Improved Concussive Shots
Description:
Gives your Concussive Shot a chance to stun the enemy for 3 seconds.
Ranks:
Rank 1- 4% chance to stun the enemy.
Rank 1- 8% chance to stun the enemy.
Rank 1- 12% chance to stun the enemy.
Rank 1- 16% chance to stun the enemy.
Rank 1- 20% chance to stun the enemy.
Usefulness:

Commentary:
The primary use of this is to slow an enemy down when you pull aggro, giving you time to escape. The stun effect is also useful with carefully timed Steady Shot.

Lethal Shots
Description:
Increases your critical strike chance with ranged weapons by a percentage
Ranks:
Rank 1- 1% increase
Rank 2- 2% increase
Rank 3- 3% increase
Rank 4- 4% increase
Rank 5- 5% increase

Usefulness:

Commentary:

Even though it only applies to ranged weapons and not melee this is incredible. Every build will want five points in this.

Improved Hunters Mark
Description:
Causes a percent of your Hunters Mark ability to apply to melee attacks as well.
Ranks:
Rank 1- 20% bonus to melee.
Rank 2- 40% bonus to melee.
Rank 3- 60% bonus to melee.
Rank 4- 80% bonus to melee.
Rank 5- 100% bonus to melee.
Usefulness:

Commentary:

In the right situation this can be very useful. When soloing it increases your pets attack power, helping them keep aggro. It really shines in a group or raid with lots of melee types. You will only need one empowered mark though so if you party regularly with other hunters talk to them so you don't waste points.

Efficiency
Description:
Reduces the mana cost of your shots and stings by a percentage
Ranks:
Rank 1- 2% decrease
Rank 2- 4% decrease
Rank 3- 6% decrease
Rank 4- 8% decrease
Rank 5- 10% decrease
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This is built for hunters with poor mana management. If you don't have a large mana pool or low mana regen this can help you use your special abilities more often. It is strongest in a raid environment but it is also useful in five man content.

Go for the Throat
Description:
Your ranged critical strikes cause your pet to generate extra focus.
Ranks:
Rank 1- Crits cause 25 Focus
Rank 1- Crits cause 50 Focus
Usefulness:

Commentary:

This is the only talent in the Marksman tree that directly helps your pet. It greatly helps with DPS pets that suck up a lot of focus. It will also make sure you have enough focus to follow up with a Kill Command. If you combine it with Bestial Discipline your pet will rarely run out of focus. This will let you use more damage dealing abilities more often. You can even leave some like Claw on auto attack.

Improved Arcane Shot
Description:
Reduces the cooldown of your Arcane Shot
Ranks:
Rank 1- cooldown reduced by .2 seconds.
Rank 2- cooldown reduced by .4 seconds.
Rank 3- cooldown reduced by .6 seconds.
Rank 4- cooldown reduced by .8 seconds.
Rank 5- cooldown reduced by 1 second.
Usefulness:

Commentary:

A one second reduction of one ability for five whole points is not worth the cost in my opinion. The only reason you would put points in this is if you plan to use Arcane Shot in your shot rotations or if you plan to use Marksman as a PVP build. In that case it is wonderful because Arcane Shot's dispel effect should be used as often as possible in PVP. Arcane shot uses up a lot of mana though so be warned that this talent will eat up your mana faster.

Aimed Shot
Description:
An Aimed shot that increases ranged damage and reduces the healing your target receives by 50% for ten seconds.
Ranks:
Rank 1- increases ranged damage by 70
Rank 2- Increases ranged damage by 125
Rank 3- Increases ranged damage by 200
Rank 4- Increases ranged damage by 330
Rank 5- increases ranged damage by 460
Rank 6- increases ranged damage by 600
Rank 7- increases ranged damage by 870
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This is one of the core abilities of the Marksman tree. It is one of the heaviest hitting attacks you can learn but you won't want to use it all the time. It is best used as an opening shot since it resets your auto shot, though you need to be careful not to pull aggro. It is also feared in PVP since the huge damage boost can lead to enormous crits and the reduction of healing is also a force to be reckoned with.

Rapid Killing
Description:
Reduces the cooldown of your Rapid Fire ability. After killing an opponent that yields experience or honor, your next Aimed Shot, Arcane Shot or Auto Shot causes extra damage.
Ranks:
Rank 1- Rapid Fire cooldown reduced by 1 minute. Damage increased by 10%
Rank 1- Rapid Fire cooldown reduced by 2 minute. Damage increased by 20%
Usefulness:

Commentary:

This is primarily used for helping improve your raid DPS. The damage increase is good in PVP and some PVE situations like grinding and farming where you have to kill repeatedly. If you combine this with Aimed Shot and Go for the Throat you will have enough talents to reach the next tier.

Improved Stings
Description:
Increases the damage done by your Serpent Sting and Wyvern Sting by a percent and increass the mana drained by your Viper Sting by a percent and reduces the chance Stings will be dispelled by a percent.
Ranks:
Rank 1- Damage increased by 6%, mana drained by 6%, dispel chance reduced by 6%
Rank 1- Damage increased by 12%, mana drained by 12%, dispel chance reduced by 2%
Rank 1- Damage increased by 18%, mana drained by 18%, dispel chance reduced by 18%
Rank 1- Damage increased by 24%, mana drained by 24%, dispel chance reduced by 24%
Rank 1- Damage increased by 30%, mana drained by 30%, dispel chance reduced by 30%
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This is similar to Improved Arcane Shot. The effect is nice but it costs to many talent points. You might want to put points in this if you plan to do a lot of soloing and need all the damage you can get. Or you plan to do lots of PVP, in which case you will drain mana very often and have to deal with your stings being dispelled.

Mortal Shots
Description:
Increases your ranged weapon critical strike damage bonus by a percentage
Ranks:
Rank 1- Critical damage increased by 6%
Rank 1- Critical damage increased by 12%
Rank 1- Critical damage increased by 18%
Rank 1- Critical damage increased by 24%
Rank 1- Critical damage increased by 30%
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This is another necessary talent in the marksman tree. Anyone trying to do ranged DPS will need this.

Concussive Barrage
Description:
Your successful auto shot attacks have a chance to daze the target for 4 seconds.
Ranks:
Rank 1- 2% chance of dazing the enemy.
Rank 1- 4% chance of dazing the enemy.
Rank 1- 6% chance of dazing the enemy.
Usefulness:

Commentary:
I would only put points in this if you need to gain access to the next tier. The effect can help stop enemies from charging you and goes off more often then you think. But it is so random you can't rely on it to save you. If you are quick enough though you can get off a Steady Shot when it occurs for extra damage.

Scatter Shot
Description:
A short range shot that deals 50% weapon damage and disorients the target for 4 seconds. Any damage done will remove the effect.
Ranks:
One Rank
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This is one of the best abilities in the marksman tree. It is one of the few defenses you have against players that get into your dead zone or players trying to get away. While it has a few uses in PVE its greatest strength is in PVP.

Barrage
Description:
Increases the damage of Multi Shot and Volley abilities by percentage
Ranks:
Rank 1- 4% extra damage
Rank 2- 8% extra damage
Rank 3- 12% extra damage

Usefulness:

Commentary:
The benefits you receive from this talent depends on how often you are using Multi Shot or Volley. Multi Shot is primarily a PVP maneuver, but can also be used to an extent in raiding. Volley on the other hand is almost entirely used in PVE. If you need to get to the next tier and none of the lower talents are worthwhile to you this would probably be a better filler than Concussive Barrage. It should be noted that if you plan to take Improved Barrage further down this becomes more useful.

Combat Experience
Description:
Increases your total agility and intellect by a percent
Ranks:
Rank 1- 1% extra Agility, 3% extra intellect
Rank 2- 2% extra Agility, 6% extra Intellect
Usefulness:

Commentary:

This sounds good but in reality it is rather weak. The bonus to agility is negligible, especially since attack power is more important. The boos to intellect is a little better, especially if your gear doesn't have a lot of intellect on it.

Ranged Weapon Specialization
Description:
Increases the damage you deal with ranged weapons.
Ranks:
Rank 1- 1% damage increase.
Rank 2- 2% damage increase.
Rank 3- 3% damage increase.
Rank 4- 4% damage increase.
Rank 5- 5% damage increase.
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This is a good buff, but it depends on how long you will be DPSing. If you are doing lots of DPS over a long time like in a raid it is very useful, but if you are just soloing or PVPing it is not quite as good.

Careful Aim
Description:
Increases your ranged attack power by an amount equal to a percentage of your total intellect.
Ranks:
Rank 1- Attack power equal to 15% of your total intellect.
Rank 2- Attack power equal to 30% of your total intellect.
Rank 3- Attack power equal to 45% of your total intellect.
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This is a very nice buff if you are geared correctly. As an added benefit it allows you to use more intellect gear without cutting your attack power. If you take this you also might want to put points in Combat Experience as well.

Trueshot Aura
Description:
Increases the ranged and melee attack power of yourself and other party members within 45 yards.
Ranks:
Rank 1- 50 extra attack power
Rank 2- 75 extra attack power
Rank 3- 100 extra attack power
Rank 4- 125 extra attack power
Usefulness:

Commentary:
Free attack power for one talent point is great. Especially when it can be shared with your group. All marksman hunters are expected to have this if they plan to do any raiding or party activities.

Improved Barrage
Description:
Increases the critical strike chance of your Multi Shot and decreases the chance your Volley ability will be interrupted by damage.
Ranks:
Rank 1- Multi Shot crit chance increased by 4% and Volley interruption rate decreased by 33%
Rank 1- Multi Shot crit chance increased by 8% and Volley interruption rate decreased by 66%
Rank 1- Multi Shot crit chance increased by 12% and Volley interruption rate decreased by 100%
Usefulness:

Commentary:
If you have taken Barrage you should definitely take this. The extra crit on multi shot makes it a killer in PVP and in boss fights in raids. The non interrupt effect on volley is also great since you will usually attract aggro when AOEing.

Master Marksman
Description:
Increases your ranged attack power by a percentage
Ranks:
Rank 1- 2% extra ranged attack power.
Rank 1- 4% extra ranged attack power.
Rank 1- 6% extra ranged attack power.
Rank 1- 8% extra ranged attack power.
Rank 1- 10% extra ranged attack power.
Usefulness:

Commentary:
This talent depends heavily on your gear. The more base attack power you have the more effective it will be. It is another passive buff to your DPS that you should definitely get if you are going for a deep Marksman build. But if you don't plan on going further then Scatter Shot though don't worry about it.

Silencing Shot
Description:
A shot that deals 50% weapon damage and silences the target for 3 seconds.
Ranks:
One Rank
Usefulness:

Commentary:

At its heart this is a PVP talent. The trick is to use it to interrupt an actual spell cast and not just silence them while they run around. It's applications in PVE are limited since many elite monsters are immune to silence effects.