PTR 3.3.3 Hunter Changes [Updated 3/10]

[Nimizar]

The patch note is ambiguous as to whether the Steady buff is instead of or as well as the Arcane damage buff on FI (except in the case of complete talent rewrites, patch notes usually only mention the parts of talents that change, not those that stay the same). The latter would be pushing the talent even further over budget, but it's already miles over budget anyway and is something every raiding BM hunter would have so it's a good place to buff them without generating complaints about additional must-have talents.

It's been a while since I ran a logged raid so I don't know what fraction Steady is these days, but since the pet, auto shot, Serpent Sting, Arcane and Multi/Aimed won't be affected by this buff, my inclination is that the Steady buff will be an addition to the talent rather than a replacement for the effect it already has on Arcane.

[Tahlian]

According to my raid's World of Logs parse for our Icecrown 25 raid from last night, Steady Shot is 9% of my total damage. Now I don't know if my personal Steady Shot use for the bosses in question (Marrowgar - Festergut) is about average for a beast master or not...but that's my personal experience under the current ruleset. Your mileage may vary, etc.

[Ryai]

Tbh I don't see why people fuss about CoS still :p I still like the forced prep time as I am STILL forgetful on my paladin. Oh sure I make sure he has all his buffs but I ALWAYS FORGET ONE. It's either Rightious Fury OR Dev aura. I know I'm not the only paladin, I've had about a dozen make the same mistakes and sheepishly giggle when someone points it out to them...

But tanking half an instance in crusader aura is something I like to avoid >_<

tho I still managed to do that in one strat run ...

What I hope they look into really is ToC, I've been having it do the normal long winded spiel and then having it not do it and taking just as long, or doing half of the event and then everything glitches. Seriously, the infamous Champions are LoS glitch sucks hard core. especially when the dps and healers don't realize you're not able to pull them and start their work to soon and get aggro...


I am happy about the changes to BM, as that is more useful tbh, and since pets will be still getting a boost from crit rate and our dps does also come from pets, it won't really make anything a whomg my pet is useless now! wave. AND I heard ret auras drowned out our dps buff atm anyways so this should fix that!

I'm curious if warlocks will get the same treatment?

[Tahlian]

Oh, given the statements Blizzard made back around the start of BC, I don't think you'll ever see them making hunter pets useless by any stretch of the imagination. I think they really are trying to make BM more competitive for the last run up to Cataclysm, perhaps to get folks used to having them in raids again. Which would be nice if Santa Devs give me everything I want for the expac and make all three hunter specs equally viable and competitive in terms of raiding DPS.

/puts a Santa hat on Clayburn and sings a verse of "Santa Baby" a la Eartha Kitt...

[Sukurachi]

I sort of hate to ask it, but... any guess as to when 3.3.3 will release?

[Saturo]

I'd say one to two months, that's usually the time it takes to go from PTR to live.

[Kalliope]

The change to FI buffing steady is INSTEAD of buffing arcane.

[Nimizar]

The change to FI buffing steady is INSTEAD of buffing arcane.

Is that a direct PTR observation Kalliope? (Wowhead's PTR database is still only showing a damage buff to Arcane, although it is now showing the passive damage aura instead of the proc. The PTR forums only report that the current implementation is rather buggy, with the FI aura showing up at 1% for all hunters, regardless of spec).

From past experience, the wording of the patch note as it currently stands isn't enough to say for sure whether this is "as well as" or "instead of".

[Kalliope]

The change to FI buffing steady is INSTEAD of buffing arcane.

Is that a direct PTR observation Kalliope? (Wowhead's PTR database is still only showing a damage buff to Arcane, although it is now showing the passive damage aura instead of the proc. The PTR forums only report that the current implementation is rather buggy, with the FI aura showing up at 1% for all hunters, regardless of spec).

From past experience, the wording of the patch note as it currently stands isn't enough to say for sure whether this is "as well as" or "instead of".

Nope, not on the PTR, so I'll amend that to "It appears to me that Blizzard intends for the buff to steady to replace the buff to arcane based on the patch notes, which may or may not be accurate."

[Tahlian]

Nope! According to the Ghostly Crab in this thread (cited below), FI should boost damage for BOTH shots! Yaaay!

/does Kermit the Frog happy-dance


http://forums.worldofwarcraft.com/threa ... 5172&sid=1

[Saturo]

FI buffs Steady Shot in addition to Arcane Shot.

Yay!

[Mania]

Thanks for the update and link, Tahlian!

[Kalliope]

Oooooh! Thanks for the followup!!!! (And thanks to GC for clearing this up!)

I agree with the OP; VERY VERY glad to be wrong on this one!

(And in all fairness, it was NOT clear from how they phrased the patch notes originally.)

*is now cautiously optimistic*

[Ryno]

*is now cautiously optimistic*

Ah-ha! Caught you hoping for something good on the PTR to make it live!!

/blows whistle

[VelkynKarma]

Oooh...I'm not really an expert and certainly I'm no raider, but this sounds like a great improvement for BM hunters. Might not still make them THE new damage spec, but at least make it more viable...

~VelkynKarma

[Protego]

I wonder if the Ferocious Inspiration aura thing will get an animation. Like players' buffs auras'.

[Mania]

I've updated the original post with the latest patch note changes from today: Heart of the Phoenix cooldown down to 8 minutes. I have no idea why Blizzard might do that at this point, but .. err .. okay, I guess.

The PTR is also down, presumably for a new build, so we may have more new changes to gape at when it comes back up.

[Ryno]

Heart of the Phoenix cooldown down to 8 minutes. I have no idea why Blizzard might do that at this point, but .. err .. okay, I guess.

Me thinks for arena. Since everything 10 min + cooldown isn't usable in there.

[Kalliope]

Heart of the Phoenix cooldown down to 8 minutes. I have no idea why Blizzard might do that at this point, but .. err .. okay, I guess.

Me thinks for arena. Since everything 10 min + cooldown isn't usable in there.

That's an excellent point.

That makes it a BM arena buff, IMO, since no other spec should really be rockin' a dps pet in arena.

Well, and PvE as well, but yeah.

[Ryno]

Well, and PvE as well, but yeah.

PvE in the Arena!! For those 5v5 teams of all druids, all popping trents, and their gnome buddy trinket...