Hunter · Ranged DPS

Hunter guide · SoD

Complete guideData-drivenMediumPatch 1.15.9

3KUpdated 12 hours ago

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This guide is assembled by the site from match data and the game's own information — nobody wrote it by hand. Official and community guides appear alongside it when they exist.

Overview

The Hunter is a Season of Discovery class that can play ranged DPS. It is S tier on our ladder: 11.6% of the top players, average item level 72.

Strengths

Very present at the top: 11.6% of the 611 top players we read play it.
Top players stack Spirit (100% of their secondary stats).

Build cheat sheet

Pick the build that fits what you want to do this game.

Hunter · RaidBalancedRaidWhat the 71 top Raid players we read are using. Average item level 73. Talent points 25/18/7.

Builds

Hunter · Raid

BalancedRaid

Open build

When to use it

What the 71 top Raid players we read are using. Average item level 73. Talent points 25/18/7.

Raid build

71 top profilesAverage item level 73Marksmanship 25 · Survival 18 · Beast Mastery 7

Talent trees

Beast Mastery

5/5

28%

2.8%

1.4%

9.9%

18%

4.2%

20%

1.4%

18%

5.6%

9.9%

8.5%

Marksmanship

15%

5/5

1/1

2.8%

45%

41%

5/5

24%

46%

0/3

46%

45%

Survival

3/3

46%

34%

2/2

8.5%

2/2

5/5

27%

46%

39%

14%

42%

41%

18%

Gold, what most of the top players take (with its rank); the rest shows the share of players who take it.

Secondary stat split

1. Spirit 100%

Gear by slot

Main hand
- Geddon's Glaiveilvl 77 · 11%
- Poleaxe of the Beastilvl 96 · 10%
- The Eye of Nerubilvl 85 · 8%
✦ Agility +25 (34%)
Off hand
- Peregrineilvl 79 · 7%
- Deceptionilvl 92 · 1%
✦ Agility +15 (3%)
Ranged / relic
- Strings of Fateilvl 100 · 20%
- Nerubian Slavemakerilvl 89 · 10%
- Fiery Core Sharpshooter Rifleilvl 70 · 8%
✦ Scope (+7 Damage) (25%)
Trinket
- Hand of Injusticeilvl 63 · 28%
- Blackhand's Breadthilvl 63 · 24%
- Speedstoneilvl 80 · 15%
Head
- Giantstalker's Helmetilvl 66 · 18%
- Dawnstalker Headpieceilvl 98 · 18%
- Dawnstalker Visorilvl 98 · 7%
✦ Stamina +20/Agility +10/Hit +1% (28%)
Neck
- Kaigy's Claspilvl 85 · 21%
- Onyxia Tooth Pendantilvl 74 · 14%
- Sadist's Collarilvl 83 · 7%
Shoulders
- Dawnstalker Spauldersilvl 98 · 18%
- Giantstalker's Epauletsilvl 66 · 17%
- Scarlet Huntsman's Pauldronsilvl 86 · 7%
✦ Attack Power +26 and +1% Critical Strike (14%)
Back
- Cloak of the Fallen Godilvl 88 · 18%
- Cloak of the Shrouded Mistsilvl 77 · 11%
- Drape of the Dastardlyilvl 98 · 7%
✦ +5 Agility (25%)
Chest
- Dawnstalker Tunicilvl 98 · 18%
- Giantstalker's Breastplateilvl 66 · 15%
- Dawnstalker Breastplateilvl 98 · 11%
✦ Living Stats (17%)
Wrists
- Giantstalker's Bracersilvl 66 · 14%
- Sunblaze Bracersilvl 98 · 11%
- Dragonstalker's Bracersilvl 76 · 11%
✦ +9 Agility (27%)
Hands
- Dawnstalker Handguardsilvl 98 · 21%
- Giantstalker's Glovesilvl 66 · 11%
- Dawnstalker Gauntletsilvl 98 · 10%
✦ Agility +15 (27%)
Waist
- Cryptstalker Girdleilvl 88 · 18%
- Dragonstalker's Beltilvl 76 · 14%
- Giantstalker's Beltilvl 66 · 11%
Legs
- Dawnstalker Legguardsilvl 98 · 20%
- Giantstalker's Leggingsilvl 66 · 14%
- Dawnstalker Leggingsilvl 98 · 10%
✦ Stamina +20/Agility +10/Hit +1% (31%)
Feet
- Dawnstalker Bootsilvl 98 · 17%
- Giantstalker's Bootsilvl 66 · 13%
- Dawnstalker Greavesilvl 98 · 10%
✦ Agility +7 (30%)
Ring
- Ring of the Cryptstalkerilvl 92 · 21%
- Blackstone Ringilvl 54 · 13%
- Band of Reanimationilvl 83 · 13%

Abilities

Bestial WrathSend your pet into a rage causing 50% additional damage for 18 sec. While enraged, the beast does not feel pity or remorse or fear and it cannot be stopped unless killed.Key talent of the class.
Trueshot AuraIncreases the ranged attack power of party members within 45 yards by 100 and the Hunter's ranged attack power by an additional 100. Lasts 30 min.Key talent of the class.
Wyvern StingA stinging shot that puts the target to sleep for 12 sec. Any damage will cancel the effect. When the target wakes up, the Sting causes 270 Nature damage over 6 sec. Only usable out of combat. Only one Sting per Hunter can be active on the target at a time.Key talent of the class.

Strategy

1Your job in the group

As a ranged dps, your job is to deal damage from range while managing mana and threat and handling the mechanics that target spread players.

Start casting a few seconds after the tank: your first big hits are what steal threat.
Pace your mana: running dry before the boss is dead is the most common ranged mistake in Classic.
Save your cooldowns and potions for the last phase of the fight.

2Talents

Average talent points: Marksmanship 25 / Survival 18 / Beast Mastery 7.

Lethal Shots (rank 5) — 94.4%
Mortal Shots (rank 5) — 91.6%
Humanoid Slaying (rank 3) — 90.1%
Efficiency (rank 5) — 90.1%
Improved Hunter's Mark (rank 5) — 83.1%
Clever Traps (rank 2) — 77.5%
Monster Slaying (rank 3) — 73.2%
Aimed Shot (rank 1) — 60.6%

3Stats and gear

Secondary stat split of the top players: Spirit 100%.

Main hand: Geddon's Glaive (11.3%) · Agility +25
Off hand: Peregrine (7%) · Agility +15
Ranged / relic: Strings of Fate (19.7%) · Scope (+7 Damage)
Trinket: Hand of Injustice (28.2%)
Head: Giantstalker's Helmet (18.3%) · Stamina +20/Agility +10/Hit +1%
Neck: Kaigy's Clasp (21.1%)

4Common mistakes

Standing too far from the group and out of the healer's range.
Pulling threat off the tank: in Classic, threat is slow to build and a dead damage dealer deals no damage.
Running out of consumables: potions, flasks and food are part of the build in Classic raids.
Ignoring crowd control assignments: sheep, sap and fear the packs you are asked to, and don't break them.

Tips

Drink between pulls: starting a pack at half mana ends badly.
Reach the spell hit cap for your content before stacking spell power.
Spend your talent points in the order of this guide and only change the rows the content asks for.

Changelog

Sep 29, 2026Guide created for patch 1.15.9.

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