Is Marksmanship Right for You?
Marksmanship Hunters in The Burning Crusade Classic can absolutely reach level 70, but you should know what you're signing up for. Beast Mastery is widely considered the strongest leveling spec for Hunters, so choosing Marksmanship means trading some efficiency for a playstyle that focuses more on your own damage than your pet's.
The Marksmanship experience changes at level 62 when you unlock Steady Shot, your first real rotational ability. Before that point, leveling feels noticeably slower and more basic since you're relying primarily on Auto Shot with occasional Multi-Shot and Arcane Shot usage. Once Steady Shot enters your toolkit, gameplay becomes smoother and more engaging.
You can level Marksmanship through solo questing, dungeon grinding, or a mix of both. The spec works particularly well in dungeon environments where tanks handle threat and you can focus purely on damage output.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Before diving into builds and strategies, understanding what Marksmanship does well and where it struggles helps you make better decisions throughout your leveling journey.
- Less Reliance on Your Pet: Unlike Beast Mastery, your damage output isn't tied as heavily to your pet's performance. You can still contribute meaningful damage even when your pet dies or struggles to maintain threat.
- Better AoE Damage: Marksmanship provides stronger area damage than other Hunter specs through talents like Barrage and Improved Barrage, which boost your Multi-Shot. This makes the spec particularly effective for dungeon grinding where you're frequently dealing with multiple enemies.
- Solid Solo Performance: While not the absolute best, Marksmanship handles solo content and questing without major issues. You can even tackle certain Elite enemies by yourself with proper play.
- Lower Single-Target Damage: Compared to Beast Mastery, your damage against individual targets falls behind. Some quest objectives will take longer to complete.
- Pet Threat Problems: Your pet will have difficulty holding aggro against your damage output. This is a core challenge of the spec since you deal enough damage that enemies frequently turn to attack you instead of your pet.
- No Strong Burst Cooldowns: Marksmanship doesn't have access to powerful burst abilities like Bestial Wrath. You lack strong cooldowns to burn down dangerous enemies quickly or recover from bad situations.
- Slow Early Outland Levels: Levels 60-61 specifically feel sluggish until you can train Steady Shot at level 62.
Talent Build: 21/40/0
The primary Marksmanship leveling build places 40 points into Marksmanship and 21 points into Beast Mastery. This setup focuses on your personal damage output (particularly AoE through Multi-Shot) while still giving your pet enough survivability and effectiveness to function as a tank.
Beast Mastery Tree (21 Points)
Your Beast Mastery investments keep your pet functional:
| Talent | Points | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Improved Aspect of the Hawk | 5/5 | Chance to increase ranged attack speed when Aspect of the Hawk is active |
| Endurance Training | 1/5 | Minor pet health increase (filler point to progress down the tree) |
| Focused Fire | 2/2 | Damage increase while pet is active, plus increased pet crit chance |
| Improved Revive Pet | 2/2 | Faster, more reliable pet resurrection for recovering from pet deaths mid-combat |
| Unleashed Fury | 5/5 | Major pet damage increase, which also improves threat generation |
| Improved Mend Pet | 1/2 | Chance to cleanse debuffs when using Mend Pet |
| Ferocity | 4/5 | Additional pet crit chance |
| Bestial Discipline | 1/2 | Increased pet focus regeneration for more frequent ability usage |
Marksmanship Tree (40 Points)
Your Marksmanship talents form the core of your damage:
| Talent | Points | What It Does |
|---|---|---|
| Lethal Shots | 5/5 | Crit chance increase, foundational damage talent |
| Improved Hunter's Mark | 2/5 | Increases attack power bonus from Hunter's Mark |
| Efficiency | 5/5 | Reduces mana cost of shots and stings, letting you fight longer |
| Go for the Throat | 2/2 | Your crits restore pet focus, improving pet damage |
| Aimed Shot | 1/1 | Powerful shot ability that becomes part of your core rotation |
| Rapid Killing | 2/2 | Reduces Rapid Fire cooldown and grants attack speed after killing blows |
| Mortal Shots | 5/5 | Increases crit damage, required for all Hunter builds |
| Scatter Shot | 1/1 | Disorients target, useful for crowd control and interrupts |
| Barrage | 3/3 | Increases Multi-Shot and Volley damage |
| Ranged Weapon Specialization | 5/5 | Flat damage increase to all ranged weapon attacks |
| Trueshot Aura | 1/1 | Provides attack power to your entire party |
| Improved Barrage | 3/3 | Increases Multi-Shot crit chance and avoids interruption on Volley |
| Master Marksman | 5/5 | Increases ranged attack power |
Talent Progression: Levels 1-60 (Azeroth)
While leveling through original Azeroth content, focus on the Marksmanship tree to increase your personal damage. You should still start with Improved Aspect of the Hawk and Improved Revive Pet before committing to Marksmanship talents since these provide early quality-of-life improvements for pet management.
Within the Marksmanship tree, prioritize reaching Aimed Shot before taking Rapid Killing. Once you have these talents, the order of remaining talents becomes less critical.
Talent Progression: Levels 60-70 (Outland)
At level 60, you should have approximately 11 points in Beast Mastery:
- 5/5 Improved Aspect of the Hawk
- 1/5 Endurance Training
- 2/2 Improved Revive Pet
- 2/2 Focused Fire
- 1/5 Unleashed Fury
Levels 61-64: Continue filling Unleashed Fury to 5/5
Levels 65-68: Add points to Ferocity (4/5)
Level 69: Improved Mend Pet (1/2)
Level 70: Bestial Discipline (1/2)
Abilities: Training Priorities
Gold is limited while leveling, and you'll want to save money for your level 40 mount. Not every ability rank needs to be trained immediately, so this section breaks down which abilities deserve your training priority.
Must-Have Abilities for Marksmanship Hunters
Train these core abilities when new ranks become available:
| Level | Ability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 62 | Steady Shot (Rank 1) | Your primary rotational ability, transforms your gameplay |
| 63 | Raptor Strike (Rank 9) | Melee filler for dead zone situations |
| 64 | Aspect of the Viper | Mana management tool |
| 66 | Kill Command (Rank 1) | Additional pet damage command |
| 67 | Multi-Shot (Rank 6) | Core AoE ability |
| 67 | Volley (Rank 4) | AoE damage option |
| 68 | Mend Pet (Rank 8) | Keeping your pet alive is critical |
| 68 | Aspect of the Hawk (Rank 8) | Primary damage aspect |
| 69 | Arcane Shot (Rank 9) | Important damage ability |
| 70 | Misdirection | Threat management utility |
| 70 | Aimed Shot (Rank 7) | Powerful damage cooldown |
| 70 | Trueshot Aura (Rank 4) | Group buff |
Optional Abilities
These abilities provide value but can be skipped to conserve gold, depending on your playstyle:
| Level | Ability | Situational Use |
|---|---|---|
| 61 | Explosive Trap (Rank 4) | AoE damage |
| 62 | Disengage (Rank 4) | Threat drop and escape |
| 65 | Immolation Trap (Rank 6) | Single-target trap damage |
| 66 | Viper Sting (Rank 4) | Mana drain for PvP |
| 67 | Serpent Sting (Rank 10) | DoT damage |
| 68 | Snake Trap | Utility trap |
| 68 | Aspect of the Wild (Rank 3) | Nature resistance |
| 69 | Distracting Shot (Rank 7) | Threat generation |
| 70 | Mongoose Bite (Rank 5) | Melee damage |
Key Ability Ranks While Leveling 1-60
Certain abilities should be updated at specific levels for maximum effectiveness:
- Arcane Shot: Train new ranks at levels 6, 12, 20, 28, 36, 44, 52, and 60
- Mend Pet: Train new ranks at levels 12, 20, 28, 36, 44, 52, and 60
- Multi-Shot: Train new ranks at levels 18, 30, 42, and 54
- Aspect of the Cheetah: Learn at level 20 since this cuts your travel time significantly until you get your mount
Combat Rotations
Your rotation changes significantly once you unlock Steady Shot at level 62. Understanding both phases of gameplay helps you level efficiently.
Before Level 62
Before learning Steady Shot, your rotation feels basic and somewhat slow, similar to Classic raiding gameplay. This is simply part of the Marksmanship experience that you need to work through.
Basic Rotation:
- Auto Shot: Always starts your rotation. Never "clip" your Auto Shot by using other abilities during its animation.
- Arcane Shot: Use immediately after your initial Auto Shot.
- Multi-Shot: Use when available, but watch your surroundings since this ability can break crowd control on nearby enemies.
Optional: Practice melee-weaving with Raptor Strike during gaps in your rotation to increase damage output and make gameplay more interesting.
After Level 62
Once you learn Steady Shot, your rotation gains structure and flow:
- Command your pet to attack the target
- Apply Hunter's Mark
- Open with Aimed Shot
- Auto Shot
- Steady Shot
- Auto Shot
- Aimed Shot (if mana allows)
- Multi-Shot (if mana allows)
- Alternate between Auto Shot and Steady Shot until the target dies
Understanding Auto Shot Timing
Auto Shot functions differently in TBC than in modern WoW. Your bow's attack speed (shown in the tooltip) determines how frequently you shoot automatically, but Auto Shot only requires you to stand still for approximately 0.5 seconds to fire. The remaining time until your next Auto Shot is free for movement or other abilities.
For example, with a 3.0-second weapon speed, you stand still for 0.5 seconds to fire, then have 2.5 seconds to move or use abilities before your next Auto Shot. Haste effects reduce the time between Auto Shots proportionally.
Mana Management
Both Aimed Shot and Multi-Shot consume significant mana. While powerful, using them too frequently leads to excessive downtime for mana regeneration. On standard enemies, you may want to limit their use. Arcane Shot is also expensive, so use it when you have mana to spare rather than on every target.
Aspect of the Viper (learned at level 64) provides mana regeneration at the cost of damage output. Use this during mana-intensive periods.
Threat Management
Your damage output frequently exceeds your pet's ability to hold aggro. Several tools help manage this:
- Feign Death: Drops all threat when successful. Use this after burst damage from Aimed Shot or Multi-Shot to return aggro to your pet.
- Misdirection (Level 70): Transfers your threat to another target, usually your pet or a tank in dungeons.
Pet Selection and Management
Your pet serves as your personal tank while leveling, absorbing damage so you can deal damage from range. Choosing the right pet and keeping it healthy determines much of your leveling efficiency.
Recommended Leveling Pets
Owls
Excellent leveling companions due to their Screech ability. Screech generates high threat while applying a permanent Demoralizing Shout-equivalent debuff, reducing enemy damage. This combination helps your pet survive longer while maintaining aggro.
Ravagers
Strong damage-dealing pets that learn Gore. If you're planning to dungeon grind from 60-70, consider taming a Plagued Swine during pre-patch to learn Gore, then traveling to Azuremyst Isle to tame a Ravager Specimen. This avoids needing to detour to Hellfire Peninsula for a ravager later.
If you're solo questing, you can simply tame a ravager in Hellfire Peninsula or Blade's Edge Mountains. Consider waiting until level 63 to tame a Rip-Blade Ravager, which knows the maximum rank of Gore in TBC.
Pet Management Basics
- Mend Pet: This ability changed from a channeled spell to an instant cast in TBC. Monitor your pet's health and use Mend Pet when they drop to around 50% health or lower.
- Pet Feeding: Keep your pet fed to maintain loyalty and happiness. A happy pet deals more damage and generates more threat.
- Pet Deaths: With Improved Revive Pet talented, recovering from pet deaths becomes much faster. Still, preventing deaths through timely Mend Pet usage is preferable to resurrection.
Weapon Progression
Your ranged weapon matters a lot for your damage output. The following progression covers options for players who didn't obtain top-tier Classic raid weapons.
Weapons by Level Range
| Level | Weapon | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 19 | Venomstrike | Drops from Lord Serpentis in Wailing Caverns |
| 20 | Ranger Bow | World drop (random) |
| 33 | Quillshooter | Zone drop in Razorfen Downs (BoE, can be purchased from AH) |
| 37 | Bow of Searing Arrows | World drop |
| 45 | Verdant Keeper's Aim | Quest reward from "Corruption of Earth and Seed" in Desolace |
| 56 | Ancient Bone Bow | Drops from Lady Illucia Barov in Scholomance |
| 59-61 | Ironstar Repeater | Drops from Fel Orc Scavengers and Bonechewer Blood enemies in Hellfire Peninsula |
| 60-62 | Mag'har Bow | Quest reward from "Administering the Salve" in Hellfire Peninsula |
| 61-62 | Expedition Repeater / Legion Blunderbuss | Expedition Repeater from quest "Colossal Menace"; Legion Blunderbuss drops from Broggok in The Blood Furnace |
| 62-64 | Coilfang Needler | Drops from Rokmar the Crackler in The Slave Pens |
| 64-68 | Ethereal Warp-Bow | Drops from Nexus-Prince Shaffar in Mana-Tombs |
| 68-70 | Skyfire Hawk-Bow | Warbringer O'mrogg in The Shattered Halls |
| 68-70 | Wrathfire Hand-Cannon | Grandmaster Vorpil in Shadow Labyrinth |
| 68-70 | Melmorta's Twilight Longbow | Chrono Lord Deja in The Black Morass |
Leveling Approach
Solo Questing
Solo play with occasional dungeon runs for quests represents the traditional leveling experience. This approach gives you flexibility and allows you to progress at your own pace.
Marksmanship handles solo content adequately, though your pet will struggle more with threat compared to Beast Mastery. Use Feign Death liberally after burst damage to help your pet maintain control.
Dungeon Grinding
The 21/40/0 build works particularly well for dungeon grinding and AoE scenarios. Your boosted Multi-Shot through Barrage talents makes you valuable in group pulls.
In dungeon environments, your pet's threat struggles become less relevant since tanks handle enemy attention. This allows you to focus purely on damage output.
Professions for Leveling
For Solo Questers
Skinning + Herbalism or Mining: This combination generates income while leveling. Skinning provides leather that Leatherworkers need for pre-raid gear and leg enchants, and these materials sell well, especially early in the expansion. Herbalism or Mining gathers materials for consumables or other professions.
For Dungeon Grinders
Professions matter less when you're primarily running dungeons. The main consideration is Enchanting since if no one in your group can disenchant unneeded gear, having an Enchanter converts those items into valuable materials.
Long-Term Profession Consideration
Skinning pairs excellently with Hunter because Leatherworking produces several pre-raid Best in Slot items for the class. Leveling Skinning while you level your character builds a material stockpile for later Leatherworking progression.
First Aid: Required at max level due to Hunter's lack of self-healing. Learning First Aid early provides occasional utility while leveling and ensures you're prepared for level 70 content.
Consumables for Serious Leveling
Most players won't use potions and elixirs throughout their entire leveling journey. For those pushing maximum efficiency, particularly dungeon grinders, these consumables provide meaningful advantages:
- Elixir of the Mongoose: Primary Battle Elixir for Hunters seeking maximum damage output. Provides crit chance and agility.
- Mageblood Potion: Guardian Elixir that extends your mana pool, allowing longer combat sessions before needing to stop and regenerate.
- Major Mana Potion: Immediate mana restoration that prevents forced breaks in the leveling process. Useful for pushing through tough encounters or maintaining pace in dungeon runs.
Leveling Strategies and Tips
Hunter's Mark Usage
Make it a habit to apply Hunter's Mark while approaching your target. The ability has a 100-yard range, much longer than your attack abilities, so you can tag enemies with the debuff during your approach and ensure it's active before combat begins.
Understanding the Dead Zone
Hunters have a minimum range of 5 yards on ranged abilities and Auto Shot. Inside this range, you can't use your bow. This "dead zone" forces you into weaker melee combat when enemies get too close. Successful leveling involves maximizing ranged attacks before enemies enter this zone.
Kiting Basics
Kiting means moving between attacks to maintain distance from approaching enemies. Here's how it works with Hunter mechanics:
- Fire an Auto Shot (requires around 0.5 seconds of standing still)
- Immediately move backward during the Auto Shot downtime
- Stop and fire another Auto Shot when it's ready
- Repeat: Auto Shot, Move, Auto Shot, Move
During movement windows, you can also fire Serpent Sting, Arcane Shot, and other instant abilities without interrupting your kiting pattern.
Levels 1-10: Kiting is especially important before you get your pet since Hunters deal significantly less damage in melee than at range. Concussive Shot (available at level 8) helps slow enemies, giving you more ranged attacks before they reach you.
Advanced Technique: Melee Weaving
For players seeking maximum efficiency, melee weaving allows you to effectively fight multiple enemies simultaneously.
The Concept: Your melee auto attack and ranged Auto Shot have separate cooldowns that don't interfere with each other. You can attack one target with your bow, immediately melee attack a different target, then return to your bow without losing any Auto Shot opportunities.
Practical Application:
- Kite and shoot Boar 1 with Auto Shot until it enters your dead zone
- Use Raptor Strike on Boar 1
- Immediately switch to Boar 2 (still at range) and Auto Shot
- Switch back to Boar 1 and melee attack
- Return to Boar 2 for your next Auto Shot
- Continue alternating until Boar 1 dies
- Start shooting Boar 3 while finishing Boar 2 in melee
Trainer Visit Efficiency
You don't need to return to trainers every two levels for new ability ranks. Plan your trainer visits around the most important ability upgrades to minimize travel time. The key abilities and their rank-up levels are listed in the Abilities section above.
Level Milestones
Complete your class quest to obtain your first pet. Your leveling efficiency increases dramatically from this point forward.
Learn Aspect of the Cheetah for 30% movement speed. Activate this whenever you're traveling more than a few steps.
Mount becomes available. Saving gold for this purchase significantly improves travel efficiency.
Learn Steady Shot. This transforms your rotation from basic Auto Shot filler to an engaging ability priority system.
Learn Aspect of the Viper for mana regeneration during extended fights.
Learn Misdirection for threat control and complete your final ability ranks.
Wrapping Up
Marksmanship Hunter provides a viable leveling path in TBC Classic, particularly for players who enjoy dungeon content or prefer their own damage over pet reliance. While the early levels feel slow without Steady Shot, gameplay opens up significantly at level 62.
Beast Mastery is considered the superior leveling spec since your pet takes less damage, deals more damage, and holds threat more easily. If leveling speed is your only concern, Beast Mastery outperforms Marksmanship. But if you prefer the Marksmanship playstyle or plan to primarily level through dungeons, this spec will serve you well on your journey to 70.
For players continuing their journey after reaching level 70, check out our guides covering stat priorities, end-game rotations, and Best in Slot gear recommendations.