Do we have logs for comparison on the difference between taking animal companion vs taking an extra point into training expert (5% extra pet damage for 10% total?)
I know this is largely irrelevant with the war within coming since you basically are required to take it to get your AoE, but I’m still curious.
It’s 2.5%/5.0% in TWW.
So it’s one pet doing 105% damage verse two pets doing 65% damage (130%).
So right off the bat you’re down 25% pet damage.
And that isn’t even factoring in that the second pet also obeys kill command.
I don’t have sims but well… it’s a huge loss. Animal Companion may as well be mandatory, I don’t think you ever run a build without it.
Unless they have it so that Animal Companion is on a choice node with the option of 1 pet +30% damage, it’s 100% mandatory unless you just want to be considered trolling by most players in-game
This should be the default tbh, we should be able to choose between 2 pets or one super strong pet
Ya im hoping hunters start a fire under blizz butts there are too many 2 point talents in the BM tree and too many talents that 1.) Should be baked into the kit baseline or 2.) Baked into other talent points.
I feel like its impossible to get 2 BM capstone talents without leaving so much on the table.
You really shouldn’t play BM if you don’t want 2 pets. Its one of the spec signatures and a big damage nerf if you don’t take it.
It absolutely is not a spec signature. It wasn’t even a thing until BFA.
It needs to be made cosmetic, and if you want a single pet or pair of pets, it’s simply a cosmetic switch that has no bearing on your DPS.
He didn’t say it has been a signature of the spec since alpha vanilla. He said it is now. He is right. The bottom line is it needs to be made baseline because it isn’t a choice right now. Unless you are just rping.
BM actually got “2 permanent pets” in Legion through the artifact weapon. That’s what started the whole thing…
Well he is a Druid commenting on Hunter stuff. Someone take scare beast and get rid of him please.
I agree. I just want one pet. I fell in love with the hunter spec back in vanilla. I had 3 specs to choose from. All had one pet and were range. I have played all 3 range specs over the years.
I now do not have that choice. I can play range with no pet, range with two pets or melee with one pet.
It was literally baked into the Legion artifact eight years ago. It may not be a have been a signature of the spec forever, but it has been for almost half the game’s life at this point.
I very much agree that a single strong pet should be a viable option, but let’s not pretend double pets is some brand new thing they’re suddenly trying to force down our throats.
I would rather it go back to the Hati’s Bond setup than have a talent that is for all intents “mandatory”
If we’re supposed to have 2 pets, then just make it baseline, and adjust damage numbers.
There is no “viable” when it comes to 1 pet or 2, either you do the same DPS ( which means the option is cosmetic ) , or one option is the “right” option.
:: shrugs ::
Legion, and that was 8 years ago. That’s enough time for something to become signature. 
Although I preferred it when BM was known more for Spirit Beasts.
Unless they give me a bird that sits on my shoulder, one pet BM forever.
Animal Companion is not “signature” or whatever you want to call it. It was a gimmick for one expansion and an annoying one at that.
We’ve had it for ages now tho lol
Multishot, Arcane Shot, and Concussive Shot are all Signature Abilities that should be baseline, not locked behind a talent some Hunters simply don’t want to use. As far as longevity goes, Murder of Crows has been around longer than Animal Companion and no one’s making it essential. They talk about “class fantasy” and then pound the snot out of it when they start tinkering with talents.
Ok a warlock here now complaining about hunter pets…Anyone got a Paladin buddy to come use turn evil on this mongrel?
You do know people play multiple classes? You should be blessed I bothered to switch. (I hope that doesn’t sound like I’m implying the warlock is me, it’s not. But I could call on my Paladin “buddy” if you like.)