulded been seen in multiplayer if the game were balanced around it, were heavy melee/retaliation builds would keep aggroing, while you would be doing the dps. Thats, for better or for worse, not the case.

If Crate adds the function to move and attack at the same time, then the difference would be much easier to appreaciate, and ranged would have a proper mechanic on its own to compete with melee. As it is right now, is not that as good as melee.