Diablo – the highest single target DPS skill for Demon Hunter

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I'm having a hard time figuring this one out. The top three standouts seem to be:

Cluster Arrow with Grenadier passive, Impale with Sharpshooter passive, and Rapid Fire with Ballistic passive, but my mathcraft skills might be insufficient for determining the answer.

My fear with Impale/Sharpshooter is that for longer fights, the Crit chance dropping itself off from the Sharpshooter triggering and having to start over will lead to lower overall DPS but I don't have the formula to prove this.

With Cluster arrow, the main problem seems to be that with 50 hatred cost per tick, and average boss length fight will have you running on empty constantly.

That leaves Rapic Fire/Ballistic, but that answer has way too much gut instinct for me – does anyone know the numbers?

Best Answer

Depends on the boss.

If the boss is big,

than use Elemental Arrow with Nether Tentacles - damage will 'tick' twice, due to the size of the target which gives 2x155% = 310% damage. Also if you have 'fear on hit' abilities, or the boss is running away it is also possible to 'tick' twice.

If the boss is small

than Hungering Arrow with Devouring Arrow rune is the best. 115% + ( 0.35 x 185% ) + ( 0.12 x 255% ) which gives ~210% damage that does not use hatred - which will increase overall DPS (you don't have to stop attacking). As an added benefit crits from pierced arrows will be huge - which looks nice ;) The above calculation assumes that arrow can't pierce more than twice, because I'm lazy.

I assumed you mean DPS as in damage per second, and not biggest single hit ability.

Elemental Arrow vs...

  • Impale and other costly skills - you can't spam them. Your DPS will suffer badly.
  • Rapid Fire - you can't move whilst using it (Elemental Arrow allows for a 1 shot-1 step combo which doesn't seem to slow attack speed). Oh! and you will not die due to standing still, which also kills DPS :P

Rapid Fire is better if

you have a godly tank and the boss is small and does not have mortar :P In that case I would recommend Web Shot rune (slow) with Cull the Weak passive (+15% damage to slowed enemies).

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