World of Warcraft: The Unwritten Rules of Playing a Hunter Explained

The hunter is typically the go-to choice for World of Warcraft’s new players, but there’s much more to this class than meets the eye. The user-friendly, fantasy feel of being a hunter is one that not many other classes can match, and there’s no shortage of attributes that make hunters truly unique among their rivals.

As for the nuances of playing a hunter, the class has been a staple in the game’s culture for years, and many of its tropes have stuck around since World of Warcraft was first released. As the most popular class in the entire game, hunters have their fair share of stereotypes, but there are some secrets that other classes might not be aware of.

Ferocious Beasts and How to Love Them

It’s no secret that hunters adore their pets. It’s the centerpiece of their entire experience, and no other class offers such a close bond with companions. Sure, World of Warcraft's warlocks and death knights can enslave minions to do their dark bidding, but they’ll never have a relationship as tried and true as the loyalty between man and beast. Two of the three hunter specializations require having a staunch companion by their side at all times, and in many cases, the pet is the one doing all the hard work.

The sheer number of pets that hunters can tame in World of Warcraft is astounding. Every time a new zone is introduced to the game, there are dozens of tameable wild creatures that come with it. It takes special training to befriend the likes of undead beasts, dragonkin, or gryphons, but the ultimate prize is the spirit beast. Many a hunter will show off their rarest companions as a true flex to others. That being said, every player has a special place in their stable for the first creature they ever tamed, as you never truly forget your first.

The Allure of the Prankster Is Tough To Resist

Many hunters inWoW have suffered from the constant dilemma of morality. The way the class is designed means it’s all too easy to prank other players by getting countless enemies to attack them and leave the perpetrator unscathed. Hunters can take loot that they can’t even use, and they can also get their pets to mess with the tank by stealing the attention of bosses. Hunters seldom get away with these antics anymore, as other classes have come to half expect every hunter to succumb to temptation. Few classes have the sullied reputation of the hunter, and none are so equipped to cause such mayhem.

When the Going Gets Tough, the Hunter Plays Dead

World of Warcraft’s hunters can trick any NPC, and even some players, into thinking they’ve kicked the bucket. This spell, called Feign Death, takes a page out of the possum playbook and works a treat when any hunter has bitten off more than they can chew. Even when the rest of the party has to face their inevitable death at the hands of enraged bosses, hunters have the last laugh. This can, however, result in some hunter hijinks by getting an enemy’s attention and using Feign Death to condemn other players to the consequences.

It’s Not Always Easy to Keep Track of Fluffy

The struggle for hunters to keep strict control of their pets is a real one. Keeping a beast companion in ‘aggressive’ mode is a mistake manyWorld of Warcraft hunters learn early on, as it causes a pet to start fights that its owner can’t finish. Defensive or even passive mode is best to avoid this, but that isn’t always foolproof.

It’s a classic mistake many players make to jump down from or over a gap in a dungeon’s terrain. Pets, being NPCs, are programmed to quickly catch up to their hunter by zipping the long way. Unfortunately, this usually means said pet runs through the countless packs of monsters that the group was specifically trying to avoid. Many hunters have regrettably realized that dozens of deadly enemies are on their way, following the pet that the hunter forgot to dismiss before jumping.