WoW Patch 11.1: Major Update for Hunters

Summary

• In World of Warcraft Patch 11.1, Hunters will gain the ability to change their pet specializations, opt for a single pet in Beast Mastery, and lose pets in Marksmanship.
• The new Patch 11.1 will introduce the Undermine zone and the Liberation of Undermine raid, where players will face off against Chrome King Gallywix.
• Player feedback on the Hunter changes in Patch 11.1 will be crucial as the adjustments are tested on the PTR early next year.

In World of Warcraft, Patch 11.1 brings significant updates to the Hunter class. Hunters will now have the flexibility to change their pet specializations at the stables, enabling them to tailor their pets to different combat styles. For example, your Dreaming Festive Reindeer from the Feast of Winter Veil event can now switch between Cunning, Ferocity, or Tenacity specializations. Additionally, Beast Mastery Hunters can choose to use a single pet, which will receive enhanced damage and size, while Marksmanship Hunters will see a complete rework, losing their traditional pet in favor of a spotter eagle that marks targets for increased damage. The Pack Leader Hero Talent will also see a change, summoning a bear, boar, and wyvern during combat.

Patch 11.1, titled "Undermined," introduces players to the underground capital of the Goblins, continuing the narrative of The War Within. The climax of this update is the Liberation of Undermine raid, where players will confront Chrome King Gallywix and his corrupt allies.

These Hunter class changes have sparked a range of reactions among players. The ability to change pet specializations and the option for a single pet in Beast Mastery have been well-received. However, the Marksmanship rework, particularly the removal of the pet, has been controversial, with many feeling it detracts from the core Hunter fantasy. Similarly, the fixed animal summons in the Pack Leader talent have drawn mixed feedback, with some players wishing for more customization options.

These changes are still subject to player feedback, which can be provided during the testing phase on the Patch 11.1 PTR early next year. Blizzard encourages Hunters to test these adjustments and share their insights to help refine the update before its full release, expected around February.

World of Warcraft Patch 11.1 Hunter Changes

• Hunters can now change pet specializations in the stable via a dropdown menu.

Class Changes

• HUNTER

  • Kindling Flare has been redesigned to increase the radius of Flare by 50%.

  • Territorial Instincts has been redesigned to reduce the cooldown of Intimidation by 10 seconds and no longer summons a pet if one is not present.

  • Wilderness Medicine now increases the cooldown reduction effect of Natural Mending by 0.5 seconds.

  • No Hard Feelings now reduces the cooldown of Misdirection by 5 seconds.

  • Roar of Sacrifice is updated for Marksmanship Hunters only, protecting a friendly target from critical strikes for 12 seconds. During this time, the Spotting Eagle cannot apply Spotter’s Mark.

  • Intimidation in Marksmanship spec now has a unique variant that does not require line of sight and uses the Spotting Eagle.

  • Explosive Shot projectile speed has been increased.

  • Eyes of the Beast is now exclusive to Survival and Beast Mastery Hunters.

  • Eagle Eye is now exclusive to Marksmanship Hunters.

  • Freezing Trap now breaks based on a small damage threshold rather than any damage.

  • Tooltips for Roar of Sacrifice, Wilderness Medicine, and No Hard Feelings have been updated to exclude irrelevant information for Marksmanship Hunters.

  • Hero Talents

    • Dark Ranger

      • Withering Fire now triggers from casting Black Arrow during Trueshot/Bestial Wrath, aiming to balance its consistency and excitement.
      • Fixed an issue with Bleak Powder's cone damage area.

    • Pack Leader

      • Howl of the Pack Leader: Every 30 seconds, your next Kill Command summons a Bear, Wyvern, or Boar, each with unique effects.
      • Better Together: Reduces the cooldown of Howl of the Pack Leader to 25 seconds and increases pet attack power.
      • Dire Summons: Reduces the cooldown of Howl of the Pack Leader by 1 second with Kill Command and other abilities.
      • Pack Mentality: Increases damage or generates additional stacks of Tip of the Spear with Howl of the Pack Leader.
      • Ursine Fury and Envenomed Fangs: Choice nodes affecting Bear damage and cooldown reduction.
      • Fury of the Wyvern: Enhances Wyvern damage and extends its duration.
      • Hogstrider: Enhances Boar damage and multi-target capabilities.
      • No Mercy: Sends pets into a rage with Kill Shot, causing them to attack the target.
      • Shell Cover: Summons a Turtle for damage reduction when health drops below 40%.
      • Slicked Shoes and Horsehair Tether: Choice nodes affecting movement and crowd control.
      • Lead From the Front: Summons a Beast and increases damage during Bestial Wrath/Coordinated Assault.
      • Several talents have been removed to streamline the Pack Leader tree.

    • Sentinel

      • Lunar Storm has increased damage, radius, duration, and now follows targets slowly, aiming to make it more impactful and usable.

  • Beast Mastery

    • New talents like Dire Cleave, Poisoned Barbs, and Solitary Companion enhance area of effect and solo-pet play.
    • Stomp now deals separate damage to primary and secondary targets.
    • Several abilities and talents have been adjusted for balance and visual effects.

  • Marksmanship

    • Marksmanship loses traditional pet functionalities, gaining a unique Spotting Eagle that marks targets for increased damage.
    • New abilities and talents such as Harrier’s Cry, Manhunter, and Eyes in the Sky focus on the sharpshooter fantasy.
    • Several talents have been removed and new ones added to enhance the new playstyle.

  • Survival

    • Aimed at reducing cognitive load, Butchery and Flanking Strike are now mutually exclusive.
    • New talents like Cull the Herd and Born to Kill enhance bleed effects and damage.
    • Several abilities have been updated for balance and clarity.

Player Versus Player

• HUNTER
  • Explosive Powder: A new PvP talent that enhances Bursting Shot with additional knockback and snare effects.
  • Beast Mastery
    • Dire Beast: Basilisk now triggers automatically with Call of the Wild.
  • Marksmanship
    • Sniper’s Advantage and Aspect of the Fox are new PvP talents enhancing range and mobility.
    • Several PvP talents have been removed to streamline the PvP experience.