Tips To Playing A Hunter

Shooting on the Run

The Hunter can shoot most of its instant-cast ranged abilities while running, including Hunter's Mark. If you have to chase a mob or enemy player as they are running away, keep this in mind. Particularly useful is using Concussive Shot to slow their getaway and then Arcane Shot to pick off a runner that you're having trouble keeping in range.

The Jump Shot

Because a hunter can run away faster from an aggroed mob than they can backpedal, you engage the mob and then turn and run away from it. While running, jump into the air, hold the right mouse button and use it to twist to a 180 degree turn, so that you are facing the mob, then, while still holding the right mouse button fire at the mob using an instant cast shot, arcane shot works well if you are able to use Aspect of the Pack / Cheetah, however otherwise you will probably want to use Concussive Shot. Once the shot has been fired, simply twist your character back to the original facing (away from the mob) and continue to run. Using this technique you are able to still attack the mob while moving away from it, without any distance penalty.

This skill takes a lot of practice - mostly in getting the mouse movement right. You can't use the keyboard to turn while in flight, because you just don't turn fast enough, so you have to fling the mouse a bit while making sure you don't turn more than 180 degrees.

It helps to use autorun (Num Lock) when doing jump shots. Then your hands will be doing three things - panning the camera, turning your movement/firing direction, and firing instant cast shots. The first two are done by the same hand with the same buttons (left button to pan, right button to turn). Note that you don't have to actually be facing the foe when you fire, so you can start turning before the shot is fired, just as long as the foe is within your 118 degree firing arc.

The jump shot is only suitable for situations where you can run through empty territory. Otherwise you're going to experience multiple adds.

The Strafe Shot

You strafe (run sideways) as fast as you run. You can also shoot up to 89 degrees away from front and center. So what you do is, turn to get the foe to your left or right, then strafe in the opposite direction. Release instant casts at him.

I find that this works best when you don't have smart panning turned on (ie: you want to camera to stay pointed where you point it, regardless of which direction you're facing or running).

You cannot use autorun when doing strafe shots, so your hands are doing four things, namely: strafing, panning the camera, turning to keep the enemy within your firing arc, and firing instant cast shots. However, the strafe shot doesn't require the precision mousing essential for the jump shot - it's possible to strafe without using the mouse, as long as you don't need to be looking at the foe to target them.

As per the jump shot, the strafe shot is only suitable for situations where you can run through empty territory. The strafe shot is useful for getting a mob to turn back around - strafe shot the foe while running through your tank, for example.

The 180 Wing Clip

When you find yourself caught running from something that's in your deadzone, but you can't get away (especially in PvP), it is sometimes helpful to, if you are not going to be Hamstringed or Crippling Poisoned, pull a direct 180 just like in your Jump Shot, Wing Clip, and run straight through the person or mob. In PvP, the person may get confused and take a while to turn; in PvE, you have a mob slowed down long enough for you to get away and subsequently do what's needed. If you haven't melee'd in a bit, you can also add that tiny bit of damage by pressing Raptor Strike; you should have enough time to both, adding a bit of damage and slowing in one fell swoop.

Playing Fetch

Sometimes you will find mobs located beyond your shooting range, but your pet can still be sent to go attack. Your pet will perform astonishing feats of climbing cliffs and such, and once he has gained aggro simply tell him to follow. The mobs will likewise follow ... into your range, and thus to their doom.

Playing Hide & Seek

Want to pull a caster mob? Have your pet follow you to some spot out of the line of sight of the mob, tell him to stay, go back within sight of the mob and your pet, cast Misdirection on your pet, cast Distracting Shot on the caster mob. The caster mob gets all uppity, but since your pet is hidden out of sight of the caster mob it will go seek.