5.4PTR Hunter style

[Xinto 18]

General

Arcane Shot had its damage and focus cost increased by 50%.

Talents

Aspect of the Iron Hawk now reduces all damage taken by 10%, down from 15%.

Silencing Shot is no longer a talent and is now an ability for Marksman Hunters.

Marksman

Binding Shot is no longer a Marksman Hunter ability and is once again a talent.

Thought I would start the ball rolling.

Nice changes overall, like the idea of Arcane using more focus since our focus rates will be increasing more and more as haste is being stacked on gear (and prioritised by some).

Aspect of the Iron Hawk now reduces all damage taken by 10%, down from 15%.

To make other talents more viable? I don't think its cause we're indestructable or anything.

Silencing shot ... I am waiting for the pvp'ers among us to comment on this one. I will be disappointed to lose it as a PVE raider but its not a make or break for me.

[Iridar 80]

I wish they would just make silencing shot baseline for all specs already and be done with it.

Very nice to see that arcane shot is going to do more than just tickle. Currently it's just second auto-attack, which is a rudimentary feature, a crutch that stuck on this game like a very old and fat parasite.

[Xinto 18]

It would be nice to get Silencing all round but I can understand it not being base line. Remember if we are desperate we can bring pets.

Although a lot of classes do have base line silences, why should hunters be different?

Arcane will still do the same dmg overall (per focus) since it will cost 60 focus to do 2 x150% arcane shots in 5.4 compared to 60 focus to do 3x100% arcane shot dmg ... still the extra GCD this will free up will really help.

[Iridar 80]

This'll help us better utilize our focus, as BM with Fervor I often find myself capped on focus during BW, more so during opener with BW + RF.

[Ethniu 0]

Arcane shot will do the same damage per focus, but it will be taking only 2/3 the GCD that it currently does, which should actually improve our dps slightly. During rapid fire, focus fire, and bestial wrath (times when our focus regen or focus costs are cut) it will especially help burst dps since we will be spamming arcane shots for 50% more damage; overall I'm very happy about this change, although I fear it will mean BM gets even more ahead of the other specs (the burst damage increase during bestial wrath is almost defiitely going to be the biggest change due to this talent, I think, so we will see BM get a bigger percentage-wise increase in overall dps and BM already has the highest dps of the three specs). Which is nice for BM, but I would like to see the other specs balanced with it a little more.

I'm a bit worried about the nerf to Iron Hawk. Currently I feel Iron Hawk is the best raiding talent, as it really improves our survivability versus burst damage mechanics. I already use spirit bond for soloing, so I am excited about the buff to that talent.

Silencing shot is NOT an essential talent, despite the complaints I have heard about losing it, and while it is nice to have I'm not that concerned about its loss. Honestly even while soloing I've never found a situation where it was essential. Giving the extra utility to MM also makes sense if MM is going to continue to drop behind the other specs in dps. Healing 5% over 9-11 seconds (7% if you use a glyph slot) is just not a very viable compensation for the dps loss especially for raiding, and with the buff to spirit bond 5% over 9 seconds looks even worse even for soloing.

I would really like to see a glyph for MM that would decrease the focus cost of chimera shot or increase its damage while removing the healing from it, thus giving MM hunters the option to increase their dps at the cost of the healing; this would allow the spec to be viable for raids again.

[Xinto 18]

They have been trying to make MM more viable, or thats the impression I have got and I think it is currently but we don't have a big enough representation to show it on the WoL/epeen/etc.

I have played it a few times recently and got pretty close to my dps in other specs, which is good since I am very proficient in the other specs. I would like to continue to play it but I need BM for Hysteria for my raid group and SV just out aoe's them both of rcertain encounters (and its my other fav spec alongside MM).

In terms of arcane shot, I fully agree it sounds like a dps gain.

I look at it like this, it does the same dmg and costs the same but uses less time. This opens up time for cobra/steady meaning more focus regen'f through the fight giving more chance for arcane/other specials.

But don't forget, with this change they will be rebalancing many things. They may reduce the overall power of arcane, increase signiture shots, decrease cobra/steady dmg or a multitude of other things.

It is looking quite likely to be a boost to our overall dmg but we'll have to wait and see. I like the change though, will give more 'room' in our physical rotation (yes I work by a priority system like the rest of ya but I cna't think of a better phrase)