Imp Steady Shot vs Focused Aim
Derchlon — Sat, 10/10/2009 - 00:29
As I was mentioning earlier to the KB hunters, I'm starting to gain more of an appreciation for our Focused Aim talent (1% hit, plus pushback resistance per point).
The reason why I've decided to do this comparison with ISS(Improved Steady Shot), is due to the amount of hunters that pick up this talent. ISS is generally your lowest dps gain per talent point, than any of your other dps talents, and many hunters would rather not spend talent points on something you can just get from gear.
First lets look at ISS. The first point in ISS would give me 42.1 dps. The second point in ISS is less valuable than the first, coming in at just a 26.45 dps increase. The third and last point gains a meager 16.18% gain. Per point that a hunter invests in this talent, the less value the next point will be worth. Furthermore, the more frequently you have to move in a boss fight (most hardmode encounters), the less dps you'll gain from these ISS talent points, since you'll spend less time casting steady shot overall.
Next, lets consider Focused Aim. Per talent point of Focused Aim, you are gaining 1% to hit (or 32 hit rating comparitively). The dps value of hit rating, just going by my current numbers, is at 2.995 dps per point up to the hit cap of 8%. This gives the talent a 95.84 dps value per talent point so long as you remain at the hit cap without going over. However, most hunters worth their weight in a raid are already at the hit cap, so any points put into Focused Aim are wasted points. There are other options though, and that means gems!
If you are gemming for hit rating, then you are losing straight agility in most cases. The dps value for agility is 1.588 dps per point, coming to 31.76 dps per 20 agility gem. 2 points in ISS is worth 68.62 dps, but 2 points in Focused Aim gives you 64 itemization points, getting you close to 64 agility worth in gems (worth 101.64 dps total). The difference is 33.02 dps in favor of Focused Aim. Keep in mind, that the value of ISS drops even lower in movement fights, making the practical yield even higher.
If you can some how shed your hit rating down to 134 to get the full effect of a third point in Focused Aim, you then trade a total ISS dps value of 84.8 dps, for a total itemization value of 96 agility (assuming you have the hit gems to remove), for a total dps value of 152.448 dps. Your total from going from 3/3 ISS and 0/3 Focused Aim, to 0/3 ISS and 3/3 Focused Aim is 67.648 dps net gain.
I thought I should update
Derchlon — Fri, 03/19/2010 - 13:50I thought I should update this post with some tips on Armor Penetration in relation to Focused Aim.
The 32-96 itemization points you gain for grabbing 3/3 Focused Aim, once over the hump of about 800 ArP, will yield even higher dps value per point of Focused Aim than agility would. This should be a no brainer, but if you're trying to reach the hardcap, every little bit of ArP itemization helps. Until 1400 or so, that is.
Further testing by adding 10%
Derchlon — Sun, 10/11/2009 - 14:15Further testing by adding 10% to stats (approximate tier upgrade for all pieces as per Blizzard ptr test shirts), The value of Imp. Steady Shot does gain value, but with the value of agility/hit increasing as well, it would take a large amount of agility before ISS could overtake Focused Aim point for point. More agility than I think is obtainable in this expansion. By then, Cataclysm will revamp the hunter class so much, that you can't even start to speculate on if these talents will even stick around.
Keep in mind, the first point in Imp Steady Shot is still really competitive, but more than 1 is pushing it, unless you have no other place to put that talent point.
So, given that Focused Aim
Derchlon — Sat, 10/10/2009 - 01:19So, given that Focused Aim can outright beat ISS in dps value if you have the hit rating to drop, does that mean that the new practical hit cap for MM hunters is 134?
My numbers seem to point to yes, if you can find gear without hit rating on it.
On a personal note: I'd rather have a dps stat that scales with all my abilities than a dps talent whose value decreases based on your movement in a fight, even if they broke even in dps value for a stand still and nuke fight.
My own personal numbers, going from 3/3 ISS to 3/3 Focused Aim instead is a net gain of 126.17 dps Of course once Anub drops a belt for me, and valks drops some boots for me, the change is less valuable since I won't have as much hit rating to drop, and ISS will end up being the likely location for those points to go.
My advice is try it in the spreadsheet, and see what your numbers look like. You might find yourself surprised at your dps gain.