Zinegata wrote:The problem is, if the game goes beyond level 5 then you need to start focusing on your schtick right from the start or else you'll get left behind later on.
Which is exactly what I already outlined.
Zinegata wrote:In fact you'll want to have your Trip/Snipe/Dual-Wield Sneak Attack maxed out as soon as possible, as it makes you viable compared to casters until they get their nukes.
What nukes? What caster "nukes" for a loving? At best fireball and friends are specific, problem-solving spells. In most cases they are just inefficient damage sources. If you want to deal damage, melee or shoot arrows. Magic is terrible at damaging monsters. Seriously. At level 3 wizards get to cast two scorching rays per day, at 4d6 each. Fighters to attack for a 2x d8+5 all day long (targeting regular AC instead of touch AC, granted) if they are interested in archery at all. A raging level 1 barbarian gets to attack for 2d6+9. Spell damage
sucks. Wizards aren't powerful because they do damage, they are powerful because they
do not need to do damage. Ideally the wizard casts one spell and from there on the rest of the party just mops up the opposition. But "nukes" are not involved.
Zinegata wrote:For instance... Yes, 3d6 sneak attack hurts on its own. But at low levels the main reason to dual wield is to roll twice against an enemy, which greatly increases the chance you'll land at least one hit that will inflict sneak attack damage.
Sneak attack is not a shtick. Sneak attack is just damage. Dual wielding is not a shtick, it is just damage. Additionally dual wielding sucks at low levels. If you want to do damage with sneak attack either pretend you are a barbarian or grab some flasks. You don't even need to dual wield flasks just throw them. Ideally using rapidshot and dual wield of course, but that is optional.
Anyways, all of that is just damage. You really want options, like the wizard has the option to go for will or fort or reflex or no save at all or reshaping the battlefield or summoning additional party members or skipping the encounter altogether. And melee types can indeed get useful options. Generally speaking they are less powerful than those wizards get, but they do exist. Stunning Fist is weak and too restricted, but occasionally quite useful. Grappling is an option, as it bullrushing and tripping. Various maneuvers and psychic powers let you control opponent's movement. Self-healing can be an option, especially in the crusader style. Simply having the choice between archery and melee combat is an option. All of these allow you to choose a fighting style suited to your opponent.
Damage on the other hand is merely a prerequisite. You merely need to do enough damage to let your fighting style succeed. Having additional options lets you get by with less damage - sometimes dramatically so. If you can stunlock or grapple-lock an opponent you only need to do one damage per turn to win. If you can bullrush someone off a cliff you don't need to do damage at all. If you can outheal your opponent's damage you will eventually win. If you can shoot at opponents for multiple turns before they even reach you, you probably need to deal a lot less damage in melee (if you need any at all). If you have enough options your odds of finding a weak spot to exploit are quite good.
If, on the other hand, all you do is trip people all day long, you will find yourself up against a nice monstrous centipede some day and desperately hope the rest of your party will save your ass. Of course this happens to everyone sooner or later, but one-trick-ponies are really damn easy to stop. As a sidenote, this is why mind-control-specialists and pure necromancers have issues, too.
Wow, that turned into quite a rant. Summary: nukes suck, damage and big numbers are nice, but not everything and versatility is power just as much, if not more so, as raw numbers are.