Hunter Macros & Tips [Redux]

[Bravethestone]

I tend to keep abilities I won't be using in combat off of keybinds, like Eagle Eye or Eyes of the Beast.

Note that a lot of my ability grouping has patterns to it, like 3 and 4 being ranged while shift + 3 and shift + 4 are melee. That's how I keep organized with my UI and my abilities.

Are you a Survival hunter as well? Have you considered speccing into Savage Strikes? It's great fun in melee.

I was leveling (44 ATM) with BM, but got annoyed with PvPing effectiveness so I respeced early. On live in retail, Savage Strikes is a must...I'm already starting to melee finish players off that come into my deadzone...well actually, I have this bad habit of full-on, charging low HP players and raptorstriking them in the face to death

Yes, I'm Surv/MM. I hate constantly having to rebuff TSA with MM build, it's annoying in BGs. Its extra attack power is no big deal IMO and I always preferred the Agility/RAP/Dodge scaling of Lightning Reflexes. I'm hoping to try to get away with raiding as Surv/MM with shit pre-raid greens/blues. On live I respeced survival once I had a good amount of Agi with Tier 2 gear, but everyone's more experienced here so hopefully I can find a guild that wont be obsessive about specific raiding builds as a requirement.

Looking at your build I always thought that Clever Traps never extended the time of Freeze Trap in PvP so if that's why you speced into that I would try to test it somehow or research it to make sure the points arent wasted. I was planning to go full 5/5 entrapment, but I'm curious about how much extra time it gives Freeze Trap. I remember at 60 the duration is usually long enough to bandage, flare, mark, etc and setup on someone for an Aimedshot combo. Although the extra boost to damaging traps might be nice if you tend to use them more - depends on whether you wPvP more than BG and what's more useful scenario wise I guess. I'm just not sure If I'd be satisfied with 15% proc rate on Frost trap root...because the annoyance a well placed, rooting Frost trap provides in BGs is simply priceless...especially for being effective in a pre-made.

Everything else is mostly spot on my old PvP/Raid build, save for the fact that I put 1 point in mana efficiency instead of hunter's mark because we're so mana starved. I also went full 5/5 Deflection, because if I really was concerned about needing a slight DPS increase I would just be 31 MM/21Surv...I'd rather have a slightly higher chance to parry a 1500+ melee crit and get a Counterattack proc than consistently hit for ~100ish more damage per crit. Not really build breaker concerns though. I'm debating between doing 5/5 Survivalist instead of Entrapment, but I think the root utility outweighs the extra ~500 HP. I'm aiming to get full T3 and enchant for HP anyways. Opinions anyone?

I try to group the location of keybinds based on whether they're ranged or melee range so I can easily memorize quick combinations. Like yesterday a rogue jumped me and I trinkted stun (X), did a quick raptor/wingclip (E), Feigndeathed/Frost trapped (R), activated cheetah (T), got distance by running in the opposite direction they're facing, and hypothetically (had 2 other higher level horde waiting to gank me anyways...) drop a Flare (Y), Hunter's Marked (Q), before dropping an attack combination of Aimedshot (Forward Mouse) -> Multishot (4) -> Concussive (Back Mouse) --> kite until in range to Scatter (3),...rinse, repeat, yadda yadda.

Probably safer to just trinket then Scatter into Frost Trap, but most rogues don't expect you to quickly trinket CS and probably wasted their energy on a combo point builder so unlikely they can re-act quickly enough to KS before you Feign Trap them. The wingclip also helps guarantee they (the good melee PvPers) aren't able to evade outside of the range of the Frost trap and still attack you....meaning they will more likely get caught in it. That Raptor/Wing/Automelee is extra damage off the top early on in the fight...Hopefully some here can follow the logic of the order of operations and find it to be useful instead of just excessive babble...

I move with A, S, D, W so I center my layout around there. My Frost trap macro keybind is a shift combination of the key for my Freeze trap macro. My Monkey/Deterrence is a shift combination of my Cheetah/Pack macro aspects (Copied yours, very effective!) key. Rapid fire is a shift combination of my AimedShot key. Engineering bomb (Middle Mouse), Engineering cloak trinket (Shift Middle Mouse)....Shadowmeld / Cat Prowl (Z)...you get the idea.

I've been working on some SuperMacros because the standard ones just don't allow for enough characters to create the conditions I want. Like I modified the Monkey/Hawk aspect to include Deterrence and prioritize Monkey first when in melee range or when you have no target and also not remove it once its on, while also allowing for you to cast hawk on a target out of melee ranget for when raiding or farming - still debugging it...It might somehow be able to be simplified.

Code: Select all

/script if GetUnitName("target")==nil then TargetNearestEnemy() end
/script c=CastSpellByName if CheckInteractDistance("target", 3) and not buffed("Aspect of the Monkey") then c("Aspect of the Monkey") elseif GetUnitName("target")==nil and not buffed("Aspect of the Monkey") then c("Aspect of the Monkey") elseif not CheckInteractDistance("target", 3) and GetUnitName("target", true) and not buffed("Aspect of the Hawk") then c("Aspect of the Hawk") elseif UnitAffectingCombat("player") and buffed("Aspect of the Monkey") then c("Deterrence") end

I want to make SuperMacros to rework the All-in-one pet to somehow include mend pet when your pet falls below a % threshhold and also create a more advanced sting macro based on class that better meets PvP and PvE mob conditions. Try to somehow incorporate dismount on maybe my Concussive Shot macro...I keep thinking of random new macro tweaks.

It would probably be best to save PvP advice / talk that is not related to macros for a separate stickied thread since there is quite a bit to cover like,...class 1 v 1 dueling breakdowns, specific BG tactics, builds, minimalist yet intuitive PvP UI design, Gearing/enchants, keybindings, etc.

[Fey]

Thank you so much for replying to my thread, Bravethestone! You have so much wonderful stuff to say. I'm especially pleased to be hearing from another MM / Surv hunter! I always enjoy discussing specs and their benefits.

Meleeing people as a hunter is SO fun!! Take it from me - if you ever get yourself Blackhand's Doomsaw, keep it for a while. I vendored mine after I got Barbarous Blade, since BB is pre-raid BiS, and I regret it so much, because the Doomsaw's Wound proc AND my Raptor Strike could both crit, leading to 2k melees, even with my crappy fresh 60 gear. Even if neither crit, you still get something like a bonus Raptor Strike, and that's just awesome fun.

I was BM at first as well, but I respecced to MM at level 20, built up to Scatter Shot, and then started building Surv. BM is indeed easy to level with... if you don't run into any players. If you do, you'd darn well better know what you're doing, and have good pet control, or you're going to bite the dust easily. It's my firm belief that speccing into your intended spec early on is the best way to become good with that spec, because you'll be leveling up with it, so it's a good thing that you changed spec. It's not much harder to level with an MM and/or Surv build, really. I even leveled without a pet for the last ten levels, for the most part!

I actually decided to drop that one point of hunter's mark into improved arcane shot. I'm not actually sure if it even does anything to aimed shot, but Aimed Shot and Arcane Shot seem to share a cooldown, so I thought that would be nice. I WAS considering dropping it in Efficiency, but I'm really picky about talents like that, despite the obvious need for it in Vanilla, since I just like to do as much damage as possible in as short an amount of time. I don't think I've ever been caught out in the open with insufficient mana to at least get away, but I'll probably drop it there later...

As for why I took two points in Clever Traps, it just seemed like a good idea. 30% more damage on Immolation Trap? Sounds cool! And I've helped wipe Horde in teamfights by running right to the middle, dropping an explosive trap, and popping a sapper charge. If you have a mage assisting, or someone with strong AoE, people die hilariously fast. About the icy traps: My Frost Trap lasts about 10 seconds longer, at 39 seconds, and I don't know if Freezing Trap's time is improved in PvP (I imagine it would extend the time, given the insane times of other Vanilla CC in PvP), but 39 seconds on Frost Trap is crazy long, and oddly enough, Entrapment seems to proc after a Frost Trap has been placed, while enemies are running around inside it. Missing 10% on Entrapment seems to be made up for in a Frost Trap that way, at least somewhat, but of course you're missing it from Immolation and Explosive traps. I guess it's just a preferential talent, really. I love my traps, so enhancing their damage or duration feels better for me.

Survivalist is a decent health increase, but the root can save you a lot more health in the long run when it makes kills a lot easier. On the other hand, it's not something you rely on, really, but something you look at and go, "Oh, cool, it procced!" Survivalist is a passive bonus that's there all the time.

You have a Deterrence / Monkey macro? If you'd like to make it so Monkey is never disabled if you spam the button, copy my Shadowmeld macro and adjust it for use with Monkey. And, if you'd be so kind, paste it here when you're done. I'm sure others could use it.

[jimjonesNOS]

Hey Fey and the others!

I love to play stealth classes but I am really interested in the hunter class because of its ranged capabilities and pets.
I wonder how good the night elf hunter is when it comes to ambush people since shadowmeld has a cooldown of only 10 seconds.

I like the rogue too but I am a bit bored leveling him. I have leveled a rogue in retail wow and want to try something new. How is the night elf hunter compared to the rogue when it comes to world pvp even at lower levels? If I remember correctly you can have a cat pet that can learn a stealth spell too, isn't it?

Thanks!

[Fey]

Hello, jimjonesNOS!

Nothing beats a rogue in the area of stealth, but there are different sorts of stealth you can use, so maybe being in melee and spending your energy simply isn't for you. Hunters can be slippery and stealthy too, but our tactics are less obvious and more difficult! I speak from personal experience when I say that leveling up as a night elf hunter was VERY fun. I went BM at first, because that's what everyone suggested for leveling, but at 20, when I got to the world PvP zones, I decided to make a switch over to MM.

Since I leveled in Stonetalon, there was a 10:1 Horde:Alliance ratio, which meant I was in danger often. For a while, I kept my pet dismissed entirely while I Cheetah'd between bushes, Shadowmelding when I got there and checking my humanoid tracker. When a lone Horde was nearby, I found it easy to snipe them with an Aimed Shot to start off, followed by whatever other abilities I had at the time, but the important thing to remember is that you avoid detection. You'll find that an enemy player will automatically target you if you're casting an aimed shot and they have no target, so wait until they target or attack something, and then strike! I know that sounds dirty, but trust me, those extra two seconds before Aimed Shot goes off after they've targeted you, and the momentary confusion of being smacked for heavy damage while fighting another mob, will be sorely missed.

Just remember to bring health potions, keep your pet away until you're scoring a kill or safe to quest, be ready to dismiss and run and/or meld at any time, keep your mana at a reasonable level as often as possible to do that, and use your pet to as great an effect as possible. I prefer to run if I don't have the upper hand somehow, and that becomes much easier after you can FD/trap, but something I encourage you to get into the habit of doing early on if you're questing with your pet out in Horde territory is drop a freezing trap behind you while you attack mobs. Any rogues or ferals that come into you will instantly be frozen and you can run or maybe get some good shots off on him before he even has time to break out of the ice.

Once you get Feign Death, you can also use it to Shadowmeld "in combat," which is great. Also remember that Shadowmeld is much more effective when you're in a bush, because your name doesn't appear over your head in Vanilla so you're even more camouflaged.

So... hunters are a LOT of fun, and despite them being difficult to play and manage, they also have the potential to come out on top often if you play them well, and like I said in the OP, I find them engaging and interesting and wouldn't trade my hunter for any other class. All I can say is, give them a try, and see how you feel about them.

[shimion]

5.3 - FREEZING TRAP
The Freezing Trap can be broken by your pet too, so I went ahead and did this to mine:

/cast Freezing Trap
/script if UnitAffectingCombat("player") then CastSpellByName("Feign Death") end
/script if UnitExists("pettarget") and UnitIsUnit("target", "pettarget") then PetPassiveMode(); else end

It adds the Feign Death macro and the line from the Scatter Shot macro which pulls your pet back to you if you're targeting the same thing to a single macro. Note that you don't have to change targets to entrap someone in a freezing trap, but I tend to target whatever's escaped just in case, so feel free to take that line out entirely if you don't plan on changing targets.

Really good macro. Saved my ass a bunch of times.

Would it be possible to add an extra if statement for if the target is beyond a certain range? i.e. in shooting range or beyond? Because I have found that if I am shooting a mage or something, and a warrior is on me, I want to FD and trap the warrior, but still have my pet attacking my target (the mage). If there was a way to set a range on it, it would help reduce it from being a problem

[Fey]

I believe it's possible to set a range on it. Try changing:

/script if UnitExists("pettarget") and UnitIsUnit("target", "pettarget") then PetPassiveMode(); else end

To:

/script if UnitExists("pettarget") and CheckInteractDistance("target", 3) and UnitIsUnit("target", "pettarget") then PetPassiveMode(); else end

I have little idea that that will solve the problem, my friend, but "CheckInteractDistance("target", 3)" seems to be a distance checker, so I just threw it in there. I believe there are several settings for it, so if that doesn't work, try 1, 2, or 4, as described here:
http://wowwiki.wikia.com/wiki/API_CheckInteractDistance

Please let me know if it works! I can't get on and test it right now! And if it doesn't, could someone else have a look and fix whatever I did wrong?

Happy hunting!

UPDATE: It works! I tested it on a rogue - she stood far away and my pet attacked her, and I FD / Trapped without Glacia coming back to me. She then stood close, and I FD / Trapped her, and Glacia returned to my side. Big thanks to Darkfade for assisting in my test!

[catburglar]

yo here's a replacement for the target line if you also want to target the nearest enemy if your target is friendly: /script if UnitIsEnemy("player", "target") then else TargetNearestEnemy() end

I bet there's an even better (shorter!) way to do it, lmk if you find something!

Also the shadowmeld macro should be used for aspects to make them spammable, use this script to find out the file names of your current buffs:
/script i=1; while UnitBuff("target",i)~=nil do DEFAULT_CHAT_FRAME:AddMessage(UnitBuff("target",i));
i=i+1; end

(I found it in another thread: https://forum.nostalrius.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=11673)
It doesn't work in a macro btw so just gotta copy paste.

[Fey]

Thank you for your contribution, catburglar! We all really appreciate it.

The OP has been updated. Check near the bottom for links to as-of-now three Youtube videos demonstrating hunter movement techniques. And don't forget to check out my channel if you like what you see!

[Lidaric]

Loved everything you posted here <3 Just started my hunter yesterday and I can't wait to put more of this into practice. The videos were especially fun as you explain thoroughly (with a nice voice to listen to) and seeing something done makes it less daunting to think about xD

[Fey]

Loved everything you posted here <3 Just started my hunter yesterday and I can't wait to put more of this into practice. The videos were especially fun as you explain thoroughly (with a nice voice to listen to) and seeing something done makes it less daunting to think about xD

Thank you for your comment! I'm very appreciative of your feedback.

The most important thing is really the auto shot timer addon, in the OP. If you start with that from level 1, you'll have 1-10 to learn all about maximizing ranged DPS through kiting before you get your pet!