Hunter in need of advice regarding traits, stances, skill rotation etc.
Hey. Im a lvl 50 hunter, and I'm pretty much a big noob at this game. Until recently, I've been doing most stuff solo and I didn't really have any hunters to look up to, so I just used the skills that I thought were the best. Recently however, I started doing some things with my new kin (I was kin-less before) such as Urugarth and Carn Dum and I saw that all the hunters used totally different skills, traits, stances than me.
So now, after reading a few guides, I'm still not sure what to do with my toon. So I'll just ask a few questions, and I really hope that other experienced hunters out there can answer me and show me the true way of the hunter
1. Regading traits:
I actually rolled with what I had. I could never be arsed doing deeds, so I really only had a few traits opened. However I did almost all my deeds lately so I have almost all the traits available and I can't deceide what to use. I find the yellow line kinda useless but I'm more interested in the blue and red lines. I noticed that most of the hunters roll either with 4r 3b or 4b 3r. I don't even have all the trait slots open yet (im lvl 50) but when I do, I'm wondering which red/blue (or even yellow) traits I should use (I understand that this depends on the skill cycle/stances - I'll get to that a bit later).
2. Regarding legendary traits:
I can only equip 2 atm but I'm pretty happy with bards arrow and RoT (this one I love, wont EVER take it off). I'll probably use bow of the righteous for my 3rd trait. However, if these arent the traits I should be using to optimise my hunter, please advice the ones that I should be using
3. Regarding stances:
I used strength stance from 1 to 48. Lately, I found out that precision stance is what most hunters use, and I seem to miss alot less (especially on higher lvl monsters, the ones that have saurons eye when you click on them). I use endurance every time I dont solo tho, because spamming quick shots just helps me keep aggro off me. Anything I need to change here?
4. Regarding skill rotation/cycle:
Now this is my main problem. I usually start the fight with HS or SB and than just randomly click buttons until the fight is over (using anything from hunters art (facepalm) to barbed arrow, to bards arrow, to 5 quick shots in a row, to autoattack... lol). I need some advice on which skills to use and when to use them and also on which ones not to use, because certain skills - such as hunters art - are simply useless.
So as I said I usually open the fight (while soloing) with Heart seeker or Swift bow. This is followed by a Penetrating shot and Blood arrow to burn down the focus. After that I just shoot randomly to build up my focus meter and wait for merciful after the target is bellow 50%.
However I noticed that most of my hunter colleagues seem to use mainly PS/Blood arrow and swift bow when it comes up. So If some1 could suggest a reasonable skill cycle for soloing (and if you have time for grouped fights aswell) I would really appreciate it. I know that this varies from 1 fight to another, but I'd love to have atleast some ideas on what to use x).
5. Regarding close combat:
When soloing, some monsters reach you eventually (especially if I pull more than 1). In that case I just use all melee skills available. Should I do otherwise or even use my ranged skills in close combat?
6. Regarding other things:
I saw alot of hunters use needful haste before a fight and intent concentration in the middle of a fight. I NEVER use needful haste and rarely use intent concentration. I just have that feeling that I should "save them" incase I pull a really hard fight and can't handle it. Any idea on how to implement those into my skill cycle?
I know this was a wall of text and if you read through it, I thank you. Any comments/advice will be highly appreciated.
Cheers
By no means do I consider myself a "good" hunter, but I've actually found some of the best fun trying out different builds. Yes, even trapper! IMHO, one of the keys to being a good hunter is to be able to react quickly in a raid. Adjust DPS here, pull mob off healer there, stun or nail a mob to the floor if LM is busy, etc. There is a lot more to the hunter than the DPS fest!
Having said that, the build I favor (AoE heavy):
1) Traits.
I loves me some blue line. Less induction = more shots + less chance of setbacks + more crit and dev chance.
The purpose of this build is to keep focus up and crit. Mostly for keeping RoA off cooldown, but also helps when you are spamming PS. Raids are a combo of single shot targets and trash mob burns. I know how my kinnies work a raid and I adjust my build to best fill the gaps.
Legendary:
Rain of Thorns
Improved Fleetness
and I'll bounce between Bow of the Righteous and Bard's Arrow depending on if I anticipate getting no love from the LM (BotR) or Healer (BA)
Stance:
Precision is where it is at. Focus, less miss chance - what's not to love? However, I might hang out in endurance in the beginning of the fight or if I need to reduce agro/DPS if I keep pulling from the tank. I'll also hit improved focus just as everyone is running to get agro. Gives them a few seconds to build agro, while still doing "something". Plus having a +25% to crit and crit magnitude in the first 3 seconds of a fight is one sure way to be dead, make the tank work 2X harder, and/or not get invited to many raids. Push that out to 6-7 seconds into a fight where it can actually be useful.
Skill rotations:
This one depends a lot on what you are doing. I have a few that I use. Here are the main ones:
AoE: Spam RoA, occasional split shot, and on the rare case when I don't crit to remove the cooldowns - RoT. If I've burned my pot of focus and Intent Concentration, I'll hit quick shots and Improved Swift Bow with Needful Haste. I also have the AoE stat on my melee legendary weapon. I've hit 6000 DPS over the course of a fight just hitting these couple buttons.
Single: This one is a bit more difficult, since it depends. If you are going for max DPS then QS and PS are your friends. I also get bored hitting these few buttons, so I'll throw a swift bow and an improved fleetness heartseaker in the rotation every now and again.
In both of these rotations I use beneath notice every time it is off cooldown in combo with burn hot. Helps with power a bit, and temporary threat masking. I also have the legendary that reduces cooldown for this.
Solo is not even a challenge, with the exception of Limelight Gorge. I'll head out there and practice my survival and rotations on the big baddies out there. (training dummies - BAH!)
Melee: While you are not a crit monster going fist-to-cuffs, the hunter has some options here. My rotation is Swift Stroke(P&E buff), barbed arrow, improved scouraging blow, barbed arrow (instant!), swift stroke (AoE), penetrating shot (X2 depending on focus level), and hitting agile rejoinder when up. I'll hit dazing blow every once in a while just to be mean.
Other things:
Skills not popped offer no bennies. I use to save things until I needed them, but you also leave out some DPS and utility by not popping them.
For the most part, you can play whatever way you want while you are leveling. Most content in the game is crazy-easy. Also, until you have the full suite of traits and legendary traits available, most of the guides can only be applied part-way - which defeats the purpose. For example, 5b2r is no where near the same thing as 4b2r.
I would suggest a few things:
1) Move your mouse over each of your skills. Read what it says. Think about it. Get in character and think about what you want to do and why. Then do that again every 10 levels.
2) Continue reading forums. As with all things on the Internet, aim for the "gist" of a build - not specifics. There is always 1 person who will say one thing and another who will say something else. Try to get a feel for what most people are doing AND why. Then make up your own mind.
3) Pay attention to other hunters in game, but discriminate! If you see a hunter with all yellow gear, they probably are not a good role model. If you see one with all on-level teal gear, its more likely they are an alt of another level-capped player and probably have a good sense of combat mechanics and skills. Like all stereo-types, this is not always the case -- but it usually is right on. If and when you start grouping a lot, pay attention to who gets the DPS assist. If you see the same hunters picked over and over again, its probably because they know what they are doing. Inspect them, look at their virtues, look at their traits, look at their LI legacies and relics. You don't have to be a sheep, but you should always be looking for ideas.
When in doubt, see #1 above. Seriously. And don't ignore induction times and cooldown times.
ps - I also never used Needful Haste or Intent Concentration while leveling. BIG mistake. Use them.
At lvl 50 I wouldn't worry so much about being set in something yet. The best advice I can give is try a little of everything, especially now that you'll be in Moria. Moria is a great place to really practice your crowd control and get a feel on how a hunter should work.
The above posters are right though. You have to find out what is good for you and run with it. Nothing wrong with starting with Heat-Seeker or Swift Bow. Although I find that once I've started a battle I tend to stick with the Focus based attacks rather than Induction based, but that's me. I even tend to use the melee skills more than most Hunters do when I've got multiple targets on top of me.
Nvaria's already said most of it, although I'll add a few more suggestions.
Traits: 5 blue 2 red is best here, you want short inductions and lots of crits. Virtues should get agi and morale at your lvl, tactical mitigation if you're doing instances. On legendary traits, I always use improved fleetness, though that is at level 56 with moria rep. It's certainly worth it! Besides that, I'll use Bard's arrow (To get something off me or another dps) and bow of the righteous, which is good for reducing power usage; most hunters have power problems in longer fights. I don't really use RoT, I find that tanks do their job just fine, a mass root isn't really needed. An exception may be for skirms, if you can root the pull and pick them off 1 by 1.
Yellow line is for Crowd Control, it's not really used unless you're assigned to CCing.
Stance: I generally use precision, the focus boost and later crit chance makes it much better for dpsing than strength. If the tank has trouble holding agro, even if you wait for several seconds for them to get agro, then go endurance.
Skill rotation: Use focus before each fight, the full focus is very helpful, and keep improved fleetness up all the time(Once you get it). Depending on the tank, you may want to wait several seconds before attacking to give the tank time to pull a strong agro on the adds. Guards you can generally open right away with, but wards, champs, and cappies don't have an immediate aoe force attack. I'll generally open with a swift bow and 3 pen shots, then spam quick shot and pen shot/blood arrow. I'll add in a swift bow if it's off cd sometimes. Burn hot and Needful haste I'll generally use together, if I remember to use them... (I really should)
Heart seeker I don't find to be worth using, with the exception of those nice crits to put on the record :P. Swift bow does more dps and costs much less power, and has a shorter induction.
Melee: If you get in melee, I'll generally use a swift stroke (The parry bonus one), and then continue firing off quick shot and pen shot, keeping the parry bonus up. When I get a parry, use the agile rejoinder if you have the healing legacy for it, otherwise not worth using. If you need to run away or kite, use low cut and then run away (and fire more quick shots if kiting). Melee skills use a ton more power, and you do more damage using ranged skills.
Nvaria's already said most of it, although I'll add a few more suggestions.
Traits: 5 blue 2 red is best here, you want short inductions and lots of crits. Virtues should get agi and morale at your lvl, tactical mitigation if you're doing instances. On legendary traits, I always use improved fleetness, though that is at level 56 with moria rep. It's certainly worth it! Besides that, I'll use Bard's arrow (To get something off me or another dps) and bow of the righteous, which is good for reducing power usage; most hunters have power problems in longer fights. I don't really use RoT, I find that tanks do their job just fine, a mass root isn't really needed. An exception may be for skirms, if you can root the pull and pick them off 1 by 1.
Yellow line is for Crowd Control, it's not really used unless you're assigned to CCing.
Stance: I generally use precision, the focus boost and later crit chance makes it much better for dpsing than strength. If the tank has trouble holding agro, even if you wait for several seconds for them to get agro, then go endurance.
Skill rotation: Use focus before each fight, the full focus is very helpful, and keep improved fleetness up all the time(Once you get it). Depending on the tank, you may want to wait several seconds before attacking to give the tank time to pull a strong agro on the adds. Guards you can generally open right away with, but wards, champs, and cappies don't have an immediate aoe force attack. I'll generally open with a swift bow and 3 pen shots, then spam quick shot and pen shot/blood arrow. I'll add in a swift bow if it's off cd sometimes. Burn hot and Needful haste I'll generally use together, if I remember to use them... (I really should)
Heart seeker I don't find to be worth using, with the exception of those nice crits to put on the record :P. Swift bow does more dps and costs much less power, and has a shorter induction.
Melee: If you get in melee, I'll generally use a swift stroke (The parry bonus one), and then continue firing off quick shot and pen shot, keeping the parry bonus up. When I get a parry, use the agile rejoinder if you have the healing legacy for it, otherwise not worth using. If you need to run away or kite, use low cut and then run away (and fire more quick shots if kiting). Melee skills use a ton more power, and you do more damage using ranged skills.
Hope that helps!
Which Blue traits do you slot? Any combination that you like or are there certain ones for better results? Also which red ones as well thanks. So far Im running 5 red and 1 blue for DPS but I like the idea of the 5 blue 2 red setup.
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