New hunter!!

[aarro]

Hey all, iv just started a hunter(lvl10) and the time has come to pick a spec... Iv always thought MM was the better dps of the lot but now i see alot of the top end hunters choosing survival... Anybody care to mention why because im stuck on which to pick. cheers

[Kmillznillz]

At lvl 10, honestly it doesnt really matter what spec you are. But you prob want to be BM that early on cause there are more survival/pet-centric abilities. and SV/Marks meat is really halfway down the tree and on. This said its really honestly up to you how to play and what to play as, its not a giant difference at your lvl.

[Taurous]

I just enjoy survival. I played MM all the way through wrath and I decided to check out surv when Cata hit, and I liked it.

I haven't played as MM in Cata, but from all the guides I've read, MM seems to be the more complicated spec that doesn't make you that much better, especially if you don't play it perfectly. A mediocre hunter in surv will always beat a mediocre hunter in MM.

[aarro]

@Kmill... I dont really want to go BM and pick up a new spec half way through, Id rather pick one to learn from the start.....

Taurous, So are you saying that Surv & MM are equal in dps?

---------- Post added 2012-03-31 at 10:03 PM ----------

Anybody else??

[Ijanaak]

Well Survival is the best right now for PVE, but Marksmanship is still the best for PVP...

For leveling, generally Beast Mastery is preferred just because the pet is less likely to die. Usually you'll pull aggro off your pet as another spec, which happens very infrequently leveling as BM so you may wanna choose that for now or you'll end up kiting a lot.

As far as end game specs... it's like any class, sometimes its one thing and sometimes its another thing. Originally Marksmanship was the best spec, then in The Burning Crusade, towards the end Beast Mastery was the best spec, then Survival was the best spec at the start of WotLK, then Marks was the best in Ulduar and after. Then Survival was the best at Cataclysm launch, but shortly was overtaken by heroic t11 and Firelands and Marks was the best, and now Survival is the best again...

Just changes... learn all 3 and adapt to the times... but level as BM, it's much more hassle-free for new hunters.

[Scythes]

I usually go BM for leveling, then go to MM for it is the better spec for pvp at the moment. Haven't really paid any attention at hunter pve to know which spec outshines the other in that area.

[aarro]

Thank you Ijanaak! I know you say it would be easier as BM but im going to take the plunge with SV i think...

[Cyph3r]

Just a word of warning when it comes to leveling SV; Don't take too much stock in your talents. SV is in this weird place where you can start spending talent points to improve abilities that you haven't actually learned yet. From a leveling perspective, it's the most broken of the 3 trees. It functions great at cap, but the trip there is... odd.

Few of us actually know what the dps levels of all 3 specs are throughout the level range. And the one on "top" will vary from level to level no doubt. Aimed shot is a beast at low level. I mean absolutely destroys anything and everything, but it's got that long ass cast time. BM offers the most control (intimidation is so very underrated), but that's only really nice if you use it. SV gets explosive and an agility boost right away, which both help damage output of course, but it's actual talent tree doesn't start to really become functional until much higher level.

The BEST advice that can be given is to try all 3 out. Seriously. They all have unique strengths, and actually pretty different styles. The "best" one is the one that feels right to you, and that's really subjective. Rest assured that whichever you pick, you're probably going to out-DPS everyone you meet in any dungeon. Hunters are actually really well balanced between the 3 specs right now, and all 3 are sort of a little (CRAZILY) overpowered at lower levels right now.

Oh, also... do some pvp under level 20. Stupid amounts of fun.

[Deleted]

Level BM, it rocks and you'll be able to solo much more than you could otherwise. Choose SV from lv75 onwards as it starts to get awesome then, and imo much easier to play and get good numbers from than MM.

[Barpig]

I would definitely level with BM. Just easier and quicker. I would dual spec into MM sometime in the level 70s to get used to it for end game. i think MM has a decent rotation to keep focus up so that is what I play in PvP. Most of my hunter friends that raid go SV.

At any rate all this will probably change as soon as patch 5.0 hits and we figure it out all over again!

[Deleted]

BM for solo leveling and questing, Survivial probably for everything else.

[Ijanaak]

Level BM, it rocks and you'll be able to solo much more than you could otherwise. Choose SV from lv75 onwards as it starts to get awesome then, and imo much easier to play and get good numbers from than MM.

I will say this, I find soloing as any spec easy... if you are comfortable kiting, most things are doable anyhow. Even a weak pet tanks a bit and you can plug a lot of damage into it, dismiss the pet before it dies, boss comes to you, you kite. Resummon the pet, deterrence, bring out a fresh pet. Feign, get max range... all that noise.

[xstaindx]

Hey all, iv just started a hunter(lvl10) and the time has come to pick a spec... Iv always thought MM was the better dps of the lot but now i see alot of the top end hunters choosing survival... Anybody care to mention why because im stuck on which to pick. cheers

You're level 10 enjoy your time leveling; until your in DS gear your spec as a whole is really irrelevant. Most importantly play what fits YOUR playstyle best regardless of what some simulcraft calculator tells you.

If you're a min/max type player; then absolutely learn SV spec as it will shine once you get your epic gear.

[tehgather3r]

Gone are the days where leveling is even remotely difficult. Before cata, BM may have been the spec of choice. At this point though, I'd say MM is far better. You will pretty much be one shotting everything with Aimed Shot.

[Deleted]

Well i would go for MM spec for leveling since you can pretty much 1 shot mobs

[Asrialol]

Once you can access Aimed Shot, Chimera Shot, Rapid Killing and Rapid Recuperation - go MM. Before that, it doesn't really matter as they are all more or less the same. But once you can get these talents, MM is far superior for leveling.

[candytata6]

Hey all, iv just started a hunter(lvl10) and the time has come to pick a spec... Iv always thought MM was the better dps of the lot but now i see alot of the top end hunters choosing survival... Anybody care to mention why because im stuck on which to pick. cheers

[ejpaints]

BM really is the better leveling spec mainly due to where the tree falls in relation to when you're learning spells. As was mentioned before in this thread, SV's talent points aren't really gonna help you at low level b/c you won't even have the spells that the talents go with.

Additionally, instead of playing the FoTM consider this. BM is looking quite strong come MoP. I wouldn't discount it if you just started this hunter. Although my SV spec does outperform my BM one in DS, I still do rather well if I choose to play BM. And BM is getting some pretty substantial changes come MoP that I foresee requiring a pretty big nerfbat just to bring them back down in line with other dps.