No exotics until lvl 69?

[Worba]

For some reason I just assumed BM hunters would continue to be able to tame exotics starting at lvl 60 however based on the cata talent calculator http://cata.wowhead.com/talent#c it looks like that now happens at lvl 69, e.g. fine for lvl 80s but any worgen or goblins will have to wait until they're pretty much starting Northrend content before they get their first exotic...

Do I have that right?

[Redith]

....yep. looks that way

[Worba]

If so, this would also mean that any BM hunters in the lvl 60-68 range at time of the cata patch would have their exotics moved to the stable and frozen until 69...

[Zangor]

i higly doubt blizz is gonna go thru with this the way its at right now i thought they wanted people to be able to get their 31 point talents at level 60 stil
if it does go thru it means anyone who has not bouight any expansions is doomed cuz blizzard didnt think this one thru

[Worba]

i higly doubt blizz is gonna go thru with this the way its at right now i thought they wanted people to be able to get their 31 point talents at level 60 stil
if it does go thru it means anyone who has not bouight any expansions is doomed cuz blizzard didnt think this one thru

Thank you for the sanity check. I was wondering if I was just missing something...

[Sarayana]

No, I'm fairly certain they're happy with the way things work with the talent trees. They're not altering the mode anymore, just the content. Sorry.

[Zangor]

well if it stays its an effed up system since anyone who has not purchased BC wont be able to get their final talents

[Mockingbird]

Anyone who has not purchased BC does not have access to the full game, that's kind of a given.

The real question is, what's the best "stand-out" talent a BM hunter CAN reach by level 60?

[Vephriel]

Anyone who has not purchased BC does not have access to the full game, that's kind of a given.

^ That's probably why Blizzard doesn't find it necessary for big final talents to be eligible at something like 60 which is overall pretty obsolete in terms with the rest of the evolving game now. I wouldn't be surprised if it's kept as is with the new talent tree configurations.

[Worba]

Anyone who has not purchased BC does not have access to the full game, that's kind of a given.

The real question is, what's the best "stand-out" talent a BM hunter CAN reach by level 60?

TBW - now available at 59

[Worba]

Anyone who has not purchased BC does not have access to the full game, that's kind of a given.

^ That's probably why Blizzard doesn't find it necessary for big final talents to be eligible at something like 60 which is overall pretty obsolete in terms with the rest of the evolving game now. I wouldn't be surprised if it's kept as is with the new talent tree configurations.

It's not the end of the world if they do this; I've already got plenty of hunters up to lvl 80 so this isn't holding me back in any major way, it's just I've always felt waiting until 60 for exotics was too long to begin with - sure, keep the +4 pet talent points in that area I have no problem with that, but unlike Chimera shot or Explosive Shot, having an exotic in itself is much more about flavor/class identity than a power boost so the tame feature IMO should be moved back to like level 50 or so...

Now, maybe in Cata exotics will truly become measurably superior pets to the extent that the BM spec end talent truly equates to that of the other trees, but I doubt it - after all one of the major goals of the cata (hunter) sweep is to prevent any given pet or pet subclass from being the "It pet" a la wolves, even within a given spec (e.g. a BM hunter shouldn't need an exotic pet to put out optimal performance).

Ah well. Like I said, a minor gripe. I'm still stoked for Cata.

[Saturo]

But these new talent trees are more fun!!!11!
*Rolls eyes*

[Renle]

Quite frankly I'm not to pleased with the BM tree the way it is now. Before they took out Rhumba it was possible to put a talent in every tier without having to put throw-away talents anywhere to get to the next level. I had assumed this was the point of having more compressed talent trees.

Now however, if I wish to reach the last tier in my raiding BM spec, I need to throw precious points away by either taking the new PvP talent (crouching tiger, hidden chimera) or putting two points in improved mend pet or pathfinding (both useless while raiding) or putting them in spirit bond, which isn't really that useful except to the healer maybe.

[Sarayana]

Yeah I noticed that Renle... I think I'd go for spirit bond just cause I have 3 healers and anything people can do to make my life easier is greatly appreciated.

[The Insect Man]

Honestly not sure why taming exotics isn't made a core BM ability - after all it's not as if (a) Intimidation is much good or (b) exotic pets are a game breaker. It seems such an obvious thing to do in the new system.

Maybe the tameables/pet pass will shed some light (seems to be the mantra for everything these days)

[Sarayana]

I agree 100% with you, Insect Man. Seems an obvious BM basic ability and would definitely satisfy many of those that aren't happy with Intimidation being it. And yeah, since Blizz made it clear they don't want exotics to do more damage than other pets, it wouldn't be any difference except well, different pets.

[Worba]

Honestly not sure why taming exotics isn't made a core BM ability - after all it's not as if (a) Intimidation is much good or (b) exotic pets are a game breaker. It seems such an obvious thing to do in the new system.

Maybe the tameables/pet pass will shed some light (seems to be the mantra for everything these days)

...

Now that I really think about it, I'd say you get the spirit of the new system better than... well, better than the developers.

Not only does that fit the spirit of the new system better, it would change the BM spec from "if you manage to slog through 68 levels of regular pets you can FINALLY start using exotics - sure hope you plan on spending a lot of time in the end game lolz!", to "I can get a worm tank at lvl 13? Potential for new spirit beasts in old world?? Sweet!!!"

[Vephriel]

I really do like the idea of having Exotics at a lower level, I would support that fully. ^^ Sadly I just don't think it'll happen. Still, there's plenty of Exotic beasts out there available at the low levels. It would be fun to go out and tame, say The Kurken before you were 60 or 70.

[Renle]

D'yah think it will help at all if we managed to get together a kind of BM hunters union, organized, and pooled our thoughts on some of the aspects of the spec we'd like to see fixed in cata and posted it on the forums?
I mean, to he honest, it seems like we all pretty much agree on the same things here:
> Intimidation is not an extremely useful ability, and not properly representing the BM spec
> The ability to tame exotics is more of a fitting type-stamp to place on this spec.
> We'd all like to have it be a viable raiding spec

and so on xP

[Epicfail]

Honestly, I agree with those who say exotics should be a core mechanic of the BM spec from the beginning, because it is the most apparent change between the specs. Like Boomkin form for druids, this talent should be raised to maybe tier 2 or 3. Now, granted, this means that BM is lacking a "signature" ability at the bottom tier.

Now, knowing that exotic taming should be higher and BM needing a better signature bottom tier talent may be what makes the spec feel and flow right. Personally, what comes to mind is something shown in several other classes bottom tier. A short term metamorphesis into an beastmaster w/ exclusive melee/summon abilities (not combinable with TBW). But you know, that's just me...