In general though I'd say hunters are a fairly defensive kit. You can do a lot of damage spamming serpent due to the extra attack but don't expect people to stand there and get "jabbed" to death. Serpent with a whip is deafen, with a sword is a damage attack, dagger has some sort of malediction, spear does 0 hours bleeding, staff I'm not sure what it does. Timed attack is pretty good, its a finesse skill, not something you spam in raids. With a spear it impales, with a whip it does a flurry like attack, with a staff it does a huge damage and some extra malediction to casting I think, with a sword it does -str. Immolation seems to last a pretty long time, seemed like around 4+ hours. The poison is likewise good and I was able to use that to kill a number of mobs I had no right killing.
I'd say the primary reason for taking bow though is for deafening serpent strike and its good enough to make the choice a decent decision. You'll also be able to tank ridiculously well even out of the woods as long as you have a group with you to increase your damage output. Other utilities like seeing air forms and hearing people who sneak were also useful. Observation is very good too, if you get 3-4 off on someone you should become more or less unhittable in melee.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/28/2008 05:33AM by Death_Claw.