WHAT?!?! THIS IS AWESOME!

[Kalliope]

*nods to Veph* As said before, Blizzard changed things so that we share stat sticks with druids. There is no statistical advantage to giving a stat stick to a druid over a hunter unless the druid is generally a better dpser.

Seriously, unless a raid leader just wants shiny fire kitties in their raid, this isn't happening. And if it does, well, said raid leader is terrible and doing it for the wrong reasons.

[Kurenio]

I'd still feel bad taking this from a druid because I love the shiny fire kitty

[Lisaara]

raid leaders will probably still prioritize it to druids anyway. Druids will get it over hunters.

Hunters and Feral Druids compete for stat sticks anyways, this is nothing new. The weapon would be equally useful to both, there's no reason to prioritize one over the other...a bonus aesthetic has no weight in raiding or performance.

True but this stick was designed mostly for druids. Otherwise we A) Wouldn't become fire kitties or B) Hunters would become fire....something. Blizz made it pretty obvious despite we hunters share stats with druids. This will likely go to druids over hunters regardless if anyone thinks its wrong or not.

Since I also raid with Jessibelle, I will definitely let a druid get the staff over me because I feel it was designed for druids moreso than hunters. Druids haven't gotten much love in a long time. We hunters have been spoiled so rotten that we don't have any teeth and our gums are black.

[Kalliope]

raid leaders will probably still prioritize it to druids anyway. Druids will get it over hunters.

Hunters and Feral Druids compete for stat sticks anyways, this is nothing new. The weapon would be equally useful to both, there's no reason to prioritize one over the other...a bonus aesthetic has no weight in raiding or performance.

True but this stick was designed mostly for druids. Otherwise we A) Wouldn't become fire kitties or B) Hunters would become fire....something. Blizz made it pretty obvious despite we hunters share stats with druids. This will likely go to druids over hunters regardless if anyone thinks its wrong or not.

Hate to say it, but this is an RPer's perspective.

It's easy to say "let's give feral druids THIS since we already have this beautiful artwork" but harder to say "uhm, hey art department, can you drop everything and make a fire-something that doesn't look ridiculous shooting?"

It's a shiny bonus, not a requirement to wield the thing.

[Azunara]

*snickers.*

I know, I know. Not the same. But there's pets that are for hunters only, and people swear it (Even if they're only a shiny new skin and anyone can kill them) but when druids get a shiny staff that is so obviously intended for druids (Fire kitty form! Come on!) we immediately have hunters going, "Ah, no. Not for druids only."

Again, I know it's not -quite- the same situation, but it does amuse me.

[Kalliope]

*snickers.*

I know, I know. Not the same. But there's pets that are for hunters only, and people swear it (Even if they're only a shiny new skin and anyone can kill them) but when druids get a shiny staff that is so obviously intended for druids (Fire kitty form! Come on!) we immediately have hunters going, "Ah, no. Not for druids only."

Again, I know it's not -quite- the same situation, but it does amuse me.

Ehhhh. The rewards to either side with clearly intended hunter pets have nothing to do with numbers and are purely cosmetic/emotional. It's not exactly the same thing.

Unless you can link to another stat stick in the Firelands raid, though, I don't buy the argument.

[rubybeam]

I need to start leveling my druids...stat

[Azunara]

*snickers.*

I know, I know. Not the same. But there's pets that are for hunters only, and people swear it (Even if they're only a shiny new skin and anyone can kill them) but when druids get a shiny staff that is so obviously intended for druids (Fire kitty form! Come on!) we immediately have hunters going, "Ah, no. Not for druids only."

Again, I know it's not -quite- the same situation, but it does amuse me.

Ehhhh. The rewards to either side with clearly intended hunter pets have nothing to do with numbers and are purely cosmetic/emotional. It's not exactly the same thing.

Unless you can link to another stat stick in the Firelands raid, though, I don't buy the argument.

Yeah, it's not quite the same, like I said. That saying, it is obvious to have a much more sentimental value and use to a druid than it would a hunter. It may not specifically be a druid thing, and it may not say it, and they may have the same stats, but there is an underlying idea of, "Well, it is more "valuable" to a druid than a hunter."

[Rikaku]

All I know is
1) I am getting that staff on my Hunter. Why? Cause we have no ferals in my raids.
2) My Druid is getting this on alt-raid night because we have no feral raiders.

Good times... good times...

Man this should turn my pet cat into a firecat. That would rock. I CAN DREAM!

[Kalliope]

Man this should turn my pet cat into a firecat. That would rock. I CAN DREAM!

You know, this is actually a fantastic idea. Then neither class could stake a claim and the art department doesn't have to do more work. Huzzah!

[Rikaku]

Man this should turn my pet cat into a firecat. That would rock. I CAN DREAM!

You know, this is actually a fantastic idea. Then neither class could stake a claim and the art department doesn't have to do more work. Huzzah!

EVERYBODY WINS!!!

[Kalliope]

Incidentally, this is NOTHING against druids. I'm just looking at the special RP effects on existing gear and generally speaking, if there's a staff that has an on-use thing, anyone who holds the staff can use it. Example: abracadaver from ICC. You didn't have to be a priest or anything, just able to wield the staff.

[Wassa]

Oh wow.

Now to get my guild to let me raid on my feral alt for that staff.

I guess once we have that boss on farm...

[Yaone]

I think there shouldn't be priority between the hunter and druid at all. Even though I raid as my druid I can't imagine keeping something like this from a hunter if its an upgrade. Besides, unless your guild has extremely crap luck, you will likely get enough for both hunters and druids alike once on farm status.

Edit: Showing it has a face only a mother could love (and this is on decent detail! )

[bluddy]

Hrm.. This item is cleary intended for druids but we hunters will definatly need it aswell..

If there would be any other two-handed agility item i would say give it to the druids but we hunters will need it so we can enchant it with the + 130agility enchant we need. *sorry dear druids but hunter's will be needing this to *

[Rikaku]

I agree, this is an equal staff for feral druids and Hunters, I mean that's basically what it comes down to. As Kalliope pointed out, and I agree, there's no added dps to the visual change of becoming a druidic fire cat. If the fire cat form actually enhanced a druids dps, I would say, heck yeah, give it to the druids first! But the fire cat form doesn't even seem to be a listed effect on equip on the actual item either... so as far as I'm concerned (and my raiding experience goes), this is fair game for Hunters and druids.

[Kalliope]

Okay, so, not to stir this up again, but there is another alternative: http://ptr.wowhead.com/item=71361/ranseur-of-hatred

Yep, thar be a polearm. And it's a trash drop, so it can theoretically be AHed.

Soooooo, grats druids, that's very much a point in your favor. I concede the point!

[Chimera]

Im happeh im the only person in our raids that can actually use a agility staff/polearm, no other ferals or hunters in the mix ^-^

[bluddy]

Sorry kal :S if it's a trash drop i couldn't see it in the drops from bosses

well here's to the hoping they'll have the new polearm to a hunter over a druid then^^

[Kalliope]

Yep, I hadn't seen it either. But it was brought to my attention, so I just had to say that the druids can totally have the staff, cause I like the itemization on the polearm better anyway.