Hunters....

Finally, a developer diary on the most important class

Goals
-Give Hunters more incentive to use all three combat stances
-Continue refining the three Hunter trait paths
-Add a few new skills and add new functionality to old skills
-General cleanup


Save the Last Stance
We kick off with some pretty major changes to Hunter stances in this update. As mentioned in the goals section, we wanted to give Hunters reasons to use all three of their stances. Currently, the trait line you go down largely determines what stance you will use.
The first thing we did was remove all stance specific bonuses from traits and trait lines and redistribute those buffs. We wanted to keep the net potency of the traits, but not tie them to a specific stance. Then we modified the base bonuses the stances gave in an attempt to make them all attractive in different circumstances. Last, we added some new skill interactions with stances to make them feel more unique.
In the end, I think we could have gone further with Endurance. While that stance has always done its job well (reduce power costs), few players wish to sacrifice damage for power in such a heavy handed way. It’s just not exciting! Choosing a different skill rotation that gives back power at the expense of some damage is often a more enjoyable experience. I hope that the Hunter’s Art skill combined with Endurance scratches some of this itch, but my hope is to further refine Endurance in a future update.
With all of that said, I’m very happy overall with the stance changes. Stances should now be more a way to switch up your gameplay on the fly, not a choice you make during trait selection. With that said, here is a breakdown of the changes associated with this goal.

Stance: Strength:
-Removed Threat and Power penalties

Stance: Precision:
-Removed avoidance penetration; left the miss reduction in place
-Add 1 Focus every 5 seconds

Stance: Endurance:
-Add 5% parry chance

New Skill - Hunter’s Art: Moderate damage, costs 3 focus, 10 second cooldown.
Provides a stacking self-buff based on what stance the Hunter is in.
-Strength: Bonus Ranged Damage
-Precision: Bonus Finesse
-Endurance: Bonus Power Regeneration

Graceful Draw: Changed to Spring-loaded Traps:
-Triggering a trap from Set Traps will now increase the damage taken from all sources by 5%.

Enduring Precision: Changed to Earthborn:
+20% Strength of Earth restoration (both power and morale when Improved version of skill is acquired), and generates 1 Focus pip per second.

Quick Shot:
-Added the effect changes to Quick Shot to the skill tooltip.
-Increased the threat reduction of Quick Shot while in Endurance Stance
-Increased the critical chance of Quick Shot while in Precision Stance


Passive Aggression
One of the things I did while preparing for this update was roll a new Hunter and play the first dozen levels. Imagine my surprise after playing in Raid groups and new landscape content at not having the ability to dual wield or use medium armor! My first changes to the Hunter were easy to decide on.

Dual-wielding:
-Available at level 1.

Medium Armour Usage:
-Available at level 1.


New or Improved
As with previous updates, we are focusing more on improving existing skills rather than add new ones. The Hunter is gaining two new skills I discussed earlier (Hunter’s Art and Split Shot) but the majority of the changes are improvements to existing skills. These improvements are as follows:

Level 66: Improved Focus
-The end of the channel now provides a short duration buff that increases critical chance and critical damage.

Level 68: Improved Penetrating Shot
-Cooldown has been reduced to zero.

Level 70: Improved Strength of the Earth
-Now adds Morale over time as well as Power. Additionally, damage no longer interrupts the skill.

Level 72: Improved Scourging Blow
-Scourging Blow makes your next Barbed Arrow have no induction time.

Level 74: Improved Quick Shot
-Now generates an additional point of Focus 30% of the time. Stacks with the Huntsman trait set bonus to give a full 50% chance for 2 Focus.


Bowmaster
Two things should jump out when looking at the set bonuses: Bonus ranged damage regardless of stance and no more power penalties!
Beyond that, the trait line has had few changes. Does it really need more? Bowmaster has always been the most popular line because of its exciting big numbers. Being able to throw down high damage with less power and threat concerns should be quite fun.

Current:
2 Equipped:
+10% Bow Critical Multiplier

3 Equipped:
+3% Strength Stance Damage
+3% Strength Stance Power Cost
+15% Barbed Arrow Initial Damage

4 Equipped:
+7% Strength Stance Damage
+7% Strength Stance Power Cost
-60s Heart Seeker Cooldown

New:

2 Equipped:
+10% Bow Critical Multiplier

3 Equipped:
+3% Ranged Damage
+15% Barbed Arrow Initial Damage

4 Equipped:
+1% Ranged Damage for each Bowmaster trait equipped
-60s Heart Seeker Cooldown
+10% Penetrating Shot Critical Chance

No trait changes!


Huntsman
The Huntsman line has a few more changes then Bowmaster, but only one is major. Strength of the Earth has its morale bonus made available for all trait lines through the Improved version, but the Earthborn trait will give Huntsman some special bonuses. Some additional AOE capabilities have been added as well.
The major change that will generate the most discussion is Strong Draw. With the changes to Focus generation and usage, attempts are being made to make the Hunter have more viable choices when spending Focus, depending on circumstances. With Strong Draw reducing Penetrating Shot’s Focus cost to 2, the skill is too often the single correct way to spend Focus. By removing the Focus discount from Strong Draw (and Arrow Storm) we were able to give the Hunter a suite of other buffs that should bring a lot of variety to the class. I am sympathetic to the sadness this will generate, but I know Hunters remain top tier damage and I believe it will make playing the class a more varied experience.

Current:

2 Equipped:
+2s before Focus loss from Movement

3 Equipped:
-10% Bow Inductions
Strength of the Earth gives morale regen and increased power

4 Equipped:
20% chance for Quick Shot to grant one bonus Focus
-10% Bow Inductions

New:

2 Equipped:
+2s before Focus loss from Movement

3 Equipped:
-10% Bow Inductions
+1 Split Shot targets

4 Equipped:
-2% Bow Inductions for each Huntsman trait equipped
20% chance for Quick Shot to grant one bonus Focus
-30% Penetrating Shot Power cost

Improved Fleetness:
Remove the -10% attack speed bonus
Add 1 Focus every 5 seconds

Strong Draw:
Changed to: Increased damage (+3%) of Penetrating Shot and Blood Arrow.

Swift Recovery:
Needful Haste cooldown reduced by 30s.

Arrow Storm:
Changed to: Scoring a Critical on Rain of Arrows resets the cooldown of Rain of Arrows and Split Shot.


Trapper of Foes
Big changes to Trappers! Our aim has been to let Trappers damage creep up and to give them more ability to debuff monsters, mainly through increased incoming damage. These buffs come at the cost of slightly reduced crowd control capabilities. The realities of end level content are that bosses are largely immune to crowd control. We believe that, overall, the Trapper will be a more welcome addition to groups and be able to dish out more aggressive damage in all circumstances.
A sub theme has also been to bump up trap usage. It is a Trapper after all! Bonuses to traps are now given earlier in the trait line.
Of special note is the reworking of Graceful Draw, as mentioned in the stance section. The bonuses the trait previously granted have been rolled into other traits to spruce them up, and to allow them to be used by other trait lines that may eye them!

Current:

2 Equipped:
+60 in-Combat Power Regen

3 Equipped:
-[Level x 44] Rain of Thorns Target Root Resist Rating
-50% Trap Skill Inductions
-5% Ranged Damage

4 Equipped:
Penetrating Shot roots with longer Cooldown
-30s Trap Skill Cooldowns
-10% Ranged Damage
Purge Poison now affects full fellowship with a 15s cooldown

New:

2 Equipped:
-50% Trap Skill Inductions

3 Equipped:
-[Level x 44] Rain of Thorns Target Root Resist Rating
-30s Trap Skill Cooldowns

4 Equipped:
Penetrating Shot reduces foes B/P/E, increases as additional Trapper traits are equipped
Purge Poison now affects full fellowship with a 15s cooldown

Heightened Senses:
Add -10% power usage.

Heart of the Bard:
Change to: Bards Arrow reduces the cooldown of Heart-seeker by 20s.

Stealthy Shot:
Add -10% threat generation.

Sturdy Traps:
Add +25% trap damage.

Strong Intimidation:
Add that fear skills are now resisted 5% less.


Other Goodness
Not the best section title, I know. This area’s for the other general buffs and changes that don’t really fit elsewhere. Don’t just skim by here, there’s a very strong new skill that will help the Hunter’s AOE damage capabilities!

New Skill - Split Shot:
Moderate damage, moderate power, 1.5 second induction, 10s coodlown, generates 1 focus, strikes 2 targets in a small area.

Needful Haste:
Reduce cooldown to 1m 30s.
Animation removed, skill is now instant and usable while moving.
Reduce duration to 15s.

Scourging Blow:
Remove the bonus critical chance on the base skill. Increase the damage when the Barbed Arrow bleed is removed.

Press Onward:
Induction reduced to 4s.
Induction no longer canceled by damage, but is still knocked back normally.

Blood Arrow:
Now useable while moving


Consistency and Upkeep
We’ve done a pass on making sure all Improved skills now share their name with the base version of the skill. While there is some loss of uniqueness with this change, we feel it will bring all of the class terminology in line across the board.

Beneath Care:
Renamed to “Improved Beneath Notice”

Set Snare:
Bleed now stacks across multiple Hunters.

Blindside:
Added to tooltip that it now interrupts. This effect will now display on all skill tooltips that interrupt inductions.

Resolute Aim:
Removed the clause keeping this from functioning with Press Onward (as Press Onward now cannot be interrupted by damage.)

It is the comon misconception that ranged DPS should concentrate on his primary stat jewelry and legacies to his legendary weapons that boost only his range offence ratings. The logic behind this way of thinking is "my task is to shot what they point out for me, to take care not to take agro, and evrything will be fine". Unfortunately, after lvl 60 and entering some more complex 6-man and 12-man instances one soon realise that there's plenty of times that something may (and usually does) go wrong, that can lead to whipe. That is, a designated healer in a group can suddenly pick up agro, gets interupted, canot heal tank, tank dies, healer dies, evrybody dies. Also, more and more instances have bosses that periodicaly does tremendous area attack for 2000 dmg to morale, etc... Healer cannot heal evryone that fast, people start dying, and there goes another whipe.

Hunter is a class in unique position to "fix things" when something goes wrong. But, that kind of hunter must be a "fatty" with as much morale as he can get, and as much defences aswell.

If U concentrate on building up highest possible AG stat with your jewelry and legendary item settings, U may and easily end up with 3500k of morale, 650 on AG and U still canot pick up agro from that "other" guy next to you who has 6.5k of morale and U know for sure that he has only 550 on AG. How can that be?

The Answer is in Ranged Offence. AG as a primary stat does go for Evasion, Ranged Offence (ranged damage bonus) and chance for critical hit, BUT there are other ways to build Ranged Offence rating, and not staying on 4k of Moral or even less than it, and risking to get oneshoted in many lvl 65 instances. Your settings can give you more than 600 morale per weapon, and also boost your range offence rating. Since hunter uses two legendary weapons, that means U can get another 1200 morale to your character.

When deciding what jewelry to wear a hunter should strive and do as many SG runs (6man instance in Mirkwood) to get rings that gives you both good AG, Vit, And around 100 morale per ring. With two of those rings, U can get another 500 moral bonus to your character. Also, in SG runs there are earrings that are awesome for Hunter, that gives both AG, bonus to ranged offence, and around 200 morale on each. That is almost another 500 morale to your character. Conserning bracers, quite easily obtainable are bracers from StH t2 second boss, which doesnt give U any AG, BUT gets round 250 morale ond each - another 500 morale to your character. If these runs are hard for U, U can try and get two stes of ring and bracelet of brawling that can be taken in skirmish camp.

So, when we add these bonuses with your bare character, U get another 2.2 k - 2.7 k of morale to your basic 3.5k average hunter has. That means U have instead of "squishy oneshoted huntard" as melee clases likes to call us, one respectable force that can quickly react and protect healers and/or other light armour clases in need. U can easily pisk up agro from Tank on 1k of health who desperatly needs few moments to heal, pick up agro from healer who is conctantly interupted by enemy and canot heal the tank, and not die in the proces.

So, what are the basic goals here?
Plan your Ranged Offence rating to get between 7.5k and 8.5k, your crit rate to be around 4k, your parry and evade rating to be more than 2k, your ag between 550 and 600 and your morale to be more than 5.5k.

Now, second important thing is Armor. Armor, as it is, reduces common dmg (most usual type) and gives you chance to last longer. When facing choice "should I have the highest possible AG or should I last longer", in my book the second choice prevail. The one who has greater AG may dmg faster, BUT the one that can withstand greater dmg from enemy can live long enough to save others, turn the tides, and bring victory to himself and his fellowship. That is why I use traits that boost Vit, Morale and armor.

Hope this helps...

In a few weeks we'll also have to factor in finesse too. I sense a headache coming on...

But yes, that was very helpful. Just the sort of thing I was hoping people would add

Regarding the developer's diary for Isengard, theres some nice changes coming up.

Looking forward to this: Level 70: Improved Strength of the Earth. Power as well as morale. And its no longer interrupted by damage!

(I'll add more later when I get chance, this post was mostly just to let you know the thread has been updated )

Well, i've played my hunter a bit tonight, and i got the feeling i wasn't profiting as much from Precision stance as i have been in pre-Isen. Putting aside the whole strength vs precision argument that was before, it seems so far to me that Strength is the way of the hunter in the expansion.

Not sure yet what to think and how to handle the stat changes, i'd like to hear from some of the veteran hunters regarding this topic... seems that stacking agility is on the table, and fate as well?

Ok, revision time... although yes there has been a major change with the Precision stance, with some tweaking to the traits equipped, it's still very usefull. The new skill, Hunter's Art, is adding an additional 800ish to finesse, so that's good.
As for stacking agility... still struggling with that... i'm now rapidly loosing morale points (have lost about 1k from RoI start to this moment) due to the gear replacement. So if i don't kill them quick... but it's cool to have over 1k agility having not played as long as some other hunters i know, this is the first time my ranged attack skill is adding over 50% to damage...
I am still looking for any useful information regarding finesse; so far i found this explanation at the bottom of this thread-page. If anyone has anything more to add, please do so...

Wow Lona, that explanation almost makes me want to create a hunter character for me own .