Why not? An archer or thrower can be good in melee as well as in their respective ranged class.(even full hybrids of both). Why not xbow? cause it's Pierce and you are a homo 2h with high armor? Cause you could hybrid it and be decent?
It's not the class that makes these good, it's the players. A shit hybrid 2h/xbow is bad regardless of which weapon they use.
Also -1 for removal of a class.
Average 2h hero build 18/21 or 21/18 and you are set.
Allocate some of the wpf points (at best with an agi build) to the crossbow and you are set. Effective both in melee and in crossbow. Why should you make a pure 2h then? If you can have the ultimate build which is the crossbow 2h (mace) hybrid.
Hybrids should be more viable, yes, but then it must be in all aspects and not only for the crossbow, because this is the best hybrid, actually it shouldn't even be called a hybrid because is there such a thing as dedicated crossbow? in a way that resembles a dedicated archer? No, because the investment is cheap.
Dont get me wrong ive played as a crossbowman with kettle helmet and mail, shield and 1h weapon and it was fun, and i do think this must be viable hybrid, but obviously the melee effectiveness of it compared to a dedicated shielder should be less, doesnt mean he is going to loose in a fight, but he must make a trade off, like not being able to select shielder specialist equipment, some higher tier shields or weapons etc.