Hunter specialization

Survival Hunter in WoW Forever

Close-range attacks and traps.

  • Your role: Melee damage
  • Advice for every level to 60
  • Class notes checked

Your character

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Your gear Use my character
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Choose the level you are playing now. The playbook and gear rankings update to match.

Level 25 · Damage in a group

How to play dungeons at level 25

Your combat loop

Press the first one that is ready.

Survival’s own loop, from level 10. Before that every Hunter plays the same loop.

Own loop from: Survival level 10Marksmanship level 25Beast Mastery never

In this model, Marksmanship’s loop does 28% more with Survival’s talents at this level. This is Survival’s own loop, the one its talents are built for.

Keep up:

Half of each fight you shoot, as the enemy runs in and whenever it is out of melee range: Auto Shot with Aimed Shot, Arcane Shot and Serpent Sting. The shares below are of your melee damage.

  1. Raptor Strike Rank 4 Every 6 sec

    Use it whenever it is ready, every 6 sec.

    15% of your damage
  2. Auto attack All the time

    Your weapon swings on its own. Stay in melee range.

    85% of your damage

The first 30 seconds

When to press each one from the pull. The blue line under a press is the global cooldown (1.5 sec) or cast it holds: nothing else on the global cooldown can go until it ends, so of two that are ready together the higher one goes first. Raptor Strike is off the global cooldown, so it has no line and goes alongside.

All the time
Auto attack

How MaxDPS works this out

Talents at level 25

16 points at level 25: the first at level 10, then one every level.

The MaxDPS build at this level, in the game’s talent frame. Click a talent to learn it and right click to unlearn it, as in the game.

Talents
Unspent Talents
Point order: when each point goes in
  1. Improved Tracking 5/5 · levels 10–14 +3.2% damage
  2. Savage Strikes 2/2 · levels 15–16 +0.5% damage
  3. Survivalist 5/5 · levels 17–19 and 23–24 not counted here
  4. Surefooted 3/3 · levels 20–22 +3.7% damage
  5. Predator's Edge 1/5 · level 25 +1% damage

Every Hunter talent

Preliminary item rankings · Dungeons

Survival Hunter gear rankings

Melee and ranged weaving; two-hand or dual-wield · Level 25 · Calculated defaults

Hunt list
Show gear for

Off hand 160 items · Updating…

Where it comes from
Auction prices from

Key stats show the stats behind the three largest score contributions, as the game tooltip states them; open an item’s details for every value and source.

Off hand items with imported stats, weighted scores and acquisition sources.
Rank Item Score (pts) Where to get it Actions
1 in this filtered list
Alliance Outrunner's Sword Sword · iLvl 27 · Req. 22 · Other drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 17.14 Weapon melee DPS5 Agility6 Attack power
31.69
Thora FeathermoonNPC drop · 5.9% · The Barrens

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 17.14 × 1.5831 = 16.96 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 36 × 0.1859 = 6.69 pts
  • Agility: 5 × 1 = 5.00 pts
  • Attack power: 6 × 0.5068 = 3.04 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Source

Thora FeathermoonNPC drop · 5.9% · The Barrens
2 in this filtered list
Prison Shank Dagger · iLvl 28 · Req. 23 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 17.78 Weapon melee DPS6 Agility2 Stamina
29.90

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 17.78 × 1.5831 = 17.59 pts
  • Agility: 6 × 1 = 6.00 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 32 × 0.1859 = 5.95 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.1819 = 0.36 pts

Rare

Source

3 in this filtered list
Talon of Vultros Dagger · iLvl 28 · Req. 23 · Other drop Key stats: 17.5 Weapon melee DPS6 Agility3 Spirit
29.87
VultrosNPC drop · 22% · Westfall
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 17.5 × 1.5831 = 17.31 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 35 × 0.1859 = 6.51 pts
  • Agility: 6 × 1 = 6.00 pts
  • Spirit: 3 × 0.0149 = 0.04 pts

Rare

Source

VultrosNPC drop · 22% · Westfall
4 in this filtered list
Cruel Barb Sword · iLvl 24 · Req. 19 · Dungeon drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 15.54 Weapon melee DPS12 Attack power
29.54
Edwin VanCleefNPC drop · 36% · Deadmines

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15.54 × 1.5831 = 15.38 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 43.5 × 0.1859 = 8.09 pts
  • Attack power: 12 × 0.5068 = 6.08 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Source

Edwin VanCleefNPC drop · 36% · Deadmines
5 in this filtered list
Axe of the Enforcer Axe · iLvl 29 · Req. 24 · Dungeon drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 18.27 Weapon melee DPS5 Strength4 Stamina
28.91
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 18.27 × 1.5831 = 18.08 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 47.5 × 0.1859 = 8.83 pts
  • Strength: 5 × 0.2543 = 1.27 pts
  • Stamina: 4 × 0.1819 = 0.73 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

6 in this filtered list
Headsplitter Axe · iLvl 30 · Req. 25 · Other drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 18.91 Weapon melee DPS5 Stamina3 Strength
28.47
Scarlet DiscipleNPC drop · 0.1% · Tirisfal Glades
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 18.91 × 1.5831 = 18.71 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 43.5 × 0.1859 = 8.09 pts
  • Stamina: 5 × 0.1819 = 0.91 pts
  • Strength: 3 × 0.2543 = 0.76 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

28 sources

Scarlet DiscipleNPC drop · 0.1% · Tirisfal Glades
Scarlet MagicianNPC drop · <0.1% · Tirisfal Glades
Scarlet SentryNPC drop · <0.1% · Scarlet Monastery
Scarlet TorturerNPC drop · <0.1% · Scarlet Monastery
Anguished DeadNPC drop · <0.1% · Scarlet Monastery
Scarlet DivinerNPC drop · <0.1% · Scarlet Monastery
Scarlet ScryerNPC drop · <0.1% · Scarlet Monastery
All 28 sources
7 in this filtered list
Callous Axe Axe · iLvl 29 · Req. 24 · Vendor · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 15 Weapon melee DPS8 Attack power
26.70
Charys YserianVendor · 2g 15s 49c · Stormwind City
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15 × 1.5831 = 14.84 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 42 × 0.1859 = 7.81 pts
  • Attack power: 8 × 0.5068 = 4.05 pts

Uncommon · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

4 sources

Charys YserianVendor · 2g 15s 49c · Stormwind City
Dark Iron EntrepreneurVendor · 2g 4s 72c · Wetlands
OttVendor · 2g 4s 72c · Hillsbrad Foothills
Piter VeranceVendor · 2g 4s 72c · Dustwallow Marsh
8 in this filtered list
Butcher's Slicer Sword · iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Dungeon drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 15 Weapon melee DPS6 Attack power3 Stamina
26.51

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15 × 1.5831 = 14.84 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 43.5 × 0.1859 = 8.09 pts
  • Attack power: 6 × 0.5068 = 3.04 pts
  • Stamina: 3 × 0.1819 = 0.55 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Source

9 in this filtered list
Assassin's Blade Dagger · iLvl 24 · Req. 19 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 15.53 Weapon melee DPS4 Agility3 Strength
25.61
Blood SeekerNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15.53 × 1.5831 = 15.37 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 29.5 × 0.1859 = 5.48 pts
  • Agility: 4 × 1 = 4.00 pts
  • Strength: 3 × 0.2543 = 0.76 pts

Rare

12 sources

Blood SeekerNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Shadowfang GluttonNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Tormented OfficerNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Commander SpringvaleBoss drop · <0.1%
Son of ArugalNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Shadow ChargerNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Wailing GuardsmanNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Lupine HorrorNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
Vile BatNPC drop · <0.1% · Shadowfang Keep
All 12 sources
10 in this filtered list
Buzz Saw Sword · iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Dungeon drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 15.22 Weapon melee DPS3 Agility3 Stamina
25.11
Sneed's ShredderNPC drop · 11% · Deadmines

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15.22 × 1.5831 = 15.06 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 35 × 0.1859 = 6.51 pts
  • Agility: 3 × 1 = 3.00 pts
  • Stamina: 3 × 0.1819 = 0.55 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Source

Sneed's ShredderNPC drop · 11% · Deadmines
11 in this filtered list
Blackvenom Blade Dagger · iLvl 28 · Req. 23 · Other drop Key stats: 17.78 Weapon melee DPS1 Agility
24.54
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 17.78 × 1.5831 = 17.59 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 32 × 0.1859 = 5.95 pts
  • Agility: 1 × 1 = 1.00 pts

Rare

Source

12 in this filtered list
Vibroblade Axe · iLvl 30 · Req. 25 · Dungeon drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 19.06 Weapon melee DPS
24.53
Mechanized GuardianNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 19.06 × 1.5831 = 18.86 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 30.5 × 0.1859 = 5.67 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

8 sources

Mechanized GuardianNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Mechanized SentryNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Caverndeep ReaverNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Mechano-FlamewalkerNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Leprous DefenderNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Arcane Nullifier X-21NPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Dark Iron AgentNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
Caverndeep AmbusherNPC drop · <0.1% · Gnomeregan
13 in this filtered list
Butcher's Cleaver Axe · iLvl 25 · Req. 20 · Dungeon drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 16.18 Weapon melee DPS2 Agility5 Strength
24.39

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 16.18 × 1.5831 = 16.01 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 27.5 × 0.1859 = 5.11 pts
  • Agility: 2 × 1 = 2.00 pts
  • Strength: 5 × 0.2543 = 1.27 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Source

14 in this filtered list
Scout's Blade Dagger · iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Vendor · Horde only Key stats: 15.29 Weapon melee DPS4 Agility2 Stamina
24.33
Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 21s 68c · The Barrens

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15.29 × 1.5831 = 15.13 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 26 × 0.1859 = 4.83 pts
  • Agility: 4 × 1 = 4.00 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.1819 = 0.36 pts

Rare

Source

Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 21s 68c · The Barrens
15 in this filtered list
Sentinel's Blade Dagger · iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Vendor · Alliance only Key stats: 15.29 Weapon melee DPS4 Agility2 Stamina
24.33
Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 4s 40c · Ashenvale

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15.29 × 1.5831 = 15.13 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 26 × 0.1859 = 4.83 pts
  • Agility: 4 × 1 = 4.00 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.1819 = 0.36 pts

Rare

Source

Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 4s 40c · Ashenvale
16 in this filtered list
Legionnaire's Sword Sword · iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Vendor · Horde only · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 15 Weapon melee DPS4 Strength2 Stamina
23.75
Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 21s 68c · The Barrens

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15 × 1.5831 = 14.84 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 40.5 × 0.1859 = 7.53 pts
  • Strength: 4 × 0.2543 = 1.02 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.1819 = 0.36 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Source

Kelm HargunthVendor · 1g 21s 68c · The Barrens
17 in this filtered list
Protector's Sword Sword · iLvl 23 · Req. 18 · Vendor · Alliance only · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 15 Weapon melee DPS4 Strength2 Stamina
23.75
Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 3s 28c · Ashenvale

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 15 × 1.5831 = 14.84 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 40.5 × 0.1859 = 7.53 pts
  • Strength: 4 × 0.2543 = 1.02 pts
  • Stamina: 2 × 0.1819 = 0.36 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Source

Illiyana MoonblazeVendor · 1g 3s 28c · Ashenvale
18 in this filtered list
Sword of Corruption Sword · iLvl 27 · Req. 22 · Other drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 17.14 Weapon melee DPS
23.65
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 17.14 × 1.5831 = 16.96 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 36 × 0.1859 = 6.69 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

60 sources

BrontusNPC drop · 0.4% · The Barrens
Mosshide AlphaNPC drop · 0.1% · Wetlands
Splinter Fist WarriorNPC drop · <0.1% · Duskwood
Bloodtooth GuardNPC drop · <0.1% · Ashenvale
Withered AncientNPC drop · <0.1% · Ashenvale
Cursed MarineNPC drop · <0.1% · Wetlands
Elder Ashenvale BearNPC drop · <0.1% · Ashenvale
All 60 sources
19 in this filtered list
Meteor Shard Dagger · iLvl 28 · Req. 23 · Dungeon drop Key stats: 17.78 Weapon melee DPS
23.54
Archmage ArugalBoss drop · 29% · Shadowfang Keep

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 17.78 × 1.5831 = 17.59 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 32 × 0.1859 = 5.95 pts

Rare

Source

Archmage ArugalBoss drop · 29% · Shadowfang Keep
20 in this filtered list
Grimclaw Axe · iLvl 27 · Req. 22 · Dungeon drop · Weapon training for some races Key stats: 17.25 Weapon melee DPS
23.48
Alliance: Horde: None on the auction house

Score breakdown

  • Weapon melee DPS: 17.25 × 1.5831 = 17.07 pts
  • Weapon damage per swing: 34.5 × 0.1859 = 6.41 pts

Rare · Weapon training for some races — check item requirements

Item stats from the WoW Forever game files; sources from data collected from the live game. Auction prices are the lowest buyout on the Americas · Normal auction houses, read from Blizzard every hour; pick another region or ruleset under Filters. Which house is which ruleset is matched by size and still being confirmed in game.

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