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http://pokit.org/get/img/a479d6143a6...a7cdc81d7a.jpg
This is first guide I'm going to make, I won't burden you with some unnecessary informations, so let's go straight to the thing.
Hunter is a class which is made for DPS only, so simple conclusion is: More DPS you pull, better you are. Of course this isn't only thing that makes you skilled hunter player, it's very important to have correct movements in the encounters. If you accomplish this two things you're on good way to become class master.
After the foreword, first thing I will discuss is talent tree build.
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Beast mastery tree:
We take 5/5 points in the 'Improved Aspect of the Dragonhawk'
-Why? It gives you 10% chance to increase your attack speed by 15% for 12seconds. Let's make it simple, more auto-shots you fire - you make more damage on target. For hunters, auto attacks are one of the top damaging abilities.
We take 2/2 points in the 'Focused Fire'
-Why? Mainly because of 2% damage increase while your pet is active and fighting with you. Increased critical strike chance of your pets abilities is good thing, but your pet doesn't make much damage. Your pet is there to supply you with buffs, not to carry your DPS (as MM)!
Marksmanship mastery tree:
This is a tree in which we invest most of our talent points. So we will pay close attention to it.
We take 3/3 points in the 'Focused Aim'
-Why? This is must have talent, it increases your hit chance by 3%. It enables you to pay less attention on your hit rating, so you don't need much from your gear.
We take 5/5 points in the 'Lethal Shots'
-Why? Simply gives you 5% increased critical chance on your ranged attacks, great increase.
We take 3/3 in the 'Careful Aim'
-Why? This is only way your attack power can benefit from your intellect. Intellect isn't stat you should be focused on as hunter, but at full BiS gear you will gain decent amount of intellect from it. (I have 773 (122 + 651) intellect, which means I get 773 bonus attack power when using this talent)
We take 5/5 in the 'Mortal Shots'
-Why? It gives you 30% more critical chance on the ranged abilities. Also it enables you to learn Aimed Shot.
We take 1/1 in the 'Aimed Shot'
-Why? This is one of your primary damaging spells, it takes high priority in your 'rotation'.
We take 2/2 in the 'Rapid Killing'
-Why? It may look like PvP talent, but it comes very usefull at PvE. It decreases your cooldown on Rapid Fire by 2 minutes. Rapid fire increases your attack speed, and as I said earlier, more auto-shot you fire, mroe damage you make on target.
We take 3/3 in the 'Improved Stings'
-Why? It increases damage of your stings by 30%. Since Serpent Sting is our opening spell in the encounter, and the DoT which will be active trough whole fight, 30% increased damage isn't small thing.
We take 1/1 in the 'Readiness'
-Why? It enables you to refresh all of your cooldowns, which means after you shoot-out all of your spells you can have them again. This enables you very high burst damage. It also leads us to the Trueshot Aura.
We take 1/1 in the 'Trueshot Aura'
-Why? It increases our attack power by 10%, it's riddiculous boost for our DPS.
We take 2/2 in the 'Combat Experience'
-Why? It increases our total agility and intellect by 2%. More agility => more attack power and critical chance. More Intellect => sincs greatly with Careful Aim.
We take 3/3 in the 'Piercing Shots'
-Why? Critical hit by your Aimed, Chimera and Steady causes target to bleed for the 30% damage done. Second DoT spell, which helps to keep DPS steady and durable.
We take 3/3 in the 'Barrage'
-Why? Increases damage of Aimed Shot by 12%. Must have. Also leads us to the Improved Barrage.
We take 3/3 in the 'Improved Barrage'
-Why? Gives you additional 12% increased critical chance on the Aimed Shot.
We take 3/3 in the 'Ranged Weapon Specialization'
-Why? 5% bonus damage of your ranged weapons. As I said earlier, auto shot is your primary damage source and it scales to attack power of your ranged weapon.
We take 5/5 in the 'Master Marksman'
-Why? Global increase of your critical chance by 5%. Also reduces the cost of most of the spells we use, which comes handy in the long encounters.
We take 3/3 in the 'Wild Quiver'
-Why? 12% chance for a bonus auto shot which will do 80% of weapons damage. Also consumes no ammo when procs.
We take 1/1 in the 'Silencing Shot'
-Why? Not very useful in PvE, also doesn't do much damage. With correct macroes it can be binded under other spells, it slightly increases your dps when it's shooted.
We take 3/3 in the 'Improved Steady Shot'
-Why? It gives you 15% chance to your next Chimera/Aimed shot to do additional 15% of the damage. This is almost most important talent.
We take 5/5 in the 'Marked for Death'
-Why? 10% increased damage on the Aimed, Chimera and Kill shot. Also gives you 5% more critical chance on the target marked by Hunter's Mark.
We take 1/1 in the "Chimera Shot"
-Why? Our top priority spell. Does high amount of damage and refreshes our Sting on the target. Specificly it does 40% of damage done by Serpent Sting on the target.
*I skiped talents i think it's unnecessary to explain additionally.
Survival talent tree:
We take 5/5 in the 'Improved Tracking'
-Why? 5% increased damage while tracking undead, so take care what you're tracking. Many people don't pay attention to the tracking thing, and find it useless, which is SO wrong.
We take 2/2 in the 'Survival instincts'
-Why? Increases hunters survivability and gives additional 4% critical chance on Steady Shot.
http://pokit.org/get/img/94f58acec57...c68d5446c5.jpg
Do NOT just copy the talents from the picture, consider what you find most usefull and take care to READ everything above.
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Glyph of Serpent Sting - Increases duration of your Serpent Sting by 6 seconds, which means your Chimera Shot will do more damage. Many people consider this as bugged, but it's working properly.
Glyph of Kill Shot - Reduces cooldown on Kill Shot by 6 seconds, makes it more spammable when boss is under 20%.
Glyph of Steady Shot - Your Steady Shot does 10% more damage if target is affected by Serpent Sting. Since your target should always be under Serpent Sting this is pretty useful.
Minor glyphs are mostly your choice. I only suggest you to use Glyph of Feign Death, very handy if you generate great amount of threat.
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At lower gear levels when you can't reach armor penetration (arp) cap while gemming Fractured Cardinal Ruby, go for flat agility gems (Delicate Cardinal Ruby).
If you have decent ICC gear, gem Fractured Cardinal Ruby untill your arp is at 1400 (100%). When you are at that cap, your physcical attacks do PURE damage to the target. And also, in my oppinion it's better to be 10 points over the cap then 10 under it, 100% is crutial. After arp cap gem only Delicate Cardinal Ruby.
Enchants:
Helm: Arcanum of Torment (Knights of Ebon Blade rep)
Shoulder: Greater Inscription of the Axe (Sons of Hodir rep)
Cloak: Enchant Cloak - Major Agility (22 Agil from enchanters) *
Chest: Enchant Chest - Powerful Stats (10 Stats from enchanters)
Bracers: Enchant Bracers - Greater Assault (50 AP)
Gloves: Enchant Gloves - Major Agility (20 Agil) *
Belt: Eternal Belt Buckle (add an extra socket created by BS)
Pants: Icescale Leg Armor (75 AP/22 crit created by LW)
Boots: Enchant Boots - Superior Agility (16 Agil)
2H Weapon: Enchant 2H Weapon - Massacre (110 AP)
Ranged Weapon: Heartseeker Scope
*Let's mention proffesions while we're discussing enchants. Best proffesions you can have as hunter are Engineering and Tailoring. With Engineering you get gloves enchant which gives you 340 haste for 12 seconds (Has 1minute CD), more haste you have, you shoot auto-attacks more rapid. Tailoring gives you back enchant called Swordguard Embroidery, which gives you 400 attack power for 15 seconds when procced.
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Hunters don't have rotation. All you should keep in your mind is shot priority. Most damaging spell has highest priority, so it looks like this Chimera>Aimed>Steady.
I will give you few examples, all of these are tested and all of them have good sides.
Example no. 1: Open with Hunter's Mark, shoot Serpent Sting, use Rapid Fire and hands enchant, shoot Chimera, shoot Aimed, use Readiness, it will refresh your shots so, shoot Chimera, shoot Aimed, use Steady shot untill Chimera is off cooldown. In the same moment Chimera is off cooldown your Rapid Fire bonus will run off, so use it again. NEVER use Rapid Fire after readiness untill your current one is ticking off.
Example no. 2: Open with Hunter's Mark, shoot Serpent Sting, use Rapid Fire and hand enchant, shoot Aimed, shoot Chimera, use Readiness, it will refresh your shots so, shoot Aimed, shoot Chimera, use Steady shot untill Aimed is off cooldown. In the same moment Aimed is off cooldown your Rapid Fire bonus will run off, so use it again.
In this way we use Aimed shot before Chimera (simple swap of priority). Like this you give more time to Serpent Sting to do more damage on target before you fire Chimera shot which does 40% of Serpent Stings damage.
Example no. 3: Open with Hunter's Mark, shoot Serpent Sting, use Rapid Fire and hands enchant, shoot Chimera, shoot Aimed, use Readiness, shoot 2x Steady shot, shoot Chimera, shoot 2x Steady shot, shoot Aimed, (use Rapid Fire after existing one is off) et ceteris...
This way, you use Steady Shot between your Chimera and Aimed shots. The reason you do this is <Improved Steady Shot> bonus you can get. I wrote it up there in the talent explanation, it makes your Chimera and Aimed do way more damage than usual.
After target is under 20% HP, Kill Shot takes highest priority which means it goes before Chimera and Aimed. (For 3rd example, you should stop using steady shot between chimera and aimed, just go usual way like in example no.1 untill boss is dead.)
Refreshing Serpent StingIf you gain 2pT10 buff (Exploit Weakness) bonus procced use your Serpent Sting again, it will increase it's damage by 15% until the end of the fight. It procs rarely (5%), but inscreases damage of your Chimera Shot and Serpent Sting DoT. (Thanks to Waffle)
Missdirection is spell that deserves to be discussed individually. So, many tanks want hunters to use missdirection all the time when it's available durning encounter. This doesn't do well with our DPS since it triggers global cooldown. My hint is to use MD only at the start of the encounter, because that's the moment you're doing highest burst damage and making most agro. After first usage of MD tank should have enough threat to keep the boss on him. If your threat gets to big, best choice is to FD since it takes you only 1 milisecond and doesn't use your global cooldown.
Call of the Wild is also very very very important. You should never keep it on auto cast because it's sharable buff within a group. You can stack it with other hunters, which will improove your DPS on longer amount of time!
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Playstyle is all about possitioning at the encounters. In this thread I will describe only ICC HEROIC possitioning and movement since this is end-game hunter guide.
First of all let's discuss some general things... In every encounter when you move you should be turned face to the boss (To do this press only A and D on your keyboard and keep right mouse button pushed, so you only strafe.) so you can keep firing your shots. If you have to move a lot, you should make tiny stop of the movement so you can fire auto-shot, and then continue moving. Also while moving you can cast Arcane Shot (It should be dropped when you're at ARP cap, but it's efficient enough while you're moving.).
Lord Marrowgar:
DPS the boss normally, take care to stand somewhere between MDPS and RDPS, at minimal range from the boss so if you get spiked MDPS don't have to run all the way to get you off. Also when Spikes are casted, use Multy-Shot instead of aimed shot, this will help you not to stop DPSing the boss in order to get someone off, also Arcane Shot is usable on spikes since it's not included in your rotation.
Lady Deathwhisper:
When encounter is started don't dps lady imidiately, wait for the adds, MD them to the tank. After they're down nuke the boss. Kite this spirit using your disengage if it's urgent.
DBS:
It's easy encounter, DPS test... Stay near other raid members so you pick up all of their auras, take care of agro.
Festergut:
Position yourself in the further corner of the room, so you can see your target and PP up there on the terasse. When PP throws mellable goo you should strafe left/right to avoid casting time increase. And of course, take care there is no one near you.
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Right there.
Rotface:
This one is tricky, you should stand in between the pipes AoE damage, so you don't have to move much when slime gets out of the wall. Disengage if you find yourself in slime pool.
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Right there.
PP:
Stay away from the group and DPS calmly, when green ooze is about to spawn make sure you get in the group and be stacked with other people so you share damage. Reason you should all the time be away from the group is mellable goo, it's easier to see it if you're only person standing in that spot.
Blood Prince Council:
Spread from other players to avoid too much vortex damage from valanar, focus on killing kinetics and don't move if it's not necessary. If you have to travel big distance and you have many stacks of shadow prisson, use your dissengage.
Blood Queen Lana'thael:
You should be the guy that takes the bite, so don't use MD on the start. Spread from other members, take care when you put flames, if you're near other people use disengage so you get to the wall faster.
Valthiria Dream Walker:
Use Freezing Arrow to stop suspressors from casting, and use Multy-Shot all the time instead of aimed shot. That should be it.
Sindragosa:
Hunters don't get affected by Unchained Magic, which means we shouldn't stop DPSing in the whole encounter. That gives us advance above all other DPS classes. When you get pulled by Blistering Cold, use jump and then Disengage, should get you to the safe distance. After Sindragosa flies off, call your pet back (follow) so he doesn't die. If you're tombed, press buttons all the time, so you can move and hide imidiately after you're released (unfreezed).
Lich King:
In the phase one stay normally stacked with all the other RDPS, strafe right when Shadow Trap is near you. And of course ALL the time dispell Shambling Horrors with your Tranquilizing shot. In transition you should take a spot nearest to the Remorseless Winter so you can kill the Orbs as soon as they are in your rage, keep dispelling Shamblings. After going inside, stack at the middle, summon companion and burn LK. When Val'kyrs spawn, move around all the time, that decerases your chances to get grabbed. In frostmorne room, just chill in the Viper Stance regaining your mana and killing the Viles above you. If Lich King enrages you should use Distracting Shot and help with kiting Lich King untill enrage is gone. Also when you're out you should place Frost Trap on the floor in order to slow the Viles that are after you.
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Weapon: Oathbinder, Charge of the Ranger-General
Head: Sanctified Ahn'Kahar Blood Hunter's Headpiece
Neck: Rimetooth Pedant/Sindragosa's Cruel Claw (People have different way of thinking about the neck, so feel free to use the one which fits you most.)
Shoulders: Sanctified Ahn'Kahar Blood Hunter's Spaulders
Back: Vereesa's Dexterity Recovered (Only donatable.) Scarlet Onslaught Cape (No donate)
Chest: Sanctified Ahn'Kahar Blood Hunter's Tunic
Wrist: Scourge Hunter's Vambraces
Hands: Sanctified Ahn'Kahar Blood Hunter's Handguards
Waist: Nerub'ar Stalker's Cord
Legs: Leggings of Northern Lights
Feet: Returning Footfalls
Rings: Signet of Twilight Frostbrood Sapphire Ring
Trinkets: Sharpened Twilight Scale Deathbringer's Will
Ranged Weapon:Fal'inrush, Defender of Quel'thalas
With this gear, we're a bit under the hit cap. Which means Dranei is necessary in your group to reach hit cap. Shouldn't be probblem at good organized end-game raids.
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Aimed Shot
Chimera ShotQuote:
#showtooltip Aimed Shot
/cast Aimed Shot
/cast !Auto Shot
/cast !silencing Shot
/cast !Kill Command
/petattack
/run UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
MissdirectionQuote:
#showtooltip Chimera Shot
/cast !auto shot
/cast Chimera Shot
/cast !Kill Command
/cast !silencing shot
/cast Rabid
/run UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
Call of the WildQuote:
#showtooltip Misdirection
/target Linaq
/cast Misdirection
/assist
(We use this so we can keep tracking it's cooldown)Quote:
#showtooltip Call of the Wild
/cast Call of the Wild
Kill Shot
Steady ShotQuote:
#showtooltip Kill Shot
/cast Kill Shot
/cast !Kill Command
/cast !Silencing Shot
/run UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
Aspect SwapQuote:
#showtooltip Steady Shot
/cast !auto shot
/cast Steady Shot
/cast !Kill Command
/cast !Silencing Shot
/run UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
Multy ShotQuote:
#showtooltip
/castsequence Aspect of the Dragonhawk, Aspect of the Viper
/cast Trueshot Aura
TranquilizeQuote:
#showtooltip Multi-shot
/cast Multi-shot
/cast !Auto Shot
/cast !silencing Shot
/cast !Kill Command
/petattack
/run UIErrorsFrame:Clear()
Rapid FireQuote:
#showtooltiip Tranquilizing Shot
/target Shambling Horror
/stopattack
/cast Tranquilizing Shot
Cheers to Donorbashed for most macroes!Quote:
#showtooltip Rapid Fire
/cast Prowl
/cast Rapid Fire
/cast !Kill Command
/cast Rabid
/cast Furious Howl
/cast Serpent Sting
/petattack
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MMs hunters best choice for pet is ferocity pet aka wolf. He's the best because he provides you necessary buffs like Furios Howl and Call of the Wild which increase your attack power a lot.
Talent tree should look like this:
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List of addons I use:
-Bartender
-Addon Control Panel
-Move Anything
-Titan Panel
-Omen
-Recount
-Skada
-xPearl
-Sexy Map
-Deadly Boss Mods
-Class Loot
-Gear Score Lite
-Nice Damage
-Mail Opener
-Swatter
-Auto Flood
Many of these addons have no use in raids, but i placed them if someone is interested.
Okay so, point of editing your interface is to make it cleaner, more enjoyable for your eyes, and fits your needs. I will explain addons one by one in descending particular order.
Omen:
Helps you to monitor your and other peoples threat on target. It's an lightweight addon.
Bartender:
Removes standard blizzart bars and replaces them with more particular ones. It enables you to put as much spells as you need directly on your screen, and gives you easy way to bind the spells to the different keys on the keyboard.
Swatter:
Debugging tool for handling and displaying error messages in a useful way.
Addon Control Panel:
It enables you to turn on/switch off addons whithout logging out to the characters screen. Everything is available from standard menu, all you have to do is to select the addon and do /reload.
Move Anything:
If you're changing some parts of blizzard UI, but not everything, addons may colide eachother. This addon helps you to move any aspect of your interface you want to (Name of the addons says everything).
Deadly Boss Mods:
Unsurpassed raiding addon, warns you about everything what's happening around you durning the encounter. Enables you the bars with cooldown of bosses abilities.
Mail Opener:
If you're working a lot with auction house, you may need this addon. Helps you to keep your mailbox clean, by automaticly picking up every attachment to your mail. Saves a lot of time.
xPearl:
Raiding frames that suit my needs. Nice and clean addon.
Recount:
Everybody loves to see their DPS, and total amount of DPS within a raid, also gives you a look into other things like dispells, damage taken, damage done etc.
Skada:
Reason I use skada together with Recount is that Skada gives you a better image about heals and absorbs. I like to know everything what's happening around me all the time, so i can track DPS and Heals in the same time.
Titan Panel:
Puts all of the information you need to know on the top of your screen. Looks similar to Windows start screen.
Auto Flood:
Floods the global chanel with the message you want to. Saves your time and keyboard ^^
Sexy Map:
Changes the look of your map, lovely thing.
Gear Score Lite:
Everybody want to know what GS they are, it has no real use but give you some photo about the gear guy has without inspecting him.
Here's all addons packed together: http://www.sendspace.com/file/1aundk
I suggest you download DBM from this link: http://www.curse.com/addons/wow/deadly-boss-mods/447605
Thanks for reading, I hope I helped you.
My character has been wiped together with whole server, I changed the class I play but I will keep it updated as much as I can!
Dedicated to my friends and Second World
Cheers!
