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. Key updates include customizable pet specializations, a solo-pet option for Beast Mastery, and the complete removal of pets for Marksmanship Hunters. These changes are slated for release in Patch 11.1, tentatively scheduled for February, barring significant alterations based on player feedback during the PTR testing phase early next year.
The "Undermined" update introduces a new raid, "Liberation of Undermine," set in the Goblin capital, continuing the storyline from The War Within and culminating in a confrontation with Chrome King Gallywix.
Hunter Pet and Specialization Changes:
Hunters gain the ability to switch pet specializations (Cunning, Ferocity, Tenacity) at the stables, offering flexibility with their companions. Beast Mastery Hunters can now choose to utilize a single, more powerful pet instead of two. Marksmanship Hunters undergo a significant rework, losing their pet entirely and gaining a Spotting Eagle that marks targets for increased damage. The Pack Leader hero talent is also revamped, summoning a bear, boar, and wyvern simultaneously during combat.
Community Reaction and PTR Testing:
Player reception to these changes is mixed. The pet specialization and Beast Mastery solo-pet options are generally well-received, but the Marksmanship rework has proven controversial, with many players expressing concern over the loss of the pet, a core element of the Hunter class fantasy. Similarly, the fixed Pack Leader summon is not universally popular.
Crucially, these changes are still subject to revision. Players will have the opportunity to test and provide feedback on the Patch 11.1 PTR early next year.
Detailed Class Changes (Patch 11.1):
Hunter:
- Kindling Flare: Increased flare radius by 50%.
- Territorial Instincts: Reduced Intimidation cooldown by 10 seconds; removed pet summon requirement.
- Wilderness Medicine: Increased Natural Mending cooldown reduction by 0.5 seconds.
- No Hard Feelings: Reduced Misdirection cooldown by 5 seconds.
- Roar of Sacrifice (Marksmanship only): Pet protects a friendly target from critical strikes for 12 seconds; disables Spotting Eagle's mark during activation.
- Intimidation (Marksmanship): Line-of-sight requirement removed; uses Spotting Eagle.
- Explosive Shot: Increased projectile speed.
- Eyes of the Beast: Learned only by Survival and Beast Mastery Hunters.
- Eagle Eye: Learned only by Marksmanship Hunters.
- Freezing Trap: Break condition changed to a damage threshold.
- Tooltip updates for Roar of Sacrifice, Wilderness Medicine, and No Hard Feelings to reflect Marksmanship specialization.
Hero Talents (Hunter):
- Dark Ranger: Withering Fire updated to trigger from Black Arrow casts during Trueshot/Bestial Wrath; removed auto-fire Black Arrow functionality. Bleak Powder cone damage fixed.
- Pack Leader: Replaced with "Howl of the Pack Leader," summoning a bear, wyvern, or boar every 30 seconds (cooldown reduction talents available). Numerous new talents added, including Ursine Fury, Envenomed Fangs, Fury of the Wyvern, and Hogstrider. Several talents removed.
- Sentinel: Lunar Storm damage, radius, and duration increased; cooldown increased to 30 seconds; initial damage added; visual and aura effects updated; slow target tracking added.
Beast Mastery:
- New talents: Dire Cleave, Poisoned Barbs, Solitary Companion.
- Stomp damage updated.
- Serpent Sting and Barrage damage increased; Barrage focus cost reduced.
- Alpha Predator damage calculation changed.
- Hunter's Prey Kill Shots updated.
- Dire Command chance reduced.
- Dire Beast visual and summoning effects updated.
- Dire Frenzy updated; Basilisk Collar removed.
Marksmanship:
- New abilities: Harrier's Cry, Manhunter, Eyes in the Sky (Spotting Eagle).
- Numerous new talents added, focusing on Spotter's Mark and Aimed Shot enhancements. Many talents removed. Significant changes to Precise Shots, Trueshot, Streamline, and other core abilities.
Survival:
- New talent: Cull the Herd.
- New talent: Born to Kill.
- Frenzy Strikes, Merciless Blow, Alpha Predator, and Tactical Advantage updated.
- Flanking Strike and Butchery now on a choice node.
- Exposed Flank removed.
Player vs. Player (PvP):
- New PvP talents added for Hunter, Beast Mastery, and Marksmanship. Several PvP talents removed.
This detailed overview provides a comprehensive summary of the Hunter class changes in World of Warcraft Patch 11.1. Remember to participate in PTR testing to influence the final implementation.
