5.4 Siege of Orgrimmar - Hunter Loot and Best in Slot

Posted On // 3 comments
I've made a few posts on the Might forums about hunter loot in Siege of Orgrimmar. For simplicity sake, I will simply copy paste these forum posts over here so that you can read them as they were.

EDIT - September 21, 2013.
 After the release of 5.4 to live and the first two weeks of raid pushes, I've gotten a stronger sense of the gear list available. To clarify, anything with a higher ilevel will most likely be an upgrade over whatever you previously had. There is no item in Siege that is inherently bad, including the trinkets.
That said, the below post is still untouched. It lists all the gear from the instance including my first impressions and my initial BiS normal mode.
This edit is to include my final BiS Warforged heroic list. It lists the item slot, the item and the reforge. All gem sockets are matched agi, agi/crit and agi/hit. This is for all specs, and goes as follows:
NECK: Gleaming Eye of the Devilsaur - Heroic Warforged // Crit to Hit
SHOULDER: Spaulders of the Unblinking Vigil - Heroic // Expertise to Crit
CLOAK: Fen-Yu, Fury of Xeun // Mastery to Expertise
CHEST: Tunic of the Unblinking Vigil - Heroic // Not reforged
BRACER: Dagryn's Fuselight Bracers - Heroic Warforged // Not reforged
GLOVES: Gloves of the Unblinking Vigil - Heroic // Not reforged
BELT: Arrowflight Girdle - Heroic Warforged // Haste to Expertise
PANTS: Leggings of Unabashed Anger - Heroic Warforged // Mastery to Haste
BOOTS: Ravager's Pathwalkers - Heroic Warforged // Not reforged
RING1: Ring of Restless Energy - Heroic Warforged // Mastery to Expertise
RING2: Reality Ripper Ring - Heroic Warforged // Hit to Expertise
TRINKET1: Assurance of Consequence - Heroic Warforged // MM ONLY: Ticking Ebon Detonator
TRINKET2: Haromm's Talisman - Heroic Warforged // BM ONLY: Ticking Ebon Detonator
WEAPON: Hisek's Reserve Longbow - Heroic Warforged // Not reforged
HEAD: Headguard of the Unblinking Vigil - Heroic  // Not reforged 
EDIT - December 03, 2013.
 The living lists on femaledwarf.com will give you a better idea of where the BiS lists are evolving from. For the most part they're irrelevant to actual play since they're styled around the theoretical top in the calculator, and include specific times, buffs and abilities that not all players pick for the SoO fights. For example, all my current BiS items on FD for Survival and Marksmanship include Powershot in the rotation, but you might not necessarily be using Powershot. In fact, generally if you're playing Marksman you'll go for a more utility based build surrounding mastery and wild quiver in combination with Glaive Toss, which will proc on the multiple mobs it hits.  Always build your current "BiS" based on items currently available to you based on your progression and remember the living synergy of the secondary stats. Even now the above BiS has been bested by new match ups for all three specs: survival and marksmanship replaced a ring with the swift serpent and beast mastery replaced the longbow with the death lotus crossbow. Just something to keep in mind when evaluating your own gear.  


They've continued to tweak aimed shots weapon damage upwards, and at this rate it might actually be decent once a SoO weapon is picked up. It's still very weak on AoE, but so long as most AoE encounters also have a high single target component to them BM/MM over SV/BM might be a passable option. It might even come to be that my initial prediction at the start of the expansion regarding a Marksman haste / powershot build being decent will happen by farm....
...But probably not, because hunters like to roll their faces across keyboards which means BM and SV will continue getting help if they fall behind the harder to play spec. 

At the very least, I might look into testing the single target potential of BM/MM on fights like Malkorok and Thok when they roll around for real pushes. Maybe. 

Anyway, here's some preliminary things regarding hunter 5.4 loot.

BM / MM is probably
Haste = Crit > Mastery
and SV is probably
Crit >= Haste > Mastery

Thus,

Immerseus - 

Boots = Puddle PunishersCrit / Hit [red socket 60 mastery]
Neck = Immerseus' Crystalline EyeHaste / Mastery

The Fallen Protectors - 

Weapon = Death Lotus CrossbowHaste / Hit [red socket 60 agility]
Gloves = Grips of Unending AnguishCrit / Expertise [red, blue sockets 120 agility]

Norushen - 

Ring = Reality Ripper RingHit / Crit [blue socket 60 crit]
Legs = Leggings of Unabashed AngerCrit / Mastery [blue, blue sockets 120 agility]
Shoulders = Quarantine ShoulderguardsHaste / Mastery [blue, blue sockets 120 agility]

Sha of Pride - 

Chest = Tier Chest Unblinking VigilCrit / Haste [red, red, red sockets 180 agility]
Trinket = Assurance of Consequence = Cooldown trinket / Agility proc

Galakras - 

(I'm sorry, but where the fuck did Zaela get the kitten version of the dragon progenitor?)
Ring = Swift Serpent SignetMastery / Expertise [yellow socket 60 crit]
Wrist = Dagryn's Fuselight BracersHit / Haste
Belt = Cannoneer's Multipocket GunbeltHit / Haste [red, blue sockets 120 agility]
Weapon = Dagryn's Discarded LongbowMastery / Haste [red socket 60 agility]

Iron Juggernaut - 

Boots = Minelayer's Padded BootsMastery / Expertise [yellow socket 60 mastery]
Gloves = Precision CuttersHaste / Mastery [red, yellow sockets 120 agility]

Kor'kron Dark Shaman - 

Trinket = Haromm's Talisman = Multistrike attack / Agility proc
Head = Haromm's Horrifying HelmMastery / Haste [meta, yellow sockets 180 agility]
Cloak = Poisonmist Nightcloak

General Nazgrim - 

Gloves = Tier Gloves Unblinking VigilCrit / Haste [red, red sockets 120 agility]
Boots = Ravager's PathwalkersHaste / Crit [red socket 60 agility]

Malkorok - 

Ring = Ring of Restless EnergyCrit / Mastery [red socket 60 crit]
Wrist = Wristguards of RuinationExpertise / Crit
Weapon = Kor'kron Hand CannonMastery / Crit [red socket 60 agility]

Spoils of Pandaria - 

Trinket = Sigil of Rampage = Cleave attack / Agility proc
Belt = Arrowflight GirdleHaste / Crit [red, yellow sockets 120 agility]
Chest = Ancient Archer's ChestguardCrit Mastery [red, red, yellow sockets 180 agility]

Thok the Bloodthirsty - 

Neck = Gleaming Eye of the DevilsaurHaste / Crit 
Head = Tier Hat Unblinking VigilCrit / Haste [meta, red sockets 180 agility]

Siegecrafter Blackfuse - 

Trinket = Ticking Ebon Detonator = Reverse Renataki's / Mastery
Wrist = Bracers of Infinite PipesMastery / Haste 
Shoulders = Tier Shoulders Unblinking VigilHaste / Expertise [red, red sockets 120 agility]

Paragons of the Klaxxi - 

Ring = Kil'ruk's Band of AscendancyMastery / Haste  [red socket 60 crit]
Weapon = Hisek's Reserve LongbowCrit / Haste  [red socket 60 agility]
Legs = Tier Legs Unblinking VigilMastery / Haste [yellow, yellow sockets 120 agility]

Garrosh Hellscream - 

Weapon = Hellscream's WarbowMastery / Haste  [red, red sockets 120 agility]
Chest = Chestguard of Relentless TyrannyHaste  / Mastery [red, red, yellow sockets 180 agility]
Shoulders = Shoulderguards of Intended PowerCrit / Mastery [yellow, yellow sockets 120 agility]
Head = Penetrating Gaze of Y'ShaarjCrit / Mastery [meta, yellow sockets 180 agility]
_______________________

Then popping these into their specific items (order they appear),
Gold star represents theoretical BiS - silver being alternatives or second bests. Red stars are situational or third best. This isn't entirely final and will vary ever so slightly between the three specializations, but for the most part every yellow item is a very safe bet going into 5.4. Looking around at other peoples' lists, this is agreed on for the most part. 
The nice thing about hunters is we can literally soak just about any left over agility gear and gain benefit. Collecting multiple pieces is even beneficial until the complete final BiS is built. 
Criteria built around primarily: superior agility [with sockets], optimal secondaries as per above.

Head - 
 Head = Haromm's Horrifying HelmMastery / Haste [meta, yellow sockets 180 agility]
 Head = Tier Hat Unblinking VigilCrit Haste [meta, red sockets 180 agility]
 Head = Penetrating Gaze of Y'ShaarjCrit / Mastery [meta, yellow sockets 180 agility]

Neck - 
 Neck = Immerseus' Crystalline EyeHaste / Mastery 
 Neck = Gleaming Eye of the DevilsaurHaste / Crit

Shoulders - 
 Shoulders = Quarantine ShoulderguardsHaste / Mastery [blue, blue sockets 120 agility]
 Shoulders = Tier Shoulders Unblinking VigilHaste / Expertise [red, red sockets 120 agility] 
 Shoulders = Shoulderguards of Intended PowerCrit / Mastery [yellow, yellow sockets 120 agility]

Chest - 
 Chest = Tier Chest Unblinking VigilCrit / Haste [red, red, red sockets 180 agility]
 Chest = Ancient Archer's ChestguardCrit / Mastery [red, red, yellow sockets 180 agility]
 Chest = Chestguard of Relentless TyrannyHaste  / Mastery [red, red, yellow sockets 180 agility]

Wrists - 
 Wrist = Dagryn's Fuselight BracersHit / Haste
 Wrist = Wristguards of RuinationExpertise / Crit
 Wrist = Bracers of Infinite PipesMastery / Haste 

Gloves - 
 Gloves = Grips of Unending AnguishCrit Expertise [red, blue sockets 120 agility]
 Gloves = Precision CuttersHaste / Mastery [red, yellow sockets 120 agility]
 Gloves = Tier Gloves Unblinking VigilCrit / Haste [red, red sockets 120 agility]

Belt - 
 Belt = Cannoneer's Multipocket GunbeltHit / Haste [red, blue sockets 120 agility]
 Belt = Arrowflight GirdleHaste / Crit [red, yellow sockets 120 agility]

Legs - [side note: with itemization I believe 5pc with legs is BiS, but I haven't fully tinkered with it and of all the pieces that would be best to give up to other prot token users it would be these]
Legs = Leggings of Unabashed AngerCrit / Mastery [blue, blue sockets 120 agility]
 Legs = Tier Legs Unblinking VigilMastery / Haste [yellow, yellow sockets 120 agility]

Boots - 
 Boots = Puddle PunishersCrit / Hit [red socket 60 mastery]
 Boots = Minelayer's Padded BootsMastery / Expertise [yellow socket 60 mastery]
Boots = Ravager's PathwalkersHaste / Crit [red socket 60 agility]

Ring - 
 Ring = Reality Ripper RingHit / Crit [blue socket 60 crit]
Ring = Swift Serpent SignetMastery / Expertise [yellow socket 60 crit]
 Ring = Ring of Restless EnergyCrit / Mastery [red socket 60 crit]
 Ring = Kil'ruk's Band of AscendancyMastery / Haste  [red socket 60 crit]

Trinkets - 
 Trinket = Assurance of Consequence = Cooldown trinket / Agility proc
 Trinket = Haromm's Talisman = Multistrike attack / Agility proc
 Trinket = Sigil of Rampage = Cleave attack / Agility proc
 Trinket = Ticking Ebon Detonator = Reverse Renataki's / Mastery

Weapon - 
 Weapon = Death Lotus CrossbowHaste / Hit [red socket 60 agility]
 Weapon = Dagryn's Discarded LongbowMastery / Haste [red socket 60 agility]
 Weapon = Kor'kron Hand CannonMastery / Crit [red socket 60 agility]
Weapon = Hisek's Reserve Longbow = Crit Haste  [red socket 60 agility]
Weapon = Hellscream's WarbowMastery / Haste  [red, red sockets 120 agility]

Garrosh's Warbow is BiS for normal, as per the case for most of us weapon users. Anything with higher ilevel / weapon damage [heroic, WF, etc] will be better. 
2pc/2pc heroic T15/normal T16 is worth the swap and valued as at least a 4000 increase. 

Alternative sets have swapped out tier legs and unabashed anger; punishers puddle boots and ravager's; kil'ruks ring and the reality ripper; various weapons. Depending on gear set up these can be better at any given time ... IE, 
Ravagers + Rippers > Punishers + Kilruks
but 
Punishers + Kilruks or Rippers > Ravagers + Kilruks 
etc.





NORMAL MODE

(Green is minor upgrade from [my current] ToT heroic/TF heroic ; orange is BiS until heroic SoO).
Immerseus - Boots, Neck

The Fallen Protectors - Weapon

Norushen - Ring, Legs

Sha of Pride - Tier Chest, Trinket

Galakras - Ring, Wrist, Belt, Weapon

Iron Juggernaut - Boots

Dark Shaman - Trinket [potentially orange..ish]

General Nazgrim - Tier Gloves, Boots

Malkorok - Ring, Wrist, Weapon

Spoils of Pandaria - Belt, Trinket, Chest

Thok the Bloodthirsty - Neck, Tier Helm

Siegecrafter Blackfuse - Trinket, Tier Shoulders, Wrist

Paragons of the Klaxxi - Tier Legs, Ring, Weapon

Garrosh Hellscream - Weapon, Chest, Shoulders, Helm

3 comments :

  1. That bow from Garrosh looks like it will be tremendously useful for not just leveling in the next expansion (and does the 'level 90-100' suggest we will see levels to 100 in the next expansion?), but for running heroics too, if one is lucky enough to get it that way.
    If Aimed Shot does end up getting a buff, then together with the rapid fire from the 4 set it will be interesting to see what kind of rotation will be best and whether working in some hardcast aimed shots will be worthwhile even out of careful aim.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So an interesting post over at EJ that you have perhaps already seen, http://elitistjerks.com/f74/t132712-mop_beastmastery_5_4_a/#SoO_BiS_profiles_by_spec gives marksmanship specced with glaive toss as the 2nd highest dps hunter spec at BiS, with SV w/ powershot taking first place (only a 3k difference which is less than 1%). Now I don't know the full details of how he ran his simulations, but this certainly shows that marksmanship is quite competitive at least for single target fights (of course SoO has a number of fights which favour lots of aoe or multidots and I still have not figured out much of a solution for making marksmanship effective on aoe).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Effin does his own thing, but if he checked the public settings more often his sims would be stronger.
      Most of what they do is actually pretty useless to me, since all their runs are done at 5 minute durations, the same amount of CA (15%) and some other settings. Luckily, this is why we can do our own :)

      Here's the full top ranking public settings on FD right now:
      http://i.imgur.com/jxAkE1B.png

      And yes, they're all within 2-3% of each others single-target throughput. It really does come down to how well you are at playing the spec and taking advantage of the encounters this time around. I've primarily been playing MM/BM and have been meaning to make some summaries of my experiences so far, so that'll be a thing eventually.
      Powershot is stronger for Marksman too, but Effin is primarily good at simming and playing survival and feels less experienced with marksman. That said, the nice thing about glaive is the fact that it's instant you can use it while moving. The slow is more useful than the knockback too, from my experience.
      ("WHO KEEPS KNOCKING THIS SHIT BACK, GODDAMN.")

      The difference gets a little larger at 7.5m and with settings tweaked, but it's still nonetheless the same out come --- all within 2-5%. Though as for MM AoE, there isn't really much of a place for it. Even stacking mastery MM's multi/wild quiver doesn't come close to BM's multi/beast cleave burst or SV's serpent spread sustain. It's unfortunate, but I think it's on purpose given how useful MM's mass slow via concussive barrage can be. I think they were afraid of making another "keg smash."

      Delete