Hunter DPS

[Vrede]

Rotations

Survival:
Serpent Sting>Kill Shot>Explosive Shot>Multi-Shot>Steady Shot
Keep Serpent Sting uptime as close to 100% as you can.

OR

Serpent Sting>Kill Shot>Explosive Shot>Aimed Shot>Steady Shot
Aimed Shot is a DPS increase over Multi-Shot due to Sniper Training if you are in Sniper Training Range.

Marksman:
Serpent Sting>Kill Shot>Chimera Shot>Arcane Shot>Aimed Shot>Steady Shot (Always reapply Serpent Sting while you're at your highest Attack Power ie Trinket/Item Procs that increase Attack Power.)

Beast Mastery:
Kill Shot/Serpent Sting/Arcane Shot/Multi-Shot/Steady Shot

Raptor Pet:
If you are using a Raptor, have Savage Rend off Auto-cast and cast this with Kill Command. Both are on a 1 Minute cooldown and this will increase your Raptor's DPS.

General Cooldown Usage:
Save Call of the Wild for Heroism, if you don't have a Shaman in raid, use it with Rapid Fire. Always use Rapid Fire while not under the effect of Heroism. Heroism or Rapid Fire already pushes our Steady Shot to the 1.5 Second Threshold(if you're not already there from Haste Rating). Using them together is a complete waste. See Below.

Haste Cap:
Since some people don't realize this, i'll go ahead and say it here. As a Hunter, Haste Rating is our best stat until our Steady Shot reaches a 1.5 second cast. Any haste rating over this is our worst stat. To explain, our Global Cooldown of 1.5 Seconds is not effected by haste. So no matter how fast your Steady Shot is cast, you will only be able to get one off within 1.5 Seconds. BM Hunters are already soft-haste-capped from Serpent's Swiftness, making Haste Rating a very bad stat compared to others.

Glyphs:
[Glyph of Improved Aspect of the Hawk] [Glyph of Serpent Sting] [Glyph of Steady Shot]



Hunter Rating Caps:

Taken from: http://elitistjerks.com/f74/t37148-simple_things_quick_f_q_all_specs/

Haste Rating(Non BM): 522.738 Haste Rating to push Steady Shot to 1.5 Second Cast.

Hit Caps
Focused Aim Hit% Needed Hit Rating Needed
0/3 9% 296 (295.1099)
1/3 8% 263 (262.3199)
2/3 7% 229 (229.5299)
3/3 6% 197 (196.7399)
-- 5% 164 (163.9499) *dranaei racial aura

Helpful Macros:
This will cast Kill Shot before the shot you have it set to if the target is below 20% Hp

#showtooltip Steady Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:UnregisterEvent("UI_ERROR_MESSAGE");
/cast Kill Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:RegisterEvent("UI_ERROR_MESSAGE");
/cast !Auto Shot
/cast Steady Shot(Rank 4)

#showtooltip Multi-Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:UnregisterEvent("UI_ERROR_MESSAGE");
/cast Kill Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:RegisterEvent("UI_ERROR_MESSAGE");
/cast Multi-Shot(Rank 8)

#showtooltip Explosive Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:UnregisterEvent("UI_ERROR_MESSAGE");
/cast Kill Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:RegisterEvent("UI_ERROR_MESSAGE");
/cast Explosive Shot(Rank 4)

My Misdirection Macro

/cast [target=focus]Misdirection
/assist [target=focus]
/ra Misdirection up on %f ... inc
/p Misdirection up on %f ... inc

Make a macro:
/focus

for fast md switches.

This will target your focus, put misdirection on them, then assist them.

[Syrio]

From a group comp perspective its important to add that Draenei, one thing we've semi-failed at as a whole is doing any kind of group adjustment post-3.0 for many fights. I am running 0/3 Focused Aim and now shooting for 263 hit which should be capped.

There is still a lively debate at EJ over an 8% versus 9% raw hit cap versus a level 83 boss. Some people are presenting data showing zero misses assuming 8%, also some discussion between that changing for melee versus ranged.

Based on my relatively small sample of testing against Vrede, the haste bonus is a large one. On a few fights via WWS we were using nearly identical rotations, I knew I was hitting my timers and cooldowns properly, and he was getting off a significant number of additional shots over a 3-4 minute fight. Our main stat difference is haste, where I am roughly 1.5% below the cap and he is at it. I always assume some built-in fail due to me sucking but on this one it was pretty close.

[Vrede]

Just listing a few helpful addons. Leaving out frames and shit because that's just general junk.

http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7048/addonsbi5.th.jpg (http://img136.imageshack.us/my.php?image=addonsbi5.jpg)

Elkano's Buff Bars - Highly customizable, can filter out certain buffs that are always there, but take up screen space such as Auras or Aspects.

Proculas - Notifies you of Talent Procs, Trinket Procs, Item Procs, etc. Lock and Load isn't showing on this unfortunately. Was very handy for marks to know when Mirror of Truth Procced to recast serpent.

SCT - Scrolling Combat Text, Self Explanatory.

RangeDisplay - Show how far you are from a target, making sure you're getting use out of Sniper Training as survival.

xPerl : Mentioning this because i like the self debuff on the targets. It enlarges YOUR debuffs for easier track of Hunter's Mark and Serpent Sting.

[Syrio]

You can use SCT to define custom event notifications in any spot on the screen, which is something I've found useful, especially for Lock and Load.

My favorite for tracking Serpent Sting (or anything else that you need to keep up on a target) is called Power Auras. I'll post a screen shot and some more info when I get in game later.

[Vrede]

I'd really like to have SCT only showing MY buff procs but i can't figure out how to do it. Getting [Rampage] Spam isn't fun.

[Syrio]

You can do that with Power Auras, which is what I love about it. Not sure if SCT can do it on its own.

[Corrosion]

Ya Power Auras is awesome for making customized proc detections

[Vrede]

Power Aura Proc: Lock and Load

http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7334/wowscrnshot012709235624cd5.th.jpg (http://img441.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wowscrnshot012709235624cd5.jpg)

[Syrio]

Here is a SS showing:

Range Checker (upper right)
SCT (Lock and Load proc warning center screen)
Class Timers (Lock and Load charges/timer, debuff timers in the far right)

[Syrio]

Here is an SS with all of the above but also Ghost Pulse, it allows you to "pulse" an icon on the screen when a cooldown clears. I have not done much configuration of it yet so it looks quite ugly, but seems kind of promising. Basically what I am going for is to have all my alerts going near the center of the screen so I never have to take my eyes off of the encounter.

[Vrede]

Lovin Power Auras and Ghost Pulse

[Lemmiwinks]

Here is an SS with all of the above but also Ghost Pulse, it allows you to "pulse" an icon on the screen when a cooldown clears. I have not done much configuration of it yet so it looks quite ugly, but seems kind of promising. Basically what I am going for is to have all my alerts going near the center of the screen so I never have to take my eyes off of the encounter.

Look at mods NeedToKnow and TellMeWhen.

[Syrio]

I believe substituting Aimed Shot for Multi Shot will be an increase for Survival if you are spec'd into it; a few of the cookie cutter specs are using that right now. Multi Shot over Aimed of course if there are multiple targets.

Nice post.

Also, there are still pet autocast bugs in the game, resulting in some abilities like Growl, Prowl, Cower, etc. getting auto-enabled when you log in or out. I suggest adding a macro to some commonly used boss ability like Hunter's Mark with the lines:

/petautocastoff Growl
/petautocaston Rake
etc.

It will guarantee that going into a fight, your pet has the right setup. Hopefully they fix this in 3.0.whatever like they promised they would in 3.0.8 but didn't.

[Vrede]

Aimed Shot will be a dps increase due to Sniper Training, Although some surv specs do not have Aimed, so instead use multi. Im using that spec right now. Thx for the reminder, i fixed the rotations.

[Vrede]

For Syrio
http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/600/wowscrnshot013109205606xd8.th.jpg (http://img222.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wowscrnshot013109205606xd8.jpg)

[meer]

nice, rehunter on screenshot, go download Chatter (http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/chatter.aspx) and mask the names

[Syrio]

haha, Vrede complained about that when I posted it and I said, care levels low!

I'll fix it later, I had Chatter installed and for some reason forgot to add it back when I switched to wowmatrix.

[Vrede]

No one talks in there anyway

[Vrede]

# Consumable ammunition has been removed from the game. Arrows and bullets no longer stack, but are not consumed. Ranged attack speed bonus gained from quivers and ammo bags will be preserved in a different capacity.
# A new tier of hunter pet talents have been added. In particular, this allows Beastmaster hunters to improve their damage per second (DPS) with their 51 point talent.
# Hunting Party – this talent has been reduced to 3 ranks and also grants a passive bonus to the hunter.
# Piercing Shots – this talent has been changed. Your Aimed, Steady and Chimera Shots cause the target to bleed for 10/20/30% of damage dealt for 8 sec.
# Sniper Training – this talent has been changed. After standing still for 6 sec, you gain a 2/4/6% damage bonus to Steady, Aimed and Explosive Shot.
# We are also looking to add additional trap functionality to Survival.

[Syrio]

Hunter changes going live tomorrow:




Kindred Spirits (Beast Mastery): This talent now grants 20% pet damage at max rank.
Serpent’s Swiftness (Beast Mastery): This talent now grants 20% pet attack speed at max rank.



I will be curious to see how BM stacks up against Survival now with those nerfs reverted. The main one that still stuck is Steady Shot.

I suspect a good Survival build with the right rotation will still be tops on the majority of the fights, but on something like Patchwerk where your pet can have 100% uptime with no need for mobility or heals, it might be close.

[Vrede]

I dunno....BM is still and has always been a shit spec imo (I fucking hate it)

[Syrio]

Something I noticed, which may be obvious but was not to me:

If you're going to trap dance on a single target, don't use Immolation Trap, use Frost Trap. The DoT debuff from Immolation Trap will override your Serpent Sting, which is both a DPS loss (assuming 100% SS uptime; Immo ticks for less) and removes the chance of further Lock and Load procs.

I noticed this in a heroic the other night, I haven't seen much trap dancing in our raids -- I know Vrede has occasionally -- so I don't recall which one people were using.

[Vrede]

I i trap dance for every boss it's possible/beneficial to. Never noticed immol knocking off serpent, it didn't use to.

[Syrio]

Yea, for some reason I haven't been in a raid with you for like a month.

[Syrio]

Current PTR glyph changes:



Glyph - Aimed Shot -- Reduces the cooldown of your Aimed Shot ability by 2 sec. (Old: Reduces the mana cost of your aimed shot ability by 20%)
Glyph of the Monkey -- While Aspect of the Monkey or Aspect of the Dragonhawk are active, each time you dodge you gain 30% increased movement speed for 6 sec. Can only occur every 20 sec. This speed does not stack with other movement speed increasing effects. (Old: Glyph of Aspect of the Monkey -- While Aspect of the Monkey or Aspect of the Dragonhawk are active, each time you dodge you gain 30% increased movement speed for 6 sec. This speed does not stack with other movement speed increasing effects.)
Glyph of Wyvern Sting -- Decreases the cooldown of your Wyvern Sting by 6 sec. (Old: Decreases the cooldown of your Wyvern Sting by 15 sec., but decreases the damage it deals by 20%.)
Glyph of Snake Trap -- Snakes generated by your Snake Trap take 90% reduced damge from area of effect spells. (Old: Your Snake Trap creates 2 additional snakes)
Glyph of the Hawk -- Increases the haste bonus of the Improved Aspect of the Hawk effect by an additional 6%. (Old: Renamed from Glyph of Improved Aspect of the Hawk)
Glyph of Chimera Shot *new* -- Reduces the cooldown of Chimera Shot by 1 sec.
Glyph of Explosive Shot *new* -- Increases the critical strike chance of Explosive Shot by 4%.
Glyph of Kill Shot *new* -- Reduces the cooldown of Kill Shot by 6 sec.
Glyph of Explosive Trap *new* -- The periodic damage from your Explosive Trap can now be critical strikes.
Glyph of Scatter Shot *new* -- Increases the range of Scatter Shot by 3 yards.
Glyph of Raptor Strike *new* -- For 5 sec. after using Raptor Strike, you take 20% less damage.

[Vrede]

The new Piercing Shots seems kinda weak, it's only ticking for 150 or so...

[Lemmiwinks]

go volley or go home

[Vrede]

I'd like to test the new Chimera Shot Glyph, maybe over Hawk Glyph. I dunno, depends how much haste is avaliable in Ulduar. Should hit up Patch on PTR to test out builds imo, that is if we actually get decent synergy comp on PTR.

[Vrede]

this is how pros do it on freya hm
http://img26.imageshack.us/img26/8114/wowscrnshot060809214856.th.jpg (http://img26.imageshack.us/my.php?image=wowscrnshot060809214856.jpg)

[Syrio]

Hunter's mana is GONE!!!
Hunters now use focus, no longer care about intellect or mana regen.
Focus regenerates contunously, Steady shot improves the rate of getting focus bag.
Rogue energy comes back at a 10 / sec rate, Hunter focus comes back at 6/sec (12/sec with steady shot)
A shot costs 30 to 60 focus.
Hunters will have fewer cooldowns on abilities
Ammos will become an item, not a consumable.


Apparently the solution to changing the class too much is to just make the next change even more radical.

[Vrede]

Could have sworn they tried this whole focus thing in beta when wow first came out. I dislike energy based dps, which, focus essentially is. Oh well, i'll get the hang of it if worgen are allowed to be hunters.

[Syrio]

Yea, in beta hunters originally did not have mana.

[Grio]

The focus in beta didn't work the way this new focus will. Your spells cost focus to shoot and you regenerated it by standing still IIRC. People thought it was pretty boring/stupid to have to stand still in order to kill stuff so they just gave us mana instead, it's really been a hack all this time.

[Vrede]

Even though it doesn't seem too appealing at the moment, it is another way to make Hunters a little more unique than they already are. Could be a possitive thing.

[Vrede]

2 Piece Scourge Stalker bonus, does the amount of item level upgrade to Windrunner make the 10% Serpent Sting subpar, discuss.

[Syrio]

I assume you mean breaking 2 piece Scourgestalker to add a third piece of Windrunner, right?

I am not sure how it breaks down for Marks, but for Survival Serpent Sting is such a low amount of damage on a fight, I imagine it's worth doing in many cases. Over a long fight where you do 1 mil damage, that probably breaks down into about 50-60K Serpent Sting, even with the crit bonus from 2-piece Windrunner. So you are looking at basically a 5-10K bonus per fight, if that. That's not a lot. I think it's really a pretty terrible set bonus in general.

The last couple of raids I've been comparing what I am doing to what Maverick is doing, trying to figure out how I am losing so much burst DPS as Survival compared to him. Over long fights I seem to be more or less in line other than my generally 226/232 gear, but on some add-based fights I was getting blown away in short spans. He did say he was using Haste pots and I wasn't, and he has a bit more natural haste from gear, ~35 rating.

I'm also trying to decide if IAotH is worth taking as Survival or not, there are about 4-5 different builds out there that all seem pretty viable, I am running 6/14/51 which has full IAotH but with a lot of the hard mode fights, there is so much movement that I think taking Aimed Shot might provide a real-world boost if not a theoretical boost. Another popular one goes to 3/3 Imp Stings and completely out of IAotH but as above, I am not convinced that boosting Serpent Sting damage is going to make that much of an impact.

[Grio]

regarding the survival build you mentioned; 1% damage versus aimed shot over multi which is a) instant cast and b) benefits from sniper training. Take aimed.

[Syrio]

That is my thought as well, however it seems very few in the community use it. I guess I am just wondering why, other than an over-reliance on "maximized theoretical spreadsheet DPS" which seems to be the only true reason.

[lithora]

I dont know if any of you use femaledwarf.com but the highest mm build atm has no t8.5 and for surv the highest dps builds are 0/15/56, 1/15/55, 1/18/52. It might help you out a bit.

[Vrede]

i do but was just curious as to the other hunter's views

[Syrio]

Also that was kind of my point, it feels like a large segment of the hunter community is now making all of their decisions based on theoretical max DPS versus real world DPS. I used to see a lot of "I made X change and it did Y in a raid" now it's more like "I made X change and it did Y in my spreadsheet."

[Vrede]

At what point would you say "ok that's enough crit, i should focus on x stat" I ask because currently i am at 50.95% unbuffed as Marks. Not sure when you see little to no change past a certain point.

[Grio]

crit doesn't have any kind of diminishing returns until your shots approach 100% active crit (which won't happen until ~65% unbuffed). It scales linearly; and after the ArP nerf, I'm confident agility will be our best stat through icecrown.