WoW Hunter Class is the only ranged weapons Class in the game. Unlike other MMORPG's like Everquest, the Hunter Class in WoW does not have very strong melee. They are specialized almost exclusively for ranged weapons. They also have pets and they can be invaluable to the survival of a Hunter in combat situations because it can be used as a tank. This allows the Hunter to stay out of range of attack, free to use it's ranged weapons without fear of reprisal. Hunters are the only Class that can name and feed their pets. Feeding pets allows the "happiness" attribute to increase which in turn increases the pet's damage ability. WoW Gold Guide