Hunters so much more fun than paladins!

Why?

Pets.

Damnit, how I wish that WoW was similar to the old... old... very old... Star Wars Galaxies. (If it still exists now, well, it's absolute crap)

Back then, one was able to be a "creature handler" and tame both normal and exotic beasts and such, and with proper training, were able to allow these creatures to obey simple verbal commands (Such as a command to attack, stay put, follow your target, and I think something else). After further training, an experienced handler would be able to give and sell well-trained beasts to non-creature handlers. It was both fun and excellent profit!

Be honest, guys, how many of you rolled a hunter the moment you realized they could tame their very own choice of companion? Hell, I know I did.

This isn't really a suggestion to make this game like one that (clearly) didn't turn out as well (despite how badly I'd love a pet on my paladin), but simply asking around: How many chose the hunter class purely to be a "badass ranger" versus "Pets effing rock"?

Blizzard's done a decent job in trying to make the hunter and pet as one, but honestly, I think they try a little too hard. When I think of the hunter's specs, I think of the following:

"Beast Mastery"
This is a specialization that requires true synergy between a hunter and his/her companion. Bonds of trust, allowing the two to succeed where either could not normally. When this spec comes to mind, I think of mental communication, understanding, and cooperation.

Additional thoughts- I think this spec should have more abilities like Kill Command (current), where we can influence what our pet does. To make things seem even moreso similar, allow the pet's "stance" (Aggressive, Defensive, Passive) to influence how the hunter feels over the mental link, for example:

-If the pet is in an aggressive stance, the hunter gains perhaps something like additional stealth detection, perhaps even extra damage done, but suffers from reckless and feral actions, reducing any possibility of avoidance as the fight goes on and the hunters further themselves in the thrill of the hunt.
-If the pet is in a defensive stance, the hunter and pet gaining increased offensive and defensive capabilities as a fight goes on, as the two are fighting for survival, not to kill.
-If the pet is in a passive stance, I can see the hunter and pet both simply wishing to be left alone, gaining increased defensive capabilities as a fight goes on but losing offensive power.
"Marksmanship"
This is a specialization of a hunter embracing his weapons, forgoing a beastly companion for the most part. A marksmanship-spec hunter can be thought of as a "sniper" of sorts, one who sits awaiting in the shade as they wait for their opponent. Using their ability to mentally link with a pet, they use their pets as merely a tool. However sad this may sound, they'll do it quite well.

Additional Thoughts: I can easily see a MM hunter sitting in a spot, waiting. Using the pet as his/her spotter, through a weak mental link the hunter can see just where the enemy is, even through a brick wall. With this knowledge, Marksmans should be packing heavy armor-piercing bullets, able to shoot massive distances (I'm thinking 60-80yd range), and able to shoot through solid objects. However potent this may be though, the marksman must stay in place.

-The marksman must be holding still for at least 5 seconds before being able to shoot from "extended range" (50-80 yds). When 5 seconds have passed, the hunter gains a very weak 'camouflage', simply preventing their victims to find where shots fired came from. In addition, the hunter at extended range is able to fire through normal Line of Sight.
-While under the effect of this 'light camo', the marksman cannot move, has an extremely reduced(-300%) firing speed, but deals double (+100%) damage. Unfortunately, to counter this, if the hunter attempts to shoot a target, it has a base 75% chance to miss. However, if the victim is within the hunter's or the pet's line of sight, the marksman gains +50% hit rating, leaving a minimum of a 1/4 chance to miss.
-As the pet is merely a tool, but a useful one. As such, the marksman instructs the pet in basic cover. A marksman's pet is able to lay low in a spot, unmoving under basic stealth but acting as a spotter for the sniper-in-waiting.

"Survival"
This is a specialization that combines the above two, a 'middleman' of sorts. The hunter and pet are close friends, however they lack the seemingly flawless mental communication of a beast mastery duo. The hunter is also not entirely helpless alone as well, should his pet be kept away from him.

Additional Thoughts: I can see this as a spec that also has the beast and hunter working together, but perhaps not as 'well' as the Beast Master.

- Utilizing a camouflage similar to the marksman (but stronger), both the hunter and pet are able to sneak around the wilderness to gain the element of surprise. When in combat, if the hunter himself is not in front of an enemy, he can slip back into his surroundings, able to get the next jump. A survival hunter can be extremely hard to catch, as they use the full extent of their surroundings. When moving around, survival hunters gain additional defensive and offensive properties.
-Although unable to make their pet go through hoops and puzzles like a BM hunter can, a survival hunter can have their pets do a number of small things, such as knocking the victim down, hiding in wait for an ambush waiting for a right moment to strike (While the hunter attempts to kill his target, the pet lies in wait in stealth, gaining additional damage done on the first attack dealt from stealth as a fight goes on, allowing the pet to become a huge tool), and even simply knocking the survival hunter away from an enemy they can't escape from!
-Although a survival hunter cannot mask themselves and fire from massive distances and through solid objects like a marksman can, a survival hunter utilizes poisons and the surroundings to their advantages, allowing them to fire lethal poisons from range that weaken both the body and mind (something like -10% casting speed and +10% mana/rage/focus/energy/runic power costs for 10 seconds). Should their targets find themselves in melee range of the survival hunter, they'll soon find that their very melee weapons are also coated in another poison (something like -10% movement and attack speed for 10 seconds). On top of it all, both types of these poisons are amplified in effect when the victim moves around (causing any applied poisons to reset in duration and gain a stack, up to 10).


Well, this is what I think of and such when the server is down.

TL;DR- This is what I think of when I think of the hunter class. What about you guys?
Yeah, I can't play any other class that doesn't have a pet. I don't care about pet dps....it's just having the pet makes gameplay so much more interesting.
Why Paladins are more boring than before: You have less moles to whack, and longer time in between mole pop-ups. You're holy power thing isn't fun either, its just stupid and adds nothing to the experience of playing a paladin.

Honestly I don't even know how you can compare the two classes especially when holy pallys or even protection speced pallys are doing really well in pvp granted ret needs abit of improvment but still competes rather well vrs hunters.

"Doing well" doesn't matter.

I still have more fun playing my hunter.
so your saying tht hunters arnt doing well in pvp?
Because we are the best class. All other classes are here to support us, to make us look even better, sexier, dare I say almost demigod like. Even though we receive the nerf bat more than any other class, it's just so that the other players who are not hunter material will not quit in disgust for not being as awesome as us.

The sooner you understand this; the faster you can enjoy playing your role of our footmen in warcraft.





that was actually a really good way to put it.^^^^^^^^