Here is a general warning to new hunters thinking about going Marksman for raid content: Don't expect your spec to carry you. Just like the merciless fights of Archimonde, Illidari Council, and Sarth + Three Drakes, you have to be on top of your game to play MM well - one ability will not carry you to good DPS.
This spec isn't like Survival, where one shot+auto shot will comprise over half of your DPS, nor is it BC Beast Mastery, where a Steady Shot macro is your only keybind. MM requires you to be alert and focused - that shot rotation is your life's blood.
Today was not one of my better days in Naxx (it was a crappy run all around, despite it being one of our fastest). I was distracted by RL stresses, not to mention tired from studying, and lax in my playing. The difference in my DPS was staggering. I was at the bottom of the top ten DPS constantly - even second to last on Thaddius, barely above the tanks! It was embarressing and very much unlike me, but it goes to show how much even the slightest distraction can hurt a MM's rotation.
Unless you want to work, and work hard, for your DPS, don't go Marks. BM had its difficulty bumped with more emphasis on some shot weaving and even more pet realiance, so it's a good intermediate. I dislike Survival's heavy emphasis on Explosive Shot, but hey, if you want to trap dance, have fun with that. Otherwise, roll a mage. We hear magic is easy.
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The typical Marks rotation (afaik) is comprised of Chimera (after SS is on the mob), Aimed and Steady; with the added ease of never having to refresh serpent sting.
SV has Explosive, Aimed, Steady and Sting re-application as well as Lock and Load procs.
Not to suggest either is more "skillful", but it doesn't appear at first glance that MM should be any harder than SV to pull off; both require you to watch CDs and procs like a hawk.
@ Vakis - Marks is Chimera/Arcane/Aimed/Steady. You forgot one ^^
BM as of Tuesday appears to be needing more than just Steady/Arcane/Serpent to pull off well; BRK was using Multishots as well and I'm wondering if Aimed is a possibility. I say: bring it! Blizz has done great with making the hunter class as a whole a very interesting and deep class this time around.
I didn't necessarily say playing SV was easy - I just remarked on its reliance on one shot for the majority of its DPS, not unlike BC BM. Obviously skilled players do more than just spam that one shot.
And MM has ISS procs to watch and (ideally) use intelligently - it requires a LOT of on-the-fly math along the lines of "is it more DPS to hold off my rotation until Chimera's up and get the 20% on it, or to just plow through and use ISS on an Arcane", and stuff like that.
There's a LOT of snap decisions and on-the-fly rotation mutation that has to be done as MM to optimize. :P And that's why I love it.
@ Pike - Dammit I was stuck in "NEVER EVER USE ARCANE IS SHARES CD" mode from SV :P. Thanks for reminding me >.<
MM was certainly interesting to use for the short period I specced it @ 80, though the ISS decision was always an irritating one; it always proc'd when Chimera had just gone onto CD. Same as Lock and Load is clearly designed to only proc 0.5 seconds after you hit Explosive shot...
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