| Name | Pew Pew. The Everyday Hunter's Guide Part 2 |
| Category | Class |
Hyacintha here, and today I am interviewing the beautiful Night Elven Hunter Ohanraela. Although the Hunter class is one of the simplest to pick up and is a very popular choice when it comes to pure firepower, it has its share of complexities that not everyone understands. This guide is designed to show you over several parts what the class has to offer, how each ability is used, and how to improve yourself as a Hunter. Ohanraela will be my aid in doing so.
This section will give you a full analysis of each of your abilities.
Hyacintha: Welcome back Ohanraela. As a Hunter, you will have many abilities to work with, I understand, which will easily take up most of your action bars, right?
Ohanraela: Yes, this is very true. The simple Tracker skills already account for eight of your slots alone. Thus, I recommend that you enable all of your action bars and set hotkeys to them. Some players assign their Function keys to their top-left action bar. I prefer to use my Shift-number keys instead. Whatever feels right for you is what you should do though.
Hyacintha: A nice suggestion. So, how about we get into the meat of the skills now?
Ohanraela: Sure! Let us start with Marksmanship.
# - - Marksmanship - - >
(*Note for all following sections: Many numbers quoted are for initial ranks of skills, and may not reflect upon the final strength of the ability.)
This bough of abilities makes up the central competency of every Hunter. These abilities are associated with your ranged weapon, and will provide the majority of the damage you inflict. The bulk of your Shots and Stings are in this area, so pay close attention.
# - - Aimed Shot - - >
This ability is an aimed shot that increases ranged damage by 70 and reduces healing done to that target by 50% (at first rank). It lasts 10 sec. It has a range of 5-35 yards, and has a casting time of 3.0 sec. Its cooldown is your weapon speed +6 seconds. This move is only accessible if you have the talent that gives it to you.
This ability works by allowing your first shot to be a heavy hitter.
What sets this Shot apart from the others is that it resets your Auto-Shot timer, which means that in timing your shots, you have to treat an Aimed Shot as though you had just fired a single Auto-Shot. Because of this and its long casting time, using it within a regular shot rotation not recommended.
However, the reduced healing effect can be useful in situations where healing can be an issue. This also applies to PvP but keep in mind that enemy players can interrupt its cast or move out of your line of sight.
# - - Arcane Shot - - >
An instant shot that causes 15 Arcane damage plus 15% of your ranged attack power (at first rank), at a range of 5 to 35 yards, this instant cast, six second cool down spell has it’s uses.
This is your primary Shot ability, which you will use very often in your shot rotation until Steady Shot comes into play. You can also fire it while jumping or running, making it a vital tool for kiting. Peculiarly, magic shields cannot reflect the damage back to you, but anything that is immune to Arcane damage will not take damage from this Shot.
# - - Auto Shot - - >
With Auto Shot, you automatically fire your ranged weapon at the target until cancelled. This has a range of 5 to 35 yards, a casting time of about a fourth of a second, and the cooldown is based on your weapon.
This is your basic auto-attack but with a ranged weapon. As a Hunter, the T key by default serves as your Auto Shot when in firing range, which means that there is no need to keep this slotted in an Action Bar unless you have trouble knowing when your Auto Shot is active. Do note that unlike melee weapons, Auto Shot has a very slight casting time. Therefore, you have to be standing still in order for you to fire a shot. With a little practice, you can time your Auto Shots so that you can try hit and run tactics with it.
# - - Concussive Shot - - >
This dazes the target, slowing movement speed by 50% for 4 seconds, at a range of 5 to 35, with an instant cast time, and a cool down of 12 seconds.
Concussive Shot serves in cooperation an offensive and defensive function. You can use it to either catch targets that are trying to flee, or slow down an enemy that is trying to get near you. It also works as a setup for Steady Shot’s bonus damage, though most shot rotations do better without it due to the global cooldown and the mana used by this Shot.
# - - Distracting Shot - - >
With Distracting Shot, you do just that - distract the target, causing threat. It has a 3 to 35 yard range, is instant cast, and has a cool down of 8 seconds.
More often than not you would want to keep your aggro as low as probable but there are those times when you need to draw attention to yourself to keep someone else alive. This causes no damage but it should draw a mob’s concentration on to you when stacked on top of your other shots. It can also be used with Misdirection. Note that this ability is classified as an Arcane effect, which means that it has no effect in opposition to enemies that are immune to Arcane damage.
# - - Flare - - >
Exposing all hidden and invisible enemies within 10 yards of the targeted area for 20 sec, this 30 yard ranged instant cast spell, with a 20 second cool down, has its uses for sure.
Flare is good for spotting concealed mobs and players early but it is always a hit or miss in one respect or another. If you do not catch your target the first time, you will either have to wait for a second Flare or hope that something walks into it. Of course, most Rogues and Druids will not step into the Flare once it has landed, and the craftiest players will catch you completely off guard by the time your Flare spots them. So while it does have its uses, it is a bit incomplete. It is probably better used in PvE situations than PvP.
# - - Hunter’s Mark - - >
This places the Hunter's Mark on the target, increasing the ranged attack power of all attackers against that target by 20 and by an additional 2 each time they are struck by a ranged attack, up to a maximum of 80. In addition, the target of this ability can always be seen by the hunter whether it stealths or turns invisible. The target also appears on the mini-map. It lasts for 2 minutes. It has a range of up to 100 yards, is instant cast, and only experiences the global cooldown.
Many Hunters overlook the significance of this ability, and with its stacking effect, it is not an ability that should go unnoticed. You need to shoot your target thirty times to reach the top of the stack. In most cases, enemies die so quickly that you will never get that high, but against bosses, you have a better chance of getting there. This effect also makes faster weapons much more useful, as it would mean reaching the top of the stack in a shorter amount of time.
# - - Multi-Shot - - >
This skill fires several missiles, hitting 3 targets. Higher ranks cause bonus damage. It has a range of 5 to 35 yards, a casting time of half a second, and a cool down of 10 seconds. Rank 5 is only available through a book that teaches it.
Despite its high mana cost, Multi-Shot is extremely powerful to use. It can hit three targets at once, and can be boosted with two powerful talents. The key to knowing what targets the Shot will hit is knowing that Multi-Shot will hit up to two targets that are within 8 yards of your first target. With that in mind, you can judge when it is safe to use it without breaking any nearby crowd control. Situationally, this can be fantastic.
# - - Rapid Fire - - >
This increases ranged attack speed by 40% for 15 seconds. It is instant cast with a five minute cool down.
Rapid Fire is your first defense for those moments when you need a little extra push in firepower. It also reduces the casting time on Aimed Shot and Steady Shot so it does not interfere with the Auto Shot timer as much as you would think. Rapid Fire goes great with any effects that increase ranged attack power, so be sure to stack when you can.
# - - Scatter Shot - - >
Scatter Shot is a short-range shot that deals 50% weapon damage and disorients the target for 4 seconds. Any damage caused will remove the effect and turns off your attack when used. It has a range of 15 yards. It is instant cast with a cool down of 30 seconds. This is only available if you have the talent.
What makes Scatter Shot such an excellent ability is the fact that it can interrupt spells from as close as melee range, and you can use the dazed time to your advantage. You can use that time to either plant a trap or get away from your target. The short cooldown also allows you to use it more liberally than many of the other talent-based abilities that the class has to offer.
# - - Scorpid Sting - - >
This stings the target, reducing chance to hit with melee and ranged attacks by 5% for 20 sec. Only one Sting per Hunter can be active on any one target. It has a range of 5 to 25, an instant cast time, and only is effected by the global cool down.
A 5% decrease in hit rate equals to a 5% lessening in damage output, but it is not very useful for shorter battles. Against bosses, however, this Sting truly does well. The longer the fight goes on, the more mileage you will get from this Sting. Also, if you happen to accidentally use Serpent Sting on a target that is being crowd-controlled, this Sting will safely overwrite the target without breaking whatever control is in place.
# - - Serpent Sting - - >
This stings the target, causing 20 Nature damage plus 10% of your ranged attack power over 15 sec (at first rank). Only one Sting per Hunter can be active on any one target. It has a 5 to 35 yard range, is instant cast, and has a cool down of 15 seconds.
This is a Hunter’s primary damage-over-time ability, which causes damage every three seconds for a total of five ticks. At the time you learn it, the damage comes in handy since you have little else to work with at that level, but as you grow, its uses become much more limited overall, mostly due to its lack of mana efficiency. This is further perplexed by the mana-friendly Steady Shot at level 62. Even with the scaling damage bonus, the total damage is monotonous compared to all the other abilities you have. Still, if nothing else, it can take up an empty debuff slot on your target.
# - - Silencing Shot - - >
This deals 50% weapon damage and silences the target for 3 seconds. It has a range of 3 to 35 yards, is instant cast, and has a cooldown of 20 seconds. It is only accessible through a talent.
Silencing Shot can be overwhelming because of your ability to hit casters from as far as 41 yards away. It is great for mobs that like to stand in one place and cast spells. The best time to use it is just near the end of a spell, which is when you can interrupt it, but be sure to time the shot carefully. The only disadvantage to this Shot is that most bosses are immune to its silencing effect, though the damage portion still takes effect.
# - - Steady Shot - - >
This inflicts 150 damage plus 20% of your ranged attack power. If the target is dazed, the ability inflicts an additional 175 damage (at first rank). It has a 6 to 25 yard range, a casting time of 1.5 seconds, and a cool down that is on the global timer.
Steady Shot is basically a smaller Aimed Shot but it has no exclusive cooldown, and does not reset your Auto Shot timer. Its short casting time also makes it effortlessly well suited with ranged weapons of any speed, and the casting time is affected by any Haste bonuses, including the speed bonus from your ammo pouch or quiver. Once you get this Shot, it will become a vital part of your shot cycle, as you will frequently use this alongside Arcane Shot. In some cases, it replaces it entirely. The bonus damage that you can get from dazing your target is great but your only real source of daze effects is Concussive Shot, and you would usually fair better without having it in a shot rotation.
# - - Tranquilizing Shot - - >
This removes one Frenzy effect from the target. It has a range of 5 to 35 yards, is instant cast, and has a 20 second cool down.
This Shot only removes Frenzy effects, and not Enrage effects. That is very important to remember. In the days before Burning Crusade, this played a key role versus specific raid bosses at level 60. In Outland, there are very few situations where this Shot may come in handy; but some raid bosses do still use it.
# - - Trueshot Aura - - >
This increases the attack power of party members within 45 yards by 50 and lasts for 30 min. It has a range of up to 45 yards, is instant cast, and is only hindered by the global cool down. It is only assessable through the talent on the talent tree.
Trueshot Aura was once one of the handiest buffs that a Hunter could have, but this ability scales poorly with level. It is not that it is an overall bad ability; 125 attack power is still a sizeable amount of force but intervals of 25 just do not cut it by the time you hit 70. Regardless, it is still a decent ability for both you and any party members that use attack power.
# - - Viper Sting - - >
This stings the target, draining 616 mana over 8 sec (at first rank). Only one Sting per Hunter can be active on any one target. It has a range of 5 to 35 yards, is instant cast, and has a cool down of 15 seconds.
Most caster mobs have such little health and armor that most of the time, you will kill it before it ever runs out of mana, but this ability is valuable in PvP, especially when backed up with Improved Stings, which makes it tougher to dispel and boosts a Rank 4 Sting from 1368 to 1778.
# - - Volley - - >
This continuously fires a volley of ammo at the target area, causing 50 Arcane damage to enemy targets within 8 yards every second for 6 sec. It has a range of 5 to 35 yards, a half a second cast time between a six second channel, and has a cool down of 1 minute.
This is your ranged area damage ability. It does not cause much damage but it can be reinforced with Barrage and Improved Volley. You can cause much more damage if you pair it with Explosive Trap. It is good for weak groups of trash in Area of Effect pulls.
Hyacintha: Thank you for going over the Marksmanship abilities for us. What is next?
Ohanraela: Next we have Survival. Survival consists of a variety of supportive and defensive abilities, which include traps, melee abilities, Trackers, and much more. Very few Hunters follow this path for talents, but as far as general utility, this is where it is at.
# - - Survival - - >
# - - Counterattack - - >
A strike that becomes active after parrying an opponent's attack, this attack deals 40 damage (at first rank) and immobilizes the target for 5 seconds. Counterattack cannot be blocked, dodged, or parried. It has a range of 5 yards, is instant cast, and has a five second cooldown. It is only available by taking the appropriate talent to receive the skill.
As for what it actually does, Counterattack is a great ability but you do not get many chances to use it because of your low Parry chance, which has a base of roughly 5%. That is not much at all. If you offset this with the fact that you have Deterrence and Deflection, it becomes your ticket to freedom, allowing you to run away from an enemy that gets too close for comfort. But still, you will never really use this combination unless you have gone down the Survival tree, which in this day and age, is extremely rare for a Hunter that expects to get into a raid.
# - - Deterrence - - >
When activated, Deterrence increases your Dodge and Parry chance by 25% for 10 sec. It has no range therefore, is instant cast, and can only be used once every five minutes. This move is accessible only through a talent in the Survival tree.
Deterrence is your ace card for those occasions when something mean wants to take a swing at you. Combined with Aspect of the Monkey, it can help fend off melee attacks until you get a chance to make an escape. The cooldown is rather long but that can be offset with Readiness if you have it. Still, this is probably not worth it in higher levels and raid situations.
# - - Disengage - - >
This simple ability attempts to disengage from the target, reducing threat. The character exits combat mode entirely for a time, which will be explained further in a moment. It has a range of 5 yards, is instant, and only has a cool down of 5 seconds.
The tooltip is very perplexing for most players. Disengage does not actually cause you to exit combat. Instead, it reduces your threat and turns off your auto-attack. Pretty lame, right? Many players disregard this ability because of the way Feign Death completely wipes you clean of all threat but Feigning may not always work, which leaves you with this ability. The threat reduction is low but it can be enough to save you from being stomped into Devilsaur fodder.
# - - Explosive Trap - - >
This places a fire trap that explodes when an enemy approaches, causing 100 to 130 Fire damage (at first rank) plus 10% of your ranged attack power and 150 additional Fire damage over 20 sec to all within 10 yards. The Trap will exist for 1 minute. Only one trap can be active at a time, so choose wisely per situation. It has no applicable range, is instant cast, and has a cool down of 30 seconds.
Unlike Immolation Trap, this trap causes instant damage along with a damage over time component. Because of the high mana cost and the nature of the effect, it is best used against whole packs of mobs that will stay in one place while the trap ticks.
# - - Feign Death - - >
Feign death which may trick enemies into ignoring you. It lasts up to 6 minutes, although you should hardly ever need it that long. Thank goodness it is instant cast, and it only has a cool down of 30 seconds. This is a handy one.
Feign Death wipes you clean of all threat and takes you out of combat, allowing you to escape from dangerous mobs. Be aware that even though a mob will not target you, you can still get hit with area effects, and disorienting and fear effects will cancel Feign Death by causing you to stand up. In PvP, this ability can cancel a spell while it is being cast, and will cause enemies to un-target you. It is quite a good ability to know how to utilize.
# - - Freezing Trap - - >
This is the same deal as all other traps. You place a frost, freezing trap that freezes the first enemy that approaches, preventing all action for up to 10 seconds. Any damage caused will break the ice. This Trap will exist for 1 minute. Only one trap can be active at a time. It is instant cast will a cool down of 30 seconds.
Freezing Trap is a very practical form of crowd control because it is not limited to specific subtypes, and with Clever Traps, Rank 3 will grant you a total of 26 seconds. At that point, you can easily keep a single mob under control for a long time. The only problem is that it has a cooldown, which means that if it breaks, you may have to wait a while before you can set another trap. However, with the use of talents and such, you can successfully crowd control with a down time around only 4 or 5 seconds in best situations, which is quite effective.
# - - Frost Trap - - >
Not to be confused with Freezing trap, although their descriptions are quite similar, you place a frost trap that creates an ice slick around itself for 30 sec when the first enemy approaches it. All enemies within 10 yards will be slowed by 60% while in the area of effect. The Trap will exist for 1 minute. Only one trap can be active at a time. It is instant cast and has a cool down of 30 seconds.
Frost Traps are extremely handy in situations where you need to slow an army down by a lot. It is particularly helpful in PvP, but it is also a good way to slow down a mob that is chasing you. Tanks will additionally find this trap useful, as it means not having to chase mobs very far if someone pulls aggro. For certain PvP and PvE situations, this one is a must have.
# - - Immolation Trap - - >
Yet another trap, this one lets you place a fire trap that will burn the first enemy to approach for 105 Fire damage plus 10% of your ranged attack power over 15 sec. Trap will exist for 1 minute. Only one trap can be active at a time, of course. It is instant cast like the others and has a cool down of 30 seconds.
This trap is easily the strongest damage-over-time ability in your arsenal, and can help you quickly bring down a mob when paired with Serpent Sting or Wyvern Sting. With Clever Traps, Rank 6, you will cause a solid 1280 base damage. Not bad.
# - - Misdirection - - >
The threat caused by your next 3 attacks is redirected to the target raid member. Caster and target can only be affected by one Misdirection spell at a time. The effect lasts 30 seconds. It has a range of 100 yards, is instant cast, and has a cool down of 2 minutes.
With the amount of threat that Hunters can cause, Misdirection is a great way to keep enemies glued to your tanks, more than ever the bosses. Of course, it is also a great way to turn your least favorite party member into an aggro magnet (he he he). This is a very important ability for endgame encounters.
# - - Mongoose Bite - - >
With Mongoose Bite, you can Counterattack the enemy for 25 damage plus 20% of your attack power, however, it can only be performed after you dodge. It has a range of 5 yards, is instant cast, and has a 5 second cool down.
Overall, Mongoose Bite is a bit feeble, nevertheless it can help you turn the tables when fighting in melee range. When strengthened with Aspect of the Monkey, Deterrence, and Savage Strikes, you can do quite a bit of damage between this and Raptor Strike.
# - - Raptor Strike - - >
A strong attack that increases melee damage by 5, Raptor Strike has a range of 5 yards, is used on your next melee swing once activated, and has a cool down of 6 seconds.
This is your most important melee ability, which simply gives your next swing some extra force. It does not do much else but it gets the job done, especially if it lands as a critical strike.
# - - Readiness - - >
When activated, this ability immediately finishes the cooldown on your other Hunter abilities. It is instant cast, with a cool down of five minutes. You may only use it if you have the talent that gives it to you.
It is truly hard to appreciate this ability if you have never used it before.
On the defensive, Readiness is basically an emergency switch that you can hit if you happen to need an ability that’s cooling off. It helps to alleviate long cooldown timers from abilities such as Deterrence and Wyvern Sting. On the offensive, you can use it to buy yourself a second Rapid Fire, another Volley, or maybe even another Multi-Shot. Whatever the case is, Readiness is a very handy ability to have.
# - - Snake Trap - - >
With Snake Trap, you place a trap that will release several venomous snakes to attack the first enemy they approach. The snakes will die after 15 seconds, but the trap will be active for 1 minute. Only one trap can be active at a time. It is instant cast with a cool down of 30 seconds.
What makes Snake Trap so potent is the fact that they are a huge annoyance to whatever the snakes are attacking. They have three different poisons: one causes damage over time, another slows spell casts, the third slows movement speed. A simple area effect can obliterate the snakes but once the poisons are applied, removing them one by one can become very tedious. You will see a lot of high end hunter’s using this ability, and likely often.
# - - Track Beasts - - >
This shows the location of all nearby beasts on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
This is the first of a handful of Trackers that you will learn as a Hunter, and it is quite a handy one, especially if you are looking for a specific beast to tame.
# - - Track Demons - - >
This shows the location of all nearby demons on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
This is just as handy as the other trackers, but the game’s demon population resides mostly within Kalimdor. They are not very common throughout the Eastern Kingdoms. Seeing how the Burning Legion has such a large role in Outland, demons are more abundant once you step foot into Hellfire Peninsula.
# - - Track Dragonkin - - >
This shows the location of all nearby dragonkin on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
Dragonkin are a very territorial breed of creatures. They reside in specific regions of the world, and tend to stay near other dragons of their individual colors.
# - - Track Elementals - - >
This shows the location of all nearby beasts on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
Being that elementals are a prominent source of Primals, Essences, and other materials vital to various crafts, they are often sought out and hunted regularly. This ability gives you the upper hand by allowing you to see them on your radar. You can be the first to strike with this one.
# - - Track Giants - - >
This shows the location of all nearby beasts on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
This ability exists despite the fact that giants are arguably the rarest of the different subspecies that exist throughout the world. This could very easily change in Wrath of the Lich King however.
# - - Track Hidden - - >
This greatly increases stealth detection and shows hidden units within detection range on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
This is used more for its stealth detection than its actual tracking since invisible units will only appear on the minimap if they are visible to you. This ability is easily thwarted by talents that reduce stealth detection, but against stealthy enemies, it is still a handy option for your radar.
# - - Track Humanoids - - >
This shows the location of all nearby humanoids on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
Humanoids are everywhere. They are extremely common, all players count as humanoids, and dungeons of all sizes are full of them. You will be using this more often than any other tracking ability, more than likely.
# - - Track Undead - - >
This shows the location of all nearby undead on the minimap. Only one form of tracking can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the 1.5 second global cool down.
Undead are very regional but if you see withered trees, broken ruins, desolate houses, cemeteries, or undead buildings, then you are guaranteed to run into them.
# - - Wing Clip - - >
This inflicts damage and reduces the enemy target's movement speed by 50% for 10 sec. It has a range of five yards, is instant cast, and is only affected by the global cool down.
Wing Clip is potent due to the fact that its speed reduction is greater than that of most movement impairing abilities in the game. Rank 3 shaves off 60% of your target’s speed, which gives you enough legroom to outrun most mobs and enemy players if you happen to get snared. This can be very useful.
# - - Wyvern Sting - - >
This is stinging shot that puts the target to sleep for 12 seconds. Any damage will cancel the effect. When the target wakes up, the Sting causes Nature damage over 12 sec. Only one Sting per Hunter can be active on the target at a time. It has a range of 5 to 35 yards, is instant cast, and has a cool down of two minutes. You may only use this ability if you have the talent that gives you the skill.
This Sting acts as both a form of crowd control as well as a fast acting poison. Twelve seconds may not seem like a lot of time but in PvP, it is just enough time to hold an enemy player down. It is also great for stopping anything that may try to flee, including players on mounts. The only problem is that anything that is immune to the sleep effect will not be inflicted with the poison. This can be tricky.
Hyacintha: Fascinating. Survival sounds like an essential part of game play, really.
Ohanraela: That is for sure. So much utility is there that you cannot help but notice the usefulness.
Hyacintha: So, what is next?
Ohanraela: Now we get into the final tree, which is Beast Mastery. This set contains abilities that are related to your pet, as well as an assortment of Aspects and several other support abilities.
# - - Beast Mastery - - >
# - - Aspect of the Beast - - >
The hunter takes on the aspects of a beast, becoming untrackable. Only one Aspect can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the global cool down.
This ability is so situational that you will almost never have to use this. What it does is make you not appear on the minimap when someone is tracking humanoids, which can be useful almost only if you happen to be hiding somewhere and need a moment to recover. Otherwise, this one is pretty pointless.
# - - Aspect of the Cheetah - - >
The hunter takes on the aspects of a cheetah, increasing movement speed by 30%. If the hunter takes damage, he will be dazed for 4 seconds. Only one Aspect can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the global cool down.
This Aspect makes life without a mount much easier, and it is also a great way to quickly run through towns and dungeons. It is additionally an important part of kiting, as it allows you to stay ahead of a dangerous mob. Just be careful not to get hit by anything while running around with this Aspect, or you will be dazed, which is never fun.
# - - Aspect of the Hawk - - >
The hunter takes on the aspects of a hawk, increasing ranged attack power by 20. Only one Aspect can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the global cool down.
This is your primary self-buff, which simply boosts your ranged attack power. This is the one Aspect that you will be using the most often. In fact, once you learn it, you will have it active nearly all the time.
# - - Aspect of the Monkey - - >
The hunter takes on the aspects of a monkey, increasing chance to dodge by 8%. Only one Aspect can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the global cool down.
This is the first of several Aspects that you will learn as you grow. At level 4, it is a vital ability since you have to withstand melee attacks with nothing that would help you get back into firing range. Once you have a pet to soak up damage, however, Hawk becomes your most active Aspect. Still, when you do have to go toe to toe with something, Monkey’s extra chance to dodge is much more beneficial than Hawk’s ranged attack power bonus. As most Aspects, this is very situational.
# - - Aspect of the Pack - - >
The hunter and group members within 30 yards take on the aspects of a pack of cheetahs, increasing movement speed by 30%. If a pack member takes damage, they will be dazed for 4 seconds. Only one Aspect can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the global cool down.
This is basically Aspect of the Cheetah for the whole party. It is great for running a group through long environments. Just remember to turn it off when your party runs into a fight, or you could be in trouble.
# - - Aspect of the Viper - - >
The hunter takes on the aspects of a viper, regenerating mana equal to up to 55% of his or her Intellect every 5 seconds. The lower the hunter's current mana, the more mana will be regenerated. Only one Aspect can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the global cool down.
Whenever max firepower is not needed, Viper is a good way to keep going for longer periods of time without having to sit and drink. As the tooltip indicates, it’s most effective when you’re low on mana, and works best if you have the Intellect for it, but it also gives you a Mana Tick equal to 35% of your level. At 70, this means having an instant 25 Mana per 5 seconds.
# - - Aspect of the Wild - - >
The hunter and group members within 30 yards take on the aspect of the wild, increasing Nature resistance by 45. Only one Aspect can be active at a time. It is instant cast and is only affected by the global cool down.
This works the same way as a Paladin aura. It helps during encounters that require Nature resistance but that’s not very common. One major problem with this Aspect is that its range is only 30 yards. With Hawk Eye, this is a massive 11 yard difference.
# - - Beast Lore - - >
This ability allows the hunter to gather information about the target beast. The tooltip will display damage, health, armor, any special resistances, and diet. In addition, Beast Lore will reveal whether or not the creature is able to be tamed and what abilities the tamed creature has. It has a range of 40 yards, is instant cast, and is only affected by the global cool down.
Beast Lore is more for fun than anything else, though it is good for finding out if a certain animal has pet abilities that you may need. For that alone, it is useful. It lasts thirty seconds.
# - - Bestial Wrath - - >
With this ability, you send your pet into a rage causing 50% additional damage for 18 sec. While enraged, the beast does not feel pity or remorse or fear and it cannot be stopped unless killed. It has a range of 100 yards, is instant cast, and only has a cool down of two minutes. However, in order to use it, you must have the respective talent in the Beast Mastery tree.
This ability is frightening, and not just because of the damage bonus. It is the fact that with several talents that increase your pet’s damage output, Bestial Wrath can turn your pet into a killing machine that cannot be stunned, feared, or crowd controlled in any way, shape, or form. It is especially lethal when combined with Intimidation.
# - - Eagle Eye - - >
Eagle Eye zooms in the hunter's vision. It is only usable outdoors and lasts 1 minute. It has a range of 50,000 yards, is instant cast, and is only affected by the global cool down.
Eagle Eye is good for those times when you want to get a nice open view of an area before you step into it, though it is only useable outdoors. For indoors, you can pick up an Ornate Spyglass to the same effect.
# - - Eyes of the Beast - - >
This ability lets you take direct control of your pet and see through its eyes for 1 minute. It has a range of 50,000 yards, a casting time of two seconds, and is only affected by the global cool down.
This ability is greatly useful for scouting if you have a fast or stealthy pet.
It is also a good way to dismiss your pet without having to lose Happiness through Dismiss Pet. It can be a lot of fun, too.
# - - Feed Pet - - >
Feed your pet the selected item. Feeding your pet increases happiness. Using food close to the pet's level will have a better result. This has a range of 10 yards, is instant cast, and is only affected by the global cool down of 1.5 seconds. Please note that in order to get this skill, you must complete a quest first.
Feeding your pet is important because their happiness affects loyalty and base damage. Each time you use Feed Pet, it gives your pet a ten second buff that increases its happiness over time, maxing at 35 Happiness per tick. However, if it takes damage, the buff goes away.
# - - Intimidation - - >
This allows you to command your pet to intimidate the target on the next successful melee attack, causing a high amount of threat and stunning the target for 3 seconds. It has a range of 100 yards, is instant cast, and has a cool down of one minute. It is only useable if you have the talent in the Beast Mastery tree.
You use this as you would with an interrupt ability. The high threat is nice but the real kicker is that stun that comes with it. Even though the effect only occurs on the next melee attack, Cobra Reflexes and Serpent’s Swiftness can help speed up the process. It is a nice little combo you can create.
# - - Kill Command - - >
With Kill Command, you do just that. You give the command to kill, causing your pet to instantly attack for an additional amount of damage. It can only be used after the Hunter lands a critical strike on the target. The range is 45 yards, the casting time is instant, and it has a cool down of five seconds.
From the moment you land a critical hit, you have just five seconds to hit the Kill Command button. For what it is, Kill Command causes a decent amount of damage. It also counts towards your pet’s damage, which means that whatever threat that this ability causes is attributed to your pet. This is an especially important ability if you are planning on building up on Beast Mastery talents. Note that silencing effects will prevent you from using this., so watch out.
# - - Mend Pet - - >
Mend Pet heals your pet for so much health over 15 seconds. It has a range of 20 yards, is instant cast, and is only affected by the global cool down.
This ability will help keep your pet alive during intensive fights, and it heals for quite a bit. At Rank 8, it heals for a respectable 475 health per tick. This spell is unaffected by healing bonuses, so there is no point on trying to get them.
# - - Revive Pet - - >
This allows you to revive your pet, returning it to life with 15% of its health. It takes 10 seconds to cast, is affected by the global cool down, and is only received if you complete the quest for it.
This spell is very costly but that is the price you must pay for letting your faithful companion die. Unlike Paladins and Priests, you can actually use this ability while in combat. It is usually not recommended that you try to do that, but, it is a possibility if the need arises and you really need your pet back out (such as in a boss fight where you need the max amount of damage output possible).
# - - Scare Beast - - >
This scares a beast, causing it to run in fear for up to 10 sec. Damage caused may interrupt the effect. Only one beast can be feared at a time. This skill has a range of 30 yards, is instant cast, and has a cool down of 30 seconds.
Even though Scare Beast is only limited to beasts, there are enough of them in the game to make this ability worthwhile. It also works wonders against Druid, much to their dismay.
Hyacintha: Wow, you hunters really have some crazy in depth skills. But, I think that your great descriptions have really cleared up quite a bit of the fogginess that sometimes surrounds hunter players and their play style.
Ohanraela: The most important part of being a hunter is understanding what your skills are for. Most hunters mix up Scorpid Sting and Serpent Sting. Some do not even realize there is a different, or than they have both. It is key to know what your arsenal is so you can really and truly utilize it. Without this knowledge, you really will be one of those newbie hunters that people do not want to party with.
Hyacintha: Well thank you, miss Ohanraela, for all your help here. Look for more guides on things like talent descriptions, character set ups, gear, pets, and so on and so forth. There is so much more to go over with this very deep and interesting class. We have only brushed the surface!
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