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Melee vs. Ranged vs. Magic

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Nov 18, 2008 9:51 am GMT
While browsing the "what needs fixed for Fable 3" thread, I was thinking about mentioning how stupidly overpowered melee combat is when I encountered a post complaining about how underpowered melee is. So here I am to find out if I'm doing something wrong. :-)

On my first character, I tried to mix up his abilities a lot and the beginning and found that I had a very hard time killing human opponents with ranged or magic attacks, where as melee was relatively effective. After buying the second rank of Brutal Styles (Flourishes), I began simply carving my way through everything in the game and never looked back. Late in the game, I found five-star Inferno to be devastatingly effective, but other spells less so and ranged weapons mostly useful for gargoyle-hunting.

However, this made him a hulking brute of a man, so when starting an evil game I decided to try going all-ranged to see if I could get a lankier hero. Unfortunately, I can't kill anything with ranged alone! My first community service pitted me against four bandits who kicked my butt six ways from Sunday, even rolling like a madman and kiting them all over the terrain. It took at least three dozen shots from my pistol (~30 damage) to fell each of them. In the end, I kited them over to a guard who killed a couple of them for me.

How can I make myself an effective ranged combatant when I can't yet afford my second star of Dextrous Styles? I want to make an acrobatic-looking hero, but that involves surviving long enough to do so. :-/

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Oregano: n, the ancient Italian art of pizza folding
Nov 18, 2008 9:54 am GMT
Melee is the most efficient killing method in the beginning of the game. Therefore, use that fighting style to weaken enemies, kill them with ranged to get yellow orbs, and spend all green and yellow orbs on the "Skill" set. You will collect blue orbs, but no one says you have to apply them.
Dark_Kampfer

Nov 18, 2008 9:57 am GMT
Ranged weapons don't become too useful until you get Zoom and Sub Targeting (dex style 3 and 4). After that, you just engage guys from range when possible and when hey close the gap, you aim for the head.
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Your human mentality screams for vengeance and thrives on the violence that you say you can hardly endure. -Durandal
XBL Gamertag: Delta041
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Statement: Just when I believe my photoreceptors have recorded the last potential aspect of your cruelty to my memory core, you commit a new atrocity that leaves me analyzing its impact for days.

You are like a delightful random cruelty generator, master, Poisoning all you touch with your presence. You are a testament to all organic meatbags everywhere. - HK-47, KOTOR 2
Nov 18, 2008 10:00 am GMT
Fair enough. Can anyone tell me how badly buying ranks of Physique bulks out your hero? Having more than 100 hit points would be tremendously helpful. :-)

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Oregano: n, the ancient Italian art of pizza folding
Osafune2

Nov 18, 2008 10:00 am GMT
Ranged combat is very effective if you can persevere with a ranged character. The early parts of the game are difficult though.

It is fun to remove the heads of all enemies before they reach you.
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Congratulations to local boy Karl Pilkington - World's Roundest Head!
The_Schiester

Nov 18, 2008 10:02 am GMT
Melee is best in the very beginning, but it doesn't take long for ranged and magic to become easily usable. Once you get the roll ability for ranged your basically invulnerable. I prefer ranged because even though you can kill 8 people with one maxed out spell, I don't have to get or worry about whether or not they're in range.
DarthTheo

Nov 18, 2008 10:02 am GMT
Melee is weaker than Ranged and Will in the game.

Melee is the only one that doesn't affect Trolls, which means that Pure Melee Users must get either a gun or a Will attack.
Chain Attacks are harder for many to pull off in comparison to Level 4 Spells and way harder than Subtargetting with Ranged.

Melee still has a good amount of power but it pales in comparison to Will and Ranged combat in this game. You can play the entire game without ever using your Melee Weapon once in combat **outside of Childhood**; you have to choose to use Will or Ranged at points in the Story in combat.

I love Melee combat, Ranged Combat never appealed to me and Melee is clearly the lesser style in Fable II ... still fun, but not as powerful as Ranged or Will.

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Today is the end of Tomorrow - Within Temptation; Forsaken
Dark_Kampfer

Nov 18, 2008 10:03 am GMT
Only Strength increases you muscles. Brutal Styles and Toughness don't change anything.
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Your human mentality screams for vengeance and thrives on the violence that you say you can hardly endure. -Durandal
XBL Gamertag: Delta041
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Statement: Just when I believe my photoreceptors have recorded the last potential aspect of your cruelty to my memory core, you commit a new atrocity that leaves me analyzing its impact for days.

You are like a delightful random cruelty generator, master, Poisoning all you touch with your presence. You are a testament to all organic meatbags everywhere. - HK-47, KOTOR 2
The_Schiester

Nov 18, 2008 10:05 am GMT
Yeah one thing I forgot about melee is the counter. I haven't ever done it on purpose, and it's so much harder to do than *sub-target head, pull trigger*
DarthTheo

Nov 18, 2008 10:08 am GMT
Please, you don't need Melee in the game early either.

**Early Game Spoilers**

1) The Beetles die in a hit from the Rusty Flintlock or the Crossbow you start with.
2) Thag's Crew and Thag can be beaten with Ranged attacks ... Roll away, Fire, Roll away, Fire, etc .

After going to Bowerstone, Bowerlake gets a lot of Beetles and Bandits that are easier defeated with low level weapons. Once you can Aim your weapon, you can start hitting enemies at distance. Zoom and Subtargeting just make it easier.

Yes, Melee is easier than Ranged Earlier, but you can still do ranged early.
It is not a need to do.

Note: I like Melee, however it is not needed in Fable II.

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Today is the end of Tomorrow - Within Temptation; Forsaken
Nov 18, 2008 10:13 am GMT
Thanks for the excellent (and fast!) advice, everybody. I think I've got a plan of attack now. Next, I just need to develop enough skill to get better than sixth prize at the shooting range. ;-)

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Oregano: n, the ancient Italian art of pizza folding