Survival Hunter Ranged DPS Guide & Best Runes – Phase 4 Season of Discovery (SoD)

Welcome to our Season of Discovery (SoD) Phase 4 Survival Ranged Hunter DPS Guide!

This guide focuses exclusively on the Survival specialization, exploring key components such as Runes, Talent Trees, Stat Priorities, Rotations & Abilities, Best Professions, BiS (Best in Slot) items, and Race Choices. With the new Rune System introduced in the Season of Discovery, the Survival Ranged Hunter playstyle became viable, as the specialization finally has some very powerful tools hidden up its sleeve.

Talents

Runes

• Helm: Lock and Load
• Cloak: Resourcefulness/Improved Volley
• Chest: Lone Wolf
• Wrist: T.N.T
• Hands: Chimera Shot
• Waist: Expose Weakness
• Legs: Sniper Training/Kill Shot
• Feet: Trap Launcher
• Ring: Nature Specialization
• Ring: Ranged Weapon Specialization

Stat Priority

1. Hit Chance
2. Agility
3. Attack Power
4. Critical Strike Chance
5. Strength
6. Intellect
7. Stamina

Rotations & Abilities

Single-Target Rotation

1. Prioritize Rapid Fire for Burst Phases
2. Maintain Aspect of the Hawk
3. Use Aspect of the Viper if you run low on Mana
4. Cast Hunter’s Mark
5. Cast Serpent Sting (Upkeep it)
6. Cast Immolation Trap (On cooldown to deal damage and proc Lock and Load)
7. Cast Frost Trap (On cooldown to proc Lock and Load)
8. Cast Chimera Shot (On Cooldown)
   • Cast Chimera Shot twice after Lock and Load procs
9. Cast Aimed Shot when you have 5 stacks of Sniper Training (If you pick Sniper Training)
10. Cast Kill Shot on cooldown (If you pick Kill Shot)
    • Spam Kill Shot once your target reaches 20% HP
11. Cast Multi-Shot on cooldown if any of the other abilities are not available

AoE Rotation

1. Spam Volley (If you pick the Improved Volley rune)
2. Cast Explosive Trap on cooldown
3. Cast Multi-Shot on cooldown

Best Professions

Engineering

Engineering has always been regarded as one of the most versatile and effective professions in both PvE and PvP. This remains true in the Season of Discovery as Engineering is one of the best professions you can acquire for the Hunter Class due to all the creative gadgets, bombs, and equipment it provides

Leatherworking

Almost all of the newly crafted items in the Season of Discovery which are specifically tailored for Hunters come from Leatherworking, making it one of the best professions that you can acquire.

Skinning

Skinning pairs fantastically well with Leatherworking, allowing you to easily get materials for crafting while also being a good way of generating gold.

Best Races

Alliance doesn’t have one superior race for PvE, however, Night Elf has a slight advantage over Dwarf for the Hunter Class, especially for its overall aesthetic look. The only situation in which Dwarf is superior is the case of using a powerful gun thanks to the Gun Specialization racial, although that is extremely situational as the best weapons are usually bows or crossbows.

Meanwhile, the Horde has strong PvE racial effects, with Troll being the best option thanks to Bow Specialization and Berserking racials, followed up by Orc with the Blood Fury and Command racials.

Dwarf

• Stoneform, Frost Resistance, Gun Specialization, Find Treasure

Night Elf

• Nature Resistance, Quickness, Shadowmeld, Wisp Spirit

Orc

• Blood Fury, Command, Hardiness, Axe Specialization

Tauren

• Nature Resistance, Endurance, Cultivation, War Stomp

Troll

• Berserking, Beast Slaying, Bow Specialization, Throwing Specialization, Regeneration