So monks can choose between 2H and DW in shadowlands but survival hunters can’t? Why won’t you let me be just like Rexxar blizzard?
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Dual wielding axes as a survival hunter would be awesome, not gonna lie.
Besides being stuck with Polearm or staff is disappointing. Definitely not enough options.
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Not fan of melee hunter. But will be honest. If polearm/staff animations were better, i would consider it.
Dual wield feels more like an hunter thing after all.
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Lets not eh… Let the fix the blasted spec first, it is HORRENDOUS on alpha.
There is not really gameplay-wise wrong with the spec.
There is a lot wrong, but it really depends on the type of players reviewing that gameplay. Anyone who plays it on a higher level can see the obvious issues with the spec, casuals generally won’t unless they happen to see the bigger picture or just have common sense.
Not burning anyone, just saying.
Well, explain what is wrong. Since being a 11/12 (currently) mythic raider clearly doesn’t cut it.
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In this cricumstance it doesn’t. Sorry, there is no need for dual wield until they sort out survival for SL.
If rogues can toss a grappling hook, then I can throw a bloody hatchet with the same effect.
CHOP CHOP CHOP BRING ON THE AXES!
3 Likes
I’m all for the fantasy of dual-wielding, but wouldn’t that just make SV living frost dks with worse armour?
I’m probably wrong on this regarding both specs mentioned but I thought I’d give my two cents as an observer.
Being limited to 2 weapon types only sucks though. (polearm and staff)
If SV has to be two handed, add two handed axes to the mix as well.
I have not long resubed after a long break, got my Druid to 120
And now levelling my hunter. Been messing around abit with SV and have to say I’m having a blast atm! Would love a DW option like we used to have way back.
I’m only a casual player so I don’t know if it would effect game play (don’t really see how) so just think from a class fantasy/atheistic point of view it would be really cool to DW a pair of axes as SV!
+1 for dual wield.
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I vote for a single onehander + bow in second slot for all the ranged skillds
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I’d go a step further, or rather, a step back. Let hunters, of all specs, have both a ranged and melee weapons with abilities for both.
Ranged? Stuck in melee combat? Wing Clip is there for you. Melee weapons are mostly stat sticks, but usable in niche situations.
Melee? Can’t get that final hit in? You’ve got a ranged weapon, that for survival works mostly as a stat stick, until you use Aspect of the Hawk.
I’m aware that it’s a very different beast to WoW but the mobile version of Mordheim (Warband Skirmish?) handles it rather elegantly:
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If you use a large ranged weapon e.g. gun/crossbow/bow, you can also wield a small dagger or knife in case you get stuck in melee
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If you use a proper melee weapon like a sword, axe or spear, you can take a pistol, which in the game works like a rogue from WoW’s. I don’t see why this can’t be adapted to a more hunter-appropriate weapon though.
Like I said, it’s a very different game, but it’s as good a starting point as any. The only real issue would be making sure that the specs keep their desired focus i.e. MM doesn’t become melee and survival doesn’t become a sniper. Maybe give surv concussive, arcane and multi and BM/MM some generic surv-like abilities (don’t play the spec so don’t know what the abilities are).
I always had a similar idea, but instead of new skillset, use the same skills, but get melee animations for em. (always found it silly how hunters still shoot arrows when the enemy is beatin yo face)
Did I miss something? Hunters can no longer use 2h axes and swords? Thought only 2h maces were excluded or is that transmog I am thinking of?
we can use 2h swords axes staves polearms, but the only weapons that actually drop are staves and poles
A bit late with reply. Sorry.
Well, best option is to simply allow cross weapon classes transmog for weapons that you can use. In Survivals case 2H > 1H and vice versa.
Now for Survival in Shadowlands.
Next, very important thing. Keep in mind that “There is not really gameplay-wise wrong with the spec” because you have AzTraits like Latent Poison, Primeval Intuition, Wildfire Cluster and Blur of Talons.
In addition we now have corruptions in the mix too.
All that is gone when you get to max level in SL.
First of all, im not on a level as you are, but im maining my Surv from day1 Legion prepatch and i would like to main it in SL, but thats currently something that im thinking about seeing current version of it in SL.
Took a break since 8.3 content was unappealing for me and idea of constantly grinding two zones over and over again but ive returned with idea that i might level few alts just in case that Surv gets no more love.
Please note that what im commenting is current state of Survival on Alpha. Alpha being Alpha, its subject to change.
Focus Regen - Blizz buffed Focus regen of BM and MM to aprox 6.8ps (which is roughly around 25-30% haste in current patch for both specs) while they left Survivals to 2.8 since our core Spell generates focus while we fish for KC resets.
That being said spec feels ULTRAAA slow. like slow of the slow, slower than BfA Feral slow.
================ Unpruning and Pets Revival ================
Next, while we got several returning spells most of them arent quite usable:
Hunters Mark - gives ONLY us 5% increased damage and its on GCD.
This could mean that our overall damage will be a bit lower to compensate for this buff, but also means that you will have to mark every mob that you focus in AoE, which again means that we will have to choose priority targets carefully.
Kill Shot - Yey! Our Execute is back. GCD. Its not Focus spender so it doesn’t benefit from our mastery damage increase. Again, meaning that it will either be fun for leveling and you will stop using it since its damage wont scale properly. Or they will have to buff it every patch, much like they did with few classes in Legion and BFA.
Other Shots - Believe it or not - they require ranged weapon equipped. Since were melee, Yea. just bloating our spellbook. Or we will use weapon switch macro, tho i fail to see the reason why.
Pet’s Revival. Currently its 6sec. Written again CURRENT REVIVE PET IS SIX SECONDS. Get that thing back to 2sec. Both MM and BM have a way to deal damage if their pet dies. We are literally dead spec or free kill if our pet dies.
So in PvP just focus Survivals pet and its a win.
================ Covenant Abilities ================
Covenant Abilities -
Kyrian, Resonating Arrow. 1min CD, 10sec LoS ignore and 30% crit.
LoS ignore is pretty much useless in PvE since we are melee, crit is nice and lines up with our CoA.
Venthyr. Flayed Shot. Personally my best pick. Basically Warriors Death Wish talent for 20sec on 30sec CD with heavy bleed DoT.
Has a 15% chance to allow you NEXT Kill Shot usage on a target regardless of their current health. Key word - NEXT. meaning that you will need to bring one target down to 20% HP for actual Kill Shot to use it on any target.
In addition, as said above, Kill Shot is not focus spender so it does not benefit from our mastery.
Necrolord. Deadly Chakram. 45sec CD. Chakram on mild steroids that does 15% increased damage and restore 3focus per target hit up to 7 targets. So… only in AoE. Meh.
Night Fae. Arcane Claw. Currently no CD, instant cast.
Summons AoE sentinel that puts a mark on all targets below it. When you hit the target it summons wild beast to damage the target.
As you can see, only Nigh Fae’s currently looks appealing. Venthyr’s is a dead pick simply because Kill Shot does not have any interaction with out mastery.
Kyrian is also appealing for extra crit during Mongoose Bite window. Tho you need to cast it in conjunction with CoA so it wouldnt fall out of sync.
This means that you will, ideally, need to set up ideal MB window with no interruptions. Heavy punishing if you have to move or have downtime on a target.
Necrolord. Meh.
================ Ideas, opinions ================
Now just few opinions/ideas that ill toss out there, most of which Survival players already know.
Mongoose Bite baseline. Or removal. Period. It will always be default pick due to its design.
Butchery baseline instead of carve. Leave it at 3 charges.
Serpent Sting. My biggest issue with it that any interaction with it ends with 2 talents (3 talents if you count Wildfire Infusion)
Leave it at fixed duration. Higher Haste could add additional ticks.
Having 7sec poison is not fun. Bake in Viper’s Venom in it and put Latent Poison in its place.
Free Proc of Serpent Sting with Latent Poison makes it far more juicy and changes priorities a bit. In addition if you take Hydras Bite it will be nice Cleave.
Personally i would like to see it gone completely and replaced fully with Kill Shot procs (like outlaw rogues) that will just do Execute damage when target is below 20%, but a man can dream.
Terms or Engagement. Remove Focus regen part and move to Mobility row instead of Born to be Wild. Dunno whats doing on Rotation changing row.
Tip of the Spear. Baseline. Raptor Strike in its current form cannot compete with until we have default pick, Mongoose Bite.
Flanking Strike. Gone. Or it should replace Raptor Strike in its Legion Form.
Primeval Intuition. Baseline.
Theres a lot that can be said about Survival even in its current state, not to mention SLs version, this is just things that are on top of my mind.