Huntar Weapon FTW?

When Blizzard designed the Hunter class, they obviously had the Ranger class from Dungeons & Dragons in mind. Why else would they give a ranged weapon specialist class the ability to weild almost every single weapon type in the game? (I think the only types we can't wield are maces and wands). Add to that the fact we can wear a large range of armour, and have stat crossovers with several popular classes (Paladins, Rogues and Shamans), and it's no wonder that certain bitter folks have branded a great many Hunters ninjas. They've even gone as far as to make a blog about it.

Amongst my friends in CD, this is a joke, something we'll have a giggle about, but it's also something I'm deeply concious of, especially in light of CD Rule Number One*. Whenever I'm presented with an interesting weapon I ask myself:

1. Will this help my ranged damage capability?
2. Will this help my ranged damage capability more than a weapon I currently possess?
3. Is there another group member who can make better use of the weapon?
4. Do I need the weapon or just want it?

Wulf's been lucky when it comes to weapons, I'll freely admit. On my first Dire Maul North run, he got an amazing sword dropped that no-one else needed. That was his main weapon for a while until he was lucky enough to get a great axe from a run in Zul'Gurub with a friends raid group. Upon getting that, it became his main raiding weapon and he retired the sword to Player Vs Player confrontations. Recently, over the new years period, he was lucky enough to pick up two hatchets on consecutive runs in Stratholme with CD. On the first run, the Paladin present declined to roll against me so I could get it. These two hatchets presently give me the best ranged damage, and are used most of the time in raids with CD. In a fight where I need the extra mana, I'll equip the axe from ZG, and if and when I start running the battlegrounds again, I'll pull my sword out of mothballs. All in all, I consider Wulf sorted for melee weapons this side of Blackwing Lair.

Then yesterday, Hakkar dropped an incredibly rare and silly/cool-looking sword. The other hunter in the raid had orgasms about it, but since he'd got a necklace of Hakkar on Thursday's run, he wasn't allowed to roll on it (and did he moan?). And I admit, I was temped to roll, for all of five seconds.

I looked at it mathematically: The melee damage is impressive, but since I melee around 10% of the time if things are going well, that's useless to me. The Stamina's nice, but once again, only useful if things aren't going well. The attack power, even when enchanted with extra agility, is less than that provided by my two hatchets. So yes, whilst it would have been cool to show off the sword and make all the n00b Warriors jealous, I'dve been a bigger n00b if I'd rolled on it. In the end, I passed and a Paladin got it. I felt bad for him in a way, because he'd just blown a load of DKP on an epic mace in Molten Core on Friday.

One day Wulf might get that sword, once we've made Hakkar our bitch so often that all the Paladins and Warriors who want it get it, then I'll maybe get it. But by the time that happens, chances are the sword'll be so common on the server that it'll lose some of it's coolness. Ah well, I take solace in the fact that Wulf's an amazing damage dealer and that, in itself, is cool enough.

*Chaotic Divinity Rule #1: Don't be an asshole.