Hunter Basics: Engaging Mobs

All right. You just hit level 10 with your hunter. You got yourself a pet, learned how to feed him (although feeding your pet is not as important as used to - back in the old days, feeding your pet was one of the major micro-management tasks a hunter had. You'd have to feed or pet or it's loyalty would drop and you could lose your pet and have to tame a new one). You're all set to go!

Up until now, the way you engaged mobs was pretty simple. You'd probably start with a couple of shots and the mob would rapidly engage you in melee distance. From then on you'd fight him with your melee weapon until the end of the combat.

Once you get your pet, though, it's a whole new ball game.

One of the things you must have in mind is that mobs are no longer allowed to get into melee range from you. You do ALL your fights from far away, blasting them away with your gun or bow. Your pet tanks, you shoot him to pieces. He's dead. Gone. Done. Next.

Here's how things should be: first of all, you should cast Hunter's Mark. With that one, all your ranged attacks will have their power increased (the increase depends on the spell level and goes from 20 (for level 1) up to 300 (for level 5).

Once you have your Hunter's Mark on your target, send your pet in. Wait a couple of seconds, so it builds some nice aggro and start shooting away. From then on it's a matter of burning the mob down. Move to the next mob, rinse and repeat.

Easy deal, isn't it?

You can use a macro to help you on your attacks. The one bellow will cast Hunter's Mark on your target and order your pet to attack it. Hit it, start shooting and your all set.

/cast Hunter's Mark
/petattack

We also use another macro that can be handy in case a mob jumps on you unexpectedly. If you keep your pet on defensive, it will attack the mob. If you use the macro bellow, you will target your pet's target, start attacking it (using Auto Shot) and cast Hunter's Mark.

/target pettarget;
/cast Auto Shot;
/cast Hunter's Mark();

Now, don't forget this: hunters are a RANGED class. Your job is to stay away from the mobs, shooting them down. If they move to you, keep them at a distance. Use your pet to tank them. It should keep the mobs away from you so you can do your job.

Go do some proper huntering now!