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Post by rythgor on Aug 25, 2005 11:55:11 GMT -5
Let this be a thread for Druids: The furries and dendrophiliacs of Azeroth.
I'm not positive on this, but I think I'm the most active Druid in the guild. Certainly not the highest level, but I don't see other Druids online much. However, I'm still pretty new to the game itself, and I have much to learn, so feel free to contribute whatever Druish knowledge you may have.
To start off, my character (Rythgor, if you couldn't tell) is nearly level 37, and completely Balance spec'd at the moment. I'm taking most of the awesome buffs for Moonfire and Starfire, and I should be finished with the Balance tree at level 40. From there, I'm planning on taking the 5 ranks of Improved MotW, and after that I'll probably head into a little Feral Combat to get Improved Prowl (for boss-hunting with Riff). Maybe I'll switch the order of those last two items.
I love being Balance spec'd for WSG (Moonfire spamming combined with Roots/Nature's Grasp lets me take on most classes 1v1), and I just love being a Druid in WSG in general. I played a bunch at level 30, and I had so much fun. Not sure how well this holds at higher levels, but in the level 30, against most teams I could be the entire offensive team myself, leaving all 9 others to focus on defense. Prowl into the enemy base (make sure to switch up your entry route), grab the flag, wait a few secs for the enemies to blow their movement slowing spells (helps to cast a 'juve on yourself while waiting), then shift back to cat, hit Dash, and make your exit. When you get outside, shift to travel form and run home, hopefully with a couple defensive team members supporting you near the base. Anytime you need to shift to drop a movement effect, toss another 'juve on yourself to keep the HP up before shifting back to travel form. I should be hitting the 31-40 WSG pretty soon, I'm hoping I continue to kick ass in that tier. The only problem with being the solo flag carrier with little support is that you don't get much in the way of honor kills because you're never near the mass killing action, you're too busy running around avoiding fights; so while you're generally the MVP in a WSG team, you'll always be a bit behind in honor points. To tell the truth, I think Blizzard should implement some bonus honor for the person who actually caps the flag. I'm sure it might cause a few problems, but it'd really help us lone wolf (lone cheetah?) flag-capping Druids catch up with the rest of the team honor-wise.
One thing I'm wondering about is if I'll have to respec Restoration when I get to higher level instances. From what I hear, Druids are expected to heal and have Innervate, despite that we can do so much more than that. I really don't see too much I want to take in the Restoration tree, and I certainly don't want to have to spend 31 points in it just to get Innervate. Will I have a hard time getting a group if I'm not healing spec'd? Will I be able to be a satisfactory primary healer without putting anything in Restoration?
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Post by Threya on Aug 25, 2005 13:44:49 GMT -5
I can make some comments here as Gaidus has been seeing much more action recently. The most helpful I can be right now is commenting on the restoration tree. I have recently begon to shift my armor and other items to more balance my attributes, and it is something that I do not regret. It makes combat much more fun to be effective in the various forums and to use them when they are needed instead of just "moonfire, farie fire, attack..., repeat, cast healing touch when needed".
But, as to the restoration tree itself, I see it as a great supplimentary tree to just about anything esle you want to do. I can understand that in higher end instances the Balance tree is less desirable out of shear usefulness in groups, but you will still be capable of healing. In general, those without innervate simply conserve mana better as they have more need too. I personally love innervate for solo hunting, makes me have zero down-time as long as I manage everything else well. Another ability in the restoration tree very much worth having is Nature's Swiftness which gives you an instant cast nature spell. Normally I use this for healing, but it could be used for roots, wrath, or any nature spell you choose.
As to the ability of druids to be healers as compared to a priest (something I know quite well), I can give a quick list of the advantages and disadvatages, so here goes;
First, equivalent spells (note that these are not equal, and I will go into the inequalities)
Rejuv = Renewal. Self explanitory and honestly very similar in usage, effeciancey, etc.
Regrowth = Flash Heal. About the same casting time, Regrowth is more powerful and about the same effeciancy.
Healing Touch = (Lesser/Normal/Greater) Heal. About as equivalent as Rejuv.
from these initial three, I would say that the Druid is actually a better healer than the priest, but after this is where the differences start adding up.
Tranquility = Prayer of Healing. This is a gross inequality. Tranquility heals less, has a cooldown, and is channeled. "Almost" useless and terrible in comparison to Prayer.
Priests have Fade. Agro management is something druids do not have much for. The best is catform+cower which is a horribly inneffeciant way of doing things.
Druids have Nature's Swiftness/Innervate. If you are a restoration druid that is, this combo gives you large amounts of mana and instant cast spells. Priests have a talent to help here as well which gives them a free healing spell with +25% crit rate every three minutes, but it does not add up to the bonus of these two abilities.
Alright, there was my treatis on Druids as healers. Summery; for individual heals and solo, the druid is better hands down, but when it comes to managing a group, they loose but make great back-up healers or when not too many people are getting hurt all at the same time.
As to being primary healer without restoration spec, you are going to need to focus much much more on intellect/spirit than a druid with innervate, reducing your versitility, but you should be reasonably decent, simply learn to focus on the fact that you are going to need to use individual heals and you will really need to know your spells well. All in all, you should do fine if you know what you are doing.
Now, as to Balance at high end. The only comments I can make here are towards my own experience in being with Balance Druids in parties (so with my playing the healer they got to kick back and be themselves). Hurricane is a wonderful spell if you do not have agro. Damage to all enemies, plus speed debuffs. Their damage abilities are very good (mainly Moonfire with all it's perks) but far from Mana effeciant, the mage is better hands down and using all your mana can be bad when/if you are needed as a backup healer. Basically the reason that Druids are mostly expected to be a healer in instances is because Priests are not common and the Druid is the next best thing.
All in all, I would say the restoration tree gives you the greatist versitility. In theory, they are going to be touching up the feral tree as the next class talent modification. When that happens I will have to re-evaluate this position.
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Post by Threya on Aug 29, 2005 13:49:22 GMT -5
A second note about getting groups with difference specs. I have NEVER, in all my experience, seen someone turned down from a group when it was discovered what their spec was. Nor have I ever seen it be asked what someones spec was before they joined the group. What spec you choose is a supplimentary aspect to your character and not a fullfledged change in what you are capable of. Where people are turned down from a group or, more specifically not invited back, is when they fail to play well. So as long as you understand your abilities and how/when to use them, all that the group will see is "Druid" and invite you if there is space (Druids are usually a good class to have in a group because of their versitility). I love having Druids in groups with me even when I am the primary healer and do not think that once I have had one innervate me (perhaps I should ask for that more often  ). Summery; you'll be fine whichever spec you want. If you enjoy playing it / find it to be effective then it works. Others may have had different experiences than me and are free to correct me, and this may be very different for PvP servers or perhaps even in some of the very high end raids (MC, BWL), but I honestly doubt that. |
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Post by rythgor on Aug 30, 2005 10:00:25 GMT -5
Thanks for the supplemental info Threya.
I just hit 40 last night (hooray for mounts), and after doing a run as main healer in both Uldaman and Scarlet Monastery (Armory and Cathedral), I'm thinking of switching to a mostly Restoration build. I've realized that the Balance tree isn't helping me a whole lot in WSG, as I'm mostly just running like Oprah to a basted turkey the entire game. I'm seeing a bunch on the Restoration tree that would make it a lot easier on me when I have to be the main healer, mainly stuff like Subtlety and Nature's Swiftness (3.5 sec cast on Healing Touch is too slow to save a caster that pulls AoE aggro).
I'm probably gonna pick enough down the Restoration tree to get Innervate. After that, I know I wanna take Nature's Grasp again, and I'll probably take a couple other Balance talents. I don't think it'd be worth it to start down the Feral tree at that point, but I'll have to flesh it out a bit more.
Also, I hear Druids are getting some big changes in the next patch, mainly on the Feral tree. Does this mean we get a free respec like the Warriors and Warlocks got last big patch? Also, any clue as to when this patch is getting released?
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Post by Threya on Aug 30, 2005 10:19:04 GMT -5
The first set of changes is just to improve Cat-form (inceasring damage and making agility add to attack power). That is all Druids are seeing this patch. In 'theory' the Druid is the next class to get a talent tree makeover, but it will not be this patch (perhaps the next one). When that happens, yes Druids will get a free buyback as has happened for all the other classes.
As far as your picking up a few Balance talents, I would recommend going far enough to get Omen of Clarity (gives you natures grasp and improved moonfire along the way). After that it's up to you. But, as I am sure you already know, Omen is a wonderful talent.
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Post by Threya on Aug 30, 2005 10:53:14 GMT -5
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Post by rythgor on Aug 30, 2005 18:23:32 GMT -5
d**n, I thought we were gonna get a free respec pretty soon, but since it won't happen this patch, I'll probably pay for the respec when I get home from school. It's only at 5 gold for me right now, I guess I can take the hit.
That looks like a very nice build, probably pretty standard amongst Druids who expect to be healing a lot. I'm sure I'll end up something like that, if not that exact build. I'll probably drop the Improved Regrowth in favor of Improved Entangling Roots and Nature's Reach (for WSG purposes), as I really don't use Regrowth that much, it's more expensive than a Healing Touch, and the only advantage is that it's faster on cast. I've only been using it in emergencies where I don't think a Healing Touch will make it, but with Nature's Swiftness, that shouldn't be much of an issue anymore.
I actually don't have OoC right now, as I generally don't weapon attack a whole lot when I'm focusing on healing; I tend to stay in the back to avoid PBAoE effects and for a little extra reaction time when I pull aggro. It might help a bit for soloing though. Also, do you have any idea what the chance on hit is for OoC to proc?
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Post by Threya on Aug 31, 2005 0:09:52 GMT -5
Actually I did a bit of the chance on hit thing a long while back with Gaidus when he was Balance Speced. All I can say from that time is that with faster weapons (like daggers) it seemed to go off about one in 15-20 hits, and about one in 7 for slower weapons like staves, though my memory could be off. All in all, it does seem to go off fairly often. With this in mind you could still be a healer, just enter combat as well and beat on things just to get the hits for OoC, and get some free heals in the process.
Also, that is a good point about improved regrowth. I was planning on taking it mainly because a 50% crit rate just seems really good, but perhaps better to see if there is something else that it could be put into first. Regrowth has two reasons for use, fast casting and reduced agro. The reduced Agro comes from the fact that only half of the healing come immediately, but yes it is significantly less efficient than Healing Touch (which is actually very efficient).
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Post by Threya on Sept 28, 2005 14:26:09 GMT -5
Have you all seen the new talent tree that is going to be coming out next patch? If not, it is available on the World of Warcraft website so you should go check it out. One big change is that with it Feral Druids should actually be reasonable in high end raids, always a plus.
Also, the top talent in the Balance tree is Moonkin Form, something very similar to Shadow Form that priests have though it actually helps the entire party not just the druid.
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Post by Vaejovis on Sept 28, 2005 19:54:20 GMT -5
Have you all seen the new talent tree that is going to be coming out next patch? If not, it is available on the World of Warcraft website so you should go check it out. One big change is that with it Feral Druids should actually be reasonable in high end raids, always a plus. Also, the top talent in the Balance tree is Moonkin Form, something very similar to Shadow Form that priests have though it actually helps the entire party not just the druid. I just have two words for you, "Hubba Hubba". All the druid trees seem pretty viable now, granted I'd still say that Innervate is better than Moonkin Form or Leader of the Pack (i'm still debating which direction I'm going, I always rp'ed V as a rather smelly, more bear than Night Elf guy). I cant wait to see Raid Groups that have one Moonkin Druid in their mage/lock group and another feral druid in their Rogue/Hunter Group. Just what I'm excited to see about each tree: Restoration: Insect Swarm-Gotta Love a DOT that also causes your enemy to hit less frequently! Feral: Obviously the top teir talent, Leader of the Pack, is noteworthy but....Heart of the Wild is hot. I wish I could get that and get innervate! Balance: Omen of Clarity-I LOOOOVE the new changes. Probably one of my favorite changes in the entire overhaul of druids. I also believe it procs in a shifted form. Owlkin form - Ridiculous boost to spell crit (which is far harder to get than melee crit) and a ridiculous boost in armor? Yes please. Gonna be -really- tough for me to choose which line I want to go into. See you in two weeks! -V |
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Post by Threya on Sept 29, 2005 11:02:42 GMT -5
I wonder something about the new Omen. Say it procs, can you shift back to caster, cast a big heal (like regrowth or healing touch) and have that be counted as your spell? My guess would be yes, and if so then it really rocks like Vae says. For Gaidus I am thinking mostly Feral right now. I have always loved being able to hunt with him and shifting forms when needed (one-on-one, die to my kitty, you bring a friend, I become bear, oh no, I'm getting hurt, where's my heal spell). The only problem with it was viability at higher end. If this allows that then I know how I am playing the character. Besides, I already have one amazingly good healer, do I really need another? |
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Post by Vaejovis on Sept 29, 2005 21:33:06 GMT -5
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Post by Threya on Sept 30, 2005 12:53:25 GMT -5
It procs in feral form, yes, but can you then turn 'back' into caster form to cast a spell, or do you need to use it on one of your abilities for that form?
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Post by Vaejovis on Oct 2, 2005 10:51:51 GMT -5
It procs in feral form, yes, but can you then turn 'back' into caster form to cast a spell, or do you need to use it on one of your abilities for that form? I tested this out on the test server and the answer is...Yes it works. Feral form is SICK now, even with all my healing gear I can pump out 150DPS without batting an eye and still be a quality healer. It's insane |
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Post by Threya on Oct 2, 2005 11:45:01 GMT -5
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