Hunter in WoW Classic

WoW SoD DPS Hunter

In this WoW SoD Hunter guide, you will find the best PvE specs for ranged and melee Hunters in the Season of Discovery in WoW Classic. The builds show the best talents, runes, BiS gear, and enchants to DPS in dungeons and raids as a Hunter.

📂 WoW Classic > Hunter

📅 Last updated on February 10, 2025.

WoW SoD Melee Weave Hunter Talents & Runes

Choose the following talents and runes as a melee weaving Hunter Hunter for Phase 7 at level 60:

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“Melee Weaving” is the practice of weaving in melee attacks between ranged Auto Shots. This means you need to run to the boss to hit him in melee range and run out again so you don’t miss your next Auto Shot. If you’re melee weaving you can use a unique combination of runes and skill, as seen in the talent calculator above. Learn where to find each rune in our guide Hunter Runes in Season of Discovery.

Melee weaving is a more demanding spec but also the strongest Hunter Hunter build in Phase 7 based on current simulations. See our WoW SoD Tier List to check the DPS ranking for all specs.

WoW SoD Ranged Hunter Talents & Runes

Choose the following talents and runes as a ranged Hunter Hunter for Phase 7 at level 60:

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WoW SoD Melee Hunter Talents & Runes

Use the following talents and runes as a dual-wielding melee Hunter Hunter for Phase 7 at level 60:

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The build above is for dual-wielding only. If you play with a two-handed weapon, choose the following talents and runes:

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Match your finger rune to your weapons, e.g. use Sword Specialization Sword Specialization if you’re using swords and Pole Weapon Specialization Pole Weapon Specialization if you’re using a polearm.

SoD Phase 7 Hunter BiS List

The following DPS Hunter Hunter BiS list contains the best items you can get in Phase 7 of Season of Discovery:

Items marked with Icon are used by melee weaving Hunters Hunters. Items marked with Icon are used by dual-wielding melee Hunters Hunters. Items marked with Icon are used in two-handed melee specs. Items marked with Icon are for ranged specs.

1 Two-Handed Melee Hunters Hunters use the Zul'Gurub enchantment Falcon's Fury Falcon's Fury, while all other Hunters Hunters use Falcon's Call Falcon's Call.
2 Melee Hunters Hunters use Enchant Weapon - Crusader Enchant Weapon - Crusader as weapon enchantment, while ranged Hunters Hunters use Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility.
3 Use the new shoulder enchant Soul of the Trick Shooter Soul of the Trick Shooter as ranged Hunter Hunter and Soul of the Deadly Striker Soul of the Deadly Striker as melee Hunter Hunter.

SoD Phase 6 Hunter BiS List

The following DPS Hunter Hunter BiS list contains the best items you can get in Phase 6 of Season of Discovery:

Items marked with Icon are used by melee Hunters Hunters. Items marked with Icon are for ranged specs.

1 Melee Hunters Hunters use the Zul'Gurub enchantment Falcon's Fury Falcon's Fury, while ranged Hunters Hunters use Falcon's Call Falcon's Call.
2 Melee Hunters Hunters use Enchant Weapon - Crusader Enchant Weapon - Crusader as weapon enchantment, while ranged Hunters Hunters use Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility.

SoD Phase 5 Hunter BiS List

The following DPS Hunter Hunter BiS list contains the best items you can get in Phase 5 of Season of Discovery:

Items marked with Icon are used by melee Hunters Hunters. Items marked with Icon are for ranged specs.

1 Melee Hunters Hunters use the Zul'Gurub enchantment Falcon's Fury Falcon's Fury, while ranged Hunters Hunters use Falcon's Call Falcon's Call.
2 Melee Hunters Hunters use Enchant Bracer - Superior Strength Enchant Bracer - Superior Strength, while ranged Hunters Hunters use Enchant Bracer - Minor Agility Enchant Bracer - Minor Agility.
3 Melee Hunters Hunters use Enchant Weapon - Crusader Enchant Weapon - Crusader as weapon enchantment, while ranged Hunters Hunters use Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility Enchant 2H Weapon - Agility.

SoD Phase 4 Hunter BiS List

The following DPS Hunter Hunter BiS list contains the best items you can get in Phase 4 of Season of Discovery to DPS in raids and dungeons:

Items marked with Icon are used by melee Hunters Hunters. Items marked with Icon are for ranged specs.

1 This quest requires Beaststalker's Cap Beaststalker's Cap from Scholomance and Beaststalker's Tunic Beaststalker's Tunic from Blackrock Spire to complete.
2 This quest requires Beaststalker's Bindings Beaststalker's Bindings from Stratholme or Upper Blackrock Spire to complete. Additionally, you need 15 Silithus Venom Sample Silithus Venom Sample from kill Stonelash Flayer and Rock Stalker in the southern half of Silithus as Horde player or 15 Winterspring Blood Sample Winterspring Blood Sample from Frostsabers like Frostsaber Cub and Frostsaber Stalker in the northern corner of Winterspring as an Alliance Alliance player.
3 You get Glaive of Obsidian Fury Glaive of Obsidian Fury by turning in Blackfury Blackfury, 25 Firelands Ember Firelands Ember, and 2 Lava Core Lava Core at Lokhtos Darkbargainer in Blackrock Depths. Blackfury Blackfury is crafted with Blacksmithing and requires materials from Molten Core.
4 You need to loot the item Ancient Petrified Leaf Ancient Petrified Leaf from Molten Core which sends you to Vartrus the Ancient at 48.8 24.2 in Felwood. You will get 3 follow-up quests to acquire Mature Blue Dragon Sinew Mature Blue Dragon Sinew from Dragonkin in Winterspring, Mature Black Dragon Sinew Mature Black Dragon Sinew from Onyxia, and defeat multiple demons. You have to defeat these demons solo.

Fire Resistance for Heat Level 2 and Heat Level 3

To raid the more difficult heat levels in Molten Core you need to hit Fire Resistance thresholds. For Heat Level 2 you need at least 96 Fire Resistance and for Heat Level 3 you need at least 226 Fire Resistance. To increase your Fire Resistance you can equip gear, utilize enchantments, use consumables, and get buffs from your Druids Druids, Shamans Shamans 1, and Paladins Paladins 1.

Use the following sources to increase your Fire Resistance to the required threshold:

Using Fire Resistance items often results in a DPS loss in comparison to your BiS list. After you’ve acquired new raid items recalculate your Fire Resistance and re-optimize your gear loadout.

🔥 Since the boss Garr from Molten Core can dispel magic effects, you should make sure your Hunter Hunter is hitting the Fire Resistance threshold without Mark of the Wild Mark of the Wild for that specific fight. This might require you to have some off-pieces for that boss fight.

1 For most guilds, it is not recommended to rely on Shaman Shaman totems or Paladin Paladin auras to hit the minimum Fire Resistance thresholds. If the aura or totem is out of range or the player dies, you will lack Fire Resistance. Use the totems or auras as additional mitigation, but calculate your Fire Resistance without them.

SoD Hunter Pre-Raid BiS List

The following DPS Hunter Hunter pre-BiS list contains the best items you can get in Season of Discovery before entering the endgame raids at level 60.

Items marked with Icon are used by melee Hunters Hunters. Items marked with Icon are for ranged specs.

1 This quest requires Beaststalker's Cap Beaststalker's Cap from Scholomance and Beaststalker's Tunic Beaststalker's Tunic from Blackrock Spire to complete.
2 This quest requires Beaststalker's Boots Beaststalker's Boots from Stratholme, Beaststalker's Pants Beaststalker's Pants from Stratholme, and Beaststalker's Mantle Beaststalker's Mantle from Blackrock Spire to complete.
3 This quest requires Beaststalker's Bindings Beaststalker's Bindings from Stratholme or Upper Blackrock Spire to complete. Additionally, you need 15 Silithus Venom Sample Silithus Venom Sample from kill Stonelash Flayer and Rock Stalker in the southern half of Silithus as Horde player or 15 Winterspring Blood Sample Winterspring Blood Sample from Frostsabers like Frostsaber Cub and Frostsaber Stalker in the northern corner of Winterspring as an Alliance Alliance player.
4 This quest requires Beaststalker's Belt Beaststalker's Belt and Beaststalker's Gloves Beaststalker's Gloves to complete. Both items drop in Blackrock Spire.
5 For Icon melee Hunters, Beastmaster's Bracers Beastmaster's Bracers is pre-BiS if it unlocks your 2-set bonus.
6 Bonk-Maestro's Handguards Bonk-Maestro's Handguards are still pre-BiS in Phase 4 for Icon melee Hunters, if they’re using fist weapons.

Best Hunter Pet in SoD

The best Hunter Hunter pets in Season of Discovery are Cats with an attack speed of 2.0 with Claw Claw (Rank 7). Learn everything about the best Hunter Pets in SoD, in our dedicated guide. The guide contains the best pets, their spawn locations, and recommended abilities for Season of Discovery.

In Phase 4, the rune Lone Wolf Lone Wolf is currently outperforming the alternative runes for ranged Hunter Hunter builds. While using Lone Wolf Lone Wolf, you won’t be using any pets. If you prefer to play with a pet, take a Cat.

As a melee Hunter Hunter with Flanking Strike Flanking Strike you should always take a Cat with an attack speed of 2.0.

Hunter Rotation in Season of Discovery

The rotation for a Hunter Hunter depends on whether you play as ranged or melee Hunter Hunter.

Icon Melee Weave Hunter Rotation

Use the following priority list as a melee weaving Hunter Hunter:

  1. Cast Serpent Sting Serpent Sting, if the debuff is not active.
  2. Cast Chimera Shot Chimera Shot before Serpent Sting Serpent Sting runs out.
  3. Cast Kill Shot Kill Shot if Rapid Fire Rapid Fire is active.
  4. Cast Chimera Shot Chimera Shot.
  5. Cast Rapid Fire Rapid Fire when you have reached 10 stacks of Critical Aim Critical Aim.
  6. Cast Kill Shot Kill Shot if you’re in the execute phase and Chimera Shot Chimera Shot is on cooldown.
  7. Queue Raptor Strike Raptor Strike.
  8. Cast Wyvern Strike Wyvern Strike when it’s available.

If you have less than 5% Mana left use Aspect of the Viper Aspect of the Viper until you’re back at 50%. Otherwise, use Aspect of the Falcon Aspect of the Falcon.

Icon Melee Hunter Rotation

Use the following priority list as a melee Hunter Hunter:

  1. Keep the debuff from Flanking Strike Flanking Strike with 3 stacks up.
  2. Cast Raptor Strike Raptor Strike.
  3. Cast Mongoose Bite Mongoose Bite whenever it’s available.
  4. Cast Wyvern Strike Wyvern Strike whenever it’s available. (Two-handed build only.)
  5. Cast Flanking Strike Flanking Strike whenever it’s available.
  6. Cast Immolation Trap Immolation Trap when everything else is on cooldown.

If you have less than 5% Mana left use Aspect of the Viper Aspect of the Viper until you’re back at 50%. Otherwise, use Aspect of the Falcon Aspect of the Falcon.

Icon Ranged Hunter Rotation

Use the following priority list as a ranged Hunter Hunter:

  1. Cast Serpent Sting Serpent Sting, if the debuff is not active.
  2. Cast Chimera Shot Chimera Shot before Serpent Sting Serpent Sting runs out.
  3. Cast Kill Shot Kill Shot if Rapid Fire Rapid Fire is active.
  4. Cast Chimera Shot Chimera Shot whenever it’s available.
  5. Cast Rapid Fire Rapid Fire if available and Chimera Shot Chimera Shot is on cooldown.
  6. Cast Kill Shot Kill Shot when in execute phase.
  7. Cast Explosive Trap Explosive Trap.
  8. Cast Multi-Shot Multi-Shot.
  9. Cast Arcane Shot Arcane Shot if nothing else is available.

If you have less than 5% Mana left use Aspect of the Viper Aspect of the Viper until you’re back at 50%. Otherwise, use Aspect of the Hawk Aspect of the Hawk.

Hunter Consumables in SoD

The best consumables a Hunter Hunter can use for the endgame at level 60 will depend on whether you play as ranged or melee Hunter Hunter.

Icon Melee Hunter Consumables

  • Flask of Madness Flask of Madness
  • Elixir of the Honey Badger Elixir of the Honey Badger
  • Mildly Irradiated Rejuvenation Potion Mildly Irradiated Rejuvenation Potion
  • Smoked Desert Dumplings Smoked Desert Dumplings
  • Juju Power Juju Power / Elixir of Giants Elixir of Giants
  • Juju Might Juju Might / Winterfall Firewater Winterfall Firewater
  • Consecrated Sharpening Stone Consecrated Sharpening Stone
  • Dragonbreath Chili Dragonbreath Chili
  • Elixir of the Mage-Lord Elixir of the Mage-Lord
  • Mageblood Potion Mageblood Potion

IconIcon Ranged/Weaving Consumables

  • Flask of Ancient Knowledge Flask of Ancient Knowledge
  • Elixir of the Honey Badger Elixir of the Honey Badger
  • Mildly Irradiated Rejuvenation Potion Mildly Irradiated Rejuvenation Potion
  • Grilled Squid Grilled Squid
  • Juju Power Juju Power / Elixir of Giants Elixir of Giants (if melee weaving)
  • Juju Might Juju Might / Winterfall Firewater Winterfall Firewater
  • Weighted Consecrated Sharpening Stone Weighted Consecrated Sharpening Stone
  • Dragonbreath Chili Dragonbreath Chili (if melee weaving)
  • Elixir of the Mage-Lord Elixir of the Mage-Lord
  • Mageblood Potion Mageblood Potion

Don’t use Consecrated Sharpening Stone Consecrated Sharpening Stone on your main-hand weapon as a melee Hunter Hunter, if you have Windfury Totem Windfury Totem or Wild Strikes Wild Strikes. Always use it on your off-hand weapon, if you’re dual-wielding. Always use a Weighted Consecrated Sharpening Stone Weighted Consecrated Sharpening Stone as a Icon melee weaving spec on your weapon.

Hunter Stat Priority

As a Hunter Hunter you want to prioritize gear with the following stats:

  1. Up to 9% Hit Chance against level 60 raid bosses.
  2. Crit Chance.
  3. Agility.
  4. Strength (Icon melee spec only).
  5. Attack Power.
  6. Ranged Attack Power (Icon ranged spec only).

After reaching the hit cap, more Hit Chance loses value and other stats become more impactful. Depending on your runes and talents you might need less hit chance from your gear to reach the hit cap.

Additional Resources

You can find more resources about the WoW SoD Hunter here, including Hunter Macros for WoW Classic. Special thanks to the WoWSims team for providing an invaluable simulation tool to optimize BiS lists. If you want to learn more and optimize your gameplay, visit the Classic Hunter Discord community for discussions and insights.