Beta impressions and feedback

[Palladiamorsdeus]

Alright ladies and gentleman, I think it's time we all started compiling our thoughts on the beta so far. I want you to list off the things you like about the changes to the hunter class, the things you dislike, and any suggestions you might have for improving it. Feel free to repeat what other's have said. After we've compiled a bit we'll see if we can't wrangle one of our resident beta testers into posting some of our suggestions in the beta forums.

So far I like what I am seeing of the focus system. This doesn't include it's current borkedness of not regening correctly. I was always a fan of 2AP per 1agility back in the day, so I am overjoyed to see that return. Getting a pet at level 1? Come on, you know that just rocks. And twenty stable slots. I mean I'll never NEED twenty, but I definitely need more then five.

Obviously, I am not to keen on getting intimidation at level 10. For PvE I also feel like pushback resistence is kind of a moot point. If you are soloing then there is a good chance that what is hitting you is going to be inside melee range anyway. I do think it'll be a bit more important now that BM's pet's aren't what they used to be. I dislike the lack of pet strengthening options for BM. As a pet centered spec, I feel that our tree needs more then a minor haste boost after five stacks. The frenzy effect is a good idea, but the implimentation is a bit wonky right now. Waiting until level 69 for exotics is also not cosher. I also think it's a bit odd to have to wait until level 78ish in order to get our primary pet strengthening ability.

[AnotherHunter]

STOP NERFING THE HUNTERS...

[Saturo]

Focus will be a fun mechanic once it is implemented properly, and the new 1-10 pets? Excellent! The new talent system is, obviously, screwed up, and as much as I'd like to think that they'll fix it, it seems unlikely to me. The fact that masteries only become available at 78 is a bit sad, at least for MM, since we won't be getting Armor Penetration earlier than that, and MM is quite dependant on it. Then again, the way the mechanic is built... MM will, anyway, be a fairly weak spec until we get a high amount of mastery. BM seems royally screwed right now.

Warlocks will be fun to play, even if we don't get an Evocation like spell for regaining soul shards during bosses.

[Sarayana]

All I can say is, all the negativity was there before Wotlk and although things weren't well balanced at launch, subsequent patches have balanced, off-balanced, and rebalanced things. And really, Wotlk has been more fun than TBC. I think Cata will be a huge step up in terms of the gaming experience, and I can't wait to relearn everything!

It'll be fun to get used to focus, new abilites, and new priorities. It'll be fun to start over with new alts and relearn the areas and quests. It'll be fun to reevaluate my toons' professions, to explore what new stuff is in the game profession-wise, and to max out skills.

Guild leveling looks like it'll be a lot of fun, and I think my small, friends&family guild will enjoy it.

Right now I'm holding off on rolling a warrior and a warlock because I am planning those two classes for my worgen, and I'm antsy to start!

And I really can't wait to see what they're doing with the druid tree form and the troll and worgen moonkin forms! /antsy

Not a lot of negativity here, sorry. ;P

[Palladiamorsdeus]

*Laughs* That's okay Sarayana. I'll take whatever I can get. I just want to hear what everyone has to say about it, and maybe gather some useful stuff. I also want people to see that this isn't all bad. There may be a lot of negative things, but not all of it is. I think the focus change is going to be great.

[Jedi8187]

Focus will be a fun mechanic once it is implemented properly, and the new 1-10 pets? Excellent! The new talent system is, obviously, screwed up, and as much as I'd like to think that they'll fix it, it seems unlikely to me. The fact that masteries only become available at 78 is a bit sad, at least for MM, since we won't be getting Armor Penetration earlier than that, and MM is quite dependant on it. Then again, the way the mechanic is built... MM will, anyway, be a fairly weak spec until we get a high amount of mastery. BM seems royally screwed right now.

Warlocks will be fun to play, even if we don't get an Evocation like spell for regaining soul shards during bosses.

Just to clarify one thing Saturo, the masteries at 78 are the thing effected by mastery stat, the final masteries. All other masteries are gained at 10. MM get the wild quiver thing at 78, armor pen at 10. Unless this has changed at which point I will feel silly fo saying this.

[Palladiamorsdeus]

Two primary class skills are learned at level 10. For Marksman hunters this is aimed shot and pushback resistence. The problem is, we don't know for sure what our level 78 masteries are, though the current word is that they'll be the unique third masteries that we saw previously. Which may very well be the old Wild Quiver for Marksmen.

[Saturo]

But if we're getting Wild Quiver instead of ArP...
NOOO! HIGH-END RAIDING MM IS GONE!

*Huddles up in corner, crying*

[Kaleos]

Thought ArP was being done away with completely? Or was it just the ArP stat on gear that they're removing?

[Saturo]

ArP will be MM's mastery. It's going from gear, but mastery will have the same effect.

[Ungoro]

I was always a fan of 2AP per 1agility back in the day, so I am overjoyed to see that return.

I was a fan of this too and only found out they removed it around a month ago, maybe two months. When did they remove this?

Pets from level 1 will be helpful, as beginners to the hunter class will learn to understand the class a bit better at lower levels. Hopefully focus regen will be good, but from what i've read at various places the regen rate isn't too bad!

[Palladiamorsdeus]

2AP per 1 agility was removed in the patch that prepared Vanilla WoW for TBC. At the moment focus regen isn't working properly. It isn't scaling with haste and I think it only now started scaling with abilities. This is just a beta problem though, and won't see the light of release.

[Ryai]

I... am confused over Prot Paladins.

It feels like they're trying to force Prot to not just be viable PVE but viable in PVP, no matter what you take or what you do. I also do not like how Ardent Defender is now an Active talent. I liked it as passive. I liked it going off without worry. I don't need another button to fiddle with blizzard. Why are you doing this to me? Why? Is it because of 'last stand' or something? Well it's not. It's different.

But on the good side? http://www.wowtal.com/#k=-ItSYG6s.9q4.paladin LOOK PALLA NO RECKONING.


<_>



Improved tracking was shrunk down to a 3 point +3% damage boost. Which I think is partly because people were complaining to much about SV only having 2 point dumps. And I know Blizz will probably not make it a 1/3/5% talent either, as you would benifit even for 2/3 points, 'to much' probably.

Not happy that BM basically has a 3/4 talent point for top teir too. It should be 3/3 or 3/2 too, but then again, it would probably be borked like SV's top atm or be nerfed for being to 'op' or something.

I am happy with Fury atm for wars- love fury, got fury for MS for my war, Rashika. But for Prot? I just got Shockwave a bit ago and already I love it...

I don't like the thought of being denied it until lv 69/70 :/

Overall I'm not impressed. I am pleased a bit with some things but, not that impressed with builds overall.

[Shadowkaizen]

Although there are many things still to work out I am still very excited about the upcomming expansion. I am sure as time for the big day draws near we will be seeing more changes to the classes and hopefully we as hunters will get a little more attention to.

[cowmuflage]

I'm looking forward to it. I tend to look at the non talent/gear/stat etc things more than i do those things so as long as MM is not the "pvp only" hunter spec i'll be fine. MM <3 where gunna have babies

[Vephriel]

I'm very happy and excited about the Focus change. I love the idea of it, and from what I've read so far it sounds like it will be a fantastic resource for Hunters.

The new stable slots are probably one of the biggest highlights for me. I can't wait to finally have the space to keep all of my beloved pets at once.

A few of the new pets are pretty awesome, though I'm still waiting for that big pet announcement that I'm sure is coming towards the end. I have a feeling they've got more new species in mind. *crosses fingers*

I absolutely cannot wait to roll my Goblin shaman, as well as explore the new world from a flying mount.

As for talents/abilities/specs....honestly I'm not going to spend time analyzing those things until Cataclysm's release. They're changing constantly, and I see so many people getting angry or frustrated at the changes in progress. I don't feel like wasting mental energy or emotion over something that isn't complete yet, and I really don't feel concerned anyways. I'll be satisfied with whatever they do in the end.

[Rhyela]

I'm happy with the focus change, first and foremost. I love the thought of having focus as a resource, it's something that should have been done a long time ago.

I obviously love the stable changes, and while I'm antsy to go tame the Clutchmother or other rares that may be disappearing (and yes I know the teal tallstrider skin is elsewhere now, but it's not the same), I'm going to wait a bit to see whether or not we get the stable changes in a pre-expansion patch.

I glance at the talent trees now and again, but I try not to pick them apart too much. So far I like the direction they're taking, but it does seem that a few of the trees have mandatory PvP-centric talents. Example: disc. priests have to take either Evangelism or Improved Smite (or whatever it was). If I'm healing end-game, I won't be using Smite. It's useful while leveling, however. But really, I'm going to try not to worry about talents too much until the expansion is a little closer.

What I'm really waiting for are pet announcements and releases (I'm lookin' at you, little white and red python model!). I think I may piddle myself if they make thunder lizards tameable.

And lastly, I'm really glad I've decided on a prot warrior for my worgen. I was going to make it regardless, but now that I've seen the latest tree, I'm like...drooling.

[Kalliope]

I glance at the talent trees now and again, but I try not to pick them apart too much. So far I like the direction they're taking, but it does seem that a few of the trees have mandatory PvP-centric talents. Example: disc. priests have to take either Evangelism or Improved Smite (or whatever it was). If I'm healing end-game, I won't be using Smite. It's useful while leveling, however. But really, I'm going to try not to worry about talents too much until the expansion is a little closer.

I'm actually looking forward to casting smite for mana regen. xD

Beyond little things like that, I'm still taking a wait-and-see approach on pretty much everything.

[Sarayana]

I glance at the talent trees now and again, but I try not to pick them apart too much. So far I like the direction they're taking, but it does seem that a few of the trees have mandatory PvP-centric talents. Example: disc. priests have to take either Evangelism or Improved Smite (or whatever it was). If I'm healing end-game, I won't be using Smite. It's useful while leveling, however. But really, I'm going to try not to worry about talents too much until the expansion is a little closer.

I'm actually looking forward to casting smite for mana regen. xD

Beyond little things like that, I'm still taking a wait-and-see approach on pretty much everything.

I know, part of me is like "ooooh dpsing healers! cooooool" and part of me is reminded of every fight I've had to just not stop healing... I mean, smiting for mana regen is awesomely cool, but it's gcds spent not healing. I'm torn on that one. I'm also not convinced I like the whole bubble-as-an-emergency-heal for disc, I really like being a bubblepriest... but I'm reserving judgment, they may still change that a lot.

[Elvirra]

Frankly,I like everything I've seen about Cata,but I'm not naive enough to get up in arms about talents and abilities and such,as this is Beta,and we all know that everything can and will change.

However,I am a little concerned with everyone saying how awesome it is that we get a pet at level 1. Really? Hmmm. It's not really a pet as it has no action bar,you cant feed it,you can't command it to attack a second mob as you kill another....how then is this going to "teach" new hunters how to control their pets? The only thing it does is make leveling easier...which is fine,"working as intended" and all that. In this case,our pets..I mean,"guardians"...really are a "DoT". Meh,maybe it's just me...

The pets all look awesome,and I can't wait to see what else is coming! 20 slot stables are freekin awesome,but I wonder how long it will be before someone says(in all seriousness),"WE NEEDZ MOAR SLOTS!! QQ !!!!11!!!"

All in all,I think it's a great time to be the best class in the game...a hunter!!


Kitairra