Should BM have been the melee spec?

[Rabbit]

I always felt like it made a lot more sense. The hunter fighting side by side with his companion(s) versus sending his pets in and yelling from across the battle field "no..no....attack him now." Surv felt more like someone that uses traps and poisons to take down their enemies (easily tie in pets with that) but at range. They didn't know what to do with Surv for some time....so this is what we get. Its not the end of the world, I'm not thrilled about it but going to roll with it.

[Aeriel]

I always felt like it made a lot more sense. The hunter fighting side by side with his companion(s) versus sending his pets in and yelling from across the battle field "no..no....attack him now." Surv felt more like someone that uses traps and poisons to take down their enemies (easily tie in pets with that) but at range. They didn't know what to do with Surv for some time....so this is what we get. Its not the end of the world, I'm not thrilled about it but going to roll with it.

Survival is now the nostalgia spec. It was the melee/PVP spec back in Vanilla. Most of the "new abilities" are Cata era pruning.

That said: I did like the theme of Survival being the elemental/trap dropping spec, and I would have liked BM to be the Rexxar style of hunter.

[durrtygoodz]

I swear its just the same person making the same thread with the same ideas every week.

I swear you just make the same comment in the same thread with the same ideas every week.

[Kissthebaby]

I swear you just make the same comment in the same thread with the same ideas every week.

I liked the part where your reply was worded similar to mine, but changed a little bit, clever!

[endersblade]

My absolute favorite class to play in FFXI was Beastmaster. Running around with a pet (granted, they were temporary in that game, and turned on you when you lost control) and pounding on things in melee range. Man I loved that.

I would have PREFERRED BM, since they get a bigger selection of pets. But I'm just happy we finally get a melee hunter spec, something people have been wanting since Vanilla.

Now all we need is for them to turn it into a tank spec...

[The One Percent]

Melee should have been a talent akin to Gladiator's Resolve for BM and Survival. Changes existing specs, not replacing them completely for those that enjoyed the way those specs played already.

[Deleted]

I would preffer BM being mid-range...
Give them 2 one-handed axes they throw at the target (like Rexxar in HotS).

Heck anything else than a gun would fit someone dealing with wild animals better.

[Deleted]

This thread is about the class fantasy and spec themes. So if that's not your thing, you probably won't find this discussion interesting. Let me start off by saying I think the Legion Marksman spec has a clearly defined "Ranger" fantasy and it appears totally solid, especially with the option to flavor it to be more of a Dark Ranger. I just want to focus this discussion on Survival and Beast Mastery. Some of the changes to those two specs in Legion bug me when it comes to "class fantasy".

I'm not sure how best to word this so instead I'm going to bullet my points and hopefully you can follow my logic.

• Beast Mastery I've always looked to Rexxar as the iconic figure. He's melee. I've felt like he was in fact a 'Survivalist', but the true focus was on nature and beasts and pets.
• The new "Tinkers", Goblin and Gnome hunters with Mech pets, would likely want to use ranged guns, so that would force them into Beast Mastery. That doesn't seem to fit. BM has animal and nature flavored abilities, and Goblins and Gnomes don't fit that theme.
• Instead, wouldn't it make sense to leave the "nature/beast" theme with BM but instead craft it into a melee spec?
• Survival then could be named to Tinker or something and just focus on gadgets like Guns, traps and explosives - but be ranged.
• Beast Mastery would be a melee spec that focuses on nature and animals, but also get some of that "Survivalist" flavor. Like an outdoorsman.
• As it stands now I think Beast Mastery and Survival bleed into each other too much theme wise and instead there's an opening to really push that "tinker" stuff they are just sprinkling in right now.

End result of my thoughts above are:

Beast Mastery - True Rexxar outdoorsman and wild nomad spec. Uses melee and pets. Maybe can throw some axes from ranged. This would be a survivalist-based theme.

Marksman - As is. The "Ranger" spec, with the option to be a "Dark Ranger".

Survival renamed to Tinker (or something) - Focuses on guns, explosives, traps and other gadgets.

I feel this further distinguishes the 3 specs and also helps fit certain races into more lore-appropriate specializations.


Thoughts?

honestly I would have preferred this spec as melee, also dual wield axes instead of a spear would have been awesome rexxar is kinda iconic as hunters go. shame really, but I suppose survival fits the melee theme aswell.

- - - Updated - - -

It's honestly a no brainer as far as BM being melee. MM should have more of a Dark Ranger theme in it, instead of a temp pet talent that no one will take.
Would've been happy with Survival having a rifle for the artifact weapon with a focus on utility and magic damage

I see it like this imho.

BM= Melee cleave spec.
MM = physical damage marksman
Surv = Dots and traps.

that's just my take on what should have been as survival already had all the dots

[Pull My Finger]

No.

Marksmanship should be the standard ranged hunter spec. They should have to mark enemies with Hunter's Mark before being able to do any damage to them, and have an ability dead zone which makes them unable to deal any damage from a distance under 30 feet.

Survival should be the rugged unarmed ranged fighter that roams the wild. Hiding in bushes, throwing rocks at people etc.

Beast Master should be renamed to Biestmeister. Sounds instantly more evil and lethal.

[THoyt]

"Survival" to me, as far as a Warcraft hunter goes, means versatile -- do whatever it takes to survive, melee or ranged.

no hunter spec should've became meele in the first place

Survival was originally a melee spec.

[Deleted]

Survival was originally a melee spec.

10 years ago..

[threads]

No.

Marksmanship should be the standard ranged hunter spec. They should have to mark enemies with Hunter's Mark before being able to do any damage to them, and have an ability dead zone which makes them unable to deal any damage from a distance under 30 feet.

Survival should be the rugged unarmed ranged fighter that roams the wild. Hiding in bushes, throwing rocks at people etc.

Beast Master should be renamed to Biestmeister. Sounds instantly more evil and lethal.

you guys are going overboard with the nostalgia. a dead zone again? gtfo

[ro9ue]

you guys are going overboard with the nostalgia. a dead zone again? gtfo

He was clearly being facetious.

[Terminal Lance]

Three things why I think BM should be the melee spec instead of Survival (probably not the best reasons, but here they are).
1. Ability names: Raptor Strike, Mongoose Bite, Wing Clip. The ability names are clearly animal-themed, which fits BM more than SV.
2. The use of traps as melee: I know its a fantasy game, but in a real world setting, a trap that explodes and sets enemies ablaze probably shouldn't be used while your near it. It makes more sense to set them prior to combat, or how it is Live by launching it from a safe distance.
3. Rexxar: Yeah, that excuse is probably overused, but dualwielding just feels more natural especially since our Focus will have the same regen rate as rogues and other Energy-users now. Plus, as far as I'm aware, there isn't any Axe artifacts (why either Arms or Fury did not get axes is beyond me).

[Rekuja]

It's all in the name...

"Beast" "Master" someone who is a master of beasts, which is usually seen as a hunter-type with a rifle
"Marksman" someone who excels at Archery, master of the Bow and doesn't need a pet
"Survival" usually interpreted as a Hunter in the wild with a Spear

It should have been like this from the start...

[Niroshi]

I'd agree with melee BM, though partly because I've thought that since BC.

[Dadwen]

10 years ago..

it really was not back then, it just had some better tools for dealing with the dead zone till you got back to range but WAS never a melee spec. (although some people like to clam it was because of some one trick build that sometimes work against some classes)

[DotEleven]

I actually want them to stay the way they are except change BM's weapons into throwing axes like Rexxar

[Hey There Guys its Metro]

Nope, survival has been a melee spec since Classic. It was just horrible as one.
I understand your points on BM, but you don't understand how much Survival used to be in terms of melee / support spec.

[ro9ue]

Nope, survival has been a melee spec since Classic. It was just horrible as one.
I understand your points on BM, but you don't understand how much Survival used to be in terms of melee / support spec.

Yes I do, I mained a hunter in Vanilla...

We still played it as a ranged - we were just a little more dangerous up close than the other specs. Not to mention Survival was primarily a ranged for the majority of the life of the game, so I don't see why a few melee abilities 11 years ago should be relevant to the discussion unless we're just being sentimental about it.