So I along with I am sure many other players, and hunter players have been excited for the talents to only see them and feel a bit mixed. I play beast mastery it is a spec that I enjoyed, and have enjoyed since Mists but have slowly seen the game play change into something a far cry from what it was. but I digress.
the talents and the problem:
So first and foremost, a lot of the choices are hunter passives baked into the talents with extra points added into them to make them point sinks. Why is this?
Why does Kindred Spirits cost me two points to max out to obtain its full benefit, something that Beast Mastery has had prior to these talents when it could easily just cost one for the same benefit it costs now.
Beast Cleave, another prime example of a hunter passive turned into a talent that costs the player three points for optimal usage when the points could be used else where, why isn’t Beast Cleave either left alone and kept as something baseline which it was since atleast Mists, or why isn’t this one point for the full benefit?
A lot of these 2 or 3 point choices in the trees leave me confused as a player, I want to enjoy my class, but when it seems like a lot of these talent choices (not for just BM but the hunters in general) are glorified point sinks I feel disappointed and I dont have the desire to play the class.
Lets talk Animal Companion
I am one, as there are others who don’t like this as a raid talent or choice for raids, it’s not a fun choice to use in raids, and having to deal with the AI and pathing bugs for two pets really, truly is just not a good experience. it’s tiring to have this ability continued to be forced down in a raiding environment when its something borderline toxic in a lot of encounters.
if people wish to have two companions at once that’s fine but let them have it as something cosmetic, from a hunter quest or something, this ability while neat, really truly doesn’t belong in a raiding environment.
Left side of the Talent Tree
The left side of the tree for Beast Mastery feels, lackluster to say the least. you have Sharp Blades - a generic 5/10% damage increase for barbed shot, when theres already something identical and better on the right side of the tree in qa’pla for the same amount of points. this choice is also locked behind Animal Companion so its effectively a dead choice.
Thrill of the Hunt - the node seems confusing. is that 3% crit for 8 seconds with stacking crit per point? 3/6/9? and if thats the case it seems like another point sink for something that already functions where it stacked up to 3 times in shadowlands
In for the Kill - its in an awkward spot, given sharp Blades will probably be skipped which means the only other way to get to this is through Crows, and Crows highly depends on the tuning, so this also probably leaves it as a questionable spot. I would suggest moving it else where.
A Murder of Crows - this ability always seems like it has seen numerous changes and or nerfs/buffs over the years and is right now just there perhaps look at revising crows or just replacing crows outright with something else like focus fire/frenzy stacks (mists)
Bloodshed - was always okay spot is probably fine, it may depend on tuning
Stomp - this just seems like it was thrown here especially given it can synergize with Dire Beast but Dire Beast is middle right of the tree. I would look at moving stomp further up or make it easier to take stomp if one is taking Dire Beast.
Wailing Arrow - this doesnt really seem like it belongs for Beast Mastery at all, on a side of the tree thats already just awkward perhaps look at revising it and replacing it with something to better synergize with pets.
and then theres Dire Command and Dire Pack.
Dire Command 3 points for a 30% chance to summon a dire beast seems fine? but out of all the legendaries to take it seems like one of the least exciting ones for Beast Mastery could have atleast brought back something like the Siege of Orgrimmar 4pc bonus
“Offensive abilities used during Bestial Wrath increase all damage you deal by 4% and all damage your dealt by your pet by 2%, stacking up to 5 times.”
and either replaced Dire Command with this, or made this into the capstone instead of Dire Pack.
Dire Pack really just seems out of place as a capstone, to go so far down onto the side of a tree that seems like it doesn’t really have an idea of what its trying to do for something that works with Dire Beast just doesn’t seem right.
some of these talents I do genuinely love, like Kill Cleave (this was a really cool addition so thank you for that) but a lot of them as well really seem like they should have a second look at for Beast Mastery.