Removing pets from MM goes against Blizz’s stated goal of keeping the RPG in MMORPG

[Cäpslöck-proudmoore]

@Zenie-icecrown

Most MM hunters were probably already going petless so it’s not really all that big of a deal.

This would be because it’s been correct for MM to not run a pet for longer than it hasn’t now.

[Dracarian-medivh]

You mean this stated goal for 11.1?

@Kaivax

In Undermine(d), Marksmanship Hunter is receiving a substantial update to its spec tree and fantasy, and we thought we’d take the opportunity to outline our goals with this change.

Lone Wolf, No Longer
Likely the most substantial change to Marksmanship is a reimagining of the specialization’s fantasy and how it interacts with pets.

Hunters are in large part defined by their pets and their greater relationship with the natural world of Azeroth and beyond. Marksmanship Hunter stood in somewhat stark defiance of that for much of its existence, as it was often more than willing to abandon pet access in exchange for extra throughput from Lone Wolf. Over World of Warcraft’s history, this talent was iterated, changed, and grew to be a core part of Marksmanship’s identity.

There were many fantasy and gameplay issues with Lone Wolf. Pets had legitimate utility behind them, such as Bloodlust, defensives, and mobility. Having to summon your pet and lose Lone Wolf to access that utility as Marksmanship often had legitimate experiential and throughput consequences. Why should a Hunter be frustrated to pull out their pet? The discord between Marksmanship Hunters and their pets felt like something that needed to be solved-- and our goal was to solve that problem in a way that not only reembraced pets as a part of Marksmanship’s identity, but also did it in a unique and fantasy-forward way.

Eyes in the Sky
In Undermine(d), Marksmanship Hunters are losing access to “traditional” pets, like Survival and Beast Mastery have, and are instead permanently joined in battle by an Eagle. Your Eagle will descend from the skies when called upon to help your allies and hinder your enemies.

Your most frequent use for the Eagle will be via Spotter’s Mark, a new baseline talent that Marksmanship Hunters will have access to starting at level 13. When spending Precise Shots, your Eagle has a chance to descend from the skies and mark your target, substantially increasing the damage your next Aimed Shot will deal to that target. This mechanic is more deeply developed, expanded, and altered in the talent tree.
Marksmanship Hunters can expect a full suite of unique Eagle-specific versions of pet utility such as a line of sight-ignoring Intimidation, a unique Bloodlust, new visuals for Master’s Call, and even the ability to change your Eagle’s specialization between Tenacity and Cunning.

Aiming Down Sights
The flow of Marksmanship’s rotation is smooth and iconic. For our updates to the Marksmanship tree, we were focused on trimming away some of the more vague parts of Marksmanship’s kit both fantasy-wise and mechanically and really focusing in on what made Marksmanship special-- all while retaining the smooth gameplay that Marksmanship players have come to know and love.
A big pillar of our Marksmanship update was to ensure that Aimed Shot was the star of the show. Aimed Shot is the core of Marksmanship-- a long channel, lightning fast projectile, and it hits like a truck. We’ve added some new mechanics, keywords, and talents that all help to build up to huge Aimed Shots, fat crits, and satisfying procs.

New and Old Tricks
While the core of Marksmanship’s rotation will feel familiar, we wanted to add some more flair to the less core parts of Marksmanship’s kit, such as Kill Shot and Explosive Shot.

Within the new tree you’ll find some familiar friends like Double Tap, Volley, and Lock and Load alongside some new talents like Precision Detonation, that makes Aimed Shot trigger Explosive Shot’s explosion earlier and increasing its damage substantially.
Kill Shot (and Black Arrow) can be turned completely on its head with a new talent, Headshot, that allows you to use Kill Shot as a Precise Shots spender just like Arcane Shot or Multi-Shot.

Room to Grow
This next step for Marksmanship is, ideally, the first of many. We are interested in continuing to flesh out Marksmanship’s Eagle as a true pet and partner for you on your journeys with unique interactions, effects, and even appearances in the future, but we don’t have specifics to share yet. We’d love to hear your thoughts!

We’re excited for you all to get your hands on Marksmanship when Undermine(d) drops, and we’ll be eagerly awaiting your feedback!

[Sarcasm-anvilmar]

So your saying the changes are exactly in line with Blizzards stated RPG goals for MM?

[Sendryn-sentinels]

@Magnarok-amanthul

Yeah as much as I care about not losing pets, the eagle itself is what annoys me the most. What sense does it make?

Both annoy me.

When I want to run Lone Wolf, I want to be ALONE.

When I want to run or need a pet, I want my own freaking pet.

It seems like both options are being deleted from MM and I’m flabbergasted by this decision.

[Dracarian-medivh]

@Sarcasm-anvilmar

So your saying the changes are exactly in line with Blizzards stated RPG goals for MM?

@Kaivax

we thought we’d take the opportunity to outline our goals with this change.

@Kaivax

Hunters are in large part defined by their pets and their greater relationship with the natural world of Azeroth and beyond. Marksmanship Hunter stood in somewhat stark defiance of that for much of its existence, as it was often more than willing to abandon pet access in exchange for extra throughput from Lone Wolf.

If you would like, I can read the rest to you.

[Marisia-defias-pillager]

@Sendryn-sentinels

It seems like both options are being deleted from MM and I’m flabbergasted by this decision.

It’s actually a really easy decision to understand.

[Sendryn-sentinels]

If by “easy,” you mean “stupidity because we’re too lazy to figure out options for more than one spec of Hunter,” then yes.

[Sarcasm-anvilmar]

@Kaivax

are instead permanently joined in battle by an Eagle. Your Eagle will descend from the skies when called upon to help your allies and hinder your enemies.

@Kaivax

Your most frequent use for the Eagle will be via Spotter’s Mark

Sure read the rest of the bits about still having a pet, and how it will fit in the with RPG of MM’s being snipers.

[Dracarian-medivh]

@Sendryn-sentinels

When I want to run Lone Wolf, I want to be ALONE.

Marksman

@Sendryn-sentinels

When I want to run or need a pet, I want my own freaking pet.

BeastMaster

Looks like nothing is being deleted.

[Sendryn-sentinels]

@Dracarian-medivh

Marksman

No longer an option, because there won’t be Lone Wolf.

@Dracarian-medivh

BeastMaster

Is a crap spec that I despise playing. Same with Survival.

I’m sick and tired of this condescending disingenuous crap response.

[Magnarok-amanthul (Magnarok)]

@Dracarian-medivh

Marksman

They’re taking away the lone wolf option. You won’t get to be that sharpshooter who gets by on their own skill.

[Dracarian-medivh]

Which is perfectly in line with a petless hunter. The sniper style Marksman can stealthily approach without a visible pet. Then when needed, an eagle helper, no different than a mages “familiar” appears to help. You are either dense, in denial, or just not getting the concept. Also, you are asking players to define something Blizz designed, and when offered the direct quote as to why they are doing it, you are still not satisfied. Something tells me you are like all the other high post counts and just looking to argue to boost that number.

[Magnarok-amanthul (Magnarok)]

@Dracarian-medivh

Then when needed, an eagle helper

Yeah, so literally not the lone wolf. That’s one of the problems.

[Sendryn-sentinels]

@Dracarian-medivh

You are either dense, in denial, or just not getting the concept

Back at you. Because that’s all you’ve done in every single one of these threads.

[Dracarian-medivh]

They are taking it away because Lone Wolf was a no pet spec. Now they are revamping the no pet spec with better abilities and no pet. It’s not a difficult concept. But if I had my fingers jammed in my ears, I might miss it too.

[Marisia-defias-pillager]

No. It’s an educated design decision backed by years of MM being overwhelmingly dominated by LW. They just pulled the plug on having an active pet because it simply added tedium for both the player end and the dev end. Devs still had to tune the pet despite it barely ever being used, hunters had to call pets for lust. Moreover, the rework is designed to make pets actually a part of MM again, the only thing I’d say would be necessary is adding customization/stable pets to take place of the eagle instead.

[Dracarian-medivh]

@Magnarok-amanthul

Yeah, so literally not the lone wolf. That’s one of the problems.

@Sendryn-sentinels

Back at you. Because that’s all you’ve done in every single one of these threads.

Maybe you two can start a hunter’s guild called “Dude, Where’s My Pet” and sit around in the same mogs with pet Elekk toys out complaining about change.

[Magnarok-amanthul (Magnarok)]

@Dracarian-medivh

They are taking it away because Lone Wolf was a no pet spec. Now they are revamping the no pet spec with better abilities and no pet. It’s not a difficult concept.

The eagle is a pet. It’s just one we don’t get to choose.

[Dracarian-medivh]

The eagle is not a pet. You can’t rename it, and you can’t swap it for something else. At least not a “pet” in the hunter’s definition.

[Magnarok-amanthul (Magnarok)]

And that’s why it’s not as good.