Hunter / Druid
Hunter/Druid is a solid mid-tier comp that combines steady ranged pressure with the best healer in the game. BM Hunter provides consistent damage through the pet, Steady Shot, and burst during The Beast Within. The Druid handles all healing, CC, and mana management. This comp is forgiving to play — you don't need perfect openers like Rogue comps, and you don't need to commit to melee range like Warrior comps. The downside is that Hunter lacks the closing power to finish kills against strong healer comps.
General Strategy
Hunter/Druid plays a ranged pressure game. The Hunter stays at max range, sends the pet on the kill target, and fires Steady Shot. The Druid heals and looks for Cyclone opportunities. Your CC setup is Scatter Shot into Freezing Trap on the enemy healer while the Hunter burns the DPS target during the CC window.
This comp wins against teams that cannot close the gap. Against melee cleaves, you kite forever. Against caster teams, you Viper Sting their mana and outlast them. Your weakness is teams with strong CC that can lock down the Druid and kill the Hunter during the window.
Hunter Role
Steady Shot is your bread and butter. Maintain a consistent shot rotation — Auto Shot, Steady Shot, repeat. Send the pet to the kill target and use Kill Command on cooldown. The Beast Within + Bestial Wrath is your burst cooldown — use it when the enemy healer is CC'd (Cyclone or Freezing Trap).
Scatter Shot into Freezing Trap is your primary CC chain on the enemy healer. Practice this — the timing must be precise. Scatter the healer, drop a Freezing Trap at their feet, and the trap triggers as Scatter ends. This gives your Druid time to Cyclone after the trap breaks for extended CC.
Viper Sting the enemy healer whenever possible. Mana drain is a secondary win condition — if the healer goes OOM, you win even without burst kills. Keep Viper Sting active and the Druid can focus on drinking.
Druid Role
Standard Druid gameplay — HoTs rolling, Cyclone the enemy healer, drink behind pillars. The advantage of Hunter/Druid is that the Hunter rarely takes heavy damage at range, so your healing load is light. Use extra globals for offensive Cyclones and drink often.
Coordinate Cyclone with the Hunter's Scatter/Trap. The ideal chain: Hunter Scatters healer → Freezing Trap → Druid Cyclone as trap breaks. That is 15+ seconds of CC on the healer. During this window, the Hunter uses The Beast Within for maximum damage on the kill target.
Kiting and Positioning
Stay spread out. The Hunter should be at max range from both enemies while the Druid positions near a pillar. If melee trains the Hunter, use Concussive Shot and Wing Clip to kite while the Druid heals from safety. If melee trains the Druid, the Hunter has free DPS time on their partner.
Matchups
vs Warrior / Druid
Warrior trains you or your Druid. Kite the Warrior with Concussive Shot. Scatter/Trap + Cyclone on enemy Druid. Viper Sting the Druid. Beast Within during CC on healer.
- Kite the Warrior with Concussive Shot
- Scatter/Trap + Cyclone enemy Druid
- Viper Sting enemy Druid
- Beast Within during CC windows
- Mana war is tough — Viper Sting helps
vs Rogue / Priest
Flare detects Rogue. Keep Flare near Druid. If Rogue opens Druid, Scatter + Intimidation to peel. Train the Priest. Viper Sting Priest.
- Flare near Druid detects Rogue
- Scatter + Intimidation peel Rogue
- Train the Priest
- Viper Sting the Priest
- Track Vanish — Flare when Rogue Vanishes
vs Warlock / Druid
Difficult. SL/SL is hard to pressure at range. DoTs tick on both of you. Kill the Druid — Scatter/Trap Warlock. Viper Sting Druid. Your damage is lower than Warrior/Warlock.
- Kill the Druid
- Scatter/Trap the Warlock
- Viper Sting the Druid
- Druid dispels Curse of Tongues
- Long and difficult — mana management wins
vs Mage / Rogue
Flare reveals stealth. Keep Flare up constantly. Survive opener with Druid healing + Deterrence. Train the Mage. Scatter the Rogue.
- Flare constantly to reveal stealth
- Deterrence + Druid heals survive opener
- Train the Mage after opener
- Scatter the Rogue for peel
- No sustain for them — outlast
vs Rogue / Druid
Double stealth is annoying. Flare to detect. Kill the enemy Druid. Scatter the Rogue. Track Vanish cooldowns.
- Flare to detect stealth
- Kill the enemy Druid
- Scatter the Rogue
- Track Vanish cooldowns
- Approach is similar to Rogue/Priest
vs Warlock / Warrior
They have no healer. DoTs are annoying but your Druid heals through it. Train the Warlock — Hunter range avoids Warrior. Kite Warrior with Concussive Shot. Scatter/Trap the Warrior during Warlock kill attempts.
- Train the Warlock from range
- Kite Warrior with Concussive Shot
- Druid heals through DoTs
- Scatter/Trap Warrior during kill goes
- Sustain advantage over double DPS
vs Hunter / Druid (Mirror)
Mirror. Viper Sting war — whoever drains more mana wins. Scatter/Trap + Cyclone chains on enemy Druid. Both Hunters kite. Long games.
- Viper Sting war
- Scatter/Trap + Cyclone enemy Druid
- Both Hunters kite — positioning matters
- Long mirror games
- More efficient Druid wins
vs Paladin / Warrior
Favored. Paladin can't deal with Viper Sting mana drain. Kite the Warrior with Concussive Shot. Cyclone the Paladin. Warrior Freedom doesn't help against your CC.
- Viper Sting drains Paladin OOM
- Kite Warrior with Concussive Shot
- Cyclone the Paladin
- Freedom doesn't counter Cyclone
- Mana drain wins the long game
vs Shaman / Warrior
Survive Bloodlust with Druid healing + Deterrence. After Lust, kite the Warrior. Scatter/Trap + Cyclone the Shaman. Viper Sting the Shaman. Shaman OOMs.
- Survive Bloodlust with Deterrence + healing
- After Lust, kite the Warrior
- Scatter/Trap + Cyclone Shaman
- Viper Sting the Shaman
- Shaman OOMs — win condition