Hunters are the strongest physical ranged damage dealers in classic WoW and there’s no one better at pulling enemies to the group. But what else do they have? And what are their weaknesses?
- Possible races: Orcs, Tauren, Trolls, Skyborn, Humans, Dwarves, Night Elves
- Possible roles: Ranged, Mix of melee and ranged (Survival)
- Resources: Mana
- Biggest feature: Can tame animals and use them as companions in combat; uses traps to control or damage enemies.
- Available weapons: Daggers, One-handed axes, Two-handed axes, One-handed swords, Two-handed swords, Polearms, Staves, Fist weapons, Bows, Crossbows, Firearms, Thrown weapons
Official description: Hunters know places in this world that cannot be found on any map. Due to their deep empathy towards all living things, they possess the extraordinary gift of befriending wild animals and taming them as companionable allies. Moreover, Hunters can become masters at tracking thanks to their well-trained senses. No matter where they go: Hunters constantly fight against the devastating effects of disease, exploitation, and industrialization.
What are the strengths? In classic WoW, Hunters have always been among the most played classes. With their animal companion, the leveling phase is largely a breeze, and they can kite significantly stronger enemies with some practice without taking any damage. And when things do get dangerous, they can use theirFeign Death, making enemies hopefully disengage from them.
Hunters can also effectively use their ranged skills and companions to precisely pull enemies to the group without pulling other enemies. No one else can do this as well over long distances. Furthermore, their damage output is remarkably high in the current Forever beta.
You have the choice between three playstyles: focus on your companion (Beast Mastery), the strongest ranged attacks (Marksmanship; even without a pet thanks to the Lone Wolf talent), or a mix of ranged and melee (Survival).
What are the weaknesses? Hunters, like Warlocks, are heavily dependent on their companion (at least without the Lone Wolf talent). If the pet dies, it becomes dangerous, or damage drops significantly. If an enemy reaches the Hunter’s melee range, only the Survival specialist can maintain competitive damage with their punches. For all ranged attacks, the range becomes too short.
Additionally, Hunters must always pack enough ammunition. Their consumption is immense. Bows and crossbows consume arrows, while guns require bullets.
A question mark also hangs over the Hunter in the endgame. In Vanilla and Classic, Hunters were initially very strong in damage comparisons and were later relegated because other classes scaled better with the new gear. Moreover, they compete with many other classes for weapons and trinkets that were previously prioritized much higher. We are curious how this will develop in Forever.
The first part of the leveling phase can be exhausting because Hunters only learn the taming ability at level 10. Without the animal companion or Feign Death and with only a few attacks in their arsenal, fights in this initial phase can quickly become dangerous.
The Hunter is ideal for: Anyone who wants to travel with a servant but prefers to deal physical damage through claws, shots, and traps rather than casting spells. The Hunter is a good class for solo players and a solid damage dealer in PvE as well as PvP. However, you will have to fight through the initial leveling stages. Looking towards the endgame, there are some question marks.
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