Bring Dual Wield back for Hunters

[Tralias-magtheridon]

So, since in Shadowlands a lot of classes are getting some of their flavor and fantasy back like Frost DKs being able to use 2-Handed weapons (and other classes having restrictions lifted too), and since High Elves are going to be enabled as a character customization option for Void Elves and Blood Elves, how about we bring back Dual Wield for Survival Hunters in order to complete the Elven Ranger fantasy?

Yes, I know that currently Hunters can Dual Wield for aesthetic purposes, but their main dps rotation requires a 2-Handed Melee weapon. Dual Wield doesn’t have to be the best dps option for survival, just like 2-Handed Frost, it just has to work. You could even add a passive similar to the MM Hunter’s “Lone Wolf” that lowers damage dealt while dual wielding in order to balance this.

Making this change wouldn’t be that complicated. 1-Handers would need to be enabled to drop for Survival, and Raptor Strike/Mongoose Bite, Harpoon, and Carve/Butchery enabled with 1-Handers. That’s only 5 abilities that need a restriction lifted in order to make this work, and a loot table change.

What types of 1-Handers should be usable? Fist Weapons and Daggers don’t really make sense, so only 1-Handed Swords and Axes should be enabled for the Survival Hunter abilities. I know that letting Hunters loot 4 types of weapons is problematic, but Frost is gonna have access to 6 types (1 and 2 Handed Axes, Swords, Maces), and WW Monks are also gonna have access to 6 (Staves, Polearms, Fist Weapons, 1-H Axes, Swords, Maces).

I think this change would be very welcome by roleplayers and by the Hunter population. Rangers have always been one of those classes that were not distinct enough to warrant for a whole new class, and people have been trying to recreate it on different classes for many many years, and in earlier iterations of the game like Vanilla and BC dual wield has been a viable build for end game players so it’s not something completely foreign to the class.

And thoughts on how this should be implemented, or if this should be implemented at all?

[Taigertraps-argent-dawn (Taigertraps)]

Considering haste is bis, Dual wield would make more sense

[Kouru-outland]

We need this back, this is old school WoW Hunter. There is 0 reason not to do this. Make it happen Blizz.

[Yae-earthen-ring]

i never knowed dual weald guns or bows has ever been a thing for hunters

[Velliewyn-argent-dawn]

Obv not, it’s about melee weapons

And yes please.

[Theloa-stormscale (Theloa)]

You used to be able to equip both a bow and either a two hand or duel wield you had mongoose. Bite and wing clip for melee range

Was a fun time and I miss it dearly. Mongoose did bonus damage once the dead zone was removed and had a longer cool down if I remember rightly so it wasn’t abused. All specs had it this is when classes had a class and not a spec focus

Looked cool and made sense. Essentially melee weapons where just stat sticks at. Some. Point but I think most on us realy liked having them there.

We so used to have quivers which had %attack speed on them they did bake the attack speed into our class when they removed it but quivers used to display on our backs too.