Can BM be competitive in progressive raiding?

[Loadsamoney]

I.E can a good BM players DPS compete with a good MM player in a serious raid?

Instead of a Shaman, I'm contemplating a BM Orc Hunter as my alt, using a Spirit Beast as my primary pet, with Leatherworking/Engineering.

[OhieMitzen]

Can't say for certain with lower tier raids. Survival might be more competitive against MM than BM.

[Loadsamoney]

Can't say for certain with lower tier raids. Survival might be more competitive against MM than BM.

Well I'm torn now between Hunter and Shaman as my alt, because I've had plans to make an Enhancement Shaman alt for a while now, but everyone I've talked to says "If you're not going Resto, don't play Shaman", as if both Enhancement and Elemental suck at DPS. That is a downer as far as drive to play the class, whether it's true or not, and I don't want to be stuck with something that can't ever get into raids because of class/spec bias.

So I'm looking at Hunter instead, and I'm okay learning MM if BM isn't competitive enough to be welcome in a serious raiding guild. I just need to know that MM is a good spec for leveling too, and doesn't lag behind BM in terms of leveling efficiency.

Of course, if BM can be competitive in a high-level raiding guild, I'm all for learning it, but I'm open to learning MM for optimal play if not, as long as I can level up as MM too, to learn the class/rotation prior to hitting 80.

[cebolenkosi]

Yes it can. BM hunter is a viable spec in high end raiding. Is it an optimal spec like MM? No. But it can certainly pull good dps but will never out perform a competent MM hunter. I personally raid as a BM hunter and don't have much of an issue with doing good dps but I've played the hunter for several years now so I've learnt and gained quite a bit of experience. The biggest challenge you'll face is getting invited to raids as BM hunter even though its 2022 there's still this perception of if you don't play whats optimal or the spec that does the most damage you're a noob or won't get invited even if you have ICC HC achievements. But there are a handful of people who play BM at high end level usually these guys got bored with MM so decided to try something new a few even roll survival hunter which is also viable. I suggest you join a guild and keep an MM spec if people complain.

[Black2ck]

Enh is a very challenging spec and most players don't know how to play and gear it properly. That's why inexperienced players come often to the false conclusion that enh is not viable for raiding. In fact a good enh is able to be in the top 5 in a 25 hc raid.
A serious raiding guild will take a good enh shami player as they know of their potential.

BM is only viable in lower tier raids. It has poor gear scaling and falls in end game content far behind.

In short. Enh is viable for serious raiding. BM is only viable in early raids but not in end game content.

[cebolenkosi]

But dude it is viable at high end raiding I and a few others play the spec in ICC every week and I do pretty well with the spec but I always point out that it will never beat a beat a MM hunters dps. If someone can't do good dps in BM they just don't know how to play the spec at all. I personally do make sure to have my own food buffs, flasks and potion of speed make sure to have the best professions to squeeze that bit of extra dps since I play a sub-optimal spec.

[Black2ck]

Well, maybe you are right that it's possible to make bm viable but I think a enh has still more value for the raid and a higher chance to get invited.
So if you have to choose between those two underdogs I think enh is the safer option.

[hezente]

In terms of dps it's MM>SV>Bm.
This will never change.
I've seen bis BM hunters pull about 16-17k on fested 25hc while i pull 20k+. (Guild raids yes)
When it comes to movement a SV hunter can shine over a (not so good) MM easily but a BM will never have a ability to come this far.
So no, BM isn't in able to compete with a MM who's the same level as skill as they are.
However! (:
If you know what you do a (regular) guild doesn't really care about dps aslong as you execute the tactics correctly.

Btw, survival is alot of fun to play.
Might wanna consider taking it as os since it requires pretty much the same gear and gems etc.

[enerbe]

In terms of dps it's MM>SV>Bm.
This will never change.
I've seen bis BM hunters pull about 16-17k on fested 25hc while i pull 20k+. (Guild raids yes)
When it comes to movement a SV hunter can shine over a (not so good) MM easily but a BM will never have a ability to come this far.
So no, BM isn't in able to compete with a MM who's the same level as skill as they are.
However! (:
If you know what you do a (regular) guild doesn't really care about dps aslong as you execute the tactics correctly.

Btw, survival is alot of fun to play.
Might wanna consider taking it as os since it requires pretty much the same gear and gems etc.

^i agree

mm is superior to other specs coz of dmg, therefore better misdirection. id love to play bm hunter but its just trashy compared to other specs