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 core abilities. Key changes include:
-
Pet Specialization Changes: Hunters can now alter their pet's specialization (Cunning, Ferocity, or Tenacity) at the stables via a dropdown menu. This allows for greater flexibility in pairing pets with desired combat styles.
-
Beast Mastery Overhaul: Beast Mastery Hunters can opt to use a single, more powerful pet instead of two, increasing the pet's damage and size.
-
Marksmanship Rework: Marksmanship Hunters no longer utilize a pet. Instead, they are aided by a Spotting Eagle that marks targets for increased damage from the Hunter's abilities. This change has been met with mixed reactions from players.
-
Undermine and the Liberation of Undermine Raid: Patch 11.1 introduces the new zone, Undermine, and a raid against Chrome King Gallywix, continuing the storyline from "The War Within."
The changes to Hunter abilities are extensive, including:
- Kindling Flare: Increased flare radius by 50%.
- Territorial Instincts: Reduced Intimidation cooldown by 10 seconds; removed pet summon if no pet is present.
- 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; Spotting Eagle cannot apply Spotter's Mark while active.
- Intimidation (Marksmanship): No longer requires line of sight; uses the Spotting Eagle.
- Explosive Shot: Increased projectile speed.
- Eyes of the Beast: Now only learned by Survival and Beast Mastery Hunters.
- Eagle Eye: Now only learned by Marksmanship Hunters.
- Freezing Trap: Breaks based on a damage threshold.
Significant Hero Talent Changes (Pack Leader):
The Pack Leader talent has been completely redesigned, replacing several existing talents. It now summons a Bear, Wyvern, and Boar for a short period upon using Kill Command. New talents within this tree offer various modifications to this ability, including cooldown reductions, damage increases, and additional effects. Many previous Pack Leader talents have been removed.
Other Notable Class Changes:
-
Beast Mastery: New talents like Dire Cleave and Solitary Companion offer additional strategic options. Serpent Sting and Barrage have received damage and cost adjustments.
-
Marksmanship: Numerous new abilities and talents support the Spotting Eagle mechanic. Many previous talents have been removed or significantly reworked to support the new sharpshooter fantasy. Aimed Shot, Rapid Fire, and Arcane Shot have been adjusted.
-
Survival: Butchery and Flanking Strike are now mutually exclusive choices in the talent tree. Several talents have been adjusted or removed to streamline the rotation.
Player Feedback:
Blizzard is encouraging player feedback on the PTR (Public Test Realm) before the official release of Patch 11.1, expected sometime in February. The changes are not finalized and may be adjusted based on community response. The Marksmanship changes, in particular, have generated considerable discussion.
