Lo-Quality WoW

Lots of posts today. It’s okay, nobody is reading anyway. It’s like talking to my cats except I can pass off typing on the computer as work. I can’t quite do the same when talking to furry creatures that only acknowledge me at dinnertime. They’ve been talking about the class changes coming in 3.1 and while I don’t feel qualified to discuss most of them, I do think the hunter changes need to be looked at.
Consumable ammunition has been removed from the game. Arrows and bullets no longer stack, but are not consumed. Ranged attack speed bonus gained from quivers and ammo bags will be preserved in a different capacity.

Now that’s a big change if I ever heard one. No more consumed ammo? A very big deal for hunters. First, it’ll free up a bag slot. Unlike most other classes, Hunters had to use a slot as a quiver/pouch. The only other class really like that is Warlocks and their soul shards. (Which I think they should just make a stackable consumable.) And if you were silly enough to use another slot for a profession specific bag, well, your loot storage went way, way down. Now if Mudgie had some sort of storage bag himself, that would have been different but either way, having to dedicate a bag slot always limited hunters.

Second, no more running out of ammo. Which I actually consider a minor advantage because you have to be doing something rather odd to normally run out of ammo. For instance, my quiver has 28 slots. Each slot holds 200 arrows. That’s 5,600 arrows. The most I’ve ever shot without restocking was around 4,000 arrows in a Karazhan that just would not end. (Which is a story for another time.) Most runs will allow some sort of break at some point, if only to let the tank to repair, which should give you some time to get some more ammo. Don’t ask me what the hunter who ran out of ammo two bosses in was doing with their free time.

Third, the cost, which I think is almost bigger than the first point. As one of my guildmates once called it, hunters are “shooting coins” all the time. On a normal day of goofing around I shoot about 1k rounds. Add in a heroic or a raid or five and the number starts piling up. That’s in addition to repairs to gear. And if you’re preferred shot was one of the adamantite versions? You either better be an engineer, good friends with one, or you spent a lot of time in the auction house, squirreling away extra ones in your banks, just in case the AH ran out.

Fourth, the issues with ammo management itself. Using Timeless Arrows? Well, there’s only a few specific places you can buy those. Carrying “cheap” ammo for mobs and the “real” ammo for bosses? You need to remember to switch, otherwise you’re pinging Loken with your little Wicked Arrow. And heaven forbid you would run out of one but not the other. So, big change? I personally think so.

A new tier of hunter pet talents have been added. In particular, this allows Beastmaster hunters to improve their damage per second (DPS) with their 51 point talent.

I don’t play a BM hunter but to me this is a good way to bump BM damage back up without messing with either SV or MM like they did when they messed with steady shot. And depending on what they do with the extra tier, it could really make it worth it for the BM’s to get that last 51 point, which as I understand, most BM’s are skipping.

Hunting Party – this talent has been reduced to 3 ranks and also grants a passive bonus to the hunter.

Well, quite a few SV’s have reduced their points in this talent to 3 or less anyway. Assuming a 33/66/100% percentage proc, may reduce the number of points in there even less. It will all depend on what passive bonus they’re giving.

Piercing Shots – this talent has been changed. Your Aimed, Steady and Chimera Shots cause the target to bleed for 10/20/30% of damage dealt for 8 sec.

It’s been a long time since I’ve played a MM but this changes should be interesting. The fact that it’s a bleed effect brings it more in line with some talents from other classes. Depending on your shot rotation, the application of the effect may be sporadic. But should be an interesting kick up to MM dps.

Sniper Training – this talent has been changed. After standing still for 6 sec, you gain a 2/4/6% damage bonus to Steady, Aimed and Explosive Shot.

Hmm, going all sorts of places with the definition of a “sniper”. For me, a “sniper” designation emphasizes the long range shot. To me, this would fit more with something to the Aimed shot actually. But beyond semantics, I’m not entirely sure how often I’m standing still for 6 seconds. The Keristrasza fight comes to mind off-hand. Other fights often have you moving out of some effect or eating a big chuck of damage that you have to hope your healer sees. A good knockback can just mess up this up. And how many times has a tank done something weird and suddenly my target is out of LoS, prompting an adjustment? I’m not particularly happy with this one. If anything, this one will more than likely cause a few of my points to migrate around.

We are also looking to add additional trap functionality to Survival.

Well, I don’t trap dance but I still use traps quite a bit. Guess it depends on what that functionality is. Is it new traps? New tricks to old traps? Who knows? May be good, may be bad.

So, I can see this changing my play style a little. I’ll still take a wait and see attitude but these are my initial impressions. Now to wander off and see what other people are saying.