This conversation is based on my own opinion, but I would like to know if I’m not alone in thinking that this would be insanely fun.
I’m not a main Hunter, although it was one of the first classes that I created and have been playing since vanilla.
And would like to apologize in advance if, for some reason, I offend and hurt the feelings of any passionate, ever-loving fan of the current Survival spec.
New Spec: Gunslinger (Ranged DPS)
Fantasy Theme: A rogue marksman who channels elemental fury through dual firearms—one pistol, one light crossbow. Inspired by the chimera’s dual nature, each weapon channels a distinct damage type:
A rogue marksman who channels elemental fury through dual firearms—one pistol, one light crossbow. Inspired by the chimera’s dual nature, each weapon channels a distinct damage type:
- Left Hand (Pistol): Fire, Acid, Void
- Right Hand (Crossbow): Frost, Light, Arcane (optional variant)
Visual & Gameplay Inspiration:
- Han Solo’s swagger
- John Wick’s precision
- Equilibrium’s gun kata choreography
- Cowboy mystique meets arcane engineering
Core Mechanics:
- Dual Wield Ranged: First of its kind—each weapon has separate cooldowns and elemental affinities
- Elemental Fusion: Combo attacks trigger hybrid effects (e.g., Fire + Frost = Steam Burst, Acid + Light = Radiant Corrosion)
- Mobility Mastery: Roll, vault, and ricochet shots—think Survival 7.0 but with cinematic flair
- Inherited Arsenal: Cluster Bombs, Explosive Shot, Serpent Sting now belong to Gunslinger
- Signature Ability: Chimera Barrage – alternate fire from each weapon in a rotating elemental sequence
Reworked Spec: Survival (Tank Role)
Fantasy Theme: A primal guardian bonded with spirit beasts, channeling ancient aspects to protect allies. Inspired by Diablo’s primal rage and Kiba’s feral synergy with Akamaru.
Visual & Gameplay Inspiration:
- Kiba’s beast fusion combat
- Diablo’s Spirit of the Wild
- WoW’s original hunter aspects, reimagined
Core Mechanics:
- Aspect Stance System:
** Aspect of Tenacity: Boosts armor, absorbs damage, taunts enemies
** Aspect of Ferocity: Increases threat through bleed and bite damage
** Aspect of Cunning: Enhances evasion, counterattacks, and pet synergy
Spirit Beast Synergy: Survival becomes the second spec to tame and bond with spirit beasts - Melee Focus: Dual axes or glaives, with pet-assisted combos
- Signature Ability: Spirit Merge – temporarily fuse with your beast to gain its abilities and stats
Removed Abilities:
- Bombs, traps, and ranged shots transferred to Gunslinger
- Focus shifted to melee, pet coordination, and aspect management
Talent Tree Themes
| Spec | Talent Rows | Themes |
|---|---|---|
| Gunslinger | 10 | Elemental duality, mobility, ricochet, gun kata, combo chains |
| Survival | 10 | Aspect mastery, pet fusion, primal rage, tanking resilience |
Abilities Examples - Gunslinger Spec
| Ability Name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Quickdraw | Builder | Fires both weapons in rapid succession, generates combo points |
| Chimera Barrage | Finisher | Alternates elemental shots from each weapon, high burst |
| luster Bomb Toss | AoE | Inherited from Survival, now triggers elemental explosion based on active weapon |
| Ricochet Vault | Mobility | Leap backwards, fire a shot mid-air (can trigger Gun Kata) |
| Gun Kata: Equilibrium | Proc Combo | Lights up when combo points are full and both weapons are off cooldown |
| Elemental Infusion | Buff | Choose elemental pairing (e.g., Fire + Frost) for next 10 shots |
| Smoke Veil | Utility | Drop smoke, gain stealth for 3 seconds, interrupts targeting |
| Deadeye Reload | Cooldown | Instantly reload both weapons, resets Chimera Barrage cooldown |
| Mark of the Chimera | Passive Proc | Lights up when both weapons crit within 3 seconds—next shot pierces armor |
| Spirit Beast Call | Pet Utility | Summon spirit beast with elemental aura matching your current infusion |
Abilities Examples - Survival Spec (Tank)
| Ability Name | Type | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Savage Rend | Builder | Melee slash + pet bite, generates rage |
| Spirit Merge | Cooldown | Fuse with pet for 10 sec, gain its abilities and stats |
| Aspect Shift | Stance | Cycle between Tenacity (defense), Ferocity (threat), Cunning (evasion) |
| Primal Roar | AoE Taunt | Taunts all enemies, applies bleed over time |
| Guardian’s Leap | Mobility | Leap to ally, absorb 50% of incoming damage for 4 sec |
| Feral Counter | Proc Combo | Lights up when dodging in Cunning aspect—next attack stuns |
| Spirit Beast Howl | Utility | AoE silence + minor heal, cooldown reduced in Ferocity aspect |
| Tenacious Hide | Defensive | Absorbs next 3 hits, scales with pet stamina |
| Cunning Reflexes | Passive Proc | Lights up when evading—next attack is a guaranteed crit |
| Call of the Wild Gods | Ultimate | Summon 3 spirit beasts to fight for 15 sec, each tied to an aspect |