Scouting

In World of Warcraft, scouting can mean a couple of things:


 * 1) A character with reconnaissance abilities like stealth or some form of sensory projection power to explore an area before the whole group enters, so they will be prepared for any encounters.
 * 2) *Not as widely used a term as Tank, Healer, or Nuker.
 * 3) *Scout

Scout Ability Comparison By Class

 * Rogues: Rogues can simply use stealth to avoid mob aggro while scouting. They can also use the opportunity to pick pockets. They also have Distract to avoid discovery and Vanish to escape if they are discovered.
 * Hunters: Outdoors, hunters can use Eagle Eye to see what's happening at a distance. They can also use Eyes of the Beast to take control of a pet and send it on a scouting mission (especially useful if the hunter uses a cat type pet, since cat pets can learn stealth as of patch 1.7). Hunters also can also track any type of categorized mob (with the except of mechanical ones), so that if the Hunter knows what type of mobs are in the area, (s)he can see their locations on the mini map.
 * Shamans: Outdoors, shamans can use Far Sight to view distant areas.
 * Druids: Druids in Cat Form can use stealth to scout, much like a rogue. They do not have the rogue abilities to help keep them hidden or escape if discovered but they can Track Humanoids which acts like the Hunter ability of the same name, except that the Druid can be stealthed and moving while using it.
 * Priests: Priests can use the Mind Vision spell to see through the eyes of a mob within range, similar to the Hunter's Eyes of the Beast ability. The mob shouldn't be aware of having the spell used on them.
 * Warlocks: Warlocks have the Eye of Kilrogg spell which gives the caster a view from a green, disembodied, floating eye that can move around while floating a yard or so from the ground. Can fly in Outland or Northrend if the warlock has a Glyph of Kilrogg.

Other Scouting Helpers

 * Ornate Spyglass - Made by engineers, usable by all. Allows you to look far into the distance. The usefulness of this is limited by the distance to which mobs are rendered.
 * Steam Tonk Controller - Allows the user to take control of a miniature Steam Tonk, which does not pull aggro, and can be used for short-range scouting. It is made by engineers, but can be used by anyone.