The hunter is a damage dealing class that can engage in either melee or ranged combat. Hunters who are master marksmen use a plethora of different shots to take down their prey, from venomous barbs and magical projectiles to explosive volleys and penetrating powershots, while those who focus on melee combat do so with polearms, executing deft flanking maneuvers and being particularly skilled at throwing their weapon. Hunters are also masters of survival, and their familiarity with traps and misdirection can allow them to manipulate their quarry’s attentions, leading them into deadly ambushes or camouflaging themselves so well that even the sharpest-eyed of foes cannot fix their aim upon them. True to their name, hunters are also skilled huntsmen, capable of tracking even the stealthiest of targets with incredible accuracy.
Hunters have a powerful connection to the wild, and an uncanny ability to befriend even the wildest of beasts. Hunters form a deep bond with their pets, and are rarely to be found without a fierce companion at their side, ready to leap into battle at the hunter’s command. Hunters can even call wild beasts and flocks of birds to assail their enemies, and in times of great need can summon a [Stampede] of faithful friends to their aid. Hunters do not use their pets only to deal ferocious damage to their foes, but can also draw strength and healing from their bond, regaining focus and inspiring their companions to surprising new heights. The powerful and intelligent animals commanded by hunters are themselves capable of a huge range of skilful and breath-taking moves, with each type of pet boasting its own selection of special abilities. Hunters are also capable of using their connection to the Aspects of various animals to empower themselves and their allies, augmenting their abilities according to the needs of the situation.
Hunters start wearing leather and advance to mail armor later on. They use agility and cunning to stay out of reach of melee attackers, commanding their pets to attack while they launch devastating volleys from afar. Hunters are at a disadvantage when their foes close in, and may use an array of traps and snares to slow and disorient attackers who threaten to draw too close for comfort. Hunters can also send their pets to taunt and distract enemies, overwhelming targets with a snarling attacker that demands their full attention, leaving them too busy to notice the deadly shot being carefully aimed at them.
The hunter is a pure DPS class, meaning that all its specializations focus primarily on dealing damage. However, each type of hunter has its own strengths and priorities: Beast Mastery hunters are masters of the wild boasting a powerful synergy with their companions, bringing numerous enhancements to both their own and their pets’ abilities; Marksmanship hunters are skilled sharpshooters, focusing on defeating opponents through unique and additionally empowered ranged attacks; and Survival hunters are adaptive rangers who can engage enemies effectively at any distance, most effectively when up close.
Hunters are perhaps the most involved companion class of all. Hunters can track, tame, name and train a huge range of animals throughout the world, with a number of special rare beasts existing solely for hunters to discover, hidden from the eyes of any other class. Hunters will rarely find themselves fighting alone, and can count on the presence of their trusty companions at their side. The combination of hunters’ powerful ranged damage capabilities and their pets’ aggro management makes hunters an excellent soloing class, essentially a two-man team capable of tackling enemies far beyond the abilities of many other classes. A potent damage dealer with enviable abilities in kiting and crowd control, the hunter is a class that is easy to learn, but difficult to master.
Class overview
From an early age the call of the wild draws some adventurers from the comfort of their homes into the unforgiving primal world outside. Those who endure become hunters. As masters of their environment, hunters are able to slip like ghosts through the trees and lay traps in the paths of their enemies. These expert marksmen drop foes dead in their tracks with flawless shots from a bow, crossbow or rifle. With the ability to wield two weapons simultaneously, hunters can unleash a flurry of blows against anyone unfortunate enough to stumble into close combat with them.
The art of survival is central to the isolated life of a hunter. Hunters track beasts with ease and enhance their own abilities by attuning themselves to the feral aspects of various creatures. Hunters are known for the lifelong bonds they form with animals of the wild, training great hawks, cats, bears, and many other beasts to fight alongside them.
Creation screen description
Hunters are at home in the wilderness and have a special affinity for beasts. They rely on their weaponry and their pet to deal damage.
Background
A night elf hunter.
A dwarven hunter with the Field Marshal’s PursuitPVP set and a gun.
The hunter is one of the oldest classes in history. They represent a deep connection between man and beast, and the hunters of Warcraft are not merely individuals who track animals and slay them for food, but custodians of balance. They understand the natural circle of life and death, and the part they must play in maintaining it not simply as researchers, but as active participants. The «Hunt» is venerated, and the prey they choose to stalk is given as much respect as the predators hunters choose to learn from and embody. All hunters create lifelong friendships with animal companions, who are also often their best and only friends, if the stereotype of the reclusive huntsman is to be believed. Hunters come in all shapes, forms, sizes and specialties, but in World of Warcraft, most hunters specialize to be marksmen (however, not all hunters choose the Marksmanship specialization). Hunters are a curious mix of mysticism and rough wilderness know-how. They can learn to mystically align themselves with the aspects of various animals to assist them: the tenacity of a turtle, the sharp eyes of an eagle, and the swiftness of a cheetah; they gift themselves with a higher resistance against the dangers of the most important thing of all in the rites of a hunter — the very Wilds he and his prey live in. Hunters also derive a system of hand-to-hand combat inspired by the attacks and counterattacks of various animals, and use magically empowered traps to maim and snare their prey. They have various shots imbued with magic or explosives to snare, poison, handicap and disorient their targets. They can even hold their breath and slow their heartbeat to a highly infrequent, inconsequential tap to give their pursuers the impression that they are dead.
The hunter is the choice of life for those who reject societies that oppress the natural role as prey and hunter, and also reject the druidic stance that we should be healers and observers rather than active participants in the «Great Hunt». They follow a life of reverence for nature complimenting their tradition and willingness to use man-made tools. We are all tool-using creatures after all, and it is only natural to use that advantage afforded by nature to be better hunters. There are however also those hunters who prefer a more direct approach to tracking and hunting.
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