Confirmed Changes from Dev Chat

[Wolveras]

The following skills / effects will change with effect from Book 12:

1. Merciful Shot goes back to the way it was (usable from 50% morale rather than the current 25%)
2. Blindside gets a boost adding 3 focus + more damage
3. Fear gets a small tweak (existing DOTs don't break Fear)

Personally, if they keep it to that, I'll be fairly chuffed. I might even re-slot Blindside!

[zimoo]

1. Lame, given the name it should be for killing blows...
2. Lame, I only ever need focus when attacking from range in groups...
3. Lame, how would the mob treat DoTs any different to direct damage? And is it really so ****ing hard to not put DoTs on mobs you know you might need to fear...

I'm one happy hunter :p

[Wolveras]

2. Lame, I only ever need focus when attacking from range in groups...

Oh I don't know. In close combat, I like to use Penetrating Shot (which only costs me 2 Focus) every other shot as it's uninterruptable. Plus now with the Focus boost on Blindside, it re-opens the possibility of adding Merciful Shot to the rotation when it's actually meaningful in a fight.

[zimoo]

I've had merciful shot in my shot rotation for a while now, using it as I imagine it was intended to be used. I use my other attacks to get a foe down to 500 morale (25% for most high level mobs), then finish them with a merciful shot :)

I use penetrating shot a lot as well, yet never find myself struggling for focus (for either that or merciful shot), unless I'm grouped and at the stage when I know the guardian has enough aggro for me to go crazy on dps.

Interrupts aren't a problem against lone mobs, plus most of the time the mob should be just about ready for a merciful shot before even entering melee :)

[Wolveras]

I don't necessarily disagree with your strategy, but by the same token I don't agree that the announced Book 12 changes are "lame".

Having said that, there are lots of opinions out there and I can't claim a monopoly on being right - well not all the time anyway!

Despite the fears though, it does seem (at this stage anyway) that we've escaped the nerf bat in Book 12. Huzzah for that anyway!

[MéLAnoR]

these are so good news !
But don't cheer yet they most of the time take stg back big when they change our skills and call it improvement.
We'll see , but hearing blindsite ( remember the movies , legolas killing uruks with this combat move at amon ....?? cant remember the place) getting such a nice improvement made me happier.Btw Turbine doesnt have the license of movies but i love the skill :)
From what i understand they will make hunters more standable on their ground able to generate focus in melee range , which will reduce idunction interruption issues a bit :)
looking forward to hear more..

edit : one more thing will they keep the MS's feature : %25 more damage with crits back?

[MYST3RIO]

That was an example of melee ability increase btw, so we can expect more good melee things, I hope! I may use MS, I've been a hunter since it was 25% and used it a few times not much though.

[Bell of Eternity]

And is it really so ****ing hard to not put DoTs on mobs you know you might need to fear...
Yes, yes it is if the best bow for the situation - if you're even lugging multiple bows around - has a DoT chance on every hit.

My Merciful Shot finds most use in boss fights, so I'm happy being able to spam them with it at half health instead of quarter health. Mobs with 2000 health go down so easy it is hardly necessary to use the ability on them. Of course if you fumbled and accidentally pulled multiples, it makes sense to drop one of them quick with a powerful shot. Even then the 50% limit is a boon because a critted Merciful easily does over a thousand damage, dropping them right off.

Now, if they'd look at our ridiculously useless Strength of the Earth and Press Onwards legenday...

[zimoo]

Then simply don't use a bow with a wounding effect if you plan to fear mobs, that's what I do.

For instance, in the Bree rep dungeon I go with bow of the hunt, but as I move to the elite areas (i.e. more chance of needing to use fear) I swich to fortified black ash.

Why is strength of the earth useless? I use it a lot on raids, as it leaves the loremasters free to power up important classes.

[Icedail]

Strength of the Earth is a very important skill just like Zimoo said....

[OMWiener]

Strength of the Earth is a very important skill just like Zimoo said....

Are you guys serious??? Why would you ever use in strength of the earth in raids...If you have a good power regen build, you can combine doing quick shot and regen power at the same time (especially with BOTR). This way you'll do damage and regen power at the same time. Combine that with power pots and you should never run out of power.

So why use strength of the earth which has a long induction time and regens like crap, that's like 30 sec you're not doing any damage, IE being useless to the raid. If you have a good power regen setup, your power should never drop too low.

[Daguras]

Why is strength of the earth useless? I use it a lot on raids, as it leaves the loremasters free to power up important classes.

Recently I only find it useful when we have an in combat break to regen and I've been nuking at 110% in strength stance as my raid build includes 1100+ (buffed) ICPR, BotR, traited endurance stance and Gilnor (huge threat reduction + power drain). It is nice to be able to regen power quickly though - experienced hunters know that they need to stop shooting from time to time and what better way to pass time than regen a bit of power while the tank abuses you for stealing all the agro or shooting the wrong mob?! :D

I'll take the "confirmed changes" threads with a massive pinch of salt until the actual release notes are available...

[nightbyday]

i use strength of earth on occassion, some times when it all goes 'horriably' wrong, some one pulls right after a long fight and everyone is depleated or a respawn you were not expecting .... low power strength of earth to regen a bit or more to fight well.

[Bell of Eternity]

I deem Strength of the Earth useless for the same reasons as OMWiener. It has interruptible setup induction, the regeneration itself is interruptible, the regeneration rate is bit too low and you are not contributing to combat while you twitch around as if getting electrocuted. I guess it is a matter of play style but I prefer high Fate spec, pots from my scholar and that slottable trait that lets you insta-regen several hundred power. I'm also experimenting with power-leech, but the bow's chance seems rather low... maybe I'll need to combo it with the legendary trait.

Fear is a moot point for me anyway as I don't use it. The last thing I want to do is **** off a fellowship by drawing even more adds to a tough fight. When soloing, you simply don't engage two elites. If you do, ten seconds ain't gonna make much of a difference (and the Cry only affects beasts anyway).

[Andoi]

The following skills / effects will change with effect from Book 12:

1. Merciful Shot goes back to the way it was (usable from 50% morale rather than the current 25%)
2. Blindside gets a boost adding 3 focus + more damage
3. Fear gets a small tweak (existing DOTs don't break Fear)

Personally, if they keep it to that, I'll be fairly chuffed. I might even re-slot Blindside!
That is not lame whoever said that, that is fantastic, merciful shot was the only nerf i cared about!!
and i use blindide lots!
Woot!!

[Belion_]

1. merciful shot. - im not one to use it i think the focus cost is too high on it to be used regulary enough. id much rather get a swift bow off with a quick autoattack to follow it up which seems to be around the same damage anyways not to mention if u chuck a pen shot after it.

2. i cant see using this terribly as a 50 hunter however i know i used blindside alot when i was lower levels so i can definatly see myself using it if i was leveling.

3. dosent affect me so no comment.

as to the strengh of the eart comments. i honestly dont run out of power much and when i do (rarely) on big boss fights like the balrog i either LM or power pot which is enough for me to get back up.

i do have BOTR and a nice will setup tho.

[Scappydog]

I'm gonna wait and see what actually appears in the game and try them out before commenting. Our previous 'buffs' usually had a few stings in the tail. Even if they fix the DoT breaking fear, I still do not consider BA to be a legendary skill.

Also having slowly adapted to the changes from the last 2 books I am not particularly looking forward to yet more changes to the playstyle. I don't really want 'buffs' to melee skills, we are meant to be ranged after all. I would prefer to see an improvement and greater variety in ranged abilities and some decent skills to keep mobs at range.

[HardOnails]

merc shot will be semi useable now, in 90% of situations thou like running around and killing stuff getting 6 focus is hard, unless you start each pull with the focus skill which is the most boring game style every, wooooo a 10 sec pause before each encounter YAWNNNN

finally a melee skill that gens focus, 10 sec cooldowns not brilliant and the damage still suxs totally but it will be usefull

fear is of no interest to me as i have delselected the pointless skill

do these changes address the issues of the class?

damage mitigation for solo / small grp play - nope no change here we are still the only class with no damage mitigation ability

crowd control in group play - nope we have no useable in combat crowd control ability for long fights that keep us in combat, rain of thorns resists to much and breaks other CC and fear wastes a talent spot, lasts far 2 short compared to other CC and brings other adds, breaks on dots (Try stoping every one in a group putting on DOTs) very handy in groups NOT

turbine once again show they have no idea what there doing, just like in AC2





how long till warhammer starts? totally feedup of this inept mamagement, this class has been totally ruined by the nurfs to please the creeps, a game style im totally not interested in ....

[OMWiener]

Well as stated before i would just like to bring something new and exciting to game and to the fellowship, so here's a suggestion (tell me what you think about it):

How about they make us the DoT class. Strip away most of our high damaging skills. Give us some more DoT skills. However at first point the DoT isn't that powerfull. By using fixed numbers of other skills (combo's sort of speak) you can buff the DoT or give another or an extra DoT. Each type of DoT, allows a certain attack to give more damage.

For example i've used a wound DoT and by pressing quick shot and swift bow (which damage has been reduced for this) before the DoT runs out, the DoT grows stronger and the timer expands. With this stronger DoT , the mob is however vulnerable to penetrating shot. So during the time the stronger DoT is active, your penetrating shot would do 500-800 damage a shot (which it wouldn't otherwise). If you have several Dots active (with, for example, another combo) more attacks will do great damage against the mob. The DoT's however expire over time and must be applied anew....

This way we wouldn't be overpowered against creeps, our playstyle would be interesting. The DoT's would be excellent if buffed against bosses and such in FS play. Only problem i see, is the solo play, but if they give us more traps on seperate CD and just skills instead of buying...

[MéLAnoR]

Well as stated before i would just like to bring something new and exciting to game and to the fellowship, so here's a suggestion (tell me what you think about it):

How about they make us the DoT class. Strip away most of our high damaging skills. Give us some more DoT skills. However at first point the DoT isn't that powerfull. By using fixed numbers of other skills (combo's sort of speak) you can buff the DoT or give another or an extra DoT. Each type of DoT, allows a certain attack to give more damage.

For example i've used a wound DoT and by pressing quick shot and swift bow (which damage has been reduced for this) before the DoT runs out, the DoT grows stronger and the timer expands. With this stronger DoT , the mob is however vulnerable to penetrating shot. So during the time the stronger DoT is active, your penetrating shot would do 500-800 damage a shot (which it wouldn't otherwise). If you have several Dots active (with, for example, another combo) more attacks will do great damage against the mob. The DoT's however expire over time and must be applied anew....

This way we wouldn't be overpowered against creeps, our playstyle would be interesting. The DoT's would be excellent if buffed against bosses and such in FS play. Only problem i see, is the solo play, but if they give us more traps on seperate CD and just skills instead of buying...Well that would be a huge change of the role and gameplay of the class , i agree might be interesting but not possbile at this stage.Too late , it has been a loong long time we went out of beta , i know the game experience may change but this would interfere with customer rights cause many have read the class roles defined by devs ' comments and official infos given , so not possible.
However i'd like to have more DoT abilities dependant on critical hits and certain combos giving out further abilities charging up our focus or damage percantages , thus balanced with some reduced abilities as you said.
Lets see how book 12 will impact our gameplay , then we can talk about our fellowship role again.If you ask me i'm considering to enhance my melee abilties if the changes will be decent enough that i can stand close to guardian and semi off-tank with minstrel support plus nice melee+ranged combo damage.This may reduce my combat view cause i'm used to stand far away from the mob observing the overall battle field , covering minstrels and helping CC.

[Turkisch]

Strength of the Earth is a very important skill just like Zimoo said....

Dont you have power-pots to regain power?? I only ever used Strenght of the Earth in helegrod with the stuck in combat bug when you went up to the giant Stovagan. You have a bunch of stuff you can do to not run outta power. Stance and Bow-chant help massively.

[Lieutenant Columbo]

Really happy about Merciful Shote being returned to its former glory. At 25% it's so hard to be able to get the timing right to use it without the monster already being dead, so you tend not to use it at all. At 50% it will really be useful again and the window of opportunity will be big enough to be able to use it consistently.

[heinzglad]

I wonder if the changes quoted from dev chat will come with bk12 - Turbine's news flash havn't mentioned anything about hunter changes...only Guard, Champ and Burglar...

[Vanguard DOTA]

I wonder if the changes quoted from dev chat will come with bk12 - Turbine's news flash havn't mentioned anything about hunter changes...only Guard, Champ and Burglar...

Yeah they have :D
Got a new hunter in the making so the bonus to Blindside id great :)

[Nithrindel]

Yeah.. I think Merciful shot was made for killing blows. But I don´t care if it goes to 50% because then i hit higher and get mob finished faster with it. It´s a plus, not a minus as i see it. Maybe they should change It´s name to "Cut the morale" :P
No it´d be ruined then.

Really happy about Merciful Shote being returned to its former glory. At 25% it's so hard to be able to get the timing right to use it without the monster already being dead, so you tend not to use it at all. At 50% it will really be useful again and the window of opportunity will be big enough to be able to use it consistently.

Couldn´t have said it better.

[Icedail]

Dont you have power-pots to regain power?? I only ever used Strenght of the Earth in helegrod with the stuck in combat bug when you went up to the giant Stovagan. You have a bunch of stuff you can do to not run outta power. Stance and Bow-chant help massively. I have stance, bow-chant and legendary skill that gives you a little power back and still need power sometimes (like i.e. Helchgam, Thrang or Thaurlach). So Strength of the Earth is very important to me.