Stings in cata

[Threndsa]

So with the release of prelim focus costs im noticing that unless our stings (or at least serpent) costs <20 or so dealing with keeping serpent up as close to 100% as we do now becomes very inefficient considering how many times a BM and SV hunter need to cast it during a boss fight. So ive come up with two possible solutions that I would like to throw out.

1) Each spec gets a talent to refresh sting duration
2)Stings become a self ranged weapon enchant (similar to how shaman have their X weapon skills) and proc 100% on next shot with an internal CD equal to what the shots cooldown is. IE Serpent will always proc since it has no CD. Shooting a target that already has it will simply refresh the duration while Viper shot will only proc once every 10 seconds inline with the 10 second CD it has now.

For various reasons I like 2 more but since the code for 1 is already written into chimera shots skill it would be easier to introduce from a codemonkey standpoint.

[M1kra]

I don't think they will add more talents to refresh sting duration, since that is a Marksmanship only skill. They most likely hasn't released Sting cost because they are still working on it. Though I like the idea with stings being used on the Ranged Weapon seeing how they mentioned Rogues should be able to apply poison to their thrown weapon.

So in my opinion most likely they do your 2) than your 1).

[Asif]

I totally agree with you, and 2 would be a great thing to give to hunters, except that it could be potentially way op in pvp situations basically having a 100% of the time mana drain... but i guess most healers could dispel it anyways. interesting ideas.

[Deleted]

I actually see Viper Sting becoming the new "big" sting, as in you have to keep it up all the time to be able to be able to cast all your skills without focus problems.

[Zipp]

I actually see Viper Sting becoming the new "big" sting, as in you have to keep it up all the time to be able to be able to cast all your skills without focus problems.

This.

[SkyBlueAri]

Yeh i think they will be not taking out, but changing serpent sting to not be the focus sting anymore. ALso i think they will giv us another dot to put up either from our pet or from us. But not a little rake that does next to no dmg. Something more srs then that.

[M1kra]

I will most likely use Serpent Sting still, because of the 3% damage increase from talent (unless the talent is removed ofcourse). But seeing how all the ArP on gear is replaced by other stats, which most likely is Haste on those pieces without Haste already. We should have enough Focus Regeneration from that.

Maybe using Viper Sting at the beginning to get a hang of the rotations and such, but after that it's back to Serpent Sting

[Rasseim]

I can't see them adding more Sting refresh talents or treating them similar to rogues poisons. I think stings will remain the separate casts as they are currently.

I tend to think at early gear levels people will want Viper Sting in their rotation, until your gear improves your focus regen (via crit rating, more haste, etc), then it will be dropped in favor of serpent. Although I do wonder what the effect of chimera on a viper stung target would be, how much instant focus, does chimera become "free"?

[SkyBlueAri]

I will most likely use Serpent Sting still, because of the 3% damage increase from talent (unless the talent is removed ofcourse).

Im almost positive they said they want to remove all % increases.