Mage or Hunter

[Moddy]

Hey guys I don't know if this thread belongs in this section or not, but I am going to post anyways. I am currently on the beta and testing things out trying to figure out what I want to play when cata goes live. Right now I am juggling a hunter and mage and I can't decide. Basically my deciding factors are which class is the most useful and can pull the most dps compared in same gear and end game.. but that info is not really out yet to come up with so I am a bit of a loss. I don't want to just pick one and in the end the choice was the better one based on my deciding factors and have to reroll a char right in the middle of cata and miss out on being one of the top 5-15 guilds to start raiding because the other class made it on top. Too much time invested to play hit and miss.

[Milanor]

Well...most of the info you seek won't be out for a couple more weeks, at the very least...

If you HAD TO DECIDE RIGHT NOW I'd go with mage, just 'cause Hunter Focus balancing is likely going to be a crazy see-saw of way overpowered and underpowered until Blizzard gets it juuuuuust right somewhere down the road.

I think you still have enough time to keep mulling it over, though. At the end of the beta you should have a much clearer picture...and ultimately, play what you enjoy more.

Higher fun = Higher DPS

[Moddy]

Totall agree to this

Higher fun = Higher DPS

I love being the highest dps and its a bonus too if you can make portals, good buffs and people want you in their raids for your usefulness. Wotlk I played a fury warr, even tho their dps was high in end game, (From my experiences) its nice to play a class people don't consider to suck and play a critical role. Both classes can kite well, but I think mage may have the upper hand in this? Not sure, this is also pvp wise as well as I like to pve raid and pvp in the meantime.

[Rhodair]

Higher fun = Higher DPS

Pretty much sums it up right there. Both classes are useful with the buffs/utility they bring. Neither will be higher dps than the other as attentiveness/motivation/skill continues to be a huge factor in your overall damage done. Even minor fight mechanics could sway the favor back and forth depending on the boss. Just see whichever one sticks on your mind the most. Maybe which one you think looks cooler or you like the mentality of more. I remember there were a couple times I sat there thinking if I were physically in the Warcraft universe, would I rather be blasting out hundreds of arrows a minute or revving up some devastating magic spells. In the end, I think whoever I enjoy pvp'ing on most is who also ends up being my main raider. You just have to figure out what factor matters most to you.

[Deleted]

Ive got a hunter and a mage and Im in the same situation. To be honest, Im thinking about sticking with my mage. Just because fire looks so good !

[TLuraxle]

which class is the most useful and can pull the most dps compared in same gear and end game

Ideally, all classes should do around the same dps.
It is never ideal, but you just can't guess which one will be on the top the next patch.

However the point that hunter will see-saw around is true. Fire mage is only slightly changed so it will be at least somewhere near top (arcane will also jump around with balancing).

[Moddy]

"Maybe which one you think looks cooler or you like the mentality of more."

Honestly something about orc mages look way awesome, the warlocks looked sexy in tier 10 gear, even though their racials are not superb for the occasion it shouldn't make or break your class. Orc shoulders = sexy... male of course. ^^

[Rhodair]

Both classes can kite well, but I think mage may have the upper hand in this? Not sure

It depends on what you're kiting. If it's a huge group and you have crazy Faxmonkey skills, mage is going to outdo hunter. In a raid environment where you only need to control 1 or 2, I believe hunter has the upper hand.

Arcane mage's slow is pretty good (And Nether Vortex certainly looks cool), but you're not going to be maintaining your arcane rotation while on the move so much. Fire/Frost has Frostfire or Frostbolt. Beyond that, they have to be up close to the mob and blow some aoe spell to kite. Hunter just misses a steady here and there while still getting his autoshot. In Cataclysm, all their CC abilities will have no focus cost and you can steady on the move, so you can keep the mob at range much easier.

If you're simply talking the ability to control a mob, both classes have more than enough tools. As far as keeping your DPS up while kiting, hunter has the edge.

[Deleted]

Hunters still have their 'huntard' tag, so for that reason alone, I'd go mage. I know Hunters aren't as easy as they used to be when this nickname came about, but the fact is it still remains. *Giggles at back peddling female nelf huntard*.

[salate]

hunterhunter

[kinky31]

We dont know which class will be better, in wotlk BM hunters were rocking the meters at early nax period..2 years later in icc only 2 classes exist..warriors and mages (dont believe me? check http://www.wowmeteronline.com/rank/clazz/dps/all/9/0/3) so yeah..choose w/e u like and hope for the best but bear in mind that hunters are the new DKs, if u dont have a standard raid spot in a good guild then things will be hard for u my friend..hunters will be everywhere
Im sticking to my mage just because "I am a mage", real players dont reroll everytime a new FoTM is in da house

[Skarrd]

Hunters are a pet class, mages are not. Do you want to be a pet class, or not?

[notbob]

Take mages, they are consistently in the top tier of the dps classes, hunters are too. The difference lies in aoe encounters (fire mages will be unmatched, I hope) and mages are more challenging and rewarding class to play if you decide to do pvp. Hunters are fun but they are less mobile and fun to play in pve and pvp IMO.

[Deleted]

hunterhunter

lol look at rotface and putricide hardmodes. warriors only. and ye you are correct

i say get a mage.

[Skarrd]

lol look at rotface and putricide hardmodes. warriors only. and ye you are correct

i say get a mage.

Shadowmourne says hi.

[kinky31]

Shadowmourne says hi.

cleaving the oozes says hi not shadowmourne and by cleaving i dont mean extra free aoe dmg but actual cleave (u know..warrior skill) :P

[Manstallion]

Leveling my Worgen hunter on beta is actually so easy I got bored with it. I literally 2 shot every mob I come across. Obviously this is no indication of how things will be at 85, but hunter just feels mindlessly easy. The undead mage I've been leveling is much more engaging in comparison.