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Hunter Talent Guide

How this guide is set up-

First, I will give a title indicating which talent spec I will be talking about. I will then give a brief description of what the tree is like. Then, for each "tier" on the tree I'll explain each individual talent. i.e. Beast tier one- imp aspect of the hawk *explain explain explain*

Beastmastery-

Beast mastery spec is probably the second most popular after marksman. It involves talents that mainly buff up your pet and increase it's effectiveness in battle. A good beast mastery pet will be able to churn out enough damage to tear anything down quickly, and with certain talents it can become even more powerful for short amounts of time. Now, let's take a look at each talent in depth.

Tier one-

Improved Aspect of the Hawk- I would say that any hunter should have this talent, it requires 5 talent points to max out, and is incredibly useful. The first point gives your normal ranged attacks a 1% chance to increase your ranged attack speed by 30% for 12 seconds. Each subsequent point sends the percent chance up one point. i.e. at 5/5 you will have a 5% chance to increase ranged attack power by 30%.

Endurance Training- If you really are looking to beef up your pet I would suggest this talent, but if you're going marksman or survival for a main spec, and only putting secondary points into beast, you can skip this one. This talent increases your pet's health by 3% per point you put into it, capping at 15% at 5/5

Tier two-

Improved Eyes of the Beast- This talent is worthless unless you REALLY feel the need to run around licking things for an extra minute. This talent is ONLY useful if you are in dire needs of a long term scout, but why would you ever be? This talent increases the duration of your Eyes of the Beast skill by 30 seconds per talent point capping at 60 seconds at 2/2.

Improved Aspect of the Monkey- Again, I personally feel this talent is not that great, you should always have aspect of the hawk on as a hunter anyway. The only reason you should get this talent is if you're planning on running away allot, or being a melee hunter for some bizarre reason (although I have seen them). This talent increases the % chance to dodge given by your aspect of the monkey by 1% per talent point, capping at a 5% increase at 5/5.

Thick Hide- Again, like Endurance Training, this talent should only be used if you're going beast main in your spec. It increases the armor rating of your pet by 10% per point capping at 30% at 3/3.

Improved Revive Pet- Not really a must have talent, but I highly recommend it. This talent when both points are spent on it, decreases the casting time of revive pet by 6 seconds, decreases it's mana cost by 40% and increases the health your pet returns with by 30%. It's not so much, like I said, a MUST have talent, but it is very useful, and decreases stop time to rez your pet.

Tier three-

Pathfinding- This is a useful talent, like imp aspect of the monkey if you plan on running away allot. It increases the speed bonus of your Aspect of the Cheetah/Pack by 3% per point capping at 6% at 2/2. It is also useful I suppose if you can't afford a mount, and want to get places a little faster.

Bestial Swiftness- Get. This. Talent. With one point it increases the base outdoor movement speed of your pet by 30%. What this means is, unless the person you're chasing has an equal or greater speed increase, you WILL catch them, and you WILL kill them. Get. This talent.

Unleashed Fury- A very good talent if you're going beast main. Increases your pet's damage done by 4% per talent capping at 20% at 5/5.

Tier four-

Improved Mend Pet- This is another one of those don't NEED it but it's nice talents. It gives your mend pet skill a 25% chance to cleanse one curse/disease/magic/poison from your pet per tick capping at a 50% chance at 2/2. It's pretty darn useful, but again, you don't NEED it.

Ferocity- A must have talent for those beastie hunters, increases your pet's crit chance by 3% per point capping at 15% at 5/5. That's FIFTEEN PERCENT extra crit chance from a talent!

Tier five-

Spirit Bond- One of the trademarks of beast hunter, spirit bond restores, at 2/2 points, 2% of your pet and yours health per 10 seconds. It's not really a super neccecity, but it's rather nice to have.

Intimidation- This is a MUST get for beast hunters. It's the first new skill you get as a result of the beast tree and boy is it nice! With one point you can have your pet "intimidate" the target causing massive aggro and stunning it for 3 seconds. It is an instant-cast spell, and has a 1 minute cool down.

Bestial Discipline- A rather useless talent, but who knows, you might use it. Increases your pet's focus regen by 20% with 2/2. 10% per point.

Tier six-

Frenzy- *Requires Ferocity 5/5* Another must have beast talent, this gives your pet a 20% chance per point, capping at 100% at 5/5, to increase it's attack speed by 30% for 8 seconds after getting a critical strike.

Tier seven-

Bestial Wrath- The second, and last skill you get as a result of your beast talents, Bestial wrath, being the 30 point beast mastery talent, is quite good, and you SHOULD GET IT! With one point it gives you the Bestial Wrath skill. Requiring 12% of your base mana, this skill is an instant cast that increases your pet's damage by 50% and sends it into a rage making impossible to fear etc for 18 seconds. You pop this skill and your pet is unstoppable unless killed.

Marksmanship-

Marksmanship spec is the single most popular hunter spec out there, it is also my personal recommendation. This spec focuses on your own damage by severely improving your ranged attack in many ways. Basically your pet is just a tank and you're doing all the damage.

Tier one-

Improved Concussive Shot- Get. This. Talent. It. Helps. Allot! Basically it gives your concussive shots a 4% chance to stun your target for 3 seconds per point, capping at a 20% chance at 5/5.

Efficiency- A rather worthless talent in my opinion, but good if your have a lower mana pool (i.e. focusing on stamina). It decreases the mana cost of your sings by 2% per point capping at 10% at 5/5.

Tier two-

Improved Hunter's Mark- A fairly good talent, increases the ranged attack bonus of your Hunter's Mark by 3% per point capping at 15% at 5/5.

Lethal Shots- How do I put this? Get this talent! It increases your critical strike chance with ranged weapons by 1% per point, capping at a FIVE PERCENT increased crit chance at 5/5. This is a VERY good talent.

Tier three-

Aimed Shot- Get this talent. You are not a hunter if you don't have Aimed shot! Aimed shot is a 1/1 talent (it's a skill). The skill is a 3 second cast 6 second cool down attack that increases your ranged damage by 70 at rank one, going all the way up to a 600 damage increase at rank 6 (the highest rank).

Improved Arcane Shot- This is a pretty worthless talent. It decreases the cool down of your arcane shot by .2 seconds per point, capping at a 1 second decrease at 5/5. Arcane shot isn't even THAT great anyway, so don't waste talent points on this.

Hawk Eye- This talent, like Aimed Shot is mandatory! It increases the range of your bow/gun by 2 yards per point capping at a 6 yard increase at 3/3. Why should I get this? You ask? Because hunters are all about range, and this makes you able to hit people from even FRTHER away. Get it.

Tier four-

Improved Serpent Sting- Another semi-useless talent, it increases the damage done by your serpent sting by 2% per point capping at a 10% damage increase at 5/5.

Mortal Shots- *Requires Lethal Shots 5/5* A VERY good hunter talent, increases the critical strike damage of your ranged attacks by 6% per level capping at 30%. It is very useful because as a hunter, you'll be critting about 50% or more of the time, so the more extra damage you get, the better.

Tier five-

Scatter Shot- Like Aimed Shot, this is a 1/1 talent that gives you a skill. It is VERY useful and is recommended. The skill is an instant cast on a 30 second cool down that does 50% weapon damage and confuses the target for 4 seconds, unless they take damage. It is VERY useful for getting far enough away that you can use your bow/gun, and also, because it is a "confuse" effect, there is no way to negate it.

Barrage- In and of itself it is a pretty worthless talent, but you MUST get it as it is needed for Trueshot Aura later on. Increases the damage of your multi-shot and volley spells by 5% per point capping at 15% at 3/3. It *IS* nice for the multi-shot buff, but that's it.

Improved Scorpid Sting- Scorpid sting is a useless sting anyway, so don't even bother imping it. It reduces the stam of the target being affected by 10% of the strength drained per point, capping at 30% at 3/3

Tier six-

Ranged Weapon Specialization- Well, you use ranged weapons don't you? Good, get this. Increases the damage you deal with ranged weapons by 1% per point, capping at a 5% increase at 5/5.

Tier seven-

Trueshot Aura- This is a VERY nice skill. with 1 point you get the Trueshot Aura skill which is an instant cast lasting 30 minutes. At rank one it increases your, and all party members around you ranged/physical attack power by 75, and that number goes to 100 at rank two.

Survival-

The single most ridiculed, and in my opinion worthless hunter spec out there. Be forewarned, if you go survival you WILL be made fun of. It focuses on melee attacks for whatever reason, even thought hunters are a ranged DPS class. But I won't rant, here are the talents.

Tier one-

Monster Slaying- A good solid talent if you're planning on doing allot of PvE against monster type mobs. Increases your damage as well as crit chance against beasts, dragons, and giants by 1% per point capping at 3% at 3/3.

Humanoid Slaying- The same as Monster Slaying but the effects are for humanoids only. Useful if you plan on doing allot of PvP.

Deflection- If you really do insist on going melee, you MUST get this talent. It increases your % chance to parry by 1% per point capping at 5% at 5/5. You will be shredded unless you can parry off some damage, so get this your sword swingin' hunter you!

Tier two-

Entrapment- I'll give survival this, they have this talent. This is a VERY useful talent for any spec. It gives your immolate, frost, and explosive traps a 5% chance per point, capping at 25% at 5/5, to "entrap" the target, preventing movement for 5 seconds.

Savage Strikes- Another talent GREAT if you're gonna go melee, increases the crit chance of Mongoose Bite and Raptor Strike by 10% per point capping at a 20% increase at 2/2.

Improved Wing Clip- Another VERY good talent for any spec, imp wing clip gives your wing clip a 4% chance per point capping at 20% at 5/5, to immobalize your target for 5 seconds.

Tier three-

Clever Traps- Yet another good talent for anyone, at 2/2, this talent increases the duration of your ice traps by 30% and the damage of your fire traps by 30%.

Survivalist- Good for anyone, increases your max health by 2% per point capping at 10% at 5/5.

Deterrence- Your first Survival only skill, Deterrence is an instant cast with a five minute cool down. It increases your chance to dodge/parry by 25% for 10 seconds. Again, for melee hunters this is a MUST!

Tier four-

Trap Mastery- Good, but not great, decreases the chance enemies will resist your traps by 5% per point capping at 10% at 2/2.

Surefooted- A good talent for running away, Surefooted gives you at 3/3 an increased chance to hit by 3% and a 15% extra chance to resist movement impairing effects.

Improved Feign Death- Good for PvE oriented hunters. Decreases the chance your feign will be resisted by 4% at 2/2.

Tier five-

Killer Instinct- Quite the skill, and required if you want the survival 30 point talent, it is as mandatory as something can get without being mandatory. Increases your crit chance by 1% per point capping at 3% at 3/3 with all attacks.

Counterattack- If you're survival, get this. It's another skill, Counterattack is an instant cast used after you parry. It does a small amount of damage, but more importantly, it immobilizes your target for 5 seconds. But wait! There's more! It cannot be blocked, dodged, or parried.

Tier six-

Lightning Reflexes- Get this. You're a hunter, hunters use agility, this increases your agility. Get this. It increases your agility by 3% per point capping at 15% at 5/5.

Tier seven-

Wyvern Sting- Regarded by many as a useless skill, I personally don't think it's tat bad. With one point you get Wyvern Sting, which at rank 3 on a 2 minute cool down puts your target to sleep for 12 seconds unless they take damage. While they are asleep, they take 600 damage over the 12 seconds.

Possible Specs-

The BOOM! Head shot! Spec- This spec is marks/beast and focuses on max ranged damage while buffing you even more with select beast talents. VERY good for PvP and PvE. High damage output and little downtime.
Talent Calculator for this Spec

The Beast lover with a steady bow Spec- This spec is a beast/marks spec that focuses on your beast tanking and doing allot of the damage. You still have Lethal Shots and Aimed Shot however to add a good chunk of damage yourself. Good in PvP and solo/5-man PvE but bad in Raids where you won't be using your pet as much.
Talent Calculator for this Spec

The "I have a sword, so what?" Spec- This is a survival/marks spec that focuses on melee damage but has enough in marksman to be able to deal solid ranged damage as well. Your pet, however, in this spec, is rather useless.
Talent Calculator for this Spec

The OMGWTFBBQ trap Spec- This is a marks/survival spec that focuses on ranged damage, but has human and beast slayer for even more, as well as most of the improved traps for PvP versatility. A GREAT PvP build with strong PvE potential as well.
Talent Calculator for this Spec

These are obviously just templates. Your spec is your own. These are just guidelines to show what possible hunter specs can be.