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Survival is the Melee DPS specialization of the Hunter in WoW: Forever. This page summarizes its talent tree as it appears in the game client (build 1.60.1.70753); the role is the one stated by the Icy Veins guide for the specialization.
In our level-60 simulation (180 seconds on a stationary boss, raid buffs, best known gear), Survival Hunter ranks #20 of 20 DPS specs with 503 DPS. #1 is Affliction Warlock (907 DPS). A stationary boss does not tell everything: group utility and moving fights matter too.
Our simulator's build uses 51 points, split Marksmanship 20 / Survival 31. The talents that weigh the most in the simulation: Strider Kick, Expose Prey, Predator's Edge. Open this build in the talent calculator →
Without raid items, the best set the simulator finds gives 503 DPS, +0.0% against the set that includes raid items. Stat priority: Ranged Weapon Damage > Hit Chance > Critical Strike. Full gear and enchantments →
Opening: Melee swings with two weapons ; Raptor Strike on cooldown ; Mongoose Bite when Expose Prey opens it (the target carries Hunter's Mark): the hunter's own dodge does not happen against a tanked boss. Full rotation →
The top race in our simulation: Orc. All races of the class →
The first talent point comes at level 10, then one per level up to 51 at level 60. The guide gives the talent order step by step (derived from the level-60 build, not tested while leveling), the dungeons of each level band and the spec's best item in each. See the leveling →
Our dungeon finder shows, for every dungeon, the best item for this spec according to the simulator's stat weights. Best dungeon items →
Our level-60 simulator build (51 points), the one used for the ranking: talents, gear and rotation are on the ranking page.
Gear, rotation and damage by ability for this level-60 build: Hunter Survival →
The class's three trees, with the talents of the level-60 build (51 points) in colour and all the others in grey. The small number on the left of each row is the points you must have spent in the tree to reach it, and each talent's badge shows the points invested. This section is fixed: it does not move and does not depend on the calculator.
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Rank 5/5: While tracking Beasts, Demons, Dragonkin, Elementals, Giants, Humanoids, or Undead, all damage you deal to the tracked creature type is increased by 5%.
Rank 2/2: Increases the critical strike chance of all your melee abilities by 4%.
Rank 5/5: Increases your total Health by 10%.
Rank 3/3: Increases your hit chance by 3% and reduces the duration of movement impairing effects on you by 30%.
Rank 5/5: Increases your melee ability critical strike damage by 30% and your Off Hand weapon damage by 50%.
Rank 2/2: Reduces the Mana cost of your Trap and melee abilities by 60%, and grants your melee and ranged ability Critical Strikes a 100% chance to allow 50% of your Mana Regeneration to continue while casting for 30 sec.
Rank 2/2: Grants your melee and ranged attacks against enemies afflicted by Hunter's Mark a 10% chance to allow an activation of Mongoose Bite. Lasts 10 sec.
Rank 1/1: A powerful kick that deals 100% melee weapon damage and increases movement speed by 30% for 3 sec.
Rank 5/5: Increases your Agility by 15%.
Rank 1/1: Your Mongoose Bite also causes the target to Bleed for damage equal to 40% of the damage done by Mongoose Bite over 21 sec
Rank 3/3: Increases the range of your ranged weapons by 6 yards.
Rank 2/5: Gives your Concussive Shot a 8% chance to stun the target for 3 sec.
Rank 5/5: Increases your critical strike chance with all attacks by 5%.
Rank 5/5: Reduces the Mana cost of your Shots, Stings, and melee abilities by 15%.
Rank 5/5: Increases your Attack Power by 100% of your Intellect.
The first talent point comes at level 10, then one per level: 1 point at level 10, 11 at level 20, 21 at level 30, 31 at level 40, 41 at level 50 and 51 at level 60. A row of a tree opens for every 5 points spent in that tree.
Derived order: we computed it from our simulator's level-60 build, following the tree rules (rows, prerequisites) and taking at each point the talent the simulation values most. It was not tested while leveling a character: it is a starting point, not a proven leveling build, to be revisited with the released game's data.
Levels 1 to 9: no talent point yet, the first one comes at level 10.
Take: Lethal Attacks. See the tree at this step →
Take: Lethal Attacks ×4, Careful Aim ×5, Hawk Eye. See the tree at this step →
Take: Hawk Eye ×2, Improved Tracking ×5, Savage Strikes ×2, Improved Concussive Shot. See the tree at this step →
Take: Improved Concussive Shot, Efficiency ×5, Survivalist ×3, Surefooted. See the tree at this step →
Take: Surefooted ×2, Survivalist ×2, Predator's Edge ×5, Strider Kick. See the tree at this step →
Take: Expose Prey ×2, Resourcefulness ×2, Lightning Reflexes ×5, Lacerating Strikes. See the tree at this step →
51 points: Marksmanship 20 / Survival 31
The talents that weigh the most in the simulation: Strider Kick, Expose Prey, Predator's Edge.
See the full tree →The best set the simulator finds among the known dungeon and profession items, raid excluded: 503 DPS, +0.0% against the set that includes raid items (503 DPS).
Full gear, enchantments included →
Figures come from our simulator, not from players: they move with patches.
| Stat | DPS gained | Relative value | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hit per rating point | 0.747 | 4.15 | |
| Crit per rating point | 0.394 | 2.19 | |
| Agility per point | 0.342 | 1.9 | |
| Haste per rating point | 0.197 | 1.1 | |
| Strength per point | 0.197 | 1.09 | |
| Intellect per point | 0.197 | 1.09 | |
| Attack power per point | 0.18 | 1.0 | |
| Spirit per point | 0.0 | no effect |
Measured by the simulator on the character above: the DPS gained by one more point of each stat, with the same random draws on both sides. The relative value compares each stat with one point of attack power. Crit, hit and haste are counted per rating point, like Strength or Agility, so they compare directly; they respect the caps: hit at the cap adds nothing. A value near zero or negative is within the margin of error or tied to a limit (mana, cap).
DPS gained when points of each stat are added on top of the simulated gear. Click a stat (or its row in the table) to bring its curve forward; the ring marks the estimated cap, past which every point is worth less than 20% of what it gave at the start.
Our simulator's priority at level 60, set against what Icy Veins recommends. Their guides are written before launch, for level 30 and for leveling: we keep what everyone agrees on, adopt what the simulation confirmed at level 60 and say where the two differ.
The simulator plays Survival in melee with two weapons: Raptor Strike on cooldown, Mongoose Bite right after a target dodge, Strider Kick on cooldown, and the pet attacks continuously.
Skinning
Leatherworking guide The gear our optimizer picks for this specialization among the items known so far (dungeons, the few raid items already known and crafted gear, which can be bought or made for you: prices and materials are not taken into account), with item effects simulated. Nothing is hand-picked: it is the result of the ranking's computation, and it will change as new items are discovered.
Enchantments up to skill 300, valued by the simulator when they give flat stats or flat weapon damage. The character does not need the profession: they can be bought or applied by an enchanter; Leatherworking armor kits (chest, legs, feet, hands) and Engineering scopes are counted too. A kit and an enchantment share the same permanent slot: a piece carries one or the other, and the legs, which have no enchantment, get the kit; spell-proc enchants (Crusader, Fiery Weapon...) and school damage are not simulated. The client data has no ring enchantment up to skill 300.
Icy Veins guide dated 2026-11-03, read on September 21, 2026.
The three best of each category, measured by the simulator on the character above. Only one scroll and one elixir or flask can be worn at a time: each gain is the DPS this consumable brings alone, compared with an empty slot, the rest of the set unchanged. Gains in the same category therefore do not add up. The row marked with a dot is the one in the simulated set.
These are the deepest talents in the tree: they require 30 points already spent in the specialization. Official game text, at maximum rank.
Your Mongoose Bite also causes the target to Bleed for damage equal to 40% of the damage done by Mongoose Bite over 21 sec
Open Hunter in the talent calculator
Spend your 51 points, compare the three specializations and share your build by link.
Talent data comes from the game client. The level-60 build, gear, stats and rotation come from our simulator and are validated by DPS measurements; the rotation is compared with the Icy Veins guides, written before launch for level 30. Healing is not simulated. This data will change with future patches.
