The Hunter is widely considered the strongest pure DPS class in TBH. With access to three elemental damage types — Fire (Explosive Bolt), Cold (Frost Bolt), and Lightning (Shock Bolt) — the Hunter never hits a resistance wall. The Frost Bolt → Explosive Bolt combo (freeze an enemy, then detonate it for massive damage) is the highest burst damage sequence in the game. With 4.5% base Crit Chance and 155% base Crit Damage, the Hunter scales harder with crit gear than any other class. The ~$4 DLC cost is the only barrier — and if you plan to play TBH long-term, it's the single best purchase you can make.
Active Skills
Skill
Element
Priority
What It Does
Frost Bolt
Cold
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Freezes the target. Sets up the Explosive Bolt detonation. Max alongside Explosive Bolt. The freeze also provides crowd control — frozen enemies don't attack.
Explosive Bolt
Fire
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Massive fire damage. Detonates frozen targets for bonus damage (Frost → Explosive combo). Max alongside Frost Bolt. This is the Hunter's signature damage ability.
Shock Bolt
Lightning
⭐⭐⭐⭐
Lightning damage. Your third element — use against enemies resistant to both Fire and Cold. Max after Frost + Explosive are done.
Quick Loader
—
⭐⭐⭐
Increases attack speed temporarily. Boosts overall DPS between combo rotations. One to three points.
Crossbow Turret
—
⭐⭐
Deploys a stationary turret that deals damage over time. Good for boss fights where the boss stays in one place. Optional.
Charge Trap
—
⭐⭐
Places a trap that detonates when enemies step on it. Situational — effective on stages with predictable enemy paths. One point for utility.
The Frost-Explosive combo in action: Frost Bolt freezes the target → Explosive Bolt hits the frozen target for massive bonus damage → follow up with Shock Bolt if anything is still alive. This three-skill rotation is the Hunter's core gameplay loop and the reason it out-damages every other class.
Passive Skill Priority
Priority
Passive
Max Level
Why
1
Critical Chance
8
4.5% base Crit Chance is the highest in the game. Stacking this to 30%+ with passives and gear makes crits frequent and devastating.
2
Critical Damage
8
155% base Crit Damage. Every point multiplies your crit value. The Hunter scales harder with crit than any other class.
3
Fire Damage %
8
Boosts Explosive Bolt — your primary damage skill. Max alongside Cold if you use both elements equally.
4
Cold Damage %
8
Boosts Frost Bolt damage. Max alongside Fire if you use the Frost-Explosive combo as your main rotation.
5
Attack Damage
8
Flat damage increase. Benefits all three elemental bolts. Max after crit and elemental passives.
Crit Chance and Crit Damage on all four. These slots are premium for crit stacking.
Is the Hunter Worth $4
Yes, if you plan to play TBH for more than a couple weeks. The Hunter's elemental flexibility means it never hits a resistance wall. Its crit scaling is the best in the game. The Frost-Explosive combo deals damage that the free DPS classes (Ranger and Sorcerer) simply cannot match. If you only buy one DLC for TBH, make it the Hunter.
That said, the Ranger handles all content perfectly well for free. You do not need the Hunter to clear Torment or reach 100% achievements. The Hunter is a "want" purchase, not a "need" purchase — it makes the game more fun and your clears faster, but it's not required. Buy it after you've confirmed you enjoy TBH enough to stick with it.
TBH Hunter Guide