What Happened To Range?

   Cards and Castles is a very diverse game with many factors coming into play for each individual match in ranked mode, making the experience fun and unique every battle. The two players could be using differing factions, differing archetypes, differing amounts of units and spells. Even within units, one can choose ranged or melee cards. Yet, in recent times, I have noticeably seen less and less play of these ranged units. Everything has seemed to focus more on spells and melee, with the few exceptions such as Karasumei, Sea Witch, and Acolyte. Other than those three staple
non-melee units, what has happened to Range, and how can it be brought back into prominence?

         Back in the older days of Cards and Castles, ranged units were used more due to the fact that almost every single figure had some special ability. During the days of the Tournament of Champions expansion and on(all the way up until monster island), the southport cannoneer was affectionately named "Cannoneer Stubs". He used to be a legendary card with four range as well as explosive ability to every attack. Today's Darkbender used to have eight attack and two health, dealing one damage to itself every time it attacked. The Sniper had four range, and Loremaster Tarius granted the player two random dragons added to their hand. Even the Eye of the Flame was unstoppable; it used to be 10/10 with four range, and the user could place it in the middle of the map. Imagine ten automatic damage to the enemy castle in one turn! All of these cards were nerfed. Their amazing abilities were taken away or changed into less useful powers. Ranged units were nerfed so noticeably in terms of power that it pushed players away from using them altogether.
            Along with the power nerf, ranged units again took a big hit in terms of "summoning sickness". In the current game mode, every single ranged unit may not attack on the turn played, therefore "wasting" that gold for the turn. That invested gold will pay off the turn after, sure, but there are not many times when one can invest 4+ gold into a card that they will not be able to use until the following turn without losing board presence or advantage. This, I think out of everything, deters players from using ranged units the most unless they are absolutely necessary to a certain deck. When has anyone chosen the Sniper over Barbarian in recent times? When has a player put 3 copies of the Eye of Flame into their deck instead of Tyrannosaur? This summoning sickness has crippled the ranged aspect of units to a great extent. Summoning sickness was added to the cards due to the fact that range units were indeed over powered before the expansion of The Enchanted Grove. Melee units weren't able to deal with them very effectively. While the idea of summoning sickness was sound, this paired with the nerfing of stats and abilities overkilled ranged figures.
             Now that it was said why ranged cards are not very effective, how can they be brought back into prominence without upsetting the balance of power? The answer is not in taking away summoning sickness. That is a very good counter to players making decks full of just ranged units where they can buff up their figures and kill any unit the opponent puts out before they have a chance to do anything. Instead, the solution could be found in one of two ways. The first option could be to make some ranged units' abilities more powerful such as that of the Wizard, Cannoneer, Darkbender, Troll Gunner, and Eye of Flame(it's a legendary for goodness sake!).  For instance the wizard could get some kind of explosive or lightning ability and the Troll Gunner could have a combo of gaining 1 gold for each attack. Option two could be plain buffing stats of these drab cards. Giving the Wizard card for instance even a +1/1 two its 2/3 stats, making it 3/4, may make it a more playable card. The trick is to make sure that they are not too buffed, however, that ranged units become the most prominent type of units. The solution to this range problem is quite simple as long as some true thinking is put into the reworks.
             Over the years, ranged units have become less powerful due to the nerfing of stats and abilities as well as the addition of summoning sickness to all ranged figures. The once powerful legendary Eye of Flame has been reduced to a card used less often than common cards like the Scout or Barbarian. While this is sad, there is hope for the future. As long as the summoning sickness is kept, I believe that some buffs to stats and/or abilities can greatly help ranged units come back to prominence in the game. Not all range cards need this buff. Cards like Acolyte, Sea Witch,
Karasumei, and even Dwarven Sharpshooter can stay how they are. But I urge that the other range be looked at and helped out. There is much diversity in the game for sure, but I do miss seeing even the Archer in competitive matches. Having the aspect of strong ranged units would be great; buffing the ranged cards, in my opinion, would be a positive step for the future of Cards and Castles.