PremiumPremium raises the limits on SimCraft, the log coach and the AI assistant, and removes ads.Get PremiumPremiumPremium raises the limits on SimCraft, the log coach and the AI assistant, and removes ads.Get Premium
TBC Classic Marksmanship Hunter Guide (Phase 3)
by FourenUpdated 8 minutes read views
About the Class
Marksmanship Hunter is a ranged fighter in mail armor. It shoots with a bow, crossbow or gun and fights alongside a pet. It is the weakest of the hunter's three specializations: its talents synergize worse with the class's strengths in TBC. It gives the group 
Trueshot Aura, but in terms of damage and buff value it falls behind Beast Mastery and Survival. The core of the rotation is 
Steady Shot.
Strengths
- Strong utility:
Misdirection and 
Feign Death. - Group buff Trueshot Aura.
- Easy to gear up at the start of the expansion.
- Fast leveling and confident solo play out in the world.
Weaknesses
- The lowest damage and the least sought-after hunter specialization.
- The class is tied to the pet, which you have to keep an eye on constantly.
- The rotation is more complex than that of most classes.
- Weak area and multi-target damage.
- Almost no defensive cooldowns and self-healing.
Stat Priority
Hunter Marksmanship Stats Priority
- 1Hit Rating
- 2Armor Penetration
- 3Agility
- 4Attack Power
- 5Critical Strike Rating
Talents
Talents
Ability Priority
Abilities Priority
Kill Command — on cooldown, off the global cooldown, available after a crit
Volley — on cooldown, in place of Steady Shot: its damage per cast is even higher
Auto Shot — the core of the rotation, with the other shots woven in between- Steady Shot — filler
Arcane Shot — instant, if Volley is unavailable
Serpent Sting — instant, while moving
The shot ratio is tuned to your weapon speed. At a haste-adjusted speed of about 1.5 seconds, a 1:1 pattern works —
Opener
Hunter's Mark — if you are assigned to place the mark- Misdirection — on the tank, so you don't pull threat
Aimed Shot — time the cast so it finishes right as the pull timer hits zero
Distracting Shot — optional, gives the tank maximum threat
Blood Fury or other racial cooldowns
Rapid Fire- Then the standard rotation
Key Abilities
Key Abilities
the main cooldown for boosting shot speed
does not take the global cooldown, press it whenever it is available
the strongest shot, but its cast is too long: only before the pull
dumping threat onto the tank
area damage, pays off from 7 targets; in TBC it is placed right in combat
weak, only on 10+ targets and when everything else is on cooldown
switch from 
Aspect of the Hawk when you are short on mana
Aspect of the Hawk when you are short on manaBest in Slot (BiS)
Best in Slot (BiS)Slot
Recommended Gear
Source
Head
Coif of Alleria
Kil'jaeden — Sunwell Plateau
Neck
Clutch of Demise
Brutallus — Sunwell Plateau
Shoulders
Gronnstalker's Spaulders
Mother Shahraz — Black Temple
Back
Cloak of Unforgivable Sin
Kil'jaeden — Sunwell Plateau
Chest
Bladed Chaos Tunic
Illidan Stormrage — Black Temple
Wrists
Gronnstalker's Bracers
Lady Sacrolash and Grand Warlock Alythess — Sunwell Plateau
Hands
Thalassian Ranger Gauntlets
Kil'jaeden — Sunwell Plateau
Waist
Gronnstalker's Belt
Brutallus — Sunwell Plateau
Legs
Leggings of the Immortal Night
Felmyst — Sunwell Plateau
Feet
Gronnstalker's Boots
Mother Shahraz — Black Temple
Rings
Hard Khorium Band
Jewelcrafting
Band of Ruinous Delight
Lady Sacrolash and Grand Warlock Alythess — Sunwell Plateau
Trinkets
Blackened Naaru Sliver
M'uru — Sunwell Plateau
Berserker's Call
Zul'jin — Zul'Aman
Melee Weapon
Hand of the Deceiver
Kil'jaeden — Sunwell Plateau
Crux of the Apocalypse
Kil'jaeden — Sunwell Plateau
Ranged
Thori'dal, the Stars' Fury
Kil'jaeden — Sunwell Plateau
Tier 6 Set — Gronnstalker's Armor
Tier 6 Set — Gronnstalker's ArmorSlot
Recommended Gear
Drops From
Head
Gronnstalker's Helmet
Archimonde — Hyjal Summit
Shoulders
Gronnstalker's Spaulders
Mother Shahraz — Black Temple
Chest
Gronnstalker's Chestguard
Illidan Stormrage — Black Temple
Hands
Gronnstalker's Gloves
Azgalor — Hyjal Summit
Legs
Gronnstalker's Leggings
Illidari Council — Black Temple
Wrists
Gronnstalker's Bracers
Kalecgos — Sunwell Plateau (exchange via Sunmote)
Waist
Gronnstalker's Belt
Brutallus — Sunwell Plateau (exchange via Sunmote)
Feet
Gronnstalker's Boots
Felmyst — Sunwell Plateau (exchange via Sunmote)
Enchants, Gems, Consumables
EnchantsHead
Arcanum of Ferocity
Shoulders
Might of the Scourge
or
Greater Inscription of the Blade
or
Greater Inscription of Vengeance
Back
Enchant Cloak - Greater Agility
Chest
Enchant Chest - Exceptional Stats
Wrists
Lesser Assault
Hands
Superior Agility
Legs
Nethercobra Leg Armor
Feet
Enchant Boots - Dexterity
One-Handed Weapon
Enchant Weapon - Greater Agility
Two-Handed Weapon
Enchant 2H Weapon - Major Agility
Ranged Weapon
Stabilized Eternium Scope
GemsSlot
Recommended Gear
Comment
Meta gem
Relentless Earthstorm Diamond
requires 2 red, 2 yellow and 2 blue gems in your gear
Red
Delicate Crimson Spinel
Yellow
Deadly Pyrestone
Blue
Jagged Seaspray Emerald
covers both the yellow and blue meta requirement at once
ConsumablesFlask
Flask of Relentless Assault
Battle Elixir
Elixir of Major Agility
or
Elixir of Demonslaying
Guardian Elixir
Elixir of Major Mageblood
Food
Spicy Hot Talbuk
or
Grilled Mudfish
Potion
Haste Potion
Sharpening Stone
Adamantite Weightstone
or
Adamantite Sharpening Stone
Rune
Demonic Rune
or
Dark Rune
Drums
Drums of Battle
Races
Orc
Increases expertise rating by 5 while wielding an axe.
Increases attack power by 282 for 15 seconds, but reduces healing received by 50% for that duration. 2-minute cooldown.
Increases pet damage by 5%.
Increases the chance to resist stun effects by 15%.
Troll
Increases damage dealt to beasts by 5%.
Increases attack and casting speed by 10–30% depending on how wounded you are. 3-minute cooldown.
Increases critical strike chance by 1% while wielding a bow.
Increases critical strike chance by 1% while wielding a throwing weapon.
Increases health regeneration by 10% and allows 10% of it to continue while in combat.
Tauren
Increases Herbalism skill by 15.
Increases total health by 5%.
Increases Nature resistance by 10.
Stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds. 0.5-second cast, 2-minute cooldown.
Night Elf
Increases Nature resistance by 10.
Increases dodge chance by 1%.
Puts you into stealth while standing still. 10-second cooldown, does not work in combat.
Turns you into a wisp on death and increases ghost movement speed by 50%.
Dwarf
Marks nearby chests on the minimap.
Increases Frost resistance by 10.
Increases critical strike chance by 1% while wielding a gun.
Grants immunity to bleed, poison and disease effects and increases armor for 8 seconds. 3-minute cooldown.
Draenei
Increases Jewelcrafting skill by 5.
Increases Shadow resistance by 10.
Heals the target over 15 seconds.
Increases the hit chance of the entire group within 30 yards by 1%.
Best Professions
Leatherworking
The best profession for a hunter. It provides 
Drums of Battle and Greater Drums of Battle, as well as the Primal Intent set — three pre-raid BiS items at once and several near-BiS options.
Engineering
The second most useful profession. It provides items that add damage and help in tricky situations in both PvE and PvP.
Skinning
A good choice at the start if you don't want Engineering: it supplies the materials for leveling Leatherworking and crafting the level 70 set.
Author
Fouren
Fouren has been playing World of Warcraft for over 15 years. He is an active player with 12 Cutting Edge achievements under his belt, and has reached the top 1% and 0.1% multiple times on various classes. His main classes are healers, particularly Holy Paladin.
Comments
0No comments yet. Be the first to comment!