Do any of the specs not use pets? I’m not really interested in having a pet, I just want to be sort of “gunslinger”.
Assuming I have to have a pet, how much work are they? I know you have to feed them. Is there anything else?
Assuming there is a spec that doesn’t use pets how viable is it? Do I sacrifice a lot for not having one?
Marksman Get a DPS buff for not using a pet… but you lose some functionality (bloodlust, slows etc). While leveling having a pet is a HUGE benefit. As a fresh 120 I could easily solo anything i came across in the world. World bosses were eating tanks alive… but i could sit there and solo it… granted it took awhile.
You no longer need to feed pets. The biggest issues with them has to do w/their AI sometimes bugging out in instances. Worst case scenario they pull things… or dont attack things and need to be resummoned.
MM is a very solid choice and in raiding you usually wont use a pet. But I would highly recommend learning how to use and control your pet… as 2/3 specs REQUIRE a pet for DPS. at the end of the day any class you play LONG Term you should try to be comfortable with multiple specs.
The solo “gunslinger” you mention is probably MM hunter at endgame. They will never use a pet during raid and only bring out a bloodlust pet during a a mythic + boss fight.
If you decide to play as BM or Survival which will require a pet. Don’t listen to people who over exaggerate on the complexity of a pet control; a hunter pet is just a glorify DOTS that will sometime glitch due to pathing AI issue that Blizzard need to fix a long time ago.
1 Like
You don’t have to feed pets like we used to over ten years ago, so no worries there. Marksmen spec has a talent lone wolf which boosts their damage, if you do not have a summed pet out. This is the closest you’ll get to the type of playstyle you’re looking for.
Even with that damage buff with no pet, still sometimes you want to use your pets. For tanks when fighting hard hitting elites and rares, which would kill your hunter unless your pet tanked. Sometimes the pet can off tank a tough mob in dungeons if tank died or pulled too many mobs. When questing the lone wolf damage buff might not feel worth it if you aren’t killing mobs fast and they up in your face all the time. Or if you pulled too many mobs and have no pet out to dump agro to using feign death or misdirect abilities.
Also some pets have abilities not available to your hunter. Things like lust, enrage removal, water walking, slow fall, just to name a few helpful abilities. Although some pet abilities like water walking and slow fall are for exotic pets and BM spec, so you wouldn’t benefit from those either way as MM. Some PVP talents require you to have a pet also, depending on what ones you take.
MM does a lot of damage standing still, which might not be an issue questing. In dungeons and raids however bosses move around a lot. Which if you’re a MM hunter that has to keep moving, you will lose some damage not being able to stand still firing off aimed shots. Some cases the damage your pet would contribute can help in fights like this over not having a pet out using lone wolf talent.
You can make MM work as a no pet spec in most situations however with proper use of all your abilities, making sure to be at max range before opening fire.
Remember to dismiss pet if you are using some sort of shortcut or sneak-around to avoid aggroing mobs or to bypass them - if you become separated from your pet the stupid thing will roll merrily along through the designated ‘path’ and pull every damn thing along the way to you. I’ve found pets are less likely to auto-dismiss due to distance than they used to, or it takes a greater separation distance than it used to.
Marksman is the only option for not having a pet however while leveling its much faster to have a pet out. in dungeons and raids not having a pet out could be an advantage cause you dont have to worry about it getting healed. feeding pets is no longer necessary and pets are maintenence free in general you no longer have to worry about keeping them happy. if you plan to use a pet for questing i highly recommend a scalehide pet they are a ferocity tank with a bloodlust best pet ive used for leveling
Lone Wolf is a passive abilty that is baseline for MM. Its no longer a talent.
1 Like
In classic you had to feed them, but no longer.