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Marksman PVE Guide (4.1)
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/29/11 8:31 AM (PDT)
Marksmanship PVE Hunter Guide
**Update** This guide is current for Patch 4.1. Nothing has really changed for MM specifically. Hello Hunter Community! I have frequented the Hunter forums since the release of World of Warcraft asking my own questions and providing answers where I could. Over the years I have always been thankful for the players who would write the Hunter guides because it would give me a place to go to answer any questions I may have had and get me on the right track. Ever since Blizzard made the switch to the new forums, we have not had any stickied guides and I keep seeing many of the same questions appearing on the forums on a daily basis. It is because of this that I have decided to assemble a Marksmen PVE Hunter Guide. The Goal for this guide is to be a good starting point and provide basic Hunter related information for new or inexperienced hunters. This guide will contain everything a Hunter would need to perform adequate DPS in a Raiding environment. This guide is will only cover material related to raiding and will not contain any PVP related information. There is a nice MM PVP guide written on the WoW EU Hunter forums that can be found here: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/1302896500 * Corrections and Updates I ask that if anyone finds any inaccurate, unclear, misleading or omitted information, that you please notify me so that I can make the appropriate corrections. It is possible that I may make a typo or completely forget to include a crucial piece of information. I would never intentionally try to confuse or mislead anyone. I would also appreciate any suggestions that the Hunter community might have that would lead to a better guide. Hopefully this Guide can also spark a deeper conversation and discussion about the Hunter Class. I will also do my best to keep this guide updated as new information and patches are released. * Special Thanks This guide has been comprised from many different sources and my own personal experiences. Sources include: Hunter Discussion on Elitist Jerks, the WoW forums, Simulation Craft, Zeherah's Female Dwarf Calculator, wikis, Warcraft Hunters union, and many other community sites. I have attempted to give credit to these sources as appropriate throughout this guide. Thank you to the following WoW Hunter Forum members for all their contributions that have helped polish this guide: Mendia, Zeherah, Leipreachan, Kaya, Refire, Adarant, Coren, Chorgahn I would like to personally give big thanks to Zeherah and her Female Dwarf Calculator. I use this tool on a daily basis always tinkering and trying new gear configurations. This is in my opinion the single most helpful tool for any class. I believe Hunters are very luck to have a community member willing to spend time creating a tool that allows us to maximize our character. Thank you Zeherah for all your hard work. |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:09 AM (PDT)
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CONTENTS ***************************************************************************************************************** I. Introduction * - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 II. Talents
*Talents - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#3 *Glyphs - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#6 III. Shot Priority *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#7
* Standard Phase: Boss Health 80% - 20% * Termination Phase: Boss Health 25% - 20% * Execute Phase: Boss Health 20% - 0% IV. Stats and Optimization
*Haste Plateaus - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#10 *Gems - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#11 *Enchants - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#11 *Reforging - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#12 *Professions - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#12 *Consumables - http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#12 V. Pets *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#13 VI. Gearing Guide *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#14
*Best In Slot iLevel 359 only Setup *Best In Slot Setup VII. Addons *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#15 VIII. Macros *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#16 IX. Tips and Tricks *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#17
*Cooldown Management X. Links and Resources *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#19 ********************************************************************************* I. INTRODUCTION ********************************************************************************* Marksmanship, with the appropriate Spec, Gear, and Shot Priority is currently the highest single target DPS spec for Hunters. Marksman is also very capable of multiple target DPS. MM DPS is very reliant on ranged weapon DPS as most of MM's shot formulas scale with weapon damage. According to Simcraft the top DPS for each Hunter spec in T11 with full iLevel 372's is as follows: 31,256 Hunter_MM_T11_372 Link: http://www.simulationcraft.org/406/hunter_auto.html As the chart above shows MM is ahead of BM by about ~10% and ahead of SV by ~11%. This does not mean that MM will always be the the best spec for every encounter. There are several current Raid encounters that are very SV friendly. For example, Heroic Halfus, Cho'Gal, and Maloriak are all fights where SV could out perform MM due to SV's very strong AOE capabilities. Back to table of contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:02 AM (PDT)
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II. SPEC, TALENTS, and GLYPHS **************************************************************************** - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - SPEC - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How Should I spec for Marksman? There are several viable variations of the MM spec. The spec suggested is the one I am currently using. It is very common for End Game Hunters to change their spec to fit their Raid's individual needs on any specific encounter. There might not necessarily be "ONE BEST SPEC" for all fights, but instead a variation of a base spec for different encounters. During progression you should be flexible in adapting your spec to the needs of your raid or to help with specific encounter mechanics. Suggested below are few viable specs that maximize DPS but also include different utility abilities/buffs. Simulation Craft Max DPS Spec: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#cMhMZfMG0GRMuroc This spec picks up Trueshot Aura (TSA) which is not always needed in Raids. I personally prefer to take Silencing shot over TSA just for some added flexibility. Silencing shot is useful for encounters like Nef when your main interrupter misses the jump to the platform the first time and someone as to get an interrupt off. Elitist Jerks Spec: http://www.wowhead.com/talent#ccbMZfRGoGoMuroc:VzkRf0M0z Another viable alternative, this one picking up both Silencing Shot and TSA and leaving out Termination. There are other viable specs that can include different utility talents depending on what a specific encounter dictates. I will cover the individual talents and why a Hunter Should/Should not pick each talent. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - TALENTS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Which Talents are the most useful to Marksman Hunters? Listed below is a brief analysis of each of the Hunter talents. You are forced to spend the first 31 talent points in Marksman and then you are left with 10 more talent points to spend in either Beast Mastery or Survival or a combination of both. The First 31 talent point combination's are described below. MM Tier 1
MM Tier 2
Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:02 AM (PDT)
MM Tier 3
MM Tier 4
MM Tier 5
Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:03 AM (PDT)
MM Tier 6
MM Tier 7
**Remaining 10 Talent Points** Beast Mastery
Survival Talents
Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 5/31/11 9:11 AM (PDT)
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GLYPHS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Which Glyphs should I use as Marksman? Listed below is a brief analysis of the most commonly used Glyphs for Marksman. ***Prime Glyph's***
***Major Glyph's*** Most of the Major Glyphs do not provide a direct DPS increase but instead provide other helpful benefits. I will commonly switch out Major Glyphs depending on what encounter my guild is currently working on. All Major Glpyhs are optional and based on personal preference or encounter. I am only covering the most commonly used PvE glyphs in this section.
***Minor Glyph's*** None of the Minor Glyphs provide any direct DPS benefit. I am not going to go into any analysis of of the Minor Glyphs and instead just list the ones that are most commonly used: Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/14/11 1:07 PM (PDT)
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III. SHOT PRIORITIES *************************************************************************************** I am going to attempt to cover the basic MM Shot Priority Cycle at a high but effective level. I am going to avoid most of the math discussion and hopefully provide a basic Priority that will give new or inexperienced Hunters a basic understanding of the MM shot priority. If you would like to see all the math and discussion behind the priority that I am describing here, please have a look over at EJ in section 6.0 of Whitefyst's post here: http://elitistjerks.com/f74/t112408-cataclysm_marksmanship/ One of the first things to cover is the question: "Should I be using Cobra Shot as Marksman spec?". I see this question asked many times and the answer is NO. MM should not ever use Cobra Shot in their main Shot Priority cycles. Steady Shot is the filler shot for MM and linked to many different abilities and talents throughout the MM tree. The MM hunter Shot Priority is very FLUID and because there are so many different factors that can modify the Shot Priority Cycle, Hunters have to be able to adapt on the fly. I am going to try and cover the basic rules and principles and provide some guidelines to help making adjustments on the fly. At a high level the basic MM Shot Priority should follow the below rules (not necessarily in order):
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Single Target Shot Priority - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What "Rotation" should I be doing? The Shot priority for Single Target DPS can be broken up into 4 main phases: Careful Aim phase, Standard Phase, Termination Phase, Execute Phase. The 4 phases are determined by the targets health:
**Careful Aim Phase Shot Priority** The Careful Aim Phase is the first 20% of a Boss/Target's health. We call this the Careful Aim phase because of the talent Careful Aim, which grants Hunters an additional 60% crit to both Steady and Aimed Shot until the boss drops below 80% health. Because of Careful Aim talent we want to use Aimed Shot as our focus dump during this phase. However we want to cast 1 shot at the beginning of combat to use up some focus. This can be a pre-casted Aimed shot, Chimera Shot, or a Serpent Sting. This will use some focus so that it isn't wasted while casting our first 2 Steady Shots. Because of the bonuses to Steady/Aimed Shot we DO NOT want to continuously re-apply Serpent Sting or use Chimera shot during this phase. The basic Shot Priority for Careful Aim Phase is as follows:
*Aimed shot should be pre-casted while the tank is counting down to pull so that it lands as the tank pulls the boss. If this is not feasible, then cast a Chimera or Serpent Sting. A typical Careful Aim Shot Priority cycle without any haste effects would look like (Assuming Serpent Sting has already been applied): Steady x 2 --> Aimed --> Steady x 2 --> AimedWhen Master Marksman procs, replace one Hard casted Aimed shot with the instant !Aimed proc.If under the effects of Rapid Fire/Hero/Bloodlust, adapt Shot Priority Cycle to: Aimed --> Steady x 2 --> Aimed x 2 --> Steady x 2Replacing a Steady Shot when Master Marksman procs.Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:04 AM (PDT)
**Standard Phase Shot Priority**
The Standard Phase starts when the Boss/target's health reaches 79% and lasts until 20%. During this phase you will want to follow the Shot Priority rules below:
A typical Shot Priority Cycle, while not under RF/Hero, will look like the following: Chimera --> Arcane x2 --> Steady Shot x 5** **This order is Flexible; you could do: SSx2 --> Arcane --> SSx3 --> ArcaneYou should receive an !Aimed Shot Master Marksman proc every other cycle. When Master Marksman procs, replace SS with !Aimed. Also depending on your Haste level and if you have the 4pT11 you may be able to fit in an extra Arcane Shot every other Cycle. **Termination Phase** The Termination Phase begins when the Boss/Target's Health reaches 25% and lasts 20% where it over laps with the execution phase until the Boss/Target is dead. The Termination Phase is only significant if you are spec'd for "Termination". If you are spec'd for Termination, then you will have more focus to deal with and should drop a Steady Shot in favor of an Arcane shot to help even out your focus and to keep from becoming Focus capped. If you are NOT spec'd for Termination, then this phase is exactly the same as the standard phase. Continue the Shot Priority Cycles from the Standard phase until you reach the Execute Phase. **Execute phase** The Execute Phase begins when the Boss/Target's health reaches 20% and Kill Shot becomes active. The Termination phase is very similar to the "Standard Phase" except now you have one more instant cast shot, Kill Shot, to work into your Shot Priority Cycle. The basic rule of thumb is to replace a Steady Shot with Kill shot. A basic Execution Phase Shot Priority Cycle would look like: Kill Shot --> Chimera Shot --> Arcane x 2 --> Steady Shot x 5** **This order is Flexible; you could do: SSx2 --> Arcane --> SSx3 --> ArcaneYour Execution Shot Priority cycle should look very similar to your Standard Shot Priority cycles except casting Kill Shot's like Master Marksman !Aimed Procs. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - AOE Shot Priority - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Marksman AoE shot Priorities are very simple compared to our single target priorities. We only have a few abilities to use for AoE packs. It is important to note that it is only worth using the AoE shot priority on packs of mobs that have 5 or more targets. If the pack has less than 4, is is better dps to use the single target shot priority. Basic AoE Shot priority guidelines:
A typical AoE Shot Priority cycle would look like: Explosive Trap** --> Multi-Shot --> Steady Shot x 2 --> Multi-Shot x 2 --> Steady Shot x2**Reapply Explosvie Trap on coodown if targets are not close to dead. Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 7:48 AM (PDT)
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IV. Stats and Optimization **************************************************************** This section will cover everything related to stats and how to optimize our stats from gems, reforging, and enchanting to achieve the highest DPS possible. I will also describe how Haste and the different Haste Plateaus affect our DPS. This section will also briefly cover which consumables and professions help our DPS. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Stat Priorities - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What Stats should I stack as a Hunter" Below is the general priority in which we Marksman Hunters value stats: Ranged Weapon DPS >> Agility > Crit > Haste >= Mastery >> Stamina It is important to note and keep in mind that the value and priority of the secondary stats (Crit, Haste, Mastery) can and will change based upon your individual gear and current stats. Ranged Weapon DPS Because of the way that Marksman Hunter's primary shots are built to scale with weapon damage, our Ranged Weapon is by far our largest contributor to our DPS. You will see a larger DPS increase from your Ranged Weapon DPS than an increase from any other stat. It is for this reason that Marksman Hunters value a higher item level ranged weapon even if it has inferior stats such as Resilience. Agility Agility is our number one stat outside of Ranged Weapon DPS. This is the stat that you will find on all of our Mail gear. This is the stat that Hunters want to stack. Agility will affect the amount of DPS each shot does as well as how often that shot can crit. Agility provides both Attack Power and Critical Strike rating. Taken from Whitefyst's EJ MM Hunter Post: With the 5% stat buff and the 5% agility buff from wearing all mail and the 10% AP buff: Since Agility is a non-reforgeable stat, Hunters generally want to stack as much agility as possible via Gear, gems, and Enchants. Hit Rating Hit Rating determines whether our shot will hit the target or miss. You cant crit what you cant hit and a missed shot does zero damage, thus it is important to never miss our targets. The current Raiding Hit Cap for Hunter's is: 8% 120.109 Hit Rating = 1% chance to hit 8% Hit = 961 hit rating (841 if you are Draenei) Hit rating is a reforgeable stat and is the preferred method of obtaining the right amount of hit. Any Hit rating over 961 is a wasted stat and it is desirable to get as close to 961 as possible with being under. Attack Power Attack power is covered briefly because since it is a stat in the game, but only in very limited areas. Attack Power is mostly limited to procs from trinkets or item like: 2 AP = 1 point of itemization 2 AP provides the same benefit as agility without the gains from buffs and crit. 2 Attack Power is roughly equivalent to 0.75 Agility. Critical Strike Rating/Chance After Ranged Weapon DPS, Agility and Hit Rating cap, Critical Strike is the next most important stat. With the way our Critical Strike has been lowered moving from Wrath to Cata and considering how much our DPS depends on Critical Strike, Hunter's should most likely be stacking Crit when possible. Below are a few of the reasons why Critical Strike is important to hunters:
The Hard Cap on Crit is 100%, which is unobtainable with currently available gear, Blizzard has also ensured us that we will never see again the hard Crit Cap again. There is one soft cap to keep in mind and that has to deal with the Careful Aim talent. The Careful Aim talent provides 30/60% crit to our Steady and Aimed Shot's on targets above 80% health. This means that if you have a 40.6% Critical Strike chance your Steady and Aimed Shots will be Crit Capped during the first 20% of a bosses health. This doesn't mean that you should stop acquiring Critical Strike rating at this level, it just means that Critical Strike Rating will be "Slightly" less valuable than it is before this soft cap. |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:04 AM (PDT)
Mastery Rating
The Marksman Hunter's Mastery is Wild Quiver. Wild Quiver Grants a 14.4% chance for your ranged attacks to also instantly fire an additional ranged shot. Each point of Mastery increases the chance by an additional 2.1%. Wild Quiver can proc from any of our special attacks as well as our Auto Shot. It also has a chance to proc from each individual shot from Multi-Shot. It takes 179.28 Mastery Rating to equal one point of Mastery One point of Mastery adds a 2.1% chance to proc a Wild Quiver shot on every ranged attack Mastery is usually the least desired stat for Marksman hunters and is the stat most often reforged into Crit, Hit or Haste. Haste Rating Haste is the most complicated and confusing stat when trying to get the "right" amount for maximum DPS. Haste can go from your highest valued secondary stat to your lowest depending on the situation. 128.057 Haste Rating = 1% Haste Haste provides the following benefits:
Unfortunately and unlike other Classes, Haste does not increase how often our DoT's tick for damage. Serpent Sting will have the same number of ticks no matter how high your haste rating is. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Haste Plateaus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How much Haste do I need? All Haste Calcualtions described in this section have come from Whitefyst 's MM post on EJ and Frostheims Haste calculations on WHU. I am just reiterating their information here as it applies to this guide. Whitefyst's post can be found here: http://elitistjerks.com/f74/t112408-cataclysm_marksmanship/ Frostheim's Post can be found here: http://www.warcrafthuntersunion.com/2011/03/mm-hunter-rotation-haste-plateaus/ Also have a look at Chorgahn's post in this thread below for easy to understand Haste Calculations: *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2267490605?page=6#113 Haste is best when it pushes you to the next Plateau where you can add an additional shot (Steady and/or Arcane) into your Priority cycle. A Shot Priority Cycle consists of a set number of Shots that can be fired between each Chimera Shot cooldown. It is important to note that the There are couple of different Haste Plateaus which are obtainable and will have an effect on your Shot Priority Cycle. The Haste Plateaus discussed below only pertain to Shot Priorities using Arcane as their focus dump for the Standard Phase. All Haste Plateau Calculations will assume that you are fully raid buffed with the 10% attack Speed buff, 15% ISS Buff, and 3/3 in pathing. The required Haste listed below is from Gear ONLY. *** First MM Haste Plateau (9.64) *** The First Haste Plateau is relatively easy to achieve and you may already be there without doing any additional tweaking/reforging to gear. The first Plateau is for the Hunters that DO NOT have their T11 4p Set bonus yet. The following Recommendations for this Haste Plateau are as follows:
**Slightly more haste may be desirable depending on your latency This will provide a nice tight 9 second Shot Priority Cycle. Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 5/5/11 12:53 PM (PDT)
*** Second MM Haste Plateau (10.52) ***
The Second MM haste Plateau takes a little more haste, uses the 4p T11 set bonus and the The following recommendations for this Haste Plateau are as follows: ** Slightly less haste will still allow the Shot Priority Cycle to be sustainable but will delay your Chimera Shot. Slightly more haste may be desired depending on your latency. ***Third MM Haste Plateau*** There is a third MM Haste Plateau, but with the gear needed to support this Plateau currently is not available and so I am not going to cover it in detail except to say that there is one that exists. If you want to see the math and haste values need to obtain this plateau, please have a look at Frostheim's post or Whitefyst's, which are linked above. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Gems - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What Gems should I use in what slots? The general rule of thumb when considering what to Gem is to stack as much agility as possible. We dont ever want to Gem just to reach the Hit cap. You are better off stacking agility and reforging one of our secondary stats into Hit. We also NEVER, EVER want to Gem for straight Haste/Mastery/Stamina. It is a good idea to use a gem with "Agility/(secondary Stat)" in yellow or blue slots if the socket bonus is worth obtaining. Socket bonuses need to be evaluated. A good example of a socket bonus to Gem for would be in our Tier Chest piece: Below are the guidelines for picking the right gem for the right socket:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Enchants - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How should I Enchant my gear? Below is a slot by slot list of the best enchants for Marksman Hunters:
Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/25/11 6:31 AM (PDT)
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Reforging - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How do I Reforge my Gear? With the ability to reforge our gear we have the opportunity to tweak our gear for ideal DPS. But Which Stats should I Reforge and into what other stat? This can be a daunting and confusing task. First I recommend using a tool like Zeherah's Female Dwarf Calculator or and addon such as Reforgenator to help with the planning of reforging your gear. Using these tools will save you a ton of gold. Next, follow Whitefyst's Reforging Guidelines. He explains it perfectly here: This is a basic way to approach reforging that covers most situations: Here are a couple additional points to add to Whitefyst's guidelines:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Professions - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What are good professions for a Hunter? Blizzard has done a pretty good job of evening out the profession bonuses and all professions provide the same basic gains. I will briefly cover Professions and their bonuses relevant to Marksman Hunters below.
**Recommendation: Pick any two of the professions above and take advantage of their profession only perks. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Consumables - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - What Flasks, Food and potions should I use? The consumable's listed below will provide the greatest benefit to MM hunters:
Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/26/11 6:54 AM (PDT)
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V. Pets ************************************************************ Which Pet Does the Most DPS? Answer: Watch this short Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhvvNGeHHME Blizzard has normalized pet DPS so that they all do roughly the same DPS overall. The main decision when choosing a pet is what Buff/Debuff is the raid missing that can be filled by my pet. Choosing a pet that buffs the raid will outweigh any personal DPS loss by bringing that pet. If all raid buffs/debuffs are covered, then bring which ever pet (Ferocity or Cunning) will provide the greatest personal DPS. Generally a Ferocity pet will provide slightly more DPS due to "Call of the Wild" which buffs both the Hunter's and Pet's Attack power. There are a couple of situations to consider when choosing whether to use a Ferocity pet or a Cunning pet. A Cunning pet will typically do more of the overall DPS While a Hunter will do more overall DPS with a Ferocity pet. This means that if the fight will have higher pet up-time a Cunning pet would be a good choice and conversely if the Hunter will have more boss up-time a Ferocity pet would be the best choice. Two good examples would be: 1) using a ferocity pet on Atramedes because of the higher Hunter up-time and 2) using a cunning pet on Cho'Gal because of the high pet up-time. What Hunter Stats get converted to Pet Stats? The following is a list of how a pet's stats are transferred from their master. Pets Gain:Source: http://www.warcrafthuntersunion.com/2010/10/level-85-cataclysm-hunter-combat-ratings-stat-conversions/ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pet Specs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Below are links to the current Highest DPS Specs for pets: Ferocity: http://www.wowhead.com/petcalc#0Md00sc00hoko Cunning: http://www.wowhead.com/petcalc#Mrbo00fhoMo0b Tenacity: http://www.wowhead.com/petcalc#MMd0u0hzb0kM** ** Note that Tenacity pets are not recommended as DPS pets and should only be used if they provide a missing raid buff/Debuff. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pet Raid Buffs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Which pet brings which Raid Buff? Below is a recommended list of pets that all hunters should have in their stables. This list will cover all raid buffs/Debuffs.
Sometimes it may be difficult to determine out which pet you need to bring based on your raid composition due to raiders constantly switching specs. A couple of good resources to help determine which raid buff a Hunter can provide with their pet are:
Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:05 AM (PDT)
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VI. Gearing Guide **************************************************************** This section will cover a basic Pre-Raid Gear setup and the current BIS Gear setup as suggested by Simcraft. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Pre-Raiding Gear Checklist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - How do I know when I am ready for Raids? This section will give new hunters some idea of the minimum level of gear needed to enter Cataclysm Tier 11 raids. Below is a slot by slot list of gear that would be a good starting point to enter T11 raiding:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Best In Slot Gear Pre-Hard Mode Raiding Checklist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Below is a BIS iLevel 359 Gear Checklist as contributed by Leipreachan
Note1: Any hunter than can get the 4pT11 using - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Best In Slot Gear Checklist - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Below is a BIS Gear checklist for MM as shown by Simcraft.
If you are having problems getting Ranged Weapons to drop in Raids, there are a few good alternative that you can get from PVP that will be an upgrade to any of the 346 items: The following ranged weapons can be obtained by winning 5 arena games per week for 3 weeks: Back to Table of Contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/25/11 8:04 AM (PDT)
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VII. Addons ****************************************************************** What are some suggested Addons for Hunters? While it is entirely possible to play with the default UI, Mods and Addons can provide a different view of the game making critical information readily available. Addons are a personal choice and what works for one person may not be the best for a different person. Listed below are some of the most common Raiding addons as well as a few addons that I personally use for my Hunter. Deadly Boss Mods http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/deadly-boss-mods.aspxDeadly Boss Mods is a boss alert mod. It consists of many individual "boss modules", mini addons that are designed to trigger alert messages and timer bars for one specific raid boss each. Instance modules will be loaded and enabled when you enter the corresponding instance. Deadly Boss Mods or another type of Boss mods like Big Wigs or DXE are usually required for raiding. Omen Threat Meter http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/omen-threat-meter.aspxOmen is a threat meter. Another generally required raiding addon to help manage threat. Recount http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/recount.aspxRecount is a damage meter addon for World of Warcraft. The addon views activity in the combat log, and uses that information to provide tables and graphs showing the damage and healing distribution of a group or raid. Recount has many more uses than just measuring DPS/HPS. Recount can show keep track of everyone's death and how they died, it can track damage done to mobs/adds, it tracks damage taken, and many other options. Recount is a very useful tool. Power Auras http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/powerauras-classic.aspx Initially created to give visual cues for short duration procs like "clear casting" or some boost trinket you activate, many more aura triggers have been added since. It now works with debuffs (whatever their name), debuff types (like Magic or Curse), combo points, harmful area spells, weapon enchants, Health, Mana, Rage or Energy thresholds, action cooldowns, aggro, pvp status and stance or shapeshift form. For me, Power Auras is probably the most beneficial and valuable addon I have. I use it to track all types of personal procs, buffs, and debuffs as well target buffs/debuffs. Stay Focused! + Stay Focused! Hunter Helper http://www.wowinterface.com/downloads/info18243-StayFocusedHunterHelper.htmlA very simple addon that implements a color-coded focus bar for hunters. It's blue when you have enough focus to dump one or more Arcane Shots and still have enough to fire your main shot (Explosive / Chimera / Kill Command) when it comes off cooldown. It's red when you don't have enough focus for your main shot. This is a very good lightweight addon to help manage your focus. You can quickly identify how much focus you have based on the color. Another one of my favorite addons. JS' Hunter bar http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/js-hunter-focus-bar.aspxThis is a bar addon to help manage focus very similar to Stay Focused except JS Hunter bar has the ability track other cooldowns plus many other features. Quartz http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/quartz.aspx Quartz is a modular approach to a casting bar addon. Quartz replaces the default blizzard casting bar and provides several useful options. Forte Xorcist http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/fortexorcist.aspxForteXorcist is a do it all spell and cooldown timer made predominantly for Warlocks and Death Knights but usable by any class. What ForteXorcist is meant to do for most classes is provide an all in one spell and cooldown timer. This is an important thing for Hunters as most players like to have a central visual way to see what is almost off cooldown rather than watching icons to become available again. Raid Checklist http://wow.curse.com/downloads/wow-addons/details/raid_checklist.aspxRaidChecklist provides an at-a-glance overview of which core Cataclysm buffs, debuffs, dispels and crowd control abilities are available in the raid at the moment, and what class/spec/pet could bring each. Raid Checklist is very beneficial for hunters in quickly determining which pet to use. Back to table of contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/21/11 10:52 AM (PDT)
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VIII. Macros ****************************************************************** I need a macro that will do ______. There are many web resources that provide good Hunter Macros as well as instruction on how to create you own. Strlder has done a Fabulous job writing a comprehensive macro guide. The link to his guide can be found here: *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2416111670 Listed below are a few of the MM Hunter related Macros that I find the most useful. Aspect Swapping Macro /cast !Aspect of the HawkThis macro switches between AotH and AotF with one button. This will also keep you in Hawk if you are already there and accidentally press the button. All in one Misdirection Macro #showtooltip MisdirectionThis macro will cast MD on your focus target, if you dont have a focus target it will cast it on your pet. This macro will also set your target as your focus when pressing shift. Mouse over Tranquilizing Shot #showtooltip Tranquilizing ShotSimple mouse over Tranq shot macro. All in one Pet Care Macro /cast [nopet] Call Pet 1This macro will call the pet in your first slot, revive pet when used with Shift, Mend pet when used with alt, and dismiss pet when used with ctrl. Deterrence / Cancel Deterrence /cancelaura DeterrenceCasts Deterrence or cancels Deterrence if it is up. Blow All Cooldowns /cast Rapid Fire13 and 14 are trinket slot locations and 10 is the engineering gloves tinker. I am sure there are several other macros that different players find useful for their style of play. I just wanted to list a few of the most helpful macros. Back to table of contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:06 AM (PDT)
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IX. Tips and Tricks ****************************************************************** What are some Tips and Tricks to Maximize my DPS as a Hunter? This section will cover both strategies that will maximize DPS and encounter specific tricks that may make the fight easier for Hunters. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Maximizing Hunter DPS - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - There are several little things that Hunters can do that will have a large impact on their final DPS. Combining and mastering all these strategies will greatly improve your DPS. You may already do many or all of the things on the list below, but there is always room for improvement. Maximize the number of GCD's - DPS is directly related to Global Cool Downs. The more Global Cool Downs you can fit into a fight the higher your DPS will be. You should always have an ability queued up and ready to go. Instead of waiting to make a decision when a proc happens, train yourself to always have an ability queued up no matter what is going on and then be ready to adapt once you have had another second to think. Reduce Movement - Reducing the amount of time spent moving will translate into larger DPS gains. Try to plan your movement ahead of time and be Proactive instead of Reactive. This will allow more time to effectively DPS. Master using Hunter abilities like Disengage to move quickly across a room if needed. Aspect Swapping - Aspect of the Fox allows us to cast our Steady Shots on the move and anytime you are going to be on the move for more than one second (the length of a GCD) you should be in aspect of the Fox. AotF is on its own GCD and you should be able to make the switch seamlessly from AotH any time you are forced to move. Once you arrive at your next spot, you should immediately swap back to AotH. This can be easily practiced on a target dummy. Effectively Manage your Cooldowns Knowing when to use DPS Cooldowns, Potions, and on use items can have a very large effect on your DPS. Use Cooldowns like Rapid Fire when you know you wont have to move for at least 15 seconds to maximize its benefit. Plan the use of cooldowns ahead of time. Be aware of the length of the fight to plan when to use Cooldowns and how many times you will be able to use them. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Encounter specific Tips and Tricks - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - This idea is taken from the thread on Elitist Jerks where Hunters have collaborated on different Tips and Tricks that work on each of the Boss encounters in T11 Raiding. Original Link: http://elitistjerks.com/f74/t116125-hunting_high_low_encounter_tips_tricks/ *** Blackwing Descent ***
Magmaw Maloriak Atramedes Back to table of contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 8:07 AM (PDT)
Nefarian *** Bastion of Twilight ***
Valiona and Theralion Ascendant Council Cho'Gall *** Throne of the Four Winds ***
Al'Akir Back to table of contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/11/11 1:12 PM (PDT)
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X. Links and Resources ****************************************************************** Where did all this information come from and where can I get more? Listed below are Links that contain very useful Hunter Information. Many if not all of these links were used in compiling this guide:
There are a few Hunter specific guides over on the WoW EU Hunter forums that may be of interest. The links can be found below: [PVP] MM Hunter Guide - All You Need to Know: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/1302896500 The Beginner Hunter's PVP Guide: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/1549391854 Pets Buffs/Debuffs: http://eu.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/824972647 This guide has been copied from My original post. The Original Post contain lots of valuable information from the Hunter community and can be found at the following link: *- http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2267490605 Back to table of contents: http://us.battle.net/wow/en/forum/topic/2369739087?page=1#2 |
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Edited by Kalilah on 4/26/11 6:56 AM (PDT)
4/25 * Updated Professions (added Enchanting) + added JS' Hunter Bar Addon
4/26 * Updated Pet Scaling stats |
