Survival Hunter
Up close and dangerous.
WoW Forever's melee hunter: Raptor Strike, Mongoose Bite, the new Strider Kick and Lacerating Strikes, mixed with shots between swings.
Three things to remember
Melee weaving
Survival fights in melee: Raptor Strike, Strider Kick and Mongoose Bite, with stings and shots between.
Mark first
Expose Prey: hits on your Hunter's Mark target can open Mongoose Bite.
Lacerating Strikes at 40
Your 31-point talent: Mongoose Bite adds a 21-sec bleed.
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.
Strider Kick
A new strike for full weapon damage that also gives you 30% run speed for 3 sec.
Lacerate
A new bleed for melee hunters.
Predator's Edge and Resourcefulness
Bigger melee crits, a stronger off-hand, and much cheaper melee and traps.
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.
- Use a big two-hander or two one-handers as well as your bow.
- Take Savage Strikes and Survivalist.
- Wing Clip runners, then shoot them.
- Take Surefooted, Counterattack and Predator's Edge.
- Aimed Shot (20) to open, then fight in melee.
- Traps: Immolation for damage, Freezing for a second mob.
- Take Strider Kick, Expose Prey and Resourcefulness.
- Lacerating Strikes (31-point) makes Mongoose Bite bleed.
- Lightning Reflexes for more Agility.
Your priority
The melee order the WoW Forever simulator uses for Survival.
- Hunter's Mark before the pull (it feeds Expose Prey).
- Rapid Fire at the start; it speeds up melee too.
- Raptor Strike on cooldown.
- Strider Kick on cooldown.
- Mongoose Bite whenever it lights up.
- Immolation Trap when it is ready.
- Serpent Sting and Arcane Shot between melee swings.
Talents that matter
| Talent | Tree | Why take it |
|---|---|---|
| Savage Strikes | Survival | +2% crit on all melee abilities. |
| Survivalist | Survival | +2% health. |
| Entrapment | Survival | Traps root enemies. |
| Surefooted | Survival | +1% hit. |
| Counterattack | Survival | A strike after you parry. |
| Predator's Edge | Survival | Bigger melee crits and a stronger off-hand. |
| Resourcefulness | Survival | Cheaper melee and traps, mana after crits. |
| Expose Prey | Survival | More Mongoose Bites on your Hunter's Mark target. |
| Strider Kick | Survival | A strike and a speed boost. |
| Lightning Reflexes | Survival | More Agility. |
| Lacerating Strikes | Survival (31) | Mongoose Bite bleeds. |
Best race for this spec
Artisan's Precision gives +1% hit, so fewer misses on every attack on every shot and strike, plus +5% damage to Beasts.
Blood Fury for your burst and Command for your pet.
| 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
Agility on everything
Your melee and your shots both use Agility. Pick it first.
Pet still helps
Keep a pet out while levelling; it shares the damage you take.
Traps cost little
With Resourcefulness, traps and melee cost 30% less mana. Use them every pull.
Mark every target
Expose Prey only works on your Hunter's Mark target.
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. |
| Mongoose Bite never lights up | It opens after a dodge, or (Expose Prey) after hits on your Hunter's Mark target. |
| Taking too much damage in melee | Use Deterrence and a trap, and let the pet tank on hard pulls. |
Let Bonkr Compass+ call your buttons
Compass+ shows your next button, melee or ranged, and follows your stings and Hunter's Mark from your casts. Type /cplus why to see why it picked a spell.