3.0.8 PTR Changes
 

This thread is to note any undocumented or under-publicized changes that will impact hunters upon 3.0.8 release.

Example: Aspect of the Beast changed to not double dip in pet AP contribution.

Improved Tracking
 

In addition to no longer requiring active tracking to match the type of the current target, Improved Tracking is no longer restricted to "non-periodic" hunter damage on the PTR. Currently Serpent Sting damage is increased against trackable targets when you have a tracking type enabled.

This should increase the valuation of the talent slightly.

Do you think this is an oversight that might have slipped into the PTR? Did the tooltip wording change by chance?

This indeed would be a small, but nice addition if it is intended.

This has not been specifically addressed and may not be the right place to ask about the theroycrafting of the following but why are we seeing scorpid > cat > devilsaur?

Does anyone have any information on the dmg of Loque? I know they are fixing the dot dmg timer but beyond that is he receiving the 10% for being ferocity now? and is he in line with the rest of ferocity pets?

I would really like to see a BM pet thread only about the pets and their damages because right now I am very confused why Blizzard is allowing a scorpid to dominate all, then a cat then the exotic pets... doesn't make alot of sense to me.

One PTR post reported Loque doing about 100 dps less than cat.

Cat, no hunter:
171,472 (571.57dps) damage over 5 minutes, 101,942 Melee, 34,750 Claw, 12,424 Rake, 22,356 Rake (DoT)
163,907 (546.36dps) damage over 5 minutes, 91,748 Melee, 34,847 Claw, 14,859 Rake, 22,453 Rake (DoT)
161,690 (538.97dps) damage over 5 minutes, 94,983 Melee, 34,573 Claw, 13,041 Rake, 19,093 Rake (DoT)
169,561 (565.20dps) damage over 5 minutes, 98,133 Melee, 35,672 Claw, 14,278 Rake, 21,478 Rake (DoT)
169,816 (566.05dps) damage over 5 minutes, 96,930 Melee, 37,716 Claw, 13,535 Rake, 21,635 Rake (DoT)
Cat Average:
167,289.2 (557.63dps) damage over 5 minutes, 96,747.2 Melee, 35,511.6 Claw, 13,627.4 Rake, 21,403 Rake (DoT)

Devilsaur, no hunter:
154,934 (516.45dps) damage over 5 minutes, 103,211 Melee, 37,222 Bite, 14,501 Monstrous Bite
142,299 (474.33dps) damage over 5 minutes, 93,902 Melee, 35,895 Bite, 12,502 Monstrous Bite (Rabid didn't go off)
125,203 (417.34dps) damage over 5 minutes, 83,939 Melee, 29,828 Bite, 11,436 Monstrous Bite
142,107 (473.69dps) damage over 5 minutes, 94,322 Melee, 35,922 Bite, 11,863 Monstrous Bite
131,144 (437.15dps) damage over 5 minutes, 84,523 Melee, 34,580 Bite, 12,041 Monstrous Bite
Devilsaur Average:
139,137.4 (463.79dps) damage over 5 minutes, 91,979.4 Melee, 34,689.4 Bite, 12,468.6 Monstrous Bite

Spirit Beast, no hunter:
131,079 (436.93dps) damage over 5 minutes, 72,765 Melee, 30,960 Claw, 27,354 Spirit Strike
131,086 (436.95dps) damage over 5 minutes, 73,030 Melee, 30,660 Claw, 27,396 Spirit Strike
133,733 (445.78dps) damage over 5 minutes, 76,717 Melee, 30,366 Claw, 26,650 Spirit Strike
143,261 (477.54dps) damage over 5 minutes, 79,945 Melee, 34,293 Claw, 29,023 Spirit Strike
128,528 (528.43dps) damage over 5 minutes, 73,003 Melee, 28,850 Claw, 26,675 Spirit Strike
Spirit Beast Average:
133,537.4 (445.12dps) damage over 5 minutes, 75,092 Melee, 31,025.8 Claw, 27,419.6 Spirit Strike


Source: PTR

Thank you for this information. Has there been reports on the effects on the scorpid as well, as far as you know?

Current tooltip: "Increases all non-periodic damage done to targets that are being tracked x%."

PTR tooltip: "While tracking Beasts, Demons, Dragonkin, Elementals, Giants, Humanoids and Undead, all ranged damage done to those types is increased by x%."

The PTR tooltip removed any reference to non-periodic damage, which is the reason I thought to test it in the first place -- "all ranged damage" was vague wording. Seems intended for now, but of course anything can be reverted on the PTR if they decide to change their minds for whatever reason.

It's not inconceivable that it's an intentional change. It seems clear that one of Blizzard's goals with the current round of nerfs is to reduce the proportion of DPS done by the pet, and only slightly reduce MM DPS while buffing SV DPS. The change to Imp.Tracking buffs both MM and SV DPS by a reasonable amount (remember that ES counts as a DoT), and is yet another change that mitigates the net effect of the Steady nerf.

Glyph of Mend Pet: Now gives +20 Happiness per tick in addition to the 20 on initial application.

ooo wow I like this one. Thank you for the info on that one. Does anyone have any numbers from the PTR on the state of scorpids in 3.0.8?

I did 5 minute tests for each pet spamming Steady Shot with Hawk up (and switching to Viper to FM when needed) on the 83 dummy (for GFTT/Cobra procs) and this is what I had:

Scorpid: 770, Cat: 685, Devilsaur: 640, Spirit Beast: 555

It basically matches up the same as pre-nerfs. They barely touched the Scorpid and Cat at all and Scorpid is still by far the best pet. However, I'm told that the Spirit Beast scales ridiculously well with full raid buffs now and that in a raid situation it should be a top contending pet, but I'm unable to test that.

GCD stuff:

Aspects are back on the regular GCD. I hope that's a bug.

Bestial Wrath is now off the GCD.

Any chance of Scorpid Poison stacking like how Serpent Sting does for hunters?

I find it ridiculous that a tank pet can still do so much damage. If they would at least let multiple hunters bring the same pet it wouldn't be such a downer to a min-maxer like me.

Glyph of mend pet seems to be a bug, I'm sure it's not intended. About pet specials, anyone know how they scale? Looking at Rake vs Spirit strike seems like they need to scale differently or spirit strike will always be ahead.

It is so frustrating to see that blizzard is not able to bring those in line with another. What the hell is so difficult about that? I would like to use my spirit beast, it is just retarded.

Edit: Does anybody know if the bug of [Cryptfiend's Bite] has been fixed on ptr?