First let me start this off by saying that this is going to be a comprehensive guide for both veteran players and "newbies" alike. I'm not going to base it around just one aspect and as such it should be easy enough for a new player to understand, yet thorough enough for a veteran player to skim through and have a good idea of what's going on. This guide's sole intention is to get you to that ever so magical level (for most classes at least)... 20. From that point on you as a Hunter should know well enough what's going on to make good enough choices on your own and as such I don't see much need to explain anything beyond that point.

I'm segmenting this guide into seven categories, so if you're looking for just one bit of information it should be easy enough for you to find.

Section I: What a Hunter is and what it is not.

A Hunter is foremost a solo artist, especially at lower levels. Now there's quite a bit of debate as to who "the grand ole daddy of solo'ing" is (Hunter Vs. Warlock), but setting that topic aside it's safe to say that a Hunter is a well designed class for solo'ing. So if you're looking for a class which fits well in groups and does exceptionally well flying solo when the need arises, a Hunter is a prime choice for you.

There are two aspects of which a Hunter is centered around: His pets and his rifle. Sure, a Hunter can go melee but to be quite honest, it's not his forte. A Hunter's melee abilities are far below that of his counterparts (Warriors, Paladins and Rogues) and you should leave the melee'ing to those who excel in that area. You, as a Hunter, melee only when the absolute need arises (i.e. your pet drops aggro). That's not to say that a Hunter CANNOT melee. Far from it. It's just not what his build is intended for. When the chips are down and your back is against the wall, don't worry. You'll do fine. But overall you're better off letting your pet do it's job and you do yours; setting your opponent ablaze from a distance.