Patch 5.4 patch notes
Virtual Realms feature revealed
The Proving Grounds are coming
The latest patch 5.4 newsHunter deadzone will soon be DoA
by Dan O'Halloran 
Oct 13th 2007 at 8:54AM
That's right. You heard me. No more hunter deadzone soon. Don't believe me? Here's the quote from none other than Kalgan himself:We're planning to shrink the min range on ranged attacks to reduce or eliminate the "dead zone". The only point to the dead zone was to ensure the min range on ranged weapons was enough such that ranged weapon attacks wouldn't be used while also being melee'd (at least by mobs... players have a bit of slush built in).
Players are understandably elated. For those who don't play Hunters, the deadzone is an area that other players could stand in that was too far for the Hunter to melee and too close for the Hunter to use a ranged attack. This vulnerability in the Hunter's ability to deal damage is often used against them in PvP.
It's surprising that after all this time Blizzard is finally addressing this long overdue class flaw. But coming on the heels of all the other massive class changes in Patch 2.3, perhaps it's not so surprising at all.
The only thing missing from this announcement is what Patch it will happen in. I'm sure the Hunters' cries of elation will soon turn to demands for swift implementation. But don't hold your breath. Patch 2.3 currently on the PTR is very large and will take at least a month or two to go live. If that happens right before the holidays, don't expect a new patch until well into January and for that one to go live in February or March depending on its size.
Thanks to Jeff from Serious Guild for the tip!
Filed under: Hunter, News items
Reader Comments (Page 3 of 4)
Snuzzle Oct 13th 2007 7:12PM
@9 and 8
Oh noes, now mages won't be able to ice a hunter, stand in the dead zone and kill me while I stand there...
TOTALLY. UNABLE. TO DO. A THING.
Gosh, it sucks that they're taking that away from you, don't it?
Sl0th Oct 13th 2007 9:26PM
I'm of two minds about this buff. My first reaction was cheering. No more "Opps, there's a wall behind me and the tank decided to move the mob within one yard of my dead zone. Guess I can't shoot anything because moving further back would make me loose line of sight around the corner," moments, which happens quite often in cramped building. More than that, no more, "Well darn, that mage decided to frost nova me with my medallion down and my scatter shot used on keeping him from his last cast. Free HK for them," moments. My silencing shot will be able to hit them and stop them mid uber-burst-damage spell.
But then I think about the fact that it will so radically change hunter game play and make the line between huntard and guy you want helping you on every run.
It takes away the need for skill in fighting as a hunter. Being able to instinctively know you're limits on range.
That being said... I wouldn't be so against this if it were a high-marksmen skill (God knows what I'd be willing to give up to get it seeing how I'm already strapped for points.)
Like I said, I'm unsure of which way to go on this issue. In the end though, with my experience with my Marksmen Hunter, in one-on-one combat, if virtually any class except maybe priests can get on top of a MM hunter before they can get any sort of shot off, and unless they're exceptionally under-geared or leveled and the hunter is well-geared and/or of a significantly higher level, a MM hunter is a free kill.
It will be damn useful in PvE, especially in the cases of groups where the tank only has a passing concept of dead zones and how to accommodate for them.
In PvP, I guess other classes will have to get used to the fact that hunters aren't going to be completely rogue/mage easy kills.
Meanwhile, hunters will have to find new ways to prove that they aren't huntards and worth bringing along.
matrix_dragon Oct 14th 2007 12:14AM
Now the only thing my ret pally can do to a hunter will be shooting my libram at him/her.
élu Oct 14th 2007 4:36AM
N.B.: N0 DEADZONE =/= SHOOTING AT MELEE.
And the deadzone will be reduced, eventually, not eliminated...
Diaz Oct 14th 2007 6:33PM
A much NEEDED change, glad to see it happen.
Defoe Oct 15th 2007 5:10AM
Fix the Rogue 6-45 yard deadzone imo.
Or in other words, dumb change.
Caribbean Oct 15th 2007 8:55AM
In reality, guns shouldn't have a "deadzone". Primitive guns and bows, shouldn't be able fired underwater.
About the DOA of "dead zone", so be it. Now mages will need other creative ways to kill hunters. This elimination will trully seperate the lame mages from the good ones.
I like the idea of "no dead zone" as a high tier MM talent, maybe perhaps taking the place of SS.
The no "dead zone" will greatly help hunters in arenas which is a good thing IMO.
Kheldul Oct 15th 2007 9:32AM
All any good pvp'er does against my hunter is run for his deadzone and use skills to stay in the deadzone. The primary thing my hunter does, is use skills and maneuvering to not have a dead zone. It's certainly exploiting a weakness in the hunter mechanics.
The idea that the dead zone is sacred and a part of having skill is garbage. Anyone that thinks a rifle can't be used effectively with someone ten feet away is nuts.
I agree that they could have had other talents or skills to address this. But even in PvE it is nuts. Hunters are always having to do crazy positioning things to get far enough away.
gxavier Oct 15th 2007 12:43PM
To whomever keeps saying that hunters have EZ mode in every bracket, you seriously need to gain more arena experience or get past a 1500 ranking. My resto druid/ bm-survival hunter 2v2 combo are struggling to stay above 1700, when I could easily grab a greened warlock to romp with my drood, and push 1900.
My friends hunter will be ecstatic, as one of the major problems we have is keeping people out of his deadzone. My roots and cyclone only work so long before they're immune. More than half the time the enemies are either using LOS or the deadzone to keep him from doing damage.
I honestly can't wait for 2.3's hunter changes, and I hope this is one of them as well. Our combo will finally be viable!
Hunters are the MOST unrepresented class in arena, by a HUGE HUGE HUGE margin.
matrix_dragon Oct 21st 2007 12:46AM
Will you rifle so close to an opponent, it is likely that your rifle will get disarmed. LOL
So who thinks a rifle can;t be too close be be used is also nuts.
Todd Oct 15th 2007 10:32AM
I had no idea this was a flaw. I thought the Deadzone was to ensure the hunter had to keep moving and to not continue firing at your chest while you are in melee range.
Agrona Oct 15th 2007 11:52AM
So all the other classes get a pet with taunt and shot interrupt?
...seriously though, we all know that hunters are the class for the million (yes, over 1 million) FPS players that don't play well with others.
I'd rather be a respected mage, priest or druid than a solo machine hunter.
Biguglyshrek Oct 15th 2007 12:45PM
Ever hear of POINT BLANK, Baby!
Biguglyshrek Oct 15th 2007 12:49PM
Hunters do need something like this, this will help in PVE too crybabys, the shade of aran fight and numerous others. We need the disarming shot, dispel effect to arcane shot, the mortal strike effect to our aimed, something to help the long one on one hunter vs pally fights. We really do need this. POINT BLANK range is logical, maybe they can make a devastating point blank shot!
Rob Oct 15th 2007 2:05PM
68 hunter main here. I'm pretty good, but not BRK (but who is?). Deadzone, yeah I rejoice. But I also just got through a teaching a training session explaining how our entire reason for being is making sure mobs are at range. So now no deadzone somewhat nerfs this. But I also thought, while doing the training session in ZF, that most instances are pretty hard for hunters, with LOS and deadzone issues. Almost impossible to kite like you do out in the open (by kite i mean move around in a circle, not run away like in UBRS). So this will mean kiting is so much easier in instances now. What most people don't realize is that we still have huge issues:
1) Line of Sight (nuf said).
2) You must be standing still to place shots.
3) Our best shot, steady shot, has a 2 sec cast time. Means it can and will be interrupted easily by PVP people or mobs.
4) We still won't be able to use ranged weapons in melee. We'll still get our butts kicked by warriors in melee, most likely.
Finally, yes this will make hunters easier to play, but its also very easy to distinguish good from bad hunters. Really, you can do it in 10 seconds. Do they break CC? Can they kite? Can they trap? What's their shot rotation? Are the serpent stinging trash mobs? Pretty dang easy.
Gimmlette Oct 15th 2007 2:04PM
As a hunter who has yelled "Dead Zone, Dead Zone" in instances when the tank comes too close, I'm happy, sort of, for the change. No longer will I get stuck against some pillar or my personal favorite, on the stairs, because the tank forgot my range.
That being said, I'm losing finesse. I'm losing a bit of craftiness. I don't Arena and I PVP not a whole lot so I can't speak to the effectiveness of people standing in my dead zone and killing me. It's been my experience in PVP that the rogues and warriors and mages come after me period. Take the hunter down so there is no pet and no DoTs to contend with.
Whatever changes Blizz makes to my preferred class, I'll adapt. In the end, I'll either like what they have done and be that much better or I'll hate it and make something else. And I would suggest others who cry about this class or that class being "overpowered" go back and relearn how to battle the class you despise.
ThorinII Oct 15th 2007 4:44PM
WOOT! Finally! Now they need to let us use the bayonets when the gun has one!
BTW all those who say they shouldn't be able to use the rifle at point blank, yes it is possible to disarm, but not probable. With hand to hand combat training one can do load of mele dmg with a rifle especially when it has a bayonet. Also, it is very possible to shoot someone while smacking them around with the rifle. "Bash, backstep, fire."
svenhoek Oct 20th 2007 9:33PM
Its really hard to balance a game like this between PvE and PvP. They are totally different play mechanics and specs and strats cant be created for both and be "perfect"
The dead zone was always BS for hunters though. I agree with this even from a PvP stand-point.
issacobra Oct 21st 2007 12:01AM
@1:
What about shadowpriests' shadow heal-> vampiric embrace? But this change is insane. /agree with 5,8,10,etc. pretty much all the people that aren't unskilled hunters.
mrobin604 Oct 25th 2007 12:54PM
Here's some food for thought: If hunters really were EZ mode, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a hunter with skill, and a huntard. Their output would look very similar.
I don't think dealing with the "deadzone" is a matter of skill, or a good challenge. I think it's a pain in the ass. Managing your pet and keeping him up while maximizing your dps through maintaining a good shot rotation, while frost trapping mobs, that kind of thing is more in line with the kind of challenge I like. Having to back up to get range because you're in close quarters and the tank is running at you, not so much.
Oh, and Auto Shot? If that's the source of the EZ mode comments, please, by all means, nerf it.
I will actually concede the point to #50 though. If hunters are EZ mode for anything, it's soloing. Pet tank + mail + FD == high survivability, probably the highest. If anything breeds "huntards", I guess it's the ability to easily solo your way to 70, and therefore you don't learn the group skills the way other classes need to.