***The information contained in this guide is currently out of date.
For up to date information on item enhancements for your Hunter please
visit the href="http://tentonhammer.com/wow/guides/classes/hunter/enhancements"
target="_blank"> Gems, Glyphs, and Enchants section
of our big Hunter Guide.***




You may have come here looking for a guide with listings for every
single piece of gear that a Hunter of each spec should pick up. I could
do that, but I feel it is far more important (and simpler) to have a
basic understanding of what stats are best for your class and spec.
Once you have that understanding you can easily pick up gear without
a moment’s hesitation. Hopefully this guide can give
you that understanding and help aid you in your gear choices regardless
of which path you choose to follow once you reach maximum level.



Blizzard has made the process of leveling much easier, and you will
find that running instances to get gear is just not necessary while
leveling up. Simply do the quests available to you until you reach
level 80. Once there you can proceed on your way to run heroics for the
badges which will give you an excellent set of gear, that will
easily get you into any normal raid instances, or you can also opt to
begin you PvP journey.

Stats

While all Hunters are in the end, Hunters, each of the three available
specs require slightly different stats. While this may seem
unimportant, let me assure you that being sure you are picking up the
best stats for your particular spec will aid you more than you can
imagine. Plus, memorizing the basic stats you need to look for is far
easier than remembering a long list of even longer item names.



style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> style="float: left; width: 62px; height: 62px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77990">Survival
- As a Survival Hunter your first goal is to hit the Haste and Hit
caps. Do this as soon as possible as it will affect your DPS greatly.
Currently, the Hit cap for a Survival Hunter is 8%, while you will need
522.7 Haste Rating (unless specced into Improved Aspect of the Hawk).
Once you reach these caps you no longer need to worry about these stats
unless you are changing out gear.



Agility, Crit, and Attack Power (in that order) are the next important
stats for the Survival Hunter. Agility and Crit work together to make
the best use of the talents and maximize your DPS. You will find that
most of your Attack Power comes from Agility, this is how it should be,
however never take a small amount of Agility over a large amount of
Attack Power, it’s simply not worth it.



style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> style="float: left; width: 61px; height: 64px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77987"> style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">Beast
Mastery - Once again Hit
makes the number one stat. Hit affects both you and your pet to hit
things (around 8%), so reach the hit cap as soon as possible.



Attack Power is currently very important for the BM Hunter, as it
affects the BM’s Hunter abilities and their pet’s
abilities. Agility also provides Attack Power, and Crit, however, not
enough to make it better than Attack Power for the BM Hunter. Finally
Critical Strike Rating, while at the end of my list it is not a useless
stat. Pick it up whenever you can get it, the more you have the better.



style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;"> style="float: left; width: 59px; height: 56px;" alt=""
src="http://www.tentonhammer.com/image/view/77989">Marksman
- Hit makes it’s appearance at the top of the Marksman
Hunter’s list as well. Seriously I can’t stress
enough how reaching your hit cap will improve your DPS. Just do it, all
the cool kids are. Once Hit cap is reached you no longer have to worry
about it unless you are swapping in and out new gear.



Attack Power, Armor Penetration, Crit and Agility are the stats you
should be interested while reaching and after you have reached your Hit
cap. Agility of course gives Crit and Attack Power making it an
invaluable stat and one any Hunter simply can‘t have enough
of. While in the Marksman Hunter’s case Armor Pen is much
more beneficial than any other Hunter spec.



All Hunters should have an interest in Intellect, while not at the top
of any stat list, it certainly is something they should consider
looking for as a stat on their gear. The more intellect you have, the
more damage you can do. Plus, certain Hunter specs/builds have talents
that benefit directly from your Intellect. Don’t turn your
nose up at it!

Enchants

Now that you understand the basic stats that you are looking for on
your gear, let’s take a look at the enchants you can place on
it. Enchants are just as important as gems, so don’t forget
to enchant new gear when you receive it as you will be doing yourself a
huge disservice otherwise.  When choosing your new enchants
remember to use common sense. For example if you happen to be haste or
hit capped, you can cross off the enchant with haste/hit on it. The
list below should give you some helpful suggestions to set you on your
way. You will find that the specs share quite a few things in common in
the enchant department.

style="text-align: left; width: 600px;" border="1"
cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
Slot Survival style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Marksman
style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Beast
Mastery
Head Arcanum
of Torment

Knights of the Ebon Blade

50 AP and 20 Critical Strike
Arcanum
of Torment

Knights of the Ebon Blade

50 AP and 20 Critical Strike Arcanum
of Torment/Arcanum of Ferocity

Knights of the Ebon Blade/Cenarion Expedition

50 AP and 20 Critical Strike/34 AP and 16 Hit
Shoulder Greater
Inscription of the Axe

Sons of Hodir

40 AP and 15 Critical Strike Rating
Greater
Inscription of the Axe

Sons of Hodir

40 AP and 15 Critical Strike Rating Greater
Inscription of the Axe

Sons of Hodir

40 AP and 15 Critical Strike Rating Chest
Powerful
Stats

Enchanting

Increases all Stats by 10
Powerful
Stats

Enchanting

Increases all Stats by 10
Powerful
Stats

Enchanting

Increases all Stats by 10
Cloak
Major
Agility

Enchanting

Increases Agility by 22 Major
Agility

Enchanting

Increases Agility by 22 Major
Agility/Greater Speed

Enchanting

Increases Agility by 22/Increases Haste by 23
Wrist Greater
Assault

Enchanting

Increases AP by 50
Greater
Assault

Enchanting

Increases AP by 50
Greater
Assault

Enchanting

Increases AP by 50
Waist Eternal
Belt Buckle

Blacksmithing

Adds a socket Eternal
Belt Buckle

Blacksmithing

Adds a socket Eternal
Belt Buckle

Blacksmithing

Adds a socket Boots
Greater
Assault/Superior Agility/Icewalker

Enchanting

Increases AP by 32/Increases Agility by 16/Increases Crit and Hit by 12
Greater
Assault/Superior Agility

Enchanting

Increases AP by 32/Increases Agility by 16 Greater
Assault/Superior Agility/Icewalker

Enchanting

Increases AP by 32/Increases Agility by 16/Increases Crit and Hit by 12
Legs Frosthide
Leg Armor/Icescale Leg Armor

Leatherworking

Increases Stamina by 55 and Agility by 22/Increases AP by 75 and
Critical Strike Rating by 22 Icescale
Leg Armor

Leatherworking

Increases AP by 25 and Critical Strike Rating by 22
Icescale
Leg Armor/Nerubian Leg Armor

Leatherworking

Increases AP by 25 and Critical Strike Rating by 22/Increases AP by 55
and Critical Strike Rating by 15
Weapon (Melee) Accuracy/Superior
Potency/Exceptional Agility/Major Intellect

Enchanting

Increases Crit and Hit by 25/Increases AP by 65/Increases Agility by
26/Increase Intellect by 30
Accuracy/Superior
Potency/Exceptional Agility/Major Intellect

Enchanting

Increases Crit and Hit by 25/Increases AP by 65/Increases Agility by
26/Increase Intellect by 30
Accuracy/Superior
Potency/Exceptional Agility/Major Intellect

Enchanting

Increases Crit and Hit by 25/Increases AP by 65/Increases Agility by
26/Increases Intellect by 30
Weapon (2H)

Massacre/Major
Agility

Enchanting

Increases AP by 110/Increases Agility by 35
Weapon (Ranged)
style="vertical-align: middle; text-align: center;">Heartseeker
Scope

Engineering

Increases Critical Strike Rating by 40 style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Heartseeker
Scope/Sun Scope

Engineering

Increases Critical Strike Rating by 40/Increases Haste by 40

Gems

Gems are basically the same as Enchants. Use your head, and always go
for the gems that line up with the best stats available for your spec.
If you do this you can’t go wrong. Remember when gemming,
matching the slot color is not as important as being sure to gem
according to the best stats for you, and always check when re gemming
that you continue to meet the requirements for your Meta Gem. Below is
a list of suggestion on gems  by color for each spec. The list
contains gems of the new epic quality only, but if needed you could use
their blue counterparts. Gemming your gear with the best gems means you
are allowing yourself to do the best damage possible.

style="text-align: left; width: 600px;" border="1"
cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
Color Survival Marksman
Beast Mastery
Red Delicate
Cardinal Ruby

+20 Agility
Bright
Cardinal Ruby

+40 AP



Delicate Cardinal Ruby

+20 Agility



Fractured Cardinal Ruby

+20 Armor Pen Bright
Cardinal Ruby

+40 AP
Yellow Rigid
King’s Amber*

+20 Hit


Rigid
King’s Amber*

+20 Hit
Rigid
King’s Amber*

+20 Hit

(*Only if under hit cap)
Blue None
Recommended None
Recommended None
Recommended Orange Glinting
Ametrine*

+10 Agility & 10 Hit



Deadly Ametrine

+10 Agility & +10 Crit



(*Only if under hit cap) Pristine
Ametrine*

+20 AP & +10 Hit



Glinting Ametrine*

+10 Agility & +10 Hit



(*Only if under hit cap) Pristine
Ametrine*

+20 AP & +10 Hit



Wicked Ametrine

+20AP & +10 Crit



(*Only if under hit cap) Purple Shifting
Dreadstone

+10 Agility & +15 Stam Infused
Dreadstone

+20 AP & +5 MP5



Tenuous Dreadstone

+10 Agility & +5 Mp5



Puissant Dreadstone

+10 Armor Pen & +15 Stam



Balanced Dreadstone

+20 AP & +15 Stam



Shifting Dreadstone Infused
Dreadstone

+20 AP & +5 Mp5



Balanced Dreadstone

+20 AP & +15 Stam Green Vivid
Eye of Zul*

+10 Hit & +15 Stam



Jagged Eye of Zul

+10 Crit & +15 Stam





(*Only if under hit cap Lambent
Eye of Zul*

+10 Hit & +5 Mp5



Vivid Eye of Zul*

+10 Hit & +15 Stam



Sundered Eye of Zul

+10 Crit & +5 Mp5



Jagged Eye of Zul

+10 Crit & +15 Stam Lambent
Eye of Zul*

+10 Hit & +5 Mp5



Vivid Eye of Zul*

+10 Hit & +15 Stam



Sundered Eye of Zul

+10 Crit & +5 Mp5



Jagged Eye of Zul

+10 Crit & +15 Stam Prismatic Nightmare
Tear

+10 All Stats
Nightmare
Tear

+10 All Stats
Nightmare
Tear

+10 All Stats
Meta Relentless
Earthsiege Diamond

+21 Agility & 3% Increased Critical Damage
Relentless
Earthsiege Diamond

+21 Agility & 3% Increased Critical Damage
Relentless
Earthsiege Diamond

+21 Agility & 3% Increased Critical Damage

Glyphs

To wrap things up here are some suggestions for the Glyphs you should
use. There will be several glyphs listed for each spec. Be sure to
choose wisely based on what you feel is best for you, and your play
style.

style="text-align: left; width: 600px;" border="1"
cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2">
style="text-align: center; vertical-align: middle;">Survival
Marksman
Beast
Mastery Major style="text-align: center;">Glyph
of Explosive Shot

Glyph of Kill Shot

Glyph of Serpent Sting

Glyph of the Hawk

Glyph of Steady Shot Glyph
of Serpent Sting

Glyph of Kill Shot

Glyph of Chimera Shot

Glyph of the Hawk Glyph
of Bestial Wrath

Glyph of Steady Shot

Glyph of Improved Aspect of the Hawk

Glyph of Serpent Sting


Minor
Glyph
of Mend Pet

Glyph of Revive Pet

Glyph of Feign Death Glyph
of Mend Pet

Glyph of Revive Pet

Glyph of Feign Death Glyph
of Mend Pet

Glyph of Revive Pet

Glyph of Feign Death