Survival Hunter DPS Stat Priority (Legion 7.3)

Table of Contents

• +Introduction
  • 1. Class Overview
  • 2. What Has Changed in 7.3?
    • 2.1. Tomb of Sargeras Set Bonus Simulation
  • 3. How Does it Work?
  • 4. Viability of Spec Choices in Patch 7.2.5
    • 4.1. Tier 20 - Tomb of Sargeras Mythic Gear - Single-Target Spec/Build Comparison
    • 4.2. Raiding — Single-Target Focus with AoE as a secondary objective.
    • 4.3. Mythic+ — AoE Focus with single-target as a secondary objective.
  • 5. Strengths
  • 6. Weaknesses
  • 7. Contents
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Easy Mode
  • 1. The Basics
  • 2. Talent Choice
  • 3. Stat Choice
  • 4. Basic Rotation
    • 4.1. Cooldowns
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Spell Summary
  • 1. Spell Summary
  • 2. Main Resource
  • 3. Basic Abilities
  • 4. Movement Tools
  • 5. Important Procs and Passives
  • 6. Offensive Cooldowns
  • 7. Additional Utility & Traps
  • 8. ChangeLog
• +Builds and Talents
  • 1. Talent Cheat Sheets
    • 1.1. For Raid Encounters
    • 1.2. For Mythic+ Use
  • 2. Tier 1 (Level 15) Talents
  • 3. Tier 2 (Level 30) Talents
  • 4. Tier 3 (Level 45) Talents
  • 5. Tier 4 (Level 60) Talents
  • 6. Tier 5 (Level 75) Talents
  • 7. Tier 6 (Level 90) Talents
  • 8. Tier 7 (Level 100) Talents
  • 9. Pet Talents
  • 10. ChangeLog
• +Artifact Traits and Relics
  • 1. Artifact Progression
    • 1.1. Early Progression
    • 1.2. Patch 7.2 Progression
  • 2. Artifact Ability
  • 3. Weapon Item Level Value of Traits
  • 4. Relic Choice
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Netherlight Crucible Relic Paths
  • 1. General Optimization
  • 2. Tier 2 - Weapon Item Level Values for Each Trait
  • 3. Tier 3 - Weapon Item Level Values for Each Trait
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities
  • 1. Single Target Rotation
    • 1.1. When Mongoose Fury is not active (Filler Phase)
    • 1.2. When Mongoose Fury is active (Bite Phase)
  • 2. Multiple Target Rotation
  • 3. Legendaries & Rotational Changes
  • 4. Cooldown Usage
  • 5. Opener Sequence
  • 6. Optional Read: Mastering Your Survival Hunter
    • 6.1. Trinket Usage
    • 6.2. Focus
    • 6.3. Detailed Cooldown Usage
      • 6.3.1. Aspect of the Eagle
      • 6.3.2. Fury of the Eagle
      • 6.3.3. Snake Hunter
      • 6.3.4. Tier 1 Talents
      • 6.3.5. Tier 2 Talents
      • 6.3.6. Tier 4 Talents
      • 6.3.7. Tier 6 Talents
      • 6.3.8. Tier 7 Talents
  • 7. ChangeLog
• ×Stat Priority
  • 1. Basics
  • 2. Getting a Better Understanding
    • 2.1. Choosing Gear
    • 2.2. Stat Softcaps, Distributions & Other Clarifications
    • 2.3. Statistics Explanations
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gems, Enchants, and Consumables
  • 1. Gems
  • 2. Enchants
  • 3. Consumables
  • 4. ChangeLog
• +Macros and Addons
  • 1. Macros
    • 1.1. Generic Macros for Hunters
      • 1.1.1. Aspect of the Turtle Cancelaura Macro
      • 1.1.2. Misdirection Mouseover/Focus Macro for Marksmanship/Beast Mastery
      • 1.1.3. Trap Macros for Survival
      • 1.1.4. Petattack Macros
    • 1.2. Specific Macros for Survival Hunters
  • 2. Addons
    • 2.1. Generic Addons for Hunters
      • 2.1.1. ElvUI
      • 2.1.2. Weak Auras
      • 2.1.3. Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
      • 2.1.4. GTFO
      • 2.1.5. JSHB 4
      • 2.1.6. Pawn
    • 2.2. Specific Addons for Survival Hunters
  • 3. ChangeLog
• +Gear, Legendaries, and Best in Slot
  • 1. Best in Slot List
  • 2. Trinket Rankings
  • 3. Legion Legendaries
    • 3.1. Survival Legendaries
      • 3.1.1. Survival Legendary Ranking
  • 4. Loot Competition
  • 5. ChangeLog
• +Simulations
  • 1. Disclaimer Page
  • 2. Racial Bonus Simulation
  • 3. Legendary Simulation
  • 4. ChangeLog

General Information

On this page, we explain what the best statistics are for Survival Hunters in World of Warcraft Legion 7.3, how the class benefits from each of them.

The statistics priority is important as it influences itemisation choices (gear, enchants, and gems).

The other pages of our Survival Hunter guide can be accessed from the table of contents on the right.

About Our Author

This guide has been written by Azortharion, the main theorycrafter of the spec. He is also an accomplished player who raids in Solaris. You can also watch his stream on Twitch.

1. Basics

The stat priority for a Survival Hunter is:

1. Haste;
2. Critical Strike / Versatility;
3. Mastery;

Haste is generally the best stat and the one you should go for on your gear. Past a certain, high point that depends on your other gear, its value may taper off and you should start favouring Critical Strike and Versatility instead.

The exact point at which you may wish to slip out of Haste gemming and enchanting for Survival will depend on your gear, legendaries and set bonus situation. You should always simulate your own stat weights and priorities using something like RaidBots.com to be sure.

These statistics have been obtained by combining common sense, in-game testing, and simulations using Simulation Craft.

2. Getting a Better Understanding

2.1. Choosing Gear

Pawn is an add-on that calculates the value of items based on the stat weights you input for your character. Below you will find importable Pawn strings that you can and should use with the addon, unless you have used SimulationCraft to generate Pawn strings that are specific to your character, which is always the better option.

Marksmanship - Single-Target Trick Shot Build

( Pawn: v1: "Azor-MM": Class=Hunter, Spec=Marksmanship, Agility=19.69, Ap=18.70, CritRating=29.31, HasteRating=28.55, MasteryRating=32.77, Versatility=23.92, Dps=58.11 )

Beast Mastery - Dire Frenzy

( Pawn: v1: "Azor-BM-FrenzyBuild": Class=Hunter, Spec=BeastMastery, Agility=23.68, Ap=22.42, CritRating=21.58, HasteRating=23.02, MasteryRating=26.05, Versatility=21.26, Dps=13.63 )

Beast Mastery - Stomp/"Zoo" Build

( Pawn: v1: "Azor-BM-Stomp": Class=Hunter, Spec=BeastMastery, Agility=24.12, Ap=23.12, CritRating=30.65, HasteRating=28.79, MasteryRating=25.48, Versatility=21.85, Dps=12.92 )

Survival

( Pawn: v1: "Azor-SV": Class=Hunter, Spec=Survival, Agility=20.77, Ap=19.71, CritRating=18.64, HasteRating=20.49, MasteryRating=18.21, Versatility=19.41, Dps=26.84 )

2.2. Stat Softcaps, Distributions & Other Clarifications

Survival has a Haste softcap that unlocks an additional GCD in Aspect of the Eagle (which can allow you another stack of Mongoose Bite for Fury of the Eagle. This Haste cap is at around 15.2% Haste. Note that Haste remains the best stat past this point, so we are mostly mentioning it for completion's sake.

There are also several Haste breakpoints that unlock additional GCDs during Mongoose Fury. The most notable breakpoints are 17.9%, 28.6% and 39.3%. If you are very close to reaching one of these breakpoints, you might want to see what you can do to reach it by shifting your gear around.

2.3. Statistics Explanations

Agility is your primary statistic. It provides you with Attack Power, which determines the damage your abilities do across the board.

Versatility increases all your damage and healing done, and decreases all damage taken.

Critical Strike increases your chance to critically hit with all spells and abilities.

Haste increases you and your pet's attack speed and Focus regeneration, reduces your Global Cooldown from 1.5 seconds to a minimum of 0.750 seconds, and reduces the cooldown on your Flanking Strike, Mongoose Bite, Throwing Axes, and Butchery abilities. Notably, Haste increases your pet's auto attack speed, giving you more Mongoose Bite charges in a similar way that Mastery does it.

Mastery, through Mastery: Hunting Companion gives all of your pet's attacks a chance to generate a charge of Mongoose Bite. Flanking Strike has double the chance of a normal pet attack to give you a charge based on your Mastery value.

3. ChangeLog

+ show all entries - show only 10 entries

• 06 Sep. 2017: Removed obsolete mention of T19 2-piece bonus when it comes to Mastery value.
• 28 Aug. 2017: No changes needed for Patch 7.3.
• 09 Aug. 2017: Removed obsolete mention of T19 set bonus.
• 02 Aug. 2017: Updated the stat weights and priorities section now that Nighthold is well behind us, and the T19 2-piece is not as widely used.
• 15 Jun. 2017: Removed mention of T19 2-piece set bonus from the Haste/Mastery talk.
• 13 Jun. 2017: Updated stat weights and priority slightly. More updates might come leading into ToS in this department.
• 25 May 2017: Gave the stat weights a maintenance update.
• 06 May 2017: Added Haste breakpoints for Mongoose Fury GCDs.
• 04 May 2017: Expanded slightly on Mastery/Haste interactions and what they mean.
• 17 Apr. 2017: Checked today and deemed updated.
• 27 Mar. 2017: No changes needed for Patch 7.2.
• 24 Feb. 2017: Not really worth going all the way to 16% Mastery before Crit/Vers. Just 12%.
• 07 Feb. 2017: A more nuanced, detailed talk about stat priorities for Survival.
• 28 Jan. 2017: Updated stat weights.
• 11 Jan. 2017: Updated stat priority and removed Agility from the listing as it does nothing but confuse at this point.
• 09 Jan. 2017: Checked and confirmed for Patch 7.1.5.
• 06 Nov. 2016: Updated Pawn string and stat priority.
• 29 Oct. 2016: Updated Pawn string for Patch 7.1, added note about how the top 3 stats are very close together in value.
• 27 Oct. 2016: Updates to Mastery description and value.
• 17 Oct. 2016: Ordered statistics explanation in order of priority because OCD.
• 09 Oct. 2016: Added some notes to clarify frequently asked questions.
• 02 Oct. 2016: Updated stat prio to be in line with Pawn weights as it should.
• 29 Aug. 2016: Updated for Legion's launch.
• 18 Aug. 2016: Updated stat weights after Mastery got buffed by Blizzard.
• 18 Jul. 2016: Updated for the Legion pre-patch.