Hunters are adventurers that have followed the call of the wild into adventured and managed to endure. This stalwart class have become one with nature, able to tame wild beasts to fight at their side. However, these beasts are not just weapons, they are also the Hunter's most reliable companion. This animal companion, willing to fight and die for their master, is the true mark of a Hunter.

One with the outdoors, the Hunter also knows how to make use of various traps to help defeat and confound their enemies. Besides traps, Hunters have various utility skills such as providing group wide buffs and the ability to help mange aggro. Despite their many uses, Hunters are a pure DPS class. They can't tank or heal, bu they can DPS and they are true masters of it.

Current Expansion: Warlords of Draenor

Choosing the Hunter

Hunters are a ranged DPS class that rely on their survival skills, as well as their bow or rifle, to remain alive. Able to tame mighty beasts as allies, the Hunter never walks alone. As the sole non-magical ranged damage dealer in the game, playing the Hunter is a unique experience.

Don't think that just because they lack the magic of Mages or Warlocks that the Hunter is in any way handicapped. With a variety of shots and stings to launch at the enemy, Hunters are true damage machines. Besides doing damage, Hunters are also capable of laying traps to deal damage and/or slow their enemies down.

Players wishing to choose the Hunter will have a variety of race options on both Horde and Alliance sides. Race options for Hunters include: Draenei, Dwarf, Human, Night Elf, Worgen, Blood Elf, Goblin, Orc, Tauren, Troll, and Undead.

Hunter Core Abilities

Hunters are able to wear several types of armor including: Cloth, Leather, and Mail. However, most Hunters tend to prefer to stick to Mail, with perhaps a scattering of Leather pieces thrown in. Mail armor allows the Hunter to take a hit, while still remaining mobile.

When it comes to weapons, Hunters typically stick to guns, crossbows, or bows. However, this class can use almost every weapon type, except for one. The wand is unusable for Hunters, who do not have a single magical bone in their bodies. This disproves the theory that every weapon is a Hunter weapon.

Every Hunter comes with a core set of abilities that are common to the class. These abilities are distinctive and tend to define what makes a Hunter a Hunter. Examples of these abilities are: Feign Death, Aspect of the Cheetah, Snake Trap, Misdirect, and Freezing Trap.

Hunter Focus

When using many of their abilities or skills, Hunters use a resource unique to their class. This resource is called Focus. Focus, unlike other class resources, is not replenished by either food or drink. Instead, it replenishes itself naturally over a period of time. While quite a few abilities will require Focus to use, many abilities are also totally free such as Mend Pet.

Hunter Pets

Hunter pets are perhaps the most important tool and weapon of the Hunter. Unlike vanity or companion pets, these pets can be used when the Hunter engages mobs or other players in the game. Hunter pets serve many purposes such as; extra DPS, tanks, and even aggro-management. No matter your specialization, if you are a Hunter, it is advisable to always have a pet by your side.

Pets are so important, Hunters now start with one at level one. Pets at this level are base don the user's race. At level 10, the Hunter gets his or her first real chance to control their pet. While Hunters may tame multiple pets, with four in the new Call Pet UI and 50 others allowed to be housed in the stables, only one pet can be active at a time.

Hunter Specialization

As the Hunter levels up they will eventually be asked to pick one of three distinct specializations: Beast Mastery, Marksmanship, and Survival. Beast Mastery Hunters find a new level of oneness with their pets, while Marksman Hunters do extra damage with their ranged attacked. Survival Hunters shouldn't be forgotten, as they add extra utility to any raid with their improved traps.

Each spec will give the Hunter a unique and different game play experience. Players should feel free to pick whichever specialization best suits their personal play style. Every Hunter spec is currently considered viable in game. Choose just one or try them all to mix things up!


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Last Updated: Mar 13, 2016

About The Author

Amunet, also fondly known as Memtron, is an organic life form best known for its ongoing obsession with Blizzard Entertainment's numerous properties. To that end, Amu has authored hundreds (thousands?) of the most popular World of Warcraft guides, editorials, and Top 10 lists on the planet. When not gaming and writing, Amu is busy chasing after her three children in a perpetual loop of ongoing disaster.

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