Marksmanship Rotation

[zaronn]

SS>Chimera Shot >Arcane x2> Steady Shot (til improved steady procs)> arcane x2> Steady Shot (til proc)> Chimera (if it's needed to refresh SS)> Arcane x2> Steady Shot (til procs again)

Why do you all insist on using CS immediately after serpent? that is clearly a dps loss, as 2x arcane shot would put out equal damage for less focus compared to CS + 1 arcane shot

[ASO]

Why do you all insist on using CS immediately after serpent? that is clearly a dps loss, as 2x arcane shot would put out equal damage for less focus compared to CS + 1 arcane shot

Two reasons: one, just being used to CS being a hard hitting, long cooldown shot without a resource restriction, so you want it always on cooldown. Two, the 2 Arcane Shots are slightly more damage, but they're also an extra GCD.

Whichever is better is going to require a lot more TCing and modeling. Personally I think keeping it on cooldown can be the way to go when scaling kicks in and Arcane Shot isn't hitting so hard, the target's mom feels it.

[rockallnite]

For me, running with the Glyph of Arcane Shot, it's doin almost exactly the same amount of dmg as a Chimera Shot.
This isn't me, but check out the difference between his Arcanes and Chimeras. I'm gettin the same results, except not as big numbers since I'm not raid buffed, just dummy testing.
So basically, shooting 2 Arcanes instead of a Chimera is double the dmg for less focus.
I'm kinda not getting the idea of keeping Chimera on cooldown now, I understood it before when it used to hit big, but I dont see a reason now. I say just use it whenever SerpSting is about to fall.

[Moyotoshi]

There's actually a pretty good discussion on the EJ forums which has me rethinking the SrS vs CS debate. They've shown, in recent tests, that speccing for improved serpent sting, refreshing it when it fades and ignoring CS while alternating spam of SS and AS is actually a DPS increase (depending on your crit, haste, etc). The running theory is that it'll show slightly less dps on the dummy vs a CS rotation but outperform on a raid boss, especially in fights with a lot of target swapping. <<< that last bit depends on your guild raids/pugs in ICC and the role you're typically asked to perform as Hunter. I can say that at least in my case I'm very, very rarely ever asked to sit focused on one target. It's my job to burn adds, which accounts for almost every boss in ICC at some point.

Wouldn't dropping Chimera Shot reduce damage from Piercing Shots as well? That seems like a pretty hefty DPS loss.

[Deleted]

What I found to be effective was, Serpent>Chimera>Arcane until your out of focus (usually 3)>Steady weaving arcane when possible>Chimera when it is off CD>repeat. And of course Aimed when it procs. Under the Rapid Fire effect it changes a little (less Steady more Arcane). Also the patch kind of fucked us, so don't expect pre-4.0 DPS.

yes this is what i have been using but get more arcane shots in i have 22% haste tho

[ASO]

Wouldn't dropping Chimera Shot reduce damage from Piercing Shots as well? That seems like a pretty hefty DPS loss.

Piercing Shots no longer affects Chimera.

/edit: Odamn, maybe it does? I could have sworn it was removed.

I can see their method being an increase though. It's 50% more damage on SrS, plus you can still shoot an Arcane Shot. If ((SrR * 150%) + (Arcane Shot)) > Chimera Shot, then it definitely can be better, even considering GCD.

[Moyotoshi]

I can see their method being an increase though. It's 50% more damage on SrS, plus you can still shoot an Arcane Shot. If ((SrR * 150%) + (Arcane Shot)) > Chimera Shot, then it definitely can be better, even considering GCD.

Three things:
1) Where are you getting the 50% from? Imp Serpent Sting is 30% sting damage instantly.
2) Does Serpent Sting still 'roll' with the % damage modifier from its last direct application? If so, wouldn't it be better to keep the higher damage sting active instead of applying a lower value sting?
3) Even if SrS+AS>ChS, that doesn't take into account the Steady Shot cast after the Chimera Shot and the Focus gained from it.

It's a tough call, and I'm not confident I'm the right person to crunch the numbers.

[ASO]

Three things:
1) Where are you getting the 50% from? Imp Serpent Sting is 30% sting damage instantly.
2) Does Serpent Sting still 'roll' with the % damage modifier from its last direct application? If so, wouldn't it be better to keep the higher damage sting active instead of applying a lower value sting?
3) Even if SrS+AS>ChS, that doesn't take into account the Steady Shot cast after the Chimera Shot and the Focus gained from it.

It's a tough call, and I'm not confident I'm the right person to crunch the numbers.

1) Oh my god, numbers are hard. It's 30%.
2) As far as I know (readas: haven't been assed to test yet), yes.
3) Exactly. That's why I think this is a pretty big math problem.

[Spl4sh3r]

From what I have read in the other threads. You should only use Chimera Shot when Serpent Sting is about to fall off to refresh it and only then otherwise you keep your Aimed > Arcane rotation with Steady to get Focus back

[LQDMTL]

Hurray... CS was just stealth fixed and Bow durability was stealth fixed too. Woot!