This is not my Guide, i got it from - GameFAQs: World of Warcraft (PC) Druid Class Guide by SaboCactuar. I felt this guide should be shared here.
----------------------
[BASIC1] Druid Basics |
----------------------
As you may be aware, the Druid class is one of the few "hybrid" classes in
World of Warcraft. There are two types of classes in the game. "Parent"
or "pure" classes, such as Rogue and Mage, have one clear role. "Hybrid"
classes, such as Paladin, Shaman and Druid, combine several "Parent"
classes to make a more versatile but less specialized sub-class. In the case
of the Druid class, we combine aspects of the Warrior, Rogue, Mage and Priest
classes, making Druid one of the most flexible classes in the game. We are
less specialized than our parent classes, but we make up for lack of skills
with the ability to shift roles as the situation warrants. For example, a Cat
form Druid's parent class is Rogue. Though Cat Druids do not have the stuns,
poisons or crowd control of a Rogue, the Cat Druid makes up for that lack with
the ability to emergency-heal or off-tank, resurrect allies in battle and even
cast ranged magic spells. Bear Druids may not be able to use shields, Parry,
or armor heavier than leather, but unlike their Warrior parent class they can
heal themselves through several methods, and have a slightly easier time
holding aggro. This aspect of our class makes us very difficult (but also
rewarding!) to play, and sometimes it leaves other players confused as to our
role in a group. However, that's a small sacrifice to make for the variety
of playstyles that our class offers.
The thing that truly sets the Druid apart from the other hybrid classes is our
unique ability to shapeshift into various forms. Each form has a special
function patterned after its parent class. In bear form, we gain the Rage
and tanking functions of a Warrior. In cat form, we gain Energy, Stealth, and
melee damage of the Rogue class. In our native form (often referred to as
"Caster" form), we can use our magic spells to heal like a Priest or to cast
damaging spells like a Mage. We can also further specialize in our magics
as well. Tree of Life form, our healing form, allows us to use powerful Heal-
Over-Time spells more efficiently and to greater effect. Moonkin form, our
spellcasting form, gives us added armor and more chances for our offensive
spells to do critical damage.
So, if we can do all these things, who needs the parent classes, right? Well,
while we can perform all these functions, we can't be great at them all at
once. We are more dependant on our talent trees than any other class, and
each talent in each tree only augments one or two of our "play modes". To be
a great healer, we have to give up a great deal of damage and utility. To be
an effective tank, most of our magical abilities get left behind. Unlike the
other hybrid classes, we can't perform all our hybrid functions at once. Some
druids have coined our class "role-shifter" instead of hybrid, for this reason.
---------------------
[BASIC2] Druid Races |
---------------------
There are only two races in the game that can become Druids, one for each
faction. On the Alliance side, the Night Elves represent the Druid class,
while on the Horde side the Tauren hold this distinction. Neither race can
be said to be "better" than the other as a Druid, so the decision comes down
to an asthetic choice. Would you rather play on the Alliance or on the Horde?
The Night Elf racials lend themselves nicely to playing a Druid. Shadowmeld
benefits all types of Druids. Healer/Spellcaster Druids can use Shadowmeld
to safely drink for mana regen before jumping back into battle. And
while Feral Druids can't use Shadowmeld in Cat or Bear form, Shadowmeld
passively increases the level of stealth that Cat form's Prowl grants, making
them harder to detect even while on the move.
Quickness is a nice little passive ability that grants an extra 1% dodge in any
form. Bear Druids will appreciate the bit of extra help tanking, and Cat
Druids especially will enjoy the benefit since Cat form relies on dodging to
avoid damage. Even caster Druids can appreciate a little extra dodging in the
event that they pull aggro.
Wisp Spirit is a very interesting ability, in that you can only appreciate it
when you're dead. It increases your ghost's movement rate while you're running
back to your corpse or to an instance. While this sounds underwhelming, it's
actually a great time-saver and will shave time off your grind to endgame. It
can also be used effectively in battlegrounds (especially Alterac valley) when
you want to respawn at your corpse or at a different graveyard.
Nature Resistance is a standard +10 resistance that many races get. In this
case, it's a natural fit to the Druid class since we use so much nature magic
anyway. As an added bonus, it helps resist many poisons in the game, most of
which deal nature damage. Not a gamebreaking ability, but useful to have in
certain situations. Don't turn your nose up at this little ability.
The Tauren racials are equally as good as the Night Elf ones. The almighty
Warstomp is a great escape ability or caster interrupt, although only caster
and Moonkin form can use it. This is one of the top PvP racials in the game,
but it's also very useful in PvE when you just really need to run away or
buy yourself a moment's reprieve.
Endurance would be a great racial ability for anyone of any class to have. An
extra 5% HP may not seem like much, but it's guaranteed to save your life at
least a few times over the course of the game. Even if you do eventually die
this will buy you some extra time, making it especially useful in PvP where
stamina is prized above any other stat. Tanking druids will especially enjoy
this racial.
Cultivation has the potential to be helpful or useless, since it passively
increases your Herbalism skill (should you choose that profession). Since
Herbalism is a *tremendous* moneymaker, and since Alchemy is a very useful
profession to any class, Herbalism should be a strong candidate for one of
your profession slots. However, don't feel obligated to take Herbalism just
because of this racial ability if there's something you'd rather take. One
nice thing about Cultivation is that you can pick Earthroot from the moment
you take Herbalism. Another benefit is that, at max Herbalism, you'll have
fewer failed attempts trying to pick the endgame herbs, which may mean you
will get the herb over a non-Tauren competitor.
Nature Resistance is the Tauren's fourth racial ability, and it works the
same way as the Night Elf version. Again, it's a nice thing for resisting
poisons or opposing Druids' Entangling Roots in PvP, so don't sneer at it.
Given the racial abilities the two races have, Night Elves make marginally
better Cat form Druids, while Tauren make slightly better Bear form tanks.
However, the difference is minimal, so don't let racial abilities limit your
choice of forms.
---------------------
[FORMS1] Druid Forms |
---------------------
Bear form, gained at level 10, is the first form we can change into. It's
granted as a reward after a quest chain that begins with our Druid trainer in
either Darnassus or Thunder Bluff, who sends us on to the Moonglade. Bear form
is our tanking form, and it's our most survivable form against melee damage.
In Bear form, we gain an extra 25% health, our armor from our equipment is
increased by 180%, our attack power in this form is increased by 30, and (as
with all our forms) we become immune to Polymorph. We cannot cast Balance or
Restoration spells in Bear form. Bear form doesn't utilize the weapon we have
equipped in caster form. Instead, Bear form uses its mighty paw to attack.
While in Bear form, your "weapon skill" with your paw is capped for your level,
and your attack speed is set at 2.50. Bears attack slowly but hit hard, and
they have several offensive and defensive abilities to help them sustain a
battle against melee opponents. However, Bears are vulnerable to casters in
this form, as heavy armor doesn't protect against magic. Also, while in Bear
form the Druid counts as a beast, and so he can be affected by abilities such
as Hibernate and Scare Beast.
Our second from, Cat form, is gained at level 20, and this time there's no
quest chain involved. Cat form is very similar to the Rogue class in that it
can stealth using Prowl, can sprint using Dash, and has several abilities that
add combo points to its target, allowing the Cat Druid to use devistating
finishing attacks. The main difference between a Cat form Druid and a Rogue is
that, while the Rogue can use poisons and stuns, the Druid instead uses bleed
effects for potent Damage Over Time. Of course, we're unable to cast Balance or
Restoration spells in Cat form. As with Bear form, Cats use their claws instead
of equipped weapons. Claws attack at 1.00 attack speed, which is the fastest
melee attack in the game. In Cat form, our attack power is increased by
(level * 2) + Agility, and of course we're immune to Polymorph. Also, our dodge
is increased significantly, making us lightning fast and hard to hit, although
we take significant damage from melee and magical attacks when they land. And
just like Bear form, Cat form causes the druid to count as a beast, giving the
same vulnerabilities to beast-specific abilities like Scare Beast or Hibernate.
At level 40, Bear form is upgraded to Dire Bear form. While all the attacks and
abilities are the same in Dire Bear form, we get a greater attack power
increase and our armor from equipment is increased by 450%, making us
incredibly durable against melee attacks.
If the Druid chooses to go into the Balance tree heavily, at 31 points in
Balance the Druid can choose to learn Moonkin form. Level 40 is the earliest
this is possible, although it won't be available until later if the Druid has
put any points in Feral Combat or Restoration. Moonkin form is a very strange
form. While in Moonkin form, our armor from items is increased by 360%, making
us more durable than Bear form but less so than in Dire Bear form. We gain an
aura that grants all party members within 30 yards a 5% bonus to their spell
critical chance. Also, our melee attack power in Moonkin form is increased by
(level * 1.5) and each melee attack in this form has a chance to proc Elune's
Gift, which gives us back mana based upon our attack power (it's always a
relatively small amount, but it helps when we run out of mana). However, while
in this form we're unable to cast any Restoration spells. As always, we're
immune to Polymorph in this form. However, unlike Cat or Bear/Dire Bear form,
in Moonkin form we do use the weapon we have equipped to attack with, so it's
important to keep your weapon skill up. Also, unlike the Feral forms, Moonkins
can enjoy "Chance on Hit" weapons and weapon enchantments.
For Restoration Druids, the ultimate talent unlocks Tree of Life form, a
powerful healing form. Though we're locked out of all Balance spells as well as
Healing Touch and Cure/Abolish Poison and Remove Curse, our Regrowth and
Rejuvenation spells become so much more potent in this form. In Tree of Life
form, all party members within 45 yards gain an aura effect that increases the
amount of healing they gain from healing spells by 25% of the druid's Spirit
stat. Also, the few spells the Tree Druid can cast have their casting cost
reduced by 20%. However, there are a few drawbacks to the Tree of Life form.
First of all, Tree Druids have the same defenses they have in caster form,
which makes them relatively weak to melee damage. Secondly, while in Tree form,
the Druid has their movement speed reduced by 20%. Lastly, in Tree form, the
Druid counts as an elemental and can be Banished by enemy Warlocks. Still, even
with the drawbacks, Tree of Life Druids make extraordinary healers.
In addition to Bear, Dire Bear, Cat, Moonkin and Tree of Life forms, we also
have three other utility forms we can change into. From level 16 on, we can do
a quest for the Druid trainer in Darnassus or Thunder Bluff which will
eventually grant Aquatic form. Aquatic form turns us into sea lions. While in
this form, we're unable to cast spells and we only have a weak melee attack,
but our underwater movement speed is the same as our running speed on land, and
we can breathe underwater. Upon resurfacing, we automatically return to caster
form. There are times when this ability can come in extraordinarily handy, such
as when doing an underwater quest or when gathering Stranglekelp herbs, for
example.
At level 30 we gain access to Travel form, which is the form of a cheetah. In
Travel form, our movement speed is increased by 40% but we lose all our spells
and most other abilities. This is a great movement power that allows us to move
very quickly over land, although the form is only usable outdoors and we revert
to caster form if we enter an "indoors" area or enter water deep enough to swim
in. While it doesn't replace a mount, Travel form can still maintain usefulness
even after level 40. As a herbalist, I usually run around in Travel form
instead of mounting, since I can pick herbs even while in Travel form. And in
PvP this skill is invaluable for buying us time or creating distance between us
and our opponents.
Lastly, at level 68 we gain Flight form, which gives us the appearance and form
of a massive Stormcrow. In this form our movement speed is increased by 60% and
we gain the ability to fly in the Outland. Since other classes don't gain
access to flying mounts until level 70, this gives us a bit of a head start.
And since it's instant-cast, it may even find use after we've gained an epic
flying mount. However, unlike Travel form we can't switch to Flight form while
in combat. The best PvP use for Flight involves the Druid shifting to Travel
form and running until he's no longer in combat, then switching to Flight form
and taking to the skies.
-------------------------------------------------
[SPELL1] Druid Spells, Abilities and Limitations |
-------------------------------------------------
Druids get many unique and interesting abilities that serve to differentiate us
from our parent classes as well as to make us more flexible and versatile in
combat. We also suffer from some limitations unique to our class. Below is a
short sampling of some of our unique attributes.
¤ While in all forms, we are immune to Polymorph, and in cat or bear form, we
are immune to Disarm as well.
¤ Shifting forms breaks us out of movement-imparing abilities, such as Frost
Nova and Hamstring. However, crowd-control abilities like Sap and Fear
cannot be removed by shifting.
¤ Our resurrection spell has a half-hour cooldown, but can be used even while
we are in combat, making it an excellent tool to revive the tank or
healer when they die, saving our groups from a potential wipe.
¤ Aquatic form, gained through a low-level quest, allows us to breathe under
water and move at our normal run speed while under water.
¤ Travel form, gained at level 30, allows us to move at 140% speed on land
(versus normal run speed of 100%, or normal mount speed of 160%).
¤ Flight form, gained at level 68, allows us to fly two levels before the
other classes gain access to flight.
¤ While in Feral forms, our weapon "skill" is capped for our level. For
instance, at level 60 your staff skill may only be 183, but if you are
in cat or bear form the game gives you 300 (capped) skill. At level 70
you will have a capped 375 skill with your feral weapons.
¤ While in Feral forms, weapon speed, damage and DPS are irrelevant. Cat
form attacks at a 1.0 attack speed, while bear form attacks at 2.5
speed. Damage is determined by attack power instead of weapon damage.
¤ We are limited to leather armor, daggers, staves, fist weapons, and one-
and two-handed maces.
¤ Healer Druids lack a quick "burst-heal" spell and have to rely on a talent
that offers similar effect on a cooldown.
¤ Cat and Bear Druids cannot use "Chance on Hit" weapon effects or weapon
enchantments (such as Fiery Weapon or Crusader) and are limited to
enchantments and weapons that offer +stats instead.
¤ Other than caster and Moonkin form, Druids cannot use potions, elixirs,
or trinkets while in a form. Luckily, due to a recent change, druids
can speak to NPCs and interact with objects while in forms.
¤ Druids must return to caster form before mounting.
As you can see, we have a variety of unique qualities that set us apart from
the other classes in the game. We also have a number of drawbacks to balance
us against the parent classes. The result is that, while we are similar in
some regards to our parent classes, we play very differently and have our own
strategies and methods for doing things. This makes the Druid class fun and
unique from any other class, and it gives us endless variety. No two druids
are alike.
Another key aspect of our class comes from the many unique spells and abilities
we gain. A summary of those can be found in the next few sections of my guide.
Other than Bear form, Aquatic Form and Cure poison (which are quested spells),
Gift of the Wild and its subsequent ranks (which are learned from books that
can be bought at the Auction House), and talented spells and abilities, all
our other abilities are learned from the Druid trainers scattered around the
world. Alliance trainers can be found in Darnassus, the park in northwestern
Stormwind, and in the Moonglade, while Horde trainers are located in Thunder
Bluff, Silvermoon City and the Moonglade. The higher the level of a spell
or ability, the more the trainer will charge you to teach it to you. Early on
this isn't much of a concern, but later levels cost quite a bit of gold to
fully train, so be prepared.
---------------------------------------------
[SPELL2] Druid Spell Summary - Caster Spells |
---------------------------------------------
The following are the key spells that Druids can learn, and a brief description
of their function. Remember, the actual values of mana/rage/energy cost,
damage, healing, etc. will change as the Druid learns new ranks of each power.
Abilities gained for Bear and Cat forms have their own sections.
Healing Touch - Level 1 - This is our "big" healing spell. Unlike our other
heals, it's all burst damage and has a long cast time. Use this when you need
a lot of healing at once, or after battles to fill everyone back to full.
Wrath - Level 1 - Of our two primary "nuke" spells, this is the faster and
weaker one. Though Starfire hits harder, Wrath has a much shorter cast time
and is better when you're getting hit. Shorter cast times mean it won't get
delayed as much in combat, which means you can fire it off more often than
Starfire. Wrath deals Nature damage in a burst.
Mark of the Wild - Level 2 - The Best Buff In The Game, indeed. Early on it
may not seem that impressive, adding only to your armor value. Later, it will
also add to your stats, and after that it will even add to your elemental
resistances. Everyone loves Mark of the Wild! Lasts 30 minutes.
Rejuvenation - Level 4 - This is our instant-cast healing spell. Unlike the
other two, this has no burst healing and is only healing-over-time. It's also
fairly weak by comparison, but it doesn't cost much mana and can be cast even
while moving. Keeping this one up will mitigate a lot of incoming damage.
Moonfire - Level 4 - Moonfire is our instant-cast damage spell. It delivers
about a third of its damage in a burst on cast, and then the other two thirds
as damage-over-time, so it's best to let this one run its full course instead
of spamming it. It's rather mana-intensive, so only use it if it will either
finish off a runner or will have the chance to run its full duration, but
it's very handy in those situations. Moonfire deals Arcane damage.
Thorns - Level 6 - In the shadow of Mark of the Wild, Thorns isn't that great
a buff. Whenever an enemy attacks the wearer, Thorns deals a very small
amount of Nature damage to the attacker. It only lasts 10 minutes, too.
However, it's pretty cheap to cast and the damage adds up, and it's great to
put on a tank to help them hold aggro, so be sure to use it!
Entangling Roots - Level 8 - This is our primary form of crowd control. It has
a few limitations, however. First, it can only be cast outdoors, so it's
useless in most instances and raid situations. Second, it can break on damage,
including its own damage, so it doesn't always last the full duration. That
said, it's fantastic for holding melees out of range or for slowing pursuers,
and its use in PvP can't be underestimated. It keeps the target immobilized
for its duration and also deals Nature damage-over-time.
Bear Form - Level 10 - I've discussed Bear form in depth in the section tagged
FORMS1. Please refer to that section.
Teleport: Moonglade - Level 10 - This spell allows us to teleport to the
Druid sanctuary in the Moonglade from anywhere else in the game. Though the
Moonglade is sparsely populated, most of our class quests will lead us here,
and there's also a Druid trainer and vendors available here. In addition,
we can use this spell as a quick shortcut to northern Kalimdor to save us
travel time.
Regrowth - Level 12 - This is our third healing spell. It mixes the burst
healing of Healing Touch with the heal-over-time element of Rejuvenation. It
has a short cast time but a rather hefty casting cost, but it's a potent source
of healing that should not be underestimated. Stack this with Rejuvenation and
most enemies would be hard-pressed to out-damage our healing.
Cure Poison - Level 14 - At level 14 we can start the quest to learn Cure
Poison, which is an immensely useful ability to have. In PvE, we can clear
any poisons we may pick up, and in groups we can do the same for our allies.
In PvP, we can use this spell to cleanse rogue poisons, which is a tremendous
asset, as well.
Aquatic Form - Level 16 - I've discussed Aquatic form in depth in the section
tagged FORMS1. Please refer to that section.
Faerie Fire - Level 18 - This spell is a low-mana instant-cast debuff that
lowers the target's armor value and prevents them from stealthing or going
invisible for the duration of the spell. Great for mildly increasing melee
damage versus the target, and especially useful in PvP for marking enemy rogues
and locking them out of many of their abilities for the 40 second duration.
Hibernate - Level 18 - Hibernate allows us to put a target beast or dragonkin
asleep for a fairly long duration, making it useful for dropping pursuers or
for crowd control in certain situations. It can also be used to put enemy
hunters' pets asleep, or even for putting enemy druids asleep if they're in a
feral form. Situationally handy, but great to have!
Cat Form - Level 20 - I've discussed Cat form in depth in the section tagged
FORMS1. Please refer to that section.
Rebirth - Level 20 - This is our resurrection spell, and it's very unique.
Unlike any other ressurection spell in the game, Rebirth has a very long
cooldown of 30 minutes, so we can't use it to revive our entire party.
However, unlike every other resurrection spell, Rebirth is castable in combat,
so we CAN use it to instantly revive a fallen ally even in the middle of a
battle. Each rank of Rebirth requires a different "seed" reagent, which
can be bought from any reagent vendor in the capitol cities.
Starfire - Level 20 - This is our big nuke. Starfire has a longer cast time
than Wrath, but it also deals much more damage, and Starfire criticals can
be spectacular. Starfire makes a great opener, but it's hard to chain cast
if you're being attacked due to its long cast time. Starfire deals Arcane
damage.
Soothe Animal - Level 22 - Situationally useful, Soothe Animal reduces the
radius at which a beast-type enemy will become aggressive. What this means is
that you can cast it on a beast and will be able to get much closer to it
before it attacks. Helpful for avoiding fights or for gathering a herb or
mining node without having to fight its guardian.
Remove Curse - Level 24 - This spell removes any curse-type debuff. Since
curses can have very nasty effects, this is a great tool, especially against
enemy warlocks in PvP. Even in many PvE encounters, this spell is a life-
saver.
Abolish Poison - Level 26 - Like Cure Poison, Abolish Poison removes a poison
effect on the target. However, it also adds a buff that will continue to
remove any new poison effects for the following eight seconds. Once you gain
this spell, it will completely replace Cure Poison, since it's superior in
every way. Great versus enemy Rogues.
Travel Form - Level 30 - I've discussed Travel form in depth in the section
tagged FORMS1. Please refer to that section.
Tranquility - Level 30 - Tranquility is a powerful AoE healing spell that
heals all party members in range for a large amount of health while channeled.
It also has a hefty 10 minute cooldown, but it can be a real lifesaver. Still,
it can cause a large amount of threat unless it's been improved by talents.
It's also the most visible healing spell in the game.
Dire Bear Form - Level 40 - I've discussed Dire Bear form in depth in the
section tagged FORMS1. Please refer to that section.
Hurricane - Level 40 - This is our sole AoE damage spell, and it's channeled.
It summons a large thundercloud over an area, and strikes the enemies with
Nature damage while also lowering the attack speed of all affected enemies.
Since it's channeled and is bound to draw the enemies' attention, it's
best used in conjunction with Barkskin.
Innervate - Level 40 - This low-mana instant-cast buff can be placed on any
friendly target. While Innervate is active, the target's mana regeneration
is increased by 4x, and they experience this mana regeneration even while
casting. This can easily and quickly refill the target's mana bar from
empty to full, and it is a core ability of the druid class. It lasts 20
seconds and can be used every 6 minutes. If you're in a party, save it for the
healer, or if you're solo use it to get yourself back up and running quickly.
Barkskin - Level 44 - This instant self-buff gives the druid an extra 20%
damage reduction and makes it so that damage no longer disrupts casting, and
it can be used even while stunned. It's great for use with channeled spells
so that the spell runs its full duration, and it's excellent for surviving
through a Rogue's "stunlock" in PvP. It can also be used as emergency armor
in a pinch.
Gift of the Wild - Level 50 - This spell costs a reagent and mirrors the
effect of Mark of the Wild, but it lasts a full hour and it hits all party
members within range when cast, making this a great raid buff. It's much
quicker than casting Mark of the Wild on several people, and the reagent
it uses is relatively inexpensive. It can even be used as a self-buff if you
don't like having to recast your Mark of the Wild very often.
Lifebloom - Level 64 - This spell is sort of the mirror image of Regrowth.
Whereas Regrowth has a big burst of healing up front and then a heal-over-time
component afterwards, Lifebloom does healing ticks until it reaches its full
duration, then it burst-heals. However, it's more mana-efficient than Regrowth
and it ticks every second as opposed to every three seconds. It also stacks
on itself for bigger heal-ticks (though the burst effect does not stack).
Flight Form - Level 68 - I've discussed Flight form in depth in the section
tagged FORMS1. Please refer to that section.
Cyclone - Level 70 - It's a relatively short (1.5 second) cast time spell that
affects one target, making them invulnerable but unable to move or act for 6
seconds. It acts similarly to the Warlock spell "Banish" but it's usable on
any type of enemy. It's useful for taking enemy healers out of combat in PvP
or for evening out the battle in PvE. Its cast time means it can't really
be used for spell interruption, and its short duration is a little limiting,
but you can cyclone a target and then use that time to get a heal off, or
to escape if necessary, giving the spell great utility.
-----------------------------------------------------
[SPELL3] Druid Spell Summary - Bear/Dire Bear Spells |
-----------------------------------------------------
Demoralizing Roar - Level 10 - For a small amount of Rage, the druid roars,
lowering the attack power of all enemies in the area for 30 seconds. Not only
does this mean the enemies won't be hitting as hard, it's also a great tool
for grabbing aggro while tanking.
Maul - Level 10 - This ability causes the Bear's next auto-attack to deal
extra damage. Maul hits decently hard, but it's especially nasty when it
criticals. Decent on single targets, but it's too Rage-expensive to use very
often while tanking.
Growl - Level 10 - The Bear taunt, it pulls the attention of the enemy to the
Druid instantly. Since it can be used every 10 seconds, it should be used
whenever necessary when tanking multiple enemies. It doesn't do anything if
the target is already attacking the Druid, however, so save it for regaining
the attention of an enemy who has turned on one of the less-armored members
of the group.
Enrage - Level 12 - This ability sacrifices armor to automatically generate
Rage, and is great for filling a bit of your Rage bar in emergencies. If
talented out, it can instantly grant Rage on use, but normally it does so over
a short period of time. It has a 1 minute cooldown period.
Bash - Level 14 - Once per minute, the Bear can use Bash to instantly stun the
target. This ability is great for interrupting spellcasting/healing, for
stopping enemies who are trying to run away, or for buying the druid time to
shift out of Bear form and heal himself.
Swipe - Level 16 - This ability instantly attacks up to three enemies at once
and deals minor damage to all of them. It's a core tool for tanking against
multiple enemies, but it cannot be relied on alone since its damage and threat
are minimal. However, Swipe along with Growl and an attack rotation can allow
the druid to tank several enemies at the same time, so this ability shouldn't
be underestimated.
Challenging Roar - Level 28 - Challenging Roar uses Rage to instantly force
all nearby enemies to focus their attacks on the Bear for the next 6 seconds.
This is a great ability for maintaining control over a battle, or for pulling
enemies off the overzealous mage who built up too much threat with AoE spells.
Frenzied Regeneration - Level 36 - With this ability, the Bear can pump all
remaining Rage into a potent healing spell that heals him every second for up
to 10 seconds. If the Bear runs out of Rage, the spell ends prematurely.
Because of that fact, it's best to use Enrage while using this spell to
maintain it for as long as possible, to get the most healing available. It
has a 3 minute cooldown.
Lacerate - Level 66 - This useful ability allows the Bear to stack a bleed
effect on the target up to 5 times. The effect lasts 15 seconds, and each
application causes a large amount of threat, so it's an excellent tanking
tool. However, the Rage cost is pretty hefty, so the Druid will need to
build up Rage first before using this ability.
------------------------------------------
[SPELL4] Druid Spell Summary - Cat Spells |
------------------------------------------
Claw - Level 20 - The staple Cat form attack, it uses a moderate amount of
energy to instantly attack the enemy, and it adds one Combo Point on use.
Unless you have access to Mangle via the Feral talent, this will be your main
Cat attack and Combo generator.
Rip - Level 20 - The first Cat finishing move available, Rip adds a bleed
effect to the target that deals damage over time based on the number of Combo
Points it consumes. It deals potent damage with the maximum 5 Combo Points.
Rip is best used on sustained battles, where it will be allowed to run for its
full duration.
Prowl - Level 20 - This ability places the Cat in a stealthed state, allowing
him to move unseen at a reduced movement speed. This speed can be increased
with talents, enchantments and item effects, and the Druid can use Dash even
while Prowling. Night Elf Druids have a slightly stronger Prowl, due to their
Shadowmeld racial ability. Prowl is an awesome ability that allows almost
limitless mobility for the Druid class. Just be aware that you can still be
seen by targets if they're facing you directly, and especially so if they're
much higher level than you are, so try to stay behind them if possible. Many
Cat attacks require the Druid to be Prowling first before they can be used.
Shred - Level 22 - This is the Cat version of the Rogue ability Backstab. To
use it, the Cat must be behind the target, making it difficult to use while
soloing. In parties, however, it shines, since it deals a massive burst of
damage to the enemy and adds a Combo Point to the target.
Tiger's Fury - Level 24 - This ability adds a buff to the Druid, causing her
next few Cat attacks to do increased damage. The buff lasts 6 seconds, but
it's excellent for increasing the damage of special attacks, and critical
hits multiply the bonus damage it offers. Since, as with most Cat abilities,
it costs Energy to use, it should only be used when setting up for a big burst
of damage.
Rake - Level 24 - Rake deals a small amount of burst damage to the target and
adds a minor bleed effect, as well as a Combo Point. It has a relatively low
Energy cost to offset its low damage, and it's a great way to open a fight
after the initial burst attack. Its damage isn't enough to justify spamming
the attack, however, so let it run its course before reapplying.
Dash - Level 26 - Dash allows the Cat to run very quickly for a short time,
increasing his movement speed to near-mount levels for 15 seconds. Better
still, it doesn't break Prowl when used (however, if used in Prowl the Druid
won't move as quickly due to Prowl's built in slow effect). Great for escape
or for chasing down runners in PvP, or for anytime you need a quick burst of
speed.
Cower - Level 28 - Cower attempts to lower the Druid's threat value against a
single enemy target, and is useful for when the Cat deals an unexpected burst
or critical and pulls the enemy's attention. On boss fights, it should be
used as often as it comes up, which is to say every 10 seconds, since this will
give the Druid more breathing room before pulling aggro. Even non-Feral Druids
can use Cower when they need to lower threat, just by dropping into Cat form.
Track Humanoids - Level 32 - This toggled ability uses no Energy and places
dots on the minimap to display all nearby humanoids and players. Especially
useful in PvP, it's also helpful for tracking enemy NPCs around that next
corner or over that next hill.
Ravage - Level 32 - Ravage is the first ability that requires the Druid to be
both Prowling and behind the target, so it can only be used as an opening
attack. However, it deals a massive burst of damage, even greater than Shred,
and adds a Combo Point to the target. If possible, when opening a fight with
Ravage, try to use Tiger's Fury first to give it an extra bit of damage.
Critical Ravages hurt very badly.
Ferocious Bite - Level 32 - The second finishing move a Cat will learn, this
ability converts Combo Points into a single burst of damage. However, it will
also completely empty your Energy bar on use, and whatever energy you have when
you use this ability gets converted into a small amount of bonus damage. Use
this finisher when the target wouldn't survive the full duration of Rip.
Pounce - Level 36 - The Druid must be Prowling to use Pounce, but she does not
have to be behind the target. Pounce stuns the enemy for a short time and adds
a moderate bleed effect to the target, making it a great opener for disabling
your target while you gain Combo Points against it, and Pounce itself adds one.
Feline Grace - Level 40 - This passive ability reduces the amount of damage
the Cat takes from falling, allowing the Druid to fall from greater heights.
Maim - Level 62 - This finishing move deals a moderate amount of damage and
Incapacitates the target. The damage and Incapacitate effect both grow in
strength with the number of Combo Points Maim uses. Any physical damage dealt
will break the Incapacitate effect, but bleed effects will continue to run
without breaking Maim.