Hunter - Survival

Updated for 3.3

Purpose

A Survival hunter provides ranged DPS and redirects threat with Misdirection∞. She also provides the raid with Replenishment∞ through Hunting Party∞.

Talents

Standard: 0/15/52∞ (Covers all core talents which should be used in all but exceptional cases, leaving 4 spare points to adjust to individual circumstances) *
Low crit rating: 0/16/53∞ (Additional points in Go for the Throat∞ and Hunting Party∞ to compensate for hunters with low crit rating, 2 spare points)
Low hit rating: 0/16-18/52∞ (Additional points in Focused Aim∞ to compensate for hunters with low hit rating, 3-1 spare points)

* Under normal circumstances the spare points are distributed over Improved Aspect of the Hawk∞, Resourcefulness∞ and/or Improved Stings∞

Pet talents: 16 points Ferocity∞ (In raids a Ferocity∞ pet should be used. In most cases a pet of the Wolf∞ family is most effective.)

Ability Rotation

Aspects:

• Aspect of the Dragonhawk∞ (The primary DPS aspect of the hunter)
• Aspect of the Viper∞ (Switch to this aspect when you are about to run out of mana (10-20%) until you have regained sufficient mana to finish the fight. Switch back to Aspect of the Dragonhawk∞ at that point.

The Survival Hunter uses a priority rotation. The hunter uses abilities as soon as they become available, and not in any specific order. If the hunter has a choice between two or more abilities, she should use the abilities with the following priority:

1. Kill Shot∞ (if available)
2. Explosive Shot∞
3. Black Arrow∞
4. Serpent Sting∞ (if it has expired)
5. Aimed Shot∞
6. Steady Shot∞

The priority rotation of the survival hunter changes when Lock and Load∞ procs. When this happens the hunter may use three Explosive Shots∞ without triggering the cooldown. In this situation the hunter should use the following rotation:

Explosive Shot∞ > Wait 0,5 seconds > Explosive Shot∞ > Wait 0,5 seconds > Explosive Shot∞ > Resume normal priority rotation

If the hunter uses Explosive Shots∞ back-to-back without the pause she lose out on the additional DoT of the ability but if the pause is too long she will push off the next Explosive Shot∞. The length of the pause is affected by lag and travel time of the projectile. An acceptable alternative to this rotation is to use availible instant abilities in-between the Explosive Shots∞.

Key Cooldowns

• Kill Command∞ (use whenever off cooldown)
• Rapid Fire∞ (use while in Aspect of the Viper∞ to increase mana regeneration)
• Call of the Wild∞

Key Stats

Stats are listed in order of value per point of item budget. All these stats are useful, but look for gear with more stats from the top of the list.

1. Hit Rating (up to a cap of 8% or 263 Hit Rating)
2. Agility
3. Attack Power
4. Armor Penetration (the value of a single point of Armor Penetration increases as the total amount increases)
5. Critical Strike Rating
6. Haste (up to a cap of 16% or 523 Haste, this is will bring the cast time of Steady Shot∞ to 1,5 seconds)
7. Intellect
8. Stamina

Recommended Glyphs

Major glyphs:

• Glyph of Explosive Shot∞ *
• Glyph of Serpent Sting∞
• Glyph of Kill Shot∞

Minor glyphs:

• Glyph of Feign Death∞
• Glyph of Mend Pet∞
• Glyph of Revive Pet∞

* At high levels of Armor Penetration Glyph of Steady Shot∞ starts to outperfom Glyph of Explosive Shot∞ due to the latter shot not benefitting from the stat.

Recommended Enchants

Enchants are listed from best and most expensive to least expensive. If you have a crafting profession, you may have access to crafter-only enchants which are better than these recommendations.

• Head: Arcanum of Torment∞
• Shoulders: Greater Inscription of the Axe∞ or Lesser Inscription of the Axe∞
• Cloak: Major Agility∞ or Superior Agility∞
• Chest: Powerful Stats∞ or Super Stats∞
• Bracers: Greater Assault∞ or Striking∞
• Hands: Crusher∞ or Major Agility∞
• Belt: Eternal Belt Buckle∞
• Legs: Icescale Leg Armor∞ or Nerubian Leg Armor∞
• Feet: Superior Agility∞ or Icewalker∞ (if in need of hit rating) *
• Ranged: Heartseeker Scope∞
• 1H Weapon: Exceptional Agility∞ or Accuracy∞ (if in need of hit rating)
• 2H Weapon: Massacre∞ or Greater Savagery∞

* While not providing a significant amount of DPS Tuskarr's Vitality∞ is often used in raid settings for the speed increase.

Recommended Gems

• Meta socket: Relentless Earthsiege Diamond∞
• Red socket: Delicate∞
• Yellow socket: Deadly∞, Glinting∞ or Rigid∞ (if in need of hit rating)
• Blue socket: Nightmare tear∞ or Delicate∞
• Prismatic socket: Delicate∞

Recommended Consumables

• Flask: Flask of Endless Rage∞
• Food: Blackened Dragonfin∞
• Pet Food: Spiced Mammoth Treats∞

Additional Tips

• Always make sure to track an enemy type to make use of Improved Tracking∞
• Always make sure to apply a Hunter's Mark∞ to the enemy you're fighting prior to engaging in battle
• In addition to Freezing Trap∞ survial hunters hunters have a short time CC in Wyvern Sting∞

Sources and Other Resources

• Elitist Jerks' Hunter Forum∞ (Forum for hunter theorycrafting)
• Hunter DPS Spreadsheet∞ (Excel DPS Spreadsheet by Shandara & Cheeky)
• Female Dwarf∞ (Hunter DPS Spreadsheet adapted for web-browsers)
• Petopia∞ (All-encompassing pet-bible)