Overview
The Hunter changes mostly in how it shoots. 
Auto Shot lost its hidden 0.5 sec cast time and keeps going during your other casts: you fire as soon as you stop moving, and keeping your distance becomes much easier. 
Aimed Shot is a baseline ability that shares its cooldown with 
Multi-Shot; the latter hits 3 targets and no longer has ranks. 
Volley no longer has a cooldown.
Your pet follows your stats: 2 health per point of Stamina, 30% of your armor, 10% of your best attack power and 100% of your crit. It can dodge, but no longer receives buffs from other classes. Every family has at least one ability of its own, such as the Tallstrider’s 
Dust Cloud, the only armor reduction the Hunter brings to a group. 
Trueshot Aura now only grants ranged attack power.
You tame your first pet through a class quest at level 10. Humans and Skyborne can now play Hunters.
Strengths and weaknesses
Strengths
- Smooth Auto ShotNo more hidden cast time: keeping your distance becomes easy.
- Pets tied to youThey follow your stats, and every family has its own ability.
- Single-target damageThe best when the group pulls few mobs at a time.
Weaknesses
- No raid buffYour spot rests on your damage.
- Dead zoneNo ranged attack within 8 yards.
- AmmunitionA quiver or ammo pouch is always required.
Roles
The Hunter plays DPS in all three specs. At level 20 in the beta, all three sit in S tier, especially when the group pulls few mobs at a time. On big packs, the Mage pulls ahead.
The three specializations
Beast Mastery. Little changed, with 
Summon Hawk: up to 2 hawks attack your target on top of your pet. The simplest spec. Beast Mastery guide
Marksmanship. A lone archer: 
Lone Wolf grants 20% damage without a pet, and 
Sniper Shot hits hard. The most demanding spec. Marksmanship guide
Survival. Can also be played in melee, with 
Aspect of the Beast and 
Raptor Strike. Work in progress. Survival guide
Key spells and talents
Recommended races
- AllianceNight Elf, Skyborne, Dwarf, Human. The Night Elf looks like the best choice: Elune’s Light stacks with
Rapid Fire and 
Bestial Wrath, and your pet copies that crit. - HordeOrc, Troll, Tauren, Skyborne. The Orc is the best choice in PvE and PvP, with an instant Blood Fury that also strengthens your pet a little.
- SkyborneThe best against elementals, and Wind Blessed may be worth more than it seems.
Recommended professions
Leatherworking looks essential, with many bind-on-pickup recipes, new or revised, that are strong for their level. Engineering brings guns, helmets, grenades and mines. At camp, items from Enchanting, Fishing and Skinning give the most useful combat bonuses.
What is new compared to Classic
- New abilitiesAspect of the Beast and
Lacerate (level 30), 
Enchanted Flare (level 32), plus the talents Summon Hawk, Sniper Shot and 
Strider Kick. - Aimed Shot and Multi-Shot share their cooldown.
Arcane Shot and 
Serpent Sting scale a little with your attack power; 
Scorpid Sting reduces the target’s hit chance.- Rapid Fire also speeds up your melee attacks.
- The 8-yard dead zone stays in place.
