Hunters: Add-ons, Stats, Gems, Enchants, Pre-Kara Gear, Raid Supplies, Links

This post is backdated to the date of the original post. It was imported to this blog on May 20, 2014.

I’ve put together this list from research I’ve done and information shared by the wonderful ladies here. It’s by no means exhaustive, but I’ve tried to include several things that come up pretty often in questions.

Please, share any other links, advice or information you’d like! :D

Add-ons, Calculators and Macros:
– Omen (about and How to Use) – A must have for hunters and tanks. Records your threat. (Other party members MUST have this or KTM in order for it to work.)
– RatingBuster (about) – Turn off enchants and maybe gems (as they can possibly skew results when you’re comparing a gemmed item vs a new item with no gems in the sockets yet) – however I usually leave Gems on and just mentally calculate any differences there might be.
– Cheeky’s spreadsheet – Basic How To, this is pretty large and possibly confusing, but taking some time with the threads and the Search button can prove to be very fruitful.

Other add-ons that I use – there are several small, but very useful, hunter ones.

Macros that I use

Stats:
Agility > AP/Crit > mp5 > Int

– Hit is important to a certain point, having too little will hurt your DPS, but prioritizing it over other stats too much could hurt your overall DPS. To not miss on bosses you need 9% or 142 hit, 95 hit rating with the Surefooted talent.
– Armor Penetration is supposedly at its best when paired with other ArP items, see this post for more details.
– Stamina is OK on items, but the above are more important. Health will come as you get better gear.

For PvP the stat priority as I understand it goes more like: AP/Crit > Agi > mp5 > Int
5% hit (cap needed to hit level 70s) is important.
Stamina is an important stat because more health = living longer.

Gems:
Meta:
[Relentless Earthstorm Diamond]
PvP Metas:
[Potent Unstable Diamond]
[Switft Skyfire Diamond]
[Switft Windfire Diamond]

Others in order of my preference:
– Red: [Delicate Blood Garnet] / [Delicate Living Ruby] = +agi
– Purple (R&B): [Shifting Shadow Draenite] / [Shifting Nightseye] = +agi & stam
– Yellow: [Smooth Golden Draenite] / [Smooth Dawnstone] = +crit
– Orange (R&Y): [Glinting Flame Spessarite] / [Glinting Noble Topaz] = +hit & agi
– Yellow: [Rigid Golden Draenite] / [Rigid Dawnstone] = +hit
– Red: [Bright Blood Garnet] / [Bright Living Ruby] = +AP

Agility gives both AP and Crit, and scales the best of the hunter stats. However, it only gets to it’s full potential when used in conjunction with Kings, so for things like PvP, pure stats are used more often (straight crit & AP).
In my opinion, if the socket bonus for 3 sockets gives 4 agi or 3agi for 2 sockets – usually meeting it using the above will be useful, otherwise don’t sweat it.

Enchants:
Don’t forget to get enchants once you feel you have gear that is worth it. You might even want to just find an enchanter who will be willing to DE all your greens, so that way you most likely don’t have to buy any mats (I donate all greens and shards to my boyfriend and he does my enchants).

Head:
[Glyph of Ferocity] = +34 AP & 16 hit rating

Shoulder:
[Inscription of Vengeance] or ([Greater Inscription of Vengeance]
[Inscription of the Blade] or [Greater Inscription of the Blade]

Cloak:
[Enchant Cloak – Greater Agility] = +12 agi

Chest:
[Enchant Chest – Exceptional Stats] = +6 all stats
[Enchant Chest – Exceptional Health] = +150 health

Bracers:
[Enchant Bracer – Assault] = +24 AP

Gloves:
[Enchant Gloves – Superior Agility] = 15 agi
[Enchant Gloves – Assault] = +26 AP

Legs:
[Nethercobra Leg Armor]
[Cobrahide Leg Armor]

Boots:
[Enchant Boots – Dexterity] = +12 agi

Melee Weapon:
[Enchant 2H Weapon – Major Agility] = +35 agi
[Enchant Weapon – Greater Agility] = +20 agi to one-hander
[Enchant 2H Weapon – Savagery] = +70 AP

Ranged Weapon:
[Stabilized Eternium Scope] = 28 Crit Rating
[Khorium Scope] = 12 damage (to me the 2 extra damage over the Adamantite isn’t worth the mats)
[Adamantite Scope] = 10 damage

Pre-Kara Gear: (Note: This is mainly from a BM perspective, however I doubt any of this gear would be bad for either of the other specs.)
This is drawing from all the research I did and what I ended up getting. In sections where multiple items are listed, the one I listed first is the “best” in my opinion.

Head:
[Stalker’s Helm of Second Sight]
Socket: +Agi gems
Note: This will last you until you decide whether to take the Tier 4 helm (some people don’t like it better) or Arena helm (I used season 2, Merciless), anything else in Kara and Gruul’s is downgrades.

Neck:
[Natasha’s Choker]
[Necklace of the Deep]

Shoulders:
[Beast Lord Mantle]
[Blackened Leather Spaulders]/[Talbuk Hide Spaulders]
[Sun-Gilded Shouldercaps]
[Towering Mantle of the Hunt]

Back:
[Cloak of the Inciter]
[Cloak of Malice]

Chest:
[Laughing Skull Battle-Harness]
[Beast Lord Curiass]
[Felstalker Breastplate]

Wrist:
[Felstalker Bracers]
[Auchenai Bracers]

Hands:
[Beast Lord Handguards]
[Ar’tor’s Mainstay]

Waist:
[Girdle of Gale Force]
[Blessed Scale Girdle]
[Rune-Engraved Belt] – Note: I used for this for +hit gear on raid bosses only in Kara.

Legs:
[Scaled Greaves of Patience] – Gems: +Agi make it better than BL
[Beast Lord Leggings]

Feet:
[Duro Footgear]
[Sky-Hunter Swift Boots]
[Outland Striders]

Rings:
[Kaylaan’s Signet]
[Band of Anguish]
[Ring of Umbral Doom]

Trinkets: – These are all about equal, depends on which stat you need more and gear.
[Abacus of Violent Odds]
[Hourglass of the Unraveller]
[Core of Ar’kelos]

Weapon:
[Sonic Spear]
[Hellforged Halberd] or [Blackened Spear]