20s DH Guide (Shadowlands)

Intro(vers)

I see you have decided to cast aside others' doubts & persevere through the meme:
#DHisBad@PvP...



Welcome! Let me show you how to put the "Emo" back into Demon Hunter.
The experience is unlike any other, and with time you will learn to dodge some of the pitfalls; but ultimately love, even relish in the Pain & Suffering that is your existence.

Demon Hunters excel at mobility not only through abilities such as https://www.wowhead.com/spell=344865/fel-rush, https://www.wowhead.com/spell=344866/vengeful-retreat, https://www.wowhead.com/spell=189110/infernal-strike & Havoc's https://www.wowhead.com/spell=191427/metamorphosis, but also the https://www.wowhead.com/spell=196055/double-jump + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=131347/glide combo. Hitting your jump button 4 times with properly timed intervals between each keystroke result in a higher movement speed than if you were to manually run your legs on the ground like some sort of peasant.

Couple the mobility with a good interrupting toolkit: https://www.wowhead.com/spell=183752/disrupt, https://www.wowhead.com/spell=344867/chaos-nova & https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205630/illidans-grasp as well as other control abilities such as https://www.wowhead.com/spell=278326/consume-magic and you got yourself a fun and engaging controller/brawler class.

Table of Contents:
Starting Out
Gearing
Talents
Combat
Conclusion & Discussion

 

First & Foremost: The Starting Campaign.

The most important factor here:

You will have to level to 20 before killing rares/progressing through the quests
if you want the best possible values on: https://www.wowhead.com/item=133580/brutargs-sword-tip & https://www.wowhead.com/item=128958/lekos-leash?bonus=6691
(except for the one rare mob we will farm to level up: https://www.wowhead.com/npc=97370/general-volroth. His torment shall be endless!)



The idea is to rush to this rare mob as soon as possible and camp his respawn for a few hours until you hit level 20. This is painful & boring, but you didn't roll DH because it's easy. You chose this. To suffer!
After hitting 20 you can progress through the quests and loot the rest of the gear from rares in the zone:
https://www.wowhead.com/item=128945/inquisitors-glowering-eye?bonus=6691
https://www.wowhead.com/item=128944/voras-silk-drape?bonus=6691
https://www.wowhead.com/item=128946/mardum-lord-signet?bonus=6691
https://www.wowhead.com/item=128948/nefarious-ring?bonus=6691
https://www.wowhead.com/item=133580/brutargs-sword-tip?bonus=6691
https://www.wowhead.com/item=128958/lekos-leash?bonus=6691

You can grab these two at any level:
https://www.wowhead.com/item=129195/vile-stalkerskin-pouch
https://www.wowhead.com/item=129192/inquisitors-menacing-eye

​

Upon completing the Starting Campaign you will be dropped off at the Stormwind City Gates & your Vanilla Hearthstone will be set there.

Side note: unlike all other classes, you will not have to do the Legion Introduction Campaign, as your entire Demon Hunter starting zone was supposed to be the Legion Introduction Campaign. Go to the Mage Quarter as directed by the remnant Campaign quest & click a few options to be ported to New Dalaran for your Legion Hearthstone.
Two Hearthstone in under 5 minutes!

 

Gearing

Vengance
Mastery doesn't provide a boost to Attack Power like it does for every other tank spec in the bracket. We simply strive for the mastery of Pain, i.e.: it provides a % of your AGI as extra armor when using https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203720/demon-spikes.

With Vengeance you want to aim for more sockets in your gear since mastery is far more situational when compared to Havoc (unless you have specific mitigation goals as FC). More sockets gives you the option to stack STAM via Steady Talasites for FCing or AGI via crafted epic gems for an offensive-minded playstyle.
AGI boosts your dodge % as well.

Secondary Stat priority for green BoEs is Aurora > Harmonious > Quickblade (in descending order)​

https://www.wowhead.com/item=27409/raven-heart-headdress?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE necklace [socket] / https://www.wowhead.com/item=39652/choker-of-the-betrayer?bonus=6691 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=32508/necklace-of-the-deep
https://www.wowhead.com/item=27737/moonglade-shoulders? / https://www.wowhead.com/item=27417/ravenwing-pauldrons?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE cloak [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=28202/moonglade-robe?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE bracers [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=24452/starlight-gauntlets?bonus=6710 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=24365/deft-handguards?bonus=6710
https://www.wowhead.com/item=28124/liars-cord?bonus=6710
https://www.wowhead.com/item=27492/moonchild-leggings?bonus=6710
https://www.wowhead.com/item=28178/spymistress-boots?bonus=6710 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=28339/boots-of-the-shifting-sands?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE ring [socket]
ilvl 28 green BoE ring [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=42341/figurine-ruby-hare / https://www.wowhead.com/item=74034/pit-fighter / https://www.wowhead.com/item=128958/lekos-leash?bonus=6691
https://www.wowhead.com/item=122371/inherited-insignia-of-the-alliance?bonus=0 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=122370/inherited-insignia-of-the-horde?bonus=0 / one of the above
https://www.wowhead.com/item=27846/claw-of-the-watcher?bonus=6710 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=160269/soulrending-claw?bonus=6516 [socket] / ilvl 25 green BoE weapon [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=27846/claw-of-the-watcher?bonus=6710 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=160269/soulrending-claw?bonus=6516 [socket] / ilvl 25 green BoE weapon [socket]​

Havoc
Mastery raises the Chaos Damage for https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198013/eye-beam & https://www.wowhead.com/spell=320413/chaos-strike, which is both burst & sustained damage; a good choice for stat investment despite having such a narrow benefit.

Havoc benefits from mastery more than Vengeance, so the loss of sockets is made up for by having the DPS boost from your secondary stats. Plus: you generally want more haste as Havoc because you will utilize lower GCDs more than Vengeance.

Secondary Stat priority for green BoEs is Harmonious > Peerless > Feverflare (in descending order)

https://www.wowhead.com/item=27409/raven-heart-headdress?bonus=6710 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=28348/moonglade-cowl?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE necklace [socket] / https://www.wowhead.com/item=39652/choker-of-the-betrayer?bonus=6691
https://www.wowhead.com/item=27737/moonglade-shoulders? / https://www.wowhead.com/item=27417/ravenwing-pauldrons?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE cloak [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=28202/moonglade-robe?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE bracers [socket]
ilvl 28 green BoE gloves [socket]
ilvl 28 green BoE belt [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=27492/moonchild-leggings?bonus=6710
ilvl 28 green BoE boots [socket]
ilvl 28 green BoE ring [socket]
ilvl 28 green BoE ring [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=128958/lekos-leash?bonus=6691 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=111530/giantstalkers-guile?bonus=6691 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=77530/ghost-iron-dragonling / https://www.wowhead.com/item=74034/pit-fighter / ilvl 28 green BoE trinket [socket]
https://www.wowhead.com/item=122371/inherited-insignia-of-the-alliance?bonus=0 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=122370/inherited-insignia-of-the-horde?bonus=0 / one of the above
ilvl 25 green BoE weapon [socket] / https://www.wowhead.com/item=160269/soulrending-claw?bonus=6516 [socket] / https://www.wowhead.com/item=11121/darkwater-talwar?bonus=6710 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=10847/dragons-call?bonus=6712
ilvl 25 green BoE weapon [socket] / https://www.wowhead.com/item=160269/soulrending-claw?bonus=6516 [socket] / https://www.wowhead.com/item=11121/darkwater-talwar?bonus=6710 / https://www.wowhead.com/item=10847/dragons-call?bonus=6712
​

These gear builds are not absolute, you can swap the sets for each specs, and still see it perform rather well. If you can't be bothered to farm TBC dungeons for the few blue BoP pieces that Havoc needs, you will be pleasantly surprised to find that even a full ilvl 28 green BoE set bought off the AH will not be far behind its dungeon counterpart (as long as you have a secondary stat focus).

 

Talents/PvP Talents

Vengance
Talents:
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207550/abyssal-strike
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207548/agonizing-flames
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade

PvP Talents:
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205625/cleansed-by-flame
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205626/everlasting-hunt
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205627/jagged-spikes
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205630/illidans-grasp
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207029/tormentor
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=211489/sigil-mastery
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205629/demonic-trample
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=213480/unending-hatred
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=356510/chaotic-imprint

Synergy Combinations:
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207550/abyssal-strike + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=211489/sigil-mastery for more common Sigils
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207548/agonizing-flames + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205625/cleansed-by-flame for Big Chad Immolation Aura
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207548/agonizing-flames + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205626/everlasting-hunt for some Movespeed
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207548/agonizing-flames + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205627/jagged-spikes for some Thorns Action
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205630/illidans-grasp for a small gap closer to pair with your grasp
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=213480/unending-hatred for Fury generation

I prefer to stick with https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade & https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205630/illidans-grasp as they are two highest impact talent choices available for Vengeance. The other combos are situational or are straight memes. Although I could see a case being made for https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207550/abyssal-strike & https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205630/illidans-grasp if you're a Fury management wiz.


Havoc
Talents:
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203550/blind-fury
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=206478/demonic-appetite
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade

PvP Talents:
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=205625/cleansed-by-flame
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=356510/chaotic-imprint
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=235893/demonic-origins
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=328725/mortal-dance
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=213480/unending-hatred

Synergy Combinations:
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203550/blind-fury + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=213480/unending-hatred for Fury generation
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=206478/demonic-appetite + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=328725/mortal-dance for more self heal soul fragments & a 25% mortal strike effect
https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=213480/unending-hatred for Fury generation

If you're looking for the two highest impact choices, i would have to say they are: https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade & https://www.wowhead.com/spell=328725/mortal-dance. Lots of specs have a mortal strike effect of some kind, so it's wise not to fall behind in that department if the ability is available to you.

 

Combat

Vengance
It may be tempting to open with https://www.wowhead.com/spell=189110/infernal-strike, but I find it is best used to chase runners. https://www.wowhead.com/spell=196055/double-jump + https://www.wowhead.com/spell=131347/glide followed by https://www.wowhead.com/spell=232893/felblade is a better choice for your opener because it builds some Fury for the fight you're starting.

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203783/shear is your builder ability, it generates 10 Fury per hit & rips a https://www.wowhead.com/spell=215393/lesser-soul-fragment from the target. These https://www.wowhead.com/spell=215393/lesser-soul-fragments (produced by the DH's https://www.wowhead.com/spell=204254/shattered-souls mechanic) heal you for 6% of all damage taken in the last 5 seconds when walked over, so be sure to have your graphical settings set to display them (or use your melee AoE https://www.wowhead.com/spell=228477/soul-cleave to pull the fragments to yourself). Whenever you kill a target they drop a normal sized https://www.wowhead.com/spell=204062/soul-fragment which will you heal you for a much more than their lesser counterparts (they can also be pulled with https://www.wowhead.com/spell=228477/soul-cleave). The https://www.wowhead.com/spell=204254/shattered-souls mechanic is very important to get used to and keep track of during combat to utilize your tankiness.

As long as we're on the topic of tankiness; https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203720/demon-spikes is your defensive ability which boosts your armor by a value relative to your AGI. The armor boost pairs well with the secondary effect of https://www.wowhead.com/spell=204021/fiery-brand, which despite being a pretty heavy hitting ranged ability suited for Killing Blows, is best used as an opener for the 40% reduced damage the target will do to you. If all that's not enough for you, pop a https://www.wowhead.com/spell=187827/metamorphosis for 50% more HP & 200% more armor. Not to mention your https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203513/demonic-wards are active at all times.

If taking hits isn't an option, spook 'em with the https://www.wowhead.com/spell=207684/sigil-of-misery.



Havoc
Unlike https://www.wowhead.com/spell=189110/infernal-strike with the Vengeance spec, Havoc's https://www.wowhead.com/spell=191427/metamorphosis is a great opener! The Demon Form increases haste by 25% & empowers your https://www.wowhead.com/spell=188499/blade-dance & https://www.wowhead.com/spell=162794/chaos-strike, but most importantly: it has a built-in gap closer & it dazes on impact. It's also really nice to have https://www.wowhead.com/spell=179057/chaos-nova for yet another AoE stun in this toolkit.

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=162243/demons-bite is your builder ability, it generates between 20 to 30 Fury, which you will need a lot of to spam your sustained DPS ability: https://www.wowhead.com/spell=162794/chaos-strike. Surprisingly, https://www.wowhead.com/spell=162794/chaos-strike has potential to be spammed (assuming you built up your Fury beforehand) for a short period of time if you get lucky enough, because it has a chance to refund half the Fury it costs.

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198589/blur is your Defensive 1min CD for Havoc. This DPS spec also has https://www.wowhead.com/spell=178940/shattered-souls, but it only grants normal-sized https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203981/soul-fragments upon killing blow. These Havoc https://www.wowhead.com/spell=203981/soul-fragments heal for 20% of max HP.

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198793/vengeful-retreat is generally there to get out of the thick of it if tanking damage or self-healing are not an option, but also pairs well with other abilities for control of the fight. https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198793/vengeful-retreat followed by a quick https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198013/eye-beam will allow you to catch your foe with the very tip of the beam, just be quick, otherwise your https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198793/vengeful-retreat takes you too far out for the beam to reach its target. Another good combo is the back & forth of https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198793/vengeful-retreat into https://www.wowhead.com/spell=195072/fel-rush with ample time between the two to allow whatever enemy's CD you're trying to dodge to expire.



Utility
Don't forget to use https://www.wowhead.com/spell=278326/consume-magic on any juicy buffs the foe might heavily rely on. https://www.wowhead.com/spell=183752/disrupt is your 3 second melee interrupt on a 15 second CD. Use https://www.wowhead.com/spell=185245/torment to keep stealth classes in combat.

 

Conclusion
[Under Construction - Pending Misc. Section]

I am going to periodically change/add things to this guide & edit format for easier digestion. Just wanted to get it out as there seems to be growing interest in the class.

I welcome any discussion, especially the kind that can improve it.

Happy Demon Hunting!

 

you're getting this pain and suffering thing down. you'll make a fine DH.

 

you loot them in BfA zones on a lvl 22 or lvl 23 farmer toon.

https://www.wowhead.com/item=27846/claw-of-the-watcher?bonus=6710 with two +3 gems = 9 AGI, 5 crit
ilvl 25 green BoE with one +3 gem = 6 AGI, 5 STAM, 6-7 secondaries

here's an example armory:
https://worldofwarcraft.com/en-us/character/us/kelthuzad/wargamehero

 

ah-ha! but if you press jump a 4th time you cancel the glide and propel yourself forward at falling speed.

 

https://www.wowhead.com/spell=320413/chaos-strike is used so often that it honestly justifies mastery. https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198013/eye-beam can be saved until you know your opponent has no interrupt.

Me mentioning haste was just an aside of how i feel about that particular secondary for the spec. A Peerless & Harmonious mix is perfectly viable without focusing on haste at all. Wasn't trying to claim Harmo & Peer had haste.

They pick them for the vers, as a leather armor brawler you want as much mitigation as you can juice out of your set, vers just so happens to also boost damage.

I'll add https://www.wowhead.com/item=160269/soulrending-claw?bonus=6516 to the list. Forgot about that one, thanks!
As far as WoD Apexis rares: haven't looked into it too much, was under the impression all socket & tert procs were gated behind the expansion level ceiling of 40.

Yeah, not sure how I missed the dazed part, must have just copy-pasted from WoWhead or something and forgot to alter for PvP. Thanks, changed it.

I have not had luck, and based on how cagey & bot-like the responses have been for me, I suspect it's not something a support grunt can just do on their own. I think our best bet is to convince the developers that whatever excuse the GM are giving us are incorrect by submitting bugs on PTR and on live servers.

They have claimed the two abilities in question are lvl 21 req, but that sounds like bullshit. I am going to make a leveling DH, pick Altrius and get to 21 to see if in fact we get those 2 abilities added to the skillbook. I suspect they don't which gives us a foot to stand on for demanding a fix. Avoiding the "just level through it" argument is easy if we're locked out of those skills until some later level grants them via rank 2 (level 33 for https://www.wowhead.com/spell=198589/blur)

I'll add this bit when I revisit the Combat Section. That's my least favorite layout right now, and I am desperately thinking of a way to motivate myself to edit it.

Appreciate your time & your dedication to DH. This is exactly the kind of engagement I was looking for.


Submit bugs, and hopefully we can get everyone's botched DH fixed in the future.

--- Double Post Merged, Sep 12, 2021, Original Post Date: Sep 12, 2021 ---

I will also add all these great findings when I revisit the Combat/Strategy Section. Thanks for your input, always appreciated.