3.1 Round-up: Summary and Detail of Undocumented, Documented, and Found Hunter Changes

My Summary

There are a huge number of new variables. A really crazy number. It's clear to me that Blizzard is just throwing in the kitchen sink. They don't have a clear idea how things will be min/maxxed. They'll keep their eyes open and nerf things as hotfixes.

There are many things to like here. A lot will change. Half of what we like will never get off the PTR. What you do now as a hunter will change unless you're BM. In which case, you'll re-spec a little and re-spec your pets.


From WoR:

Hunter

• Glyph of Chimera Shot - Reduces the cooldown of Chimera Shot by 1 sec.
• Glyph of Explosive Shot - Increases the critical strike chance of Explosive Shot by 4%.
• Glyph of Explosive Trap - The periodic damage from your Explosive Trap can now be critical strikes.
• Glyph of Kill Shot - Reduces the cooldown of Kill Shot by 6 sec.
• Glyph of Raptor Strike - For 0 sec. after using Raptor Strike, you take 20% less damage.
• Glyph of Scatter Shot - Increases the range of Scatter Shot by 3 yards.

From WoR:

• New Hunter Pet Talents
  • Shark Attack (2 ranks) - Your pet does an additional 4/8% damage with all attacks.
  • Silverback (2 ranks) - Your pet's Growl also heals it for 1/2% of its total health.
  • Wild Hunt (2 ranks) - Increases the contribution your pets get from your Stamina by 20/40% and attack power by 20/40%.

From http://www.mmo-champion.com/

Hunter

Beast Mastery
Skills

• *New Skill* Call Stabled Pet - A pet of your choice busts out of its stable and joins you no matter where you are, replacing your current pet. Cannot be used in combat. Instant. 30 min cooldown. Requires Level 80.

Marksmanship
Skills

• Kill Shot no longer has a minimum range. It can now be used in melee range.

Talents

• Wild Quiver (Tier 9) now increases your chance to shoot an additional shot when doing damage with your auto shot, dealing 80% Nature damage, by 4/8/12%. (Previously it dealt 50% nature damage and had a 4/7/10% chance.)
• Piercing Shots (Tier 7) Your critical Aimed, Steady and Chimera Shots cause the target to bleed for 10/20/30% of the damage dealt over 8 sec. (Previously triggered 2/4/6% armor ignore).
• Ranged Weapon Specialization (Tier 6) is now a 3 point talent, increasing damage with ranged weapons by 1/3/5%. (Previously a 5 point talent increasing damage by 1/2/3/4/5%)

Survival
Skills

• Disengage cooldown increased to 30 secs. (Previously was 25 secs)

Talents

• Hunting Party (Tier 10) is now a 3 point talent, increasing agility by 1/2/3% and your Arcane Shot, Explosive Shot and Steady Shot critical strikes have a 33/66/100% chance to grant up to 10 party or raid members mana regeneration equal to 0.25% of the maximum mana per second. Lasts for 15 sec.
• Trap Mastery moved from Tier 9 to Tier 2 and is now a 3 point talent. Increases the duration of Frost and Freezing trap by 10/20/30%, Periodic damage of Immolation and Explosive trap by 10/20/30%, and number of snakes summoned by Snake Trap by 30%. (Previously was just 1 point)
• *New Talent* Black Arrow (Tier 9) - Fires a Black Arrow at the target, increasing all damage done by you to the target by 6% and dealing [ 10% of RAP + 785 ] Shadow damage over 15 sec. Costs 6% base mana. 5-35 yard range. Instant Cast. 30 sec cooldown.
• Sniper Training (Tier 9) has been changed to increase the critical strike chance of your Kill Shot ability by 5/10/15%, and while standing still for 6 sec., you gain Sniper Training increasing the damage done by your Steady Shot, Aimed Shot, Black Arrow and Explosive Shot by 2/4/6% Lasts 15 sec. (Previously increased damage and critical strike chance based on your range to the target)
• Wyvern Sting (Tier 7) now lasts 30 sec on the target. (Previously lasted 12 sec)
• T.N.T. (Tier 4) now increases the damage done by your Explosive Shot, Explosive Trap and Immolation Trap by 2%. (Previously increased critical strike chance of explosive shot and and gave it a chance to stun the target)
• Lock and Load (Tier 4) now has a 33/66/100% chance to proc off Freezing Shot, Freezing Trap, and Frost Trap, and a 3/7/10% chance to proc off the periodic damage of Immolation Trap and Black Arrow. (Previously worked on all traps and included serpent sting)
• Improved Wing Clip has been removed from the game.

From the patch notes, which aren't identical by a long shot:

Hunter

• Frost Trap: If the target who triggers Frost Trap is immune to its effect, the Frost Trap area effect will no longer be triggered.
• Talents
  • Beast Mastery
    • Improved Aspect of the Hawk now has a new spell effect.
    • Improved Wing Clip: This talent has been removed.
  • Marksmanship
    • Piercing Shots re-designed: Your critical Aimed, Steady and Chimera Shots cause the target to bleed for 10/20/30% of the damage dealt over 8 sec.
    • Ranged Weapon Specialization: Points reduced from 5 to 3, 1/3/5%.
    • Wild Quiver: Chance increased to 4/8/12%, up from 4/7/10%. Damage increased from 50% of an auto shot, to 80%.
  • Survival
    • Hunting Party: This talent has been reduced to 3-points, and now increases your total Agility by an additional 1/2/3%.
    • Lock and Load re-designed: You now have a 33/66/100% chance when you trap a target with Freezing Trap, Freezing Arrow or Frost Trap and a 2/4/6% chance when you deal periodic damage with your Immolation Trap or Black Arrow to cause your next 2 Arcane Shot or Explosive Shot spells to trigger no cooldown, cost no mana and consume no ammo. This now has a new spell effect and sound.
    • New Talent: Trap Launcher: When activated, your next Trap will be launched instantly at the enemy target. 1 minute cooldown.
    • T.N.T. re-designed: Increases the damage done by your Explosive Shot, Explosive Trap and Immolation Trap by 2/4/6%, and gives your Explosive Shot a 33/66/100% chance to refresh the duration of your Immolation Trap effect on the target.
    • Trap Mastery: This talent has been moved up to tier-2, up from tier-9.
    • Wyvern Sting duration increased from 12 sec to 30 sec. PvP duration reduced from 10 sec to 6 sec.

• Pets
  • Roar of Sacrifice can be used on the hunter only.
  • Stampede (rhino) only affects 1 target, but adds a 25% bleed damage debuff (that does not stack with Mangle etc.) in addition to its knockback.