TBC Hunter Guide

Specialization Overview

MARKS

Raiding Marks Build
You could move the extra point around thats in Imp Stings and the three in Imp Barrage (if you don’t need the extra 12% crit for Multishot), and the Go for the Throat points if you aren’t confident in your pets ability to live.

Remember, the shot rotation is Auto Steady Arc/Multi (When CDs are up) You can also throw in silencing shots for when they aren’t up and you have the space for an extra shot, but depending on your mana pool you may not want to do that.

Marks is the WEAKEST SUSTAINED DPS BUILD (IT FAILS) for Hunters up until you have retardedly good gear. Even then, if you were to pick NOT BM, Surv would be better.

BEAST MASTER

Raiding BM Build

This one is inflexible. Proven with Scientific methods to be the top DPS build for a Raiding hunter. You can move the points from Imp Rez to Imp Mend, but I recommend Imp Rez, since your HoT can’t always save your pet, and it gives you a really fast and cheap rez if he dies (unavoidable on some fights).

Note to all BM Hunters: The magic number is 1.7-1.9 (For attack speed, your latency and the server’s lag will tell you what really works). You are now retartedly easy to gear up. Run Karahzan a million times, buy the new badge gear, top DPS charts. Win isn’t it?

SURVIVAL

Raiding Surv Build

Important Note: You need alot of Agility to be Surv. Alot. Technically, as long as your unbuffed agil would give an Expose Weakness >= Marks TSA Aura, you’re good to raid. But your personal dps will be pretty sad compared to Mr. BM.

This spec is very flexible. You could choose the Master Tactician Talent if you don’t think you have enough crit. You could also Move the points from Clever Traps into Imp Traps (reducing resist chance). The points in the BM tree and in IMP HM are also movable. Do what you like, whatever works for you.

Alternate Surv Build: Gets you 2% more agility and some extra intellect at the cost of Thrill of the Hunt. This spec is slightly less flexible than the previous, and has a ‘waste point’ floating around in the Marks Tree.

Stat Conversions

1 Agility = 1 Attack Power

14 Ranged Attack Power = 1 DPS (Of course, this is a baseline figure. This can change a lot.)

1 Agility = 0.552 Critical Strike Rating

22.08 Critical Strike Rating = +1% Critical Hit

40 Agility = +1% Critical Hit

25 Agility = +1% Dodge Chance

18.92 Dodge Rating = +1% Dodge Chance

1 Agility = 2 Armor

55 Intellect = +1% Spell Critical Hit

1 Strength = 1 Melee Attack Power

1 Stamina = 10 Health

1 Intellect = 15 Mana

5 Spirit = 1 Mana per Tick

Hit Rating needed for +1% Hit = 15.77

Haste Rating needed for +1% Haste = 10.51

Parry Rating needed for +1% Parry = 31.54

Itemization

Hunter’s Job in Raids: Do as much damage as possible, while dying as little as possible. Also, give the other DPS in your raid/group a buff (TSA, FI, or EW). That noted, it should be pretty obvious what you need.

A) Hit Rating:

You may not be a Rogue, but this stat is still the best “Bang per Budget Point” for you until you get capped. That doesn’t mean you NEED to be hit capped, but it is certainly advantageous, and if you are TRANQ shotting you HAVE to be capped.

Surv Hunters will find an easy time hitting the cap at 95, not just because it is so low, but because they will be using Rogue gear, which has hit on it.

The rest of you have a cap of 142. This could be somewhat challenging to hit without sacrificing AP/Crit. I suggest also going for Rogue gear to fill slots (Like the Nyn’jah Tabi Boots).

Good News for All Hunters: With the Shard of Contempt in the game, no rogue will ever need the Tsunami Talisman EVER AGAIN. For Rogues and Enhance Shammies, the Shard and DST are the best Trinkets in-game. This trinket is now exclusively yours (uhh and its for Ret Pallies… which I lost to QQ).

Attack Power/Agility (AP/AG) and Crit:

If 14 AP = 1 DPS, you want a bunch. Fail Hunters will pull 350 DPS in a raid. If you have an inkling of what you are doing, you should never be below 700 on a boss fight (when you have ideal stats). In Pre-Kara Gear, it is not terrible to be at 450.

With that out of the way, I’d say a good threshold to start from is 1800 AP and 25% Crit. Get that first, then buff both gradually. Try not to drop below 1800 AP or 25% Crit. BM hunters have a lower AP threshold for non-failureness, at around 1400-1500 AP (BM Only), since you are attacking so damn fast. However, when I was BM and in the process of switching to surv, I had a 35%-40% Crit Chance with that 1500 AP (and the battlemaster crit trinket) so, balance your stats.

Surv Hunters: Shoot for 600 Agility min. The other stats are pretty unimportant to you, as essentially, in a raiding environment, you get 10 extra Agil from Kings, 15% from yourself, and 25% of all your agil as Attack Power from EW.

Raid Stats

For this section, I’m not gonna give you any specific stat quantities, just guidelines.

Health: 8k Unbuffed Minimum- Don’t Debate This. It’s Pretty Necessary to Survive some Raid Damage

Mana: 8k Unbuffed, but this value is more playable. You just need enough mana to be able to go 15 minutes at least before dropping under 15% with Hawk on while using Mana Pots. At that point you should throw on Aspect of the Viper. This is just the Ideal Situation However, and most likely, after 9 minutes, you will find yourself at 15% and begging for more mana because your pots are on CD. Depending on how close the boss is to dead, you may want to throw Viper on earlier. SurvHunters require less Mana (Ala Thrill of the Hunt) but will still need a good pool. I have had 6k for the longest time (in my rogue gear lolz) and I must say, I don’t like it.

D) Haste

Haste is how you will make your rotation as tight as possible. Also, haste is the best stat conversion for our class (better than AP:DPS).

Stacking Haste is perfectly allright, but there are a few guidelines:

1) Don’t Ruin your Rotation (for surv/mm) Hunters. NOTE: This is more complicated than it looks. What i’m saying is, if your rotation is auto-stead-SOMETHING, dont make it Auto-steady-wait-repeat by giving yourself too little time. Either keep it auto-steady-something or get enough haste to be auto-steady (DST procs can give you this).

2) Don’t beat the GCD (BM): This means you don’t want to create a situation where you are clipping autshots because you cant GCD. I cant describe it well in words, but if you get your attack speed less than 1.7 you will see it.

3) If you ARE BM, get enough so that with IMP HAWK (if you use it) + any other frequent haste effects don’t push you past the GCD, but get you RIGHT NEXT TO IT.

Haste’s Value increases with your AP and your Crit. Thus, when you have a high itemlevel, Haste is crazy valuable.

4) 1.7-1.9: Golden. Theres your magic number BM hunters.

Note: Most of the Hunter Sunwell Badge Gear includes Haste, along with having about the same Agi/AP/Crit as Tier 5 epics and it should be pretty obvious that you would want those pieces of gear. The only reasons I can come up with for not taking Hunter Badge Gear is 1) Mental Handicap 2) Too much passive Haste already 3) Tier 6? 4) Not BM specced. However, if you don’t have a tier 6 bow, that Badge Bow, no matter WHAT, is necessary. Deal with it if you are Surv/MM. I use it and my rotation STILL works with the cloak of fiends and the DST so bam.

Shot Rotation: The Ratios

1:1: Beast Masters ONLY |Auto-Steady|

#showtooltip Steady Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
/castsequence reset=# Steady Shot, !Auto Shot
/cast [exists,target=pettarget] Kill Command
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear(); UIErrorsFrame:Show()

1:1.5: Marks/Surv ONLY |Auto-Steady-Arc/Mult|

#showtooltip Steady Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
/castsequence reset=# Steady Shot, !Auto Shot
/cast [exists,target=pettarget] Kill Command
/castrandom Arcane Shot, Multi Shot
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear(); UIErrorsFrame:Show()

2:3: Beast Masters ONLY |Auto-Steady-Steady-Auto-Steady|

(Also works for a 2.4-2.5 Attack Speed Marks/Surv with a DST)

#showtooltip Steady Shot
/console Sound_EnableSFX 0
/script UIErrorsFrame:Hide()
/cast !Auto Shot
/cast [exists,target=pettarget] Kill Command
/cast Steady shot
/console Sound_EnableSFX 1
/script UIErrorsFrame:Clear() UIErrorsFrame:Show()

Change “reset=#” to whatever your ranged attack speed is, plus .1 or .01 (compensates for lag, however with spell queuing this is not necessary. It is still necessary for mental handicaps. This is why I use a .01)

Optional Additions to Each Rotation:

At the Beginning:

/cast Beastial Wrath
/cast Rapid Fire
/use Bloodlust Brooch
/use Drums of Battle

(Or any other trinkets or items with a use)

You should probably /castrandom Beastial Wrath, Rapid Fire, Trinkets, Items But you dont have to.

At the End:

/cast Tranquilizing Shot
/cast [exists,target=pettarget] Bite(Rank 9)
/cast [exists,target=pettarget] Gore(Rank 9)

Notes: Tranq shot can sometimes break AutoAttack depending on what patch it currently is. Blizzard humps. The pet moves forces the animals to focus dump although in theory they shouldn’t need your push. Moves like Gore and Bite can actually be at the top of the macro if you want.

1:1 will Auto/Steady (AS from now on) for you provided you can smash the button fast enough. This used to bethe top DPS macro for hunters in the game. It still is if you have a tiny mana pool.

1:1.5 will AS for you, and do Arc one rotation, Multi the next, arc the third, and leave you hanging with 2 Unfinished Cooldowns on another one. I didn’t include this into the macro because you have to decide if it is worth the mana when the time comes, but you should use either Scorpid or Serpent Sting at this point. You could also use a drum/trinket/Rapid Fire/Beastial Wrath in the space of the Fourth Rotation. Please Note: Remove Multishot from the macro (or make another version with just arc shot) when you are doing five mans or raid trash. Personally, I just use an Auto/Steady macro and throw in the extra shots myself, but that is because I use the DST and frequently have to change rotation.

Once you get the rythm, it’ll be |AS-Arc, AS-Multi, AS-Arc, AS-<Something Here>| Repeat.

2:3 is very different so let me explain it.

First, you will have already realized that 2:3 is the same ratio as 1:1.5 in math. This is proof that reality does not match math. Note that castsequence is not used. What happens in this macro, is that you intentionally clip autoshots in theory, but you get them in practice because they get fired somehow during the GCD. It is a hole created by the toggle on Autoshot (the same reason we use the ! in the macros). This did not work BEFORE Patch 2.3 when the macro command for Auto Shot was changed. Personally, I take this as a bug, but even so, this is the BEST DPS MACRO FOR A BM HUNTER. The only downside is that it has a much higher mana consumption rate than the 1:1 macro.

|Auto-Steady-Steady-Auto-Steady| > |Auto-Steady-Auto-Steady-Auto|

What this means is that INT is suddenly very important to you, as it will not only buff your total mana, but also buff your aspect of the Viper. The mechanics of the macro also make using haste procs brainless because there is no built in timer. You are literally just a mouse wheel spinner. However there is a catch.

Yes, the macro will auto-adjust for you, but it isn’t a catch-all. At certain attack speeds it WILL do less damage than the 1-1 macro. The ever-complicated math in actually calculating the way haste Procs affect your attack speed along with passive haste, then translating it into a dps rotation… there are just spots it breaks down. Don’t be disheartened though, I haven’t done under 1k with this, but with my current setup, I’m in this exact wrong spot. I have too much active haste, but not enough passive haste. The problem would probably fix itself if I kept Aspect of the Hawk up, but we have a supreme shortage of Shadowpriests in our hunter groups. The bottom line is that you have to try BOTH and see what works EVERY time your attack speed changes.

IMPORTANT: Take Special Care when using ANY haste effects (DST PROC, ABACUS, IMP AOTH, RAPID FIRE) NOT TO CLIP YOUR AUTOSHOTS. Autoshot is anywhere from 49-51% of your DPS in a raid, don’t clip it, even if it means not Arc shotting. Changing rotation on the fly is part of Hunter JUJU. You are permitted to switch to Auto/Arc if you feel you are honestly going that fast, but that only works for one cycle…

Gone are the days where paying attention mattered. It will come down solely to gear in your raids as to which BM hunter does more damage. Well ok, Gear and Latency, and not failing to click mend pet (or get T5 heals).

Pet Management

First thing you need to know is that Ravagers and Scorpids are the best raiding pets (along with Wind Serpents if you can manage spamming follow and lightning bolt).

In raids, if I see you with growl on, I chop off your head. Nuff said. Your pet should have the highest ranks of Bite, Avoidance, Cobra Reflexes, Gore/Claw/ScorpidPosion/Lightning Bolt, and the Stam talent. Anything else is optional.

Note: Lightning Bolt uses up a charge of Stormstrike. Shamans will hate you forever for doing it with a guy pet move.

Focus Dumping: I’ve used this term before, but haven’t explained it yet. A Focus Dump is a pet ability that can actually keep up with his energy regen rate (specifically BM, since your pet will not have very much energy as any other spec). My ravager uses Gore as a focus dump, Biting when the CD is up. This keeps his energy pool at less than 25 the entire fight, and thats your goal- to make sure your pet is constantly using attacks that add to your overall damage output. Gore is better than claw, no matter how you look at it, so Ravagers > Cats. This isn’t Chinese food, this is a raid boss. Windserpents are AMAZING pets because they can Focus Dump at a range. Convenient eh?

6) CC and How to Cope with It

Hunters hungry for Utility, not for hot pocket. I was going to put this in a separate page, but it is all a part of Hunter Juju.

Chain Trapping is actually one of the most reliable forms of CC in the game when used correctly. First, three tidbits.

1) We can Ice Trap Just About ANYTHING.

2) Mages have to pay alot of attention to their sheeps.

3) Shackle done by a Shadowpriest with maxed Spellhit (god help you if your healer has +hit) is more reliable than Ice Trap, and it is only usable on undeads.

Chain Trapping and You:

Step 1) Place Ice Trap far away from pull (usually around a wall so u can LOS pull off the tank)

Step 2) When you tag your mob, Conc shot it if your trap CD is not up yet. Then drag him to it and let him be frozen. If you are really good with your timing, your trap will already be on CD right after he freezes.

Step 3) Go to the opposite side of the room where no one else is but you can still shoot from and drop a trap there. Stand slightly past it. The Idea here is that when the frozen mob breaks, he runs toward u across the room, giving you time to Conc shot him again until he slowly waners onto the trap just a few centimeters in front of you.

Rinse Repeat and Don’t QQ. This is essential for hunters to know how to do for Moroes, although the particular mob you’ll be trapping in there is a nice guy and gives you PLENTY of CD time. If you find there is a fight where you hit your chain trap limit, make sure you have trapping gear for it. Trap Gear is composed of any 2 pieces of your dungeon set, which essentially gives you an infinite ability to chain trap. What? Yes. Hunter D3 Set Bonus > Hunter T4 Set Bonus, but only for trash.

Professions

The game will tell you that LW is good for hunters. Ok, in the week or two that it might take you to get to 70, it is very useful. After that, not so much. The BOP gear is certainly not on par with your tiers, and costs more than tailoring’s T6 Shadowpriest gear. WTF is up with that?

Anyway, you are the master of soloing. You can ice trap, feign death, stun, etc. If you don’t mind being totally unable to do anything with your professions, pick up Mining and Herbalism. That and an Epic Flyer will get you all the money you’ll ever need as long as you know a JC who can prospect your ore. There are other good choices too if you want to make stuff, like JC, Ench (Stats to ring is win), or hell even Blacksmithing (Felsteel Longblade anyone?). But overall, hunters are gatherers. Do it.

YOUR ROLE IN THE RAID

It occurred to me at work that I never set down the law. Your role in a raid is really simple: Kill your target.

If you can do that, and do it well, your raid leader wont hate you, nor will the other 15 dpsers make comments about how retarded you are behind your back.

Additionally, Hunters have the following roles:

* Tank Babysitter (Scorpid Sting and MD)

* Healer Babysitter (Distracting Shot, Scatter Shot, Traps)

* Useless Shot User (Tranq Shot in SSC)

* Buffing the Melee Group (This is our primary role. lol)

* Not Standing in Fire (THIS IS KEY!)

* Pethealer

* Raid Marker (Generally Speaking, our primary role is so simple we have the ability to help other people be in the right place by just standing around with icons on our heads)