That's all very nice but isn't at all on topic to what you just quoted, which was talking about the lack of non Enhancement self-buffs on the Druid list specifically.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Actually they do.
Stuff like Heroism, Good Hope, Shield of Faith, etc.
Resist Energy is awesome, and so is Stoneskin, but they don't help with a 3/4 BaB class' less than stellar chances to hit. Most 3/4 BaB classes have buffs that fix that, from Inspire Courage, to Bane/Judgement, to just straight up buff spells like I just listed.
Hunter has some slim pickin's in that regard, and of those slim pickin's even slimmer are the ones that aren't enhancement bonuses.
Their hands down best option is Aspect of the Falcon...but who wouldn't shell out 4k for Bracers of Falcon's Aim anyway?
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Any Ranged based character worth their salt is going to take Precise shot as soon as possible. It seems that is Precise Companion is only viable if a character is not human. Even if the race was not human I would still end up taking Precise shot at level 3, making Precise companion useless. I think if Precise Companion is going to stay it should get an upgrade. Probably at a later level a Hunter can ignore the cover bonus that its animal companion might give. Also I know that the Hunter is going to be primarily a ranged based character but I think melee should not be forgotten.
Incremental changes, but in the right direction. Weapon and armor have been fixed. Still has lots of tastes of teamwork feats, which could be good.
I'm not impressed with Precise Companion. More and more, it's looking to me that over the course of their career, the Hunter needs about three tastes of ranger combat style, maybe at 2nd, 10th, and 18th level. If that looks like too much, then 2nd, and replacing the teamwork feats at 12th and 18th. That fixes some issues with making the druid viable as a team attacker, alleviating the need for a high Dexterity, particularly.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Look at Rynjin, picking up my slack. ;)
Besides, if I wanted to focus on spellcasting, there is ZERO reason to play this class over a Druid. The "update" has done nothing to fix that.
My thoughts (without having tried the new version, but with experience with the old version).
- Letting you use different boosts on you and on your companion is a nice touch, allowing for mixed-mainstat hunter-pet duos to make better use of the feature.
- Precise Companion is kind of odd, at best. Most archers take Precise Shot ASAP anyway because archery is a huge hassle without it, outside of pretty strange parties. I guess getting a lesser version of it possibly a level or three early doesn't hurt and vaguely lets you delay Precise Shot a little I guess (I still never ever would, I don't think). It's also useful for people who use archery as a backup option, I guess.
- While the adjustments to Animal Focus are nice, I still feel like it's still not clear what the class is supposed to be doing. It isn't good at anything. A huge cornerstone of PF design is that your fighting prowess - if you're a fighty class - goes beyond just your BAB and your weapon proficiencies; even the much-maligned rogue gets a healthy damage boost. I do think teamwork feats can help close that gap, if they're good enough?
- Reflecting on my experiences, I'm starting to feel like "best with a pet" and "spending 80% of the class's power budget on being a potent spellcaster" aren't exactly two great tastes that taste great together. The thing that makes the hunter good (its spells) and the thing that (should) make the hunter cool (being awesome with a pet) aren't the same feature. (The Skald is eating this a bit as well.) I honestly don't know if there's anything that can be done about this at this point.
I still really, really would prefer them as a spontaneous caster (again because we have nothing like that for the druid list, and it feels more combative), but I will say that the combat potential of the Hunter is much improved. :)
If nothing else, I would really appreciate an archetype that gives them that.
I am building my hunter as a melee character, so the Precise Companion is really just a situational buff to my character's net throwing. Don't have to be a ranged expert to toss a net, and yet it really benefits my animal companion and me.
Besides, if I wanted to focus on spellcasting, there is ZERO reason to play this class over a Druid. The "update" has done nothing to fix that.
That's exactly why I want the Hunter to be a spontaneous caster. It offers something different that you can't get from the Druid. :)
|
I don't have many ideas on this one, but it definitely still needs something. I would echo the sentiment that Precise Companion should be replaced with Precise Strike as a bonus feat and the ability to have your companion not provide cover to enemies you're attacking. On the other hand, this class gets a ton of bonus teamwork feats, but without at least one or two bonus ranger combat style feats it's never going to be able to shoot anyway, so maybe the ability's better off being replaced with something that might play to its strengths.
Aspect of the Snake = Evasion. With a +2, For a few minutes.
Aspect of the Snake Lvl 8= Improved Evasion. For a few minutes.
Thanks for playing.
Gravity Bow
Access to earlier Improved Precise Shot or one fighting feat.
Add Druid/Ranger Spells together?
Please?
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
The animal focus going to 1 minute increments is a big fix. Really, it means in most cases 'one encounter per level' . By 5, that will be basically all of a session. Now, those cool alternate belts people always ignored become viable.
Something to remember: most enhancement bonuses by items mentioned in this thread (belt, boots) are not, by RAW, legal for animal companions to wear normally. (PFS not allowed for sure, maybe in a home game with Extra Item Slot (a feat cost), or your GM may allow them anyway, but if we're talking GM fiat, then anything goes.)
The hunter isn't the only one attacking here: you have an animal doing damage. The teamwork feats seem to be ignored, too. You and your companion are going to be buffing each other with those feats.
Level 1, your animal will be stronger and hit more often than your druid equivalent (effectively permanent +2 to strength). At three you get your choice of any teamwork feat for you and your animal; feats like precise strike, outflank, and coordinated charge for melee or enfilading fire, target of opportunity, and the new coordinated shot come to mind. Normally for them to take those you need shenanigans. You always have a flanking buddy, so menacing weapons are on the table. Rangers get 6 free feats from small lists, the hunter gets effectively 12 (6 for you AND 6 for your animal.)
Rangers have to eat a feat for Boon companion, and even then, it will always be cheaper to get your pet buffed as a hunter than as a ranger because of the Animal Focus ability. They can get the teamwork feats if they eat them as they level up, but the hunter gets to keep his for whatever else.
And remember the ring of tactical precision: 11,000gp will buff every teamwork bonus you give or receive by 1. A ring, enfilading fire, coordinated shot, and a properly placed pet will give you an extra +6, untyped, to hit at level 6. That flat out beats the ranger and druid. Your pet will be stronger than the Druid's, and be buffed by more spells than the equivalent level ranger.
The only thing I'd like to see right now is something at later levels...a new power at 8 then nothing until 15 when the Animal focus ticks up feels like a long time to wait. The "select ranger spells" as suggested above, but as a level 11 feature, would be suitably delayed to make it feel meaningful, and would arrive at a dead level when the animal companion doesn't get stronger. It would also fall in line with other powerful level 11 abilities like what inquisitors and rangers get at 11.
Gravity Bow
Access to earlier Improved Precise Shot or one fighting feat.
Add Druid/Ranger Spells together?
Please?
OMG Gravity Bow. Also, seconded.
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Have the companion provide NO cover for any enemies. Change Precise Companion to "OVER THE SHOULDER" and
I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER.
Everyone is going to take precise shot. Once your pet locks up on a target, it only takes 1 helpful friend engaging the same enemy to toss that feat to the wolves.
This eliminates the NEED for Improved Precise shot through limited tactical positioning. As long as you have a line of shot to your target and only your pet is in the way, you can fire "Over the Shoulder" and the pet will not provide ANY cover bonuses from the square it occupies.
Problem Solved.
call it "Over the Shoulder"
"kindred spirits" or "brothers in arms" or "act as one" or "yin and yang" (not yin yang twins)
Clarifying my earlier statement, which mixed up some stuff:Basically, the precise companion ability is granting the hunter the Precise Shot feat, but only with respect to whether or not her pet provides a –4 penalty for being in melee with the hunter's opponent.
That penalty doesn't have anything to do with cover, cover is a separate thing.
The "shooting into melee" rule gives you a –4 penalty on your attack roll, the "other creature providing cover" rule gives your opponent a +4 bonus to its AC.
Frex, in example 1, an encounter with a Ranger, Orc, and the ranger's Animal:
R ... O A
The Animal isn't providing the Orc +4 cover to AC, but it's still giving the Ranger a –4 penalty to his attack roll.
And in example 2, a similar encounter with a different layout:
R ... A O
the Animal is providing +4 cover to the Orc's armor class and is giving the Ranger a –4 penalty for firing into melee.
Note that in both examples, if you replace the Ranger with a Hunter, the Hunter doesn't have the –4 from firing into melee, because the hunter has precise companion; but in example 2 the Orc would still get the +4 cover bonus to AC from the companion because precise companion doesn't affect cover.
Hat's off to Sean K Reynolds, Who explained this so clearly.
Another thing I think the Hunter needs is a class ability that deals with natural traps, and an incremental bonus on avoiding natural traps. Again, thinking along the theme of being a hunter.
Besides, if I wanted to focus on spellcasting, there is ZERO reason to play this class over a Druid. The "update" has done nothing to fix that.That's exactly why I want the Hunter to be a spontaneous caster. It offers something different that you can't get from the Druid. :)
While I don't think that would actually fix anything the class is having issues with, I do support it. It goes a long way towards making the Hunter "the pet class" (as Animal Empathy is Cha-based).
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
While I don't think that would actually fix anything the class is having issues with, I do support it. It goes a long way towards making the Hunter "the pet class" (as Animal Empathy is Cha-based).Besides, if I wanted to focus on spellcasting, there is ZERO reason to play this class over a Druid. The "update" has done nothing to fix that.That's exactly why I want the Hunter to be a spontaneous caster. It offers something different that you can't get from the Druid. :)
Okay, so here's how I see the Hunter shaping up, if I was going to fill it out.
Spellcasting: Bard spells per day and known, Druid spell list.
Animal Focus: Add the following options:
Bat: The hunter or her animal companion gain darkvision out to a range of 60 feet, or if they already have darkvision, the range increases by 30 feet. At 8th level, the range of their darkvision extends another 30 feet. At 15th level, they gain blindsense out to a range of 10 feet. If they already have blindsense, the range improves by 5 feet.
Wasp: The hunter's attacks with a piercing weapon, or her animal companion's natural weapons, inflict an additional 1d4 points of acid damage. This improves to 1d6 at 8th level, and 1d8 at 15th level.
Natural Trap Lore (Ex): Starting at 4th level, the Hunter gains a +1 insight bonus on Reflex saves to avoid natural traps, Perception checks to find natural traps, and Survival checks to set/disguise natural traps. This bonuses increases by +1 every three levels thereafter, to a maximum of +6 at 19th level.
Under Animal Focus can someone clarify this statement for me:
The hunter can use this ability for 1 minute per day per hunter level. These minutes need to be consecutive, but the ability must be spent in 1-minute increments.
I not sure what this means regarding "consecutive".
Also feel the spell level limit is slightly weak, maybe increase the spell levels, or make casting spells spontaneously.
Under Animal Focus can someone clarify this statement for me:
The hunter can use this ability for 1 minute per day per hunter level. These minutes need to be consecutive, but the ability must be spent in 1-minute increments.
I not sure what this means regarding "consecutive".
Pretty sure that's a typo that should say "need not be consecutive". Just that you have to use it a minute at a time, but you can spread that out however.
Also feel the spell level limit is slightly weak, maybe increase the spell levels, or make casting spells spontaneously.
Well, that's two more votes for spontaneous casting now. :)
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
You're missing the point.
Every class in the game that requires hitting it's opponents has ways to buff it's chance to hit in addition to whatever magical items it acquires (other than the core Rogue, which is widely accepted as awful in combat). This class offers nothing that isn't replaced by an item.
So how does a 3/4's BAB class with no bonuses to hit... hit?
Exactly. The elephant in the room is the fact that the Hunter still isn't very good at hunting. Kind of a major oversight. :D
The class is still very weak. Let the hunter himself shine. Why not give him the permanent animal focus, with better powers, to make a more "Kraven the Hunter" feel?
I'm currently building a Hunter for an upcoming playtest game, and I've noticed something, but before I get into that long digression let me just say that the revisions make the class a lot more fun. The removal of a bunch of the finicky restrictions (proficiencies and the animal companion's teamwork feats) may not do much as far as a power upgrade goes, but they're much more fun to work with. The changes to Animal Focus are a power boost, and I really like them.
Now then. The core remaining problem of the Hunter class isn't actually the class itself, it's that it depends a lot on teamwork feats. And quite frankly, most teamwork feats are not very good, especially for the style of combat the Hunter is supposed to encourage (animal companion runs in, Hunter stays back and shoots). They provide a bonus that is marginally better than the equivalent non-teamwork feat (Coordinated Shot compared to Weapon Focus, for example) but have specific conditions that must be maintained. More importantly, they don't do anything for one of the two characters who has to take them, so you're not likely to see anyone else in the party joining in.
One concept that I've developed involves the Hunter going into melee with the animal companion, and using Paired Opportunist and Outflank/Seize the Moment to become a critical-hit-based death blender, with Lookout to increase the odds of getting into position faster and at high levels adding Feint Partner and Improved Feint Partner for even more attacks of opportunity. Those are all feats that provide good bonuses and/or special abilities, and they provide their benefit to both characters who had to take them. We need more teamwork feats like that, because when I look at other combat strategies I see:
Animal Companion fights while Hunter casts spells: Still Lookout. Maybe Stealth Synergy. Druid is clearly superior, but that's not really a problem because that's the niche Druids fill.
Animal Companion and Hunter fight together in melee, but without relying on critical hits or Combat Reflexes: Outflank, Precise Strike, and Escape Route are all decent feats. None of them feel like wasted feats and all of them provide bonuses to both characters. This is what I would consider to be the minimum power level. If you make it all the way to 15th level Coordinated Charge is real good.
Animal Companion fights while Hunter shoots: Worse bonuses, weaker special abilities, and worst of all none of these feats provide a bonus to both of the characters that had to take them. The bonus teamwork feats are at this point just mediocre conditional bonus feats for me, because the fact that my animal companion gets them for free just satisfies one of the several conditions, and does nothing to make the animal companion itself any better. If I wanted to play this style I would just play a Ranger, and that is a problem because this is the combat style the Hunter is theoretically supposed to support.
Hunter shoots to make the Animal Companion fight better: Nothing. Lookout again, I guess, since I have to pick a teamwork feat. This is the type of Hunter I really want to play.
So to sum up: attack-of-opportunity/critical hit flanking melee partners feels like the class is strong and doing exactly what I want it to. Any other combat strategy, including the one the Hunter is theoretically designed for and the slightly different one I want to play, is seriously lacking in good teamwork feat support.
Another suggested feature, to add to my earlier ones:
Archery Training: At 2nd level, the hunter is considered to be a fighter of half her class level for the purpose of qualifying for any feat pertaining to a bow.
Archery Feats: The hunter gains a bonus archery feat at 5th level, and every three levels thereafter. These can be any combat feat that applies to a bow.
I thought that the sticky at the top of the original posting for the hunter class indicated this class had been changed to d10 hit dice but it looks like the revised class has only the d8 hit dice again. Is this intentional because of the other changes or a typo?
Basically, the Hunter still sucks at being a hunter. I started a new thread on a revised version of the class, and a d10 hit die (which someone else also suggested) seems like it might be good.
My players and I are now of the opinion that this class gets too much.
Metal armor access, all martial weapons, druid spells to sixth level, free teamwork feats, plunder the rangers spell list, free precise shot, rangers tracking and woodland stride, and all coupled with the best animal companion in the game?
Playtesting will tell, but my player who was playtesting a Hunter has now lost all interest in it.
I thought that the sticky at the top of the original posting for the hunter class indicated this class had been changed to d10 hit dice but it looks like the revised class has only the d8 hit dice again. Is this intentional because of the other changes or a typo?Basically, the Hunter still sucks at being a hunter. I started a new thread on a revised version of the class, and a d10 hit die (which someone else also suggested) seems like it might be good.
No thanks on the spontaneous spellcaster for Hunter. Hunter's need to be adaptable and a small set spell list does not allow for that.
Besides, the Shaman has been revised. Have you checked it out? Spontaneous Druid Spell List caster.
My players and I are now of the opinion that this class gets too much.
Metal armor access, all martial weapons, druid spells to sixth level, free teamwork feats, plunder the rangers spell list, free precise shot, rangers tracking and woodland stride, and all coupled with the best animal companion in the game?
Playtesting will tell, but my player who was playtesting a Hunter has now lost all interest in it.
The problem is that the animal companion is almost too good, and the Hunter isn't good enough. If anything, the class has gotten worse. I mean seriously, how can you make a class called the Hunter that apparently has nothing to do with actually hunting?
Good with a bow? Natural traps skill? Something for ambushing? Anything that has to do with being a hunter besides tracking?
This is a class that says one thing and does another, and it's by far the most confusingly misrepresented of all the classes at the moment. They might as well rename it the Beastmaster, because it's a pretty lousy Hunter.
My concerns are that our melee based hunter used in the playtest repeatedly stole the show before this revision. Now my player who was interested in the class feels that it is simply too good.
This class is a very delicate balancing act. The metal based armor and full MWP access, combined with the enhanced companion and access to ranger spells is only going to exacerbate the already observed disparity in power between this class and several others in the playtest. IMHO.
This class is a very delicate balancing act. The metal based armor and full MWP access, combined with the enhanced companion and access to ranger spells is only going to exacerbate the already observed disparity in power between this class and several others in the playtest. IMHO.
Definitely too many unrelated weapon proficiencies, and too much emphasis on overpowering the animal companion. The AC should be good, but not that good.
Weapons should be something like all simple plus the shortbow, longbow, kukri, longsword, and scimitar.
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Combat style is frankly all that the hunter is missing. The druid list even if some wouldn't agree is more than enough to be an excellent hunter. You can commune with nature, ressurect your animal companion, speak with animals and plants , summon giant eagles, tree strides, create traps with entangle/spike growth , modify the battlefield, use your own lightsaber (flameblade) etc...
My players and I are now of the opinion that this class gets too much.
Compared to what, exactly?
Metal armor access, all martial weapons, druid spells to sixth level, free teamwork feats, plunder the rangers spell list, free precise shot, rangers tracking and woodland stride, and all coupled with the best animal companion in the game?
Currently, the hunter does NOT have access to any ranger spells, only druid, and honestly, the only reason I can see for having the druid spell list is to give the hunter access to level 5 and 6 spells. Since the class is designed to be a combat team melee class, the ranger spell list is much more suitable, not that it matters much as the hunter will probably have to fill out her slots with mostly cure spells anyways since there is STILL no effective way for her to heal her companion otherwise.
Keep in mind the "free precise strike" ONLY works in tandem with the hunter's animal companion; she does not get to apply it against any other ally, which prompts her to still take Precise Strike to avoid the -4 penalty to fire into melee when her other allies are there, and in turn makes the Precise Companion feature redundant. Yes, Sean, I see what you guys are trying for, but let's be honest, unless the hunter is the ONLY melee PC (and that would be a strain to put the 3/4 BAB combatant as the only melee PC in the group), you will ALWAYS have allies rushing into melee after the first or second shot and still end up needing Precise Shot. Better to give a bonus combat style feat and let the hunter take Precise Shot IF she plans to go the route of the archer.
As for the teamwork feats, I, for one, would much rather have a limited combat style feature like the ranger and maybe gain a combat style feat at level 4, 10, and 16, instead of gaining a teamwork feat every three levels. Yes, I do like having access to the teamwork feats as they are the theme of the class, but I would be just as happy to gain them every 4 levels instead of every 3 and have access to combat styles in the interim.
Playtesting will tell, but my player who was playtesting a Hunter has now lost all interest in it.
Any why would that be when so little change has actually been done to this class? Does he find it weak? Or does he honestly think it to be too strong? And with comparison to what? Just saying he's lost interest in playing doesn't help the devs with the rebuild; tell them what the reasons are so they have something to work with before they release the final product.
Oh, and regarding animal focus: Yay for the minutes per level update, which I'm sure is meant to be non-consecutive, one-minute intervals, but for the people espousing that a "permanent +2 to Strength" for the animal companion makes this update so much better, let me point out that any "permanent" bonus still doesn't mean much if the companion dies in the first round of combat. I would still much rather have a Lay Hands or Life Channel ability usable only on the animal companion X times per day.
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
My concerns are that our melee based hunter used in the playtest repeatedly stole the show before this revision. Now my player who was interested in the class feels that it is simply too good.
This class is a very delicate balancing act. The metal based armor and full MWP access, combined with the enhanced companion and access to ranger spells is only going to exacerbate the already observed disparity in power between this class and several others in the playtest. IMHO.
No, just no. Look at a druid and tell me it's not going to curb stomp this dude in 6 seconds.
Shaman is not spontaneous.
Shoot, you're right. Screwed that one up. Regardless, I am still throwing my card in for not changing this to spontaneous.
No, just no. Look at a druid and tell me it's not going to curb stomp this dude in 6 seconds.
The poor Hunter is a mess. It can't hunt, it can't fight (though the animal companion can fight really well apparently), its spellcasting doesn't support it's role...
I mean seriously, we make all these suggestion and voice all these concerns, and all that happens is that the AC gets super-buffed...which doesn't even support the class' role as a hunter.
I've begun playing a version 1 hunter in a playtest, and there's changes I don't see in the revision that I would like to see, that I think would both help the hunter in its own role AND make it stand out aside from ranger and druid:
Bonuses to handling animals, and possibly to Wild Empathy.
Druids, rangers, and now hunters have all always suffered from one issue--Handle Animal and Wild Empathy rely on Charisma.
However, Charisma is seldom a stat druids, rangers, and hunters can afford to train. They all need Wisdom for spells, Perception, and Survival, and they need fairly decent physical stats for combat and to support other skills. Hunters in particular also get abilities that boost skills, but with relatively few skill points, they also need a decent Intelligence or else their Animal Aspect skill boosts merely serve to shore up a weakness rather than become a strength. Indeed, I'd say even over Druids and Rangers, Hunters are even more MAD.
But yet, their key flavorful trait (of what little unique flavor they have) is that of being a sort of beast master. They should be with their animal companions what cavaliers are with their mounts. But they gain little in the way of boosting their ability to handle their own companion let alone others. My 5th level hunter still managed to fail a DC 10 Handle Animal check on her companion, which doesn't seem right somehow (I rolled a 1, mind, but still). And I wouldn't even bother trying to use Wild Empathy -- I wanted Dex for ranged attacks, Str so she could carry things and use a mighty bow, Int so she could have skills since it seems like "hunters" should good at stuff like, say, hunting, and Wis so she could cast spells (especially with the spell DC issue, see below). I could dump Cha or Con, and I won't die if I dump Cha, so Cha went. (Note most of these ability scores are only mildly above average, save Wis and Dex.)
The other problem I am already noticing with the version 1 hunter that also remains in version 2: because it uses a full caster's spell list, but said spell list advances at a slowed rate, its highest level spells have relatively lower DCs than they really should be for a character of their level. Even just the option to take the occasional Spell Focus as a bonus feat would help with this.
I think the revision is a step in the right direction but there's some fundamental issues that haven't yet been addressed. Right now, you're still better off choosing casting and being a druid or fighting and being a ranger, for the tradeoffs are far more reasonable. Especially since as a druid I can have an animal companion AND be less MAD and summon more animals with summon nature's ally AND full cast AND fight via my shapeshifting, which gives me far more than animal focus, even if I don't get it till later.
Regardless, I am still throwing my card in for not changing this to spontaneous.
At least it would give the Hunter something fun to improvise with instead of just sitting back picking their nose while their animal companion does everything. :P
I wanted Dex for ranged attacks, Str so she could carry things and use a mighty bow, Int so she could have skills since it seems like "hunters" should good at stuff like, say, hunting
*gasp* A Hunter good at hunting? Apparently that's too radical an idea for this playtest. :D
My concerns are that our melee based hunter used in the playtest repeatedly stole the show before this revision. Now my player who was interested in the class feels that it is simply too good.
I would honestly like to know how the hunter was able to steal the show, no sarcasm implied. I would like to see what classes you were using, and what was the hunter's build like. In our own playtest, I ran a hunter with a wolf companion, level 6 group, and took teamwork and other feats meant to take advantage of the wolf's Trip ability. With only a 3/4 BAB, the -4 firing into melee penalty hurt my bow use, and although I had a +9 attack with a bastard sword (half-elf with ancestral arms, Str 18, +1 sword), I still missed more than half the time if I used my Combat Expertise feat unless I managed to get flanking with my wolf (most enemy ACs were between 15 and 20, which is not unusual for CR 6 combatants). The party duelist hit mush more often and was a more effective combatant, and the party shaman was easily a more effective caster. Plus, my wolf took a heavy beating every time and I blew off most of a wand of cure light wounds in just two sessions trying to keep him alive.
Honestly, I could definitely see why some people would prefer to make the hunter a spontaneous caster; if I hadn't bought the wand, I would have had to use all my spell slots for cure spells to heal my companion. Yes, you can argue that if it dies, I can try to summon a new one after 24 hours, or that having the druid spell list means I can gain access to Reincarnate (at level 10!), but I would really prefer to keep it alive since NOT having the companion actually cripples this class. Heck, even the summoner has something to fall back on if he can't use his eidolon. Without his companion, the hunter becomes a druid with only half the effective skill level. Being able to wield martial weapons and wear metal armor doesn't really make up for that, sorry.
I believe SKR said that this class is more of a beastlord than a hunter.
Don't get so hung up on the name.