Why did they invent Talonclaw?

[Sukurachi]

Pet Valium

It's a new Alchemy recipe, level 110... it's really required for all BM hunters.

[Teigan]

What I really want to know is why did they invent the Titanstrike? Nothing screams one with all beasts like lightning, loud noises, and mecha-gnomes.

Yes. At least there was the Skoll tie in....I guess? And the bow skin for Titanstrike. Well. You've seen it. It doesn't help.



"It's alive! Aliiiiive!" *cough* Wrong universe. The little coil things with the electricity on the end, you know?



Totally just screams "pet-centric hunter spec"

Pet Valium

It's a new Alchemy recipe, level 110... it's really required for all BM hunters.

I'll take 12.

But I have an explanation for all of this.....

[Sukurachi]

Isn't that Abby Normal?

I thought he got a new job in Undercity?

[Sigrah]

What I really want to know is why did they invent the Titanstrike? Nothing screams one with all beasts like lightning, loud noises, and mecha-gnomes.

I'm more interested in why they didn't make Beast Mastery the melee spec. Always seemed more fitting to me being a child of the 80's, but I guess Blizz didn't want to be all "Dar the Beastmaster" for some reason...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd0vVaT8BWA

[Jasanni]

What I really want to know is why did they invent the Titanstrike? Nothing screams one with all beasts like lightning, loud noises, and mecha-gnomes.

I'm more interested in why they didn't make Beast Mastery the melee spec. Always seemed more fitting to me being a child of the 80's, but I guess Blizz didn't want to be all "Dar the Beastmaster" for some reason...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd0vVaT8BWA

I've actually always felt this myself. To me, the melee class would have made more sense as BM since you're using all the beasts to gang up on enemies with you. When I think Survival, I still think of a hunter being a ranged hunter taking down food and enemies with a bow or gun or something in addition to traps.

Also no, I totally don't go around in my head saying "I am Dar, I am the Beastmaster." >.>

[PrimalTazza]

Well, several of the weapons don't make a -ton- of sense for their spec. Arms warriors literally stomp and make Old Godly shadow-spike-things erupt from the ground with their artifact. I don't remember that in warrior school. BM gets a gun that harnesses the power of the storms that was used by a fellow BM hunter... which Thorim apparently is, or was. I think a lot of people get a bit too hung up on the fact that it's accomplished through techno-magical-whatever. I also see a lot of people say that a gun is loud and frightens animals, and to that, I'll say again: if my war-beast that is helping me fight the Legion is frightened by a gunshot, why would I EVER try it with me to fight a legion of demons, Old Gods, the Scourge, etc.? I'm not taking that kitten I adopted from the animal shelter, I've gone out and tamed a fierce creature that is here to help me by mauling the face off of things that don't agree with Azeroth's current sense of decor and think it needs a little more fire and brimstone and rivers of blood and mountains of skulls.

When I think hard about it, I'm not sure what they could do to make a weapon that screams BM that didn't slide into the territory of silly. Should it have animal heads all over it? Maybe the heads are even alive, and they bark and growl at the enemy! Instead of calling dire beasts to your side, what if you just launched them from your gun/bow, Stranger's Wrath style? With the artifact, Cobra Shot fires actual cobras! Take that, Legion!

Seriously though, with a lot of the specs I'm getting the vibe that we're just taking up weapons of power that were wielded by others of similar ability, style or skill.

[Teigan]

So, if we have both of Thorim's wolves, we...stole his pets. Eep. So, is that why Titanstrike is BM? Cause we already stole Hati's brother and now came back for Hati? No one tell Thorim. He's..em..large.

[Shelassa]

I'm still pissed about the whole Titanstrike / Thorim bit.
Thorim, whose artifact we seek and who is "such an animal lover". Same dude who is a Warrior Class Order Hall follower, had never been seen with an animal before and in depression threw his rifle as well as wolves away. * grumbles *

Out of all three artifacts (if we forget spec performance / mechanics / availability of exotic pets, etc.) I like Talonclaw most due to its story and it being tied to the Wild Gods who are "primal manifestations of life and nature" (c) wowpedia. Even if in BM I actually travel with a mate of one... Close second comes Thas'dorah - hey, I'm rocking Elven lore and had been fond of Sylvanas since, like, forever. I really have nothing against Titanstrike at this point, but it feels like it was an afterthought after the other two that was stuck into first suitable place.

P.S. Talonclaw-wise, any idea if there is something to do with Omen? The lore bit about the spear mentions three Ancients who imbued it with their power - Ohn'ahra (helps us regain the spear in the first place, default and upgraded look are named after her), Ursoc (drops Secret skin, Bear Fortitude) and Omen. Unlike the other two, Omen is not present in current content, but is a part of Lunar Festival - he is an objective for the kill for Elune's Blessing. Probably diggin' too deep, again, but...

[Heleos]

Actually the MM bow was made from the bark of the first world tree. It eventually ends up the hands of the Windrunner family who start passing it down from generation to generation. It also has the power of Wind.

For Survival hunters however, I would of preferred twin axes. If it had to absolutely be a 2hander than I'd go with the Axe of Cenarius - I know Brox was a warrior but the look of the axe looks fitting for a Hunter.

[Shelassa]

I do not think Thas'dorah was made from one of the World Trees - artifact lore says that it was made from a branch of Thas'alah, which was the oldest and largest tree of Quel'thalas.

Thas'alah, the tree from which this bow was crafted, was cut down by the forces of Arthas Menethil. The citadel of Deatholme now stands atop its withered roots.

[Xota]

What I really want to know is why did they invent the Titanstrike? Nothing screams one with all beasts like lightning, loud noises, and mecha-gnomes.

I'm more interested in why they didn't make Beast Mastery the melee spec. Always seemed more fitting to me being a child of the 80's, but I guess Blizz didn't want to be all "Dar the Beastmaster" for some reason...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rd0vVaT8BWA

If they made BM the melee spec, then BM would have two gimmicks to separate it from Survival/MM, but Survival/MM wouldn't have had defining characteristics of their own. Plus way back in vanilla, Survival was the melee/quasi-melee spec. Don't get hung up on the name of the spec, if Dar the Beastmaster had a hunter spec, he'd be survival.

[Rawr]

That doesn't explain Rexxar or his father Leoroxx, both used axes, Rex 2 one-handers, and Leo one 2-hander. Both are Beastmasters, tho Rex was change to Survival of Leg. Another famous Beastmaster, Tagar Bearclaw, also uses 2 1-handed axes. Beastmasters used to be thought of like this:

I'm really disappointed that this image has changed to random zoo keeper with a gun.

[zedxrgal]

This is my going out on a limb but someone who was a beast Master not just in fantasy lore was a person who fought alongside their animal companion not from afar. Even in ye olden days in the real world creatures (mainly canines) would fight with the knight. So to me BM yes should have been a melee spec also.
I feel SV should stay melee. An agile swift moving person and their companion using traps, subterfuge etc. Somewhat like a rogue with a pet. You may cry blasphemy but if you think deep about what a survival hunter is it makes sense. My gripe with the Sv artifact is that it is two handed. I feel they should have been dual wield one handed.
Marksman TO ME should only be ranged. Bows, crossbows, guns. Dual wielding pistols would be DOPE but definitely ranged hence the name marksman

I feel something like this would actually make it more fun. But that's probably just me