Range

Ranged combat includes both physical and magical types of attacks that is used at enough range to hit it's target without entering into melee range with it. A ranged attack or spell can also have an Area of Effect.

Ranged Classes

NPCs who might be something like the fifth class. Could it be the archer?

In Diablo 3, the following classes are considered "ranged" classes:

• Wizard - Pure spell caster. Has melee spells, but don't physically hit monsters often. It's a caster class for sure, but also mostly ranged.
• Other classes - Many players are expecting some sort of physical ranged class to be announced by Blizzard, possibly the rogue or the archer.

Ranged Monsters

While the majority of Diablo 3 monsters use melee combat, there are plenty of ranged ones as well. In many cases they work together with melee and caster type monsters (or they are ranged/caster type themselves), to make the encounter more interesting for the player. A Skeletal Archer is usually situated behind Skeletal Shieldmen, forcing the player to either kill or circumvent the Shieldmen in order to stop the ranged attacks. Here are a few examples of melee monsters, with different mechanics:

• Skeletal Archer - Shoots arrows at player characters. Keeps out of melee range, and will try to move so that obstacles or other monsters stand between them and the player.
• Dark Cultist - Will shoot firebolts at the player, trying to keep Dark Berserkers between the player and themselves, or summon Dark Demons for the same effect.
• Wraith - Has both melee and ranged attacks. The ranged attacks drain life and slows a player character.

Related Articles

Related articles include:

• Melee - Close range combat.
• Caster - Magic-users. Overlapping ranged to some degree.

Media

• 

  Skeletal Archer in action.

• 

  NPC Archers assist the Barbarian.

Reference

• Casual fans on Fifth Class

Class Info Class	Special: Archivist (April Fools) - Dervish (rejected) Expansion or NPC: Necromancer - Paladin Archtypes: Archer - Caster - Melee - Ranged DPS - Healers - Summon/Spawn - Tank - Utility

Skill Info Skills	Skills	Runestones	Traits	Resources	Signature skills	Fanmade skills

Fan-made Creations [e] Classes
Fan-made Classes	Alchemist Arcane Warrior Artisan Aurian Mage	Bard Channeller Dragon Warrior Flagellant	Giant (U) Hollow Man Nomad Onaga Manji Phase Knight	Ranger Slayer (U) Telepath Untainted (U) Zealot
(U) = Unfinished

Fan-made Creations [e]
Fan-made Skills	Dragon Warrior Skills Bow and Throwing Skill Tree Dragon Disciplines Skill Tree Martial Arts Skill Tree	Untainted Skills Divine Skill Tree		Aurian Mage Skill Holy Power Skill Tree Shadow Spells Skill Tree Nature Forces Skill Tree