The very first character I ever made was an orc hunter in the open beta. I have played hunter off and on ever since. It is the melee spec being added that brought me back full time again.
No class honestly needs 3 spec of the same playstyle.
In an ideal world rogues, mages and warlocks would all have one spec changed to melee, ranged, tank or heal. Having 3 specs all ranged dps or all melee dps is just a leftover design flaw from vanilla. Im sure it wont be repeated in WoW2.
This class was built as pure ranged dps and I now only have two specs to choose from. If that was not the case I wouldn’t care, but It really sucks to now either have to choose between full pet spec or marks, which is very hit or miss over the years.
Having surv to mix it up without being slapped into melee was what I loved about the class.
Now I effectively have two specs.
The problem is, even when it hasn’t been performing badly it still has low representation in said content. We can look at Uldir or Nightwell as some pretty good examples. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with enjoying the spec, but there’s no evidence that is available to us to suggest it’s popular. Which again, I don’t think in of itself is that big of a deal, but I’m only mentioning it since you keep bringing it up.
I would advice you to go back and check that site again. They track statistics based on the Blizzard API service.
Important: These stats are limited by how fast website can scan character data from the Blizzard API.
What is the Blizzard API?
Check this link: https://develop.battle.net/documentation/world-of-warcraft/game-data-apis
You can track a whole lot more than just raid progress and M+ with the B-API. (Expand the tab below)
Achievement API
Auction House API
Azerite Essence API
Connected Realm API
Covenant API
Creature API
Guild Crest API
Item API
Journal API
Media Search API
Modified Crafting API
Mount API
Mythic Keystone Affix API
Mythic Keystone Dungeon API
Mythic Keystone Leaderboard API
Mythic Raid Leaderboard API
Pet API
Playable Class API
Playable Race API
Playable Specialization API
Power Type API
Profession API
PvP Season API
PvP Tier API
Quest API
Realm API
Region API
Spell API
Talent API
Tech Talent API
Title API
WoW Token API
In addition to the above, you also have the Profile APIs-service.
Check this link: https://develop.battle.net/documentation/world-of-warcraft/profile-apis
It can be used to track even more things on a character-level. Including Achievements, Appearance, Collections, Encounters, Equipment, Hunter Pets, Mythic Keystone profile, PvP, and more…
Additional reading/info regarding the API Service:
The World of Warcraft APIs have three namespace categories: static, dynamic, and profile.
JSON documents in a static namespace contain data that is directly related to underlying game systems. Resources in this category are expected to change on a per-patch basis, though they could change more or less frequently. An example of a static resource is a JSON document detailing a specific achievement or item.
JSON documents in a dynamic namespace contain data that is published in response to in-game events as they happen. Resources in this category are expected to change fairly frequently. An example of a dynamic resource is a JSON document detailing a leaderboard (which could change when positions on the leaderboard change) or WoW Token data (which could change regularly as its price fluctuates).
JSON documents in a profile namespace contain data that is contextual to a specific character or Blizzard account. Resources in this category are expected to change fairly frequently. An example of a profile resource is a JSON document detailing the achievements for a specific World of Warcraft character or a document detailing the roster for a guild.
Resources related to characters are updated upon character logout. Resources related to guilds are updated at a regular interval.
Unless I’m reading it wrong, that shows all players who have engaged with Covenants, regardless of their PvE/PvP experience. If you are playing SV and not doing anything with a Covenant you aren’t even max level and your experience can be dismissed as irrelevant for purposes of how the spec should be designed.
That’s really neat.
I went and checked out that WoWranks website you cited, and I set the filter to Class > Spec > Covenant.
Then I looked at every class and spec.
MSV has ~24k numbers, and the next lowest is the Rogue spec Assassination, which has ~43k.
…The second lowest represented spec has nearly the DOUBLE numbers on MSV.
That’s just depressing.
Yep.
Before the usual “but if MSV only had higher numbers…” arguments.
Beast Mastery is literally the bottom performing spec atm, with a margain, and currently holds the 4th spot(amongst all specs) in terms of how many there are that play it.
Just also dropping in to remind everyone that this whole “that’s only raid representation!” argument relies on the notion that Survival could be extremely popular in all sorts of casual content and just doesn’t show up in raids (even normal and heroic) or M+. I hate to rely on anecdotal evidence, but just ask yourselves how often you see Survival Hunters out an about in world quests and random dungeons/BGs. I do a lot of BGs and, while Hunters are a popular class pick, Survival Hunters are a rare sight.
I even mentioned that earlier. Wouldn’t that indicate there’s still something weird going on if it was really popular as just a leveling / questing spec but shows up pretty much no where else?
I think I’ve seen maybe two so far this expansion to be frank.
This should be fun
As of the time of this writing, there are 668,585 hunters who are at least level 50. (I say level 50, because while I assume the vast majority are lvl 60, there are like some alts doing threads of fate that may be getting caught up in this data, not that it really matters.)
Of those 668,585
119,615 are Kyrian
-78,800 MM
-34,800 BM
-6,015 SV
31,255 are Necrolord
-11,560 MM
-15,246 BM
-4,449 SV
485,494 are Night Fae
-276,719 MM
-196,714 BM
-12,061 SV
32,221 are Venthyr
-13,389 MM
-16,537 BM
-2,295 SV
That gives us
380,468 MM
263,297 BM
24,820 SV
MM makes up 56.91% of the current hunter player base.
BM makes up 39.38% of the current hunter player base.
SV makes up 3.71% of the current hunter player base.
Anyone still under the illusion that survival is secretly popular?
Edit: Statistics - wowranks.io
(Cited for those who will eventually ask where these numbers came from.)
And don’t forget to look at the other classes! I think I counted, like, 5 specs that had less than 100k — but all of those specs are still between 43k to 98k (or so).
That 43k one, the second-lowest number, is Assassination Rogue.
I mean, the fact that is obvious to most of us is that it’s simply not popular. We can speculate as to why (namely, the whole rework to melee being the obvious answer) but for anyone to sit there and argue it’s popular is just factually wrong. There’s zero truth in that statement.
The idea that I still think is the best route forward as a fourth spec ironically still caters to keeping it around for the very few people who play the spec to begin with. Largely, I argue for that because I think what happened to SV was wrong, I don’t think it should happen again to those who happen to like current SV,and because I think it’ll be best long term for the game’s health. The devs need to acknowledge that how they implemented the spec was a mistake.
This.
/10c
Those numbers really put the whole survival situation into context, whatever side of the melee fence you fall on. There were probably more people bent out of shape about the Shadow Priest Void Form revamp than there are Survival hunters.
I mean… there are more shadow priests in 3 out of 4 of the covenants than total survival hunters. The one covenant that doesn’t have more shadow priests, has more priests total than survival hunters.
Monks and rogues were the least popular classes bar none for like the last 6+ years…but we kept them anyway, lol.
The game doesnt need an even split in every class and every spec. What it needs is something for everyone.
Wow, I actually agree with you here!!
Queue 4th spec for hunters so those of us who want RSV back can get it.
Who ever said it was popular?
I said it would attract people that enjoy a melee+pet class fantasy. That is not the same thing.
Oh, so many MSV-fans…
No, you didn’t.
Here’s what you said:
“Larger” implies more players than before. Which is the literal opposite of what happened.
Its far too similiar to the other 2 ranged specs and thats why it was axed.
And you will never see 4th specs with the skeleton crew that currently operates this game, its so far out of the realm of possibility its a waste of time to keep bringing it up.