World of Warcraft’s second hero class goes live this week, and there’s a lot more to Illidan Stormrage’s elite Demon Hunters than meets the blindfold. Sometimes they can triple jump. Blizzard’s Demon Hunter developer preview will tell you all about them.
The MMORPGs second hero class starts life at level 98 some ten years before the events of the Legion expansion. Prior to his defeat at the end of the Burning Crusade expansion, Illidan sent his elite squad of Demon Hunters through a portal to the Legion world of Mardum. There they triumphantly gain two levels, after which they return home to 10 years of imprisonment at the hands of the Wardens. They rot there until the demons start invading again, at which point the Wardens are all, “Do we have anything that can hunt demons? Oh wait, remember those guys?”
Players who’ve already purchased the Legion expansion pack can become those guys on Tuesday, August 9.
A Demon Hunter’s life isn’t easy. Not only do they have to choose between tanking or damage-dealing roles, they constantly struggle to maintain a balance between the inky blackness in their soul and their former selves. The conflict transforms them into twisted beasts, at which point they all go out to Goth Night at the Masquerade, where they smoke cloves and sulk.
I might be explaining this badly. Or perfectly. Perhaps I am just upset that Gnomes can’t be Demon Hunters. You should probably just watch the video.
I actually love the dashing and jumping. Always been a big fan of more mobile MMORPG classes. They’re just so . . . Elvish. I guess I’ll give one a try on Tuesday.
Comments
12 responses to “What’s Up With World Of Warcraft’s New Double-Jumping Fetish Elves”
played the tank variety in beta and thoroughly enjoying it. prepping currently to migrate mains to DH (mats for profession leveling etc) and some points at least from a tank perspective.
-Very mobile, even more so than warriors. This makes general questing fun and dungeons more interesting (there is a large focus on not standing in things and kiting mobs around etc)
-Somewhat squishy. If you aren’t using your movement kit when appropriate you will get slapped around
-The fantasy aspect is great
-Completely self sufficient while leveling. There wasn’t a pack of mobs I couldn’t AoE down comfortably or elite I couldn’t solo
-Powerful self healing kit, but with a survival kit centered around healing damage you are taking rather than preventing it we run into the squishy problems earlier mentioned.
-Rather reliant on artifact weapon traits for ability synergy
-Some resource generation issues making felblade talent almost mandatory for most things.
The class as a whole borrows aspects from all other tank classes in some way. Healing spheres from monk are fragmented souls, heroic leap and charge from warrior are flame crash and felblade. A selection of short cooldown, reasonably potent cooldowns and great AoE ability borrowed from druid and from Death Knight comes the self healing survival kit with a selection of sigils that can be placed at a location that mirror a number of their abilities.
It has issues, and until you have your artifact mostly sorted you will be forced to play one of two ways but with a little bit of tweaking (mostly in the spike damage department) and when instances/fights have been learned they will be the competitive tank that they aren’t quite yet.
You forgot paladins 😛
Because that worked out so well the last time. =P
being able to double jump and glide is surprisingly addictive. the overall kit of the DH is pretty fun. my only concern is they lack escape mechanics in PVP
So only elves can be demon hunters?
Correct!
Doublepost?
Just a note to the Author, The Demon Hunters are released for preorders on August 9th US Time, Not Australian. So might be worth noting that as to not cause any confusion.
Yep early Wed morning for Australians!
Pretty much after the Tueday night (our time) patch.
What if you ordered it through JB? do they send out a code as well?
No, Its for digital pre-orders through the blizzard store only. sorry 🙂