making 5x hunters work (gather tips here)

[Fursphere]

You never know. Melee 5-boxing used to be crap, too.

It only changed _specifically_ because Blizzard implemented the "interact with target" functionality. The fact that it benefited multiboxers was pure side effect, because it was not the intention of the function.

The shortcomings of a 5x hunter group (no tank, no healer, horrible pet AI) cannot be solved by blizzard adding a new UI input function.

So your comparison is not only inaccurate, but misleading as well.

[Ughmahedhurtz]

It only changed _specifically_ because Blizzard implemented the "interact with target" functionality. The fact that it benefited multiboxers was pure side effect, because it was not the intention of the function.

The shortcomings of a 5x hunter group (no tank, no healer, horrible pet AI) cannot be solved by blizzard adding a new UI input function.

So your comparison is not only inaccurate, but misleading as well.

We sorta got away from the 5-hunter thing a few pages back in the thread, but I concede your point about core game mechanics vs class balance.

[Boylston]

You never know. Melee 5-boxing used to be crap, too.

It only changed _specifically_ because Blizzard implemented the "interact with target" functionality. The fact that it benefited multiboxers was pure side effect, because it was not the intention of the function.

The shortcomings of a 5x hunter group (no tank, no healer, horrible pet AI) cannot be solved by blizzard adding a new UI input function.

So your comparison is not only inaccurate, but misleading as well.

Let's say something fundamentally different was changed (a la IWT and Click-to-Move enabling melee boxing), like pets were given significantly more HP or abilities that allowed them to sub in for tanks in 5man heroics easily. Then all the past history might be invalid. However, a few minor changes is not a fundamental shift.

And, even if they were given very beefy pets (compared to today), it wouldn't change the PvP scene much...

[Stealthy]

There's the big question of how are you going to bridge the gear gap between Fresh-80 and tanking heroics. The answer could be arena, but it's not likely to be very successful.

If I was doing it, I would grind honor gear from WG/ BG's. With Season 8 of arena arriving in a few weeks, you're going to have Furious (ilvl 232) set pieces and Relentless (ilvl 245) off pieces available to buy with honor only. For the weapon, start with www.wowhead.com/?item=Nesingwary 4000, run hunters solo through heroic PoS to get this www.wowhead.com/?item=Felglacier Bolter. If you had money to burn, you could go for these BoE pieces: www.wowhead.com/?item=Carapace of Forgotten Kings, www.wowhead.com/?item=Draconic Bonesplinter Legguards, www.wowhead.com/?item=Rock-Steady Treads, www.wowhead.com/?item=Crusader's Dragonscale Bracers, & www.wowhead.com/?item=Belt of Dragons.

That comparison makes no sense. That's like saying that multibox shaman teams will obviously be a bad idea because there aren't a ton of solo Elemental shammies at the top of the ratings. The key difference between a solo hunter and a multibox group is that a solo hunter has complete control of her escape tools and targeting. Things like disengage and trap and feign death and other hunter escape tools are really useful when you can play 1 at a time. They are harder to take advantage of when you have a stack of 4-5 hunters always clumped up.

Just to clarify, I wasn't saying that just becuase solo hunters do well in PvP, that will make boxing them great. I was saying that it was interesting that solo hunters were doing well accross all three trees. Normally classes have 1 or 2 trees that do well, it's unusual to find 3.

I agree that Hunters would be very hard to PvP box - all their big DPS skills require range. And their "oh shit" abilities (deterrence and disengage) are on long cooldowns. You would need to play them as a run and gun style (similar to druids) rather than a turret defense style like shammies. Pets would play a big part, since they now have many desirable PvP abilities, depending on the pet type - stun / disarm / slow / root / snare / interrupt.

I think as far as PvE goes, without a healer, you'll get nowhere in heroics. With a healer, heroics would be hard but possible. I think the biggest issue would be agro management between pets and the healer, but with MD, traps and pet taunt it should be manageable...

As to why you would want to do it...if you're looking for a challenge mabye? Or if you have serveral teams at 80 already and want to try something different? Becuase Boylston said it can't be done? (kidding! )...who knows?

Question for you - how geared did you get your hunters before you stopped playing them in PvP?

Cheers,
S.

[anna81792]

tank pet? as in singular? I was thinking that all my pets are specced tank, and for Blood of the Rhino (increased healing)

damage will be slower, sure, but survival is key

[Boylston]

tank pet? as in singular? I was thinking that all my pets are specced tank, and for Blood of the Rhino (increased healing)

damage will be slower, sure, but survival is key

I tried a variety of hunter combos, and 4xBM with tank pets worked best. Mixing specs to get TSA and Replenish was OK, but it wasn't any faster for instance clearing (and was much less safe).

[anna81792]

I actually have had a group of five hunters, got them to level 70 in a short time.

couldn't kill the first two mobs on heroic Hellfire Ramparts, supposedly the lowest level heroic there is
the other mob ALMOST died, but then I ran out the door

and the worst part is, if one hunter dies, it's always a trip back from the graveyard. with shammies, only one shaman needs to survive (and why wouldn't they, with Reincarnation) to revive the whole group

there' sjust something profoundly evil with five red (BM on) pets doing autodamage while the nelves are shadowmelded. just for the fun, and there's a lot of fun to be had.

[anna81792]

I tried a variety of hunter combos, and 4xBM with tank pets worked best. Mixing specs to get TSA and Replenish was OK, but it wasn't any faster for instance clearing (and was much less safe).

I was thinking that as well but realistcally 10% more attack power is not worth it. not for solo, not for 5 hunters. I did excessive testing and BM hunter is better (x5 bm)

[Boylston]

Some entertaining blasts from the past:

http://www.dual-boxing.com/showthread.php?t=17152

http://www.dual-boxing.com/showthread.php?p=120868



Drop your 5th hunter and add a healer already! Jeez!

[anna81792]

Drop your 5th hunter and add a healer already! Jeez!

see, what's what everyone's doing, and I wanted to do something new (yet old) and make it work

I'll progress as far as I can and update this thread as I move on. I won't be saddened if I can't do heroics. but I damn well am going to try. and who knows what Cata will bring to pets.

when replying to my original post, you forgot that I'm going to use Warp Stalkers, which have 50% chance to miss next 4 melee attacks a good deal of time, and with the Great resistance talent, magic damage is reduced by 15% (not holy damage)