Classes & races
Hunter Aspects: Which One to Use and When
Hunter aspects are permanent stance-like buffs that define what the hunter is doing right now: shooting, running, defending or supporting the group. World of Warcraft 1.12.1 has six of them, and only one can be active at a time. Let's go over the level each aspect unlocks at, what it does and when to use it on the WoW x5 server.
Contents
All Vanilla aspects
All aspects belong to the Beast Mastery tree and are learned from the hunter trainer. There are no aspect quests in 1.12.1: just reach the level and pay for training. The only early hunter class quest is about taming a pet, not about aspects.
| Aspect | Level | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Aspect of the Monkey | 4 | +8% dodge |
| Aspect of the Hawk | 10, 18, 28, 38, 48, 58, 60 | +20 … +120 ranged attack power |
| Aspect of the Cheetah | 20 | +30% run speed, 4 sec daze when hit |
| Aspect of the Beast | 30 | The hunter cannot be tracked |
| Aspect of the Pack | 40 | +30% speed for the group within 30 yards, daze when hit |
| Aspect of the Wild | 46, 56 | +45 / +60 Nature resistance for the group |
Aspect of the Hawk, your damage aspect
The main aspect for every hunter. Ranks go from +20 ranged attack power at level 10 to +120 at rank seven, which unlocks at level 60. Keep Aspect of the Hawk on whenever you are shooting. The Improved Aspect of the Hawk talent from the Beast Mastery tree gives normal ranged attacks up to a 5% chance to increase ranged attack speed by 30% for 12 seconds. To see how the aspect fits into your shot cycle, check the hunter rotation.
Aspect of the Monkey, melee defense
The first hunter aspect, learned at level 4, gives +8% dodge. Turn it on when an enemy is in your face: after a bad pull while leveling, or in PvP against a warrior or rogue. The Improved Aspect of the Monkey talent adds up to another 5% dodge. As soon as you are back at range, switch back to Aspect of the Hawk.
Aspect of the Cheetah and Aspect of the Pack, speed
Aspect of the Cheetah unlocks at level 20 and increases run speed by 30%. Before you have a mount it is the main way to travel faster, and during hunter leveling it is on most of the time between pulls. Aspect of the Pack at level 40 gives the same bonus to the whole group within 30 yards.
The key danger: if a character under Aspect of the Cheetah or Pack takes damage, they are dazed for 4 seconds. Aspect of the Pack left on in a dungeon can daze the whole group on the first hit, so switch it off before the fight.
The Pathfinding talent increases the speed bonus of both aspects by another 3% / 6%.
Aspect of the Beast and Aspect of the Wild
Aspect of the Beast, learned at level 30, makes the hunter untrackable: other hunters will not see you on the minimap through their tracking abilities. Its use is narrow, mostly in world PvP.
Aspect of the Wild unlocks at level 46 and raises Nature resistance for the hunter and group members within 30 yards: +45 at rank one and +60 at rank two from level 56. It matters on bosses with heavy Nature damage, such as Princess Huhuran in Ahn'Qiraj. For raid gear see the hunter PvE gear guide.
Which aspect to use when
- Shooting from range: Aspect of the Hawk.
- Enemy in melee range: Aspect of the Monkey.
- Solo travel out of combat: Aspect of the Cheetah.
- Group travel, battlegrounds: Aspect of the Pack, when no enemies are nearby.
- Nature damage in raids: Aspect of the Wild.
- World PvP, hiding from hunters: Aspect of the Beast.
Aspects are convenient to swap with macros; see the hunter macros section for examples. For the full class picture read the general hunter guide and the breakdown of hunter traps.
◆Related guides
Ready to try every aspect? Register on the WoW x5 server and connect to the game: the faster leveling quickly takes your hunter to Aspect of the Pack and the final rank of Aspect of the Hawk.
FAQ
?Do I need quests to get hunter aspects?
No. In patch 1.12.1 all hunter aspects are learned from the hunter trainer for gold once you reach the required level. There are no class quests for aspects.
?Which aspect should I use for damage?
For ranged damage you almost always use Aspect of the Hawk: at its seventh and final rank it gives plus 120 ranged attack power.
?Why is Aspect of the Cheetah dangerous?
Aspect of the Cheetah increases run speed by 30%, but if the hunter takes any damage they are dazed for 4 seconds. Aspect of the Pack does the same for the whole group, so turn both off as soon as combat starts.
?Can I keep two aspects active at once?
No. Only one hunter aspect can be active at a time, and activating a new one replaces the previous one.
Related
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