Havoc Demon Hunter DPS Guide - The War Within 11.1

Bill3/26/202517 min

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Welcome to the WoW The War Within Havoc guide. Here, we offer detailed insights into the best practices for playing the Havoc Demon Hunter in various situations. Additionally, we've included sections on cooldowns, procs, and helpful tips for both beginners and experienced players, all designed to help you maximize your DPS and enhance your overall gaming experience.

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Havoc Demon Hunter Overview

Havoc Demon Hunters revolve around a build-and-spend resource in Fury that needs to be managed around short burst cooldowns. This creates a fast-paced cycling rotation that tends to be GCD-locked regardless of what build you play. It also has several buff windows that need to be overlapped to get the most out of each of them. It comes with extremely strong mobility and as a Demon Hunter, it brings the Chaos Brand debuff to increase your group's magic damage.

Havoc Demon Hunter Strengths and Weaknesses

Strengths

  • Good on-demand burst AoE for Mythic+ situations, and can frontload damage at key moments to burn down priority targets.
  • Powerful single target with burst options, making it a flexible choice for Raids.
  • Access to a number of CC options.
  • Solid self-sustain to pair with the above.
  • Flexible, instant mobility allowing for great positioning control.
  • Strong passive and active defense, making it very durable.
  • Good group utility and provides Chaos Brand.

Weaknesses

  • Requires good planning around buff management windows, and needs uptime to cycle through cooldowns efficiently.
  • Best performance is very fast paced and requires heavy movement talents.
  • Some RNG is built into the resource system.
  • Movement related talent options can be dangerous in some encounters.
  • AoE is tied to cooldowns, requiring planning around key windows.

Havoc Demon Hunter Basic Gameplay

Havoc comes with a tight core ability package that gives it an easy pick-up-and-play aspect that is simple to understand. This core is greatly expanded through the talent tree, and build diversity adds a surprising amount of depth. Havoc's main goal is to generate Fury via effects such as Demon Blades and Felblade, and spend it on Chaos Strike and Blade Dance as much as possible. It also has access to Metamorphosis, transforming you into your Demon form to empower these abilities and gain additional Haste.

Alongside that, it also uses mid-range cooldowns such as Eye Beam to deal high damage and trigger short burst windows, such as the Demonic effect to activate Metamorphosis more frequently. It aims to weave these windows in between its regular Fury management to deal large bursts of damage at key moments, so it rewards both GCD management and cooldown planning while staying active on targets.

Havoc also comes with extremely potent mobility tools in Fel Rush & and Vengeful Retreat, allowing you to reposition yourself around the battlefield quickly to stick to your target or avoid dangerous mechanics. Some builds also make use of these for damage, giving it a unique feel when navigating different encounters. There are, however, more traditional static builds that make the spec more approachable and flexible if this sounds overwhelming.

Havoc Demon Hunter 11.1 Changes

Patch 11.1 introduces several key changes that significantly impact the spec, enhancing the core of Aldrachi Reaver and making it competitive with Fel-Scarred. Some long-standing issues have also been addressed, making this an exciting patch for many players. Key takeaways include:

  • Baseline abilities have been buffed to improve hero tree balance and compensate for certain talent changes.
  • Movement talents—particularly Inertia—have been reworked to interact with Felblade, eliminating the need to use Fel Rush for damage. Cycle of Hatred now consistently reduces the cooldown of Eye Beam.
  • Wounded Quarry has been redesigned into a powerful funnel debuff that greatly enhances Havoc's priority damage to the Reaver's Mark target during AoE.

These changes streamline movement-for-damage mechanics, addressing one of Havoc's longstanding issues while also making Eye Beam cooldown cycles more consistent.

With these adjustments, both hero talents can better shine in their respective damage windows. Aldrachi Reaver now synergizes more effectively with Screaming Brutality to support Throw Glaive talents. Meanwhile, Wounded Quarry  has a major impact on AoE damage, giving it a more defined niche in group compositions. Fel-Scarred also benefits from the increased frequency of Demonsurge via Cycle of Hatred, though some awkward interactions remain.

Havoc Demon Hunter Leveling Guide for The War Within

Havoc Demon Hunter Leveling Playstyle

Havoc Demon Hunter excels at dealing massive frontloaded AoE burst while leveling, making it ideal for pulling large groups of enemies and quickly eliminating them. With excellent self-sustain, you generally do not need to worry much about how many enemies you engage at once. This strong AoE toolkit also makes Havoc well suited for dungeons, though queue times may be faster if you switch to Vengeance to tank.

Gear Options

While leveling, always prioritize equipping the gear with the highest item level. Since gear is frequently replaced during the leveling process, secondary stats are not a major concern—just equip the best available items as you progress.

Havoc Demon Hunter DPS Spec, Builds, and Talents

Havoc Demon Hunter Single Target Build
Raid / Single Target - Aldrachi Reaver
Havoc Demon Hunter Mythic+ Build
AoE / Mythic+ - Aldrachi Reaver
Havoc Demon Hunter Delves Build
Delves - Fel-Scarred

© Wowhead


Copy the Havoc DH talents, paste them into the game.

Raid / Single Target - Aldrachi Reaver

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AoE / Mythic+ - Aldrachi Reaver

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Delves - Fel-Scarred

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PvP Talents (War Mode)

War Mode is an optional feature that enables open-world PvP encounters while providing several benefits:

  • Grants access to PvP talents in the open world.
  • Increases World Quest rewards by 10% at max level.
  • Boosts experience gain by 10% while leveling.
  • Allows you to earn Conquest Points, which can be used to obtain gear weekly.

Due to these benefits, enabling War Mode is recommended for leveling and maximizing rewards at max level. However, activating it also makes you vulnerable to open-world PvP, so be prepared for potential encounters with hostile players. Deciding whether the benefits outweigh the risks is up to you.

Best Hero Talents for Havoc Demon Hunter in The War Within

Raiding Hero Talents for Havoc Demon Hunter

Currently, the recommended choice for raid content is Aldrachi Reaver. While Fel-Scarred is easier to execute, it falls behind in single-target performance.

Aldrachi Reaver excels in single-target encounters, offers some free cleave, and improves priority target damage. However, it requires better execution due to its more complex ability management and can be punished by frequent target swapping. It also provides additional defensive benefits through Army Unto Oneself or Incorruptible Spirit.

Fel-Scarred, on the other hand, offers stronger burst AoE and more impactful cooldown windows due to Metamorphosis empowerments. It is less affected by downtime, but its overall throughput is not high enough to make it the preferred option outside of personal preference.

Mythic+ Hero Talents for Havoc Demon Hunter

The current recommendation for Hero Talents in Mythic+ is Aldrachi Reaver due to its exceptionally strong priority damage. However, Fel-Scarred remains viable with competitive builds.

Aldrachi Reaver stands out primarily because of Wounded Quarry, which provides a significant funnel effect to priority targets through Reaver's Mark. It also shares many of the same AoE tools as Fel-Scarred, making it the superior choice overall despite being punished by frequent target swapping. Additionally, it offers much better active defense through Army Unto Oneself or Incorruptible Spirit.

Fel-Scarred excels in delivering massive frontloaded burst AoE around its Eye Beam and Metamorphosis casts. By utilizing Cycle of Hatred, it can achieve 20-second burst cycles, making it highly effective at the start of each pull. It also maintains relevant single-target damage through Burning Blades. Unlike Aldrachi Reaver, it allows for easier target swapping without setup requirements, making it a solid choice if execution is a concern.

Havoc Demon Hunter DPS Stat Priority

The Basics of Stats for Havoc Demon Hunter

Havoc Demon Hunter has slightly different stat priorities depending on your Hero Talent selection, but they do not differ significantly enough that you need different gearsets to play them.

Aldrachi Reaver Havoc Demon Hunter Stat Priority

While playing Aldrachi Reaver, the recommended stat priority is:

  1. Critical Strike
  2. Mastery
  3. Haste
  4. Versatility
  5. Agility

Know Your Enemy keeps Critical Strike as the top priority due to the additional multiplier it provides, especially when combined with proc effects. Mastery follows closely behind as it enhances your strongest abilities, making it the second-best stat to focus on.

Haste is slightly lower in priority because it does not reduce the cooldown of key abilities like Essence Break and Eye Beam. Additionally, the extended time spent in Metamorphosis limits its overall impact. Since there is no strong synergy with other multipliers in the kit, it falls behind Critical Strike and Mastery.

Versatility is lower in value than the top two stats but still performs better than Haste due to its limited interaction with the AoE build’s toolkit.

Fel-Scarred Havoc Demon Hunter Stat Priority

While playing Fel-Scarred, the recommended stat priority is:

  1. Critical Strike = Mastery
  2. Versatility
  3. Haste
  4. Agility

Know Your Enemy makes Critical Strike a key stat due to its additional multiplier and synergy with proc effects. Mastery is equally valuable because of the high amount of Chaos damage dealt by Fel-Scarred, making these two stats the primary focus.

Versatility follows closely behind, offering a flat damage increase that holds similar value to Agility.

Haste is the lowest priority for Fel-Scarred since it does not reduce the cooldown of key abilities. Additionally, the extended time spent in Metamorphosis naturally provides extra Haste, reducing its overall importance.

Diminishing Returns on Stats

Every stat has a threshold where it provides diminishing returns, meaning each additional point offers less value. Once you reach these limits, stats become progressively less effective and may fall behind other options. The current breakpoints are:

  • 21,000 Critical Strike Rating
  • 19,800 Haste Rating
  • 23,400 Versatility Rating
  • 21,000 Mastery Rating

With the higher item levels available this season, there is a risk of reaching these diminishing return points on at least two stats. Keep these breakpoints in mind if your simulation results seem unusual.

Havoc Demon Hunter DPS Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities

Havoc Demon Hunter Single Target Rotation

Havoc's single-target rotation is very closely linked to its build-and-spend Fury loop. This uses generation tools to fuel Blade Dance on cooldown and spend excess on Chaos Strike while also using its cooldowns.

  1. Cast Death Sweep during the Essence Break debuff.
  2. Cast Annihilation during the Essence Break debuff.
  3. Cast Reaver's Glaive.
  4. Cast Felblade with Inertia active to trigger it.
  5. Cast Vengeful Retreat to trigger Initiative and Inertia.
  6. Cast The Hunt to trigger Inertia.
  7. Cast Essence Break with Metamorphosis active.
  8. Cast Death Sweep.
  9. Cast Sigil of Spite to generate Souls.
  10. Cast Eye Beam.
  11. Cast Metamorphosis if Eye Beam and Death Sweep are on cooldown.
  12. Cast Blade Dance.
  13. Cast Annihilation.
  14. Cast Felblade if under 80 Fury.
  15. Cast Sigil of Flame if under 90 Fury.
  16. Cast Chaos Strike.
  17. Cast Immolation Aura.
  18. Cast Throw Glaive or Fel Rush to fill.

Opener for Havoc Demon Hunter

  1. Cast Immolation Aura 2 seconds before the pull.
  2. Cast Sigil of Flame 1 second before the pull.
  3. Cast The Hunt.
  4. Cast Reaver's Glaive.
  5. Cast Eye Beam.
  6. Cast Felblade to trigger Inertia.
  7. Cast Annihilation to apply  Reaver's Mark and consume Inner Demon.
  8. Cast Essence Break.
  9. Cast Death Sweep.
  10. Cast Vengeful Retreat and immediately cast Metamorphosis.
  11. Cast Death Sweep.
  12. Cast Annihilation twice.
  13. Cast Felblade to refresh Inertia.
  14. Cast Sigil of Spite.
  15. Cast Eye Beam.
  16. Cast Death Sweep.
  17. Continue with the normal priority list.

Havoc Demon Hunter AoE Rotation

  1. Cast Death Sweep during the Essence Break debuff.
  2. Cast Annihilation during the Essence Break debuff.
  3. Cast Reaver's Glaive - Click for Rules.
  4. Cast Fel Rush / Felblade with Inertia active to trigger it - Click for Notes.
  5. Cast Immolation Aura if at 2 charges.
  6. Cast Vengeful Retreat to trigger Initiative and Inertia.
  7. Cast The Hunt and Inertia.
  8. Cast Immolation Aura.
  9. Cast Essence Break with Metamorphosis active.
  10. Cast Death Sweep.
  11. Cast Sigil of Spite to generate Souls.
  12. Cast Eye Beam.
  13. Cast Metamorphosis if Eye Beam and Death Sweep are on cooldown.
  14. Cast Blade Dance.
  15. Cast Annihilation.
  16. Cast Sigil of Flame if under 90 Fury.
  17. Cast Felblade if under 80 Fury.
  18. Cast Chaos Strike.
  19. Cast Throw Glaive or Fel Rush to fill.

Havoc Demon Hunter Mechanics Deep Dive

Fury Management

With Havoc being so reliant on its resources, it is important to identify situations where you need to aggressively spend Fury versus what your expected generation rate is. Your main goal is to avoid any waste due to overcapping with a generation tool, which often means your spending breakpoint is roughly 90 Fury. This is due to the volatile nature of Demon Blades paired with the generation from Felblade being 40. Your rotation will also be adjusted around Chaos Strike casts that grant a 20 Fury refund, as it may shift your upcoming plans when they trigger.

Some basic rules to follow when it comes to thinking about how your Fury management plays out in practice are:

  • Cast Chaos Strike / Annihilation as frequently as possible unless pooling for burst windows.
  • Cast Felblade as frequently as possible, as long as you are below 80 Fury, as your active generation tool.
  • Cast Sigil of Flame as a backup generation tool if you fall behind on Fury.
  • Wait and allow Demon Blades to generate Fury again to continue the cycle, or collect any Demonic Appetite orbs.
  • Cast Throw Glaive or Fel Rush if out of range of any targets or during empty globals.

Essence Break

Essence Break is an additional high-value damage window, but it only lasts for 4 seconds, so all of your setup needs to be done before casting it. You always want to be in Metamorphosis form when activating this, ideally via Demonic , due to the benefits of layering it with Chaotic Transformation to get two Death Sweep casts during it. Starting already in Demon form, your goal with each cast should be:

Depending on your Haste and whether you are affected by Bloodlust, this can be extremely tight to fit in, but is absolutely worth the payoff. In AoE situations, you instead only need to fit in as many Death Sweep casts as the above shows, ignoring the Annihilation recommendations.

Immolation Aura

Immolation Aura has a full section of the tree on the right side dedicated to improving it:

  • Burning Hatred — generates an additional 24 Fury over 6 seconds when cast.
  • Growing Inferno — deals 10% increased damage each time it ticks.
  • Burning Wound — causes Demon Blades and Throw Glaive to apply a 15-second DoT that deals Chaos damage. Targets affected by this take 40% increased damage from Immolation Aura, but only 3 wounds can be active at once.
  • Ragefire — 30% of damage dealt by up to 3 Critical Strikes of Immolation Aura is accumulated as Ragefire. When it expires, you explode, dealing damage equal to the stored amount to nearby enemies.

This forms a strong core in AoE that pairs with the talent discussed below, A Fire Inside, that is cast as frequently as possible. Screaming Brutality should also naturally apply the maximum number of Burning Wound  effects in AoE, but if you are not playing this, you may need to tab-target to make full use of it.

Ragefire is a key mechanic to be aware of, and tracking when each instance of Immolation Aura is expiring is very helpful due to the amount of damage the talent often accumulates. You need to be aware of your positioning leading up to this moment and avoid using movement tools, or risk the detonation exploding into thin air.

Fel Barrage

While generally a weaker option, this requires specific gameplay setups if it is played. Fel Barrage is an extremely potent AoE burst cooldown but drains a significant amount of Fury every second while active. To get a full-duration cast off and maximize its long cooldown, you need to generate a total of 256 Fury to break even from start to finish, meaning that it is generally required to pool to achieve this.

Before casting, make sure you have all of your maintenance buffs prepared (particularly Inertia and Initiative) and avoid spending excess Fury while it is active. Active generation tools such as Felblade and Sigil of Flame take priority during the Fury drain, especially if you fall behind. This also extends to refilling via Blind Fury if taken.

Havoc Demon Hunter Major Cooldowns

Metamorphosis

Havoc's major cooldown is Metamorphosis, a 3-minute cooldown (reduced to 2 minutes with Rush of Chaos) that lasts for 20 seconds and stuns targets at your location after casting. While transformed, it confers the following benefits:

With Chaotic Transformation, the cooldowns of Blade Dance and Eye Beam are reset.

While this is active, Havoc deals significantly more damage and is usually flooded with additional resources to fuel these stronger casts. You should aim to enter with as much Fury as you can and leave with as little as possible. Try to plan these uses so you can keep it on cooldown, as it provides a lot of damage. While playing with Chaotic Transformation, you should make absolutely sure that both Blade Dance and Eye Beam are on cooldown before pressing it. You can also use the leap from casting it to cancel the Vengeful Retreat animation and stick to a target.

Eye Beam

While Eye Beam has a shorter 40-second cooldown, it is still a powerful ability that significantly contributes to Havoc's damage profile. It has a variety of effects bolted onto it, making it a priority cast both in single-target and especially AoE situations. Some key details include:

  • Deals heavy Chaos damage over the duration, but you cannot move while channeling;
  • With  Looks Can Kill — always Critically Strikes;
  • With Demonic — grants 5 seconds of Metamorphosis;
  • With Collective Anguish — causes an allied demon hunter to spawn and cast Fel Devastation, healing you based on damage dealt;
  • With Blind Fury — generates a large amount of Fury while channeling;
  • With Isolated Prey — causes it to deal 30% increased damage if it only hits a single target;
  • With Furious Gaze — grants 10% Haste for 10 seconds after completing the channel.

You should aim to cast this as frequently as possible both for the damage it provides and especially for the Demonic triggers. Only hold it in a single-target situation, but expect adds to spawn before it is ready again. Also, make sure to have it on cooldown before casting Metamorphosis, as its cooldown is reset by Chaotic Transformation.

The Hunt

While The Hunt has a 1.5-minute cooldown, it is less of a high-impact effect and more of a large amount of direct damage. This charges your target after a brief 0.5-second cast and deals heavy Chaos damage when you arrive, applying a DoT for 6 seconds to your target and up to 5 enemies you pass through. Additionally, it applies a debuff for 20 seconds that causes you to heal for 10% of damage dealt to the target affected.

This is generally cast on cooldown as a large burst moment, aiming to overlap it with adds if possible. There is a small grace period after arriving where your hitbox remains active and will apply the debuff if it has not already hit 5 targets.

When playing Aldrachi Reaver, it is also an activator for Reaver's Glaive. This means it can be used to quickly set up your Hero Talent mechanics on a pull or when you need immediate access to extra burst damage.

Havoc Demon Hunter DPS Gems and Consumables

Best Gems for Havoc Demon Hunter

It is highly recommended to simulate your character for gems, as individual gear pieces significantly impact gem choices. Since our stats are similar across both Hero Talent trees and content types, we follow a one-size-fits-all approach:

Best Flask for Havoc Demon Hunter in The War Within

There are two main options for your flask choice, depending on the situation:

You can also obtain a flask of your choice from Algari Flask Cauldrons provided by Alchemists.

Best Potion for Havoc Demon Hunter in The War Within

Tempered Potion is your potion of choice and should be used alongside your major cooldowns and Bloodlust or Heroism. You can also obtain a Fleeting Tempered Potion from an Algari Potion Cauldron provided by Alchemists.

Algari Healing Potion is the best current healing potion. It has a 5-minute cooldown, but multiple can be consumed in an extended boss fight if it lasts long enough. Additionally, Warlock's Healthstones do not share a cooldown with other healing consumables, so remember to use them if available!

Best Food for Havoc Demon Hunter in The War Within

Since Critical Strike and Mastery are exceptionally strong, you should prioritize secondary food as long as either is your highest stat. The The Sushi Special feast or any of the following personal food options—Outsider's Provisions, Beledar's Bounty, Jester's Board, or Empress' Farewell—provides these beneficial stats.

Weapon Enhancement Consumables for Havoc Demon Hunter

Your preferred weapon enhancement consumable is Algari Mana Oil, as it provides additional Critical Strike and Haste, making it more beneficial than the attack power from Ironclaw Whetstone.

Augment Runes for Havoc Demon Hunter

Additionally, if you can afford it, you should use Crystallized Augment Runes to boost your primary stat. These runes are expensive and disappear on death, so use them wisely!

Best Enchants for Havoc Demon Hunter

Slot Enchantment
Necklace Magnificent Jeweler's Setting (adds up to 2 sockets to a Ring or Neck)
Main Hand Enchant Weapon - Stonebound Artistry
Off Hand

Enchant Weapon - Council's Guile

Enchant Weapon - Authority of the Depths
Chest Enchant Chest - Crystalline Radiance
Bracers Enchant Bracer - Chant of Armored Avoidance
Legs Stormbound Armor Kit
Boots

Enchant Boots - Defender's March (Stamina)

Enchant Boots - Scout's March (Movement Speed)
Rings Enchant Ring - Radiant Critical Strike
Cloak

Enchant Cloak - Chant of Winged Grace

Havoc Demon Hunter Gear and Best in Slot

This section will cover everything you need to know about equipping your character correctly.

BiS Gear for Havoc Demon Hunter

Slot Item Source
Helm Fel-Dealer's Visor (678) One-Armed Bandit / Matrix Catalyst / Great Vault
Neck Undermine Merc's Dog Tags (678) Trash Drop — Liberation of Undermine
Shoulder Fel-Dealer's Recycled Reavers (678) Rik Reverb / Matrix Catalyst / Great Vault
Cloak Chef Chewie's Towel (678) Great Vault / Cinderbrew Meadery
Chest Fel-Dealer's Soul Engine (678) Sprocketmonger Lockenstock / Matrix Catalyst / Great Vault
Bracers Rune-Branded Armbands (678) Crafted — Leatherworking
Gloves Tempestwind Handlers (678) Great Vault / The Rookery
Belt Fel-Dealer's Waistwrap (678) Matrix Catalyst
Legs Fel-Dealer's Fur Kilt (678) Stix Bunkjunker / Matrix Catalyst / Great Vault
Boots Rushed Beta Launchers (678) Sprocketmonger Lockenstock — Liberation of Undermine
Ring #1 The Jastor Diamond (678) Chrome King Gallywix — Liberation of Undermine
Ring #2 Miniature Roulette Wheel (678) One-Armed Bandit — Liberation of Undermine
Trinket #1 Eye of Kezan (678) Chrome King Gallywix — Liberation of Undermine
Trinket #2 Improvised Seaforium Pacemaker (678) Great Vault / Operation: Floodgate
Main Hand Capo's Molten Knuckles (678) Mug'Zee — Liberation of Undermine 
Off Hand Everforged Warglaive (675) Crafted — Blacksmithing

Raiding Trinket Tier List for Havoc Demon Hunter

This Trinket Tier List primarily focuses on single-target throughput, as raid encounters are largely determined by boss damage. With Havoc favoring Aldrachi Reaver this season, the priority is selecting trinkets that provide high-value stat boosts. On-use options that enhance Metamorphosis burst are also beneficial, especially if experimenting with Fel-Scarred.

S-Tier

A-Tier

B-Tier

Mythic+ Trinket Tier List for Havoc Demon Hunter

This Trinket Tier List takes a broader approach, prioritizing trinkets that offer flexibility and consistent value without requiring specific conditions. Since Mythic+ encounters are more dynamic, general-use trinkets are preferred over highly specialized options. In general, simple stat trinkets that require minimal management are recommended unless a more complex option provides significantly better performance.

S-Tier

A-Tier

B-Tier

Best Crafted Items for Havoc Demon Hunter

Crafted gear for Havoc in The War Within Season 2 offers a few valuable embellishments, with one standout choice—Darkmoon Sigil: Ascension. Additionally, the Nerubian enchant can be paired with Writhing Armor Banding for extra effectiveness.

For optimal performance, you should simulate the best stats for your character, but Critical Strike and Mastery are likely the best options when using an Algari Missive of the Peerless.

Best Crafting Order for Havoc Demon Hunter

First, craft the weapon Everforged Warglaive with a Darkmoon Sigil: Ascension applied.

Next, craft an off-piece and apply Writhing Armor Banding to double the effect. Any piece will work, but Rune-Branded Grasps provide better stats than other top options.

Alternatively, you can use Dawnthread Lining for passive Critical Strike, which performs slightly better in ideal gear setups and does not require investing in a weapon.

After completing priority crafts and embellishments, use simulations to determine the best piece to upgrade for item level. Rings and Necks are generally strong choices, as they are highly contested among other classes.

Crafting a high item-level weapon early in the season offers great value, though it is not the strongest option in fully optimized gear setups. If you acquire good weapons early—especially Capo's Molten Knuckles—you may instead pivot toward crafting Dawnthread Lining on off-pieces.

Any Agility one-handed weapon can be crafted, including Everforged Warglaive, Charged Slicer, Charged Facesmasher, or Everforged Longsword. The choice is purely cosmetic and does not affect performance.

Best Gear Upgrades for Havoc Demon Hunter

As you complete endgame content in The War Within, you will gather upgrade crests such as Gilded Undermine Crest that can be used to upgrade your items. Once you have upgraded a slot to a particular item level, any other item in that slot can be upgraded without a Crest cost.

Since Crests are a limited resource and capped early in the season, it is ideal to obtain the highest possible item-level before committing any crests to upgrades. This will save you upgrades in the long run. If you're able to complete higher Mythic+ dungeons, it is generally best to wait until you have the slot maxed out with free upgrades first.

Below is a general slot priority for upgrading your items:

  1. Weapons
  2. Trinkets
  3. Helm/Chest/Legs
  4. Shoulders/Gloves/Belt/Boots
  5. Rings and Necks
  6. Cloaks and Bracers

Note that exceptions are possible, such as special items that have additional procs attached to them, like The Jastor Diamond.

The War Within Season 2 Tier Set for Havoc Demon Hunter

The second Tier Set of The War Within, the Fel-Dealer's Contraband, consists of 5 items that provide unique bonuses upon equipping 2 and 4 pieces from the set:

The Havoc set bonus is of average strength and has no significant gameplay implications, as it consists of background passive procs that occur throughout gameplay. Nevertheless, it is still worth acquiring the bonus effects as soon as possible. You can use the Matrix Catalyst to convert regular items (from Mythic+ or Raid) into Tier pieces for the slots you are missing.

You only need 4 pieces to maximize the set bonus, so we recommend dropping the Gloves or Helm in favor of an alternative with more Critical Strike or Mastery if possible. Check the BiS List for more information.

Addons for Havoc Demon Hunter

Generic Addons for Demon Hunters

  • ElvUI
  • Weak Auras
  • Boss Mods: Deadly Boss Mods or Bigwigs
  • Details!
  • GTFO
  • Hekili

Macros for Havoc Demon Hunter

Disrupt Focus Interrupt Macro

  • #showtooltip
  • /cast [@focus,exists][@target] Disrupt

This macro will stop your current cast and cast Disrupt on your focus if available; otherwise, it will be cast on your target.

Consume Magic

  • #showtooltip
  • /stopcasting
  • /cast [@focus,exists][@target] Consume Magic

This macro will stop your current cast and cast Consume Magic on your focus, if available, otherwise it will be cast on your target.

Sigil Targeting Macros

All Demon Hunter Sigils and Sigil of Spite can be modified to be cast without needing to use the targeting circle, removing one input before they go off. This can be done in two different ways (replace the Sigil of Flame text with the name of your chosen Sigil), with the following placing it at your mouse cursor:

  • #showtooltip
  • /cast [@cursor] Sigil of Flame

Alternatively, you can cast it at your feet if you are well positioned already:

  • #showtooltip
  • /cast [@player] Sigil of Flame

Metamorphosis Macros

Similarly, you can Macro Metamorphosis to be cast in the same way to instantly enter into it when you need to, with the following landing at your cursor:

  • #showtooltip
  • /cast [@cursor] Metamorphosis

Or in place where you are currently standing:

  • #showtooltip
  • /cast [@player] Metamorphosis

WeakAuras for Havoc Demon Hunter

WeakAuras is an essential tool for Havoc Demon Hunter and DPS players, offering unparalleled customization to enhance your gameplay. Rather than focusing on specific examples, we recommend exploring Wago.io, where you’ll find an extensive library of WeakAuras to suit your needs.

If you are unfamiliar with WeakAuras, it is an incredibly powerful and widely-used AddOn that allows you to create custom displays for nearly everything in the game. This includes tracking buffs, debuffs, cooldowns, Focus, resources, and much more.

To import a WeakAura, visit Wago.io and select one that fits your preferences. Click the "Copy WeakAura Import String" button to copy it to your clipboard. Next, log into the game and type /wa in the chat box to open the WeakAuras interface. Navigate to the "Import" section, press Ctrl+V to paste the copied string, and click "Import". You’re ready to go!

Mastering WeakAuras and customizing it to your playstyle is highly recommended for any serious raider. With countless options available on Wago.io, you can tailor your interface to optimize your performance and focus on what truly matters in combat.

Havoc Demon Hunter Frequently Asked Questions

Should I Cast Eye Beam in Single Target?

Yes, Eye Beam is a key ability to use in single-target situations. It deals significant damage thanks to its tuning around the 40-second cooldown and is prioritized over other resource spenders. For those running Fel-Scarred, it also triggers key effects, making it even more essential unless you need to save it for incoming adds.

Is Momentum/Inertia Mandatory?

No, Momentum and Inertia are not strictly mandatory. They are less punishing to play around than in the past, and there are more supporting talents that allow these abilities to be utilized effectively. While they provide noticeable gains, they are not required, and some builds minimize reliance on them. Abilities like Initiative often complement these talents passively, which adds value without significant drawbacks.

Does Know Your Enemy and Any Means Necessary Affect Trinkets?

Know Your Enemy impacts all damage, including trinket procs, making it an extremely powerful talent. However, Any Means Necessary only affects listed Demon Hunter abilities and does not interact with trinkets or external proc effects.

How Much Critical Strike or Other Secondary Stats Should I Have?

Havoc does not require specific amounts or breakpoints for secondary stats. No stat stops being desirable, and the most important factor is the overall volume of secondary stats. The best way to optimize your stats is to simulate your character, as the ideal balance can vary based on gear and talent setups.

Should I Pool Fury for Fel Barrage?

Yes, pooling Fury before casting Fel Barrage is essential to maximize its impact. Since it is capped at 8 seconds, ensuring you have enough Fury to sustain the entire duration is critical. Aim to be at or near Fury cap before activating it and focus on maintaining generation throughout its effect to achieve full damage potential.

Which Hero Talent Should I Play?

While both Havoc Hero talent trees are strong, Fel-Scarred is generally recommended. It provides significant burst damage and is straightforward to play, aligning well with the core rotation. This makes it a great choice for players seeking both power and simplicity.

Do I Use Sigil of Flame?

Yes, Sigil of Flame is an important ability for Havoc Demon Hunters. With Flames of Fury, it becomes a potent AoE tool, and in single-target, it serves as a backup Fury generator when Felblade is unavailable. For those using Fel-Scarred, pairing it with Eye Beam to activate Student of Suffering adds further utility.

Should I Cast Fel Rush for Damage?

In single-target, the damage contribution of Fel Rush is minor, and losing melee uptime while casting it can hurt your performance, so it’s generally not advised. However, if using Momentum or Inertia alongside Unbound Chaos, Fel Rush becomes a requirement to capitalize on these effects.

How Much Critical Strike, or Other Secondary Stats, Should I Have?

There are no specific critical strike or other secondary stat thresholds that Havoc players need to achieve. All stats remain valuable, and the relative importance varies based on your gear and talents. Simulating your character is the most reliable way to determine the optimal stat balance for your setup.

Which Piece of Gear Is Better?

The best piece of gear depends entirely on your current setup. Since all gear, trinkets, and set bonuses interact uniquely with your character's stats and talents, simulating is the only way to determine which upgrade will have the most significant impact on your performance. For fight-specific setups, reviewing high-ranking parses on Warcraft Logs can provide insights into what works well in those scenarios.