Should Hunters get a "pet-less" talent or glyph like Warlocks do?

[Snes]

This is sort of a variation of this thread:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/threads/...-Pet-free-spec

Except that the talent would be accessible to all. Something like:
"Lone Hunter: You deal x% increased ranged attack damage when you do not have a pet active."

For Beast Mastery maybe it could give hunters the melee spec by changing the mastery to improve melee damage, and making abilities like Kill Command and Lynx Rush performed by the hunter (ie: Hunter jumping around in a pack of mobs and swiping furiously).

Obviously this talent or glyph in question would not be mandatory and we are assuming it's balanced with the other talents to that people aren't forced into it.

[Dariela]

You can have a petless hunter as soon as I can have a pet-class druid.

"Ranger" spec would be nice. I understand not wanting to deal with a pet. I'm pretty happy my lock is getting that option back, even tho I will likely run with a pet most of the time.

[ciggy]

They absolutely should not. Blizzard has done so much to push us into only a couple pet choices. they have made pet management a huge joke, no feed pet to keep them happy, no having to tame a pet just to learn a talent for other pets, normalization of the attack speed on pets, no having to run out and level up pets.

I don't like the way pets are done anymore, but they add so much to a hunter if they use them right.

[Snes]

They absolutely should not. Blizzard has done so much to push us into only a couple pet choices. they have made pet management a huge joke, no feed pet to keep them happy, no having to tame a pet just to learn a talent for other pets, normalization of the attack speed on pets, no having to run out and level up pets.

I don't like the way pets are done anymore, but they add so much to a hunter if they use them right.

So don't choose the talent/glyph? I don't see how it hurts you if other people have that option.

[endersblade]

You mean like old Melee Survival hunters from Vanilla? :-P

Also, having it in Beast Mastery spec seems kinda....counterproductive? The whole spec is dedicated to running with a pet. Like I said, put it in survival.

[Mirishka]

No, hunters should not. Because then damage has to be retuned, rebalanced, etc around the possibility that hunters will choose that glyph.

/pass

[Missbenedict]

Here's a good idea, how about blizzard just fixes pet mechanics.

"Whats that mister warlock? You want to jump down from blade's edge arena platform then port back up? No problem! my pet will simply run around the whole map trying to chase you instead of jumping down after you."

[Deleted]

For Beast Mastery maybe it could give hunters the melee spec by changing the mastery to improve melee damage, and making abilities like Kill Command and Lynx Rush performed by the hunter (ie: Hunter jumping around in a pack of mobs and swiping furiously).

If you want to do that, roll a feral druid.

No, I don't think hunters should have a pet free talent. Especially not for BM.

[Snes]

If you want to do that, roll a feral druid.

No, I don't think hunters should have a pet free talent. Especially not for BM.

Are you against Warlocks having the pet-free talent too? Don't suppose you've been telling them to roll a Mage?

[Deleted]

Are you against Warlocks having the pet-free talent too? Don't suppose you've been telling them to roll a Mage?

The Lore surrounding Hunters and Warlocks is different. Warlocks are generally speaking evil minded individuals who pull random demons out of the twisting nether and chain them to this world forced to do the warlocks being. Whatever the people who play warlocks may think of their pets, that's the lore behind them. Why do you think they're randomly named?

Hunters on the other hand have a far closer relationship with their pet. They tame them, bond with them, used to have to feed them, level them etc. I just don't think a hunter losing a pet and a warlock losing a pet can be considered a similar level of separation.

[Spectral]

They absolutely should not. Blizzard has done so much to push us into only a couple pet choices.

Every pet will be able to be designated as Cunning, Ferocity, or Tenacity in MoP. You'll be able to use more or less whatever appeals to you aesthetically in PvE. In PvP the choices are more limited still, I'd imagine, but I don't really see how you can say they've pushed us into only a couple choices.

[RyudoTFO]

Hunters on the other hand have a far closer relationship with their pet. They tame them, bond with them, used to have to feed them, level them etc. I just don't think a hunter losing a pet and a warlock losing a pet can be considered a similar level of separation.

You realize, hunters don't have to sacrifice their pets, like warlocks, to active the pet-less build. It is also possible to merge with the pet into a new being in a single body, adopting the abilities of the pet ... lore-wise.

[khatsoo]

I'd like it, but hunter's pets are a good way to fill the missing buffs in your raid now, specially in 10man.

[Deleted]

Warlocks worked thematically because they were always using their pets, unlike Hunters who develop bonds with theirs.

Mechanically, too much is tied into the pet for Hunters. Warlocks were mostly just a "caster plus pet". The only talent I can think of that involved true synergy with Demons and Warlocks in Catacylsm was the instant soul-fire in Destro, and that's gone in MoP. Plus, Grimoire of Sacrifice isn't the "best" choice on that tier right now, and Warlocks are annoyed that they aren't compensated for the unique abilities they lose that their pets had, imagine a Beast Mastery Hunter who cannot Bloodlust because s/he chose to go "Lone Hunter" (the name I used in the MM-Petless thread was Zoology but each to their own )

Hunters however depend too much on pets. Beastmastery alone would essentially be two completely different specs with and without this talent. And that's putting aside issues of balance and a ranged class being forced into melee (*COUGH*Demonology*COUGH*) which even Blizzard admits was a bad move.

TL;DR: It's a good argument to grapple with when you're bored, but I sincerely doubt they'd insert a petless Hunter talent in game. And, in my own opinion, I don't see the point. Maybe for PvP, to avoid your pet getting killed and losing DPS I could understand, but for me my pet is nearly invisible in the middle of a fight, provided she doesn't get into trouble. As for looks of a petless Hunter... I personally think it looks too much like a plain old vanilla archer, not a hunter of any description.

[baan]

No.
Why is it people want things that will make us more like the other classes?
A petless mele hunter is called an enh shammy.
Only way itd happen is if they make a new dark ranger character in future x-pacs.

[ciggy]

Are you against Warlocks having the pet-free talent too? Don't suppose you've been telling them to roll a Mage?

You will get ranger/shadow hunter as a hero class before long. I have no issue with locks, but it's stupid for a hunter (a PET CLASS) to run without a pet. Locks are pet class too, i just disagree with a PET class having no pet.

[Deleted]

A petless mele hunter is called an enh shammy.

I entirely agree. A pet class that uses ranged attacks, a bow/crossbow/gun and a slow-regening energy bar, using a talent that removes their pet, turns them into a melee, dualwielding, physical-spell hybrid. Sorry, but that argument is non-nonsensical.

I can understand why mechanically petless hunters won't work, but don't say it'll turn Hunters into current classes. The closest at live to a Hunter is a Rogue for their energy bar, and even that has a lot of differences (range v melee, combo points v Hunter's deplete and build up style of focus, etc). Hopefully, if they do implement a Dark Ranger class, there'll be a few more differences to hunters than just being petless.

[ComputerNerd]

The primary reason for the warlock choice is a cheap fix to inherent flaws with pet mechanics.
In that the range to a target can nullify non-ranged pets, and that they suffer badly on target switching/multi-target due to movement time.
The problem with a damage to compensate buff is that it will be multiplied in effect by a greater number of targets. Making it a no-brainer choice on many fights.
It cannot be balanced.

[Deleted]

Yes. Please. Yes.

I'd be so happy but I doubt it will ever happen.

[Keristrasza]

So don't choose the talent/glyph? I don't see how it hurts you if other people have that option.

Because hunters the pet class, they were designed with that in mind. A hunter without a pet, is like a rogue without stealth.