PvE Survival Hunter DPS Rotation & Cooldowns

Survival Hunters in Mists of Pandaria maintained a similar rotation to the one they had in the previous expansion. The new quality-of-life improvements enhanced their rotation, making it easier overall, with the newly introduced talents giving it even more flavor and burst potential. However, their playstyle can be quite spammy, making it somewhat difficult for new players to manage their Focus resource properly. 

Survival Hunter Basics & Resource Management

The gameplay for the Survival Hunter specialization in Mists of Pandaria will feel familiar to veterans and quite complicated for beginners, as the specialization has undergone quite a few significant changes. Firstly, Survival works on a special resource called Focus. The resource is used for most of their abilities; however, one specific ability acts as a direct and consistent Focus generator, Cobra Shot. While other talents, such as Fervor, contribute to Focus generation, most of their Focus will come from passive generation and from Cobra Shot.

Unlike Cataclysm, Cobra Shot in Mists of Pandaria is no longer influenced by Haste, meaning it will always have a fixed cast time. This forces hunters to prioritize Haste more aggressively to enhance their passive Focus generation, requiring them to mind their Focus spending much more than before. Fervor and Thrill of the Hunt aid Survival Hunters in maintaining a better Focus usage, yet their long cooldowns mean they can’t be consistently relied upon. This means that Survival Hunters must abstain from spamming abilities early on to avoid being locked into only casting Cobra Shot without being able to use Explosive Shot when it comes off cooldown.

Luckily for Survival Hunter, its core Lock and Load mechanic has been massively improved, with Explosive Shot functioning way better than before. In Mists of Pandaria, clipping Explosive Shot‘s DoTs is now a thing of the past, with the effect now stacking on top of itself upon every cast. This effectively means that you can cast 3x Explosive Shot in a row and have the DoT stack and snapshot your current effects, resulting in a burst sequence. 

Besides the new abilities, the core rotation works absolutely the same. Serpent Sting is placed initially and refreshed by Cobra Shot, with the latter ability acting as the main filler and Focus generation tool. Explosive Shot and Black Arrow are top priorities throughout the entire fight. Kill Shot becomes an indispensable execution tool once it reaches the required HP threshold. Arcane Shot will continue to act as the main Focus dumping spell whenever the rest are on cooldown. Depending on whether it is an AoE or a Single-Target fight, the new abilities will always have an on-cooldown priority, meaning they should be used as much as possible.

Lastly, you may choose to use potions during the Pre-Pull, but keep in mind that you may no longer use shenanigans such as storing up a Lock and Load proc before the actual fight!

Single-Target Rotation

1. Always maintain the Aspect of the Iron Hawk!
2. Cast Hunter’s Mark before engaging a target.
   Alternatively, let Explosive Shot automatically place it upon the first cast.
3. Use Misdirection on the target designated by the raid/party leader.
4. Cast Explosive Shot.
5. Cast Black Arrow.
   Ensure you always cast Black Arrow on cooldown to facilitate the Lock and Load proc.
6. Cast Serpent Sting.
7. Use Fervor to enhance your opener.
   Recast the spell on cooldown!
8. Cast Glaive Toss on cooldown!
9. Dump extra Focus with Arcane Shot while all your other shots are on cooldown!
10. Cast Cobra Shot as a filler to generate Focus.
11. Cast A Murder of Crows as soon as possible after the initial opener.
    Recast it on cooldown, especially after the target reaches 20% HP.
12. Cast Kill Shot on cooldown and on every reset once the target reaches the 20% HP threshold.
    Ensure you always cast Explosive Shot & Black Arrow before using Kill Shot.
13. Always prioritize casting Explosive Shot on cooldown, even when Kill Shot is available!
    Whenever Lock and Load procs, cast Explosive Shot immediately to consume the proc.
14. Prioritize casting Rapid Fire either at the start of the fight to allow a second cast or during Heroism/Bloodlust/Time Warp for short fights.
15. Prioritize using Stampede during Heroism/Bloodlust/Time Warp!
16. Ensure you use your Pet’s special ability as often as possible!

AoE & Cleave Rotation

1. Always maintain the Aspect of the Iron Hawk!
2. Use Misdirection on the target designated by the raid/party leader.
3. Cast Serpent Sting.
4. Spam Multi-Shot to deal damage & spread Serpent Sting.
5. Ideally, select Barrage as your main AoE spell and cast it on cooldown on grouped mobs after spreading Serpent Sting with Multi-Shot.
6. For Cleave fights, ideally select Glaive Toss and cast it on cooldown on grouped mobs.
7. Use Explosive Trap for both Cleave & AoE fights once the mobs are stacked.
8. Cast Black Arrow after the initial Barrage/Glaive Toss + Explosive Trap combo.
9. Continue spamming Multi-Shot as much as possible, and only use Explosive Shot on Lock and Load procs!
   Don’t use Focus on Explosive Shot and always prioritize Multi-Shot!
10. If you swap to Lynx Rush, cast it on cooldown as soon as it becomes available.
11. Start casting Kill Shot on multiple mobs once they reach the 20% HP threshold.
12. Cast Cobra Shot as a filler to generate Focus.

Cooldowns

Defensives

• Disengage – A mobility tool that launches you backward, improved by talents. It can be used as a mobility tool for extra movement speed.
• Deterrence – A defensive tool that grants you nigh-invincibility during its duration, causing you to deflect all attacks and spells while reducing all damage taken by 30%. However, you cannot attack at all during its duration, but your pet can still attack! This ability also has 2 charges, meaning it can be used back to back.
• Feign Death – A spell that can be used to disengage combat instantly, forcing the target to think you have already died. This ability is particularly useful for remaining the only survivor in raids and reviving your allies.

Utility

• Trueshot Aura – Grants 10% Melee & Ranged Attack Power to all allies in your group. 
• Widow Venom – An ability used to reduce healing received by the target. It can be very effective for specific encounters.
• Flare – An ability used to reveal invisible mobs.
• Camouflage – This ability can be used to become invisible and set up traps across an encounter before the fight.
• Aspect of the Pack – An effect that can increase all nearby allies’ movement speed by 30% but causes Daze whenever an attack hits a friendly target. This ability is typically used to move quickly in areas you can’t mount up.
• Misdirection – An iconic ability to transfer the Threat you generate toward a friendly target, typically the tank. You will always be asked to use this ability by raid leaders!
• Tranquilizing Shot – An ability that can remove Magic & Enrage effects from a target. One of the only abilities in the game that can remove the Enrage effect. 

Crowd Control

• Scatter Shot – Ability that disorients a target for up to 4 seconds.
• Binding Shot – AoE ability that binds down enemies to an area and stuns them for 5 seconds if they attempt to leave the area.
• Freezing Trap – An ability that incapacitates a target for up to 1.5 minutes. Any damage will break the effect. 
• Ice Trap – An ability that places a huge area that massively slows any target by 50%, lasting up to 40 seconds.
• Concussive Shot – Single-Target slow effect that can be used for kiting dangerous mobs.
• Wyvern Sting – A Single-Target Sleep effect that can be used to isolate dangerous mobs. Any damage can break the effect instantly.
• Counter Shot – A long-range Interrupt effect.

Pet Spells

• Furious Howl – Critical Strike Chance aura.
• Cackling Howl – Melee and Ranged Attack Speed aura.
• Serpent’s Swiftness – Melee and Ranged Attack Speed aura.
• Mind Quickening – Spell Haste aura and Shadow Damage self-buff.
• Roar of Courage – Mastery buff.
• Demoralizing Roar – Physical Damage reduction.
• Demoralizing Screech – Physical Damage reduction.
• Clench – Disarm.
• Spore Cloud – Cast Speed reduction.
• Fire Breath – Spell Damage debuff.
• Lightning Breath – Spell Damage debuff.