World of Warcraft Patch 11.1: Hunter Class Overhaul
Patch 11.1 of World of Warcraft introduces significant changes to the Hunter class, impacting pet management, specializations, and overall gameplay. These changes, while subject to player feedback during the PTR testing phase early next year, are expected to launch with the patch, potentially in February.
Key Changes Summarized:
- Pet Specialization Changes: Hunters can now alter their pet's specialization (Cunning, Ferocity, or Tenacity) at the stables. This flexibility extends to all pets, allowing for customized pairings.
- Beast Mastery Overhaul: Beast Mastery Hunters can now choose to utilize a single, more powerful pet, enhancing its damage and size.
- Marksmanship Transformation: Marksmanship Hunters will no longer utilize a traditional pet. Instead, they'll be aided by a Spotting Eagle, marking targets for increased damage.
- Undermine and the Liberation of Undermine Raid: Patch 11.1 introduces the Undermine storyline continuation and a raid against Chrome King Gallywix.
Detailed Hunter Class Changes:
The core alterations affect all three Hunter specializations:
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Beast Mastery: The "Solitary Companion" talent allows for a single, significantly buffed pet. Several abilities, including Serpent Sting and Barrage, receive damage boosts. The Dire Beast visual effects and summoning animation have been enhanced. Several talents have been removed or redesigned to streamline the specialization.
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Marksmanship: This specialization undergoes a complete rework, removing the pet entirely and introducing the Spotting Eagle mechanic. New abilities like Harrier's Cry (a party-wide haste buff) and Manhunter (applying Grievous Injury on Aimed Shot) are added. The talent tree is extensively revised, with many new talents and the removal of others to support the new sharpshooter focus.
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Survival: While retaining its core gameplay, Survival sees adjustments to talents and abilities to improve rotational clarity and reduce cognitive load. The choice between Butchery and Flanking Strike is now mutually exclusive. Several talents have been removed or redesigned to streamline the specialization.
General Hunter Changes:
Numerous abilities across all specializations receive adjustments, including Kindling Flare, Territorial Instincts, Wilderness Medicine, and No Hard Feelings. The Pack Leader hero talent is completely overhauled, replacing it with "Howl of the Pack Leader," summoning a bear, wyvern, and boar to aid the Hunter. Several other talents are removed or redesigned across all three specializations.
Player Feedback and PTR Testing:
Blizzard emphasizes that these changes are still subject to adjustment based on community feedback. The PTR (Public Test Realm) will open early next year, providing players the opportunity to test the changes and provide feedback to Blizzard. This feedback will be crucial in shaping the final implementation of the Hunter class changes in Patch 11.1.
