Legion Demon Hunters Abilities

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Demon Hunters are a new hero class, playable in 7.0 World of Warcraft: Legion. This guide covers the initial pre-beta information we know about this new class.

Dominate your foes as a Demon Hunter, an elven outcast shunned for daring to wield the terrible powers of the Legion. Exhibiting superior mobility and a preternatural sense of awareness, Demon Hunters can tap into forbidden powers at times of dire need, metamorphosing into terrifying fel forms. Focus on Havoc to demolish any who stand in your way with fiery demonic attacks, or specialize in Vengeance and go toe to toe with even the most powerful demons, withstanding massive punishment as their attacks fuel your hatred.

The information in this article has been taken from the Expansion Presentation, the Legion website, and interviews with several European fansites.

Quick Facts

Forgoing heavy armor, Demon Hunters capitalize on speed, closing the distance quickly to sever enemies with one-handed weapons. However, Illidari must also use their agility defensively to ensure that battles end favorably.
  • Races: Demon Hunters can only be Night Elves or Blood Elves
  • Hero Class: Start at higher level to jump right into Legion content. Starting level debated at 95-100
  • Specs: Havoc (DPS) and Vengeance (Tanking). No healing spec--doesn't fit into the fantasy.
  • Standard Bars: Health, Energy (described as Demonic Fury in presentation instead)
  • Available Armor: Cloth, Leather
  • Weapon: Glaive weapon pair for both slots. Some of the weapons shown in the slides are actual Artifact models.

Several interviews asked about the limited races--Blizzard says that it fits the fantasy of the class, based on past demon hunter lore, to limit the options to night elves and blood elves.

As for the concern that four classes wear leather, while two classes wear mail, in gameplay terms, it's not a huge issue as in group content (Raid Finder, etc), people use personal loot. In a group loot case, it's used by a raid playing together and it's mostly about set pieces which aren't shared by all leather users, so only really bracers, belt, boots are left. From a fantasy standpoint, it feels right for leather too. In addition, Blizzard revealed that there are upcoming itemization/loot changes in Legion.

Demon Hunters only have 2 specs, but most other classes have 3, with multiple DPS specs. The development team sees this as a positive--and if they could go back in time, older classes might have fewer DPS specs. Legion is all about class fantasy, and some classes struggle to have three unique specs. They could make a ranged Demon Hunter spec and it would feel different--but it wouldn't feel like a Demon Hunter, such as Illidan. They could also make an alternate DPS spec feel like a Demon Hunter, but only marginally different from the existing spec. So they decided not to split DPS specs up and just pour all cool ideas into one spec.

Customization

  • Character creation allows players to customize horns, tattoos, skin variations including demonic scales, and different types of eyewear.
  • Class-specific Demon Hunter armor exposes muscles and tattoos.
  • Metamorphosis form adds hellish wings and changes your appearance, including hooves for feet.
  • New skin tones, hairstyles, and facial scars were present on 3D models shown at gamescom.

In past World of Warcraft lore, night elves determined to fight the Burning Legion decided to infuse themselves with demonic essence and fight the Legion with its own evil. Their tattoos increase their magic power, and they are lightly-armored to enhance their agility. As demon hunters continue training, their physical appearance becomes more corrupted (horns, scars, claws)--which is present in some of the character customization options.

Demon Hunters are known to blind themselves in order bind themselves to a demonic essence, which then grants them a new type of vision, one in which everything is dulled except for demonic energy. The item Cursed Vision of Sargeras mimics this effect, including the +use effect to show demons on the minimap. The classic Illidan blindfold is a character customization option, but there are new creative headgear options like veils which have not been seen before on demon hunters.

Abilities

  • UNRIVALED MOBILITY: Demon Hunters can double jump, vault in and out of combat, and even unfold their monstrous wings to perform gliding descents and surprise enemies from above.
  • METAMORPHOSIS: Demon Hunters transform into hellish forms, enhancing their chosen role: damage-focused Illidari can teleport into combat, while those who prize defense can grant powerful supportive Auras.
  • MELEE DAMAGE: The chaotic energy that flows within Demon Hunters empowers their physical and magical strikes to devastating effect.
  • SPECTRAL SIGHT: The Demon Hunters¡¯ apparent blindness belies their true powers of perception. They rely on magically augmented sight to detect enemies, even those that hide behind obstacles.
  • Abilities either cost or generate Demonic Fury.
Sample Abilities
  • Fel Rush: Rush forward, dealing 7,215 Fire damage to all enemies in your path. Generates 40 fury if you inflict damage to at least one target.
  • Chaos Strike: A brutal attack that strikes all enemies in front of you for 8,741 Chaos damage.
  • Chaos Nova: Unleash an eruption of fel energy, stunning all nearby enemies for 5 sec and dealing 5,772 Chaos damage.
  • Eye Beam: Blast the target and any enemies near the target for 21,650 Fire damage over 3.71 sec.
  • Spectral Sight: Allows you to see enemies through physical barriers, as well as those stealthed and invisible. Defining trait.
  • Vengeful Retreat: Vault back and avoid the next attack or spell directed at you.
  • Double Jump: When one jump isn't enough - Demon Hunters get this because they're more agile than other classes.

Lore

Demon Hunters, as a Hero Class, get a unique starting experience--similar to Death Knights. They awaken in the Vault of the Wardens in order to combat the largest Legion invasion ever.

As part of the experience, there is an event Demon Hunters participate in which takes place 10 years earlier. As a member of the Illidari, Illidan sends his most elite demon hunters on a suicide mission to the shattered demonic prison world of Marduun. This is the world Sargeras created, as a good titan, to hold all the demons he captured--and when he turned corrupt, he shattered this world and released the Burning Legion.

The player then returns to the present-day and learns what it truly means to be a Demon Hunter--and the sacrifices it entails.

As for Illidan and Gul'dan--we're no longer in an alternate timeline, things are taking place in our regular timeline again. The Cinematic Teaser to bridge Warlords of Legion shows Gul'dan freeing Illidan from his prison in Vault of the Wardens.
Demon hunters have been part of previous expansions. If you want to brush up on your lore, check out these quests in game!
  • Illidan Stormrage and Leotheras the Blind are the two known Demon Hunter bosses, part of the Burning Crusade expansion.
  • The quest The Fall of Tichondrius in Felwood offers an alternative view of Illidan as a hero who made a great sacrifice nobody appreciated.
  • There's also the Shadowmoon Valley quest Varedis Must Be Stopped, in which players are sent to kill three demon hunters under Illidan's command: Netharel, Theras, andAlandien.
  • The achievement Ghosts in the Dark in Darkshore is tied to the quest Writings of the Void which you fight the ghost of a powerful Demon Hunter, Telarius Voidstrider, and learn about how their rituals are frowned on by Night Elves.
  • Altruis the Sufferer is a friendly Demon Hunter in Outland Nagrand who needs your assistance to fight the Burning Legion, in a lengthy questline.
  • Loramus Thalipedes was initially part of the epic pre-Cataclysm questline centering around the Fallen Hero of the Horde ( The Demon Hunter, Loramus, Breaking the Ward, The Name of the Beast, The Name of the Beast, The Name of the Beast, Azsharite). In the post-Cataclysm version, he's been killed in the Blasted Lands and you must find his body, bring him back to life, and help him fight the demon Rakh'lik--which requires a sacrifice.

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