Best way of stopping Melee DD? (in General)

What's the best way of countering SG/CoC?

Something other than killing the Mage in ranged. ;)

Melee DD teams typically don't have the DM that they need..

GA works nicely :)...

ROBF works as well.

AP cuts SG in half

Only the bonus damage SG gets from the targets AC, it doesn't cut the overall damage in half.

GA is a nice idea.

Is there any reason not to run a 4 minion AS/GA team if you choose to use it though?

GA/AMF/HP or AS/RoBF or RoS: Whatever they throw at you hits them partially and whatever actually gets through GA Retaliates. As long as you are alive this will be a good machine so either good ole fashioned HP or team wide AS. Now you will be weak to DM unless you have some kind of protection So a RoS is a perfect idea un less you want more Damage output which would be a RoBF.

RoBF is terrible against countering melee DD. The only real options you have are the following:

1. Kill them in range
2. If it isn't a familiar, use a lot of AMF
3. If it is a familiar, use a lot of GA

The difference between 2 and 3 is a minion has less exp trained into the DD. They usually have way more HP to survive so their DD level is less making AMF more effective.

On the other hand, familiars have super high DD level but way less HP. This makes using Amf almost completely pointless but since their HP is really small GA or a range weapon works really well.

So if you don't want to use a 4 minion AS/GA set up, then your only option is to;

Kill them in ranged
Use AMF and forget about stopping Familiars

:(

You don't need AS/GA, although it would be optimal. GA by itself should be enough.

But if you're going GA, why *not* go 4 minion AS/GA. It's better in every fashion.

Well you could have GA with HP wall with TSA xD

Probably wouldn't work very well tho. But yes your only real options are kill them in range or use GA.

There really is no good way except to try to kill them in ranged.

The damage on SG, especially on familiars is far to high to try to counter with GA. Remember GA needs to be 2.5x the level of damage. SG and CoC (vs 1 minion) is far too high to realistically get you GA level that high with using a RoS on the GA caster.

Of course you need tons of HP to try to live long enough for your GA to have a chance.

Forget AMF in almost all cases. The NSC just destroys AMF and makes it nearly worthless.

The only ways to realistically try to stop SG or an EF is the following:

1) Missile damage, especially the MsB.
2) Use your own melee DD and try to outhit them.

Melee weapon damage is pathetic so that is not a good alternative.

Ranger pretty much hit the nail on the head. However, I would have to disagree with him about the GA.

Yes GA has to be 2.5x the damage for the FULL effect. However, even having GA around the same level as the damage will usually get you around 50% damage return, neglecting armor.

How about...
Low-HP mid-low AC anti-magic first minion (MgS, EH, AoI, AP), HP/TSA PL back-wall, loads of AMF.
Awesome against decay, decent-ish against some SG, not so great against CoC.

Actually, I have done the math for using an EH. It is terrible. It can only be justified being used in the back against MM but even then it is probably better to go with a TSA.

TSA would be pointless on a minimal HP minion. Might as well stick a RoBF instead.