Hunters

 

Hunters, also known as Rangers, are a very interesting class. From simple trackers, to ranger generals, they play many roles in the different factions on Azeroth.

Sylvanas Windrunner was a ranger general for the High Elves before she was killed by the Litch King. She still uses a bow and has a core of forsaken rangers at her command. The Farstriders are the main non magical defending force of Silvermoon, comprised of rangers.

Vol'jin, the leader of the Darkspear Trolls is a Shadow Hunter, a hunter that can call upon the Loa, troll animal gods, for power and assistance. The trolls are proud hunters, as an in game item would suggest. "The Greatest Race of Hunters: A Tale of a Female Troll and Her Tiger."

The Tauren hold the hunt as a sacred right. One of the rises of Thunder Bluff is dedicated to their hunters. The hunt is a large part of their nomadic roots. They see the hunt as a way to stay in harmony with nature, taking only what they need and thanking the Earth Mother for her blessings.

Night Elves have a similar hunter tradition. They are very attuned to the forest and the natural balance of life.


Dwarf hunters are more pragmatic about their traditions. They hunt to get food. Yet in some cases, such as Nessingwary, they turn more excessive. Dwarfs do seem to like to impress each other and show off, though they can also be very stern and realistic. Most may not hunt just for sport, but I'm sure many would roll their eyes at "being one with the forest."


Every race can be a hunter since Cata, save for Gnomes (but that would be amazing, Blizz, think about it.). Each race has their own outlook on the class. I will cover the new races of hunters in a later post.

One of the fun things about playing a hunter is you can play your pet as well. The best way to do this is just to add them into the emote like so:

 

You can also direct your pet where to go like so:

"Hey Grabber..."

"Come over here."

"Good boy."

Also some pets preform tricks. Grabber does a flip when I hit this button:

"Do a barrel roll!"

With all (well, some) joking aside, let's talk about specs.

Beast Mastery hunters are very close to their pets, and I would say nature in general. They respect the forest, and perhaps feel more at home in the field among beasts then in the city among their people. They are the least likely of the three to be a soldier, more likely living off the land or working to bring food to their people. Perhaps they see themselves as just another force of nature, another predator in the forest, never taking more then they need.

 

Marksmanship hunters are basically snipers. Though they don't necessarily have belong to an army, they take time to carefully line up a shot and make a quick clean kill. They have patience and skill. They are not brash, or on the front lines. They are pragmatic, tactical, cunning, waiting for exactly the right moment to strike.

Survival hunters are good at laying traps, but I would also venture they are far less patient and subtle. Explosive shot does not exactly bring stealth to mind. They are clever, but also more impulsive. Their strong fire power and reckless explosions and traps making them a force to be reckoned with on the battlefield, or just in general.

This is a long post, probably because hunters are so versatile. Every culture has their own view of hunters and the hunt itself. With so much variation in just one class there is a lot to draw on.

Points to remember when role playing a hunter:

• Your pet can be like a second character, with their own habits and personality.
• Feign death is good enough to fool your enemies, it should work on your friends too.
• Look into how your race sees/uses hunters. It will likely affect your character's outlook.