http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/...r/changes.html

I like the look of it as theory. It seems like it will work out to break even. Do you think Blizzard will mess it up or it will be good?

Seems all around positive. Decreasing the weighted value placed on slow weapons, increasing itemization options, and making Aimed Shot more of a burst/pvp weapon than an absolute must-spec. I don't play a Hunter, but if I did I think I'd be happy.

i guess this branch of discussion couldnt have fit in this thread: http://forums.elitistjerks.com/viewtopic.php?id=8811

Well, it'll add some skill to playing a hunter, and removes a lot of the drawbacks of the old system. I worry that it's a little too much like simplified rogue/warrior mechanics (AS -> Auto -> simple -> auto -> arcane -> auto -> simple -> etc...) but that's something for the class devs to look at and decide.

Being able to drop traps at will while in combat will do wonders for hunter utility. That's a huge change.

Misdirection looks HUGE for tank transitions as well as allowing a hunter and even all classes to "open up" at the start of the fight sooner as the MT builds up some good hate.

I'd say that these changes were well worth the wait for hunters!

That's actually one of the things I'm happiest about. FD and Trap being unlinked gives us lot more flexibility. Hunters will become MUCH more effective at providing Crowd Control options in five-man groups.

The changes to Aimed Shot and the addition of Steady Shot completely eliminate the "one bow to rule them all" restrictions that I've always chafed under.

And finally, FINALLY, I can justifiably spec Beast Mastery again and not feel like a gimp.

Hunter scaling still sucks ass :(

We go from scaling 100% based on weapon DPS (but moderated by weapon speed) and 100% based on attack power, to scaling ~50% of weapon DPS (still moderated by weapon speed, just two different valid speeds now) and 126% based on attack power.

There will always be an optimal rotation, based on weapon and spec. The big difference with the hunter changes is that there's now more than one possible rotation. Before it was only Multi-Shot and Aimed Shot. Now there's Arcane Shot, Steady Shot, Multi-Shot, and Kill Command that need to be worked in, in addition to the all the semi-passive proccing abilities. Rapid Fire also radically changes a hunter's shot selection and rotation while it is active.

As a side note, does Kill Command use the universal cooldown?

i'm stoked beyond belief for the expansion, and these changes are a big part of it. i've been saying for a while that the biggest change hunters needed from a mechanical perspective was a fix for aimed shot, and we're getting it. there's still some tweaking that needs to be done, but from a PVP and PVE perspective, hunters are getting so much cool stuff. traps in combat, a REAL instant damage spell we can use while kiting, etc.

I love mostly (while not being a hunter) the fact that hunters are -insanely- mobile now. The only casting time ability you have is Steady and that's only 1.5.

I forsee a lot of kiting in your future.

While I love all the changes I think blizz missed 1 crucial thing which would round out hunters perfectly. An instant cast Pet HoT and an instant cast Pet Flash heal. Thats just about all we'd need to keep our pets alive without sacrificing any DPS at all, besides MP costs. Would have been decent as BM Talents, a pet hot and a pet swift mend right below it.

On the other hand I really like everything else, it's the one whiny thing I had to get out, now that I'm pretty much taken aback by the talents and don't care so much about the aimed shot changes.

Do Intimidation and Bestial Wrath trigger UC? I imagine the answer's the same.

I am totally fucked.

Well, we haven't seen pet abilities.

I think this, specificly, is something we're going to see (since that other stuff was confirmed fake).

Yeah, this is why my hunter alt will stay sub 70. Always.