WoW Forever: Marksmanship Hunter
About the Class
A Marksmanship Hunter relies on their own shots and powerful attacks from long range. The pet, traps, and crowd control are still part of the class, but the 
Lone Wolf talent lets you play without an active pet in exchange for extra damage.
The key new tool is 
Sniper Shot. It takes a 4-second cast, has a 15-second cooldown, and works from up to 45 yards away. After the shot, the range of your next three shots is temporarily increased. To make the most of it, pick your position in advance and do not start a long cast right before you will have to move.
Your main resource is Mana. 
Auto Shot keeps dealing damage at no cost, but special shots need a Mana reserve. When leveling solo, the pet is still handy for holding enemies; the petless option is especially useful in a group with a tank.
Strengths
- Powerful shots and long attack range.
- A choice between playing with a pet and the Lone Wolf bonus.
Multi-Shot helps you hit small groups.- Traps, slows, and threat drops are useful in dungeons and the open world.
- The base
Aimed Shot is learned from the trainer at level 20.
Weaknesses
- Long casts require you to stand still at a safe distance.
- Without a pet, it is harder to keep enemies away from you when playing solo.
- Poor Mana management means fewer special attacks.
- You have to keep an eye on your ammo and your distance to the target.
Stat Priority
- 1Ranged Weapon Damage
- 2Hit
- 3Critical Strike
- 4Agility
- 5Attack Power
Compare not only the damage per second on a weapon but also its single-shot damage: it feeds into attacks like Aimed Shot. While leveling, a good weapon and Agility gear are usually more useful than trying to reach the full Hit cap early.
Critical Strike is amplified by the 
Mortal Shots talent and makes your strong cast shots more valuable. Intellect adds damage too if you have learned 
Careful Aim: at max rank, the talent converts 100% of your Intellect into Attack Power. Intellect also increases your Mana pool.
Talents
Rotation (Ability Priority)
The opener is a set sequence of abilities you use as you engage an enemy. Memorising it helps initiate your rotation in the most optimal way possible.
- 1
Hunter's Mark - 2
Serpent Sting - 3Aimed Shot
- Hunter's Mark — apply it at the start of the fight
- Serpent Sting — keep it up on a target that will live long enough
- Aimed Shot — use it on cooldown
- Auto Shot — keep auto-shooting without interruption
Arcane Shot — add it when you have Mana and it does not get in the way of your main shot
If an enemy closes in, use slows and crowd control. At this stage, a pet makes solo fights much easier.
Important Abilities
Ability | When It Helps |
|---|---|
| Aimed Shot | Your main cast shot |
| Sniper Shot | A powerful shot from long range |
| Lone Wolf | Increased damage without an active pet |
| Multi-Shot | Hits multiple targets in place of a single-target cast shot |
 Concussive Shot | Slows an approaching target |
 Freezing Trap | Long crowd control on a suitable enemy |
 Frost Trap | Slows a group of enemies |
 Feign Death | Drops threat and helps you survive a dangerous situation |
Stock up on ammo before a dungeon. If you play with a pet, watch its path: an accidental attack can pull an extra group.
Best in Slot (BiS)
Best in Slot (BiS)Enchants, Gems, Consumables
Enchants and Enhancements
ConsumablesBest Race
Wind Blessed grants 2% attack speed, 
Skysight helps you pick your position, and 
Read Leyline is useful between fights. For the petless option, this is an all-round set of advantages.
Blood Fury grants temporary Attack Power. 
Command increases pet damage and is useful when playing with a pet, but it gives no such advantage in a Lone Wolf setup.
Best Professions
Skinning and 
Leatherworking are a convenient pair for a first Hunter. You gather materials from beasts along the way and use them for your own armor. While you skin a defeated target, you can send your pet to the next enemy if it is safe.
Engineering gives you devices, explosives, and weapons. 
Mining supplies some of the crafting materials. This pair suits you if you are interested in extra gadgets and PvP.
Among secondary professions, 
Cooking is useful for buff food and 
First Aid for restoring Health.
FAQ
Do you have to play without a pet?
No. Lone Wolf increases your damage without an active pet, which works well in a group with a tank. For solo leveling, a pet is useful because it holds the enemy and lets you shoot safely.
Do you need arrows and bullets?
Yes. Bows, crossbows, and guns consume ammo. Check your supply before long trips and dungeons.
Why does Intellect show up on suitable gear?
Careful Aim converts it into Attack Power. Intellect also increases your Mana pool, so this stat gives you more than just an extra resource.
Why can't you use both main shots back to back on a group?
Aimed Shot and Multi-Shot share a cooldown. Choose the single-target shot or the multi-target attack depending on the number of enemies.
When should you use the long-cast ranged shot?
Sniper Shot requires you to stand still. Plan it after picking a safe spot, and do not start it before a mechanic that will force you to interrupt the cast.
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.
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