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[[quoteright:300:[[ComicBook/HawkeyeAndMockingbird https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/hawkingbird.jpg]]]]
[[caption-width-right:300:ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} and ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}}.]]

A character that [[CloseRangeCombatant specializes in close-range attacks]] is often contrasted to a character that [[LongRangeFighter specializes in attacking from a distance.]] This especially happens in video games, as part of ensuring that the characters are balanced decently.

However, there '''has''' to be some sort of connection between the two characters. You can't simply point out that this work just happens to have an orc with a sword and an elf with a bow and arrow in it. There must be a link, the more personal the better.

If a character that DoesntLikeGuns is set up so they contrast with another, more {{trigger happy}} character (which they usually are), there's a good chance the duo qualify for this trope. Similarly, TheRival is often set up to prefer the other range spread to the other character in question.

See WeaponSpecialization. Compare GuysSmashGirlsShoot and SwordAndSorcerer.
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!!Examples:

[[foldercontrol]]

[[folder:Anime and Manga]]
* ''Manga/{{Bleach}}'': Creator/TiteKubo has designed Ichigo and his AloofAlly Uryuu to be mirrors and contrast each other. Ichigo is headstrong and rushes into battle with minimal planning, whereas Uryuu is cool-headed and is renowned for strategising to the point of over-analysis. As a substitute Shinigami, Ichigo's battle uniform is black kimono overlaying white under-garments. Uryuu's battle uniform is white Western-style clothing, overlaying black inner layers. The author has also stated that Uryuu is left-handed to contrast the right-handed Ichigo. Although Ichigo has one long-ranged attack, he prefers to fight as a swordsman, up close and personal. While Uryuu does have the ability to fight at close-range like a swordsman when forced to, he is a Quincy archer, and almost always fights from a long range. Even the way they use those moves reflect their respective core fighting styles; Ichigo's "long-range" Getsuga Tenshou is used to greatest effect at point-black range, and Uryuu's "swords" are actually arrows that he can shoot from his bow. Uryuu once states that Quincies prefer archery precisely because Shinigami prefer swordsmanship.
* In ''VideoGame/LBXLittleBattlersExperience'', Ban and Kazu are still best friends and yet are perfect foils. Ban and Achilles use close range combat with lances and occasionally swords while Kazu uses two handed rifles and occasionally guns.
* [[PolarOppositeTwins The Okumura twins]] from ''Manga/BlueExorcist''. The HotBlooded AntiAntiChrist Rin uses a katana, while [[RedOniBlueOni his calmer brother Yukio]] prefers guns. [[SubvertedTrope Subverted]] as they rarely, if ever, work together as [[TheResenter Yukio]] refuses to let Rin help out, despite Rin's dream right now is to be a "demon-slaying brother team."
* In ''Manga/HajimeNoIppo'', Ippo is exclusively an in-fighter, as opposed to his chief rival Miyata Ichirou, who is primarily an out-fighter.
* Bullet and Francesca, the legendary assassins from ''Manga/{{Trash}}''. Bullet uses a handgun modified to fire specially crafted bullets that carries a lot of firepower despite their size. In contrast, Francesca uses a pair of folding axes in addition to her body modifications, all the better to engage her enemies in melee.
* Kirito and Sinon from ''Literature/SwordArtOnline'', with Kirito being the short-range LaserBlade wielder, while Sinon is the long-range ColdSniper.
* LLENN and either M or Fukaziroh from ''Literature/SwordArtOnlineAlternativeGunGaleOnline''. LLENN is the short-range sub-machine gunner, M is a long-range sniper, and Fukaziroh is a long-range grenadier.
* ''Franchise/LyricalNanoha'':
** [[BattleCouple Nanoha and Fate]] fit this dynamic in later season. While both of them are capable of fighting at both long and close range, Nanoha prefers long range blasts and guided projectiles while Fate is a MultiMeleeMaster.
** Even more well defined by [[HeterosexualLifePartners Subaru and Teana]] [[OpposingCombatPhilosophies who fit the stereotypes of their respective magic styles]]. Subaru is a Neo-Belkan fighter who uses a pair of rollerblades to get in her opponents' faces and smash them with her PowerFist while Teana is a Mid-childan mage who dual wields pistols and shoots down her enemies from a distance.
** Graham's twin {{Catgirl}} familiars, Lieselotte and Liesearia are this trope to a T. Lotte is a KickChick who seems to fight exclusively with martial arts, while Aria uses long-range spells.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Comic Books]]
* ComicBook/{{Hawkeye}} and ComicBook/{{Mockingbird}} provide a romantic example (and the page image) -- he's a master archer who specialises in making the impossible shot; she's a martial arts master capable of beating up a dozen men at once with her staves.
* ''ComicBook/XMen'' frequently teams up ComicBook/{{Cyclops}} (Powers: Long-range EyeBeams, tactical genius) and ComicBook/{{Wolverine}} (Powers: Stabbing stuff, [[GoodThingYouCanHeal surviving getting stabbed back]]) in this manner. Them being romantic and ideological rivals adds to the depth of their relationship.
* ''ComicBook/SecretSix'' had a similar pairing in ComicBook/{{Deadshot}}, the fatalistic master sniper, and Catman, the knife-wielding master tracker. They spend almost as much time bickering as they do killing people.
* ''ComicBook/PowerCompany'': In her solo issue story, [[LadyOfBlackMagic Witchfire]] accidentally summons the demon Nekkron. Fortunately, Franchise/WonderWoman is nearby. The two combine forces with Diana hammering away at Nekkron with her godly strength while Witchfire attacks with a barrage of InstantRunes and they ultimately drive him back to where he came from.
* ComicBook/PowerGirl and Terra III fight this way in Power Girl's book by Conner and Palmioti. Usually Karen fights at the forefront while Terra handles group control and attacks from afar with her [[DishingOutDirt geokinesis]]. Note that Karen does have long-ranged options with her EyeBeams while Atlee has some degree of super strength and durability but for the most part they still fit this trope.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Fanworks]]
* ''Webcomic/ComicBookSNAFU'' teams up archer Comicbook/{{Hawkeye}} and martial artist Comicbook/{{Batman}}.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Films -- Live-Action]]
* In ''Film/RogueOne'', Chirrut wields a staff while Baze hauls a repeating cannon strapped to his back.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Literature]]
* This pairing describes Gimli the dwarf and Legolas the elf from Tolkien's ''Literature/TheLordOfTheRings'' trilogy. Gimli's preferred weapon is the short broadaxe, while Legolas prefers the longbow. During their battles against the forces of Sauron, Gimli and Legolas sustain a running contest as to which has felled more enemies.
* ''Literature/TheIliad'': Ajax the Greater and his younger half-brother Teucer form this team. Many times it's described that Teucer, the Achaeans' best archer, will take cover behind his brother's massive shield and pick off many Trojans. For his part, Ajax is TheBigGuy who specializes in [[HoldTheLine holding the line]] using his immense size and strength in close quarters.
* ''Literature/TheReckonersTrilogy'' has David, a sharpshooter who prefers to fight at long range with a rifle (when not improvising wildly), and his frequent partner (and crush) Megan, who prefers handguns and close range. At one point, they debate the relative merits.
* ''Literature/SixOfCrows'': Kaz uses a specially-weighted walking cane for brutal CaneFu, which puts him as the Short Range Guy in contrast to either of his top lieutenants, as [[TheGunslinger Jesper duel-wields pistols]] and [[DeviousDaggers Inej prefers to throw her knives]].
* The title characters of ''Literature/WaxAndWayne''. Wax is a coinshot, who can push on metal using magic. He uses his power to fly around attacking people from range with his guns or - in a pinch - by pushing coins and bits of metal at his enemies. Wayne can small create bubbles of fast time, has impressive healing abilities, and DoesntLikeGuns, so he traps his enemies in time bubbles with him and fights them with his swords.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Tabletop Games]]
* Apply this trope to a faction and you get the Tau and Kroot from ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}''. The Tau have awesome guns but are pathetic in close combat, the Kroot are barbarians who live for close combat but don't wear armor. It illustrates their "Greater Good" philosophy, where the weaknesses of one are compensated by the strengths of the other.
** This is also a case of GameplayAndStorySegregation, as it is most certainly true in the fluff, but the Kroot started as mediocre close combat troops with surprisingly cheap firepower and infiltration back in third edition, and this trend just keeps becoming more and more pronounced over time. In sixth and seventh editions, the kroot are incredibly cheap infiltrating snipers who will crumble like tissue paper before any real assault troops.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Video Games]]
* ''VideoGame/EXTRAPOWERAttackOfDarkforce'': Platinum and Kirogane. They work together as two thirds of the PMEC team: Platinum favouring long-ranged shoulder cannons [[GadgeteerGenius that she builds herself]], and demon-hunter ninja Kurogane opting for close-range sword slashes.
* The Spy and The Sniper from ''VideoGame/TeamFortress2'' in-universe are fierce enemies, partly because Snipers are a prime target for quick Spy kills. The Spy's weapon is a knife used for instant-kill backstabs, while [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin The Sniper specialises in long-distance headshots.]]
* Two of the central characters of ''Franchise/StreetFighter'', Ryu and Ken, have identical special moves. However, Ryu is geared towards the projectile Hadoken attack while Ken is geared towards the Shoryuken uppercut. Their Super Combos are tailored towards these moves to highlight their preference. Ironically, it's Ryu and not Ken who famously gave [[ArrogantKungFuGuy Sagat]] his iconic chest scar via a Shoryuken, but then that was before the DivergentCharacterEvolution kicked in and gave them their current specializations.
* Lucian and Aaron from ''VideoGame/LunarKnights'' have this arrangement - Aaron has a solar-energy charged gun while Lucian has [[CoolSword a sword that gets more powerful at night.]]
* The ''Franchise/{{Pokemon}}'' series has two types named Fighting and Psychic, and [[ElementalRockPaperScissors Psychic-type attacks are super-effective to Fighting type Pokemon.]] Fighting-type attacks are usually physical (eg. Karate Chop, BrickBreak), while Psychic-type attacks are so universally special moves that moves like Psycho Cut are highlighted in-game as dealing physical damage. Usually physical moves make contact while special moves don't.
* [[TarotMotifs Chariot and Justice]] from ''VideoGame/Persona3'' are DualBoss that can revive each other. Chariot is a giant tank that mainly uses Strike attacks, while Justice is a small turret that uses Pierce attacks.
* Cress from ''VideoGame/TalesOfPhantasia'' takes on enemies at close range with swords, while his close buddy Chester takes on them with bows and arrows.
* Max and Grit in ''[[VideoGame/NintendoWars Advance Wars]]''. Max's direct attacking units have more power than normal, but his indirect attacking units are weak. Grit is the exact opposite. In the story, they used to be best friends (and [[LoveTriangle romantic rivals for Nell]]) before Grit defected to the Blue Moon army.
* ''VideoGame/FireEmblem''
** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemPathOfRadiance Path of Radiance]]'' has HeterosexualLifePartners [[ColdSniper Shinon]] and [[MightyGlacier Gatrie]]. The first mission you use them they introduce their "Thunder and Lightning" tactics; Gatrie smashes into them like thunder, Shinon rains arrows down like lightning.
** In ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemFates Fates]]'', both crown princes from Hoshido and Nohr, Ryoma and Xander are both swordsmen, when their respective younger brothers Takumi and Leo are long-range fighters. Specifically, Takumi is an archer, while Leo is a mage. Supporting the brothers reveals that both younger princes once wielded swords too, but gave up because of an inferiority complex that they will never surpass their respective older brothers. Subverted in Leo's case that in his class he still can wield a sword. Takumi however, has been said to completely give up swordplay, as he cannot use swords in his base class.
** ''[[VideoGame/FireEmblemEngage Engage]]'' has Diamant and Alcryst, the princes of Brodia. Diamant is a bold, fiery fighter who specializes in swords, while his brother Alcryst is timid and prefers to attack from a distance with bows.
* ''Franchise/FinalFantasy''
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyIV'' has Cecil, the swordmaster, and his girlfriend Rosa, who specializes in the bow and arrow.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVII'' has a cold and calculating Cloud and a rough-and-gruff Barret, who are at odds with each other at first before becoming FireForgedFriends. Cloud uses a two-handed broadsword while Barret does damage using a gun-arm.
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyVIII'' has Squall's two male allies: [[BoisterousBruiser Zell]] and [[TheGunslinger Irvine]].
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX'' has Tidus use swords as expected of TheHero, while his fellow pro Blitzball player Wakka fights by [[ImprobableWeaponUser throwing a blitzball]].
** ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyXIII'' has Snow (who uses fists and [[AnIcePerson ice magic]]) and Sazh (who uses [[GunsAkimbo guns]] and [[PlayingWithFire fire magic]]).
* While both Dante and Vergil from ''Devil May Cry'' have an impressive set of sword skills, Dante is happy to mix in some firearms usage as well while Vergil explicitly DoesntLikeGuns.
* The ''VideoGame/{{Borderlands}}'' series likes this trope.
** The first game has Mordecai, who is designed around sniping as a primarily long-range character, as is the mostly defensively-oriented Roland. They are contrasted by Lilith, a close-range SMG specialist, and Brick, a titan of a man and melee powerhouse.
** [=Zer0=] from ''VideoGame/Borderlands2'' is BOTH of these, depending on how he's specced. One branch of his tech tree focuses on sniping skills, while another focuses on melee. While it's technically possible to put points into both branches, it's [[MasterOfNone not advisable]], meaning most Zero players will only be one or the other at any given time.
*** In a somewhat more general sense, [=Zer0=] is this to Salvador out of the original team of four. Where [=Zer0=] has lots of skills that buff his ability to snipe, Salvador gets a lot of abilities that enhance his ability to simply tank damage at point-blank range, usually while vaporizing enemies with GunsAkimbo. The same is true of Gaige and Krieg, who are definitely better in melee and have skills that favor shotguns.
** ''VideoGame/BorderlandsThePreSequel'' is all over the place with this. You have Wilhelm and Aurelia as primarily long ranged classes (the latter being a very literal ColdSniper) because their powers are best at range, while Athena primarily fights in melee with her shield and Claptrap is a random bundle of nonsense with proximity-powered abilities. Nisha and "Jack" are a more mixed bag, with the former favoring both pistols and rifles while the latter has holograms to do the dirty work for him.
* ''Franchise/LeagueOfLegends'':
** You have ColdSniper [[ByTheBookCop Caitlyn]] and LightningBruiser [[CowboyCop Vi]], Piltover's finest law-enforcement duo.
** From Bilgewater you have the card-slinging SquishyWizard Twisted Fate and his shotgun-toting bruiser of a partner Graves.
* The ''VideoGame/MegaManX'' series has TheHero X who uses an ArmCannon to shoot foes from afar, and TheLancer Zero who wields a LaserBlade to deal heavy close-range damage.
* In ''VisualNovel/CodeGeassLostColors'', if he joins the Brittanian Experimental Unit protagonist Rai gets his own version of canon character Suzaku Kururugi's Lancelot. While Suzaku's Lancelot is geared towards moving quickly into close quarters range, Rai's Lancelot [[NonindicativeName Club]] is equipped with a variable rifle that can switch between sniper mode and assault rifle mode. Both Lancelots have roughly equal speed, but Rai's Club is designed more towards quickly moving to suitable sniping positions while Suzaku goes in close.
* ''VideoGame/DanganronpaAnotherEpisodeUltraDespairGirls'': Komaru and her Hacking Gun is the long-range fighter. Genocide Jack, using her scissors, is the short-range fighter.
* ''VideoGame/HotlineMiami2WrongNumber'': Ash and Alex are a BrotherSisterTeam who are controlled as one character. Ash can pick up and fire guns, and Alex has a chainsaw on her at all times.
* ''VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaBreathOfTheWild'' has Daruk and Revali of the Champions. Daruk is a friendly and boisterous wielder of club-like greatswords who acts as a BigBrotherMentor to [[TheHero Link]], while Revali is a smug and egotistical archer who never lets Link forget his disdain for him. Link himself splits the difference, being skilled with both melee weapons and bows.
* ''VideoGame/XCOMEnemyUnknown'' has the Sniper class and the [[ShortRangeShotgun Assault]] classes, at least on a tactical level. Sniper deal massive damage from afar, but lack the ability to shoot on the move, making large open area their personal kill zones, while Assaults get several abilities to get up close and personal '''and''' shoot on the move.
** Ditto for ''VideoGame/{{XCOM2}}'' with the Sharpshooter and the Ranger (who now wields both a ShortRangeShotgun and a [[MacheteMayhem machete]]), and with the War of the Chosen expansion pack, they can even [[RelationshipValues develop]] [[CombinationAttack Bonds]].
* ''{{VideoGame/Terraria}}'' has [[DualBoss the Twins]], a pair of [[GiantEyeOfDoom floating eyes]] fought in early Hardmode. Retinazer, who stays above the player, utilizes BeamSpam in all parts of the fight, while Spazmatism, who stays parallel to the player, uses a [[KillItWithFire fire-based]] BreathWeapon.
* Illager patrols and raids in ''VideoGame/{{Minecraft}}'' primarily consist of two types of Illagers: The axe-wielding Vindicators that attack exclusively with melee, and the crossbow-toting Pillagers who fight at a distance.
* ''VideoGame/RabiRibi'' has protagonist Erina, who lacks any magical abilities by herself but has the Piko Hammer and Carrot Bombs to use for close-range attacks, and her FairyCompanion Ribbon, who specializes in ranged magical attacks. Combined this gives players access to both, but notably if you use Ribbon's Boost attacks (which causes her to fly off to perform a LimitBreak,) the player loses control of her for the duration and can't fire any normal projectiles.
* Defied in the ''Series/MightyMorphinPowerRangers'' game for the SNES. Despite Kimberly's weapon being a bow, there are no ranged options in the game, so she just [[ImprobableUseOfAWeapon beats enemies to death with her weapon in melee like everyone else.]]
* Kratos in ''VideoGame/GodOfWar2018'' fights primarily at close range with his Leviathan Ax (though he does have a few ranged attacks, such as [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks throwing]] [[SummonToHand it]]), while his son Atreus uses a bow to lay down suppressing fire on command.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Animation]]
* In the machinima series ''WebAnimation/RedVsBlue'' Sarge (leader of the Red Team) wields a shotgun almost everywhere while Church (leader of the Blue Team) uses a sniper rifle, although he has a terrible aim with it.
* The Mecha Spies from WebAnimation/StBlackST's videos; the brother with the Summer Hat uses [[BatterUp a baseball bat]] while the brother without [[GunsAkimbo dual wields]] [[RevolversAreJustBetter revolvers]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Web Videos]]
* The first campaign of ''WebVideo/CriticalRole'' has the twins [[ThemeTwinNaming Vex and Vax]] - Vex is a Ranger who uses a longbow or delegates to her bear companion, rarely getting into the thick of combat, while Vax is a Rogue who favours DeviousDaggers in melee.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Western Animation]]
* In ''WesternAnimation/AvatarTheLastAirbender'', Azula's companions Mai and Ty Lee. Mai fights from afar with throwing knives; Ty Lee fights up close with acrobatic martial arts.
* ''WesternAnimation/HarleyQuinn2019'': Harley Quinn has this dynamic with Poison Ivy, with Harley using her [[BatterUp bat]] and [[SheFu acrobatics]] for close-range combat while Ivy uses her [[GreenThumb plant powers]] [[PowersDoTheFighting from a distance]].
[[/folder]]

[[folder: RealLife]]

* A common arrangement in armies is to have military units that specialize in close range work and units that specialize in long range. Usually there is a mobile arm as well leading to the famous "horse, foot, and guns" triad of the eighteenth century. Another example is musketeers and pikemen in armies before bayonets.

[[/folder]]
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