Surefooted
3 Point Talent
Description: Reduces the duration of movement impairing effects by 10/20/30%.
Overview
This talent shortens the length of snares and roots on the Hunter. It’s more geared towards PvP, as it lends itself to survivability as opposed to DPS. When maxed, this talent will reduce the length of all effects that slow or root a Hunter by 30%.
Why take it?
This talent may appeal to some MM and SV PvP Hunters. PvP BM Hunters already have an 18 second immunity to roots and snares, so there’s little need for this. Trolls will get the most benefit, as it will stack with their racial, thus giving them close to a 50% reduction.
*I’m not entirely sure if it’s additive or multiplicative with Da Voodoo Shuffle, but either way, there’s a hidden cap on this effect of 50%.
Why not take it?
It’s pretty useless for PvE, and the other three talents at this tier are better options for PvP Hunters. A 30% reduction in the duration of some already overpowered snares that the other classes have is not going to save your ass.
Entrapment
3 Point Talent
Description: When your Frost Trap, Immolation Trap, Explosive Trap and Snake Trap are triggered you entrap all afflicted targets, preventing them from moving for 2/3/4 sec.
Overview
This talent puts an additional root on targets that trigger your trap effects.
Why take it?
This is a good talent for PvE and PvP, as it helps to maintain distance between you and your target(s). For PvE soloing, it works well for keeping mobs at bay while you AoE them down. In PvP, keeping an opponent rooted for a few seconds can be a lifesaver, or provide just enough enough time for you to FF them down.
While this is a decent all-around talent, it’s this Hunter’s opinion that only one point is needed in here. 1 point buys you a 2 second root, where as 3 only buys you 4. The 2 points for the additional 2 seconds can be better placed elsewhere.
Why not take it?
It’s useless for raid DPS. AoE traps have become a less spectacular tool for Hunters in PvP as of late. Many classes will not trigger their effects, thus negating this talent.
It’s not to say that this is a completely useless talent, but I think 1 point in here is a safe investment, for PvP that is.
Trap Mastery
3 Point Talent
Description: Frost Trap and Freezing Trap – Increases the duration by 10/20/30%.
Immolation Trap, Explosive Trap and Black Arrow – Increases the periodic damage done by 10/20/30%.
Snake Trap – Increases the number of snakes summoned by 3/6/9.
Overview
This talent buffs all of the Hunter’s traps and their respective effects. For traps that root, it increases their duration. For traps that do damage, it increases it. For traps that summon snakes, well… it summons more of them.
Why take it?
This talent is pretty essential for SV Hunters, as it buffs the damage of Black Arrow. It’s also useful for PvP due to the increased length of the snare and root of the freezy-type traps. This is a good all-around talent for Survival Hunters, for both PvE and PvP.
MM Hunters may grab this talent for PvP in order to root opponents and pew-pew them down, or keep a healer on ice a little longer.
Why not take it?
BM and MM Hunters won’t need it for any kind of PvE DPS. Effective BM PvP builds won’t explore the SV tree far enough to get this talent. However, I suppose there may be some unorthodox uber-survivability, weak-ass-dps BM build that may grab this for 5v5. Just wait… someone will probably post their 51/4/16 spec or some s**t like that, and tell me I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about. 😉
Survival Instincts
2 Point Talent
Description: Reduces all damage taken by 2/4% and increases the critical strike chance of your Arcane Shot, Steady Shot, and Explosive Shot by 2/4%.
Overview
Survival instincts reduces damage the Hunter receives by up to 4%, and also buffs the crit % of Arcane Shot, Steady Shot and Explosive Shot by up to 4%.
Why take it?
Ths is a great talent for all Hunters. Damage reduction and improved DPS combined into one talent.
With a small investment of 2 points, the Hunter receives an additional 4% crit to 2 heavily used shots. Although the tooltip shows 3 (Arcane, Steady, Explosive), Hunters will only see a benefit to 2 shots, because BM and MM do not have Explosive Shot, and SV Hunters don’t really utilize Arcane since it shares a CD with Explosive Shot.
Coupled with the 4% damage reduction, this talent rocks for PvP.
Why not take it?
The only spec that could afford to pass on this would be BM, simply due to having too few points to invest in the SV tree.
However, I have seen where some BM Hunters have grabbed this for PvE, as it provides a nice synergy with Cobra Strikes due to the increased proc rate of Arcane Shot.