Hunter as main, in the long run compare to something like Shaman?

[CoolHoodie]

If one does only PvE, would you guy advice a player to run with Shaman if he wanted to play one class for one expansion?
Since it has melee, resto and casting?

Or is Hunter now with melee Survival and ranged perhaps something good for long run too, fun for long?

[Balakam]

Hunters are fun through an expansion.

Look at WoD. We went through all specs :

Highmaul -> Survival
BRF -> Beast Mastery
HFC -> Marksman

Some people stick with one spec a whole expansion cause they don't like perf.

Going for a hybrid class means that you need to learn 3 specs and having a read leader that accept your spec switching in the middle of expansion.

[Deleted]

I always prefer pure dps classes (well i am always hunter actually) because i am crap healer and not rly good at tanking. So noone can tell me - hey dude switch to healer we need one right now. I prefer hunter because i dont like to be under boss a$$, also i prefer it than other range classes because of the mobility, there is no feel to be like a tree for most of the fight. Easy way to pass thru mobs while leveling - camo+fd. You have fall dmg reduction, i think shamans dont have one right now (if you are not goblin or have some parachute). Great kite mechanic, lack of healing but i never feel a need of healing while leveling.

[Tehterokkar]

Pure DPS classes are much more versatile than hybrids in terms of playstyle.

In general, in guilds as a Hybrid(such as a Shaman) you are forced to stay within your role(eg. Ranged DPS, so Elemental) and are locked into a single playstyle.

However with Pure DPS classes, Warlocks/Hunters/Mages/Rogues, you can switch between specs to get an entirely different playstyle to suit your preference during farm, or to match the progress fight's needs, hybrids are mostly shit out of luck with this and end up being benched if a fight is not suited for their spec(eg. Ele Shamans on target switch fights, like Archimonde this tier).

The only drawback to a pure DPS class is that you don't get near-instant dungeon/LFR queues since you don't have a tank/heal spec, so you might have to wait like 10-15 mins sometimes. But that's really my personal annoyance...

In general Hunters will be even more versatile in Legion due to having 3 distinct specs: Melee, Pet spec and a spec that doesn't care about movement. Though tuning also plays a role on what specs will be playable on progress.

[Deleted]

I actually play both right now. Resto is in a very good place, but Enhancement and Elemental are clunky, fill the same niche that isn't all that sought after in HFC and are nowhere near as good and fun as MM Hunter.

Shamans don't have a track record of being a potent DPS class, despite having 2 specs. We had our utility in the past expansions which has been neutered, so we're left with underwhelming DPS, clunky mechanics and no particularly fun utility outside of BL/Hero and the (very) occasional totem (cap/tremor/slow).

[chooi]

I can only give you the usual answer to this sort of questions:

Play what you enjoy the most.

There is no reason to play a class only for the 'safety' to have a variety of roles to fill that you actually don't find fun to play. In the long run you will have a lot more fun with the game by playing a class/spec that you really like even if it means that you can't fill any role at all times or aren't top of the meters.

[AwkwardSquirtle]

There's only an advantage in being able to do more than one thing if you like the other things. Don't feel you need a healing spec if you hate healing, or a ranged option if you like being in the melee. Heck, maybe none of the Shaman specs appeal to you, but you love BM's pet aspect, or maybe tanking's your thing. I'd try some stuff out. It's a game, have fun in it.

[Maxdoven]

In my biased opinion even purely for pve safety you should roll hunter, provided that you take the time to get good at it. Its easy rolling hunter, its a lot harder to be a outstanding hunter. And outstanding hunters always get to raid.

[nToxik]

Keep in mind that because of mobility and other traits, hunters often get assigned 'special' mechanics jobs (in/out on Butcher, Flamethrower, Ko;ragh, deterrence on reactive bombs on mythic Reaver, etc.) whether you see that as a plus or not.

[Azortharion]

I can only give you the usual answer to this sort of questions:

Play what you enjoy the most.

There is no reason to play a class only for the 'safety' to have a variety of roles to fill that you actually don't find fun to play. In the long run you will have a lot more fun with the game by playing a class/spec that you really like even if it means that you can't fill any role at all times or aren't top of the meters, in my opinion

FTFY

Plenty people reroll to be on top of DPS across multiple tiers and enjoy that.

[threads]

it depends entirely on what you enjoy doing in the game. obviously don't roll a hybrid if you don't enjoy tanking or healing, because then your choice of spec is limited. hunter has the benefit of being ranged and mobile so it's a great choice of main if you enjoy that. if the changes go according to plan in legion we'll have more distinctive playstyle variety as well.