Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

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Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Mania »

TL;DR version:
  • More pets: 3 active ones that can be called out of combat, plus 'a large number' stored in the stable.
  • Race-appropriate pet at level 1! (And tame your own choice at level 10.)
  • Pet families provide important buffs and debuffs; all pet families have similar damage.
  • Pet Damage: Passive talents for pet damage are moving out of talents and into the Mastery mechanic.
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I'm posting the entirety of the preview here for those of you who don't have access to the WoW forums during the day. Yes, it will be a bit long. ;)

The real post can be found at: http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/threa ... 6675&sid=1
With the upcoming World of Warcraft: Cataclysm many game elements will be changing, and each class will be receiving a number of tweaks. Here, we will explore the changes that are being made to the gun-wielding, pet-training hunter. The information you’re about to read is certainly not complete, and is only meant to act as a preview of some of the exciting new things to come. Without further ado, let’s take a look at the new hunter abilities!

New Hunter Abilities

Cobra Shot (level 81): A new shot that deals Nature damage instead of Physical damage. This ability will share a cooldown with Steady Shot. This will give hunters an alternative to Steady Shot on heavily-armored targets, and we will have talent incentives in the Beast Mastery tree to make this a signature shot.

Trap Launcher (level 83): When used, the next trap can be shot to a location within 40 yards. This provides the current Freezing Arrow treatment to all traps and, as a result, we will be removing the current ability Freezing Arrow. 1-minute cooldown. No global cooldown.

Camouflage (level 85): The hunter enters an obscured state that prevents him or her from taking ranged damage. The character would still be subject to melee or area-of-effect attacks, and dealing or taking damage will break the Camouflage effect. The hunter can move and set traps when under Camouflage, and will receive a damage bonus when attacking while under Camouflage (which will then break the effect).

Resource Mechanic Change

Here we come to the meat of the upcoming hunter changes.

Hunters will no longer use mana; instead the class will use Focus. Focus generates much like Energy, by building up. It will not be affected by Intellect at all. Haste will improve its generation. Hunters will generate roughly 6 Focus per second, slightly less than rogues' Energy generation rate of around 10 Energy per second. Below, we have listed some examples of how we intend Focus costs to operate:

Steady Shot/Cobra Shot: No cost. Generates 9 Focus per shot (or 12 per second instead of 6).
Arcane Shot/Chimera Shot /Explosive Shot: 45 Focus.
Aimed Shot/Multi-Shot: 60 Focus.
Concussive Shot/Tranquilizing Shot: 35 Focus.
Rapid Fire/Master’s Call/Disengage: 30 Focus.

Changes to Abilities and Mechanics

In addition to the resource change and new abilities listed above, we intend to make adjustments to some of the other abilities and mechanics you already know well. This list and the summary of talent changes below it are by no means comprehensive, but they should give you a good sense of what we’re going for with each spec.

A major change coming for the hunter is the removal of ammunition. Guns, bows, and crossbows will now do damage without consuming ammunition at all. There will be no more ammo slot on the hunter’s character display. Any ammunition that a hunter has at the time of the change will become gray sellable items. Existing quivers will be converted into large bags -- though each hunter can only have one and non-hunters will not benefit from this change -- and we will not be making any additional quivers.

Pet management will also change. Hunters will now have two types of attainable pets: active pets and stored pets. Hunters will be able to have up to three active pets (perhaps five for Beast Mastery specialized players) and will have the ability to switch among these pets any time they are out of combat, without going to town. They will also be able to have a large number of pets in storage at the stables. In order to swap a pet from active to passive, a hunter will still need to visit their local Stable Master. However, this should afford ample storage for the many Spirit Beasts wandering the lands of Azeroth.

Additionally, hunters will now start with a race-appropriate pet at level 1 and will be able to tame a different pet at level 10. We are also changing many pet family abilities to provide important buffs and debuffs. The intention is to allow the hunter to be able to swap pets and fill a position if a certain role is missing from the group. The goal is to have all pets provide a damage increase that is very similar and no greater than any other pet. Some examples of the changes we are making to the pet families are listed below:

Wind Serpents: Will provide a debuff that increases the amount of spell damage taken by an enemy (similar to a weaker version of the warlock ability Curse of Elements).
Ravagers: Will provide a debuff that will increase an enemy's Physical damage vulnerability (similar to a weaker version of the warrior ability [update:] Blood Frenzy [not Rampage]).
Hyenas: Will provide bleed damage (similar to a weaker version of the druid ability Mangle).

Stings and other periodic effects will now benefit from haste and critical strike ratings. Hasted damage-over-time abilities do not lose duration, but instead add additional damage ticks.

Viper Sting will now restore 9 Focus every 3 seconds.

We are reinforcing hunters as a ranged class. To this end, the class will now start with ranged abilities at level 1, and we will be removing some melee abilities, such as Mongoose Bite.

New Talents and Talent Changes

Beast Mastery hunters will have a new talent called Careful Aim, which increases the damage of the next Steady Shot or Cobra Shot, but also increases the cast time of these abilities. The intention is to make the combination of spells into a decent damage opener, especially in conjunction with the new ability Camouflage.

Beast Mastery hunters will also have talents that make Cobra Shot superior to Steady Shot, such as Longevity reducing the cast time of Cobra Shot to 1.5 seconds.

Rapid Recuperation will cause Rapid Fire to give 20/40/60 Focus immediately and will cause Rapid Killing to generate 3 Focus per second.

Efficiency will reduce the Focus cost of Chimera Shot, Aimed Shot, and Arcane Shot.

Thrill of the Hunt grants Focus when you land a critical strike.

Hunter vs. Wild increases the hunter’s Focus generation when his or her pet is snared, stunned, or rooted.

Mastery Passive Talent Tree Bonuses

Beast Mastery
Ranged Damage
Haste
Pet Damage

Marksmanship
Ranged Damage
Armor Penetration
Double Shot

Survival
Ranged Damage
Ranged Critical Damage
Elemental Damage

Pet Damage: Many of the passive benefits to pet damage will no longer be available in the Beast Mastery talent tree. However, these will be provided through the new Mastery mechanic.

Double Shot: The hunter will have a chance to launch a free attack off of the global cooldown for 50% damage.

Elemental Damage: [update:] Improves the Arcane, Fire, Frost, Nature or Shadow damage of abilities like traps, Black Arrow and Explosive Shot.
[not "Hunter abilities such as traps, Black Arrow, and Explosive Shot will do elemental damage of the following types: Arcane, Fire, Frost, Nature, and Shadow."]

We hope you enjoyed this preview, and ask that you provide your initial thoughts and feedback on what was presented here. Please keep in mind that what you’ve just reviewed is a work in progress and as we move closer to the Cataclysm beta, you’ll see these planned changes as well as others continue to develop in response to feedback and testing.
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Lysara »

Having a pet at level 1 will be very nice, it's a total pain to level to 10 without one.

And the giant stable of pets is awesome. :headbang:
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Floplag »

overall i like what im reading... but i have one concern

Focus generates much like Energy, by building up.
Steady Shot/Cobra Shot: No cost. Generates 9 Focus per shot (or 12 per second instead of 6).
Arcane Shot/Chimera Shot /Explosive Shot: 45 Focus.
Aimed Shot/Multi-Shot: 60 Focus.
Concussive Shot/Tranquilizing Shot: 35 Focus.
Rapid Fire/Master’s Call/Disengage: 30 Focus.

If im reading this right it means that our only available shot at the start of a fight would be Steady Shot/Cobra Shot?

does this mean that our better shots will be unavailable till we build up Focus ?

this would seem a huge hit to opening burst damage for PvP and misdirects in PvE ?
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Rhyela »

Floplag wrote:overall i like what im reading... but i have one concern

Focus generates much like Energy, by building up.
Steady Shot/Cobra Shot: No cost. Generates 9 Focus per shot (or 12 per second instead of 6).
Arcane Shot/Chimera Shot /Explosive Shot: 45 Focus.
Aimed Shot/Multi-Shot: 60 Focus.
Concussive Shot/Tranquilizing Shot: 35 Focus.
Rapid Fire/Master’s Call/Disengage: 30 Focus.

If im reading this right it means that our only available shot at the start of a fight would be Steady Shot/Cobra Shot?

does this mean that our better shots will be unavailable till we build up Focus ?

this would seem a huge hit to opening burst damage for PvP and misdirects in PvE ?
They made it sound that way but I do not believe it's correct. We'll start out with 100 focus, and then it builds up in the same way that energy for rogues does. You won't start out with 0 focus and have to build it up slowly by pelting your enemy with steady/cobra shot.

Edit: I'm having to reread this to get it all to sink in. My main concern is in the pets. Is my devilsaur - an exotic - going to do exactly the same amount of damage as something like a cat (with a different buff/debuff)? I don't want my devilsaur to be overpowered, of course, but I really like his Monstrous Bite ability. I'm very skeptical about this part.

But yay to:
- More stable slots (anything is better than 5, so I'll take it!)
- Cobra Shot
- BM-specific Cobra Shot modifying talents
- Trap launcher (finally!)
- Hunter vs. Wild, you gain focus if your pet is unable to attack (meaning that the damage lost from your pet is gained via more focus available to the hunter)

Overall I will say I'm happy but again, being BM, I'm all about my pet and I really don't want to see my baby get whacked with the nerfbat. X_x
Last edited by Rhyela on Fri Apr 09, 2010 12:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Eochaid »

Damn, Rhyela beat me too it lol. I was going to say i thought they said somewhere about starting at max focus.

Got to say, I am loving the look of the changes. Looks like my beloved beast master tree is getting some much needed attention :D I'll be curious to see what worgen hunters will start with for a pet.

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Floplag »

ok starting at max i makes sense .. i guess i took it too literally. i was just wondering as rogue start max on energy, warriors though dont on rage.. since i didnt see that specified i kinda wondered how others read it.
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Sphax »

After seeing this i got disapointed :(

BM still no exclusive shot. I like Marksmanship though
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Sphax »

Floplag wrote:ok starting at max i makes sense .. i guess i took it too literally. i was just wondering as rogue start max on energy, warriors though dont on rage.. since i didnt see that specified i kinda wondered how others read it.
your pet starts at max Focus right? :P
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Rhyela »

Sphax wrote:After seeing this i got disapointed :(

BM still no exclusive shot. I like Marksmanship though
It may not be exclusive, but it sounds like Cobra Shot may be our shot of choice (over Steady Shot) since our tree will have the modifying talents. I do prefer a BM-only shot, but I guess this will work for now. Let us not forget that we still have beta testing, this isn't final by any means. So keep your chin up! :3

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Rhyela »

Mania wrote:
However, this should afford ample storage for the many Spirit Beasts wandering the lands of Azeroth.
Many? We have four! Or, is this a tantalizing hint of things to come? :D

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Mania »

Clarification on Camouflage:
It is *not* stealth. Your enemies will never wonder where you are. We're trying to use the new Cataclysm water effect to put a shimmering PREDATORy visual on you. It's protection from ranged attacks and it gives you some combat bonuses, but it's not like Shadowmeld or rogue / druid stealth where players can't find you.

As most of you know, we tried Camo once before, but because it was true stealth it was very hard to balance, plus it felt like we were just handing out the same cool abilities to every class instead of coming with unique mechanics. Hunters were so overwhelmingly excited about the basic idea that we wanted to try it again, but not as stealth.
And more clarification on Camouflage:
Q u o t e:
It says that you will not take any ranged damage. Currently the term ranged damage includes Hunter shots and thrown weapons. Is the use of "ranged" in this iteration of Camouflage also including magic damage?
Yes. The idea is you are only vulnerable to melee attacks or ranged AEs.
*sigh* And more:
Q u o t e:
Camouflage just seems frankly weird. So you are prevented from 'taking ranged damage' and are obscured. Does this mean you are stealthed? If not, does this mean if a ranged ability is used on you you are simply immune to it, or do they miss?
If you target a camo hunter or a rogue using Smoke Bomb, you will get an error message saying something like "Target obscured." You can see them and target them, but can't use your attacks. Imagine they are behind a pillar or something. You can try and get off an AE near them or you can move to melee.
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Mania »

Clarification on Cobra Shot vs. Steady Shot:
Q u o t e:
Share a cooldown with Steady Shot? So our focus generating attack is going to have a cooldown?
At this point in time it's not actually a cooldown. Cobra Shot has a 2 sec cast time, but Beastmaster has a talent to reduce the cast time to 1.5 sec (as well as a few damage hooks). Both generate focus so there is no reason for BM to ever use Steady again.
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Rhyela »

To clarify on Focus:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nowhere in this post do you say how much focus Hunter's will get
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



100.

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Mania »

Thanks, Rhyela! I missed that one. ;)
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Rhyela »

Mania wrote:Thanks, Rhyela! I missed that one. ;)
Lol, is it alright if I put up fancy clarification thingies as well? Don't wanna steal your thunder. I'm just following this like...um...something that follows something else closely? (lol, been a long week)

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Mania »

Go right ahead. I am mostly watching to see if Ghostcrawler answers my question about exotic beasts, but I figured there'd be a lot of interest in the other stuff too.
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Bulletdance »

I'm so happy we get more pets! Yay! I hope its a ridiculously large amount. :D
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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by The huntress »

So if I am reading this right my Spirit beasts will have the same damage as the other pets? Becasue last time I checked they were less dps output

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by The huntress »

oh and we can summon up to three kinda like the shamans wolves?

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Re: Cataclysm Class Preview: Hunter

Unread post by Floplag »

wait.. 3 pets simultaneously ? stop teasing me
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