If you ask me what a Rogue's nightmare is, you probably expect the answer to be warrior. Experienced Rogue will tell you however, it is hunter. In group PVP, a hunter's flare, mark and track hidden are a Rogue's worst nightmares. In 1v1 PVP, a scattershot (the only uncounterable stun/mezz, not even free action potion counters this) followed by PVP trinket to remove snare allows a hunter to get out of melee range and guarantees a trap. Unlike a warrior, once a hunter marks you, chances are you have to either kill him or die trying. They are simply the best at hunting people down and it is very very hard to escape from a hunter save for a double sprint from a prep rogue. As a combat rogue, I am probably the best hunter killer save for a prep rogue with prep up. Up close and personal I really have a big advantage over the hunter, the problem is of course getting there.



Welcome to Grand Marshal vs High Warlord 2. Because our horde faction doesn't have a rank 14 hunter, I am using Tangji the Night Elf Hunter as a substitute. Quite but deadly, winner of Blizard's WOW Talbard earlier in 2005, Tangji is probably the most respected rank 14 player on Lightning's Blade, and possibly the only unanimous winner for "who is the best on LB" polls. No small feat on a server with many other great hunters.



When using only class/passive trinkets, the margin of error without preparation, is simply too low. With a prep build, I can use one vanish to clear snare and another vanish when he uses deterrence, if my blind gets dodged/parried I can try another one, and two sprints 18 seconds a piece with PVP boots is a life saver. Having said that, this matchup, thanks to freezing traps being brought from heaven down to earth, is actually quite a bit more balanced than a few patchs ago. A hunter can only really get one guaranteed freezing trap, on second trap, you can simply run up to him and blind him then eat the trap, both of you will recover at roughly same time. Scattershot also shares the same diminishing returns, so if he scattershots, blind and take the trap. Throwing daggers, being instant cast, are also a great asset to daze him in cheetah form. Top hunters would not stand on the trap and allow you to hit them from melee range, they will dance around it.

The actual result of our duels, is very, very loopsided. Out of 18-20 matchs I probably won 5. Three of those I used Barov's Trinket. I will be the first to tell you I am against using non-class, active trinkets in duels, however Barov does help clear the first trap and show a different perspective of the matchup.



The first Chinese song "Mice Loves Rice" is a tribute to Tangji since we share the same heritage, And having played on the same Warsong team on our way to rank 14 and shared so many wins and losses, ups and downs, countless hours fighting together side by side, I truly love Tangji like mice loves rice..