Here’s my perspective on phase 2.
Ufortunately, I didn’t need to acquire any new gear for raiding since I already had full raid gear from Phase 1. So i didnt need to farm gear. I participated in a Stranglethorn Vale event once and acquired the bow.
Playing melee in raids feels monotonous; I find myself spamming just two buttons, Raptor Strike and Flanking Strike, a few times. Unfortunately, Flanking Strike isn’t effective; it lacks damage output, and if I opt for Lone Wolf, I lose the pet’s contribution to striking as well. Proc rates during boss fights vary wildly, sometimes activating and other times forcing me to wait for the full 30-second cooldown.
I’m not a fan of dual-wielding, but without a 2h rune, I’m left with no other choice. It’s frustrating to see classes like Shaman and Warrior have both dual-wield and 2h runes while hunters are limited.
The rune distribution is problematic; for instance, Heart of the Lion is essential for the chest, but it’s hard to find another hunter fulfilling that role in a 10-man setting. Lone Wolf might seem like an option, but it means sacrificing the pet and Lion, along with the pet’s contribution to Flanking Strike.
Carve is lackluster; its animation is subpar, and while it can hit more targets than Whirlwind or Divine Storm, most fights don’t involve more than four targets, and Beast Mastery remains stronger in melee anyway.
I loathe Flanking Strike; it’s exceedingly rare for me to accumulate three stacks during a boss fight. It’s such a rare occurrence that I’m surprised when it does happen. Dual Wield Specialization is the only viable option for melee hunters, but it means leaving behind my 2hander. Trap Launcher is an option, but its damage doesn’t scale well, making it less effective than other actions.
In PvP, survival melee hunters struggle against all classes. While I might win against melee classes with luck and Deterrence active, the deadzone where I can’t hit with either melee or ranged attacks presents a significant disadvantage, whereas I would lose in a ranged vs. ranged encounter.
I lack interrupts, gap closers, or stuns, and Wyvern Sting is unusable in combat. This phase, playing as a hunter feels unsatisfactory. While dual-wielders may have found some enjoyment initially, as a 2h user, this phase has been disheartening.