Patch 4.3 Hunter Buff Recap

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Patch 4.3 is set to hit live servers this Tuesday. Patch 4.3 is a mondo patch chock full of new content, including: a new raid, new 5-mans, the Raid Finder, Void Storage, Transmogrification, the new Darkmoon Faire and so much more…

In addition to the massive amount of content being added, there are also numerous updates and tweaks to class talents and abilities.

Healing debuffs are being boosted across the board, making our Widow Venom ability a more worthwhile focus cost for PvP. In Patch 4.3 Widow Venom will reduce healing effects on an enemy target by 25%, up from its negligible 10% healing reduction.

The rest of the buffs we’re receiving are specific to Beast Mastery and Survival. Here’s the complete list of Hunter buffs coming this week in patch 4.3…

BM / MM / SV

  • Widow Venom now reduces the target’s healing received by 25%, up from 10%.

Beast Mastery

  • Animal Handler now increases Attack Power by 30%, up from 25%.
  • Burrow Attack now does approximately 20% more damage, and has an increased area of effect.
  • Froststorm Breath now does approximately 20% more damage, and has an increased area of effect.
  • Monstrous Bite now reduces the target’s healing received by 25%, up from 10%.

Survival

  • Explosive Shot damage has been increased by 15%.

The following buffs are not included in the official patch notes, but there’s a good chance they will be in the patch as well. The official patch notes haven’t been updated since the 4th – these buffs to BM and SV were announced on the 15th.

Beast Mastery

  • Focus Fire now lasts 20 sec, up from 15 sec.

Survival

  • T.N.T. now has a 10/20% chance to proc, up from 6/12%.

7 thoughts on “Patch 4.3 Hunter Buff Recap”

    • I don’t believe it will. The buff is being modified for all of the classes that bring a similar buff, solely for the sake of buffing melee DPS for the existing end-game content. Hunters are doing well, especially marksmanship, so I doubt that this buff would include anything to boost that further. It’s a great question, though, and you’d think the answer would be “yes” – I’m just doubtful. Hunter pet DPS scales based off of our RAP, and even if they do have a melee AP stat (can’t login to check right now), it’s probably unrelated to character class melee AP.

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  2. I assume the answer is “no”, but does anyone know if the Monstrous Bite effect and the Widow Venom effect stack? It’d be nice to have a potential 50% reduction in heals, but this is probably wishful thinking…..

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    • As far as can be gleaned from Wowhead, they don’t stack. Widow Venom seems to take priority over Monstrous Bite, and will overwrite it. Ultimately it becomes more of a toss up between which one you’ll use based on the pros and cons (Widow Venom lasts longer but costs you focus and a GCD, Monstrous Bite can be set on autocast but will eat your pet’s focus and GCDs).

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  3. Obviously this means that once again, Bowser and Yoshi will be eating Priest face.

    …and Resto Shammy, Resto Duridz, Holy Pally…

    However, didn’t I also read before that SV’s TNT and BM’s Focus Fire got buffed? Will those be sticking on tomorrow’s update or did they get jackbooted?

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    • Good observation. I’m ‘hoping’ that the FF and TNT buffs are still in there. None of the ‘official’ patch notes suggest it, but…the last official update was 11/04, which was before those buffs were mentioned.

      Update: I added them to the post as ‘good possibilities’.

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