Community class review from the EU: Hunter
by Dan O'Halloran 
Oct 10th 2007 at 2:30PM
But what makes this different is than most QQ class posts is that solutions are offered. This one in particular stood out for me:
Being able to customize a pet is what makes being a Hunter fun...Adding Collars to pets might help increasing the uniqueness. A collar will be a new Hunter item slot for the pet. Some ideas are:
- Increases focus by XX
- Increases crit chance by XX
- Increases hit chance by XX
- Increases ability YY by XX
- Increases Armour by XX
This will also deal with such things as Hunter pets not scaling with crit and hit chance.
Check out the post for the complete post. Next week, Druids are up for community review.
Filed under: Hunter, Analysis / Opinion
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bart Oct 10th 2007 2:44PM
Yay, lets add another item to the loot tables for instances. Maybe instead of all shammy or all pally gear dropping when those clases arent present, we can have Pet colars drop, for when hunters arent present. That will definetely be great. IMHO hunter pets dont need any more buffs. There is more important stuff to fix with actual hunters or other classes. Pets are used for soloing mostly, and their use in instances/raids is very limited and a liability, which is the way it should be.
kuett Oct 11th 2007 7:46AM
nice... want to see such issues implemented in the game
would like to see my pet wearing a collar, item
barrah Oct 10th 2007 2:52PM
@1, I have to disagree. Pets are invaluable in raids, why do you think so many raiding hunters are BM specced? I've had my pet out-dps mages and warlocks (who admittedly could do more to dps harder).
Also consider that they could implement 'collars' as tokens that have uses in multiple classes, the Paladin one could be a libram, the shaman could get a totem...etc.
luchifer Oct 10th 2007 3:19PM
Their use is not limited.. theres a tree called Beast Mastery wich is currently one of the best for 5 man instances and Kara you know? And collars could be obtained via quests available for hunters.
Matthew Oct 10th 2007 3:14PM
You can sum up this list as "Please buff us!"
I play a 70 hunter quite a bit. While I don't raid, I also don't notice any real problems with survivability or utility; it's definitely the easiest class to solo PVE content with. So a lot of these changes seem like QQs to me, especially when viewed all together like this. By all means, have Intelligence scale with AP and reduce the casting time on Steady Shot, reduce the casting time on Aimed Shot and make it less likely to miss, etc.
Might as well give hunters the proverbial I Win button while they're at it. The class seems fine to me.
Whitburn Oct 10th 2007 3:13PM
at 1# , Well for a fact I can tell you pets aren't a liability. I was in a SV group tonight with typical hunters and the pets didn't get agro or mess up the instance at all.
With regards to collars, I think IF they were implemented th best way would be to use hunter quests, and hopefully everyone is happy.
Hollywood Ron Oct 10th 2007 3:16PM
Pets are only a liability when the hunter is a liability (i.e., huntard).
MadDan Oct 10th 2007 3:19PM
I think it is a great idea! There is not much individualization with pets now, for lvl 70s cats, and ravagers seem to be the most used. Something that would allow you to enhance them would be wonderful. Obviously Bart in the comment above hasn't run into a competent hunter. I am BM spec and don't go anywhere without my pet. While some instance/boss fights are not pet friendly others are and it adds significantly to the dps of the party.
Urthona Oct 10th 2007 3:24PM
How about Pet Collars are made by Leatherworkers and have a Flask's duration?
That would eliminate the need to code for an additional item space, eliminate loot table issues, and offer an oppotunity for leatherworkers to make some money now and then. Two birds, one stone.
Thoughts?
Diaz Oct 10th 2007 3:28PM
We have to keep going over this again and again because people always want to compare apples and oranges.
The Hunter Community (if you can call the forums that) hasn't asked for changes aimed at PvE. They haven't asked for changes aimed at raids. They haven't even really asked for changes aimed at BG's. What they have consistently asked for is help in the arena. Which is the one area where Blizzcon said they would receive help,.. and is the one area they are now silent on.
And yes people play hunters for the pets and so anything that buffs pets would be a bonus.
Kly Oct 10th 2007 3:30PM
@4 - the class seems fine to you , because , by your own admission you don't really have much experience with the endgame content. If you did arena's COMPETITIVELY ( not the type that just does 10 games at 1500 rating) or ran out of arrows on a full night in Serpentshrine Cavern you'd see why we complain about LOS/Deadzone and 18 slot quivers.
I ready plenty of hunter class forums ( on WOW, EJ , etc) and nowhere is there any problem with solo PVE content. The problems lie in facets of the game you don't have experience with , which is why it seems like QQ to you.
Thanks , you can go back to doing your solo PVE content now :)
Sonvar Oct 10th 2007 3:31PM
I'm not so much for collars as more just items like Leggings of Beast Mastery
Ahoni Oct 10th 2007 3:48PM
Really hate the idea of making changes to classes to balance arenas. Class worked fine before arenas. Change the damned arena, not the class.
Most of the post was of the please make us OP type. Every class wants reduced cast times and more damage for their abilities. How about, as a warlock, my +dmg scales with my INT. Better yet, with Stam. Gimme that, and I'll give you a reduced cast time on Aimed Shot.
Ahoni Oct 10th 2007 3:49PM
Really hate the idea of making changes to classes to balance arenas. Class worked fine before arenas. Change the damned arena, not the class.
Most of the post was of the please make us OP type. Every class wants reduced cast times and more damage for their abilities. How about, as a warlock, my +dmg scales with my INT. Better yet, with Stam. Gimme that, and I'll give you a reduced cast time on Aimed Shot.
jughead Oct 10th 2007 4:26PM
my leatherworking druid is liking this idea!
Thijz Oct 10th 2007 4:26PM
#2: Exactly, so why should you buff them even more!?
Green Armadillo Oct 10th 2007 4:33PM
I hope they do something about pet exp, sooner rather than later. Between rested exp (which pets don't get), quest reward exp (ditto), and the idiotic "no exp for your pet until AFTER you outlevel it" rule, my hunter alt's cat is now two levels below the hunter (halfway to being "only" one level behind). This means that half the time my pet can't tank mobs that are +1 on the Hunter, which makes even conned quests a dicey affair.
I haven't ever leveled another pet, my girlfriend would kill me if I abandoned the virtual furry friend we've had since our characters were level 10, and running out into the woods to just grind mobs until the pet catches up to me (only to fall behind again because he can't earn exp until I outlevel him) isn't an option because my hunter would be outleveling my girlfriend's character at the same time. It's one thing for it to be a pain in the tail to level some random level 10 pet you picked up at 70, but there really shouldn't be ANY circumstance in which it's possible to outpace your pet so drastically when it's your only pet.
Diaz Oct 10th 2007 4:45PM
@12, You really do need to understand that the PvP hallmarks of the hunter class (kiting and traps) have either become next to impossible or utterly worthless due to recent changes in the game. Hunter changes quite simply haven't kept pace with the evolving nature of the game.
And Blizz has already stated that it will not change the arena to resolve LOS issues.
Blizz does what it always does, ignores real class concerns to address nonissues and hand out buffs where none are needed.
dubbs Oct 11th 2007 4:29AM
/violin
barrah Oct 11th 2007 10:24AM
@14, I'm not of the camp that believes hunter pets should be buffed to any serious degree. I'm the type of hunter that just wants to be able to get a 'unique' pet (i.e. not one of the few high-level pets) and be able to *use* it without spending 4 weeks /played. I also think that there are some other mechanic problems with pets that should be addressed.
Collars could be a nice way to fix these, but I'd much rather see pets lose either the loyalty requirement OR the level requirement (preferably the latter). It would also be extremely useful to be able to change pets in the wild, but out of combat. I can't see that kind of change hurting anyone at all, and it would be a nice benefit for hunters.
I've always been a HUGE fan of repairable ammo, I could care less about the bag space, though it would be nice, I just hate having to go to the ONE vendor in the world that has [decent] arrows and overstock my quiver.