WoW Forever Hunter guide: leveling 1-60, talents and level 60

WOW FOREVER · CLASS GUIDE

Updated November 12, 2026

Overview Leveling 1-60 How to play FAQ Level 60 PvP Professions Still to come Macros Calculator

Overview

The Hunter fights at range with a bow, crossbow or gun and brings a pet that tanks for them. In Forever every Hunter learns Aimed Shot at level 20, traps can be laid mid-fight and each pet family has its own trick. On 2 November Blizzard gave Aimed Shot, Arcane Shot and Serpent Sting a big damage boost. It is the easiest class to level alone, and at 60 you can play it with a pet (Beast Mastery), at range without one (Marksmanship) or in melee (Survival).

Strengths

Fast, safe leveling: the pet takes the hits while you shoot.
Plenty of control: Concussive Shot, Wing Clip, Scatter Shot and traps you can now lay mid-fight (all of them share a 30 sec cooldown).
Feign Death to shed enemies or escape a bad pull, and Aspect of the Cheetah to travel fast before you have a mount.
Three very different trees: pet and hawks, long-range lone marksman, or melee fighter.
Viper Sting and Tranquilizing Shot bring utility in dungeons, raids and PvP.

Weaknesses

Weak before level 10: with no pet you have to kite.
Dead zone: inside 8 yards you cannot shoot, and Auto Shot needs half a second standing still before each shot.
You spend money on ammo and pet food, and the quiver or ammo pouch takes up a bag slot.
The pet needs looking after: if it dies or is unhappy, your damage drops a lot. It also needs watching: on aggressive it chases enemies and can drag another pack onto you.
Mana runs short in long fights unless you take talents that help.

The specs

Beast Mastery	Ranged DPS with a pet · Leveling and solo play Your pet is tougher and hits harder, and from level 25 you add up to two hawks with Summon Hawk. Focused Fire raises your damage and your pet's while it is out. It is the safest way to level.
Marksmanship	Ranged DPS · Raids and ranged PvP The shooting tree: Careful Aim turns your Intellect into attack power, Rapid Killing shortens Rapid Fire and Sniper Shot (the final talent) fires from 45 yards and extends the range of your next three shots. Lone Wolf adds 20% damage when you have no pet out. On 2 November Sniper Shot's bonus damage doubled, Barrage reaches 15% and Trueshot Aura gives more attack power.
Survival	Melee DPS · Level 60, PvP and anyone wanting a close-range Hunter In Forever this is a melee tree: Predator's Edge, Expose Prey (Mongoose Bite without needing a dodge), Strider Kick and Lacerating Strikes all revolve around your melee weapon. It also improves traps. It is the most-planned tree for level 60, but it levels slower than Beast Mastery.

Recommended races

Night Elf (Alliance)	Elune's Light gives 10% crit for 15 seconds and Shadowmeld hides you or drops you off the enemy's radar in combat. Good for raids.
Human (Alliance)	New to Hunter. Ruthless gives a flat 1% crit and Will to Survive breaks stuns: very handy in PvP.
Dwarf (Alliance)	Artisan's Precision gives 1% hit, Big Game Hunter 5% more damage to Beasts (great while leveling) and Stoneform clears bleeds, poisons and diseases.
Skyborne (High Order) (Alliance)	New race: Wind Blessed gives 2% haste and Read Leyline speeds up health and mana regeneration. Starts on Zephras Isle and needs the Heroic pack.
Orc (Horde)	Command is back: your pet deals 5% more damage. Blood Fury raises attack power and Hardiness shortens stuns. The best pick for Beast Mastery.
Troll (Horde)	Berserking gives 10% attack speed for 15 seconds, Beast Slaying 5% against Beasts and Rapid Regeneration restores half your health when safe.
Tauren (Horde)	War Stomp is an area stun, Endurance gives 5% health and Plainsrunning speeds you up to 60% while you keep running (not mounted). Strong in the open world and PvP.
Skyborne (Windshaper) (Horde)	New race: 2% haste from Wind Blessed and Skysight to move faster. Starts on Zephras Isle and needs the Heroic pack.

Leveling 1-60

Leveling spec: Beast Mastery

Every published guide agrees: Beast Mastery is the leveling tree. Your pet tanks and does much of the damage, you shoot from afar and you rarely die. From 25 you add two hawks that fight on their own. After level 40, once the tree is done, points go into Marksmanship for more crit and ranged damage. At 60 you can keep it or respec at a capital-city trainer.

Talents, point by point

10-14	5/5 Endurance Training Your pet gets 15% more health and armor, so it survives pulls better.
15-16	2/2 Focused Fire 2% more damage for you and your pet while it is out.
17-19	3/5 Deadly Aspects With Aspect of the Hawk, your Auto Shots can grant 30% ranged attack speed for 12 seconds.
20	1/1 Bestial Swiftness Your pet runs 30% faster, and it is required for Intimidation.
21-24	4/5 Unleashed Fury More damage from your pet and your hawks.
25	1/1 Summon Hawk New ability: up to two hawks attacking at once for 18 seconds.
26	5/5 Unleashed Fury Completes the 15% bonus damage for pet and hawks.
27-29	3/5 Ferocity More crit for your pet and hawks.
30	1/1 Intimidation A 3-second stun from your pet; it saves fights and leads to Bestial Wrath.
31-32	5/5 Ferocity Unlocks Frenzy, which needs Ferocity.
33-34	2/2 Bestial Discipline Your pet regains Focus faster and you keep half your mana regeneration while casting: fewer stops to drink.
35-39	5/5 Frenzy After each crit your pet attacks 30% faster for 8 seconds.
40	1/1 Bestial Wrath Your pet deals 50% more damage for 18 seconds and cannot be crowd-controlled.
41-60	5/5 Lethal Attacks, 5/5 Careful Aim, 3/5 Efficiency, 2/2 Rapid Killing, 5/5 Mortal Shots (Marksmanship) In that order: crit, attack power from Intellect, cheaper shots, Rapid Fire more often and bigger crits. You end at 31/20/0, the most-planned Beast Mastery build for 60.

Leveling as Ranged DPS · Marksmanship (5/41/5)

For players who want their own shots to do the damage instead of the pet. It levels a bit slower than Beast Mastery, but reaches 60 with a raid-ready shooting build.

10-14	5/5 Lethal Attacks 5% more crit on all your attacks.
15-19	5/5 Careful Aim All your Intellect is added to your attack power. It is required for Mortal Shots.
20-21	2/2 Rapid Killing Rapid Fire comes back 2 minutes sooner and kills give you an extra boost. It is required for Rapid Recuperation.
22-25	3/5 Efficiency, 1/1 Trueshot Aura Shots and stings cost less mana: fewer drink breaks. Trueshot Aura gives ranged attack power to you and your party (since 2 November, 20/35/50/75/100 by rank). It is required for Sniper Shot.
26-30	5/5 Mortal Shots Your ranged crits hit 30% harder.
31-35	2/2 Rapid Recuperation, 3/3 Barrage With Serpent Sting up, your mana keeps regenerating while you shoot. Multi-Shot, Aimed Shot and Volley deal 15% more (since 2 November; it was 10%). Since 11-11 Volley no longer triggers procs and stops channeling if you move.
36-39	4/5 Ranged Weapon Specialization More damage with your ranged weapon.
40-41	1/1 Sniper Shot, 5/5 Ranged Weapon Specialization Final talent: a strong long-range shot (since 2 November, with double the bonus damage) that extends the range of your next 3 shots. Open fights with it. You finish the 5% ranged damage bonus.
42-44	3/3 Improved Stings Serpent Sting deals 20% more and your other stings improve.
45-46	5/5 Efficiency You finish the mana savings.
47-49	3/3 Hawk Eye 6 more yards of range: you hit them before they reach you.
50-54	5/5 Deadly Aspects (Beast Mastery) In Beast Mastery: with Aspect of the Hawk, your Auto Shots can speed up your shooting by 30%.
55-59	5/5 Improved Tracking (Survival) In Survival: more damage to the creature type you are tracking.
60	1/1 Lone Wolf 20% more damage if you play without a pet, like the most planned raid build. If you would rather keep your pet, put this point into 1/5 Improved Arcane Shot. Total: 5/41/5.

Leveling as Melee DPS · Survival (5/11/35)

For players who want Forever's melee hunter: you fight up close with a melee weapon and your pet backs you up. It is the most planned build for 60, though early levels go slower than Beast Mastery.

10-14	5/5 Improved Tracking 5% more damage against the creature type you track: keep the right tracking on for each zone.
15-19	2/2 Savage Strikes, 3/5 Survivalist 4% more crit on your melee attacks. More health: fighting up close, you will need it.
20-22	3/3 Surefooted 3% more hit, and slowing effects on you last less.
23-24	2/2 Clever Traps Traps last longer and deal more damage.
25-29	5/5 Predator's Edge Your melee crits hit harder and your off-hand weapon deals 50% more.
30-32	2/2 Expose Prey, 1/1 Strider Kick With Hunter's Mark up, your attacks can enable Mongoose Bite without needing a dodge. It is required for Lacerating Strikes. A kick with full weapon damage that also gives you a burst of speed.
33-34	2/2 Resourcefulness Traps and melee attacks cost far less mana, and crits help you get it back.
35-39	5/5 Lightning Reflexes 15% more Agility (since 2 November; it was 10%): more attack power, crit and dodge.
40-42	1/1 Lacerating Strikes, 2/2 Survivalist's Discipline Final talent: Mongoose Bite also leaves a bleed. Traps and Deterrence come back 40% sooner.
43-44	2/2 Survival Tactics Your traps and Feign Death miss less. Survival ends at 35.
45-49	5/5 Lethal Attacks (Marksmanship) In Marksmanship: 5% more crit on all your attacks.
50-54	5/5 Careful Aim Your Intellect is added to your attack power.
55-59	5/5 Deadly Aspects (Beast Mastery) In Beast Mastery: with Aspect of the Beast active, your melee auto attacks can give you 30% more attack speed for 12 sec.
60	1/1 Lone Wolf 20% more damage without a pet, like the most planned build. If you want to keep your pet, put this point into 1/5 Improved Arcane Shot. Total: 5/11/35.

Key abilities by level

1	Raptor Strike Melee strike for when the enemy reaches you.
4	Serpent Sting Damage-over-time poison; use it only on fights that last. Since 2 November it hits much harder (20% more base damage and better attack power scaling).
4	Aspect of the Monkey More dodge: your aspect until level 10.
6	Arcane Shot Instant Arcane damage shot. Since 2 November, 30% more base damage and better attack power scaling.
6	Hunter's Mark Marks the target: more ranged attack power against it, and it cannot hide in stealth. Since 2 November different ranks no longer stack on the same target.
8	Concussive Shot Slows the enemy by 50% for 4 seconds.
10	Tame Beast Tame your first pet (trainer quest); Call Pet, Feed Pet and Revive Pet come with it.
10	Aspect of the Hawk More ranged attack power: your combat aspect from here on. Since 2 November it gives 20, 35, 50, 70, 90 and 110 by rank.
12	Mend Pet Heals your pet while you channel it.
12	Wing Clip Melee hit that slows the enemy so you can back off.
16	Immolation Trap Fire trap; in Forever it can also be laid in combat. Since 2 November every trap shares one 30 sec cooldown.
18	Multi-Shot Hits 3 targets; shares a 6 sec cooldown with Aimed Shot.
20	Aimed Shot New No longer a talent: every Hunter learns it, with a 2-second cast. Auto Shot keeps firing while you cast it. Since 2 November its bonus damage is up about 110% on every rank.
20	Freezing Trap Freezes one enemy for up to 10 seconds; your best crowd control.
20	Aspect of the Cheetah 30% faster travel; if you are hit, you get dazed.
20	Disengage Drops threat; in Forever it sheds twice as much as in Classic.
25	Summon Hawk New Beast Mastery talent: sends a hawk that attacks for 18 sec; up to two at once. Shares its cooldown with Arcane Shot.
26	Rapid Fire 40% faster ranged and melee attacks for 15 seconds.
28	Frost Trap Ice patch that slows by 60%; since 2 November it shares a 30 sec cooldown with every other trap.
30	Feign Death Play dead so enemies drop you. Careful: leave it on for 6 minutes and you really die.
30	Aspect of the Beast Changed: besides hiding you from tracking, it adds melee attack power. It is Survival's aspect.
30	Lacerate New New trainer spell for everyone: a 21-second bleed.
32	Enchanted Flare New New take on Flare: besides revealing hidden enemies, it dispels magical darkness.
34	Explosive Trap Area Fire trap for packs of enemies.
36	Viper Sting Drains the target's mana; in Forever it has a 15 sec cooldown.
40	Bestial Wrath Beast Mastery's final talent: your pet rages for 18 seconds.
40	Sniper Shot New Marksmanship's final talent: a 4-sec cast shot from 45 yards that extends the range of your next 3 shots. Since 2 November its bonus damage is doubled.
40	Volley Area rain of shots; no cooldown in Forever.
46	Aspect of the Wild Nature resistance for the whole group.
60	Tranquilizing Shot Removes a Frenzy effect from an enemy; key on some raid bosses.

How to kill while leveling

Out of combat, keep Aspect of the Hawk on (Aspect of the Cheetah only for travel).
Send your pet in first and let it land two or three hits before you shoot, so it keeps the enemy's attention.
From 25: keep two hawks up with Summon Hawk; recast it just before one runs out.
Aimed Shot whenever it is ready (Multi-Shot if there are several enemies: they share a cooldown).
Arcane Shot once both hawks are up with time left, since it shares a cooldown with Summon Hawk.
Serpent Sting only on enemies that last; on quick kills it wastes mana.
If an enemy comes for you: Concussive Shot, Frost Trap or Wing Clip, then Disengage to hand it back to your pet.
Rapid Fire and Bestial Wrath (from 40) on tough enemies or when several gang up.

Pets, ammo and food

Your first (level 10): the trainer gives you Taming the Beast in your starting zone. As in Classic, you tame beasts from the quest (Dwarf: boar, bear or leopard in Dun Morogh; Night Elf: spider, cat or owl in Teldrassil; Tauren: plainstrider, wolf or bird in Mulgore; Orc and Troll: boar, crab or scorpid in Durotar). Keep whichever you like: the family is what matters.
Don't skip the last step: Taming the Beast is three quests in a row. In each one you tame a different local beast with the rod, and that pet is only a trial: abandon it before taming the next. Once done you learn Tame Beast, Call Pet and Dismiss Pet, and you are sent to the hunter trainer in your capital (in Durotar, Thotar sends you to Ormak Grimshot in Orgrimmar). Many players never go and end up without Beast Training, Feed Pet and Revive Pet. After that, tame whichever beast you like.
For leveling: cat (high damage), boar (Charge, sturdy and quick to engage), bear (Swipe hits 3 enemies and it eats anything) or wolf. Always tame a beast at your level: in Forever you cannot tame anything above your level and the pet keeps the level it had.
Rare cats (Classic data): Humar the Pridelord (level 23, The Barrens) and Broken Tooth (level 37, Badlands), with a very fast attack that pushes back casts in PvP. In Forever damage is evened out per family, so speed adds no damage, only more pushback.
New tricks per family: bear Swipe, crab Pinch (slow), crocolisk Dismember (reduced healing, great for PvP), hyena Tendon Rip, raptor Savage Rend (bleed), spider Web (root), tallstrider Dust Cloud (armor reduction), bird of prey Mine! (disarm), bat Sonic Blast (slower casting) and the new fox family, Trickster's Dance (dodge and attack speed). The wolf keeps Furious Howl, now 40% weaker.
For dungeons and raids: cat for damage or wolf for Furious Howl, which buffs melee attack power for the group. For PvP: crocolisk, bat, bird of prey or wind serpent (Lightning Breath ignores armor and works at range).
Feeding: Feed Pet from level 10, out of combat. A happy pet deals 125% damage, an unhappy one 75%. Dying or Dismiss Pet costs happiness. Feed food from its diet and close to its level (Beast Lore, level 24, shows what it eats). Cat, wolf, raptor, fox and spider: meat; bear and boar: almost anything; bat and gorilla: fungus and fruit.
Ammo: arrows for bows and crossbows, bullets for guns. Each shot uses one, so buy several stacks in every town and use the best level you can. Engineering makes bullets and weapon scopes.
Quiver or ammo pouch: it takes one of your bag slots and holds only ammo. In Classic it also raised ranged attack speed; Forever has not announced any change. Always carry the largest one you can find.

Tips

Legacy: the Talented perk (5 points, needs Well Rested first) gives you your first talent at level 5. The 16 starting points cover it, so move the talent order five levels earlier.
Visit your trainer every two levels: most spells gain ranks on even levels.
Do not hug the enemy: Auto Shot will not fire inside 8 yards and needs half a second standing still. Turn on the «Auto Attack/Auto Shot» option to switch between melee and shooting automatically.
Traps now work in combat, but since 2 November they all share one 30 sec cooldown: choose which one wisely. A Freezing Trap on a second enemy saves you from many double pulls.
Since 2 November, what you learn at the trainer no longer lands on your action bars by itself: open your spellbook and drag it there. Training everything from 1 to 60 costs about 206-207 gold, the same for every class.
Leatherworking and Skinning are the classic pair: Leatherworking makes high-Agility leather gear from low levels and needs no anvil.
Good ranged weapon upgrades in dungeons (beta): Calibrated Blunderbuss in Hall of Thanes (Alliance), Venomstrike in Wailing Caverns and Naga Heartpiercer or Fallenroot Longbow in Blackfathom Deeps.
Use a macro that casts Mend Pet if your pet is alive, Revive Pet if it is dead and Call Pet if it is not out: one button for everything.
Carry pet food from your zone and water at your level: fewer stops, and your pet keeps its damage.
Weapons you can learn: bows, crossbows, guns and thrown at range; daggers, fist weapons, one-handed axes and swords; and staves, polearms, two-handed axes and swords. You cannot use maces. Your race already knows some; the rest come from a weapon master. Each skill costs 10 silver from a capital-city weapon master and can be learned from level 1; polearms cost 1 gold and need level 20. First get all three ranged types (bow, crossbow and gun) so you can use the best one you find, since it is most of your damage. In melee slots, a two-hander with Agility and Stamina (staff or polearm) usually gives the most stats.

Everything about pets (families, abilities and where to tame the best ones): Hunter pets.

Level faster with the 5 experience boosts (food, sleeping bag, tent, inn and Legacy).

Key levels

10	First pet, Aspect of the Hawk and first talent point: the game changes completely.
20	Aimed Shot for everyone, Freezing Trap, Disengage and Aspect of the Cheetah.
25	Summon Hawk: with two hawks out, your damage jumps.
26	Rapid Fire, your first big damage cooldown.
30	Feign Death, Intimidation, Aspect of the Beast and Lacerate.
36	Viper Sting: mana drain against enemy casters.
40	Bestial Wrath, Volley, Aspect of the Pack, mail armor, your mount and a second talent specialization.
46	Aspect of the Wild for the group.
60	Tranquilizing Shot, final ranks and time to choose your level 60 build.

How to play

In PvP

Run sideways and keep shooting

Strafe kiting

This is the core of every ranged class (some streams call it «the L»). Open from range with your long shot: Aimed Shot (2 sec) or, as Marksmanship, Sniper Shot from 45 yards. When they close in, slow them with Concussive Shot and move away sideways with the strafe keys, not backwards: strafing keeps your full run speed, while backpedaling is far slower. Turn the camera with the mouse so the enemy stays in your front half, and you can keep firing instants (Arcane Shot, stings, Summon Hawk) on the move. Once you have range again, stop and shoot.

Shoot mid-jump

Jump shot / jump-turn

Use it when the enemy is right behind you and outside your front half. While running away: jump, spin 180° in the air with the right mouse button, fire an instant (Concussive Shot or Arcane Shot) and turn back before you land. A jump keeps its momentum, so you lose no ground. In Forever it only works with instants: Auto Shot needs half a second standing still, so it never fires mid-air. Drill it on a training dummy until the turn feels automatic.

Get out of the dead zone

Dead zone

Between melee range and 8 yards no shot works: that is the dead zone, and a warrior or rogue who stays there shuts down your damage. When they reach you: Wing Clip (50% slow for 10 sec), a few strafe steps and Concussive Shot as soon as you pass 8 yards. As Survival, Improved Wing Clip can root them and Strider Kick gives you 30% speed for 3 sec to get out. Turn on «Auto Attack/Auto Shot» in Options and the game swaps between melee and shooting by itself.

Stop, shoot, move

Stutter-step (Auto Shot)

Since 15 October, Auto Shot only fires after half a second standing still, as in original WoW. While kiting the rhythm is: stop, the shot goes off, strafe until the next one, stop again. If you never stop, no Auto Shot fires and you lose much of your damage. A Forever bonus: Auto Shot keeps firing while you cast Aimed Shot or Sniper Shot, so long casts cost you no shots. Easy maths: the time you can move between two shots is your weapon speed minus 0.5 seconds. With a 2.4 speed bow (Venomstrike, for example) you get 1.9 s to move after each shot; then stop for half a second and the next one fires.

Traps mid-fight

Trap kiting

In Forever traps can be placed in combat, but since 2 November they all share one 30 sec cooldown: after a Frost Trap, no Freezing Trap for half a minute. While running, drop Frost Trap at your feet and run straight: the enemy steps on it and is slowed by 60% across the whole ice patch. Against a chaser, Freezing Trap at your feet freezes them on arrival (any damage breaks it). Marksmanship combo: Scatter Shot (4 sec disorient, your next hit breaks it), then place the trap between you so they walk into it when it ends. With Entrapment (Survival) they are also rooted for 5 sec; since 2 November that root has diminishing returns, like Improved Wing Clip and Counterattack.

Feign Death to shed your attacker

Feign Death (target drop)

Feign Death makes your attacker lose you as a target and cancels many spells aimed at you. Time it: as a mage or warlock finishes a long cast, or to make a rogue find you again. In Classic it was mostly used to drop combat so you could lay traps; in Forever you no longer need that, since traps work in combat. Careful: it can fail, and if you leave it on for 6 minutes you really die.

Your pet as a peel

Pet control / peel

Your pet is not just damage: it is your first line of control. When a melee goes for you, send it in with /petattack. As Beast Mastery, Intimidation makes its next hit stun for 3 sec: that is your window to run. A bird of prey with Mine! disarms warriors and rogues for 3 sec. Before Freezing Trap or Scatter Shot, pull your pet back (/petfollow) or it will break the control. Against a warlock or hunter, killing their pet first is often right. That is also why Lone Wolf rarely pays off in PvP: 20% extra damage does not make up for losing your first line of control.

In dungeons and raids

Let the pet build threat

Threat (pet tanking)

Send the pet in first and wait two or three hits before shooting, or the mob turns on you. If it still switches to you, Disengage (it drops twice as much threat as in Classic) and let the pet take it back. On packs, the pet cannot hold everything: only use Multi-Shot and Volley once it has them.

Kiting a single mob

Kiting

Without a pet (or when it dies), kiting saves you: Concussive Shot, a couple of shots, and when it closes in, Frost Trap at your feet and strafe away. If it reaches melee, Wing Clip and step out of the dead zone. In dungeons it lets you keep an uncontrollable mob busy while the tank handles the rest.

Feign Death to drop threat

Feign Death (threat drop)

In dungeons, Feign Death wipes your threat: use it if a mob turns on you, then keep shooting. While leveling, if your pet dies and you cannot finish the fight, feign to leave combat, revive the pet and try again. If the group is about to wipe, you can survive and help everyone back up.

Trap control in groups

Crowd control (trap)

Freezing Trap is your dungeon crowd control. In Forever it works in combat: drop it where your assigned mob will walk, or at your feet if it comes for you. Nobody should hit it: any damage breaks the ice. Clever Traps (Survival) makes it last 30% longer.

Don't cut your Auto Shot

Auto Shot weaving

In raids and dungeons, stand still: every time you move, Auto Shot waits another half second. In Forever Aimed Shot no longer interrupts it (you keep shooting while casting), so cast it on cooldown and fit Arcane Shot and stings in between.

Keybinds and macros

Move with W and S, put strafe on A and D, and always turn with the right mouse button, not the keyboard: it is much faster and you need it for the jump shot.
Bind your instants and traps close to WASD (1-5, Q, E, R, F, Shift + number) so you can use them without stopping.
Pet macros: one key with /petattack and another with /petfollow plus /petpassive to pull it back before a crowd control. In Forever, Aggressive mode lives in the pet tab of your spellbook.
Turn on «Auto Attack/Auto Shot» in Options so the game switches between melee and shooting for you (it also works on gamepad).

Every technique, explained for any class: Gameplay techniques

Level 60

Raids arrive on 9 December and there are no Forever sims or combat logs yet, so nobody knows which tree does the most damage. What we do know is what people plan in the calculator with the client's data: Survival 47%, Marksmanship 27% and Beast Mastery 26%. Note that the most popular Survival and Marksmanship builds take Lone Wolf, which means playing without a pet. On 28 October Blizzard cut Aspect of the Hawk and Trueshot Aura, but on 2 November it raised them again: Aspect of the Hawk gives 20/35/50/70/90/110 by rank and Trueshot Aura 20/35/50/75/100. Since that day every class deals more damage and high-level enemies have more health, and Blizzard doesn't plan big tuning changes until raids open in December.

Survival · Melee DPS (5/11/35)

Stats	Melee weapon damage first: choose a two-hander or two one-handers (Predator's Edge adds 50% to the off-hand). Agility: attack power and crit, and Lightning Reflexes raises it by 15% (since 2 November). Hit up to 9% against bosses; Surefooted already gives 3%. Then crit and haste, which is a secondary stat in Forever.
Rotation	Aspect of the Beast and Hunter's Mark on the target (Expose Prey needs it). Rapid Fire with trinkets and your racial at the start: it speeds up your melee too. Mongoose Bite as soon as it lights up; with Lacerating Strikes it leaves a bleed (since 2 November a new one always replaces the old one, even if weaker). Keep Lacerate up and use Strider Kick whenever it is ready. Raptor Strike as filler and Immolation Trap when the fight allows.
Consumables	Agility elixirs and food, mana potions and healing potions (made by First Aid in Forever). Sharpening stones or weightstones for your melee weapons.

Marksmanship · Ranged DPS (5/41/5)

Stats	Hit up to 9% against bosses. Agility: 2 ranged attack power plus crit for every point. Intellect is worth more than in Classic: Careful Aim turns all of it into attack power. Crit (Mortal Shots makes it hit much harder), then haste.
Rotation	Open with Hunter's Mark and Sniper Shot from range: your next three shots get extra reach. Keep Serpent Sting up: it triggers Rapid Recuperation (mana) and Rapid Killing if the enemy dies with it. Aimed Shot on cooldown; Multi-Shot only with several targets. Arcane Shot in between (Improved Arcane Shot shortens it) without clipping Auto Shot. Rapid Fire and your racial together; Rapid Killing cuts its cooldown a lot.
Consumables	Agility elixirs and food, mana potions and the best ammo you can buy or craft. An Engineering scope on your ranged weapon.

Beast Mastery · Ranged DPS with a pet (31/20/0)

Stats	Hit up to 9% against bosses. Agility and crit: your pet inherits 100% of your crit chance and 10% of your attack power. Then attack power and haste.
Rotation	Aspect of the Hawk, Hunter's Mark and your pet in front. Two hawks always out with Summon Hawk. Bestial Wrath, Rapid Fire and your racial together. Aimed Shot on cooldown and Arcane Shot when the hawks do not need the shared cooldown. Mend Pet if your pet takes area damage; Serpent Sting on long fights.
Consumables	Same as Marksmanship, plus food to keep your pet happy.

Gear

Forever has reworked hundreds of items and there is no reliable best-in-slot list yet. Look for leather and, from 40, mail with Agility and hit; for Marksmanship, Intellect too. Leatherworking pieces and the new dungeon loot (Blackmaw Hold, Shaper's Terrace and the classic level 60 dungeons) are the starting point until raids open.

Recommended level 60 builds

Beast Mastery 26% · Marksmanship 27% · Survival 47%

Hunter · level 60

El árbol de talentos del cazador movió varios talentos el 2 y el 3 de noviembre: las builds de la beta pueden no encajar. Mira la guía del cazador.

New in Forever: Sonic Blast (12), Aimed Shot (20, now trainable), Lacerate (30), Enchanted Flare (32).

These are the level 60 builds the community plans most with beta data (the percentage is how many players pick each tree); nobody has reached 60 in Forever yet and talents may change before launch.

Plan your own in the calculator

PvP at level 60

Your strength is distance: Concussive Shot, Wing Clip and Frost Trap to keep it, and never stand in the 8-yard dead zone.
Auto Shot needs half a second still: shoot, move and stop again. Aimed Shot (2 sec) casts while Auto Shot keeps going.
Traps work in combat now: Scatter Shot then Freezing Trap at their feet is the classic combo to buy time or bandage up. Since they all share a 30 sec cooldown, don't waste your trap early.
Viper Sting (15 sec cooldown) against paladins, priests, shamans and druids; Serpent Sting on rogues so they cannot restealth.
Pick your pet for its trick: crocolisk (Dismember, reduced healing), bat (Sonic Blast against casters) or bird of prey (Mine! disarms warriors and rogues).
Feign Death drops you from the enemy's target and cancels many casts.
In battlegrounds, Marksmanship with Sniper Shot reaches 45 yards and extends your next shots; from high ground it is a real pain.
Engineering adds grenades and gadgets that decide duels.

Professions for this class

Leatherworking	High-Agility leather gear from low level, armor kits and special bags. Paired with Skinning it costs you next to nothing.
Skinning	You kill beasts all the time anyway: skinning them pays for your mount and feeds Leatherworking.
Engineering	Bullets, ranged weapon scopes and PvP gadgets. Pairs with Mining.
First Aid	In Forever it makes healing potions, plus bandages and antidotes.

Hunter FAQ

Short answers to the most common Hunter questions in WoW Forever. Each one is tagged: forever (confirmed by Blizzard for the game), beta (seen in the beta or its client, which capped at level 30; it may change) or classic (WoW Classic info Forever hasn't touched, but not verified). For pets in depth see the Pets guide; for talents, rotation and builds, see the Hunter guide.

Ammo and quivers

Do Hunters still use ammo in Forever?

Yes. Every shot uses an arrow or a bullet, and if you run out your shots stop working. Buy several stacks whenever you pass a vendor. Seen in the beta

Arrows or bullets?

Arrows for bows and crossbows; bullets for guns. If you switch weapon type, switch ammo too. Classic data, unconfirmed

What does a quiver or ammo pouch do?

It takes a bag slot and only holds ammo (quiver for arrows, pouch for bullets). In Classic it also gave ranged attack speed. Some Forever databases show it unchanged from Classic, but Blizzard hasn't confirmed it. Always use the largest one you have. Classic data, unconfirmed

Does better ammo mean more damage?

Yes: in Classic ammo adds damage to every shot, so use the highest level you can equip. Engineering crafts good bullets. Classic data, unconfirmed

Shooting

Why doesn't Auto Shot fire while I move?

Since 15 October, Auto Shot needs half a second standing still before each shot, like original WoW. The rhythm is: stop, it fires, move, stop again. Instant shots still work on the move. Seen in the beta

What is the dead zone?

Shots work from 8 to 35 yards. Between melee range and 8 yards you can neither shoot nor hit. Get out with Wing Clip and a few steps, or turn on «Auto Attack/Auto Shot» in Options so the game swaps between melee and shooting for you. Seen in the beta

Is Aimed Shot still a talent?

No. Every Hunter learns it from the trainer at level 20. It has a 2-second cast and shares a 6-second cooldown with Multi-Shot. Confirmed in Forever

Does Aimed Shot clip my Auto Shot?

No: in Forever Auto Shot keeps firing while you cast Aimed Shot or Sniper Shot. Cast it whenever it's ready, no timing tricks needed. Seen in the beta

What can I use while running?

Anything instant: Arcane Shot, Concussive Shot, Multi-Shot, stings, Summon Hawk and traps. What won't go off on the move is Auto Shot and anything with a cast time. Seen in the beta

Can I shoot from further away?

Yes, with Marksmanship: Hawk Eye adds 6 yards to your ranged weapon and Sniper Shot (the final talent) fires from 45 yards and gives your next 3 shots 10 extra yards for 10 seconds. Seen in the beta

Aspects and utility

Which aspect should I keep on?

You can only have one. Aspect of the Hawk for ranged fighting; Aspect of the Monkey (more dodge) before 10 or when you're being hit; Aspect of the Beast as Survival (in Forever it adds melee attack power); Aspect of the Wild (level 46) when the group needs Nature resistance. Seen in the beta

Cheetah or Pack?

Aspect of the Cheetah (level 20) gives you 30% speed; Aspect of the Pack (level 40) gives it to your nearby group. With either, any hit dazes for 4 seconds: drop them before a fight and don't use Pack in a dungeon near enemies. Seen in the beta

What is tracking for?

It shows one creature type on the minimap: Beasts (level 1), Humanoids (10), Undead (18), Hidden (24), Elementals (26), Demons (32), Giants (40) and Dragonkin (50). Only one at a time. As Survival, Improved Tracking (new) adds 5% damage to the tracked type. Seen in the beta

How does Feign Death work?

You learn it at 30 and it has a 30-second cooldown. Enemies drop you and your threat is wiped, but it can be resisted. Leave it on for 6 minutes and you really die. In Forever you no longer need it to lay traps. Seen in the beta

What does Eyes of the Beast do?

From level 14 you take control of your pet and see through its eyes at any range. In Forever it lasts 2 minutes (1 in Classic). Handy for scouting or pulling from afar. Seen in the beta

Flare or Enchanted Flare?

Both show up at level 32 in the client and reveal hidden or invisible enemies within 10 yards for 30 seconds. Flare has a 15 sec cooldown; Enchanted Flare (new) has 30 sec but also wards off magical darkness. How they coexist at launch is still unconfirmed. Seen in the beta

Do Wyvern Sting and Scatter Shot exist?

Wyvern Sting is not in Forever. Scatter Shot is, but it is now a Marksmanship talent: a 4-second disorient at 15 yards that breaks on any damage. Seen in the beta

Does Scorpid Sting still lower Strength and Agility?

No. In Forever (level 22) it lowers the target's chance to hit by 2% for 20 seconds. Seen in the beta

Traps

Can I lay traps in combat?

Yes. It is one of Forever's big changes: no need to leave combat or Feign Death first. Confirmed in Forever

How many traps can I have out?

Two: one Fire (Immolation or Explosive) and one Frost (Freezing or Frost). Each trap stays on the ground for 1 minute and has a 30-second cooldown. Seen in the beta

At what level does each trap come?

Immolation Trap at 16, Freezing Trap at 20, Frost Trap at 28 and Explosive Trap at 34. Fire traps now scale with your attack power. Seen in the beta

How long does Freezing Trap last?

Up to 10, 15 or 20 seconds by rank (levels 20, 40 and 60), and Clever Traps (Survival) adds 30%. Any damage breaks the ice, including your pet or a damage-over-time effect. Seen in the beta

What does Entrapment do?

A Survival talent: whoever triggers your trap is rooted for 5 seconds. With Frost Trap it only fires on activation, not every tick, and it has diminishing returns in PvP. Seen in the beta

Pet basics

When do I get a pet?

At level 10, through the trainer's quest chain. Don't skip the last step: visiting the trainer in your capital, who teaches Feed Pet, Revive Pet and Beast Training. Full details are in the Pets guide. Confirmed in Forever

Which pet is best for leveling?

A cat for damage; a boar, bear or turtle for staying power. The family is what matters, since each has its own trick. Full table in the Pets guide. Confirmed in Forever

Can I tame a beast above my level?

No: in Forever Tame Beast doesn't work on beasts higher level than you. Seen in the beta

My pet won't attack on its own. Where is Aggressive mode?

In the pet tab of your spellbook. In dungeons Defensive or Passive is safer, so it doesn't pull on its own. Seen in the beta

Why is my pet doing so little damage?

Almost always happiness: a happy pet hits at 125%, an unhappy one at 75%. Feed it food from its diet near its level, out of combat. Also check it has its latest ability ranks. Confirmed in Forever

Talents and specs

Which spec should I level as?

Beast Mastery: your pet tanks and from 25 you add two hawks with Summon Hawk. Once the tree is done at 40, points go into Marksmanship. Point order is in the Hunter guide. Seen in the beta

Is there dual spec?

Yes, from level 40 at your class trainer: you save two builds and swap between them, for example one for dungeons and one for PvP. Seen in the beta

What is Lone Wolf?

A new Marksmanship talent: 20% more damage with all attacks while you have no pet out. The most-planned Marksmanship and Survival builds for 60 take it. For leveling, keep your pet. Seen in the beta

Is Survival a melee spec?

Yes, in Forever it is the Hunter's melee tree: Strider Kick, Lacerate, Mongoose Bite with Expose Prey, and Predator's Edge (50% more off-hand damage if you dual-wield). You need a good melee weapon. Seen in the beta

How much does a respec cost?

In Classic the price rises with each respec and drops over time. In the beta it cost 1 silver as a temporary measure; the launch price hasn't been published. Classic data, unconfirmed

Gear and stats

Which stat should I look for?

Agility first: it gives ranged attack power and crit. Then hit (up to 9% against bosses). As Marksmanship, Intellect matters too, since Careful Aim turns it into attack power. Seen in the beta

When do I wear mail?

As in Classic, at level 40. Until then, leather. Don't swap a good leather piece for a worse mail one: Agility matters more than armor type. Classic data, unconfirmed

Which weapons can I use?

Bows, crossbows, guns and thrown; daggers, fist weapons, axes and swords; staves and polearms. No maces. Learn all three ranged types from a weapon master so you can use the best one you find. Seen in the beta

Does my melee weapon matter if I play ranged?

Only for its stats: look for a two-hander with Agility and Stamina. Its damage only matters if you play Survival. Seen in the beta

Professions

Which professions suit a Hunter?

Leatherworking and Skinning: Agility leather gear from low levels (the Brawler's Leather Helm stood out in the beta) and hides from everything you kill. Engineering and Mining if you're into PvP: bullets, scopes and gadgets. Seen in the beta

What about secondary professions?

Cooking for buff food (and pet food), Fishing for gold and food, and First Aid, which also makes healing potions in Forever. With your pet tanking or an enemy frozen, you have time to bandage. Seen in the beta

Leveling

How do I survive before level 10?

Shoot from range and back off when they close in. From 8, Concussive Shot slows them. Aspect of the Monkey helps you dodge the hits that land. Seen in the beta

How often should I visit the trainer?

Every two levels: most spells rank up on even levels. Also learn new ranks of your pet's abilities. Seen in the beta

How do I chain-pull?

While your pet finishes the first one, put Serpent Sting on the next or leave a fire trap for it. Always keep mana for a crowd control or Feign Death if things go wrong. Seen in the beta

Why does the enemy come for me instead of my pet?

Because you shoot too early. Let your pet land two or three hits first. If it still comes, Disengage (it sheds twice the threat in Forever) and let your pet take it back. Seen in the beta

Any tips to rest less?

Eat buff food, carry water for your level and, if you stop by a campfire, call your pet there so it gets the camping buff too. Seen in the beta

Dungeons and raids

What is the Hunter's job in a group?

Ranged damage, Freezing Trap to control one enemy, and group buffs: Hunter's Mark, Trueshot Aura (Marksmanship, now raid-wide) and Aspect of the Wild. Seen in the beta

What do I do with my pet in a dungeon?

Turn off Growl autocast so it doesn't steal mobs from the tank, set it to Defensive or Passive and send it with /petattack to the tank's target. If it takes area damage, Mend Pet. Classic data, unconfirmed

What does Hunter's Mark do in a group?

It raises the ranged attack power of everyone attacking the marked target and lets you see it even in stealth. Only one mark fits per target: agree with the other Hunters. Seen in the beta

Does Tranquilizing Shot exist?

Yes. In the Forever client it's learned at level 60: it removes one Frenzy effect from an enemy, at 8-35 yards with a 20-second cooldown. In Classic it was a tome dropped in Molten Core; in Forever it hasn't been checked in game yet. Seen in the beta

How do I manage threat?

Wait until the tank has the mob before using Multi-Shot or Volley. If it turns on you, Feign Death wipes your threat and Disengage lowers it in melee range. Distracting Shot does the opposite: it builds threat to peel a mob off a healer in an emergency. Seen in the beta

Is there Misdirection?

No. Misdirection came with The Burning Crusade and isn't in Forever's spellbook. Seen in the beta

Ranged weapons worth getting while leveling

7	Hickory Shortbow · Bow Classic data, unconfirmed Quest «Securing the Lines» in Durotar. Horde.
11	Daryl's Hunting Bow · Bow Classic data, unconfirmed Quest «A Hunter's Boast» in Loch Modan. Alliance.
13-16	Barbaric Crossbow · Crossbow Seen in the beta Ragefire Chasm, boss Oggleflint. A new Forever item. The dungeon is inside Orgrimmar, so in practice Horde.
13-16	Calibrated Blunderbuss · Gun Seen in the beta Hall of Thanes quest «Old Ironforge Incursion»: from Earthseer Farsen in Dun Morogh; kill Durgen Dirgehammer and bring his head to King Magni. Alliance.
19-22	Venomstrike · Bow Seen in the beta Wailing Caverns, boss Lord Serpentis. Both factions.
20	Cliffrunner's Aim · Bow Classic data, unconfirmed Quest «The Sacred Flame» in Thousand Needles. Horde.
22	Raptor's End · Bow Classic data, unconfirmed Quest «Ormer's Revenge» in the Wetlands. Alliance.
22-29	Naga Heartpiercer · Bow Seen in the beta Blackfathom Deeps, boss Lady Sarevess. Both factions.
23-29	Fallenroot Longbow · Bow Seen in the beta Blackfathom Deeps, boss Lorgus Jett. A new Forever item. Both factions.
25	Lunaris Bow · Bow Classic data, unconfirmed Quest «Answered Questions» in Duskwood, at the end of the chain that starts with «The Howling Vale». Alliance.
29-30	Quilboar Blaster · Gun Seen in the beta Razorfen Kraul: reward for killing Charlga Razorflank, quest «The Crone of the Kraul» (Alliance) or «A Vengeful Fate» (Horde).
30	Shrapnel Blaster · Gun Classic data, unconfirmed Quest «Colonel Kurzen» in Stranglethorn Vale. Alliance.
35	Master Hunter's Bow · Bow Classic data, unconfirmed Quest «Big Game Hunter» in Stranglethorn Vale. Both factions.
40	Truthseeker's Bow · Bow Seen in the beta Quest «Greater Friend of the Library»: it now requires level 40 (it used to open at 30) and donating 25 books in the library chain. Faction unconfirmed.
50	Verdant Keeper's Aim · Bow Classic data, unconfirmed Maraudon quest «Corruption of Earth and Seed». Both factions.

Useful macros

Start shooting without toggling off

#showtooltip
/targetenemy [noexists][dead][help]
/cast !Auto Shot

Picks an enemy if you have no target and turns on Auto Shot. The ! stops a second press from switching it off.

Mark and send the pet

#showtooltip Hunter's Mark
/cast Hunter's Mark
/petattack

Opens every fight with one button: marks the target and sends your pet in first.

Pull the pet back

/petfollow
/petpassive

Your pet returns and stops attacking. Use it before Freezing Trap or Scatter Shot so it doesn't break the control. Set it back to Defensive afterwards so it protects you again.

All-in-one pet button

#showtooltip
/cast [mod:shift] Revive Pet; [nopet] Call Pet; Mend Pet

With no pet out it calls it; with it out it heals it with Mend Pet; holding Shift revives it.

Scatter Shot without the pet breaking it

#showtooltip Scatter Shot
/petfollow
/petpassive
/cast Scatter Shot

Marksmanship. Pulls your pet back and disorients the target: you get 4 seconds to back off or drop Freezing Trap between you.

Feign Death right now

#showtooltip Feign Death
/stopcasting
/cast Feign Death

Cancels whatever you are casting (like Aimed Shot) and fires Feign Death instantly. In Forever you don't need it for traps: it's for dropping threat or attackers.

Mouseover Hunter's Mark

#showtooltip Hunter's Mark
/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead][] Hunter's Mark

Marks the enemy under your mouse without changing target; if there is none, marks your target. Handy for marking the rogue that just showed up.

Mouseover Tranquilizing Shot

#showtooltip Tranquilizing Shot
/cast [@mouseover,harm,nodead][] Tranquilizing Shot

For raids: remove the boss's Frenzy without switching off your own target.

Cheetah or Pack by target

#showtooltip
/cast [help] Aspect of the Pack; Aspect of the Cheetah

With a friendly target selected it casts Aspect of the Pack (from 40); otherwise Aspect of the Cheetah.

How to beat each class in PvP

Warrior	All his damage depends on reaching you. Concussive Shot, Frost Trap and Wing Clip to keep range, and Intimidation or a bird of prey's disarm (Mine!) when he gets there. If he sticks again, Freezing Trap at your feet and reset.
Paladin	Tough and self-healing: Viper Sting drains his mana and a crocolisk with Dismember cuts his healing. Don't stay close, since his stun is short-range. It's a long fight: watch your own mana.
Rogue	The opener is the danger. Keep Track Hidden on, and once you spot him, Hunter's Mark and Flare so he can't hide. Serpent Sting stops him from restealthing. If he sticks to you, Freezing Trap or Scatter Shot, then get range.
Priest	Viper Sting as soon as you can: without mana he can't heal. Your pet on him pushes back casts, and a bat's Sonic Blast slows them. Stay out of his fear range and shoot from afar.
Shaman	Send your pet to break his totems and use Viper Sting so he can't heal or spam shocks. If he plays melee, treat him like a warrior: range and traps.
Mage	He wants to freeze you and run. Stay outside his Frost Nova range, use Viper Sting to drain his mana and keep your pet on him to disrupt casts (a bat is ideal). Save Feign Death for when he's finishing a long cast.
Warlock	Kill or control his demon first and keep your pet on him to push back casts. Viper Sting takes the mana he converts from health, and Dismember cuts what he heals by draining.
Druid	Every shapeshift costs him mana: Viper Sting leaves him without options. Concussive Shot and Frost Trap against cat and travel form, and Dismember against his heal-over-time. Freezing Trap works on any form.
Hunter	Whoever controls range wins. Either get into his dead zone along with your pet or outrange him; Viper Sting drains his mana and killing his pet first often pays off. Break line of sight when he casts Aimed Shot.

Sources: Notas de la beta de Blizzard (foro oficial) · Blizzard: análisis a fondo del cazador y el druida en Forever · Talents Forever: hechizos y talentos del cazador del cliente de la beta (CC BY 4.0) · Warcraft Tavern: guía de subida del cazador en Forever · Warcraft Tavern: Auto Shot y varitas en la beta · Warcraft Tavern: misiones del Hall of Thanes · Method: guía de subida del cazador en Forever · Icy Veins: Truthseeker's Bow en Forever · Wowhead Forever: Venomstrike · Wowhead Forever: Barbaric Crossbow · Wowhead Forever: Naga Heartpiercer · Wowhead Forever: Fallenroot Longbow · Wowhead Forever: Quilboar Blaster · Zockify: armas del cazador al subir (WoW Classic) · Warcraft Tavern: macros del cazador (WoW Classic) · Warcraft Tavern: munición y carcajes (WoW Classic) · Petopia: mascotas (WoW Classic).

What we don't know yet

Which tree does the most raid damage: there are no sims or logs until raids open on 9 December.
Where to tame a fox (new family) and at what levels: only unconfirmed reports from Zephras Isle.
Whether quivers and ammo pouches still grant ranged attack speed as in Classic.
How Flare and Enchanted Flare coexist (both show up at level 32 in the client).
Forever best-in-slot gear and consumables list: many items and recipes have changed.
Pet happiness: in the beta it only dropped on death (a bug); still to confirm how it works at launch.

This guide is updated every time Blizzard publishes changes. Whatever is still missing goes in as soon as it is known, and the date at the top tells you when we last touched it.

Sources: Notas de desarrollo de Blizzard (2 de noviembre) · Notas de la beta de Blizzard (foro oficial) · Talents Forever: calculadora y datos del cliente (CC BY 4.0) · Method: guía de subida del cazador · Warcraft Tavern: guía de subida del cazador · Warcraft Tavern: guía del cazador · Warcraft Tavern: mascotas · Warcraft Tavern: mejores mascotas · Seemeta: familias de mascotas y dieta · Icy Veins: Beast Mastery para subir · wowtbc.gg: Survival en Forever · Kami Labs: resumen del vídeo de Blizzard de cazador y druida · Warcraft Wiki: kiting y jump-kiting (todas las ediciones) · Warcraft Tavern: macros y trucos del cazador (WoW Classic Era) · Icy Veins: guía de JcJ del cazador (WoW Classic Era) · LFCarry: cazador en JcJ en Forever · Skill Capped: glosario de JcJ (WoW Retail).