BM vs MM Hunter PVP: CC Options, Buff/Debuffs, and Pets

   Pet selection as a Hunter can be game changing, especially where it comes to PvP. Since Cata came out, I've maintained that a Hunter should be familiar enough with the buff/debuff system to know which pet will benefit a group best in any given situation. This is just as applicable to CC options as well.

Hunter CC Options

  There are a variety of CC's available to Hunters, so I'll group them together by type. I list duration (cooldown) in seconds. Spec specific abilities are in italics.

Disorient

Monkey - Bad Manners, 4(60)
Scatter Shot, 4(30)

Fear

Scare Beast, 20(0)

Knockback

Horn Toss, 0(90)

Slow

Crocolisk - Ankle Crack, 6(10)
Warp Stalker - Time Warp, 6(15)
Chimera - Frost Breath, 5(10)
Wing Clip, 10(0)
Concussive Shot, 4(5)
Ice Trap, 30(30)
Concussive Barrage - 4(0)

Incapacitate

Freezing Trap, 8(30)
Wyvern Sting, 8(60)

Controlled Stun

Bat -Sonic Blast, 2(60)
Wasp - Sting 2(45)
Intimidation, 2(60)
Shale Spider - Web Wrap, 3(45)

Root

Dog - Lock jaw, 4(40)
Crab - Pin, 4(40)
Spider - Web, 5(40)
Silithid - Venom Web Spray, 5(40)
Entrapment, 2/4(30)

Disarm

Scorpid - Clench, 10(60)
Bird of Prey - Snatch, 10(60)

Interrupt

Nether Ray - Nether Shock, 2(40)
Gorilla - Pummel, 2(30)
Moth - Serenity Dust, 4(60)
Silencing Shot, 3(20)

Hunter Buff/Debuff Options

  Buff and Debuff options can be easier to quantify, especially using Petopia's handy pet selection chart. Important to note is which debuffs will be on the target that you personally are shooting at, so use careful judgement and learn how other classes abilities work.

My BM Line Up

1. Shale Spider - Stun, Kings
2. Silithid - Root, Health
3. Devilsaur - 5% Crit, MS
4. Spirit Beast - Str/Agi, Spirit Mend
5. Spirit Beast - Str/Agi, Spirit Mend

  The Shale Spider as a tenacity pet gave me both Intervene and Roar of Sacrifice, making for a great flag defense pet. I just wanted to live long enough to get a second, maybe a third Explosive Trap on a flag to extend the cap prevention as long as possible. It also, along with Intimidation, gave me a stun for when a Priest Hymns or any healer tries to get a big heal in.

  The Silithid guaranteed a health buff in case there was no Priest, as well as having a Root, which is my preferred pet CC.

   The Crit buff is one that sometimes wasn't present in my RBG groups, and came with a focus free, automatic MS on my targets.

  The two Spirit Mends were a great boon to survivability in arena, less so in BG's, but still powerful enough to justify taking two slots.

My MM Line Up

1. Turtle - Shell Shield
2. Spider - Root
3. Wolf - 5% Crit
4. Bird of Prey - Disarm
5. Spider - Root

  In the first slot, I put my Turtle so that I still have a Tenacity pet for defensive purposes, though I'm feeling the lack of that stun. Gaining Silencing Shot more than makes up for it, though.

  Loosing the health buff in the second slot is not really a huge deal, but I do miss it.

  Loosing an MS in the third slot has caused me to start judiciously using Widow Venom.

  Loosing both Spirit Mends frees up two spots that I used to gain an extra Root and to try out Disarm. So far, I've found disarming DK's low on health to be clinch for getting a kill. Warriors I find a bit more difficult to time a disarm on, as I'm less familiar with the class, and Rogues I disarm ASAP, especially when they're on a healer.

  Other Hunters like crabs or dogs, but I find a spider's root to be much superior, since it's a ranged ability and lasts a second longer. I've also seen Hunters use monkeys to good effect, but since it has a long cooldown, breaks on damage, and I already have a Scatter Shot already, I find it risky and redundant.