Comments on: Here’s Yer Stinkin’ Theorycraftin’

By: Animal Handler and Pet Expertise Explained | HuntsmansLodge.com | A World of Warcraft Hunter Site

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 23:29:32 +0000

[...] BRK has a good post on this topic, which is what set me on this quest for the truth in the first place. At first I disagreed with his recommendation of this talent, but then eventually saw the error in my judgement. How dare I doubt the master. This entry was written by Garwulf, posted on February 17, 2009 at 3:29 pm, filed under Dungeon Discussion, Hunter Discussion and tagged animal handler, expertise, hunter, pet. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post. Post a comment or leave a trackback: Trackback URL. « Black Ice [...]

By: Garwulf

Garwulf — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:07:07 +0000

My reference to it being more of a PvP skill was because players will often be in front of your pet to try and avoid its attacks or nuke it down. Where as bosses will “always” be attacked from behind. No to mention the reduced cd on Master’s Call.

I did a little research though and saw that bosses do have x% chance to dodge from behind but not parry. So I do see the merit for raiding now. I learn something new all the time.

By: Shagrat

Shagrat — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 18:02:16 +0000

I’d just like to add that for those of you who can’t afford either the deck or the cards, the Bandit’s Insignia from Sapphiron is a good substitute. The proc isn’t the greatest but it’s a nice static AP boost from the trinket itself.

TEJ-I’ll definitely agree that the Grim Toll proc effect is fail. What a waste of a trinket. (Unforunately, I haven’t managed to get anything better to drop and have it awarded by LC)

By: Seanguy

Seanguy — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:59:34 +0000

@The Elitist Jerk

You still look like an ass if you have 300 AGI and still miss +40% of the time during a raid…

By: The Elitist Jerk

The Elitist Jerk — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:44:17 +0000

@Seanguy

The only two viable hit trinkets are Sphere and Grim Toll. Both have shitty on-use/procs.

Besides, sartharion trinket/Greatness is the best combo in the game hands down.

By: Seanguy

Seanguy — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 16:40:14 +0000

@BRK : Not to be a little critical, but if hit rating is so critical why not just get a +Hit rating trinket to replace one of you’re “crit” trinkets…

Seems a waste to have 2 “crit” trinkets when you’re airballing it…

By: Stru

Stru — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:11:11 +0000

“It really makes little importance if your pet does 15% of 50% of your damage because a DPS loss is still a DPS loss.”

BM pet vs other pet does make a difference. Compared to BM pets, SV and MM pets have lower absolute potential DPS and thus a 1% miss rate represents a lower amount of lost DPS. Since itemization points are a limited commodity, an additional 1% of hit means other stats are lower than they could be otherwise. If a hunter is otherwise hit-capped (such as through Focused Aim), then 1% hit to benefit the pet DPS (which is relatively low) is sacrificing stats which would up the hunter’s personal DPS (which is relatively high). You’d have to run it through the spreadsheet (or empirical testing) to see how things play out.

It’s all about trade-offs, and cost-benefit analysis for pet-hit and pet-expertise are more favorable for BM hunters than other specs, and I think it’s feasible that for low DPS pet specs, letting the pet be under hit cap may be DPS maximizing.

By: Euripides

Euripides — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 14:06:54 +0000

I can confirm that expertise does not pass to your pet. Its only use if for your melee attacks. Which should be few and far between.

By: Charso

Charso — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:41:22 +0000

Its really not a pvp skill Garwulf, as players cannot dodge attacks made from behind them, whereas a boss CAN dodge. So Animal Handler really is a must for BM raiding.

By: Garwulf

Garwulf — Tue, 17 Feb 2009 09:29:08 +0000

I’m not sure I understand why you’d take Animal Handler for raiding. The pet will always be behind it’s target, therefore negating any chance to be blocked or parried.

Seems like more of a PvP skill IMO.