I figure I’m in the minority here because I haven’t really seen anyone talk about it, but I can’t stand it. Having incredibly frequent but not rhythmically consistent double speed GCDs totally breaks the flow of the spec for me and it was enough for me to reroll.
Am I the only one?
Nah, you’re not alone in that. I don’t hate Precise Shots, but in effect it really is just a nerf to MM’s burst potential and damage dynamics, in that it went from potentially net positive to chain AiS/RF casts (if having a chance of reset) in the past to now being punished for ever skipping Precise, all without much increasing our frequency of Arcane/Multi Shots overall.
It’s a constraint. And while I like some constraints (such as playing around Collateral Damage on Arms, aligning damage CDs/windows that don’t naturally align on other classes, etc.), this one just seems to make the spec far more rote.
I feel similarly about the new Tip of the Spear, but at least its change in impact is far less invasive, since it holds up to 3 stacks, while nuPrecs holds only 1 (yes, effectively even with WQ, as it builds and spends two at a time).
Edit: Not sure whether title was edited later or I just missed the last two words outright.
Yeah, it feels a bit jank to me, too, even if it’s appreciable for bursting. I would rather have just had the Streamline mechanic reverted so we didn’t need the intervening precise shot, hastened or otherwise, though. And as long as we’re going to be dependent on it, I’d rather see Precise Shots adjusted at least to benefit Kill Shot innately (essentially baselining Headshot) and for any skill that simultaneously strikes 3+ targets to grant Trick Shots so that we could use Razor Fragments over Multi-shot.
From a pvp perspective I love it with the Precise Det, Shrapnel Shot, and Magnetic Gunpowder combo.
Save 1 or more Precise shot stacks, explosive shot to guarantee lock and load, Black Arrow or arcane (reduces CD by 2 sec), use LnL proc (reduce CD by 8 seconds), and then BA/AS (2 sec reduction, and now your next guaranteed LnL is 15 seconds away or even sooner if you consumed additional stacks. The reduced GCD on the spenders makes it possible to max reduction and detonate explosive shot in time while it also reduces the window in which you can stuff damage for a trap.
Basically gives us a new fun combo during traps when Trueshot isn’t available. Most fun I’ve had as Marks since they made us a hard caster.
None of that really matters in pvp.
I may be missing something about your post but the whole point I’m trying to make is before this patch the formula to beat Marks hunters in arena was simple. Big defensive CDs during Trueshot, save 1 single pseudointerrupt (incap etc) for double tap to prevent DT RF.
This created an easy formula to never lose to a marks hunter.
Now we have a less predictable way to dump 8-15mil+ damage inside of a single trap duration, and none of it requires an aimed shot cast during it because explosive shot guarantees that the next aimed will be instant cast. Soon as you get a deathblow proc you trap then Explosive, Black Arrow, Insta Aimed, Arcane (or BA if you proc deathblow) is all instant and will shred anything not using a defensive CD.
This is huge and allows a way to either capitalize on a stuffed DT, or force them to split this up and gain another opening with DT or TS.
I thought OP was talking about the new patch change that shaved off a half second of the GCD when consuming precise shots, not the Streamline overhaul in 11.1.
It does have to do with the precise shot GCD mechanic. What you are missing is that the longer GCD prior to the change made it so they could react to your predictable damage within the GCD that you are locked out of.
Now that’s less likely to occur because your GCD is so much lower without stacking haste and losing burst damage over it.
You are missing what he trying to say, in that in PvP it is a massive upgrade to playing MM. So much so that he loves it. As do I.
This is from a PvP perspective.
Hello?
Without the reduced GCD this isn’t possible. To be able to guarantee that a minimum of 3 hard hitting abilities that augment each other go off within .5 seconds is a game changer in PvP. I added additional details for a max damage combo for those who want to test it, but I won’t trim that because of your confusion.
It feels funky at first if you’re like me and repeatedly hit upcoming buttons until it goes off, but once you get the timing down the weaved reduced GCDs flow so good.
Yep, I misread earlier. Either I wrote my first reply before “GCD boost” was added or I just simply outright missed it (maybe from reading on a smaller screen). Wholey my bad.