How to Fix Hunters

Problem: Silencing Shot is too powerful for PvP
Solution: Remove Silencing Shot.  Yeah.  That's right.  Make hunters the only dps class (and practically only class/role) that doesn't have an interrupt.   Instead make it the hunter's own.  Give hunter pets the ability to Skull Bash.  Make it just like the feral druids get.  This is good because it will make PvP opponents deal with the pet with interesting counters and it keeps PvE alive. 

Problem: Level 30 Talents
Solution: That tier is all about CC now and always has been.  Pull Binding Shot out of MM and put it there with Wyvern Sting and Intimidation.  It's simple and it doesn't give MM an extra form of CC.

Problem: Stampede is too powerful for PvP but hits like a wet noodle and has no utility now
Solution: Since a hotfix during 5.3, Stampede no longer allows pets special abilities, buffs, or special attacks to fire in Stampede form.  This is poor for Brawler's Guild, Challenge modes, Arenas, and other small group activities.  The DPS nerf is quite significant as well.  Keep this utility and DPS nerf.  Instead give Hunters a reason to hit the button:  During the thundering confusion of a Stampede, all damage is reduced by 20% within 30 yards of the pack.

Problem: Readiness is too powerful in PvP
Solution: Hunters need a mechanism to burst DPS because that's what hunters are supposed to do.  Readiness also gives hunters a great deal of flexibility to different situations.  Bestial Wrath is already nerfed.  Lynx Rush and Stampede are nerfed.  Leave readiness alone.

Problem: Arcane Shot is becoming way too big a shot
Solution: Do not further buff Arcane Shot.  Soon hunters wont bother using their "signature shots".  Instead, increase the damage of those signature shots!

I've reposted this over in the PTR thread.  Feel free to sign in there and up-arrow if you like it.

Eager Cleaver

I saw a fair number of requests for it in the official feedback thread.  I made my case here and requested it somewhere in the 100+ pages in the thread.  I think it's been pretty universally requested.  And GC is making something happen:

Beast Cleave - damage increased from 30% to 50% of original damage.

The Beast Cleave change was because we felt Survival's multi-target damage was too far ahead. We don't mind good AE as a spec niche, but it shouldn't be so high that you feel like an absolute idiot for not swapping to that spec.

I'm not sure I'm happy with the number -- as it seems a bit low -- but I am happy with the sentiment.  We've certainly seen very rough numbers thrown around before.  MM and SV buffs were stated at nice high round numbers and then got cleaved down ... to lower very round numbers.  The "50% of original damage" value sounds incredibly round and subject to change.  We'll have to see which way it goes.  If it goes up then we will not be compelled to have an SV spec.  If it goes down or isn't a noticeable change to our AoE capability, then we may feel that is a requirement.  Beast cleave is one source of our AoE damage, but hardly all.  So a +20% to it may not be meaningful.

FWIW, I either have my alternate talent as either a pet-tank setup or a PvP setup.  I haven't done too much with either since MoP, but I am starting to line up a pet-tank suit.  On many somewhat challenging boss fights I'm swapping talents or glyphs -- but never specs.

Starting Golden Lotus Faction

 

Notes for myself from a blue post via MMOChampion.

 

We've seen some confusion about how to gain access to the Golden Lotus faction dailies in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms. In case you've been having trouble getting where you need to be, below are some detailed steps to ensure you're on the correct path.

Spoiler Warning! This guide shares some details about the associated quest chain that takes you to the Vale of Eternal Blossoms and the Golden Lotus. If you'd prefer to naturally find your way there during your adventures, the first couple of bullets should be sufficient for pointing you in the right direction.

Here is how you get into the Vale of Eternal Blossoms:

• At level 87, go speak to Anduin/Dezco at the Temple of the White Tiger in Kun-Lai Summit and complete “A Celestial Experience.”
• Accept the follow-up quest, “A Witness to History.”
• Find Anduin/Dezco at the big gate north of the Vale. This will start a cinematic that opens the gates.
• Turn in “A Witness to History” to Zhi the Harmonious at the Golden Pagoda in the center of Vale of Eternal Blossoms.
• Accept and complete the follow-up quest, “The Shrine of Two Moons,” and “The Shrine of Seven Stars” (Horde/Alliance respectively).
• If you're not level 90 you'll receive no further quests.
• At level 90 you should return and pick up the quest chain again. Note that you must have trained flying to proceed.

• Pick up “The Ruins of Guo-Lai” and complete it.
• This leads to “Out with the Scouts” and “Barring Entry.”
• This leads to “Killing the Quilen” and “Stones of Power.” While in the ruins, you should also get “The Guo-Lai Halls.” If you don't get this quest near the entrance to the crypt, you can return to Anji Autumnlight to get this quest.
• These 3 quests must be completed before you can complete “Leaving an Opening.”
• Turn in “Leaving an Opening” at the Golden Pagoda, and this should lead straight into the dailies.

If you have any questions or concerns, or if you're still experiencing issues accessing the Vale of Eternal Blossoms or the Golden Lotus daily quests, please let us know.

Tame Beast

Tame Beast is how hunter get new pets.  The channel time is ten seconds.  This is the challenging part and it's what makes some pets challenging to acquire.

In theory it could be used as a [bad] form of CC.  Yes, let me state that again with more specifics.  Before a pull a hunter could not have an active pet out and could have a spare stable slot.  If one of the mobs was a beast, she could in theory tame it and use it like a normal pet.  The issue of course is that Tame Beast doesn't work like CC.  The start of the very long channel initiates combat.  That channel is broken from any damage.  It is also broken if the pet focuses its attacks on someone else.

So in theory, a hunter could start a tame, lead it to a trap and then once tamed, use it to finish off the other mobs. (Or immediately dismiss it.)  The problem is that this theoretical and not

Let's pause for a moment and think about heroes from movies who were "hunters" or "beast masters".  They could soothe pets to sleep.  They could exert mental control over beasts and get them to do things.  They didn't simply tame one and "train" it or "tame" it and keep it forever.

Priests can Mind Control humanoids.  Druids can Hibernate Beasts and Dragonkin.

Hunters need a Control Beast ability.  What should it look like?

No Minimum Range!

No minimum range!  No worries on melee weapons!

From the liveblog:

1:49PM Hunter Minimum Range - (he's milking this)

1:49PM GONE!

1:49PM Hunter melee weapons gone.

1:49PM "Nothing is a hunter weapon." - GC.

1:50PM Range slot for all other characters gone.