8885 for Hunters: AotV reworked
by Eliah Hecht 
Aug 30th 2008 at 4:00PM
There is a surprising amount of new and interesting things in the latest beta version, build 8885, for the Hunter class. Let's start things off with a bang:
- Aspect of the Viper changed to: The hunter takes on the aspect of the viper, instantly regenerating mana equal to 100% of the damage done by any ranged attack or ability, but reduces your total damage done by 50%. Only one Aspect can be active at a time.
That's a total reworking of the skill. Now it's sort of a cross between Evocation and Shamanistic Rage, but with no cooldown. If you need some mana back, just turn it on and go crazy for a little while. Your DPS will suffer a bit, but you'll have full mana by the end of it. I like the idea.
Other notable changes [Sorry, I accidentally left this second section out somehow when I originally published the post]:
- Trueshot Aura now scales, giving +10% AP to raid members. Abilities that give flat values (as TSA used to do) often run into trouble, as Rogues learned with Eviscerate in classic WoW.
- Combat Experience buffed significantly; now increases Agi by 6% as well as Int by 6% (at 2/2).
- Improved Arcane Shot now increases the damage done by AS by 5/10/15%, instead of lowering the cooldown. Excellent; nobody really needed a lowered Arcane Shot cooldown.
- Aspect Mastery has been reworked to work with the new AotV, but it's still a bit lackluster IMO. Now reads: Aspect of the Viper - Reduces the damage penalty by 10%. Aspect of the Monkey - Reduces the damage done to you while active by 10%. Aspect of the Hawk - Increases the attack power bonus by 50%.
Filed under: Hunter, Wrath of the Lich King
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Ahoni Aug 30th 2008 4:08PM
I think its a great change. Didn't they also change Aspect Mastery to reduce the damage penalty?
Metal_Gear Aug 30th 2008 4:11PM
I dont like this change, I usually keep AotV on when I am farming enemies = to my level mabey 1 or 2 above, but now if I do that it is going to take me more time to kill each enemy and thats something I dont want, something to increase grinding time ¬_¬
Remove the damage reduction, cut the Mana regen to 40% if you have to, just dont increase grind time.
Xino Aug 30th 2008 4:18PM
It wont increase grinding time as you will be able to use AotH 90% of the time allowing you to kill faster.
Someone on the forums posted a video so ppl can understand how quick the regen is.
http://files.filefront.com/Aspect+of+Viperwmv/;11648698;/fileinfo.html
Falcio Aug 30th 2008 4:28PM
I don't think they made this change just to make grinding harder for us. In a long raid boss fight, this will solve almost ALL of our mana issues.
Look at it like this. Say you crit for 2k. Good times, eh? Well, with this on, the damage cuts to 1k, but you gain 1000 mana on the spot. Not to mention the fact that critting can only get easier come Wrath.
The Aspect Mastery talent will reduce the damage loss to 40% and I'm sure there'll be a reworking of the Viper glyph to make it even better.
Really, there might be a slowdown of grinding, but we also don't have to cut time off to get a drink, either. Low on mana, just switch to Viper and shoot some things with your pet tanking. Boom, you got more mana. And with Hawk, you would take down the mobs faster than before anyway.
Metal_Gear Aug 30th 2008 4:42PM
Ah, I still have my raid virginity so never thought of that, and I forgot about the Talents could reduce the damage reduction.
*is still a noob* >_>
Asteh Aug 30th 2008 4:56PM
lol that will be so nerfed.. with that hunters got 0 downtime when they get full mana back in 3 seconds
Thomolithic Aug 30th 2008 5:03PM
The whole point of this change is that you can use AotH whilst grinding. When you're a little low on mana, switch to AotV and regen it all. This therefore = Zero Downtime and overall more damage done.
Jack Spicer Aug 30th 2008 9:45PM
Plus there is no mention of whether or not you're pet's damage is effected by Aspect of the Viper.
Xino Aug 30th 2008 4:14PM
Probably one of the biggest and best changes to hunters yet.
Out of nowhere they just fixed all hunter mana problems.
twh Aug 30th 2008 4:25PM
while completely destroying paladins' mana problems in the same swoop, but one digresses.
Kristy Aug 30th 2008 4:17PM
You guys at World of Warcraft Insider need to add ALOT more details, for Hunters! You already have alot of info already for previous classes. :-P
Roxton Aug 30th 2008 4:30PM
Yes, the mage post below this one was a full five words longer.
Nick S Aug 30th 2008 4:21PM
Exciting, no question, and I hope this sort of thing represents the direction Blizz has chosen for mana management - active or proc abilities that restore mana, rather than expensive potions.
And to the alchemists who QQ - it's okay, guys, I'll still buy your flasks.
Baluki Aug 30th 2008 4:40PM
Wow, that's a great change to AotV.
Personally, I think Aspect Mastery is great for only costing a single point.
Kristy Aug 30th 2008 4:55PM
Good! That's a better post!
Roxton: Whatever.
Kristy Aug 30th 2008 4:56PM
Good! That's a better post!
Roxton: Whatever.
Thomolithic Aug 30th 2008 5:03PM
Think this'll negate the 'want' factor of BBOTB?
R. Sue Aug 30th 2008 5:05PM
I think it works out. While I don't like damage reduction any more than any other DPSer does, the rework means I won't have to keep Viper up all the time. So I'm minorly cut on DPS for a minute while I build mana back up, but when I'm not doing it, I can put Aspect of the Hawk back on.
And I missed Hawk. A lot.
StormX Aug 30th 2008 5:18PM
So... any comments as to how Blizzard just broke the Survival tree with the nerfs to Expose Weakness (Only affecting the caster) and Hunting Party?
Sl0th Aug 30th 2008 5:30PM
The viper change is interesting. The damage bonus is a bit steap, but its not a bad change as far as I can see.
Holy crap, they're finally... FINALLY making Trueshot Aura scale instead of the idiotic flat AP bonus it previously had. It made it by far the least useful or desirable of the hunter group-benefiting buffs/debuffs (Ferocious Inspiration for Beast Masters, Expose Weakness for Survival, Trueshot Aura for Marksmen.) That change ought to go a long way towards breaking people out of the cookie-cutter BM build.