Here are my baseline DPS test results for BM vs MM from a test that I did two weekends ago. The key word of that sentence is “my” results. My results are based on me; my gear at the time (4 pcs of T9 i232s), my talent trees, my rotations, etc. Again, it’s important to note that these results are only good for me and shouldn’t be taken as fact.
In order to get a baseline DPS measure, I followed the guidelines over at WHU which meant:
- Heroic test dummy – standing still and shooting.
- No trinkets used
- No bestial wrath
- No rapid fire
- No buffs of any kind except Aspect of the Dragonhawk
- DPS until mana runs out and it’s at that point that I recorded my DPS.
- Same pet used for both specs – Shakti, my lv 80 cat.
- Unfortunately, Call of the Wild was not turned off and definitely could have altered the results during some tests.
- I am also too cheap to glyph myself for a test so the MM spec was tested glyph-less while the BM spec was glyphed.
Warning: boring graph ahead!
| TEST | BM | MM |
| #1 | 3133 | 3500 |
| #2 | 3116 | 3160 |
| #3 | 2996 | 2868 |
| #4 | 3011 | 3100 |
| #5 | 2992 | 3160 |
| AVG | 3049 | 3157 |
The Results: A difference between the 2 for me: 108 DPS or less than 4%. Really nothing to get too excited about. Sure with raid buffs the difference would probably be bigger but no where near the 20% difference hype.
I’m not switching my primary spec to MM or anything but I will admit that I find it interesting to try something different with my main. It helps make those heroic dungeons that I’ve run so many times interesting again. I’m excited about the potential of changing my spec based on the raid composition.
Before I can actually count on it as a reliable alternative, I need more practice with the MM rotation. I need to learn the keybindings better so that it’s less of a free for all, buttons gone wild party. In a fight where movement was required, I’m sure that my BM dps would beat my MM dps. I also need to adjust my action bars so that the same spells are in the same place for both specs. I’ve come too close to pulling a group before the tank instead of placing a hunter’s mark on the skull target. And I better get some MM’s appropriate glyphs while I’m at it.
Another unexpected positive from this whole experience is having a Wolf to serve as my pet for MM because he’s not just any wolf. I can’t stand the horrible underbite and overbite fangs that the Northrend wolves have. I find them horrible to look at. Instead, I opted for a oldfashioned model. Wolfsy was the plainstalker I tamed in Mulgore, at level 10 or so, as part of the hunter taming questline. He’s always had a special place in my heart but somewhere along my travels, I freed him. Wolfsy is back with me now, with a new frost covered white coat of fur thanks to Northrend. Honestly, it brings me joy to have him by my side again. Maybe it’s just me but just because I’m not a full-time Beast Master Hunter, it doesn’t mean that my pet is not important.
So I hereby relinquish my claim on the name “Sellout” to those who may be interested!
DarthRegis
Brokentree
Chawa
Once you get your key bindings sorted, get some more practice with the rotation, and properly glyphed, I think you’ll find the gap between MM and BM a little bit more significant. I don’t think it’ll be the reported 20% difference… but maybe 10%.
It would be interesting to see you repeat the test in maybe two weeks with your MM spec and compare to your BM numbers here.
Your idea has merit but I’ve actually spent some EoFrosts and so my gear has changed. Plus, I’ve got other priorities over retesting my DPS again…
I guess I’m just not that much of a theroycrafter.
Excellent post, Chawa!
I think they key here is, are you going to place DPS above playstyle?
Yes, if you go with the MM playstyle, and if you gem and enchant and Glyph properly, as things stand now you will surely see more DPS than what you were previously generating.
But what did my last paragraph do? It placed things in terms of your character being nothing more than a generator of DPS.
The truth is, you bring a lot of things besides DPS to a group setting. Freezing Arrows for ranged trap placement (a lifesaver in many HoR pugs), a pet that will stay on a target no matter WHAT you’re doing, even if what you’re doing is running around like a chicken with your head cut off, that sort of thing.
You also bring a character in a game you enjoy playing. A character that means a lot to you. The reason you are most likely playing that character, and not a mage or priest or druid, is that there is something about her you really like. She is more than a generator of DPS, she is a person whom you have gifted with life.
The question has to be answered; are you in a situation where it is more important that you, personally, bring an extra 200 dps to a group, even if it means you no longer feel comfortable with, or happy with, how you play the game?
Also, here is something to think about on the boss fights you are trying to model.
Every time you have to move, you are losing part of your rotation. Your pet, on the other hand, stays in place dealing damage. Your pet can be specced to reduce the damage taken from AoE, and has passive Avoidance built in at awesome levels.
If you spec for a powerful pet… then even while you’re running around out of the fire, your pet is getting part of your job done.
Sure, on a level playing field, cold numbers can show you many things, can make it clear what your potential DPS would be in specific, ideal conditions.
When you apply that in the game environment, things can change drastically. Maybe in some fights, your pet will bring you on top.
Heresy, I know. There must always be a winner to make those who use that spec feel superior to those that don’t.
But here’s the personal part of the equation; if you change your spec to help your raid group, at the expense of what made that character fun for you, how long will you continue to enjoy playing with the group? What is the likelihood that you’ll become unhappy, and less inclined to raid?
Is the extra 200dps to your raid so important in the short term that they’d want to lose you as a player in the long term?
In many raiding guilds, the answer would be yes. You are just a generator of DPS. If you don’t do it the way they want, they’ll just dump you for someone that will.
But you’re not in an impersonal raiding guild. You’re in the Zug. And they love you.
I’m sure they’d want you to be happy.
Hola dear! Thanks for the comment – it’s so nice to see/hear from you again! I hope all is well!
Chawa will forever be more than just a dps generator in my mind, regardless of what spec she plays. Seriously, if you ever saw her in STV during the fishing tournament, you’d know!
My dappling in MM was definitely a result of my own wonderings because you’re absolutely right – the Zug loves me, no matter what spec I play with and no matter where I play on the DPS meters. If I disliked MM, the answer is easy – I wouldn’t play it. Enjoying my time in WoW, as causal as it is, is important.
Trying out MM has been more fun then expected – it was a challenge that I gave myself (since I had never played a different spec on Chawa before) and overall, has given me rewards that were much more valuable to me than additional DPS. In the end, DPS is just a number…
Your comment made me think about Chawa – I honestly don’t know how much BM played a role in my relationship towards her. I’d be a fool to say that taming Gondria (which was only possible due to my BM spec) wasn’t amazing but that was just one part of our history. It may sound silly but I honestly believe it was our journey together that is why she is so important to me.
I’m curious why you aren’t supposed to use Bestial Wrath in this test.
Given how short the cooldown is it’s up pretty often and is kind of an essential part of the BM arsenal.
Then again, I suppose you could say the same of Rapid Fire and MM.
Anyway, interesting experiment. Let me know if you want any glyphs. I think I know most of the hunter ones.
But as BBB said, pick the spec you enjoy.
And since all three hunter specs have their own group buff that we might not otherwise have in a 10-person group variety is good.
Again, it would be interesting to re-test in a blow all cooldown, maximum burst damage kind of test which part of me is curious to do… but as mentioned to Regis, I’ve been distracted by a new priority now.
I personally feel that enjoying your playstyle is a very important aspect of playing this game. I’m MM now because I happen to like it. In fact, I’ve been MM since back when I should have been SV if I wanted to “max-out” my DPS. If SV should magically come out tops again, I’d probably still stay MM.
Having said that, I also believe it’s important to try things out before you decide you don’t like them. So, yeah, try out MM or even SV, then go back to BM if you really don’t like em. They’ll still be around if you want to come back around later.
Thanks for the comment! Since I’ve given MM a shot I have to say that I do enjoy doing something different then BM, especially while running heroics. It’s fresh and new! I still enjoy BM and for raids, since we already have a Surv and a MM hunter, I usually stick to BM to be different and (even if I do say so myself) I do it well!