2 thingsFollow

2 things I never see other Hunters doing in Battlegrounds

1) Sending your pet after enemy players at the farthest possible range (that being about the same as Hunter's Mark) while you stay well out of range and out of sight.

It's sneaky, most players don't bother to try to DpS your pet (since they assume you are coming too) and I've raked in many a kill in this way. If your pet gets in trouble? Just back up a few steps and *poof* it desummons and you can call pet back to your side with full health again.

2) Setting up ambush points at buildings and bottlenecks.

For examples inside a tower: flare in the entry and trap on the inside corner of the ramp. At bottlenecks Flare the opening and a trap on the inside, pet hiding behind the wall on aggressive.. I've shut down waves of attackers with this stuff.

Not to mention it's horribly fun to use Drums of Panic on those caster groups in the back, especially Warlocks and Spriest who are mid-casting fear. I couldn't begin to count the WTFkeyboard turns I get as reaction.

Slick tricks and wicked moves! I'd love to hear some of your stories about the crazy *smurf* you do in PvP on your Hunter.

I'm gonna work in reverse order, and I have a reason...



I actually see hunters doing this a lot. Whenever I have the flag on my faction's roof in WSG, and there's a hunter with us, the hunter drops freeze/frost (i cant tell them apart by their name, the ice block one) and flare. This is a great idea and a way to maximize the potential of the hunter's abilities.



This just pisses me off when hunters do this, as it's one of the most cowardly things they can do. It costs no mana, requires no gearing or speccing right, and even no thinking (and if you're a NE you can even be shadowmelded in the process); you can run away faster than most people unless they mount up (which you can't do in combat, so you can usually escape first), and there's virtually no way they'll kill your pet if you play like that.
It's as bad as hunters that "kite" by sicking their pet on you and running. If you DPS their pet, they DPS you, and if you chase them, they run. It's not like they actually kite (i.e. strafe/jump shots) they just run away. Learn to kite or just melee, don't just run like a panzy.

Edited, Jan 19th 2008 12:45am by skribs

I'll add my own, although I'm sure other people may disagree to what I'm about to say.

1) Snake Traps against melee.

Now before you say anything, just let me explain why. Freezing Trap in a BG is easily dispellable, and it's mostly done by your own team hitting the person that's being trapped. Frost Trap is in a general area. Kiting them around it might be easy enough, but get enough warriors with their charges and intercepts, and your frost trap becomes almost useless.

Snake Trap on the other hand, often hits them with crippling poison, much like a rogues. The snakes also follow them for a very long range, and keep them constantly poisoned. No Rogue or Warrior would waste their time trying to target every single one killing them, they're more interested in catching up to you, and killing you first.

This is also very affective against rogues (aside from the occasional dwarf rogue who uses their racial), because your snakes also tend to poison them. They vanish with a nice poison dot on them, and they show up a second later. Hardly anyone expects a snake trap, but they are very handy against the melee.

Casters are obviously another story, and I only tend to lay them out against Priests, Druids, and Shamans. Occassionally it works against a Warlock too, if they are surrounded by a bunch of people, and Hellfire isn't their best option. But if there's a mage or a paladin in the mix, I won't even use Snake Traps.


2) Kill The Pet

Yes I'm that prick who will target your pet over you. I'm the A-hole that actively searches for the Warlock or Hunter pet and kills them. I hate your pet, I know that if you're Demo/BM Spec you're worthless without your pet, and I want to kill your pet so bad it hurts.


3) Abuse the Dispel

Much like my priest, I love to dispel people in a BG. There's nothing better then watching a Priest put up a brand new bubble only to have it taken away in one shot. Same goes for the rest of their buffs though, the more they have the more fun it is watching them try to re-apply them while I'm firing off Arcane Shots. For some reason Alliance Paladins are notorious for constantly rebuffing themselves if their blessings are dispelled. I'm not sure why they feel the need to constantly have that buff on them, even though I just dispel it a second later, but it doesn't hurt me any. I'm dealing damage while dispeling you at the same time.


4) Grenade!

I make grenades and bombs just to mess with people in a BG. I'm an engineer and you're damn straight I'm going to abuse every item I have to kick your a**. There's nothing more fun then tossing out a Frost Grenade and having it act just like a Frost Nova from a mage, except it's a hunter doing it to you. Followed closely by a shot from my Goblin Rocket Launcher, and I can't stop laughing. Engineering is by far one of the most rewarding professions in a BG. We get so many toys ^_^

Actually, Lori, it is a retarded tactic. There's a difference between standing still, and being useful. Staying at max viewrange, just letting your pet do your job for you, while you desperately watch for incoming enemies so you can tuck your tail among your legs and run is pointless.

Hell yes I send in my pet as soon as I can. Two reasons depending on situation:
He's prowled and I want him to reach his target. It's far towards the target, but I want those spells interrupted as fast as possible.

However, I'll be right behind him. I am not close enough, unless my keys start lighting up, indicating that I'm in range to deal out some hurt. Not to mention actually be useful to my team mates, by using my repertoir of CC or damage/spell interruption and so on. You know.. instead of staying at max viewrange, cowering like a little **** that fails to realize he is just a pitiful leecher.

We have so many tools to get back into range, and to kite an enemy, that the "tactic" as you call it completely fails to be relevant to anyone with even a slight inkling about PvP.

Stop being a cowardly little ****, and get your hands dirty.

getting into shooting range and killing your opponent in seconds > staying far away and killing an opponent in minutes.


plus, any not braindead player will realise after 10 seconds that there is no hunter yet and beat up the pet in under 5 seconds.
(seriously, ~5.5k hp and 7k armor doesnt survive that long.)
If the hunter then gets rid of his pet by running away you simply eat and get back to fighting...

That's the whole point of "Kiting". You don't have to "strafe/jump shot" to kite at all. The whole idea is to keep your target as far away from you as possible while you DPS them down.

I wouldn't expect a hunter to run up and melee against a warrior just because their pet is taking a little damage. We are ranged fighters... haven't you figured that out by now?

Something I like to do while defending an area is to set my pet in a bush or behind a structure some where obstructed from sight. I back away to about max shooting range from my pet. I try to position myself so that the would be attackers will pass by my pet on the way to get to me. As soon as the would be attackers are in range, open up on 'em.

Most people are used to seeing hunters send thier pets in from where they are(the hunter) and will probably assume your pet has died.... Anyways... After a few good blasts, spring the pet on them and "lol" at them as they scramble around in "Oh ****" mode.


This works really well with a cat on prowl especially. Casters really seem to hate this tactic. Not a major secret or anything but it does the trick nicely for me and it's fun.

Edited, Jan 20th 2008 7:32am by dfexpc

Even ignoring abstract concepts like "bravery" or "cowardice", playing the tactic of using only your pet and none of your bullets/arrows is just a weaker play than taking part in the fight as well.

As a BM hunter, I'll rush my pet over to opponents, so I can drop an Intimidate in as quickly as possible... But staying so far away that I can't attack makes the fight go too long. Pets are powerful but would you rather your enemy died in 30 seconds or 10 seconds?

Especially if you're attacking a melee target, who doesn't have spells to interrupt, your pet can be bottled up if attacking alone and your enemy can still do things while being attacked.

If the pet and hunter are throwing in damage, you can kill the player before they've had a chance to really look around. A solo pet just isn't doing enough in BG's. Your pet is a partner, not a crutch to depend on for all your damage.

You think. I know. We're talking about unanswered damage. In a fight to the death. You can cry foul all you like and weep about how the Hunters should be playing how you like to play, but in the absense of any other situational concerns, the strategy laid out by Bordagar is pure win.

Win is win, and while you may admire the machismo style of play, I prefer to win. I've turned many losing BGs into wins by reminding my side that we're here to win, and that any game played to the victory condition is more likely to be won. WSG group all clustered up in the middle swapping nearly valueless HKs with the Alliance? Nag them into the realization that kills does not equal wins. Three flags captured equals wins. Lone resource guard in AB keeps being drawn off his post so he can "Go in there and lay some hurt about", and a lone Alliance caps his resource while he's kiting some poor Rogue to death? Call BS on him, and tell him to send his pet at the Alliance if that's what it takes. I've scared off many Alliance players without moving a single step away from the resource I'm guarding just by marking them and sending the Pet. I laugh, we keep the resource, we win.

I'm sure you're a skilled player as far as Hunter class mechanics goes, but your posts in this thread make it very clear that you have little ability to use those skills while in the pursuit of a separate goal such as a BG. If you just play roaming assassin, fine, some of that is needed. But let the strategists call the shots, and go where they tell you to go and do your guns blazing killing while the rest of the team wins the BG for you.


Sounds to me like he was beating you, regardless of your estimation of his skill. Ponder a bit: If you think he's a poor Hunter player, and yet he's still beating you and you cabn't think of a way out, what does that say about your own skills? Sour grapes is not an adult attitude... "Gee, if he'd only have been skilled enough to beat me faster I'd have respected him." I wonder what he was thinking about you? "Gee, that Paladin sure is a tard, I'm so rusty playing this Hunter that any fool should be able to kill me."



Edited, Jan 20th 2008 4:14am by Kompera

No, it isn't. Many classes can equal the range of a Hunter. And while you're moving to range, you are leaving your post. And yes, people do guard resources solo. I've done it innumerable times. I would prefer a second, but in BGs all to often people get bored and just go haring off so that they can be the ones playing as you suggest: Pew pew with no consideration for the win. If I'm solo and I see an Alliance player heading in, like I said I'll mark and send Pet. Very often this sees the Alliance player turn tail and run, or at least fail to close. I'll announce this in the BG channel, and maybe someone will come to assist. If I see 2 or more, I'll still stand my ground at the resource, while again announcing that my resource is under attack.

It's sure fun to roam around and shoot things up, and when I'm bored and just want to kill stuff I'll do that, too. But I know that what's important is the win, and I know how to get that win.

We'll just have to agree to disagree then. As I said, when I'm in a game such as a BG I play to victory conditions. That choice sees me win a lot more often than playing to some misguided concept that just because my class is a damage dealer that I'm somehow failing to do my job if I'm not topping the BG kill list. I've had a great number of winning ABs where all I did was stand at the BS and call out the movements of the Alliance while keeping a trap and a flare active. It's deadly dull, except for those times that the Alliance tries to take the place, but it's a winning strategy, and I'll use any tactic which works to achieve that goal.

Well, aside from speculation the total read was still pretty fun.

I would like to briefly address the insecure people's sense of what is cowardly though *adds fuel to the flames*

Context mates.

Best Example: In Eye of the Storm, you have players guarding the flag spawn quite frequently. To minimize the required number of assets used to 'distract' (and hopefully pull) the enemy from said position, they use me ^.^ the Hunter

My pet annoys them so greatly that the enemy will come after me eventually, which allows me to kite them into oblivion. Your jump shot is no new trick, sorry if it's your bread and butter.

We all know it's 50/50 with hunters, use that CD at the right time and you win. React too slow, miss the shot you really need, or trap resists, you lose. **** happens mate. The point is strategy, and I would appreciate if you think about 'what comes next'. No, they don't (always) just stand at the flag spawn like idiots and die (though some have >.> lawlz on them) most come looking for me after a couple /pet attacks. Few move backwards and do me the favor of despawning my pet (basically making it harmless), and the rarest response is a trap / fearkite kill of my pet, which is only as bothersome as a pet rez.

At any rate, by distracting the enemy at max range with a pet, 9 out of 10 you can 'pull' them from their defense position to either A) Kill them or B) Decrease the strength of said defensive element allowing your team to get into position.

I still believe you have the potential North and Skribby! You try to argue quite logically (if not a bit emotionally!) I love it. Time for Quotecomebacks! Wee



Kiting is obviously so brave in nature, I admire anyone who runs away from a mob while throwing anything they can in the way. Melee? That is honestly understandable. Jousting is very effective against both Rogues and Warriors when you use the Frost Trap so I think I understand ya there.



Cause BM hunter's can't use intimidation, bestial wrath, mend pet, eyes of the beast in PvP to any use? I know.. use 'em while I'm shooting. I'm just jabbing mate, I hope I answered in my initial post about 'being usefule' a little better.



Ouch! Leech? So wait, when one party member does something to benefit another.. it's leeching. A tactic that can determine a short term outcome of the playing field is leeching. Gotcha. Blinders on, you got screwed by AFKers and didn't get any heals today. I grovel before miladies paintd toenails and kiss her kittunz nose.



I agree with ya here. Our AoE's are very useful, and thank you or noticing in my initial post that I often dive into large groups ust to use them! Seriously do you Joust Skribs? If you have any advice on that I'd like to hear it. Mostly I either go straight accross them with the ol' wingclip and jump shot away, if they get off my frost trap I hit the conc shot, if they snare / pois / bleed / or otherwise CC me I pop the ol' Stoneform and bestial Wrath (imagine being the enemy rogue and seeing 'immune' scroll up your combat text until you die? hehe) and if I get in to much trouble (or versus casters using drains / mind flays) intimidation is handy there as well.



Pet has about 8k HP armor is also about 13k (55% miti) and / or highly resistant (depends on which owl I am using, which is also determined by BG and further determines my playstyle). They last for about 7 or 8 Fury attacks considering I mend pet before sending them in, they do have a good dodge / avoidance etc. Kill times vary, but for the most part my pet can struggle for at least 10 seconds before I need to despawn it. Wanna come 1 shot me ninja boy? lawlz

As for food and bandage, well my pet tends to interrupt that before they get much more than 2-3% back, seriously. You did read that I send 'em back in right?



I like the way you think. You apparantly use alot of the same tactics as I do, and even understand that this is only certain moments in the big picture. Cheers to the rare breed then mate! My hat's off to you!

You may all continue with the flames now, and thank you for being so entertaining for me at work! Hehe you're great people even if you don't like me.

Row, row row your boat... gently away from the foot in your mouth...
I appreciate that you obviously feel the need to distance yourself from your original "tactic" by adding alot of completely different things that "you intended with your original "tactic". It's like the people who claim MM is the best dps in raids, and when called on it starts going on about "yeah I meant that I can use silencing shot when pulling casters, and scatter them when they break CC", which is merely another failure in raids.

Now, to adress your quotes a little bit closer:


No, you can't. You can't use them while you are out of LoS, or out of range. Your pet is nigh useless without you in range of him, and prefferably within range of your enemy as well. Another fail in your "tactic".


That's just it. You don't benefit anyone to any more degree than the botters that run around midfield or Dun Baldar/FW. Your pet is nigh useless alone, no matter your specc, and hiding in a corner is leeching.


You still can't do any of the above while using that vaunted tactic of yours. Why even bring this up? That's not the matter of discussion right now. Your failure to even be within shooting range is.


Your pet's survivability isn't even the issue. It's it's usefulness. Oooh, you are doing a little bit of spell interrupt. Against any PvP enemy of note, your pet isn't going to be doing much damage of any kind, compared to what it would be if you were in range yourself.

In fact, you have just repeated Kompera a few times now, and merely tossed in a few sad attempts at insults. I'm sorry lad, but people who can't even PvP without cowering out of range of anything but Hunter's Mark are a little too pathetic to be insulted by.

Go do something useful in a Battleground, and then come back here and tell us all about your tactics. Better yet, go into Arenas for a while. You can't hide in there, for long. Might force you to actually participate in a fight or two.