The other day I was in the middle of a Steamvaults run (which we ended up scrapping halfway through because the tank was disconnected and then apparently the login server went down), when somebody said something to this effect in guild chat:
“Ugh, I’m grouped with another huntard. Tawyn, you need to start writing guides on how to be a good hunter and post them online so we can send all the huntards there.”
…I giggled.
And I told her that as a matter of fact… I sort of already try to do that. I said that there’s a rather expansive online “hunter community” of people that want to lend their advice and experience to newbies, and that I’m a part of it.
Now what you’ve gotta understand here, is that very few of my guildies know about my blog. It’s not because I’m hiding it from them or anything. It’s mostly that I don’t really like tooting my own horn. Somehow, for some crazy reason, this site is currently getting over 130 hits a day. Now I dunno about anybody else but I consider that to be a resounding success. But I can’t help but fear that it might put me in a sort of weird authoritative position in the guild that I don’t find myself to be deserving of, considering how awesome my guildies are. (Though to be fair, you could argue that I’m already in an “authoritative position”, since I am an officer and probably unofficially the “hunter class leader”, considering the “I need advice” whispers I often get from various lower-level hunters in the guild.)
Anyways while I’d love for more of my guildies to see this blog at some point, I’m holding off on it because I’m waiting for a time when it’s less awkward for me to bring it up. So when the aforementioned person asked for a website to refer the huntards to, I said BigRedKitty.net. Because there is no denying that not only is BRK probably one of the best hunter resources on the net right now, but he also holds the position of being sort of the “central hub” to this hunter community, and as such his site is a really good starting point– if you spend enough time at BRK, you will eventually find a lot of other good sites too.
And once again I find myself vouching for the help that the WoW-blogging community offers. I’ve been having more and more people recently asking me how I learned to play my hunter competently. And really my only answers are “lots of reading online” and “lots of practice.” Others in my guild, after hearing me mention this, have started doing their own research and reading on their class and I think it’s showing. We are developing a really strong group of players and it’s really exciting.
Anyways, blog-talk time over. I met one of my goals this weekend:
That is my new Gladiator’s Heavy Crossbow, which was promptly equipped with an Adamantite Scope. I was hoping to have it a day earlier, but it turns out the Estimated Honor was even more inaccurate than I’d assumed and I wound up about 180 honor short. But a few AVs and 24 hours later… yes. I am a happy hunter.
I went and tried it out on the level 70 elementals in Nagrand, and the improvement over my last bow is just insane. I’m so excited to try this out in an instance. I also need to get my crossbow skill up, so I can bring my crit back up.
Speaking of crit, my unbuffed agility is now over 500. At this point, I think I could probably decently pull off a 0/31/30 spec. It’s difficult for me to imagine life without the Big Red Pet and all the benefits that 41/20/0 comes with (like Serpent’s Swiftness, oh how I love this talent); but I feel like I have left hunter territory unexplored if I don’t try out a lot of different specs. Besides, I’ve noticed lately that my crowd control is pretty critical in instances; now I think I’m a decent trapper as it is, but I often feel like I could be bringing more to the table and improved traps would help with that. I know I can think of more than a few times lately where I’ve wished, mid-instance, that I had better traps. So I’ve informed my fellow-instance’ers to let me know if they ever feel like they need improved traps, and if so, I will respec post haste.
*glances up at wall of text*
…I really do talk too much, don’t I?
That is not too much talking. Sitting in a 3 hour lecture about why government functions is too much talking.
I think you should promote your blog to your Guildies. It’s nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a HUGE accomplishment! I do a lot of promotion for my blog (when I’m visiting other Guild’s vents, I change my name to include my URL). But again, its up to you. Being lowkey is okay, but there’s nothing wrong with saying “I BLOG!”.
I just respecced to 0/41/20 and am LOVING it. I feel like I’m more useful as a trapper and DPS. My pet does a little less DPS, and I miss Intimidation and BW, but only when fighting 70+ elites. Most regular mobs go down MUCH quicker that when it comes to the point where I gain all the aggro, my last shot is the one where the mob falls to my feet literally LOL.
I can’t wait to start doing instances. I just dinged 70 last week and I changed professions to leatherworking and skinning because I decided I want the Netherscale set to start out with because my gear is horrible right now, especially for PVP.
And don’t kid yourself, you’re just as much of a resource for huntards as BRK!
Pike – plus besides giving great insights, your delivery is great. I really enjoy reading your insights. Thanks for giving us a true example that shows what Hunter’s can become.
Oooh, shiny welfare epics. Impressive. 🙂
If you have any interest in Karazhan, keep in mind that trapping is the only other form of crowd control that works in there after the priest’s shackle (since like 99% of the place is undead). Also, there are a few fights in there that are not pet friendly. Of course, play the spec that makes you happy, but definitely don’t forget about that.
And yes, I would definitely suggest your blog to anyone who wants to learn how to not be a huntard, along with BRK.
Grats on the lewt!
Sharing a little info from the hunters in my guild…
They generall don’t find the whole Improved Trap thing to be that useful, compared to the DPS loss, until they start making there way into Tier 5 content.
By that point, the mobs are high enough level to start providing serious troubles to hunter traps, what with resists and frequently breaking early.
In my oh so humble opinion, stay with beastmaster for now, the higher DPS will serve the guild better at this point. Most likely you will deeply lust improved traps once you reach 25-man content where you have to trap.
I just started blogging recently, I too hesitate at promoting my blog (I’m a touch on the shy side). If you want to be low key than thats cool but I must say I love your writings, I’m a big blog surfer and yours is one of my favorites!
Pike – going from what I’ve heard and compared to my own dps/threat in instances…your playstyle becomes more “for the group” if you switch to MM/SV. You bring a group buff to the table that will up everyones dps 24/7…this will make you seem less “dpser”…you will be able to trap as well as before but with longer duration which is nice. You will have silence and scatter shot (I’m assuming) which I’ve used literally all the time in most instances and situations (a few situations to never use silence though in kara).
I use all my “tricks” in pvp as well. While i may never top the dps, I’m a support class now. I bring more to the CC table. I help my raid more just by being there. Sure I could try to out dps others with Big Red Owl…but they’ve got great dps…And I love my spec.
So I stick to helping them dps that much more ^_^
Survival is fun, its definatly not as self-centered dps as the other 2 trees, but in the right group it ends up being more dps, it merely doesn’t show as your dps on the damage meters. do you have any survival hunters allready in guild though? because its worth poiting out that theres little point having two of them in a group at once (except for incredable trapping anyway)
Congratulations on the crossbow too, shame it has no agility, means theres not much point me getting it when my time comes, still congratulations.
Gratz on the gladiators xbow. Personally I’m a bigger fan of some of the PvE ranged weapons as typically stam is not really what I need on a bow. Which is the main reason I don’t have a Gyro-Balanced Khorium Destroyer. I’m surprised you’re going with the Adamantine Scope since the Khorium Scope shouldn’t be too hard to get or possibly the Stabilized Eternium Scope. Does this mean you’re an engineer and made to up your skill? If so you can pick up the plans for the Khorium scope from Sunfury Bowman in Netherstorm.
Thanks for all the info and advice guys. I do indeed like bringing utility to the party, that’s why I spec for Improved Hunter’s Mark over Efficiency and why I pride myself on having Ferocious Inspiration up basically the entire fight. I wouldn’t have Silencing Shot because that’s the 41-point MM talent and I definitely wouldn’t be going 41 points into it. However, I would have Trueshot Aura and a lot of good Survival stuff.
@ Sonvar – Yeah, I’m hoping for a nice PvE bow as well but a PvP bow will work for me in the meantime, it’s upped my DPS hugely over Valanos’ Longbow so far in instances.
I am not an engineer, however I chose Adamantine Scope because a.) there were no Khorium Scopes on the AH and I’m impatient, and b.) Right now I really need pure attack power more than crit because I’ve been stacking agility so my crit is already very high. So the Stabilized Eternium Scope is out.