Since I've noticed in beta that custom changes do apply to some classes rather than acting on a strict OF ruleset, I figured I would pass along my observations with the hunter class, as well as archers and stealthers, in a general sense, in the hopes that developers and players may see some potential to benefit the class at hopefully no added imbalance cost to the rest of the game :-)
Specs:
For one, there is next to no reason (and I'm not exaggerating) that a player at the Phoenix/OF patch level would choose the hunter, specifically, over the other 2 archer options unless they were tied to the realm of midgard by either a set group who rolled there / the realm timer / some other reason. Fact is, beastcraft and spear are the 2 unique lines that a hunter gets compared to a vastly better melee line from rangers (who also get self buffs) and shield line from scouts (full 9s slam at this patch level is absolutely devastating and incredible, as is engage). Even at the absolute highest spec in beastcraft, the last summoned pet stops at 32 (there is never a better summoned one - only 2 charms that are highly unusable unless they were opened up to more mob types). Also, the highest (red) dex/quick buff from BC still doesn't even touch the benefit from what you get with an item that has the same /charge. The other buff is an AF buff, which also falls short of the charge, which is a free /use from the epic vest. By comparison, rangers get a base strength buff from their pathfinding line (there is no base str charge item that I am aware of, so even low values/spec in this line will have a superior increase to str than that of the alchemy potions). The other AF and d/q buff in the line can be replaced by charges or potions, as with the hunter, if needed. Both classes get speedburst, which is very useful - there is no denying this, and it is one of very few useful tools the hunter has access to at this patch level where most classes do not get an inherent speed ability. Scouts do not get this by comparison. Lastly, rangers also get a dmg add buff in their path line, which there are only very few items you can access to grant this buff (which typically only lasts 20s - 1 min, at most). This gives them a second dmg dealing buff over hunter for which there is no viable replacement in item or potion form.
How it Plays in Rvr:
As we mentioned, the speedburst is a nice tool and I believe (even at a 10 minute re-use) it could be considered on par with usefulness of let's say something like a free survival RA that would've cost about 10 ra skill points. Taking a look at other classes, scout has a spammable stun and engage with no cooldown, as well as rangers having better positional styles / buffs, while keeping the same useful speedburst. To me, there is only one uniqueness tied to a hunter that would make any noticeable contribution if it weren't so bland (although, any balance changes in this area would have to be lightly tread so as not to overly imbalance the class). I'm speaking about the pet, of course. We're talking about a pet with no spells, range, cc, styles, commands (that you can /say) or viable buffs (since the str/con from beastcraft has a cast-time that you almost will never get off in combat). On top of this, the hunter pet never sprints towards its target and can be easily outran with minimal effort (no hastener needed, only an invig pot). By comparison, even much lower level druid/theurg/animist/chanter/etc. pets can DD, snare (chanter/theurg), stun (druid/theurg), resist debuff (chanter), intercept (spiritmaster), and/or cast a mixture of debuffing and supportive spells (BD sub pets). There is seemingly no end to the usefulness and viability to most every other pet summon in this game at this patch level over the boring hunter's option (not even counting pet charming classes). Even necro "pets" will sprint and continue to melee their targets, dming them while the target is on sprint (yes, it's true). Before we get ahead of ourselves, I still understand that being a stealther class means the hunter has access to pick and choose its targets and/or fights, which most of these classes can't do, and in no way do I suggest a multitude of pet changes or class alterations, such as some that have gone through in recent years on the live Ywain server (the pets over there are currently over the top, if you want my honest opinion). Instead of the stun, snare style, disease(?), enrage command that adds ferocity (dmg) and other things that the ywain version of the beastcraft pet can do, my simple request would be that it could at least sprint towards its target here on Phoenix (even if that were something that occurred only after the pet went out of combat chasing for 10s+). Otherwise, another option could be to make the str/con buff instant cast and/or give just *one* and only one of the cc abilities mentioned above, like either a very short duration stun or style snare. Of the options suggested, I'll admit I think the last one is a bit imbalanced for a server that doesn't have access to charge as an RA for tanks. I'd prefer a sprinting pet, at this point, than the cc-styling ones - even as someone playing the class.
Final suggestion (Stealth spec - Mastery of Stealth):
This would benefit more than just the hunter if considered, but I'd highly suggest making this archer-specific: adding stealth detection value to the base mastery of stealth skill that comes with speccing stealth here on phoenix. I like that MoS was added in the base stealth line as an incentive to train stealth beyond just the amount needed to cap with +template items to get 50 composite. Spending another 5 or 10 stealth to get another bump in MoS at the cost of lowering your dps or buffling specs is something I think worth choosing. The speed bonus in stealth with MoS makes stealthing in OF and getting across 3 zones bearable, so thank you. As I said, though, it would be nice if there even minimal units of in-game stealth detection added to this MoS. I would prefer if this were added to just archers, as mentioned, since assassins are literally the bane of any archer in a fair and clean fight (no exceptions, no arguments here - if the assassin finds the archer at this patch, the only option for any win is to speedburst away [hunter/ranger] or hope if you are on scout that the sin's purge is down when you go to slam... otherwise you will never win toe-to-toe in a melee fight). The problem is this scenario is all-too-common because the sin and archer typically see each other at the same time and distance from each other, which is currently 2 whole inches from their face, even with my hunter's 45 base stealth spec. Another argument for this bonus being exclusive for archers is that with NF RA ruleset being added, this means old RAs such as true sight and other situational things were taken away but not given back to the archer in NF form (which is the trainable MoS RA that comes with passive detection). So, essentially, this is no currently option to ever see other stealthers or your teammates beyond melee range. Again, I am not complaining about "free" non-RA MoS since it saves RA spec points and I like the speed bonus in stealth, but some detection bonus would help in situations against the one class that truly has no problem facing off against archers, aka sins.
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TL;DR
the beastcraft line is severely lacking - the hunter pet is simply the worst pet by design (no abilities) and by code (out-sprintable) - the only unique buffs a hunter can access are easily replaced by items, while the other 2 archer types don't necessarily have viable replacements for their unique lines - MoS could easily be tweaked to be beneficial stealth detection for archers to see deadly assassins (even if toned down from the live counterpart game units).
Thank you for giving any thought :-)
Specs:
For one, there is next to no reason (and I'm not exaggerating) that a player at the Phoenix/OF patch level would choose the hunter, specifically, over the other 2 archer options unless they were tied to the realm of midgard by either a set group who rolled there / the realm timer / some other reason. Fact is, beastcraft and spear are the 2 unique lines that a hunter gets compared to a vastly better melee line from rangers (who also get self buffs) and shield line from scouts (full 9s slam at this patch level is absolutely devastating and incredible, as is engage). Even at the absolute highest spec in beastcraft, the last summoned pet stops at 32 (there is never a better summoned one - only 2 charms that are highly unusable unless they were opened up to more mob types). Also, the highest (red) dex/quick buff from BC still doesn't even touch the benefit from what you get with an item that has the same /charge. The other buff is an AF buff, which also falls short of the charge, which is a free /use from the epic vest. By comparison, rangers get a base strength buff from their pathfinding line (there is no base str charge item that I am aware of, so even low values/spec in this line will have a superior increase to str than that of the alchemy potions). The other AF and d/q buff in the line can be replaced by charges or potions, as with the hunter, if needed. Both classes get speedburst, which is very useful - there is no denying this, and it is one of very few useful tools the hunter has access to at this patch level where most classes do not get an inherent speed ability. Scouts do not get this by comparison. Lastly, rangers also get a dmg add buff in their path line, which there are only very few items you can access to grant this buff (which typically only lasts 20s - 1 min, at most). This gives them a second dmg dealing buff over hunter for which there is no viable replacement in item or potion form.
How it Plays in Rvr:
As we mentioned, the speedburst is a nice tool and I believe (even at a 10 minute re-use) it could be considered on par with usefulness of let's say something like a free survival RA that would've cost about 10 ra skill points. Taking a look at other classes, scout has a spammable stun and engage with no cooldown, as well as rangers having better positional styles / buffs, while keeping the same useful speedburst. To me, there is only one uniqueness tied to a hunter that would make any noticeable contribution if it weren't so bland (although, any balance changes in this area would have to be lightly tread so as not to overly imbalance the class). I'm speaking about the pet, of course. We're talking about a pet with no spells, range, cc, styles, commands (that you can /say) or viable buffs (since the str/con from beastcraft has a cast-time that you almost will never get off in combat). On top of this, the hunter pet never sprints towards its target and can be easily outran with minimal effort (no hastener needed, only an invig pot). By comparison, even much lower level druid/theurg/animist/chanter/etc. pets can DD, snare (chanter/theurg), stun (druid/theurg), resist debuff (chanter), intercept (spiritmaster), and/or cast a mixture of debuffing and supportive spells (BD sub pets). There is seemingly no end to the usefulness and viability to most every other pet summon in this game at this patch level over the boring hunter's option (not even counting pet charming classes). Even necro "pets" will sprint and continue to melee their targets, dming them while the target is on sprint (yes, it's true). Before we get ahead of ourselves, I still understand that being a stealther class means the hunter has access to pick and choose its targets and/or fights, which most of these classes can't do, and in no way do I suggest a multitude of pet changes or class alterations, such as some that have gone through in recent years on the live Ywain server (the pets over there are currently over the top, if you want my honest opinion). Instead of the stun, snare style, disease(?), enrage command that adds ferocity (dmg) and other things that the ywain version of the beastcraft pet can do, my simple request would be that it could at least sprint towards its target here on Phoenix (even if that were something that occurred only after the pet went out of combat chasing for 10s+). Otherwise, another option could be to make the str/con buff instant cast and/or give just *one* and only one of the cc abilities mentioned above, like either a very short duration stun or style snare. Of the options suggested, I'll admit I think the last one is a bit imbalanced for a server that doesn't have access to charge as an RA for tanks. I'd prefer a sprinting pet, at this point, than the cc-styling ones - even as someone playing the class.
Final suggestion (Stealth spec - Mastery of Stealth):
This would benefit more than just the hunter if considered, but I'd highly suggest making this archer-specific: adding stealth detection value to the base mastery of stealth skill that comes with speccing stealth here on phoenix. I like that MoS was added in the base stealth line as an incentive to train stealth beyond just the amount needed to cap with +template items to get 50 composite. Spending another 5 or 10 stealth to get another bump in MoS at the cost of lowering your dps or buffling specs is something I think worth choosing. The speed bonus in stealth with MoS makes stealthing in OF and getting across 3 zones bearable, so thank you. As I said, though, it would be nice if there even minimal units of in-game stealth detection added to this MoS. I would prefer if this were added to just archers, as mentioned, since assassins are literally the bane of any archer in a fair and clean fight (no exceptions, no arguments here - if the assassin finds the archer at this patch, the only option for any win is to speedburst away [hunter/ranger] or hope if you are on scout that the sin's purge is down when you go to slam... otherwise you will never win toe-to-toe in a melee fight). The problem is this scenario is all-too-common because the sin and archer typically see each other at the same time and distance from each other, which is currently 2 whole inches from their face, even with my hunter's 45 base stealth spec. Another argument for this bonus being exclusive for archers is that with NF RA ruleset being added, this means old RAs such as true sight and other situational things were taken away but not given back to the archer in NF form (which is the trainable MoS RA that comes with passive detection). So, essentially, this is no currently option to ever see other stealthers or your teammates beyond melee range. Again, I am not complaining about "free" non-RA MoS since it saves RA spec points and I like the speed bonus in stealth, but some detection bonus would help in situations against the one class that truly has no problem facing off against archers, aka sins.
========================================
TL;DR
the beastcraft line is severely lacking - the hunter pet is simply the worst pet by design (no abilities) and by code (out-sprintable) - the only unique buffs a hunter can access are easily replaced by items, while the other 2 archer types don't necessarily have viable replacements for their unique lines - MoS could easily be tweaked to be beneficial stealth detection for archers to see deadly assassins (even if toned down from the live counterpart game units).
Thank you for giving any thought :-)
