I'm not sure what version...but I think nearly all abilities could be used at range, even bash.  I think it was a bug then, they may have fixed it more than it should have been. 

I do think these abilities need to be addressed with at the very least better tool-tip info, before and after you 'buy' them.  Then they need reevaluating their common-sense ranged viability.

To me it would make sense to be a ranged attack(gambler's strike), same for the "double strike?".  Sweep and bash make sense to be melee only.