Drackmire

Master of Arms No More

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Drackmire, Dwarf HunterI was perusing the World of Warcraft (WoW) general forums the other day, reading some of the upcoming changes coming in the Cataclysm Expansion. Nothing too crazy, and a lot of what was there I didn’t care about or had already caught wind of. After all the class changes, I went to the Cataclysm Stat & System Changes thread.

As a five and a half year veteran of WoW, this little tidbit caught my eye:

Weapon Skill – This stat will be removed from the game completely. Classes will start with all the weapon skills they need to know and will not need to improve them.

Now this change is not really a big deal, and definitely makes leveling a bit easier; it also saves a little bit of money early on, and as any Hunter knows, we have one of the most expensive skill purchases at the level 40 milestone. Any money we can save early on helps to get all those skills, without having to come back later when you have the extra cash. It also means there are a lot more options starting at level 1, instead of one ranged, and one melee weapon type.

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The Eve of Battle

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Drackmire, Dwarf MarksmanGarwulf sighed. It had been a long time since he last stood within the great ridges of the Ironforge Mountains. A chill breeze haunted the evening, and Garwulf shivered a bit. “I wonder what he is up to…,” he muttered, trailing off.

Turning back to head down the slopes, he whistled into the crisp air, beckoning his trusty companion. With a deafening growl, and a piercing howl, Loque’nahak appeared right next to him, as if out of thin air. “’Atta boy,” Garwulf said as he patted Loque’nahak on the head, giving him a scratch behind the ears. “I miss him as well.”

The two managed to get down the rocky crags with relative ease, using knowledge passed on to them in the past on how to watch for loose rocks, and find the hidden trails that one would normally not be able to see. The path before them led east, toward the great city in the mountain. Garwulf hopped on his mount, and strode at a blistering pace, navigating the winding trail that led to the city’s main gates. Passing the guards, giving them a slight nod, he continued on toward the center near The Great Forge, where the Gryphon Master stood, ever ready to provide transportation for those in need.

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Know Your Role

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DrackmireSometimes I still wonder how WoW might be different for me if I had chosen another class. If I were a tank or healer I would never have a problem getting groups, that’s for sure. With the implementation of WotLK, there has been a much stronger reliance on DPS in boss fights. I actually find it kind of satisfying every time I see someone spam “LFM DPS Ulduar 25”. Suffice it to say, long gone are the days of sitting in trade for hours LFG for anything. We are DPS, but what separates us from the rest of the DPS classes and hybrids in the game?

Hunters are one of 4 pure DPS classes in the game. The rogue, mage, and warlock are the other three. What makes us different? What makes us unique and fun to play? For starters, we are the only ranged physical damage class of the 4. Secondly, we have the best threat redirection and reduction abilities. With Misdirection, Distracting Shot, and Feign Death we can control mobs like no other class. The ability to completely drop threat every 30 seconds for minimal mana means we can always pour on our heaviest damage and never gain threat over a tank. Even today, I still have the “WTF?” moment when the boss decides to turn on me, only to realize that the tank actually died and thankfully I didn’t get us wiped. Even if I had pulled threat, it means I forgot to Feign Death and if I am quick I can still mitigate my mistake. Show me another class that can do that consistently.

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Raid Ready: Serpent Sting

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As a marksman hunter, one of the shots you are going to have on your target at all times is Serpent Sting. Useful Glyphs With Serpent Sting (all are self explanatory for the most part): Glyph of Arcane Shot – Your Arcane Shot refunds 20% of its mana cost if the target has one of your Stings active on it. …

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Out With the Old: Spirit Bond

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Many players may not remember what some of the Hunter talents looked like at release date, as Blizzard has made numerous changes (too many to count) to try and keep us balanced, and in line with other DPS classes. One talent in particular that I would like to look at, is Spirit Bond. A talent which provides passive and continuous …

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