27 replies to this topic

[horangi88]

The Big Game Hunter (Hunter Guide)

I haven't seen any hunter guides on the DAMP resource page, so I thought I'd put one together for the community.
I play the Hunter as a sneaky, hard-hitting sniper. No traps or bombs, and no BS. Just an assassin with a bow peeling caps.
His game is identifying and taking out the biggest threats on the field with alacrity. Stealth, strategy and positioning are the keys to this build (in addition to a good bow). It also relies heavily on stealth crits and armor penetration to boost damage, so +crit damage, +flanking damage, and +AP gear are priorities.

 

Explode on Kill is my top choice for bows on this build. It's like a free Walking Bomb that turns your 6000 point Full Draw killshot into a bunch of 4000 point shots on all surrounding enemies. Killstreaks all around. If there is an Arcane Warrior in your group with Pull of the Abyss, one Full Draw into the pulled group will clear the room. Heal on Kill is nice, but I find that I don't take much damage with this build so +Flanking Damage would be my second choice.

At the start of an encounter, identify and target the biggest threat on the map. Stealth (and flank if viable) and let loose a Full Draw. With a decent bow (mine is 155 dps) you will one-shot everything except bosses. When the big game is out of the way,
Explosive Shot (groups) or Throwing Knife (singletons) any trash mobs still lingering about. If you get rushed by melee types,
Stealth to flank them and then toss a few Throwing Knives in their backs. Throwing Knives from stealth one-shot most things on Threatening, and even if the don't kill outright they will leave them Sundered and with very low health. You have to stay alert with this build, both for picking the best targets and for evading threats. Generally, you want to stay on the periphery of the fight and find prime targets to take down. When there are enemy archers on the field, remember to use soft cover and LOS to avoid damage because you are pretty squishy. If there is no cover to be had, keep in motion. With the Strafing Shots passive you can dodge projectiles by circling left or right. Lastly, I find that even with the large burst damage you put out you don't generate a lot of aggro and threat reduction passives are not necessary.

Build:

Actives:

Stealth (upgraded)

Full Draw

Explosive Shot (upgraded)

Throwing Knives (upgraded)

Passives:

Knife in the Shadows

Gaps in the Armor

Pincushion

Cheapshot

 

 

Build Order:

 

Stealth

Knife in the Shadows

Full Draw

Upgrade Stealth
Throwing Knives

Cheap Shot

Upgrade all abilities except Full Draw

Fill the remaining passives

[Kintosi]

This is basically my exact build. I can verify that it works well. Nice guide! 

[Scorpio989]

Pretty much my build also. I don't agree with your strategy of only using Throwing Knives on single targets because it's still very good damage without the damage stacking and weaken everything it hits. Also it is worth mentioning that Hunters are amazing with a heal on hit bow. Healing 5%+ of my health every time I use Throwing Knives is just to good.

[Zakmonster85]

Just promoted my Hunter. Will try this build soon. I personally use Throwing Knives as often as possible, even if its just to sunder enemies and help the team kill them faster. The quick animation speed and in-built stagger also helps a lot when you're being closed down by several melee mobs.

[Cryos_Feron]

what about leaping shot. can it really be ignored?

[SLooPPy JOE]

Just started building my hunter tonight, after RNGesus blessed me with that griffon bow.

Stealth
Grappling hook
Leaping shot
Fulldraw

It's basically 2 combos, plus some point-blank-triple-shot-stealth-crit-shotgun-geth-hunter-style-destruction.

[Cryos_Feron]

I think normally the archer would be the better choice (based on the abilities)

BUT I noticed that my hunter draws much less aggro than my archer. even when he isn't in stealth mode. why is that?

[horangi88]

what about leaping shot. can it really be ignored?

 

 

I think normally the archer would be the better choice (based on the abilities)

BUT I noticed that my hunter draws much less aggro than my archer. even when he isn't in stealth mode. why is that?

 

I think your second post answers your first post. I find that the Hunter draws less aggro as well, and never had issues playing without Leaping Shot. I think that it may be the combination of stealth-dumping aggro and one-shotting most things. You never really build up any hate. It seems I only draw aggro from Explosive Shots that don't kill things outright. When I do draw fire, stealth dumps all the aggro. I find Hunter games to be very smooth.

[DarthLinebacker]

Wrong dang thread.

[Treacherous J Slither]

No Evade?

 

You buggin

[Dorje Sylas]

No Evade?
 
You buggin

Evade has serious issues related to latency. If you aren't host, or sitting on the same network as the host it can be EXTREMLY unreliable. Very often you'll rubber band back to the point you Evade from and get slapped by everyting that you were trying to dodge to begin with. Its honesty quote baffing because as soon as the ability triggers the destintion point should be know to the host and used as the "player's" position incase of any dysnc issues. It's like Evade doesn't update the Client position on the host UNTIL the Evade is done, and by that time the Client gets an override from Host, snapping them back to their starting position.

[Treacherous J Slither]

Evade has serious issues related to latency. If you aren't host, or sitting on the same network as the host it can be EXTREMLY unreliable. Very often you'll rubber band back to the point you Evade from and get slapped by everyting that you were trying to dodge to begin with. Its honesty quote baffing because as soon as the ability triggers the destintion point should be know to the host and used as the "player's" position incase of any dysnc issues. It's like Evade doesn't update the Client position on the host UNTIL the Evade is done, and by that time the Client gets an override from Host, snapping them back to their starting position.

 

I'm gonna hafta agree with you there because earlier tonight I was the last survivor while fighting a Revenant and I went down due to the rubberbanding you mentioned. I successfully evaded each hit and got nailed anyway. Ridiculous.

 

Still it's kept me alive for the most part so it isn't going anywhere.

[horangi88]

 

You buggin

Lol. This takes me back to the 80s. Real hip hop yo! But naw, I'm not buggin', Evade is wack off host troop. Nah mean? Word!

[knownastherat]

Thanks for the guide. Tried it and it felt about right - how I would envision Hunter - long ranged assassin. Flanking is bread and butter. The only thing, its kind of loner and needs to be ahead of group to be ready to shoot when fight begins. 

[Primeyuri]

the way I see hunter is close ranged archer. Mostly  with the 15% dmg at 10m, elemantal mines, toxic cloud, throwing daggers and stealth. got the 3 arrow shot bow so that works perfectly.

[knownastherat]

There surely are different types of Hunters :) This build is indeed "Big Game Hunter" not "Shotgun Hunter". It can be close range, as long as in flank because that is like being invisible to enemy. 

[Jaymos]

Question for you guys I got the bow that does 75% explode on kill dmg which I am using with a superb rune but I just picked up the bow with 1% heal on hit which do I use :s

[knownastherat]

Do you need heal on kill*? I did not need it, when played well .., because I was either in stealth or in flank and did not have anyone attacking me. And when there was - as the guide mentions - Throwing Knives - or just kite behind them. 100% threat reduction from flank often works just like that .. walking past enemy. Following this build and tips on playstyle produces results described in my experience so I would keep the 75% weapon damage explosion on kill. You seen what critical hits from stealth do.

 

edit: heal on hit*(?)

[Jaymos]

Yer crazy hits lol

[nothatasian]

Yep. This build is amazing. Plus the explosions are just damn fun. I've got the griffon bow and the explosion bow. Griffon bows got more power for individual enemies but the explosion bow worked much better for clearing rooms faster. You like exploding arrows? Full Draw+auto crit = exploding arrow 4x. I prefer to go after the weakest first since the bow inflicts 75% of inflicted damage.

[nothatasian]

Question for you guys I got the bow that does 75% explode on kill dmg which I am using with a superb rune but I just picked up the bow with 1% heal on hit which do I use :s

[nothatasian]

Definitely explosion on kill. Play it right and you won't have to worry about health. Gone plenty of matches without using a potion. You could use Fallback Plan if you're still worried about health.

[knownastherat]

If not Griffon nor TTR (75% weapon damage explosion) then there is unique bow with 48% flank bonus damage - Preservance. Not as flashy but in flank all the time.

[knownastherat]

Definitely explosion on kill. Play it right and you won't have to worry about health. Gone plenty of matches without using a potion. You could use Fallback Plan if you're still worried about health.

 

The only direction to fall back to is imo even deeper behind enemy lines. This hunter never wants to face the enemy. Be aware of terrain, cool downs, wait for tank and unless for 5/5 perhaps or occasional hick up there is no way enemy will target you. This is your health.

[OtherAussieGuy]

Nice guide Horangi88 and nice advice guys..

Hunter is one of my favourite classes along with the Elementalist..

I play pretty much on the flanks of the battle, but my 4 skills are the elemental mines, trap, explosive shot, throwing daggers..

But after reading this build I will try it out and see what happens..

I have the Longbow of The Griffon and good gear..

Cheers