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Hunter Party RoleFollow
So far, all of the hunters I have talked to have said that they are never sure what their role in a party is. I'm assuming that it's to stand back and shoot things, so a damage dealing class. Anyone have any ideas on this?
This is pure guesswork so take it with a grain of salt seeing how I haven't been in many parties as a Hunter yet...
Hunters fill 2 roles in a most parties. Since they have access to ranged weapons from the start and the various 'Track X' abilities, they make ideal pullers in many cases. They can also play damage dealer given their broad amount of ranged weapon skills they can sit back and shoot stuff. This also includes several debuffs/DOTs although some are more helpful to the Hunter than other players(IE: Hunter's Mark).
Of course, there's other stuff to consider. Other classes get ranged stuff (most notably Rogues who also work well as pullers. Warriors get access to guns too with training I believe). Then there's the pet. How it's used depends on the party's make up but in some party configurations the pet can be used to tank if a warrior isn't available. How well is a matter of talent builds since I've heard that past 40 the pet's ability to tank starts to suck. Since the pet can be used to tank, it could also be used as crowd control to keep adds off the main tank.
Hunters fill 2 roles in a most parties. Since they have access to ranged weapons from the start and the various 'Track X' abilities, they make ideal pullers in many cases. They can also play damage dealer given their broad amount of ranged weapon skills they can sit back and shoot stuff. This also includes several debuffs/DOTs although some are more helpful to the Hunter than other players(IE: Hunter's Mark).
Of course, there's other stuff to consider. Other classes get ranged stuff (most notably Rogues who also work well as pullers. Warriors get access to guns too with training I believe). Then there's the pet. How it's used depends on the party's make up but in some party configurations the pet can be used to tank if a warrior isn't available. How well is a matter of talent builds since I've heard that past 40 the pet's ability to tank starts to suck. Since the pet can be used to tank, it could also be used as crowd control to keep adds off the main tank.
Scholar
32 posts
I think you'll find that there's no single answer to your question, and with good reason: Hunters are versatile characters.
Depending on your group size and configuration, Hunters can help fill in gaps that might otherwise be present. Sure, Hunters are great at ranged attacks -- this is obvious, but a good player will try to push beyond this role.
I should probably preface these remarks with the fact that I did not play in the beta (damn work!) and am currently playing a Hunter in the mid-teen levels at the time of this posting.
* Puller: Pretty obvious. Ranged attacks, ability to zoom in for a better peek, etc.
* Damage Dealer: Also obvious.
* For a group where every other character is a caster, you and your pet will basically be "the tank". Because there are two of you, it allows you to do some crowd control in case you pull too many, or spawns come up while you're beating your current victim down. Sure, you're not wearing mail, but you can melee a lot better than, say, a priest or a mage. And, if you have a priest as one of your tissue-paper groupmates, you'll be able to tank mobs with room to spare.
* For a well-rounded group, you'll probably be helping with crowd control. Extra adds will get your pet (or you!) to distract it off your caster groupmates. You'll also be helping put things down faster with your gun or bow, and snaring critters so they don't run away and bring back some friends before you're ready for them.
* Camp breaker: Two Hunters in a group with a healer makes for a <i>fantastic</i> spawn breaking group. Recently, another Hunter, a priest and I were bumming around in the human lands, and the camps we were needing to hit for our quests were spawning 3-5 mobs in close proximity -- and were 1-3 levels higher than the average level of the group. Putting pets on the lower level mobs while the two hunters shot, then tanked, the higher of the spawn camp, had us clearing these camps in short order with few concerns about the our safety. Sure, sometimes one of the pets bit it -- but hey, that's what pet rez is for!
So, for a class that doesn't seem to get buffs or heals or uber-tanking capabilities like the warrior, Hunters seem to do all right. The less you get into a mindset that Hunters are "only" supposed to do one or two things, the more you'll have fun, and the more you'll contribute to your group's successes. Versatility is a powerful weapon in the hands of the right player!
Sureshot, Dwarven Hunter
Aegidis, Dwarven Paladin
Silver Hand
Edited, Sat Nov 27 21:59:41 2004 by vikeshta
Depending on your group size and configuration, Hunters can help fill in gaps that might otherwise be present. Sure, Hunters are great at ranged attacks -- this is obvious, but a good player will try to push beyond this role.
I should probably preface these remarks with the fact that I did not play in the beta (damn work!) and am currently playing a Hunter in the mid-teen levels at the time of this posting.
* Puller: Pretty obvious. Ranged attacks, ability to zoom in for a better peek, etc.
* Damage Dealer: Also obvious.
* For a group where every other character is a caster, you and your pet will basically be "the tank". Because there are two of you, it allows you to do some crowd control in case you pull too many, or spawns come up while you're beating your current victim down. Sure, you're not wearing mail, but you can melee a lot better than, say, a priest or a mage. And, if you have a priest as one of your tissue-paper groupmates, you'll be able to tank mobs with room to spare.
* For a well-rounded group, you'll probably be helping with crowd control. Extra adds will get your pet (or you!) to distract it off your caster groupmates. You'll also be helping put things down faster with your gun or bow, and snaring critters so they don't run away and bring back some friends before you're ready for them.
* Camp breaker: Two Hunters in a group with a healer makes for a <i>fantastic</i> spawn breaking group. Recently, another Hunter, a priest and I were bumming around in the human lands, and the camps we were needing to hit for our quests were spawning 3-5 mobs in close proximity -- and were 1-3 levels higher than the average level of the group. Putting pets on the lower level mobs while the two hunters shot, then tanked, the higher of the spawn camp, had us clearing these camps in short order with few concerns about the our safety. Sure, sometimes one of the pets bit it -- but hey, that's what pet rez is for!
So, for a class that doesn't seem to get buffs or heals or uber-tanking capabilities like the warrior, Hunters seem to do all right. The less you get into a mindset that Hunters are "only" supposed to do one or two things, the more you'll have fun, and the more you'll contribute to your group's successes. Versatility is a powerful weapon in the hands of the right player!
Sureshot, Dwarven Hunter
Aegidis, Dwarven Paladin
Silver Hand
Edited, Sat Nov 27 21:59:41 2004 by vikeshta
3 posts
i totally agree - its all about versatility. ive been in groups of different set ups and my role was basically to do whatever needs to be done. once i was with a druid and a priest all of us level 18, and we took out (on 2 occasions) a level 20 elite by sending my pet in with growl to take the agro while we all healed him from a distance (i occasionally got a shot off). it was totally rediculous but it was the only way that worked. so keep an open mind about what you can do as the hunter.
2 posts
Hunters fit many roles in partys. Hunters, like Igtenos said, do have many roles. They fill in all lower level party gaps. Many uses, but to me the best uses there are. This is pretty obvious though.
* Puller: No, you are not that great of a puller, that is not how you will work in a party. You are risking yourself to aggro in a zone alone because of the animal tagging along. In many scenarios I have to dismiss my pet to get around properly, such as the gnomeregen elevator. If I make a mistake and the elevator goes down my pet will run all around the top room and i'm just risking death. Zoom in is worthless to me, I feel that a rogues sap or the tank pulling is more efficent because one can take hits and the other can prevent links.
* Damage Dealer: This is not obvious, we are not speaking to pros Vik. I've seen many to few hunters use aimed shot, but it is Excellent. I cannot stress it enough when you do 450 + aimed shot critical hits and still doing over 200 to things around your level even if it is read, "Elite." We are great damage dealers I hate to burst a rogues bubble or something, but i've experienced all jobs and Hunters hands down are high up on the DD pull. I have a rogue friend who wants to play hunter because of how "overpowered" it seems to him. Also, Feign Death is a MUST to reset hate if you are over powering. I've grabbed hates in the instance gnomeregen with two level thirty seven paladins at level 32! And yes they are intelligent with top notch gear.
* Caster-Hunter Parties: We send in our pet and spam growl, if you are levleing up and you don't have a higher level DD ability, it's called claw I believe can't think ATM, then you might not want to waste your pets abilitys and just spam growl if you are killing slowly. With a caster you should have no problem, though.
* Well rounded group: Ah, yes, you will be taking on the links and supporting Direct damage unless your pet grabs hate. Then you are a slave to the mend pet. Wing Clip gives a melee slow on runners while concussion ranged if no one can catch it.
* Camp breaker: Meh, Vik covered this part. Send in pet and get on the big guy or take out guards, either way you are beyond efficent here. Links are the love of the hunter =) Rogues enjoy them too. Sap abuser =3
* Puller: No, you are not that great of a puller, that is not how you will work in a party. You are risking yourself to aggro in a zone alone because of the animal tagging along. In many scenarios I have to dismiss my pet to get around properly, such as the gnomeregen elevator. If I make a mistake and the elevator goes down my pet will run all around the top room and i'm just risking death. Zoom in is worthless to me, I feel that a rogues sap or the tank pulling is more efficent because one can take hits and the other can prevent links.
* Damage Dealer: This is not obvious, we are not speaking to pros Vik. I've seen many to few hunters use aimed shot, but it is Excellent. I cannot stress it enough when you do 450 + aimed shot critical hits and still doing over 200 to things around your level even if it is read, "Elite." We are great damage dealers I hate to burst a rogues bubble or something, but i've experienced all jobs and Hunters hands down are high up on the DD pull. I have a rogue friend who wants to play hunter because of how "overpowered" it seems to him. Also, Feign Death is a MUST to reset hate if you are over powering. I've grabbed hates in the instance gnomeregen with two level thirty seven paladins at level 32! And yes they are intelligent with top notch gear.
* Caster-Hunter Parties: We send in our pet and spam growl, if you are levleing up and you don't have a higher level DD ability, it's called claw I believe can't think ATM, then you might not want to waste your pets abilitys and just spam growl if you are killing slowly. With a caster you should have no problem, though.
* Well rounded group: Ah, yes, you will be taking on the links and supporting Direct damage unless your pet grabs hate. Then you are a slave to the mend pet. Wing Clip gives a melee slow on runners while concussion ranged if no one can catch it.
* Camp breaker: Meh, Vik covered this part. Send in pet and get on the big guy or take out guards, either way you are beyond efficent here. Links are the love of the hunter =) Rogues enjoy them too. Sap abuser =3
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