another thing that weakens melee classes
I believe that's part of the confusion-- there are no classes. Every hero is a hybrid. To add to this confusion the game requires you to start with either a melee, ranged, or magic weapon.
In a game with structured classes the skills are placed into trees requiring the player to obtain a certain degree of mastery in basic skills before additional skills can be unlocked. None of the skills in this game have a skills prerequisite; although some benefit from having different weapon selection. Additionally there is no breakdown of armor into classes or restriction of weapons usage into an specializations.
If you choose to only spec melee you are at a disadvantage. There is really no reason why a hero should not carry a ranged or magic weapon. You are given more than adequate quick swap slots to accommodate the extra ranged options. Even if you do not typically use a ranged weapon you should always be hunting for the best ranged or magic weapon available if for no other purpose than to kite, hit-and-fade, or pull.
