Why You Should Play Beast Mastery Hunter in Dragonflight (And Why You Shouldn't)

Posted 2022/11/27 at 12:34 PM by Tarlo

Need help choosing a new Class in Dragonflight? Check out all the released articles in the 'Why You Should Play a Spec' series below:
Why You Should Play a Spec in Dragonflight (and Why You Shouldn't) Series

Blood DKFrost DK
Unholy DK
Havoc DH
Vengeance DH
Balance Druid
Feral Druid
Guardian DruidRestoration Druid
Devastation Evoker
Preservation Evoker
Beast Mastery Hunter
Marksmanship HunterSurvival HunterArcane MageFrost MageFire Mage

Brewmaster Monk
Mistweaver Monk
Windwalker MonkHoly Paladin

Protection PaladinRetribution Paladin
Discipline PriestHoly Priest
Shadow Priest
Assassination RogueOutlaw RogueSubtlety Rogue
Elemental ShamanEnhancement Shaman
Restoration Shaman
Affliction Warlock
Demonology Warlock
Destruction Warlock

Arms Warrior
Fury Warrior
Protection Warrior

About the AuthorTrueshot LodgeWhy You Should Play Beast Mastery Hunter in Dragonflight (and Why You Shouldn't)Why You Should Play Beast Mastery Hunter in Dragonflightour builds during the Pre-PatchDeath ChakramStampedeHydra's BiteLatent PoisonDire PackDire FrenzyDire CommandKill CommandKill CommandWailing Arrow

The first form of utility Beast Mastery Hunters have access to is Primal Rage, giving your group a large haste buff over a long duration. This is an invaluable form of group utility that every group needs. However, in raid this will frequently already be provided by an Evoker, Mage or Shaman. This is why it's a more valuable form of utility in dungeon content, as you're not able to fit in as many classes.

Hunters have a good mix of crowd control options, between Freezing Trap, Binding Shot, Scatter Shot, Intimidation and a few others. However, the most unique option we had out of these, Binding Shot, have been nerfed going into Dragonflight, going from a long duration root to a short duration stun, making it interchangeable with AoE stuns from other classes.

Tranquilizing Shot is a very important piece of our Mythic+ toolkit. This is usually key during Raging Mythic+ weeks and in new dungeons with a lot of purges such as The Nokhud Offensive. Tranquilizing Shot is less useful in raid as Magic buffs and Enrages are less common there, but there is usually one or two raid bosses where it's useful, which looks to be the case again in Vault of the Incarnates.

Aspect of the Turtle is a very iconic hunter defensive, which often doubles as utility. This immunity often allows us to soak certain dangerous mechanics in raid by ourselves, significantly reducing raid damage. This comes at the cost of our own personal defensive. Uses for this can already seen in Vault of the Incarnates, with mechanics such as Absolute Zero or Meteor Axes.

High Explosive Trap is a new form of utility Hunters find in their Class Tree, giving us access to a powerful knockback effect. This could be used on Sanguine Mythic+ weeks and certain raid bosses. It is however quite finicky to use due to its small size and awkward targeting method, which means it could cause more harm than good if you're not careful.

Kill CommandAlpha PredatorWar OrdersDire PackKill CommandKill CleaveBeast CleaveBarbed ShotDire PackLesser DragonkinWhy You Shouldn't Play Beast Mastery Hunter in DragonflightAlpha PredatorCall of the WildAspect of the WildPrimal RageMystic TouchArcane IntellectSentinel OwlSentinel's PerceptionSentinel's ProtectionFortitude of the BearHunter's AvoidanceNature's EndurancePodtenderResilience of the HunterMarksman's AdvantagePodtenderWild SpiritsBestial WrathCall of the WildAspect of the WildClawMisdirectionStone HoundEternal GuardianAnimal CompanionDire BeastCall of the Wild

Comment by KinraelNo matter what they do to this spec, i will always love/play it. Hard or easy, i never found any other class so entertaining since i started to play this game in Wrath. Pity the pet AI even to this day is very frustrating to deal with sometimes.Comment by LunchmeatI can see why "simple and easy rotation" is used twice.Comment by RabenschreyHi SQUISHEI,

thanks for the overview. I'll be sticking with my BM Hunter. I love running around with him, collecting pets (currently ~190 unique ones, made space for the new ones in Dragonflight), doing quests and soloing old content. I don't raid or m+ so i guess i'll be pretty fine. I hope blizz expands the stable in the near future, because that's the most interesting part for me.
In Germany we say "Waidmannsheil". It's a greeting.Comment by ElpizoWait, you're BM, you don't take Beast Cleave OR Multishot? Really? Did I miss something?Comment by TarloWait, you're BM, you don't take Beast Cleave OR Multishot? Really? Did I miss something?Comment by Lobo720Solid article. Just have a couple things I wanted to add.

1. Dire Beast build might be the highest DPS on paper, but as you pointed out, the pet AI issues hamper it a lot. I've lost count of how many times those summoned beasts get stuck on invisible pebbles or just stand at my side doing nothing. I don't know if the cause is just the pet AI, which will make it a disaster on Live - or if it was just the poor performance of the Beta server.

2. Animal Companion affects more than just Call of the Wild. It reduces the power of Aspect of the Beast and Brutal Companion as well. Since the second pet doesn't use Bite/Claw/Smack, both of those talents suffer a 35% loss of power. They're still strong talents, but it's something I feel needs pointed out.

3. You put two points in Master Marksman, but only one in Serrated Shots. Not saying this is wrong, but looking for clarity. Since Barbed Shot is a bleed, Serrated Shots should be superior. Pets in DF do about 75% of our damage, so special attack crits applies to so little of our DPS. Does Master Marksman apply to pets?Comment by ZuccheyWait, you're BM, you don't take Beast Cleave OR Multishot? Really? Did I miss something?Comment by dsandersWait, you're BM, you don't take Beast Cleave OR Multishot? Really? Did I miss something?Comment by shaymsterlets take a moment of silence to our fallen friend wild spirit.
he will be missed.Comment by Lobo720lets take a moment of silence to our fallen friend wild spirit.
he will be missed.Comment by lovelywazQ: Why you should play a BM Hunter?
A: Because you can move while casting!

Q: Why you shouldn't play a BM Hunter?
A: Because your damage WILL be balanced below average since "you can move while casting"!

I wish this was a sorry excuse of a little joke but it's been a real thing for the whole SL.

One thing is certain tho, if you like the fantasy of BM Hunter then you are most likely to still play regardless of where they stand on the meters!Comment by ScaryfoxMaybe somebody should have wrote this since because the choices made didn't seem that solid, even with the explanation. So, I won't complain too much about that for obvious reasons. Still, I would argue that we already had raid utility issues even without Evokers. While I may not be the biggest fans of them. However, I've PUGed a lot these past few months, and there was always somebody to use a Bloodthirst-type move.

Not to mention, Animal Companion is still bugged in the sense that the second pet can have weird animations. I wouldn't be surprised if people were reporting it yet used it anyway so, the devs just figured that everything was good.Comment by JD1991So is Wailing Arrow not a part of the default setup for M+?

The guide only says it's an 'option'. Does that mean the 1 point from Thrill of the Hunt (which in the other BM prepatch talent guide says should be removed/added in exchange for Wailing Arrow) is equivalent/close in numbers?Comment by TarloSo is Wailing Arrow not a part of the default setup for M+?

The guide only says it's an 'option'. Does that mean the 1 point from Thrill of the Hunt (which in the other BM prepatch talent guide says should be removed/added in exchange for Wailing Arrow) is equivalent/close in numbers?Comment by Darkness4everI actually think any points having to do with the ridiculous Sentinel Owl is a total waste. Hunter developer sitting somewhere laughingComment by AshazzarMained BMH since BC. I've played at other things, but sticking to what suits me best. Sic 'em, cat!Comment by ChaindogSo is Wailing Arrow not a part of the default setup for M+?

The guide only says it's an 'option'. Does that mean the 1 point from Thrill of the Hunt (which in the other BM prepatch talent guide says should be removed/added in exchange for Wailing Arrow) is equivalent/close in numbers?Comment by ChaindogSo is Wailing Arrow not a part of the default setup for M+?

The guide only says it's an 'option'. Does that mean the 1 point from Thrill of the Hunt (which in the other BM prepatch talent guide says should be removed/added in exchange for Wailing Arrow) is equivalent/close in numbers?Ah, nevermind. Almost all of your good guides that are linked from the semi-updated DF pre-patch DPS guide are outdated information. Looks like our rep Tarlo is going to be busy this week! :PComment by TarloSo is Wailing Arrow not a part of the default setup for M+?

The guide only says it's an 'option'. Does that mean the 1 point from Thrill of the Hunt (which in the other BM prepatch talent guide says should be removed/added in exchange for Wailing Arrow) is equivalent/close in numbers?Ah, nevermind. Almost all of your good guides that are linked from the semi-updated DF pre-patch DPS guide are outdated information. Looks like our rep Tarlo is going to be busy this week! :PComment by SteveFromFloridaBM deserves to be the best in everything, because it's the most complicated spec by far.