Thrill of the Hunt ability stealth changed, but not put on patch notes.

[Taurax]

"Thrill of the hunt" used to allow mobility when using Unload.  However this is no longer true.  For Bodyguards, it simply only allows movement for Progressive Scan.  I'm not understanding why this would have needed a change.  

With this change, Kolto Surge would almost become the better choice now to select, to make sure you have added survivability.

[Sphillipe]

On 9/6/2023 at 9:25 PM, Taurax said:

"Thrill of the hunt" used to allow mobility when using Unload.  However this is no longer true. 

It's baked into the skill now as a hidden passive. All this change means, is you're no longer tied to a tree selection to get it, freeing up other choices for that level. 

[LD_Little_Dragon]

It's playing into the dev's narrative that off-dps and off-heals are a bad thing.

Which is idiotic, there are plenty of times that going outside your designated class role is useful.  Losing mobility (and not being able to use unload while moving is a loss) is a nerf to the spec.  A minor nerf, but still an unasked for, unneeded, and unwanted stealth nerf.

[LD_Little_Dragon]

1 hour ago, Sphillipe said:

It's baked into the skill now as a hidden passive. All this change means, is you're no longer tied to a tree selection to get it, freeing up other choices for that level. 

It's still a choice you have to take in bodyguard spec, not a passive.  They just made the ability weaker.

[Lord_Malganus]

Only surprising it was not included in the patch notes claiming to be a buff.

Edited September 11, 2023 by Lord_Malganus

[Taurax]

10 hours ago, Sphillipe said:

It's baked into the skill now as a hidden passive. All this change means, is you're no longer tied to a tree selection to get it, freeing up other choices for that level. 

Except its not a hidden passive.  Check the Bodyguard tree, there is no mention for it.  So, it has been removed as an ability.  So, pretty much a Merc Bodyguard can only be stationary to shoot at anything, with no mobile ranged abilities for DPS.  I don't even see a tactical for it.

[LD_Little_Dragon]

3 hours ago, Taurax said:

Except its not a hidden passive.  Check the Bodyguard tree, there is no mention for it.  So, it has been removed as an ability.  So, pretty much a Merc Bodyguard can only be stationary to shoot at anything, with no mobile ranged abilities for DPS.  I don't even see a tactical for it.

You still have rail shot and missile blast, for what those are worth (not much).

[AdjeYo]

11 hours ago, Taurax said:

Except its not a hidden passive.  Check the Bodyguard tree, there is no mention for it.  So, it has been removed as an ability.  So, pretty much a Merc Bodyguard can only be stationary to shoot at anything, with no mobile ranged abilities for DPS.  I don't even see a tactical for it.

For the dps specs they said it's baseline to have Unload while moving now. Did they not change that for healers as well, I'd assumed they did. That's kinda wack of them.

[LD_Little_Dragon]

4 hours ago, AdjeYo said:

For the dps specs they said it's baseline to have Unload while moving now. Did they not change that for healers as well, I'd assumed they did. That's kinda wack of them.

That's the issue.  Not only is not baseline, it's not even available anymore.  The old thrill of the hunt gave bodyguards mobility on successive treatment and unload, the replacement skill (that is not baseline, we still have choose it) only gives mobility on successive treatment.

I don't main merc heals, it's my secondary heal spec, but it does make doing off-dps as merc more annoying now.  It might seem minor, but sometimes it is better for heals to get a bit of dps in a raid rather then do pure heals.  Moblitity is a huge advantage for both healing and dps in raids and pvp.