World of Warcraft: Forever · class guide
Marksmanship Hunter
Ranged damage, pet optional
The dungeon spec: Aimed Shot and Multi-Shot, 
Careful Aim and 
Lone Wolf's +20% damage with no pet to path into packs.
Marksmanship gives up the pet's damage for your own. Lethal Attacks and Mortal Shots raise crit, Careful Aim turns Intellect into attack power, Rapid Killing shortens Rapid Fire and buffs the shot after a kill, and Lone Wolf (11 points) gives 20% damage when no pet is out, which also means no pet pulling extra packs. Trueshot Aura comes at 16 points (level 25) but now buffs only ranged attack power. Sniper Shot (31 points, level 40) is a 4-second, 45-yard shot that extends your next three shots' range. It is rated below Beast Mastery for levelling.
Strengths and weaknesses
| Strengths | Weaknesses |
|---|---|
| The dungeon spec, with Aimed Shot and Multi-Shot as the core damage | Rated below Beast Mastery for levelling |
| Lone Wolf gives 20% damage with no pet out, so there is no pet pulling extra packs | Lone Wolf at low level helps mainly cleave and AoE damage in dungeons |
| Careful Aim turns Intellect into attack power | No interrupt, and Scatter Shot is a disorient that any damage breaks |
| Trueshot Aura gives the group ranged attack power from level 25 | Trueshot Aura does not help melee |
| Lone Wolf and Focused Fire do not stack, as Focused Fire needs the pet out |
Stat priority
- Ranged weapon damage
- Hit
- Agility
- Critical strike
- Intellect (1 attack power per point with Careful Aim 5/5, about half an Agility)
- Attack power
Get the highest damage weapons possible and as much Agility as possible. At the level-30 list (70205), Intellect counts just as much, point for point, as Agility once Careful Aim is 5/5, attack power on gear is worth half as much, and Stamina and Strength count for nothing. Hit and crit are one stat for melee, ranged and spells in Forever. The 9% hit cap against bosses looks carried over from Classic: treat it as unverified. Your pet inherits your crit. The attack-power arithmetic puts Intellect after Agility.
Do this
- Dismiss the pet in dungeons for Lone Wolf's 20%: an idle pet still counts as active.
- Lone Wolf and Focused Fire don't stack: Focused Fire needs the pet out.
- Intellect is worth taking on leather and mail once Careful Aim is 5/5.
- Scorpid Sting's −2% hit on a boss helps your tank more than a little Serpent Sting damage.
Watch out for
- Trueshot Aura no longer helps melee: it is ranged attack power only.
- Sniper Shot's 45-yard range and range bonus can't be tested before the cap reaches 40.
- No interrupt: Scatter Shot is a disorient that any damage breaks.
- At low level, never take Lone Wolf unless your goal is to maximize your cleave and AoE damage in dungeons.