Marksmanship Hunter DPS Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities — Battle for Azeroth (BfA) 8.3

Welcome to our Rotation page for Marksmanship Hunters. On this page you will find everything you need to know about actually playing the spec in Raiding and Mythic+ scenarios.

If you are looking for PvP Rotation Tips, please visit our PvP page below.

If you are looking for specific Mythic+ Rotation Tips, please visit our PvP page below.

If the rotations below seem overwhelming to you, you might benefit from visiting our Easy Mode page which outlines a close-to-optimal rotation in simpler terms.

To play Marksmanship, there are a few basic mechanics you must understand to fully unlock the potential of the spec.

Precise Shots is a buff that is activated whenever you cast Aimed Shot. It causes your next 1-2 Arcane Shots after casting Aimed Shot to do 75% more damage. You do not want to waste this buff by casting Aimed Shot when you have it active. You always want to spend the charges first.

Trick Shots is the primary AoE mechanic. When you cast Multi-Shot on 3 targets or above, your next Aimed Shot or Rapid Fire will cleave up to 5 additional targets for 50% of its original damage. You simply want this buff to be active when casting Aimed Shot or Rapid Fire while dealing with 3 or more targets.

If the rotations below seem overwhelming to you, you might benefit from visiting our Easy Mode page which outlines a close-to-optimal rotation in simpler terms.

1. Use Rapid Fire on cooldown.
2. Use Aimed Shot on cooldown, but make sure that you have spent all of your Precise Shots charges on Arcane Shot before casting it. If Aimed Shot is approaching 2 charges, then you should prioritize casting Aimed Shot, even if you have Precise Shots charges remaining.
3. Use Arcane Shot to spend Precise Shots stacks, and to prevent yourself from capping on Focus. You should almost always follow up Aimed Shot with one or two Arcane Shots.
4. Use Steady Shot when you have nothing else to do.

The goal of the rotation is to never cap Focus, never reach 2 charges of Aimed Shot, maximizing Focus generated by Rapid Fire by casting it on cooldown (but never Focus capping still), and spending every Precise Shots proc.

Your Trueshot rotation is the same as the normal one, except for the following changes.

• You do not spend both of your Precise Shots charges, you only cast the free Arcane Shot that is given by Master Marksman. In other words, you will always cast 1 Arcane Shot between Aimed Shots, but never more than that.
• Instead of always casting Rapid Fire when available, you use it when you are low on Focus (less than 35) or if your In The Rhythm buff is going to expire shortly.

On 2 targets, do the single-target rotation.

On 3 targets and above, your general rotation is the same, with the exceptions listed below.

• You must always have Trick Shots active when casting either Aimed Shot or Rapid Fire. This buff is activated by casting Multi-Shot on 3 or more targets.
• Arcane Shot mostly disappears from the rotation in AoE situations, and is replaced by Multi-Shot.

This section describes the recommended way to start the fight as a Marksmanship Hunter. It assumes you are using the recommended single-target talents for the spec.

1. Make sure to apply Hunter's Mark before the pull, if you are using this talent.
2. Just before the encounter starts, use your combat potion.
3. Start casting Aimed Shot roughly 2 seconds before the fight begins.
4. Cast Rapid Fire.
5. Cast Guardian of Azeroth if you are using this Essence.
6. Cast Arcane Shot (to spend your Master Marksman proc).
7. Cast Trueshot.
8. Begin the Trueshot Rotation.

This section describes how to best open on fights that have AoE from the beginning, such as Champions of the Light, King Rastakhan, and Jaina.

1. Make sure to apply Hunter's Mark before the pull, if you are using this talent.
2. Just before the encounter starts, use your combat potion.
3. Start casting Aimed Shot roughly 2 seconds before the fight begins.
4. Cast Multi-Shot to activate Trick Shots.
5. Cast Rapid Fire.
6. Cast Guardian of Azeroth if you are using this Essence.
7. Cast Trueshot.
8. Begin the Trueshot Rotation, replacing Arcane Shot with Multi-Shot.

Some trinkets have to be used in a particular way. We cover the most interesting ones here.

• Ashvane's Razor Coral should be activated on the pull, and it should be activated again when you cast your second Guardian of Azeroth alongside Trueshot. You want all 3 of these effects to line up with each other. Afterwards, reapply the Coral debuff and use it again with your next Guardian + Trueshot combo, ideally when the boss is below 20% health.

Master Marksman does not change your rotation in any fundamental way. You should be aware of when it is up so that you know when your Arcane and Multi-Shot will not cost any Focus, as this helps manage your Focus correctly.

Serpent Sting is a DoT that should be kept up at all times. You can refresh it with 3 seconds remaining and not waste any of its duration.

A Murder of Crows should be cast on cooldown. You can get even more damage out of it by casting it on targets that are about 10 seconds from dying. When they die, this will reset the cooldown of the ability and allow you to use it again for a large damage boost.

Careful Aim does not change anything fundamental in your rotation, although you do want to try and use Trueshot when it is active.

Volley does not change anything in your rotation.

Explosive Shot should be used on as many targets as possible. If you are only fighting one target, it should be used on cooldown and delayed as little as possible. It has a lower priority than Rapid Fire and Aimed Shot. It is worth it to delay it significantly if you can hit multiple targets.

Steady Focus encourages casting Steady Shot in multiples that are grouped up together. Instead of going Steady Shot, Arcane Shot, Steady Shot, you would always move the Arcane Shot either in front of or behind the two Steady Shots to ensure you benefit from the buff as much as possible.

Streamline essentially increases your Rapid Fire Focus regeneration by 2. It does not change your rotation in any meaningful way.

Hunter's Mark should be applied to the primary target you are fighting. It is on the Global Cooldown, meaning that if you are swapping targets, you must be doing a significant amount of damage to it before it is worth spending your Hunter's Mark on it. It is generally worth re-marking anything that you are going to attack for more than 15-20 seconds. This can also depend on how important the target is to kill.

Lethal Shots procs from Arcane Shot and Multi-Shot every so often. It does not have a significant effect on your rotation, although it helps to be aware of your Rapid Fire cooldown so that you can react to a proc more quickly.

Barrage should not be used on a single target if you have chosen the talent, unless you are in a situation where you need to burn a lot of Focus quickly for any reason. It should be used on cooldown if you are fighting 2 targets or above.

Double Tap should be used right before Rapid Fire in a standard rotation, and right before Aimed Shot when Careful Aim is active (when the boss is under 20%, or above 80% health).

During Careful Aim, you should always use Double Tap on Aimed Shot, regardless of your Azerite Traits.

Calling the Shots does not have a fundamental effect on your rotation.

Lock and Load procs should be used as soon as possible, but you should always attempt to spend any Precise Shots procs that you have already before using the procced Aimed Shot.

Piercing Shot should be used on cooldown. It is worth delaying it if you can hit multiple targets with it however. If you can hit 2 targets, it is worth delaying up to 7 seconds to make that happen. If you can hit 3, it is worth delaying even more.