I'm a mostly casual player who likes to solo difficult content and build classes around that. E.g. in early TBC I farmed parts of BRD on a 60 frost mage.
My Question is, how does a hunter stack up against a paladin for soloing tough mobs? Let's ignore for now kiting and platform hopping and related strategies that avoid damage. I'm talking about something like an honest 1v1 with an elite where your pet or the paladin is taking direct hits while mitigating, doing damage, and healing.
More Context: For official Classic, I'm split between dwarf hunter (LW, skinning, beast mastery), or dwarf paladin (BS, mining, holy/ret). On the Kronos private server I've been leveling that paladin build and have been pleased with its great survivability. Basically I use imp Bless of Wisdom + Judg of Wisdom + watching 5 sec rule for mana conservation, and use a mix of crafted plate, a few dungeon BiS drops, and a little healer gear. Also, with Divine Favor + bubble you can basically go from empty to full health at any point in the fight.
The paladin has worked great, but I'm really feeling the itch to try a hunter and do LW with Dragonscale specialization. I've read that hunter pets didn't scale with the hunter's stats in Vanilla, and that some extreme soloers would actually stack lots of healer gear for their mana pool. The Hunter seems appealing for similar reasons that a Paladin does, in that there's many ways you can think of building them with Vanilla's open-ended stats. Also Dwarves are awesome :-)
Forgive me if this has been discussed, but I couldn't find anything on this particular comparison.
11/01/2018 08:01 AMPosted by FyedoraI've read that hunter pets didn't scale with the hunter's stats in Vanilla
yeah I don't think pets scale with stats until burning crusade? (are a few neat items that can boost per performance though)
on the other hand at some points in the game the hunter abilities arcane shot and mend pet supposed to have scaled with +spell so its worth considering I suppose.
heard some hunter even solo killed a world boss doing this.
Hunter is the best solo leveling class in the game IMO. You just have so much up time compared to every class except warlock and you have speed boosts over the warlock.
If you're just going to stand there and take it, pally might win, but hunters have tools to make almost anything easy.
Also, pets didn't scale, but there are pets that are better at things than others...especially rare pets. Something they took away after vanilla. Though, to be honest, I don't know if there is a better "tanking" pet in vanilla...
Also, pets didn't scale, but there are pets that are better at things than others...especially rare pets. Something they took away after vanilla. Though, to be honest, I don't know if there is a better "tanking" pet in vanilla...
The best classes for soloing content are roughly in order: Hunter, Warlock, Paladin/Druid, sPriest. For mobs that can be slowed or aoe grinding Mage is best. Shaman can also kite a single mob indefinitely. All of these classes can farm DM east plant trash. Rogues can do well fighting individual mobs they can stun and they can pop a bunch of cooldowns, but its 5 mins between. Warriors are dead last.
Hunter solos better, but it takes more effort to achieve. Pally soloing is simple and solid.
The exception to the rule is sword/shield AoE grinding.
The exception to the rule is sword/shield AoE grinding.
11/01/2018 08:13 AMPosted by SpyThough, to be honest, I don't know if there is a better "tanking" pet in vanilla
believe gorilla had an high threat aoe thunderstomp effect making it one of the better aoe pets, turtles had a 50% damage reduction making them better at tanking single targets or something.
I am biased, but I say hunter. Yes, pets didn't scale, but if you find a good pet with higher health and maybe some tanky secondary abilities and you're specced 31 BM with the health/dodge, extra healing talents your pet can be far more formidable than if you were surv or MM.
Also, hunters are a pure DPS class, which matters if you want to raid. Paladins are often relegated to healing if they want a real shot or being a dead last off-tank or crappy DPS only there for their blessings and seals. I know at higher ilvls hunters are outdamaged by many classes and sometimes only brought for Tranq shot, but still they have it better than ret paladins.
Also, hunters are a pure DPS class, which matters if you want to raid. Paladins are often relegated to healing if they want a real shot or being a dead last off-tank or crappy DPS only there for their blessings and seals. I know at higher ilvls hunters are outdamaged by many classes and sometimes only brought for Tranq shot, but still they have it better than ret paladins.
I remember Hunters where the best levelers back in the day, the first 10 levels where hard but one you got your pet you rarely ever needed to stop and rest.
Paladins could solo harder mobs and some elites but they where really slow levelers.
Paladins could solo harder mobs and some elites but they where really slow levelers.
If you play a hunter, you will need to find your favorite pet and roll with it. I played hunter until level 50 pre-BC and found it very frustrating leveling yourself and your pet.
I'm looking forward to playing a prot paladin and AoE grinding. The idea of being tanky with heals/bubble and all that reflective damage is pretty cool (ret aura, holy shield, sanctuary blessing, shield spike, force reactive disc shield, consecration, etc)
Hunters not only have a higher skill floor when it comes to soloing they also have a high skill ceiling.
The only class in the game that doesn't fear a 1v1 with same level elite npcs is a hunter.
The only class in the game that doesn't fear a 1v1 with same level elite npcs is a hunter.
Lupos will take you to 60 and also enable you to 3v1 any potential threats.
Did I say Hunter? I meant Lupos.
Did I say Hunter? I meant Lupos.
Hunter > lock > pally > druid/mage > shaman/rogue > .... > .... > .... > warrior
That's my ranking at equal gear with pre raid gear at lev 60 vs a single elite mob.
That's my ranking at equal gear with pre raid gear at lev 60 vs a single elite mob.
Hunters - specifically BM Hunters - are the reigning champions of leveling and farming in Vanilla WoW. The rest are welcome to compete for second place.
It depends if you want to jump off a bridge at level 15
11/01/2018 08:45 AMPosted by Elack11/01/2018 08:13 AMPosted by SpyThough, to be honest, I don't know if there is a better "tanking" pet in vanilla
believe gorilla had an high threat aoe thunderstomp effect making it one of the better aoe pets, turtles had a 50% damage reduction making them better at tanking single targets or something.
I played a lot as a hunter back in vanilla, but never really used a "tank" pet. All I remember from back then was getting the warg in BRD for the rank 8 (something I forget) and that Brokentoe/ZG bat had the best attack speed.
Considering a Paladin was my main, and a Hunter was my alt. I can say that for me Paladin was my Favorite to play.
However, when it comes to leveling, My hunter seemed to level a bit faster.
Iām not sure if it was due to its class or that I had known where stuff was since I had done it before on my Main.
However, when it comes to leveling, My hunter seemed to level a bit faster.
Iām not sure if it was due to its class or that I had known where stuff was since I had done it before on my Main.
I will add, Prot Pally with Reckoning is pretty fun - especially when you twist various seals.
11/01/2018 08:47 AMPosted by ShadowstalkxI am biased, but I say hunter. Yes, pets didn't scale, but if you find a good pet with higher health and maybe some tanky secondary abilities and you're specced 31 BM with the health/dodge, extra healing talents your pet can be far more formidable than if you were surv or MM.
Also, hunters are a pure DPS class, which matters if you want to raid. Paladins are often relegated to healing if they want a real shot or being a dead last off-tank or crappy DPS only there for their blessings and seals. I know at higher ilvls hunters are outdamaged by many classes and sometimes only brought for Tranq shot, but still they have it better than ret paladins.
Tell that to the Hunters I outdps :P