huh? Huntsman and stop?

Again, I have been gone for some time but I am seeing ppl stay as a huntsman instead of going as a bane....is that right? (based on my forum readings...still downloading the expansion).

What is the advantage of doing that, if you don't mind?

When they say they're using a Huntsman build, technically, they're Banes, but they took more of the basic Huntsman powers over Bane powers. So basically, instead of just using a mace, they'll have a lot more gun powers and either minimal or no Bane powers (possible exception of Build Up, as that always summons a mace in your hand).

Playstyle-wise, it's actually somewhat similar to the Crab build, only less pets (they don't have Spiderlings), and they don't have giant crab legs sticking out of their back. Due to dual-builds being unable to get rid of crab legs, and for aesthetic reasons, a lot of people (including myself) have elected to just roll a new soldier for the purposes of being a Bane or Wolfspider (or both, due to dual builds).

Mixing Huntsman and Bane powers can result in some pretty nasty (and by nasty, I mean great) builds.

Huntsman more or less means gun powers + leadership + bane armor/buildup/surveillance, usually with pool leadership powers as well as the TT ones. As Ideon said, it ends up playing something like a crab, in some ways - lots of ranged AoE damage, some pets, and relatively poor ST damage - with fewer pets and less personal toughness, but considerably larger team utility between the extra leadership and surv.

Even though they are technically 'banes', they really don't share much of their playstyle, since they don't use the mace (or any melee at all, generally). It's not a strictly stronger build than a crab, but I think it's roughly on par with slightly different strengths. And you don't have giant legs sticking out of your back.

I play bane primarily, but the second build is huntsman. My end build for that includes TT Maneuvers + pool maneuvers for roughly 20% def for the team AND surveillance + venom for -res debuffs. It's like playing an AR corruptor with inherent mez protection, a lot higher natural def (from SO level, no IOs), and 2 spider pets.

Also, the gun attacks have faster animation times than the comparable crab ones.

VEATs, the baskin robbins of COX. So many flavors, all of them (deadly) good.

When I solo I use my Bane build and when I am on a team I use my huntsman build. I feel my huntsman build is like a AR/Dev blaster with weaker damage and works better on a team.

Huntsmen do work well on teams, but I'm not sure I'd say they have weaker damage than an AR/dev blaster. Weaker than blasters in general, yes, but not weaker than an AR/dev. Blasters only do 112.5% of VEAT damage ranged, and venom grenade is more than enough to erase that. And while they may get trip mine, we get pets *and* buildup.

Just to point out that huntsmen aren't helpless in melee, my SoA has made good use of Pummel from the get-go. It's not great damage (same as Single Shot), but it carries a 66% chance to lay a mag 3 stun on your victim and is fast to animate and recharge.

I plan to pick up Bayonet as well, maybe as part of a respec, just to have another single target attack for any fool who dares run up on me

To be honest, the reason I'm going with the 'Huntsman' style build on my first Soldier is because THIS is what I wanted to see for Assault Rifle set. It simply feels better than the Frankengun of the Assault rifle set. (Which somehow is a combination of a machine gun, a shot gun, a sniper rifle, a grenade launcher, and a flame thrower.)

Throw in better survivability than a Blaster, and I was sold.

It's basically a concept. Going with the machine gun instead of the mace, but otherwise being a Bane in all but name. The Huntsman in the Arachnos hierarchy is a very high ranking, squad oriented military leader. He's a General. Banes are special forces, built for sneaking around and doing missions solo or with a small team. So it's really just a specialization with the team oriented powers instead of the stealth and Executioner's Strike stuff.

I've done kind of a similar thing on my Crab, her dual build is split between a specialization with her arm attacks, and specialization with the machine gun. (With a few attacks from the arms just so they aren't just sitting there) She prefers the arm attacks, but there are situations in which the machine gun just provides better options.

My favorite quote from Aisynia's excellent guide to being a Huntsman:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aisynia the Huntsman aren't just soldiers, they are brutal, efficient leaders. They go in guns blazing, they control the situation, deal with it in the most brutal, efficient possible fashion, and leave. Nothing but a few smoldering corpses and charred floor tiles should be left when they and their contingent are done. They are the fire from the hip, grenade lobbing, lead spraying badasses that come in to put down a situation someone else couldn't handle. The strength to work alone, but rarely seen without some really serious backup.

I recently rebuilt my Huntsman to get rid of the second build's stupid crab legs, and I'm in love all over again. He is a monster in a team, bullets and grenades everywhere, all while buffing the hell out of everyone.

Huntsman build is fun, it adds a flare you get shooting stuff with a rifle that doesnt do other wierd crap like make flaming burn patches.

Ranged Bane, also are quite fun, I was first to do this & get to 50 with one.


JJ

In all the years I've played CoX, my experience "winging" it with a Huntsman during the first weeks of VEAT release was by far my most favorite and rewarding.

It's for this very reason that I anxiously await Going Rogue, so that I can do it all over again hero-side. And if for some unholy reason Paragon Studios decides to make Epics exclusive to their corresponding factions? I'll let the spirit of my veteran Huntsman take hold of me, clean out some hillbilly grandpa's arsenal and go on a speed run of the Paragon Studios Strikeforce! >_<!

I love my Huntsbane.

He's some kind of monster

I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deus_Otiosus This entire post should receive some kind of award for being both hysterical and fantastic. Well done.

Only problem would be that you'd still be stuck with the arachnos gun.

My huntsman has no Bane or Crab pool picks at all. She is just Soldier/Training and Gadgets. I'd say that, that is being a bit more of a pure huntsman. I'd of never said that Huntsman had to have some Bane qualities.