Melee/Ranged Question

I've always preferred a ranged approached, sniper, archer, gunslinger, but recently I think I noticed a bias toward melee in SWL. Is it my imagination but to AOE from Mobs show a tendency to void within a meter of the caster?

There are a few AoEs with close proximity voids - Strange Attractor in scens being one, but most of them will hit everything in the circle/area. Ranged tends to have an easier time avoiding them, though some are cast on players rather than point blank from the mob, so you can't always just stay still.