Things I know my sg hopes to see:

A Single Target big hitting archetype - This would be characterized by fewer Melee AoE powers and more focus on major single target damage to take down the "big guy" in the mob. Usually comes with the highest defense.

A fast moving hard to hit archetype - Not necessarily a speedster but characterized by the ability to create distance/increase dodge temporarily, hit and run powers (lunges that go through the target instead of to the target). Specifically would be cool for flight to actually do a superman punch while flying.

A stealth archetype - Characterized by the ability to use stealth and alpha strike melee mechanics

A KTFO archetype - Characterized by using knocks big at the end of combos

None of us really use a melee AoE archetype because melee range never seemed suitable for hitting large groups and frankly Melee DPS already had a survival issue that melee tanks need not worry about.

Any other melee play styles people would like to see?

I haven't been on in a while.. who are u talking about that used Melee AoE? Speed? or somebody who plays since I quit?

It's hard to have melee range AoE attacks because the range is already small. Most AoE needs at least mid-range to be effective. But if players'd use it then by all means, make a set.

Well this is news to me. Cliff used AoE but it was definitely Ranged AoE. Only surreptitiously aware of it but last I left cliff he was using AoE outside the "melee" range *surely he was a tank and not an melee focused character.

Vitality again, last I knew him was a tank character.

Acnd Cav, last I knew him was single target. When we were forst acquainted Cav was very Melee AoE Centric but you disposed the build for various reasons. Apparently someone needs to send me dossiers on the squad as it appears i am Out of Date.

I think tanks would enjoy Melee AoE as it causes more threat. But MDPS is not afforded the same kind of defense that MDPS has.. leading to the situation where you need more protection.

It's my opinion that MDPS should be about killing quickly and harshly to avoid taking damage due to fragility. AoE usually has their total damage divided into the number of targets and low damage means longer fights which is not good for the MDPS player.

this isn't to say there should be "no melee dos power that is AoE" but I am suggesting that an entire build not use it as a play style focus

Since the game has not gone into even Alpha yet, I would say no. We will have a better Idea by next year, but nothing is set into stone until release.

JayBezz wrote:

None of us really use a melee AoE archetype because melee range never seemed suitable for hitting large groups and frankly Melee DPS already had a survival issue that melee tanks need not worry about.

I played a spine scrapper who was very effective at MAoE. No, his powers did not measure up to other scraps' single target DPS but there were no other scrappers that could take out big mobs like mine could.
My toon usually had combat jumping or super jump on so he could quickly get around the mobs and position correctly for an attack. That is not the easiest thing to do, but I found it to be a lot of fun...More fun than sitting in one spot and button mashing.

That being said, it is very important for a melee toon to have some good DPS. I remember some scraps nearly being able to tank because they had built the toon well. But that is not easy to do and a good scrap will never be able to tank better than a good Tank. I'd like to see the 'scrapper' type of melee have builds or power sets where some gear toward single-target dmg and others go for AoE.

All this talk of melee single-target dmg makes me think of Blappers...I would be so happy if CoT gives us Blappers.