Ermmm just my two cents but when I read:

For instance, archers will strike with their bare fists
I just assumed that wasn't a 'real' attack, like on FFXI when you didn't have a weapon equipped you would hit with your fists (say RDM?) even though it did crap all damage.

I don't forsee there being a good reason to get close to the mob as ARC, seems more like a programming design issue. Something like:

"Ahh I'm not rewriting all of the cose just because Archer doesn't have a melee weapon... just let them hit with their fists and people will just not use it when they figure out it's not meant to work like that"

Of course, time will tell =)