One of the listener questions we’ll be answering on the podcast this weekend is “What’s your favorite Hunter change for WoD?” I won’t make you wait for the show to hear my answer, but I want to turn the tables and hear your answer.
I said last show that this is the least excited I’ve seen people get about the Hunter class going into an expansion. That’s saying a lot given the switch from Mana to Focus heading into Cataclysm. Many people were on the fence about that, but ultimately they got used to it, and few would argue that Focus is worse than Mana.
Despite the negative feeling towards Hunters in WoD, there are some things to get excited about. My favorite change coming in Warlords is pets.
The normalization of buffs/debuffs so that every spec can bring them all is great. Exotic pets will usually bring two buffs so the extra benefit of being a Beast Mastery Hunter remains.
Then there are the new pet families – Rylaks, Stags and Hydras. I’m more excited about Stags than I am about Rylaks and Hydras, although I’ll be taming one of each.
I find the new pet models coming in Warlords to be a cut above the rest. New Sporebats, Ravagers, Clefthooves, Talbuks, Riverbeasts, Boars and Wolves. All will find their way into my stable.
Finally there is Gara, the epic Spirit Beast quest. Knowing how the quest works will no doubt shorten and diminish the experience, but it’s something I’ll do right away when I hit level 100.
I think of all the expansions this is probably the best job they’ve done with Hunter pets, and it’s the thing I’m most excited about.
I would say the removal of Aspect of the Hawk, now I’ll be able to use “Aspect of the Beast” to my heart’s content and remain in Cheetah without being paranoid I’ll forget about it. Other than that definitely Gara and the removal of Serpent Sting – which means I only need to pay attention to focus when deciding when to cast Cobra/Steady shot. Oh and let’s not forget Exotic Munitions, Frost’s dream of hunter ammo made a partial reality and much more useful than a Rogue’s venom, definitely my talent of choice for MM – I like my pets and freedom of movement.
I agree on the buff/debuff normalization being the best change. Having a raid-cooldown will be interesting as well.
I’m not sure I’m looking forward to any of the other changes such as changes to specs, the talent tree, glyph limitations, etc..
Since you brought up the podcast I have a question for it:
Which pruned ability would you like to get back and which ability should have been pruned but wasn’t ?
Tameable hydras. That is all.
I’m actually really excited about the ability pruning. I completely agreed with Frostheim at the start of the expansion regarding rotational button bloat.
I hear a lot of people complain about MM but I’ve been enjoying it on the beta and I have trust that blizzard will get the number tuning right.
its definatly the ability pruning. i will be extremely happy when this ISN’T my bw macro.
#showtooltip Bestial Wrath
/cast Bestial Wrath
/cast Rapid Fire
/use 10
/startattack
/petattack
/petassist
/cast Rabid(Ferocity Ability)
/cast Berserking(Racial)
also the new trap mechanic and instant arming looks good.