A comment from Brajana about spamming the tar our of Steady Shot got me to thinking and testing. One thing that I don't have, compared to a lot of hunters is a significant mana pool. A lot of hunters out there have either Tier gear or Arena gear from BC and that gear provides significant INT and MP5 bonuses that you don't get from "green" Northrend gear. This isn't a real problem but it does affect how you utilize your shots some while questing. Loronar and Brajana both have also mention the use of MP5 foods. Here I have to say, "Yes" you definitely want to invest in this as this provides a boost to keeping your best damage numbers up. You can make the investment by buying the food on the AH when it is available or by leveling up your cooking, which in the long run in the cheaper route to go. (And this is what I am attempting to finish doing currently).
If you are relatively new to the high end content of BC and LK like I am and do not have the benefit of exceptional BC epics. You don't have to worry, but plan accordingly. Spamming Steady Shot is still doable. Just not all the time when Aspect of the Beast is up. So where we go for Zuluki's questing guide for the Non-Geared. LOL
We'll start with the Pet: *-* Gorilla *-*
Why?
Easy, the Gorilla maintians aggro so much better than Ferocity pets and he is a lot more capable of handling multiple mobs than the other Tenacity pets. This means you can mow down more mobs faster than if you were using a different pet. This is critical I've found for several reasons. First of all there are a lot of quests in the Borean Tundra and Howling Fjord where the mobs are pretty tightly packed and you will likely be pulling 2 or more mobs in each engagement. My Ferocity pet, a cat, has had difficutly in keeping all the mobs focused on him when there is more than one. Against 2 mobs this isn't such a bad deal since you can trap the break away mob and finish the one your pet is focused on. More than 2 mobs and things get real dicey real fast, especially if you tend to use volley. (Important disclaimer: I've found if you are dealing with mobs at least 2 levels below the level of your pet, this changes quite a bit. Ferocity pets can multimob tank so to say if the mobs are a lot lower in level.) Secondly, pet survivability. I want my pet to stay alive, period. Tenacity pets are better suited of this. And lastly, Thunderclap. This ability is simply amazing in conjunction with Growl. If growl doesn't pick the mob up or keep him focused on my pet, then thunderclap will. This is also good for those times when you have a straggler mob that chances upon when your are already involved against another mob or two. Just send you pet after the new guy and clip him so you can maneauver out of his range until you pet has him.
Aspect of the Beast.
More pet damage = more pet threat = pet keeps more mobs away from you. This means you have more time to Volley to your hearts desire until eveyone is dead. Since the release of LK and the changes to this aspect, I feel this is perhaps your best aspect while leveling. This aspect has made the difference in whether my pet tanks 4 or more mobs. Without this aspect, for some reason my pets can only keep 3 mobs focused on them.
Serpent Sting, Steady Shot, Aspect of the Viper
Even though this costs a fair bit of mana. If you have the Glyph, which you want to have along with Glyph of Steady Shot while leveling, then this is your opener on your focused mob. Following this, you either Auto Shoot to conserve mana or spam Steady Shot. Of note, Steady Shot is definitely faster and can finish mobs in one or two casts of this shot (even in green gear). Spamming this shot I've noticed with my small mana pool that I can down 3, maybe 4 mobs in a row before I begin to run into mana issues. Or I can spam Steady shot and Volley on multiple mobs engagements and make it through one group. Then I either stop and replenish my mana or pop Aspect of the Viper and continue on. In one on one situations I usually sting the mob and then Auto shoot. The norm for me though is different in that I usually enter engagements with 2 mobs at a time. The more I watch what I am doing in the game, the more I find this happening. I deal with multiple mob situations far more often than I deal with individual mob situations.
This means that Aspect of the Viper is up more than I would really like. But here is the deciding factor, when Aspect of the Viper is up, you should Always be spamming Steady Shot no matter what. You will regen mana faster than you can spend it by spamming Steady Shot. When I find myself in a situation where I am moving from one small group to the next I never come out of Apect of the Viper. Some of you may balk a little at this, but when your questing/leveling in an area where mobs are aplenty, this will save you from time to time. Ex.: There have been numerous times now when I have been fighting 2 or 3 mobs and had a pair of mobs aggro onto me from the side or behind. Without mana, I cannot trap, kite or volley and I will need all 3 to survive the engagement. Doing "uber" damage during these kinds of instances is unneccessary. Killing the mobs faster does not gaurantee that you'll survive. Ensuring that your pet has aggro on most if not all so you can Volley them to death is way more important at times like this. Doing less damage is not as important as having mana. Mana will win fights for you.
In places like Skorn or around Warsong Hold, Aspect of the Viper really becomes important. In less densely populated areas, Aspect of the Beast is your friend, unless you really need to be moving fast.. then Aspect of the Cheetah.
MP5.....
I am really beginning to find this stat being of more and more value while leveling. While a lot of gear has INT, if it has MP5 then it's even better. The sooner you get your mana back the quicker you can move inbetween mobs and this can be vital in some quests or in your survival in the wilds of Northrend. And the more of this stat you have the less time you'll have to spend under Aspect of the Viper.
In essence, what eveyone should know is, while your leveling and if you don't have access to higher end gear, do not under utilize Aspect of the Viper. Yes you do less damage, but you are doing more damage than Auto Shot, and you are regen'ing mana faster than your standard rate unless you have a high INT and good MP5. If you are in better gear and have these stats in abundance then you can afford to run less on Aspect of the Viper. Steady Shot should be your main shot while leveling as it provides the most bang for you buck. Just remember though that it will drain your mana pool fairly quickly if you are in "green" gear. Completing quests and staying alive is far more important than whether or not your are outputting the most DPS you can while you level to 80. This will go much faster if keep your mana pool full or as close to full as possible at all times.
Gorilla pet, Steady Shot, Aspect of the Beast/Aspect of the Viper as needed, Serpent Sting, and MP5 for your leveling happiness.
Good Luck, and Happy Hunting
Zulu.
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