Neruse

Yep, the wristwraps are the best bracers unless you need hit, then Insidious Bands are the best.

 

Cranch

Actually, the [Gronnstalker's Bracers] are the best in game for hunters.

 

Stinkerbelle

Can't find an apt thread to repost this now that the 2.4 PTR thread is locked, so I'll toss it up here now that it's been live for a while.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I was mildly disappointed to find no hunter version of the four new trinkets that drop in heroic Magister's Terrace.

But the unusual on-use property on the healer version got me wondering if hunters might not be able to make (ab)use of it in arena.

Does anyone know a hunter who's rolled on this to see if mend pet counts as a charge? I'm curious enough to roll on one once I get into a group with a healer who has it. But would rather save myself the loot-ninja rep if it's already beeen tested.

Item link: [Vial of the Sunwell]

 

Kamaa

If you take it, do it for the MP5. A 2k heal every 2 minutes (which would require you to cast mend pet 20x every 2 minutes) is hardly better than the 75 badge trinket with a 3 minute cooldown. The only way it's remotely viable is if it procs per tick, but it doesn't do that with druid hots so I see no reason for it to work differently for us.

My advice? Take the void crystals if a healer doesn't want it.

Omegatron has arrived.

 

Reebz

If you re-read Stinkerbelle's post, he/she is directly referring to Arena use.

It then becomes viable in an Arena environment, as you can quickly spam Mend Pet and build charges in the mana free, pre-game time.

That being said, it's a big sacrifice dropping Mark of the Alliance/Horde or DPS trinket.

I can only imagine this being sought after for a DPS/DPS arena combo. Fairly limited use if you're running with any kind of healer.

Anyway, this is now getting largely off topic and should probably be discussed in the PvP forum, even though it is PvE loot, as there may be issues with it not proccing in pre-game time.

 

Rifeus

Bindings of Lightning Reflexes, did you check those out?

 

Reebz

I think it's generally accepted that, whilst we don't avoid haste completely, you don't stack it.

That being said, where there are similar types of gear that are hasteless, they're probably the better option, leaving you with more flexibilty should you require an upgrade that is unavoidably haste-laden.

Personally, I'd probably stick with Celestial Archer until I found something nicer from Hyjal/BT rather than spending a bunch of gold crafting those.

 

gwaust

First time posting-

The most likely progression most hunters will take for bracers are:

Celestial Bands (TK trash) -> Wraps Precise Flight (BT) -> Bracers Pathfind (Hyjal) -> Gronnstalkers (Sunwell)

I personally have taken this route and have been very satisfied with each of their performance. I am currently using the Bracers of the Pathfinder and am looking forward to the Gronnstalkers. I'm a little dissapointed at the hit loss on the T6 bracers but I cant cry too much since they are still fabulous.

A few post above mine someone was asking about the Belt of the Black Eagle...now this is just my opinion...but I actively discourage most hunters from making/taking that belt and in turn I promote the Belt of Deep Shadow. Sure you dont get the Int. but I feel the massive Agi. and the +hit make is quite a bit more worthwile. I am currently working on Kalecgos and am still using the Deep Shadow since I have not had a chance to pick up the Boneweave Girdle (hasnt dropped). I am about to regem my Deep Shadow for 2 +10 hit gems since my switch from T5 to T6 has dropped my hit to about 99 or so.

I havent set up any of my info so if your interested in my set up please feel free to take a look and ask questions or post comments

Teron WWS
Wow Web Stats

Armory
The World of Warcraft Armory

 

Bikiniwax

How are Bracers of the Pathfinder better than Precise Flight?

 

Varon

Greetings!

This is my first posting here on EJ...but i've been reading alot before

I'm playing a Hunter since release and tried out alot of speccs...for the last 1/2 year I chose to play as Survival Hunter.

Currently I'm specced this way:
7/21/33 - Hybrid Survival

And this is my Armory Link:
Armory Link

If there's the Rift-Stalkers Hauberk and the Riding Crop equipped change them with:
[Ranger-General's Chestguard] -> 8 Agi / 4Hit 4 Agi / 4 Agi 6Stam / +6 All Stats and [Hourglass of the Unraveller] because thats what I use while raiding...

I use a castsequence macro (20ms latency because of cable internet) with Auto/Steady and Arcane woven in!

During raids I find myself at positions 1-6 in the damage meters (depending on the encounters).
In my guild hunters don't get the love they should get...I'm lucky to get the feral druid...but theres no shaman who would set the agility totem for me and my fellow marks hunter...usually im stuck with mages and warlocks ^^

Buffed with Major Agility and Warp Burger + Raid Buffs available to me I reach ~1060 Agility.

During the last days I looked through some postings here that (again) made me think about my item choice and how I could improve myself beyond my current stats.

In addition to my equipped items i have several other items in my bank to choose of, which are:

[Twinblade of the Phoenix] -> 3x 8Agi + 35 Agi enchant
[Quickstrider Moccasins] -> 8Agi / 4Hit 4Agi
[Star-Strider Boots] -> 8Agi / 4Agi 6Stam
[Bloodlust Brooch]
[Rift Stalker Hauberk] -> 4Agi 6Stam / 2x 4Hit 4Agi / +6 All Stats
[Void Reaver Greaves] -> 8Agi / 4Hit 4 Agi / 4Agi 6Stam
[Saberclaw Talisman]
[Necklace of the Deep] -> 2x 8 Agi

Because of my guilds current raidprogress (SSC clear, TK clear, Hyal 4/5 (Archimonde @ 40%), BT 3/9 (Gorefiend @ 10%)) there are several Items that I could get (and take) if they would drop:

[Bow-stitched Leggings]
[Halberd of Desolation]
[Gronnstalker's Gloves]
If Archimonde is killed and it drops: [Bristleblitz Striker]

I also plan to get the new Sunwell Badge Reward Ring and if needed the Crossbow (depends on the Archomonde kill and the dropluck I have ^^)!

Sadly we don't do Vashj and Kael anymore...so [Telonicus's Pendant of Mayhem], [Thalassian Wildercloak], [Serpent Spine Longbow] and T5 Head are currently out of reach!
Concerning epic gems: they are only available for "endgame" items without a soon available upgrade!


It would be nice if you could give me some advice and share your ideas with me regarding the changes I could make to my Items, Gems and my Specc.

Thanks a lot


PS: I'm aware that I still use Drake Fang Talisman, but if I switch it with Bloodlust Brooch I fall under the hitcap...Halberd would rule that out! :/

 

Sir_wimelef

hi, all

i was reading this post for a long time and i folow som tips from here but few days ago i got an uportunity to try all of them in a serius (and new) encounter with brutallus.I have this equip and i use a haste pot and drum every 2 mins but my dps ins't good enougth and i dont know what else i can do...



some repots Wow Web Stats
the raid leder make me disable the lb from wind serpent because "take dps from the elemental chami"
and i have some other equip thet i can use

 

Jerem

Varon :
A pretty good comparison between the two craftable belts (Black Eagle / Deep Shadows) was given 2 posts above yours.
You mention having troubles reaching the hit cap, while looking for a maximized AGI setup ? Then Deep Shadows is better than Black Eagle.
The +hit provided might even allow you to switch more than just Brooch <> DFT, for instance a "pure" DPS neck instead of Worgen's Claw, and the socketing bonus on Deep Shoadows might allow you to still meet your meta-gem's requirements, while actually re-socketting for more Red (maybe on your chest, I didn't look into it in details).

Still on a "craftable items" point of view, in any Survival setup I tried myself, Vengeance Wrap has always given better results than Blood Knight's (better personal DPS, for a little lower EW AP boost, but all in all, better results).

Also, depending on the encounters, and assuming you don't need the T5 first bonus for your pet, Void Reaver's Greaves (3x 8 AGI) might give a slightly better personal and raid DPS than T5 pants.

The upgrades you mention as "available soon" are the ones I would aim for in your position, with probably a preference for Azgalor's legs.
You might also want to consider Supremus' crossbow, to replace Malchezaar's bow.

 

ohrion

[Vengeful Gladiator's Chain Helm] +12 HR -2 agi
[Belt of Deep Shadow] +18 HR -17 CR, +15 agi
[Gronnstalker's Gloves] just plain upgrade
[Drape of the Dark Reavers] +17HR, -14AP, +1 agi, better than what you're wearing if you need hit

The S3 helm is a big one and pretty easy to get if you don't have it already.
T6 gloves shouldn't take too much work either.
Belt of Deep Shadow may be a bit more than you're willing to do at this point, especially if there's a chance you'll get [Don Alejandro's Money Belt] in the near future.
Drape of Dark Reavers means spending some time in Kara but it will give you more flexibility on the rest of your gear at a small loss of AP.

 

emblaz0n

Hey guys,
if i replace my sonic spear with the blade of the harbingers and continue using sunfury bow of the phoenix, instead of replacing sunfury bow of the phoenix with crossbow of relentless strikes, will my damage output be lower than doing the latter? I simulated both cases using warcrafter and saw that my tooltip dps was 397 when i used the blade of harbingers. it was 395 when i changed sunfury for xbow of relentless strikes. Please help me!!!

I <3 the item model of sunfury bow of the phoenix

I currently have 1.7k AP, ~25% crit
will get to 1.8k AP, ~28% crit real soon

 

Namarus

I picked one up for disenchanting, and then decided to keep it. It does proc of mend pet, and you can use the effect to heal yourself or your pet for an extra 2k.

Pretty nifty for farming I thought with the reduction in mana regen that extra mp5 is nice. The charges stay and build up until you die. Also you can remove the trinket and put others on and the charges stay, however, you can't use the trinket's effect until you equip it again.

 

Varon

Thank you for your posts!
Feel free to continue giving me advice, it's nice to learn something new and get better every day!

So if I switch to Belt of Deep Shadows with 2x 8 Agi it would give me +15 Agility and +18 Hitrating compared to Black Eagle. I'll loose ~0,3% Crit and 23 Int...and if I would switch Drake Fang with Bloodlust I would still loose 2 Hitrating...

To get [Vengeful Gladiator's Chain Helm] I need another 800 Arena Points...sadly I can't get any good PVP Team...so that will take it's time, but I'll work on it because this seems to be a big upgrade!

Regarding [Don Alejandro's Money Belt]: there would be 3 Rogues waiting outside MH to kill me if I'd take that Belt ^_^

If the T6 GloveToken drops the next time, i'll get it...but I remember that there are Gloves coming with the Sunwell Badge Vendor which seem to be nearly identical to the T6 Gloves except the Armor Ignore...

[Drape of the Dark Reavers] would be nice...but in the last 20 Kara runs this Cape never dropped once... :/ Who knows...run 21 could be the lucky one ^^

Jerem, you said if I chose to socket 2x 4Agi 6Stam in Deep Shadows I could resocket some other Gems due to the two acquired blue gems. Because of the fact that the Ranger Generals and my Boots have +4 and +3 Agility as Socketbonus I could simply take 2x 8 Agi and it had the same effect I think, because the benefit would be +5 Agi both ways, or am I wrong?

I think the most needed Item right now would be the Najentus Polearm...the +30 Hitrating would make my life so much easier... *sigh*



Soo...any other ideas? Anything else I could change? ^^

 

Bikiniwax

You would be best to plug that into Cheeky's spreadsheet to see if which gives you the bigger bang for your buck, Harbinger+Sunfury or Sonic Spear+Relentless.


Keep in mind that 4xT6 bonus is one of the reasons why T6 is so good.

 

Dinkadoo

I was wondering if there are any tables or formulas to find out how much haste you would need to eliminate the extra steady shots (when it tries to chain 3 in a row) while using the /cast !auto shot /cast steady shot macro for any given weapon.

For instance, i know i only need about 30 haste for the Barrel-Blade Longrifle to eliminate extra steady shots, but i am unsure of how much i would need for a weapon that is slower.

if there is already a post about this please direct me to it. I couldn't find one

 

Naela

I was reading the posts comparing bracers and was surprised to not see [Steadying Bracers] mentioned. I've been a bit confused about the value of armor pen on hunter gear lately though I've tried to collect a few items (S3 axe,helm,badge bracers).

Is it the socket or just the crit rating that makes people prefer the [Master Assassin Wristwraps] over the mail ones?

 

• Nisu

I finally got around to configuring Cheeky's spreadsheet to decide on upgrades paths to spend badges on in 2.4. I'm not sure if armory is displaying my PvE kit, but I'm raid-spec BM with 1700ish AP, 27.4% crit, 98.5% hit (waiting on a drop to cap out), and no haste, with [Wolfslayer Sniper Rifle]. I've seen the [Crossbow of Relentless Strikes] touted as the be-all and end-all hunter PvE weapon, yet plugging it into the spreadsheet (using a 1:1 rotation) gives me less than 20 DPS, while [Gauntlets of Rapidity] grants me about the same increase with half the badge cost - I'm using [Gladiator's Chain Gauntlets] at the moment. The same is true for several other items. Is this right, is the crossbow over hyped or just designed for someone with better gear?

 

Varon

Good question Nisu...
What about [Crossbow of Relentless Strikes] for Survial/MM Hunters? I currently have the Sunfury Bow...and I thought that the new Badge Crossbow was worth getting...or should I wait for Bristleblitz? The speed is the point... 2.8 vs 3.0 :/

So many decisions to make ^^ Life isn't easy :/

 

Reebz

Armour penetration generally uses a lot of iLevels, so you need to be wary of what you're getting.

That being said, it scales fantastically since the more you have the more benefit you recieve.

THAT being said, its only benefit is to your personal DPS thus largely preferred by MM hunters.

BM hunters would rather be stat/RAP heavy to benefit their pets or proccing abilities, whilst Survival hunters obviously crave agility thereby offering the entire raid a dps boost.

 

Tillion

So I've recently achieved the ability to spec survival as a raid build. I understand that generally it requires at least 650 agility unbuffed to provide sufficient utility towards physical dps. With my current gear, and spec'd into lightning reflexes, I have 782 agility. I am not 100% sure but while in a 41/20 BM spec I had roughly 670-680 agility.

Here is a link to my gear to give an idea.
The World of Warcraft Armory

Additionally here is my current spec.

Talent Calculator - World of Warcraft

Now, my question is as follows, the 2 points I have in Improved aspect of the hawk to not seem worth it, nor does putting those 2 points into Master Tactician. Would removing 3 points from effeciency and putting all 5 into IAotH or Master Tactician be worth it? I do have the Shoulders of Lightning Reflexes as well to add to haste rating gear. The shoulders do end up dropping 20agi as well as a small amount of critical strike, but increase my AP slightly. I also have a Dagger of Bad Mojo and Netherbane (both with +20 agi enchants) to equip as well.

Essentially, what are your suggestions for an effective raid survival build and itemization?

Thanks

 

Naela

Thanks Reebz, that cleared it up a bit for me

Since I have 25 hit rating to play around with after getting my T5 gloves, I decided to swap my [Fiend Slayer Boots] for [Sunrage Treads]. These seem like a pretty decent (if not better) alternative to [Star-Strider Boots] which I was surprised about. Also, since I'm hit capped they might even outperform the [Quickstrider Moccasins]. I'm a LW so I can also make myself the [Boots of the Crimson Hawk] but I'm always irritated by items that don't give enough crit rating for 1%.

This brings me to 384 armor pen so I'll play around with crit and armor pen gear to see if I can notice much difference.

What are your opinions on boot progression?

 

Meursault

While somewhat true this is partially incorrect. ArP scales with a BM Hunters' Auto and Steady Shots, ArP scales with a Marks hunters Auto, Steady, and Multi Shots. These 2 shots will amount to maybe ~70% of a Bm hunters' total dps and 100% of their personal dps, and these 3 will net ~80% of an MM hunters' dps (90% personal). Since BM does slightly more personal DPS than an MM hunter, it scales better for them as well, although the opportunity costs of trading significant amounts of AP can be a bit higher as BM. In short, MM may see higher % gains from ArP initially, but BM will get better aggregate gains, and given the exponential function determining damage reduction it's a stat to give serious weight to.

Obviously you'll want to be 1:1 proper or 3:2 and not an arcane priority rotation as BM to get the most of ArP. It is also rather pricey in terms of ilvl budgeting, so you'll want to keep a serious eye on other stats as well.