Wind Serpents in Sunwell GuildsFollow

After reaching around 35% crit, I think that it does the same DPS as a ravager, and after that even more. It has been discussed a lot, try looking for a few of the threads.

To elaborate one what Yupply said about crit rating:

Lightning Breath does more damage than Gore. Both ravagers and WSs can learn Bite.

Lightning breath: 99 to 113 nature damage, with chance to crit.
Gore: 37 to 61 damage (74 to 122 when double damage procs). Single damage or Double damage can crit.

So it's pretty easy to see that Lightning breath is going to do more consistent damage. It has a 100% chance to do about 100 damage (assuming that it lands. Both LB and Gore have a ridiculously high miss rate). Gore has a 50% chance to do 37~61 and a 50% chance to do 74~122 damage. Gore's crits have the potential to be bigger, but it won't happen as often.

So... Why not take a wind serpent right away? Well, since it does less base damage than a ravager, the hunter needs enough crit to proc GFtT enough that Lightning breath can be spammed often enough to overcome that base DPS gap.

A lot of hunters won't take a Windserpent until they're up to 40% crit, but that's pretty easy in T5+ gear with raid buffs. Honestly, though the difference isn't significant enough that I would discourage using a Windserpent before 35% crit. If you like the way that wind serpents look (or you'd rather have a pet that eats fish), then by all means, take one!

And another nifty thing is that they eat Manna Biscuits!

Edited, May 30th 2008 5:18am by ProjectMidnight

Basically.

Lighting Breath
50 focus
Base damage - 106 (Avg)
Bonus from AP - 25 (1.25% of 2000 RAP)
Total Damage - 131 (Avg)
Damage Per Focus - 2.62

Gore
25 focus
Base damage - 79.5 (Avg)
Bonus from AP - 0
Total Damage - 79.5 (Avg)
Damage Per Focus - 3.18

Gore will be higher DPS until Gore is unable to keep up with the focus regen.
When you notice your focus bar always above 50% then you'll get a DPS increase switching to a Wind Serpent.

I remember something a couple of patches ago about pets without swimming animations getting them. 2.3 maybe...?

I switch between ravager/wind serpent.

I've been 100% SV for Sunwell, so I've been favoring the wind serp cause I crit like friggin crazy while raid-buffed. Pretty sure the choice between ravager/wind serpent won't make/break a SV hunter, but my recent personal bests in DPS have been while I had my wind serp.

Much <33333 to the white azerothian wind serps. <33333333333333 and moar.

I'd totally have one of these if it were possible, though. :(



Edited, Jun 10th 2008 1:31pm by Khielraen