Can I get an Amen.

+1

I was using a (though fairly good) med 35 without pet and it worked reasonably well for grinding on normal mobs. Just recently, I got my hands on a nice fast 30, and this works just as well if not better.

Petless also has the added advantage that you're not forced to use a grind-only build. At my lvl (my hunter is 51 atm) the pet tree just takes up too many points for me. With my setup I feel I can still contribute something in the warzone, even with my average-at-best skill level.

Below level 45-48, before you can get you're hands on the better suited bows, I still believe pet grinding is unfortunately the only valid way. At least to my limited experience.

That is the best reason for me to grind petless, but maybe not so appealing to others.

Strongly disagree. I made my spare hunter (now lvl 42) and I was petless grinding since level 1 ( to lvl 10 I actually had no choice^^). I was using level 15 fast bow till level 32(!!!). Yes I know in those levels there are mostly quests, but still... Now at level 42 I still use bow level 36, and it is only special with +slashing damage and minor fire gem. I don't even have RoLs on that toon and i'm able to grind on lower chalenging without much problem. So my point is you don't really need super-duper bow as long as it is good, fast short.

It's been quite a while since I've actually grinded a hunter, but last time I did so with a pet, the pet only got in 1 or 2 hits before the mob died anyway. You shoot like 3 times before your pet reaches the mob, your pet hits it as it runs by, and then doesn't hit again until the mob reaches you and stops moving. Perhaps this isn't the case anymore, and pets do a better job of attacking a moving mob... but if not, I've found pets are nearly useless while grinding, unless you prefer to just stand still and take hits from the mob.

I dont know about you but i ensnared the mob first so my pet had 2-3 hits :P

no, currently it isnt useless. u can grind with almost 0 mana cost, 0 HP loses, wont even have to think. the only spell needed is ensnare and if u track something close, your deffs wont ever be on CD, u wont ever have lack of mana and pls u can camo and have easy ganks. OFC im not talking bout grinding with ranged mobs.

Same for petless grinding. You have to cast stunning fist, ambush or distracting shot sometimes, when there are too many evades or ensnearing got resisted, but it applies also for pet grinding, right? Wait... With pet casting DS or SF makes a little sense.

i agree with u bout ambush DS an stun F, but with pet this is less necessary. acutally, at least for me, when im petless, i cant hit mobs w/out slowly decreasing mana/ HP, maybe coz of my itens, maybe coz of my lack of skills. but im sure its at least EASIER to grind with a pet

Wait, cause now we are going too far. First, I stongly opposed to thesis that pet is a must to grind a hunter, I'm really not going to go into deep argue what is easier cause everyone has his preferences. To me pet is a burden that slows my hunter grinding, for you it isn't, good for you. I (and others) pointed out some advantages of petless grinding, maybe it would be good of you to point some advantages of pet grinding, not to argue, just to let people that are interested, but not sure, to choose their path.

On the side note similar situation is with conju and summon. Up to level 37 summon and sumonless grinding has similar effects, but as soon as you get aracane acceleration at level 5, summon becomes a burden. IMO summons are useful only to solo pedants and, in Ignis, Ordamos Summon or leader mobs.