At lower MP levels waiting for mobs to run to you is downtime and/or you moving and running to them is ramp-up time for bats. So, even melee mobs, the range matters imho.
For MP10, I understand mana concerns will likely tip the scales toward bats though honestly MP10 is a hugely diminishing return in any case. An Acid Cloud build works very well through MP4 even using PtV. At MP5-7, AC still works very well but need to take out PtV and put in VQ. MP8-10, yeah a Cloud build likely begins to hurt -- but honestly anything at MP8-10 is pretty damn inefficient -- technically speaking anything above MP1 is pretty damn inefficient
I understand what dps means . . . and a good part of what amps effective dps (which is what matters) in any game is having damage going out to multiple targets simultaneously. More targets ticking = higher effective dps. You already talked about the shyte range of bats -- which means they hit consistently less targets. And, worse, if there are say 2 packs within 40 yds of you but separated by 80 yds from each other . . . with bats run to one pack, do damage, run to second pack do damage vs Cloud -- drop cloud on both. Target numbers quickly overwhelm the extra damage. I'm pretty sure those two packs will die quicker with Cloud than Bats netting higher dps in the process. Against the same three targets with all of them optimally standing next to you -- yes bats has higher effective dps. If there's more on your screen not next to you and or the mobs like to move (i.e. in over 75% of real game conditions) not so much.
Nothing for nothing, the life return of Bats versus Acid Rain with high LoH is a miserable comparison as well -- Acid Rain coefficient just abuses anything Bats can do.
The only thing that makes this even a semi-reasonable conversation is the fact that it's an MP10 build where mana will come into play. Bats mana efficiency over Acid Rain at MP10 may be enough to overcome all of the range issues in that it will have higher uptime due to it not ooming you as fast. In MP4-5 and below with reasonable dps, this isn't an issue or a conversation really.
For MP10, I understand mana concerns will likely tip the scales toward bats though honestly MP10 is a hugely diminishing return in any case. An Acid Cloud build works very well through MP4 even using PtV. At MP5-7, AC still works very well but need to take out PtV and put in VQ. MP8-10, yeah a Cloud build likely begins to hurt -- but honestly anything at MP8-10 is pretty damn inefficient -- technically speaking anything above MP1 is pretty damn inefficient
D3Progress: http://www.diabloprogress.com/hero/emberos-1608/Emberos/51824579
Nothing for nothing, the life return of Bats versus Acid Rain with high LoH is a miserable comparison as well -- Acid Rain coefficient just abuses anything Bats can do.
The only thing that makes this even a semi-reasonable conversation is the fact that it's an MP10 build where mana will come into play. Bats mana efficiency over Acid Rain at MP10 may be enough to overcome all of the range issues in that it will have higher uptime due to it not ooming you as fast. In MP4-5 and below with reasonable dps, this isn't an issue or a conversation really.
D3Progress: http://www.diabloprogress.com/hero/emberos-1608/Emberos/51824579