World of Warcraft Beta Journal #11
Dialogue, 2004-08-27

• You don't get a pet until level 10. Like with many of the other classes, Blizz is turning the 1-10 level into a primer for the game. You don't get Cool Thing X (including talents) until you reach level 10. In keeping with the making-it-easy-for-a-new-MMOG-player design concept, I think this is a good move. It does make those 10 levels interminable when you really want to try your hand at beast training, though.

• Hunters are the ranged masters. Whether they use guns or bows, Hunter characters have a bunch of ranged attack opportunities. The first thing you notice when playing the class is the "Autofire" attack, which allows you to fire off several shots at a baddy before it can close to melee. Many times, I've been able to get a creature to half of their HP before they make it to me.

• Beyond the straight "fire the weapon", Hunters also have special shots which do extra damage, and induce states like poison or dizzyness. These are great additions to the class and allow you to develop a rhythm. Poison shot to get the creature's attention and start a DoT, Dizzy shot to slow it down, Arcane shot to damage it more, and then into melee.

• Ranged weapons can't be used after a creature gets too close, so Hunters have to maintain melee combat abilities too. They have abilities that assist in melee combat, too, increasing damage and improving defensive abilities.

• Pet training is as simple as can be. You approach a beast-type creature carefully. If you or the beast enter into combat, you can't train. Once you're close enough, you activate the "Train Pet" ability". Big hearts start floating around as you and the beast get to know each other. By this point, the beast will be protesting this injustice by gnawwing on you. Make sure you have a full health bar before you start this. A timer bar at the bottom of your screen charts the progress of your attempt. If you succeed, congrats, you have a new pet!

• Once a pet is nabbed, you have to keep it. To do do this, you have to feed the pet with the "Feed Pet" ablity. You feed the pet the same food that characters eat. (This makes fishing and cooking good choices for a hunter.) Each pet type has it's own particularities when it comes to food. Carnivores prefer meat, for example, and won't eat bread. Feeding a pet increases the pet's happyness rating.

• The happier a pet is, the more damage it does (theoretically....this is broken right now. more on that in a sec.) and the more loyal it becomes. You accrue loyalty and training points by adventuring with your pet and keeping its happiness up. Additional loyalty results in training points for that individual pet, which lets you purchase abilities for the pet. Right now the only ability to purchase is "growl", but more are to be added in.

• The pet allows a hunter to pin down a target at long range, get some damage onto it, and then attract it's attention through a combination of ranged attacks. Using a pet, it's possible to have the fight practically done by the time your target reaches melee range.

• Using a pet is just cool. Having an intimidating or rare looking pet follow you around is a guarantee to get compliments and questions. One gentleman I heard about died 28 times working his way through Ashenvale and the Barrens to snag himself a raptor for a pet. Over time your pet gains levels with you, and power. High level Hunters will have hard choices to make regarding keeping an old friend around or getting a newer beast.