Thoughts on Aimed Shot--Direction of MM

[Ifritus]

I posted this on the official forums, thought I'd spread my thoughts here since I do more forum reading here anyway :-D Let me know what you think.

This is going to be a long post.
Let me first start off by saying this entire purpose of this post is to discuss the proposed "Nerfs to Aimed Shot." I am currently in a 9/12 (hopefully soon to be 10 or 11) raiding guild, which while not amazing, is somewhere around middle ground for most players. The current state of MM, which for optimal DPS has been tested from multiple sources, forces players under most circumstances to "hard cast" Aimed Shot. It is of my personal opinion that this playstyle is not what Blizzard intended for the spec. I feel that this play style is very demanding (not hard), clunky and incredibly static. Please do not confuse this with thinking that this spec performs poorly. In general, on most fights I'm near, if not at, the top of the meters for my guild. However, I simply think that MM really needs to have its focus shifted from its current direction to one that is much more dynamic, fun and essentially better for all Hunters.

In the recent 4.06 patch Blizzard introduced many buffs and alterations to Hunters. (Only PvE stuff will be listed in this discussion. I am also going to somewhat avoid BM, as my knowledge is limited to knowing that it is still inferior to the others for competitive raiding.)

General:
-Arcane Shot Boost (Helped really All specs-- SHOULD have helped Marks)

Survival:
-Agility Nerf (Scaling issues)
-Explosive Shot, Black Arrow reductions

Marks:
-Aimed Shot Cast time reduced and damage buffed from 150% to 200%
-Direct Mastery Buff
-Chimera Buff

As a direct effect of these changes Survival had its single target damage lowered. Marks had its output significantly increased as can be seen at Stateofdps. In regards to MM, the playstyle changed from a rotation of pairing Steady Shots, Using Chimera on CD, Utilizing Master Marksman's Buff (Fire!), and dumping Focus with Arcane Shot--to a rotation that prioritizes Aimed Shot and using Chimera to keep us Serpent Sting (as well as the above.) As mentioned before, in addition to the poor feel of the spec (opinion) hard casting aimed shot does not allow for auto-shots to fire. This greatly reduces the value of our mastery (which makes the buff to it some-what null). In addtion, Marks will nearly never use Arcane shot unless on the move, and questionable even then. So much priority is given to Aimed shot that the entire spec is completely based around it. In its current form, I feel as if this is not the direction Marks was intended to play, or that it should be playing.
(If this paragraph did not makes sense of if you want proof on this I would like to refer you to Wow Hunter's Union, a very trusted and accredited website that does a much better job of explaining the changes to Marks and how the rotation is optimized--All credit is given to them)

I say all that to explain the mindset for the proposed changes that think would greatly improve hunters as a whole.
First off: I think Marks should be designed around utilizing instant Aimed Shots through the talent Master Marksman. If you don't have this talent and are Spec'd in Marks.... I feel you are way out of the scope of this discussion since you can't have your signature shot either. However, the whole problem with this is getting Aimed shot to become no longer attractive for those who wish to Hard-cast it. I don't think its damage is ridiculous in relation to other classes, I do think the prolific use of it is though. In this effect I would have Aimed shot reduced significantly (around 50% damage reduction). To compensate for this, implement a scaling talent into Master Marksman that increases the damage of the shot (perhaps 10% per stacks of MMM). This would allow Aimed Shot to still be just as powerful, but under much tighter control. (Shortened: Aimed Shot still does the damage under MMM but much less out of it.)

Next: I really like the ideal of Arcane Shot as a focus dump. To add to this, I think Arcane shot should be added to Master Marksman at a diminished proc chance (say 5 or 10% chance per talent point.) This would encourage MM hunters to choose Arcane shot to bleed excess focus, as it not only allows auto-shots (increasing the value of our mastery) but allows for more Aimed Shots to be cast as an effect. (It is very possible the proc chance off of Steady Shot may need to be adjusted as a result). I think this would also allow haste to stay high in value, as it more haste increases focus regeneration which in turn leads to more mastery procs as well as more Aimed Shot via a more prolific Arcane Shot. I don't think Arcane needs buffed in itself. Doing so would make Hunters very strong in PvP as well increase Survival's DPS (Which is a scaling issue, less of a rotation issue). I think BM needs changes outside of Arcane Shot. As far as fun is concerned, this gives Marks a more dynamic feel, as watching the stacks from Master Marksman somewhat imitate the feeling of Lock n Load and gets us away from a strict rotation.

Lastly as a general Hunter Buff: I agree with the Blue Post earlier in that Aspect of the Hawk needs attention. Right now it is a very minor increase, so little that some hunters consider staying in Aspect of the Fox so they don't accidentally lose a Steady or Cobra shot. I think "stance dancing" if you will would be a very fine inclusion to hunters and a way to separate good players from average to mediocre players.

I sincerely thank all of you for reading this, if you made it this far. I am definitely open to feedback. I would like hunters to remain a fun competitive spec for all to enjoy. If by the miracle of a blue post, would love to see how the Dev's might view something like this. If by some infraction of referring to those 2 outside sites, I apologize, and give all credit to them.

[Lilyana]

-Mastery Nerf (Scaling issues)

It's a flat -5% agility, not a mastery nerf.

[Ifritus]

Its very possible I'm wrong about this. However:

Increases Agility by 10% (Current Mastery)
I have 1000 agility--now 1100
I have 1500 agility-- now 1650

I gained an additional 50 agility due to scaling. I get less additional agility due to scaling per point of agility from my gear due to the nerf. The difference between the 2 is no longer 500 agility.

Easier to see example:
2000 * 1.10 = 2200
3000* 1.10 = 3300
2000*1.15 = 2300
3000*1.15 = 3450
I lost 100 agility at a lower gear level. At a higher gear level I lost 150

Please correct me if I'm wrong

[Asciiguy]

That isn't the mastery tho. That's just a passive bonus of being SV. The mastery is the elemental damage.

[Ifritus]

Yes, thank you. Oversight on my part.

---------- Post added 2011-02-17 at 07:00 PM ----------

On the official forums someone mentioned the idea that perhaps AiS should stay in its hardcasted form during the Careful Aim phase. I actually like the model of a changing rotation over the duration of a fight. How could Blizzard implement a change to AiS that would allow it remain attractive during CA but much less so afterwards. I think a direct nerf of the damage of Aimed would have poor ramifications for the Talent Master Marksmen.