Hunter Class Guide
Comprehensive guide for Hunter class in World of Warcraft: The War Within (Season 1, Patch 11.0).
Class Overview
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| Role | Ranged DPS |
| Armor Type | |
| Resource | Focus |
| Specializations | Beast Mastery, Marksmanship, Survival |
| Best for M+ | Beast Mastery / Survival |
| Best for Raid | Marksmanship / Beast Mastery |
- Beast Mastery
- Marksmanship
- Survival
Beast Mastery Hunter
Beast Mastery is the most mobile Hunter specialization, allowing you to cast all abilities while moving. Excels at sustained single-target and cleave damage with strong pet management.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:
- 100% mobility - all abilities castable while moving
- Strong sustained single-target damage
- Excellent cleave with Beast Cleave
- Great for learning encounters
- Pet utility and damage
Weaknesses:
- Lower burst damage compared to other specs
- Pet management required
- Limited AoE burst options
Priority Rotation
Single Target
Priority | Ability | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Barbed Shot | To maintain Frenzy buff on pet (3 stacks) |
| 2 | Kill Command | On cooldown |
| 3 | Cobra Shot | To dump excess Focus (>90) |
| 4 | Barbed Shot | If charges will overcap |
| 5 | Cobra Shot | As filler |
AoE / Cleave (3+ targets)
Priority | Ability | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multi-Shot | To apply Beast Cleave buff |
| 2 | Barbed Shot | To maintain Frenzy buff |
| 3 | Kill Command | On cooldown |
| 4 | Multi-Shot | To maintain Beast Cleave |
| 5 | Cobra Shot | As filler |
Cooldown Usage
Cooldown | Usage |
|---|---|
| Bestial Wrath | Use on cooldown for maximum uptime |
| Aspect of the Wild | Stack with Bestial Wrath when possible |
| Call of the Wild | Use with Bestial Wrath + Aspect of the Wild |
| Bloodshed | Use during Bestial Wrath window |
Best in Slot Gear (Mythic)
Mythic Best in Slot
Slot ↕ | Item ↕ | Item Level ↕ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Entangled Thorns Hood | 639 | |
| Neck | Choker of Troubled Waters | 639 | |
| Shoulder | Entangled Thorns Spaulders | 639 | |
| Back | Void Reaper's Warp Walkers | 639 | |
| Chest | Entangled Thorns Hauberk | 639 | |
| Wrist | Polluted Spectre's Wraps | 639 | |
| Hands | Entangled Thorns Grips | 639 | |
| Waist | Girdle of Somber Ploys | 639 | |
| Legs | Entangled Thorns Legguards | 639 | |
| Feet | Lightless Scavenger's Bonewraps | 639 | |
| Finger | Seal of the Poisoned Pact | 639 | |
| Finger | Locket of Broken Memories | 639 | |
| Trinket | Skyterror's Corrosive Organ | 639 | |
| Trinket | Ovinax's Mercurial Egg | 639 | |
| Ranged | Splintershot Silkbow | 639 |
Stat Priority
- Agility - Primary stat, scales all damage
- Haste (25-30%) - Focus generation and cooldown reduction
- Critical Strike (25-30%) - Increases Barbed Shot damage
- Mastery - Increases pet damage
- Versatility - Flat damage increase
Recommended Pets
Pet Family | Best For |
|---|---|
| Ferocity (Turtle/Scalehide) | General content - 10% leech |
| Tenacity (Bear/Goat) | Mythic+ - AoE threat and survivability |
| Cunning (Fox/Crane) | PvP - Movement speed and utility |
Marksmanship Hunter
Marksmanship is the precision-based Hunter specialization focused on powerful aimed shots and burst damage windows. Excels in coordinated burst and execute phases.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:
- Highest burst damage among Hunter specs
- Strong execute phase with Bullseye
- Excellent in coordinated burst windows
- Long-range advantage
- No pet dependency (Lone Wolf)
Weaknesses:
- Requires planning for burst windows
- Cast times reduce mobility
- Vulnerability during Aimed Shot casts
- Lower sustained damage outside cooldowns
Priority Rotation
Single Target
Priority | Ability | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aimed Shot | With Trick Shots buff active (2+ targets) |
| 2 | Kill Shot | Target below 20% HP |
| 3 | Rapid Fire | On cooldown |
| 4 | Aimed Shot | With Precise Shots buff OR at 2 charges |
| 5 | Arcane Shot | To spend Focus or generate Precise Shots |
| 6 | Steady Shot | As filler |
AoE / Cleave (3+ targets)
Priority | Ability | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Volley | On cooldown (if talented) |
| 2 | Rapid Fire | On cooldown |
| 3 | Aimed Shot | With Trick Shots active |
| 4 | Multi-Shot | To maintain Trick Shots buff |
| 5 | Steady Shot | As filler |
Cooldown Usage
Cooldown | Usage |
|---|---|
| Trueshot | Use on cooldown, stack with other CDs for burst |
| Salvo | Use with Trueshot for burst AoE windows |
| Rapid Fire | Use on cooldown, preferably during Trueshot |
| Wailing Arrow | Use during Trueshot with multiple targets |
Best in Slot Gear (Mythic)
Mythic Best in Slot (Preview)
Slot ↕ | Item ↕ | Item Level ↕ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Entangled Thorns Hood | 639 | |
| Ranged | Splintershot Silkbow | 639 |
info
Full Marksmanship BiS list follows same gear as Beast Mastery with slight stat priority differences. See Beast Mastery tab for complete list.
Stat Priority
- Agility - Primary stat
- Critical Strike (30-35%) - Amplifies burst damage
- Haste (20-25%) - Reduces cast times and cooldowns
- Mastery - Increases ranged damage
- Versatility - Flat damage increase
Survival Hunter
Survival is the melee Hunter specialization focused on bleeding effects, traps, and tactical gameplay. Excels in Mythic+ with strong AoE burst and sustained damage.
Strengths & Weaknesses
Strengths:
- Excellent sustained AoE and cleave
- Strong utility with traps and crowd control
- High mobility with melee range
- Great self-healing with Exhilaration
- Best Mythic+ Hunter spec
Weaknesses:
- Melee range increases danger
- Complex rotation with DoT tracking
- Lower burst compared to ranged specs
- Requires target swapping management
Priority Rotation
Single Target
Priority | Ability | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kill Command | On cooldown |
| 2 | Wildfire Bomb | On cooldown |
| 3 | Raptor Strike | With Mongoose Bite buff OR at 5+ Focus |
| 4 | Serpent Sting | If not active on target |
| 5 | Kill Shot | Target below 20% HP |
| 6 | Raptor Strike | As filler |
AoE / Cleave (3+ targets)
Priority | Ability | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wildfire Bomb | On cooldown |
| 2 | Carve | To apply Serpent Sting to all targets |
| 3 | Kill Command | On cooldown |
| 4 | Butchery | If talented and 3+ stacked targets |
| 5 | Raptor Strike | As filler |
Cooldown Usage
Cooldown | Usage |
|---|---|
| Coordinated Assault | Use on cooldown with burst windows |
| Spearhead | Use on cooldown for sustained damage |
| Wildfire Bomb | On cooldown, prioritize in AoE |
| Explosive Shot | Use during Coordinated Assault if talented |
Best in Slot Gear (Mythic)
Mythic Best in Slot (Preview)
Slot ↕ | Item ↕ | Item Level ↕ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head | Entangled Thorns Hood | 639 | |
| Main Hand | Monstrous Fungal Fang | 639 |
info
Survival shares most gear with other Hunter specs except weapon slot. Full BiS list available - see Beast Mastery tab for Mail armor pieces.
Stat Priority
- Agility - Primary stat
- Haste (25-30%) - Focus generation and DoT ticks
- Critical Strike (20-25%) - Increases burst and bleed damage
- Versatility - Flat damage and survivability
- Mastery - Increases bleed and pet damage
Recommended Pets
Pet Family | Best For |
|---|---|
| Ferocity (Cat/Raptor) | General content - 10% leech |
| Tenacity (Bear/Turtle) | Mythic+ - Tanking and survivability |
General Hunter Tips
Utility Abilities
- Feign Death - Drop combat, avoid mechanics, reset threat
- Misdirection - Threat management for tank
- Freezing Trap - Crowd control (PvP and dungeons)
- Tar Trap - Slow enemies in an area
- Flare - Reveal stealth and invisible enemies
- Aspect of the Cheetah - Group movement speed
Defensive Cooldowns
- Exhilaration - Large instant heal (30% HP)
- Survival of the Fittest - 30% damage reduction for 6 seconds
- Aspect of the Turtle - Immunity to damage for 8 seconds (cannot attack)
Resources
- Icy Veins Hunter Guide
- Wowhead Hunter Overview
- Petopia - Hunter Pet Database
- Raidbots - Sim Your Character
tip
Use Raidbots to simulate your character and determine your personal stat weights and best gear upgrades!