Is D3 a little more challenging for Melee characters?

[Cludo]

Firstly, This is NOT a QQ :'( thread. Just a discussion.

I'm playing a Wizard so i have just been kiting, freezing all the mobs hardly taking any damage (1/2 way through act 3 on normal)
And I've joined a few friends games and it looks like all the Melee classes are getting owned by big mob aoe damage?

Whats you're expeirance on the matter? Are you guys taking a load of damage trying to playthrough the game?
What about bosses? Surely they must be a bit more challenging for melee being in the bosses face the whole fight?

[krymefighter]

I find that barbs are super fun jumping into the fray, though i have build more of a survivalist type than full on damage.

[Mnevis]

Bosses I didn't find particularly challenging as melee (not yet anyways, just starting nm). As long as the damage is somewhat even and predictable I can heal through it, but mobs that put bad everywhere on the ground (like those trees with all the poison globs, or any pack of lava elites) have killed me a few times, sometimes even when I'm being careful.

There was some kind of mob, in late act 3 i think, that 1shotted me like 5 times. I think it was like a goblin sapper, but they would sneak up through a pack of other stuff so even once I realized they were dangerous they still got me. IDK if they would have 1shot me in a singleplayer game or not, this was 4player at the time.

[calinass]

Nope, level 20 monk and everything seems decent. Got myself some rare items that have some health to hit, spirit to health, and health after kill, using trancendism (whatever you call the passive skill), Crippling wave w/ mangle rune, lashing tail kick, breathe of heaven, cyclone strike.

I will get low health but if I take on more mobs I do better. Kinda feel like a pre-BC pally.

[minteK917]

Actually normal is really easy. The game ramps up in NM. Honestly the normal mobs champions etc are harder for melee and they got to go for more surviability. But bosses are just faceroll for melee.

[Madruga]

In Diablo 2, I found that melee characters were much harder than ranged. My first toon was a Barb, and I died constantly in Nightmare difficulty.

I even got frustted and switched to a Sorceress, and went on until Hell with her. Later I did a necro, and was able to solo Hell.

Granted, the Barbarian was not too geared, but even so the difference was pretty big. I am hoping the same doesné happen, since i want to play a monk!

[Linkedblade]

Honestly OP, I play wizard with a bit of melee. God forbid i can't remember these attack names. However wizards have a melee attack and I usually use the defense ability, our knockback+stun and melee my heart out. As long as you don't attempt to take on a lot at once you're fine. I'm assuming it is similar for the melee classes.

[Drakhar]

Compared to D2, not at all. Melee was terrible, borderline unplayable until you had good gear in D2. Doesn't seem to be the case so far in D3.

[Velerios]

i didn't play melee for now, but i go near the enemies with my Witch doctor to get 5 stacks of the int-buff and in Act 3 i died a lot because i had no decent gear. Too many people watch only for items which increase their damage and not their Vitality. I only had 1k life at the beginning of act 3, after i swapped some items and only used items with Vitality on them i didn't die anymore. It's possible to play a caster as a glass cannon, but not as a melee.

Also the difficulty-jump between act 2 and 3 is really big.