Hunter class icon

Hunter

DamageWoW Forever

WoW Forever Talents, Spells & Builds

A ranged hunter with a loyal pet, now available to Humans and the new Skyborne.

What Forever Changes for Hunters

  • Aimed Shot is trained by every Hunter at level 20, and it now shares its cooldown with Multi-Shot instead of Arcane Shot.
  • Traps work in combat on a 30-second cooldown, and Frost and Fire traps have separate cooldowns, so both can be ready at once.
  • Pets scale with your gear, every family has one ability no other family can learn, and Foxes join as a new family.
  • Disengage sheds twice as much threat, and Aspect of the Beast also grants melee Attack Power.
  • Humans can play Hunter for the first time.
Leveling a new one? Start hereBeast Mastery Beta StartDeadly Aspects, movement speed, and a pet that revives fast make this the strongest general-purpose opening.

New and Reworked Hunter Abilities

These are the spells the Forever client adds, opens to every race, or hands you without a talent, in the order you learn them. Spells marked with a race are that race’s own.

LevelAbilityStatusWhat it does
20Aimed ShotWas a Classic talentAn aimed shot that increases ranged damage by 166. Aimed Shot shares its cooldown with Multi-Shot.
30LacerateNew in ForeverWounds the target causing them to bleed for 406 damage over 21 sec.
32Enchanted FlareNew in ForeverExposes all hidden and invisible enemies within 10 yards of the targeted area, and staves off magical darkness for 30 sec.

Recommended Builds

Each build lists the order to spend every point from level 10, so you can follow it while you level. Open any step in the talent calculator to see the build at that level.

Beast Mastery Beta Start

Levels 10–20, the strongest general-purpose Hunter opening

11 Beast Mastery0 Marksmanship0 Survival

Deadly Aspects for a 30% ranged attack speed proc, then movement speed and a pet that revives fast and keeps up with you.

Why these talents

  • Deadly Aspects gives Auto Shot a 10% chance to raise ranged attack speed by 30% for 12 seconds while Aspect of the Hawk is active: the single best talent any Hunter can take at this level.
  • Pathfinding adds 6% to Aspect of the Cheetah and Aspect of the Pack, which you feel on every trip between quests before mounts.
  • Improved Revive Pet cuts 6 seconds and 40% of the Mana from Revive Pet, and Bestial Swiftness keeps the pet 30% faster so it reaches the target first.

Swaps to consider

  • Only chasing dungeon AoE? The Marksmanship build gives up the pet entirely for Lone Wolf and a much stronger Multi-Shot.
Open the full build in the calculator →

Talent order

  1. Levels 10–14Deadly Aspects 5/5Lv 14 →
  2. Levels 15–16Pathfinding 2/2Lv 16 →
  3. Levels 17–18Improved Revive Pet 2/2Lv 18 →
  4. Level 19Endurance Training 1/5Lv 19 →
  5. Level 20Bestial Swiftness 1/1Lv 20 →
  6. Beta level cap 20: stop here

Talent trees from WoW Forever client 1.60.1.70685.

Marksmanship Beta Start

Levels 10–20, maximum dungeon and AoE damage with no pet out

0 Beast Mastery11 Marksmanship0 Survival

Eleven points straight down Marksmanship for Lone Wolf: 20% more damage while no pet is active, on top of crit and Attack Power from Intellect.

Why these talents

  • Lethal Attacks adds 5% critical strike chance with all attacks.
  • Careful Aim converts 100% of your Intellect into Attack Power, and Intellect is plentiful on the leather and mail you find early.
  • Lone Wolf adds 20% damage while you have no active pet, which is the whole point of going this deep this early.

Swaps to consider

  • This is a dungeon build, not a questing one. Out in the world, Beast Mastery keeps the pet, the haste proc and the run speed.
Open the full build in the calculator →

Talent order

  1. Levels 10–14Lethal Attacks 5/5Lv 14 →
  2. Levels 15–19Careful Aim 5/5Lv 19 →
  3. Level 20Lone Wolf 1/1Lv 20 →
  4. Beta level cap 20: stop here

Talent trees from WoW Forever client 1.60.1.70685.

Survival Beta Start

Levels 10–20, surviving melee and duels rather than maximising damage

0 Beast Mastery0 Marksmanship11 Survival

Deflection and Deterrence stack parry beyond anything else available at 20, with Entrapment turning every trap into a root.

Why these talents

  • Deflection adds 5% parry at five points, the largest single defensive gain this early.
  • Deterrence adds 25% dodge and parry for 10 seconds on demand.
  • Entrapment roots everything your traps catch for 3 seconds, and Savage Strikes adds 4% critical strike to your melee abilities.

Swaps to consider

  • Levelling speed and raw damage come from Beast Mastery or Marksmanship; Survival at 20 is a durability pick, and the guide that publishes it says so.
Open the full build in the calculator →

Talent order

  1. Levels 10–14Deflection 5/5Lv 14 →
  2. Levels 15–16Savage Strikes 2/2Lv 16 →
  3. Levels 17–19Entrapment 3/5Lv 19 →
  4. Level 20Deterrence 1/1Lv 20 →
  5. Beta level cap 20: stop here

Talent trees from WoW Forever client 1.60.1.70685.

Talent Tree Changes from Classic

New talents, talents moved in from another tree, and the Classic talents each tree no longer has. Compare them in the talent calculator →

Beast Mastery

3 new · 1 moved in · 3 removed

Summon Hawk at 16 points sends up to two Hawks after your target alongside your pet.

New

  • Deadly Aspects
  • Focused Fire
  • Summon Hawk

Moved in

  • Pathfinding

No longer in this tree

Improved Aspect of the Hawk, Improved Eyes of the Beast, Thick Hide

Marksmanship

7 new · 2 moved in · 5 removed

With Aimed Shot handed to everyone, Lone Wolf rewards fighting without a pet with 20% more damage, and Sniper Shot at 31 points out-hits Aimed Shot from 45 yards.

New

  • Lethal Attacks
  • Improved Stings
  • Careful Aim
  • Rapid Killing
  • Lone Wolf
  • Rapid Recuperation
  • Sniper Shot

Moved in

  • Hawk Eye
  • Scatter Shot

No longer in this tree

Aimed Shot (now from the trainer), Improved Hunter's Mark, Improved Scorpid Sting, Improved Serpent Sting, Lethal Shots

Survival

8 new · 0 moved in · 6 removed

Strider Kick, Expose Prey, and Lacerating Strikes at 31 points build a real melee Hunter around Mongoose Bite.

New

  • Improved Tracking
  • Survival Tactics
  • Predator's Edge
  • Resourcefulness
  • Expose Prey
  • Survivalist's Discipline
  • Strider Kick
  • Lacerating Strikes

No longer in this tree

Humanoid Slaying, Improved Feign Death, Killer Instinct, Monster Slaying, Trap Mastery, Wyvern Sting

Leveling a Hunter

Every class follows the same zones and dungeons; your faction decides the route. Start in your race's zone, follow your faction's route, and spend your talents with the Beast Mastery Beta Start build above.

Playable Race Options

Every race that can play a Hunter in WoW Forever. Racials are balanced around offensive consistency, so choose the aesthetics, utility, and movement tools that fit your playstyle.

Alliance Races

4 Options
Human portrait
HumanNew in Forever
Key Racials:PerceptionWill to SurviveRuthless
Dwarf portrait
DwarfClassic Baseline
Key Racials:Find TreasureStoneformBig Game Hunter
Night Elf portrait
Night ElfClassic Baseline
Key Racials:Elune's LightShadowmeldQuickness
Skyborne portrait
SkyborneNew in Forever
Key Racials:Walk on AirRead LeylineSkysight

Horde Races

4 Options
Orc portrait
OrcClassic Baseline
Key Racials:Blood FuryShatter CurseHardiness
Tauren portrait
TaurenClassic Baseline
Key Racials:CultivationWar StompEndurance
Troll portrait
TrollClassic Baseline
Key Racials:BerserkingRapid RegenerationBeast Slaying
Skyborne portrait
SkyborneNew in Forever
Key Racials:Walk on AirRead LeylineSkysight

Start From a Recommended Build

Click a build to load it into the calculator, then change any point you like.

Why these talents, point by point →

Points spent
0 / 51
Required level
—
Spec
0 / 0 / 0

Beast Mastery

0 pts

Marksmanship

0 pts

Survival

0 pts

How the Calculator Works

  • You have 51 points, one per level from 10 to 60.
  • Every 5 points in a tree open its next row, and some talents need a maxed talent above them first.
  • Click a talent to add a point; right-click or Shift-click to remove one. On a touch screen, tap a talent and use its buttons.
  • Your build lives in the page link, so copying the link saves and shares it.
  • Turn on Highlight Forever changes to spot every new and reworked talent.

What Forever Changes in Hunter Talents

  • 18 of Hunter's 50 talents are new in Forever, and 21 change from their Classic versions.
  • The three trees keep their Classic rows, with a new milestone talent at 16 points in each tree.
  • Spell, melee, and ranged hit are one stat, and critical strike works the same way.
  • Group buffs that used to cost talent points are now baseline, which frees points for new choices.

Every Hunter talent change, tree by tree →

View Full Hunter Talent Reference Table50 talents · 18 new in Forever

Beast Mastery

TalentRowRanksAt Max Rankvs Classic
Deadly Aspects15While Aspect of the Hawk is active, Auto Shot has a 10% chance of increasing ranged attack speed by 30% for 12 sec. While Aspect of the Beast is active, all melee auto attacks have a 10% chance of increasing melee attack speed by 30% for 12 sec.New
Endurance Training15Increases the Health and Armor of your pets by 15%.Changed
Focused Fire22Increases all damage you and your pet deal by 2% while your pet is active.New
Improved Aspect of the Monkey23Increases the Dodge bonus of your Aspect of the Monkey by 6%. Additionally, your pet gains 50% of the effect of your Aspect of the Monkey ability.Changed
Pathfinding22Increases the speed bonus of your Aspect of the Cheetah and Aspect of the Pack by 6%.Moved
Improved Revive Pet22Revive Pet's casting time is reduced by 6 sec, mana cost is reduced by 40%, and increases the health your pet returns with by an additional 30%.Same
Bestial Swiftness31Increases the movement speed of your pets by 30%.Changed
Unleashed Fury35Increases the damage done by your pets and hawks by 15%.Changed
Improved Mend Pet42Gives your Mend Pet spell a 50% chance of cleansing 1 Curse, Disease, Magic, or Poison effect from your pet each time it heals and reduces the Mana cost by 20%.Changed
Ferocity45Increases the critical strike chance of your pets and hawks by 10%.Changed
Summon Hawk41Command a hawk to dive-bomb your targeted enemy, dealing (32 + 5% of your ranged attack power) Physical damage and continuing its assault for 18 sec. Only 2 hawks can be active at once. Summon Hawk shares its cooldown with Arcane Shot.New
Spirit Bond52While your pet is active, you and your pet will regenerate 1% of total health every 5 sec.Changed
Intimidation51Command your pet to Stun the target for 3 sec on its next successful attack, which also gains 100% increased critical strike chance. Generates high threat.Changed
Bestial Discipline52Increases the Focus regeneration of your pets by 20% and allows 50% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting.Changed
Frenzy65Gives your pet a 100% chance to gain a 30% attack speed increase for 8 sec after dealing a critical strike.Same
Bestial Wrath71Send your pet into a rage causing 50% additional damage for 18 sec. While enraged, the beast does not feel pity or remorse or fear and it cannot be stopped unless killed.Same

Marksmanship

TalentRowRanksAt Max Rankvs Classic
Hawk Eye13Increases the range of your ranged weapons by 6 yards.Moved
Improved Concussive Shot15Gives your Concussive Shot a 20% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.Same
Lethal Attacks15Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks by 5%.New
Improved Stings23Increases the damage of your Serpent Sting ability by 20%, reduces the cooldown of your Viper Sting ability by 6 sec, and increases the duration of your Scorpid Sting ability by 45 sec.New
Efficiency25Reduces the Mana cost of your Shots, Stings, and melee abilities by 15%.Changed
Careful Aim25Increases your Attack Power by 100% of your Intellect.New
Rapid Killing32Reduces the cooldown on your Rapid Fire ability by 2 min. In addition, when you kill a non-trivial enemy or it dies while afflicted by your Serpent Sting, you gain Rapid Killing, increasing the damage of your next Shot ability within 20 sec by 20%.New
Improved Arcane Shot35Reduces the cooldown of your Arcane Shot by 1.5 sec. Does not affect the cooldown of abilities which share a cooldown with Arcane Shot.Changed
Lone Wolf31You deal 20% increased damage with all attacks while you do not have an active pet.New
Trueshot Aura41Increases the Ranged Attack Power of party or raid members within 45 yds by 30.Changed
Mortal Shots45Increases the critical strike damage bonus on all ranged abilities by 30%.Changed
Rapid Recuperation52Afflicting a target with Serpent Sting allows 50% of your Mana Regeneration to continue while casting for 15 sec, increased to 100% when Rapid Killing is consumed.New
Barrage53Increases the damage done by your Multi-Shot, Aimed Shot, and Volley abilities by 10%.Changed
Scatter Shot51A short-range shot that deals 50% weapon damage and disorients the target for 4 sec. Any damage caused will remove the effect. Turns off your attack when used.Moved
Ranged Weapon Specialization65Increases the damage you deal with ranged weapons by 5%.Same
Sniper Shot71A long-range shot that deals ranged damage plus 160 and increases the range of your next 3 Shots by 10 yards for 10 sec.New

Survival

TalentRowRanksAt Max Rankvs Classic
Improved Tracking15While tracking Beasts, Demons, Dragonkin, Elementals, Giants, Humanoids, or Undead, all damage you deal to the tracked creature type is increased by 5%.New
Deflection15Increases your Parry chance by 5%.Same
Entrapment25When your traps are triggered, all affected targets are Entrapped, preventing them from moving for 5 sec.Changed
Savage Strikes22Increases the critical strike chance of all your melee abilities by 4%.Changed
Survivalist25Increases your total Health by 10%.Changed
Improved Wing Clip23Gives your Wing Clip ability a 20% chance to immobilize the target for 5 sec.Changed
Clever Traps32Increases the duration of Freezing and Frost trap effects by 30% and the damage of Immolation and Explosive trap effects by 30%.Same
Surefooted33Increases your hit chance by 3% and reduces the duration of movement impairing effects on you by 30%.Changed
Deterrence31When activated, increases your Dodge and Parry chance by 25% for 10 sec.Same
Survival Tactics42Increases your chance to hit with your Trap and Feign Death abilities by 10%.New
Predator's Edge45Increases your melee ability critical strike damage by 30% and your Off Hand weapon damage by 50%.New
Counterattack41A strike that becomes active after parrying an opponent's attack. This attack deals 50% weapon damage plus 26 and immobilizes the target for 5 sec. Counterattack cannot be blocked, dodged, or parried.Changed
Resourcefulness52Reduces the Mana cost of your Trap and melee abilities by 60%, and grants your melee and ranged ability Critical Strikes a 100% chance to allow 50% of your Mana Regeneration to continue while casting for 30 sec.New
Expose Prey52Grants your melee and ranged attacks against enemies afflicted by Hunter's Mark a 10% chance to allow an activation of Mongoose Bite. Lasts 10 sec.New
Survivalist's Discipline52Reduces the cooldown of your Trap and Deterrence abilities by 40%.New
Strider Kick51A powerful kick that deals 100% melee weapon damage and increases movement speed by 30% for 3 sec.New
Lightning Reflexes65Increases your Agility by 10%.Changed
Lacerating Strikes71Your Mongoose Bite also causes the target to Bleed for damage equal to 40% of the damage done by Mongoose Bite over 21 secNew
Faction:

Beast Mastery Spells

(17)

Marksmanship Spells

(14)

Survival Spells

(18)

How the Spellbook Works

  • One tab per talent tree: Beast Mastery, Marksmanship, Survival.
  • Hover or select a spell to read its tooltip: cost, range, cast time, cooldown, and effect.
  • Switch to Trainer Progression to see what you learn at each level from 1 to 60.
  • Open a spell to compare every rank: the level you learn it, its cost, and its numbers.
  • Talent abilities live in the talent calculator: use the switch at the top of the page.

What Forever Changes in the Hunter Spellbook

  • 2 of Hunter's 49 trainable spells are new in Forever: Enchanted Flare, Lacerate.
  • Former Classic talents every Hunter now learns: Aimed Shot.
  • Pick Forever Changes Only in the filters to list just these spells.

Read the full Hunter guide →

Compare every class spellbook →

A Hunter wears leather until level 40 and mail after it. 33 sets are locked to the class in Forever: 1 are new and 3 were rebuilt with new bonuses.

New in Forever 1

Sets that exist only in Forever and only a Hunter can wear. Hover a piece for its tooltip.

  • Wildstalker Armor

    NewMail
    1. (2)Increases your attack speed and casting speed by 1%.
    2. (3)Reduces the cooldown of your Frost Trap and Freezing Trap abilities by 3 sec.
    3. (4)+36 Attack Power against Beasts.
    4. (5)Reduces the cooldown of your Aimed Shot and Multi-Shot abilities by 1 sec.

Dungeon, Raid and Quest Sets 18

The class sets carried over from Classic, with the bonuses Forever gives them.

  • Beastmaster Armor

    ChangedMail
    1. (2)+8 All Resistances.
    2. (3)Restores 8 mana per 5 sec.
    3. (5)When struck in combat, has a 8% chance to remove a Root effect from yourself. Can only occur once every 60 sec.
    4. (6)+40 Attack Power.
  • Dread Hunter's Chain

    ChangedMailLevel 50
    1. (2)+20 Attack Power.
  • Emerald Scalemail

    ChangedMailLevel 50
    1. (3)+10 Stamina.
    2. (6)+20 Attack Power.
  • Cryptstalker Armor

    MailLevel 60

    This build does not describe the set bonus.

    1. Cryptstalker Prowess

      MailLevel 60

      This build does not describe the set bonus.

      1. Dawnstalker Armor

        MailLevel 60

        This build does not describe the set bonus.

        1. Dawnstalker Prowess

          MailLevel 60

          This build does not describe the set bonus.

          1. Dragonstalker Armor

            ChangedMailLevel 60
            1. (3)Increases the Ranged Attack Power bonus of your Aspect of the Hawk by 20%.
            2. (5)Increases your pet's stamina by 40 and all spell resistances by 60.
            3. (8)You have a chance whenever you deal ranged damage to apply an Expose Weakness effect to the target. Expose Weakness increases the Ranged Attack Power of all attackers against that target by 450 for 7 sec.
          2. Dragonstalker's Prowess

            MailLevel 60

            This build does not describe the set bonus.

            1. Dragonstalker's Pursuit

              MailLevel 60

              This build does not describe the set bonus.

              1. Giantstalker Armor

                ChangedMailLevel 60
                1. (3)Increases the range of your Mend Pet spell by 50% and the effect by 10%. Also reduces the cost by 30%.
                2. (5)Increases your pet's stamina by 30 and all spell resistances by 40.
                3. (8)Increases the damage of Multi-shot and Volley by 15%.
              2. Giantstalker Prowess

                MailLevel 60

                This build does not describe the set bonus.

                1. Giantstalker Pursuit

                  MailLevel 60

                  This build does not describe the set bonus.

                  1. Predator's Armor

                    ChangedMailLevel 60
                    1. (2)+20 Attack Power.
                    2. (3)Decreases the cooldown of Concussive Shot by 1 sec.
                    3. (5)Increases the duration of Serpent Sting by 3 sec.
                  2. Striker's Garb

                    ChangedMailLevel 60
                    1. (3)Reduces the cost of your Arcane Shots by 10%.
                    2. (5)Reduces the cooldown of your Rapid Fire ability by 2 minutes.
                  3. Striker's Prowess

                    MailLevel 60

                    This build does not describe the set bonus.

                    1. Striker's Pursuit

                      MailLevel 60

                      This build does not describe the set bonus.

                      1. Trappings of the Unseen Path

                        ChangedLevel 60
                        1. (3)Increases your pet's damage by 3%.

                      PvP Rank Sets 14

                      The honor track sets, in Alliance and Horde pairs under different rank titles.

                      • Blood Guard's Chain

                        ChangedHordeMailLevel 50
                        1. (3)+15 Stamina.
                        2. (6)+30 Attack Power.
                      • Blood Guard's Mail

                        ChangedHordeMailLevel 50
                        1. (3)+15 Stamina.
                        2. (6)+30 Attack Power.
                      • Knight-Lieutenant's Chain

                        ChangedAllianceMailLevel 50
                        1. (3)+15 Stamina.
                        2. (6)+30 Attack Power.
                      • Knight-Lieutenant's Mail

                        ChangedAllianceMailLevel 50
                        1. (3)+15 Stamina.
                        2. (6)+30 Attack Power.
                      • Champion's Pursuit

                        ChangedHordeMailLevel 55
                        1. (2)+20 Agility.
                        2. (4)Reduces the cooldown of your Concussive Shot by 1 sec.
                        3. (6)+20 Stamina.
                      • Lieutenant Commander's Pursuit

                        ChangedAllianceMailLevel 55
                        1. (2)+20 Agility.
                        2. (4)Reduces the cooldown of your Concussive Shot by 1 sec.
                        3. (6)+20 Stamina.
                      • Champion's Prowess

                        ChangedHordeMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+40 Attack Power.
                        2. (6)+20 Stamina.
                      • Champion's Pursuance

                        ChangedHordeMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+20 Agility.
                        2. (4)Reduces the cooldown of your Concussive Shot by 1 sec.
                        3. (6)+20 Stamina.
                      • Field Marshal's Prowess

                        ChangedAllianceMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+20 Stamina.
                        2. (6)+40 Attack Power.
                      • Field Marshal's Pursuit

                        ChangedAllianceMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+20 Stamina.
                        2. (3)Reduces the cooldown of your Concussive Shot by 1 sec.
                        3. (6)+20 Agility.
                      • Lieutenant Commander's Prowess

                        ChangedAllianceMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+40 Attack Power.
                        2. (6)+20 Stamina.
                      • Lieutenant Commander's Pursuance

                        ChangedAllianceMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+20 Agility.
                        2. (4)Reduces the cooldown of your Concussive Shot by 1 sec.
                        3. (6)+20 Stamina.
                      • Warlord's Prowess

                        ChangedHordeMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+20 Stamina.
                        2. (6)+40 Attack Power.
                      • Warlord's Pursuit

                        ChangedHordeMailLevel 60
                        1. (2)+20 Stamina.
                        2. (3)Reduces the cooldown of your Concussive Shot by 1 sec.
                        3. (6)+20 Agility.

                      Open Sets You Can Also Wear

                      Crafted and world drop sets with no class lock, in the armor a Hunter wears at their level. Any class of the same armor can use them.

                      SetLevelPieces
                      Beastmaster ArmorAny8
                      The Five ThundersAny8
                      Defias Leather175
                      Embrace of the Viper185
                      Blackfathom Elementalist's Hide253
                      Blackfathom Slayer's Leather253
                      Electromantic Devastator's Mail403
                      Electromantic Stormbringer's Chain403
                      Green Dragon Mail513
                      The Gladiator526
                      Blue Dragon Mail553
                      Bloodmail Regalia565
                      Black Dragon Mail573
                      Beaststalker Armor588
                      Garb of the Undead Cleansing583
                      Garb of the Undead Purifier583
                      Garb of the Undead Slayer583
                      Garb of the Undead Warder583
                      The Elements588
                      Bloodsoul Embrace603
                      Cryptstalker Armor609
                      The Defiler's Determination603
                      The Defiler's Fortitude603
                      The Earthshatterer609
                      The Highlander's Determination603
                      The Highlander's Fortitude603