I understand the reasoning, specs should have a unique feel but I think they are going too far. And I'm not talking about specific abilities and their balancing.
Here's the problem.
The whole idea of RPGs is to, well, play a role. You choose a race, a class, get used to it, identify yourself with it. I've played a Hunter since mid TBC, not continuously but I got a taste of all the expansions and the feel of playing a Hunter has been more or less preserved. Sure, a lot has changed with tenths of abilities added, removed, revamped etc. but the very basic idea of
an archer with a pet is still the same.
For me it's not about which abilities they add, remove or change, whether it's considered a nerf or a buff or if we can top dps charts. It's about the soul of the class.
What Blizzard did with Hunters in the alpha so far is changed them into a completely different class, or rather different class
es. Since 2007, my character has been an
archer with a pet. Now I have the choice between:
- a semi-archer (since we've only got one shot left and it's a focus dump) with 2 pets and summoning random beasts at the base of their rotation - so a beast master, little to do with Hunters
- an archer without a pet - so basically an archer, nothing to do with Hunters
- a melee with a pet - so basically a ranger, very little to do with Hunters
I'm not even going to mention the weird MM talents, summoning
undead beasts and archers? What does this have to do with hunters?
If things go the way they are going, as of Legion launch I will not be able to play my hunter. I just want a ranged weapon and a pet. I don't want 10 pets, 0 pets or a melee with a pet.
It used to all make sense because when you think of a Hunter you think: ranged weapon, a pet, tracking, maybe some minor poisons, maybe some traps, maybe minor stealth.
I feel like the best way to resolve this would be changing Hunters into Rangers and adding a 4th spec - "Hunter", with one pet and a few shots.