Marksmanship Hunter
Big shots from far away.
The shooter: Aimed Shot, Trueshot Aura, Mortal Shots, and new WoW Forever talents like Lone Wolf (+20% damage with no pet) and Sniper Shot.
Three things to remember
Pet or Lone Wolf
Lone Wolf gives +20% damage while you have no pet. Pick one style and gear for it.
Stings and kills
Rapid Killing: after a kill (or a death under your Serpent Sting), your next shot does 10% more.
Sniper Shot at 40
Your 31-point talent: a heavy shot that also gives your next 3 shots +10 yards range.
What changed for you
Aimed Shot is for everyone
No longer a talent: every hunter trains it at level 20. 2-sec cast, 6-sec cooldown, shared with Multi-Shot.
Rapid Fire speeds up melee too
40% faster ranged and melee attacks for 15 sec.
Volley has no cooldown
And it hits harder. Your area spell for packs.
Traps every 30 sec
Trap cooldowns went up to 30 sec. Explosive Trap hits harder.
Careful Aim and Lone Wolf
Attack power from 20% of your Intellect, and +20% damage without a pet.
Trueshot Aura is earlier
A tier-4 talent now, no Barrage needed, and it buffs your whole raid's ranged attack power.
Low-level tips and what to press as you level
- Pull with Auto Shot and Serpent Sting, then Raptor Strike when they reach you.
- Keep Aspect of the Monkey up early, Aspect of the Hawk from 10.
- Get your pet at level 10 (quest): it tanks for you while you shoot.
- Level with your pet; Marksmanship talents pay off later.
- Take Lethal Attacks (+1% crit on everything) and Efficiency.
- Hawk Eye gives a little more range.
- Aimed Shot (20) to open every pull.
- Take Careful Aim, Improved Stings and Rapid Killing.
- Decide: keep a pet for levelling, or Lone Wolf for dungeons.
- Take Trueshot Aura, Mortal Shots and Barrage.
- Sniper Shot (31-point) on cooldown.
- Volley (no cooldown now) on big packs.
Your priority
The "turret" order the WoW Forever simulator uses for a shooting hunter.
- Hunter's Mark and Aspect of the Hawk before the pull.
- Rapid Fire at the start of the fight.
- Sniper Shot on cooldown.
- Serpent Sting keep it up; it feeds Rapid Killing and Rapid Recuperation.
- Arcane Shot on cooldown (or Summon Hawk if you took it).
- Aimed Shot on cooldown on one target.
- Multi-Shot instead of Aimed Shot on packs.
Talents that matter
| Talent | Tree | Why take it |
|---|---|---|
| Lethal Attacks | Marksmanship | +1% crit with all attacks. |
| Efficiency | Marksmanship | Cheaper shots and stings. |
| Careful Aim | Marksmanship | Attack power from Intellect. |
| Improved Stings | Marksmanship | Stronger Serpent Sting. |
| Rapid Killing | Marksmanship | Shorter Rapid Fire, and stronger shots after kills. |
| Lone Wolf | Marksmanship | +20% damage with no pet. |
| Trueshot Aura | Marksmanship | Raid-wide ranged attack power. |
| Mortal Shots | Marksmanship | Bigger shot crits. |
| Rapid Recuperation | Marksmanship | Mana while casting after Serpent Sting hits. |
| Barrage | Marksmanship | +5% Multi-Shot, Aimed Shot and Volley. |
| Sniper Shot | Marksmanship (31) | A heavy shot and extra range. |
Best race for this spec
Artisan's Precision gives +1% hit, so fewer misses on every attack on every shot, plus +5% damage to Beasts.
Blood Fury and Command. Troll (15 sec of Berserking) is the close second.
| Race | Side | Racials |
|---|---|---|
| Human | Alliance | Ruthless: +1% crit. The Human Spirit: +10% Spirit. Will to Survive: break out of a stun. Perception: spot stealthed players. |
| Dwarf | Alliance | Artisan's Precision: +1% hit with attacks and spells. Stoneform: removes bleeds, poisons and diseases and cuts physical damage taken by 10% for 8 sec. Big Game Hunter: +5% damage to Beasts. |
| Night Elf | Alliance | Elune's Light: +10% crit for 15 sec. Shadowmeld: hide when standing still. Quickness: +1% dodge and a little extra run speed. |
| Skyborne (High Order) | Alliance | Wind Blessed: +2% attack and casting speed. Elemental Insight: +5% damage to Elementals. Walk on Air. Read Leyline: +50% mana and health regeneration for 15 sec (+100% while Attuned from a Ley Line; Attuned ends when you enter a raid). Paid race. |
| Orc | Horde | Blood Fury: +10% attack power and spell power for 15 sec, every 2 minutes. Command: +5% damage for Hunter and Warlock pets. Shatter Curse: 5% less magic damage taken for 8 sec. |
| Tauren | Horde | Endurance: +5% health. War Stomp: stun nearby enemies. Plainsrunning: run speed that builds while you run (2% a stack, up to 60%; not on mounts). |
| Troll | Horde | Berserking: faster attacks and casts for 15 sec. Beast Slaying: +5% damage to Beasts. |
| Skyborne (Windshaper) | Horde | Wind Blessed: +2% attack and casting speed. Elemental Insight: +5% damage to Elementals. Walk on Air. Skysight: +15% run speed for 15 sec (+30% while Charged from an elemental convergence; Charged ends when you enter a raid). Paid race. |
These are small edges, about 1 to 2 percent. Play the race you enjoy and the side your friends are on. Skyborne needs the paid Skyborne Heroic Pack.
Play it better
Lone Wolf in raids
Pets die to boss cleave. +20% damage with no pet is often the better raid choice.
Stay at range
You cannot shoot inside 8 yards. Step back before you shoot.
Aimed Shot or Multi-Shot
They share a cooldown: Aimed for one target, Multi for two or more.
Watch threat
Rapid Fire and crits pull threat fast. Feign Death if the boss turns.
When something seems off
| What you see | What to do |
|---|---|
| My pet keeps dying | Use Mend Pet, take Endurance Training and Spirit Bond, and keep it fed so it stays happy. |
| Out of mana all the time | Take Efficiency, use Aspect of the Hawk, drink between pulls, and stop Arcane Shot on easy mobs. |
| Aimed Shot and Multi-Shot both grey | They share a 6-sec cooldown. |
| Too close to shoot | Ranged shots need at least 8 yards. Use Disengage or step back. |
Let Bonkr Compass+ call your buttons
Compass+ shows your next shot and follows your stings from your casts. Type /cplus why to see why it picked a spell.