Cataclysm Beta: Hunter changes in latest build
by Brian Wood 
Aug 21st 2010 at 4:00PM
The hunter class received handful of tweaks in last night's Cataclysm beta build 12803, but by far the most significant among them is the removal of the minimum range (sometimes referred to as the dead zone) for hunter special shots. However Ghostcrawler, lead systems designer, was quick to jump into a thread to point out that it was only a bug.
Ghostcralwer - Lead Systems DesignerWe did not remove the minimum range of hunter shots intentionally. If it's happening, it's a bug.
It's as if a million voices all cried out in joy and then were extinguished. Read on after the cut for a full list of the hunter changes in the latest build. As if life were worth living while Blizzard toys with our hearts this way.
Hunter changes in beta build 12803
- Range of almost all shots increased to 40 yards.
- Scatter Shot has a 20 yard range, up from 15 yards.
- Rhumba talent has been removed.
- New BM talent Crouching Tiger, Hidden Chimera, 2 ranks: "Whenever you are hit by a melee attack, the cooldown of your Disengage is instantly reduced by 2/4 sec. Whenever you are hit by a ranged attack or spell, the cooldown of your Deterrence is instantly reduced by 4/8 sec. These effects have a 2 sec cooldown."
- Marked for Death talent reworked: "Your Arcane Shot and Chimera Shot have a 50/100% chance to automatically apply your Hunter's Mark ability instantly onto the target."
- Bombardment no longer increases the critical strike chance of Volley.
- Silencing Shot no longer deals damage.
- Camouflage no longer reduces movement speed and no longer increases the damage done by the first attack.
- Volley is no longer in the game, though we don't yet know if that is a bug or deliberate.
World of Warcraft: Cataclysm will destroy Azeroth as we know it; nothing will be the same! In WoW.com's Guide to Cataclysm, you can find out everything you need to know about WoW's third expansion, from brand new races to revamped quests and zones. Visit our Cataclysm news category for the most recent posts having to do with the Cataclysm expansion.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
ithalaine Aug 21st 2010 4:07PM
WHY WHY cruel cruel world u make us uber then u strike us down damn u blizzard! : (
Jamie Aug 21st 2010 4:09PM
Imagine how "you" felt when the internets decided it had too many letters in it.
G'night everybody!
*rimshot*
Radioted Aug 21st 2010 4:08PM
I'm kinda sad for the removal of Rhumba. Snakes! Why do they always have to get rid of the snaked!
I guess we can still use the trap launcher for all our snake-flinging needs, but... still.
Skarn Aug 22nd 2010 9:55PM
They also took out Improved Aspect of the Monkey too, but it just came back as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Chimera." With no apparent changes except the cooldown. Rhumba could easily come back the same way.
Zayd Aug 21st 2010 4:14PM
I'm liking the new Marked for Death.
Mainly cos I'm always so slack in throwing up Hunter's Mark :**(
Jack Miles Aug 21st 2010 4:35PM
But would you put points into it come raid time given it's worth almost bugger all for bosses?
Fletcher Aug 21st 2010 4:57PM
Raiding isn't everything. In questing, in five-mans, this will be *invaluable* and I love it forever. You can always dual spec to something more raid-worthy if it bothers you. Me, I think that not having to spend a GCD applying Hunter's Mark (which is stupendously powerful in cataclysm, apparently) ever again is worth the talent points.
flawless Aug 21st 2010 5:27PM
Only worth points if the HM it put up was not unique. Otherwise, little point in spending 2 talent points for 1 GCD.
Rakah Aug 21st 2010 8:21PM
What makes you think all fights in cataclysm will be dull tank n' spank?
Skarn Aug 22nd 2010 10:12PM
I like the idea so far. True, the old talent was a DPS increase, but a dull one. In the current tree, I don't see anything else very compelling, so I like the idea of not having to apply hunter's mark each time I swap adds.
razion Aug 21st 2010 4:16PM
Y'know, Volley didn't really make that much sense to me in some situations--in many cases I see hunters using guns, and then volley, and I see arrows falling from the sky. Very un-natural. I always thought they should have a long-range cone AoE--sort of like scatter-shot, except it fired many, many little miniature arcane-shots, so that it wouldn't break the immersion between weapons.
When I saw volley had been removed, my first reaction was the anticipation of a replacement skill. But, after thinking about it, it doesn't seem too likely, does it, eheh? ;;
fearthefireblade Aug 21st 2010 7:27PM
Shotgun shot?
Mergetvs Aug 21st 2010 10:50PM
So...volley of all things in world of warcraft "doesn't make much sense to you" ?
this is a game with orcs and trolls and roflcopters and people able to cast a spell to temporarily Painlessly turn you into a sheep....
but volley....well volley is just a step too far.
There is very little in wow that is natural.
Suspension of disbelief.
Miz Aug 22nd 2010 4:29AM
I never understood why people keep bringing this argument up. Yes, there are talking cows, walking zombies and green people of all sizes roaming around Azeroth. So? What did you expect? Last time I checked my WoW box, it was labled "high-fantasy".
No, Volley doesen't make sense. Theoretically, you shoot arrows/bullets in the sky at a very high speed and they fall down on the enemies. Shooting bullets in the sky and having arrows fall down doesen't make sense lorewise.
Orcs and trolls make sense lorewise. And even in real life. Give me 1 really good argument why muscular green-skinned or slender blue-ish tusked humanoids cannot exist.
"Roflcopters" are actually present in real life too, so I'm a bit confused why they proove to you that Azeroth doesen't make sense.
You play a fantasy game. If you expect every single thing in Azeroth to have a clear sciencific explanation in order to be able to integrate in, than Sims is the game for you.
kitterz Aug 22nd 2010 5:15AM
Remember when blizz experimented with that volley effect where you puked magical white orbs out of your gun or bow? People hated it and blizz went back to the falling arrows...and I agree that was a good move.
Valt Aug 22nd 2010 6:13AM
Sadly I would see this is the very reason volley would be removed IF its intended.
Remember how they said that "You cant thunderclap while silenced because thunderclap generates sound hurr durr"? and everyone used that as "good reasoning"?
Yeah I can see the blue post already:
"We saw volley as ability that is used with bows, and since hunters can use any other ranged weapons we removed it, rather than make it cross/bow only or buff it "when you use bows" ability like fan of knives. "but dont worry aoe pulls are being removed in cataclysm so it doesnt matter""
And everyone will be happy and act like it was good balancing reason... cept when we overgear heroics by 4 tiers and "we just aoe pull".
-tinfoil hat off-
ithalaine Aug 22nd 2010 6:14AM
guys one word that answers all your problems - magic
Possum Aug 22nd 2010 7:34AM
I'll one up you ithalaine.
A wizard did it.
Jack Miles Aug 22nd 2010 10:01AM
I believe they did let you fire bullets during volley, but changed it back coz volleying arrows is awesome.
Dave Aug 23rd 2010 6:31PM
I would have went with a grenade shot. It seems a cleaner idea and could potentially be buffed in the SV tree. Imagine, like slinging a trap, but as aoe damage were grenades fall.