Survival Hunter in 3.1

[Syrio]

While all three specs (Survival, Marks, BM) are at least reasonably viable in 3.1, Survival is still currently the top dog in terms of simulated DPS and PTR DPS.

The base Survival spec is 0/14/51 with an additional 6 points to spend. There is still a lot of active debate over where best to put these, but I've chosen myself to begin with a 0/15/56 build (http://talent.mmo-champion.com/?hunter=000000000000000000000000000053051010000000 000000000005000032500033330532135301321&glyph=161021010204&version=9767) that takes 2/3 Hunting Party as well as Aimed Shot.

For those who raided Survival after 3.0.8, the rotation you'll be using in 3.1 is similar and should not be a difficult adjustment. The priority I would suggest is:

Rapid Fire
Kill Shot
Explosive Shot
Black Arrow
Serpent Sting
Aimed Shot (or Multi Shot)
Steady Shot

The best (major) glyph combination:

Kill Shot
Explosive Shot
Serpent Sting

Note that the first two of those may not be available readily in the next few days as they need to be learned by inscribers. The Serpent/Steady combo from 3.0.8 is probably sufficient in the meantime.

As far as play style, the change to Sniper Training reduces the benefit of trap dancing a bit, as well as the fact that Immolation Trap now procs Lock and Load on the DoT tick, not 100% on the application. Taking Aimed Shot gives you extra mobility by eliminating the 0.5 second cast for Multi Shot. Other than that it is business as usual.

Pet-wise, Wolf is the highest DPS at the moment due to the Furious Howl buff. I expect if you tie FH to other timers correctly (say, Heroism or Rapid Fire) you will see a DPS increase.

There is probably more to add, but that is what I can pull off the top of my head.

[Vrede]

I can't see it honestly. I still see Marks as an overall increase, especially with the current level of gear, and the nerf to explosive shot. Also prob best i go marks if protico decides to say fuck enhancement.

[Protico]

I can't see it honestly. I still see Marks as an overall increase, especially with the current level of gear, and the nerf to explosive shot. Also prob best i go marks if protico decides to say fuck enhancement.

http://reanimatedguild.net/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=91&stc=1&d=1239751734

[Vrede]

Judging from last night, both you Survival Hunters were deff very even with me. It seems they're pretty balanced for the time being, we'll see after i regem for marks.

[Trinkets]

What kind of rotation with marks are you using Vrede?

[Vrede]

My rotation is Kill Shot > Serpent Sting > Chimera Shot > Aimed Shot > Arcane Shot > Steady Shot

[Grio]

Explosive shot and kill shot glyphs are now on the AH.

Explosive was running about 200g and kill shot 300-400g. I'm sure it'll go down soon.

[Syrio]

Another Pro Tip: Black Arrow has 6 ranks, apparently!

[kkay]

hunters suck

[west]

hunters suck

Only because you played one!

[kkay]

i will shit on your face.

[Aurelius]

wow kkay, get out of here

[Syrio]

The developers believe hunter dps is too low, so today we are implementing a change to ranged weapon damage to improve dps across the board.

Bows, crossbows and guns of item level 226 or higher (which means weapons from Kel'Thuzad, Ulduar and the Furious Gladiator pieces) will do around 30 more dps. This should translate to a hunter damage increase of a few percent.

We don't think this will be quite sufficient in boosting hunter dps to where we think it needs to be and we have another buff that we plan to get in sometime over the next couple of weeks. We'll announce that change when it gets closer. (We have some plans for other classes as well, but we ask that you please keep this thread on the topic of hunters and the ranged weapon changes.)

As hunters may recall, we had an ambitious plan to change the way ammo worked for 3.1 that ended up being overly ambitious, causing us to scale back. However as part of that change, we stopped itemizing bullets and arrows. Since hunters could not upgrade from the ammo available at the launch of Lich King, their damage had started and would continue to fall behind as other classes upgraded their gear. This change basically incorporates the ammo damage into the weapons -- as you get better ranged weapons, it's as if you got better ammo to go along with them. This is likely to be a design we continue for the next few tiers of content until we have the opportunity to overhaul ammo completely.

Apparently the developers have not seen our raids, where hunters top the charts! HMM!

[Grio]

We're getting a buff! Join me in my over-zealous laughter!


BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Vrede]

Marks will overcome Survival!

[Syrio]

According to a blue post today, there is another hunter DPS buff in the works as well.

[Battou]

Marks scales better with Ulduar aka armor penetration gear. Full or close to full Ulduar hunters on top guilds are getting better results with marks over Survival.

Now I dunno anymore what a good hunter is, on this brazilian guild ive been playing they are bottom dps meter on all fights, 4.8k dps and around that mark, but they are well known to suck balls.

[Syrio]

Lately we've had two marks and one survival or one marks and two survival. Our hunters are usually in the top ten on most fights, but I'm not sure that means hunters are good or that our other DPS is bad. : )

[west]

Lately we've had two marks and one survival or one marks and two survival. Our hunters are usually in the top ten on most fights, but I'm not sure that means hunters are good or that our other DPS is bad. : )

hey syrio welcome to sunwell and rog/hunter/lock vs mages.

[Syrio]

Sunwell was awesome, all I did was hit 1 as hard as I could -- and I'm not even kidding here -- and be number one on Brutallus. It was purely mathematical, you just gemmed and enchanted properly, used the right buffs, and then spam 1 as much as you can pausing only to hit Rapid Fire at a good time, and you were golden.

[Vrede]

Marks scales better with Ulduar aka armor penetration gear. Full or close to full Ulduar hunters on top guilds are getting better results with marks over Survival.

Now I dunno anymore what a good hunter is, on this brazilian guild ive been playing they are bottom dps meter on all fights, 4.8k dps and around that mark, but they are well known to suck balls.

get hunters that know what they're doing, most of the time all 3 of us are in the 6k range.

[Aareba]

Sunwell was awesome, all I did was hit 1 as hard as I could -- and I'm not even kidding here -- and be number one on Brutallus. It was purely mathematical, you just gemmed and enchanted properly, used the right buffs, and then spam 1 as much as you can pausing only to hit Rapid Fire at a good time, and you were golden.

I did the same thing, but it was 1 spell. Either put up CoD or CoE and spam SB till the boss died. Pop your haste pots and a trinket and your on the top of the meters. After 3.0 our dps went to shit tho (relatively, all other classes got a boost we stayed the same).

[Vrede]

survival hunter is dead, roll marks.