Survival Rotation Changes in 4.3

Eidotrope at OutDPS: Survival is changing for the better in 4.3.  Its DPS is going up both in relative and absolute terms, leaving it more appealing than it has been since its nerf after Cataclysm launched.  What is there to know about SV that makes its gameplay different this patch?

 

The baseline SV shot priority should remain the same in 4.3.  You want to use Explosive Shot and Black Arrow on cooldown, keep Serpent Sting up on the target with Cobra Shot, and dump any extra Focus during free globals using Arcane Shot.  Yet, there are a few differences from patch 4.0 that returning hunters may wish to note:

  • Black Arrow now does enough damage that it is the Lock and Load proc source of choice for single targets.
  • The Glyph of Arcane Shot is better than the Glyph of Serpent Sting even without the new two piece tier bonus.  The other two glyphs of choice are still Kill Shot and Explosive Shot.
  • OwN/SE build is now the way to go, meaning that SV no longer takes Careful Aim.  This in turn means that the SV rotation no longer varies with the CA phase, making things even simpler than before.
  • The proper Lock and Load sequence no longer interposes a shot between the first two Explosive Shots.
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