WotLK Classic Druid Guide

Since WoW Classic release Druid has always stood out from the other classes because of its unique gameplay based on shapeshifting abilities. It always was fun to play for the Druid, and in Wrath of the Lich King, you can enjoy these mechanics even more. In our WotLK Classic Druid guide, we’ll talk about the class itself, its specializations, talent builds, glyphs, rotation, leveling specifics, and all other stuff you should know.

WotLK Classic Druid Overview

Druid class gameplay builds around shapeshifting and unique abilities and mechanics every animal form provides you depending on the specialization. Some forms you will use directly in fights, but Travel Form, Aquatic Form, and Flight Form just help you to travel everywhere without using mounts. Also, by choosing Druid you provide yourself an opportunity to play for any of three roles (tank, heal, damage dealer).

Druid Spec Choice

Despite the fact that WotLK Druid has just three specializations you can play one of four different ways.

Balance

WotLK Balance Druid as range DPS casters can use Nature and Arcane spells like Wrath and Starfire to damage enemies. New Balance Druid DotLK abilities like Starfall and Eclipse great complement rotation and gameplay. Moonkin Form gives you increased armor contribution, reduces damage on you while your character is stunned, restores 2% of mana for every critical strike, and gives +5% to critical strike for all your teammates around you in 100 yards.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Like all Druids, Balance can resurrect teammates in combat with the help of Rebirth; A lot of utility with such spells as Mark of the Wild, Abolish Poison, Remove Curse, Entangling Roots, Innervate, and Improved Faerie Fire; Starfall and Hurricane give you a ton of AoE damage.	You should master Starfall casting to not pull excess mobs, especially in tight spaces; Balance Druid is sometimes hard in movement because of the Eclipse system, which players shouldn’t ignore to have great damage.

Restoration

WotLK Resto Druid is well-known because of unique HoTs healing, which requires learning tactics and reading of the fights to predict damage and cast spells like Wild Growth and Rejuvenation seconds earlier. Tree of Life form gives you +6% for all healing for all teammates within 100 yards.

Strengths	Weaknesses
Battle resurrection and a lot of utility; Interesting rotation that builds on HoT (heal over time) spells; Extremely high mobility due to instant cast spells.	HoT mechanic requires learning tactics to be effective and don’t overheal too much; In most cases, other healers will be higher in metrics than you.

Feral DPS

WotLK Feral Druid in cat form is a melee damage dealer, which uses the same system of combo points as Rogue. You also have energy resources, can be almost invisible, and stun enemies. The specialization gameplay mostly builds around such Feral Druid WotLK abilities as Rake, Rip, and Mangle (Cat), and depends on time management and DoT efficiency. Cat Form increases your melee attacks.

Strengths	Weaknesses
The unique raid healing buff Improved Leader of the Pack. Also, Feral Swiftness, Dash, and Feral Charge – Cat guarantee you high mobility, while Survival Instincts and Predatory Instincts increase survivability; Very high DPS in single-target; Very effective spec for PvP and Arena;	Not the best AoE DPS; A pretty complicated rotation in PvP which requires mastering.

Feral Tank

Feral Tank Druid can use melee targeted and AoE attacks, heal itself, buff teammates’ Critical Strike stat, and even restore their HP. In the bear form, you should spam your attacks to gain Rage resource, and use it for abilities like Mangle (Bear), Maul, or Swipe (Bear). Dire Bear Form increases your attack power, armor, and Stamina stat.

Strengths	Weaknesses
High EHP and excellent defensive CDs; Great single-target DPS; Raid healing buff Improved Leader of the Pack.	A limited number of AoE abilities, so you can’t spam them; There are no unique DPS raid buffs.

WotLK Classic Druid Changes

If you played for the Druid in TBC Classic, the WotLK version can’t surprise you too much. But all specializations have some changes we should talk about:

• Balance Druid got totally new abilities like Starfall and Eclipse, which make gameplay and efficiency of specialization much better. Also, Hurricane has been reworked;
• Resto Druid in WotLK lost some healing effect of Lifebloom, but Rejuvenation became a more important and useful HoT spell. New Nourish looks like a strong direct healing ability, especially combined with one of the HoTs;
• Feral Tanks, well known for high avoidance lost this key ability, but now can immune to critical strikes because of specific talent;
• Feral DPS in cat form got strong cooldown Berserk and now shines bright. Also, this kind of Druids can surprise you with some instant casts after finishers (you can heal, control, or even use some DPS spells without casts).

WotLK Druid Leveling

Even if you plan to play only for Feral Tank specialization or Restoration Druid, leveling it can be not the best choice. Of course, you better prefer DPS specs for this long adventure, and this class can provide you with two different but fun ways:

• Balance Druid like all other range DPS casters attack enemies and try to kill them until they get closer to killing the Druid itself. While early leveling can be boring after you get Starfall you also get an opportunity to do big pools and blast a lot of mobs at one time;
• Feral in Cat Form attacks enemies from the shadows, leaves bloody wounds on their bodies, and runs to the next target, changing form sometimes to heal itself. Predatory Strikes talent provides you instant healing between fights, so you can save your time more efficiently.

Also, Druid is a great class for Dungeon leveling, because you can perform all roles that your teammates want to.

WotLK Druid Talents and Glyphs

Now it’s time to talk about the most popular talent builds you can use for your first step as Druid in WotLK Classic. Also, we should introduce to you WotLK Druid Glyphs, a new system that can improve your character abilities or at least give them a nice cosmetic effect.

Balance [58/0/13]: adding WotLK Druid spells Eclipse and Starfall transformed Balance rotation, so some talents can surprise you. At the same time, with new opportunities for mana regeneration, now you shouldn’t waste your points on mana regen options. Below is a simple option for WotLK Balance Druid talents.

Restoration [18/0/53]: all WotLK Resto Druid talents builds depend on your Haste, which lowers your global CD to spam more Rejuvenation. The best way so to start from the build below and change it when your Haste will be about 856.

Feral DPS [0/55/16]: a universal and standard option for everyone who wants to try a cat. Some Restoration talents help you with directly increasing Critical Strike and all attributes in total.

Feral Tank [0/60/11]: as we say before, Feral Tank can show great single-target DPS which can be useful sometimes. But below you can find a pure Tank build that helps you make your first steps.

WotLK Classic Druid Stats

Another important moment you need to know after you choose a specialization. Of course, Feral DPS and Restoration stats will differ, so learn this list attentively.

Balance	Restoration	Feral DPS	Feral Tank
Hit Rating (cap at 17%, but Balance of Power and Improved Faerie Fire can get you 7%) Spell Power Critical Strike (“soft cap” is at 45%) Haste (“soft cap” is at 585 ) Spirit Intellect	Haste (cap is at 856 if you have Gift of the Earthmother or 735 if you have both Gift of the Earthmother and Celestial Focus) Spell Power Spirit Critical Strike Intellect	Hit Rating (cap is at 8%) Expertise (fully cap is at 26) Armor Penetration (cap is at 1400) Haste Attack Power Critical Strike	Stamina Agility Expertise (“soft cap” is at 132) Hit (cap is at 263) Expertise (cap is at 377); Armor Dodge Critical Strike Haste Armor Penetration Strength Attack Power Defense

WotLK Classic Druid Best Race

One of the easiest choices in this guide you can face. As before, only Night Elves can be Druids from the Alliance, and only Taurens from the Horde. So you need just to choose the faction you sympathize with, or maybe look better at race abilities:

• Horde players can use AoE stun War Stomp (very good in PvP), and small HP buff Endurance;
• Alliance players have additional stealth ability Shadowmeld (BiS for PvP, good also in different situations) and avoidance buff Quickness.

WotLK Classic Leveling!

Get any level you want!

WotLK Classic Druid Consumables, Chants & Gems

Now we should talk about the best opportunity to boost your stats.

Balance

Gems	Chants	Consumables
Meta – Chaotic Skyflare Diamond Red – Runed Scarlet Ruby Orange – Potent Monarch Topaz, Reckless Monarch Topaz, or Veiled Monarch Topaz Yellow – Rigid Autumn’s Glow, Smooth Autumn’s Glow, Quick Autumn’s Glow Purple –  Purified Twilight Opal	Head –  Arcanum of Burning Mysteries Shoulder –  Greater Inscription of the Storm Cloak –  Enchant Cloak – Greater Speed Chest –  Enchant Chest – Powerful Stats Bracer –  Enchant Bracers – Superior Spellpower Gloves –  Enchant Gloves – Exceptional Spellpower Legs –  Brilliant Spellthread Boots –  Enchant Boots – Icewalker or  Enchant Boots – Tuskarr’s Vitality Weapon –  Enchant Weapon – Mighty Spellpower or  Enchant Staff – Greater Spellpower Ring –  Enchant Ring – Greater Spellpower	Flask –  Flask of the Frost Wyrm Elixirs –  Spellpower Elixir &  Elixir of Mighty Mageblood Food –  Fish Feast,  Firecracker Salmon, or  Tender Shoveltusk Steak Potion –  Potion of Wild Magic

Restoration

Gems	Chants	Consumables
Meta – Ember Skyflare Diamond or  Insightful Earthsiege Diamond Red – Runed Scarlet Ruby Orange – Reckless Monarch Topaz Yellow – Quick Autumn’s Glow Purple – Purified Twilight Opal	Head –  Arcanum of Blissful Mending Shoulder –  Greater Inscription of the Crag Cloak –  Enchant Cloak – Greater Speed Chest –  Enchant Chest – Powerful Stats Bracer –  Enchant Bracers – Superior Spellpower Gloves –  Enchant Gloves – Exceptional Spellpower Legs –  Brilliant Spellthread Boots –  Enchant Boots – Greater Spirit or  Enchant Boots – Tuskarr’s Vitality Weapon –  Enchant Weapon – Mighty Spellpower or  Enchant Staff – Greater Spellpower Ring –  Enchant Ring – Greater Spellpower	Flask –  Flask of the Frost Wyrm Elixirs –  Spellpower Elixir &  Elixir of Mighty Mageblood Food –  Fish Feast,  Firecracker Salmon, or  Tender Shoveltusk Steak Potion –  Runic Mana Potion or  Potion of Wild Magic

Feral DPS

Gems	Chants	Consumables
Red – Fractured Scarlet Ruby or Precise Scarlet Ruby Yellow – Accurate Monarch Topaz or Quick Autumn’s Glow or Rigid Autumn’s Glow Prismatic – Enchanted Tear Meta – Relentless Earthsiege Diamond	Head – Arcanum of Torment Shoulders – Greater Inscription of the Axe Cloak – Enchant Cloak – Greater Speed Chest – Enchant Chest – Powerful Stats Bracers – Enchant Bracers – Expertise or Enchant Bracers – Greater Assault Gloves – Hyperspeed Accelerators or Enchant Gloves – Expertise or Enchant Gloves – Crusher Waist – Eternal Belt Buckle Legs – Icescale Leg Armor Feet – Nitro Boosts or Enchant Boots – Icewalker Ring – Enchant Ring – Assault Two-Handed Weapon – Enchant Weapon – Mongoose or Enchant Weapon – Berserking	Potions – Potion of Speed or Haste Potion Flasks – Flask of Endless Rage or Flask of the North Food – Hearty Rhino

Feral Tank

Gems	Chants	Consumables
Meta – Austere Earthsiege Diamond or Swift Skyflare Diamond Red – Nightmare Tear or Shifting Twilight Opal or Shifting Dreadstone Yellow – Vivid Forest Emerald or Vivid Eye of Zul Blue – Solid Sky Sapphire or Solid Majestic Zircon	Head – Arcanum of the Stalwart Protector Shoulders – Greater Inscription of the Gladiator Back – Enchant Cloak – Major Agility or Flexweave Underlay Chest – Enchant Chest – Powerful Stats Wrists – Enchant Bracers – Major Stamina or Fur Lining – Stamina Hands – Enchant Gloves – Major Agility or Hyperspeed Accelerators or Reticulated Armor Webbing Waist – Eternal Belt Buckle Legs – Frosthide Leg Armor Feet – Enchant Boots – Tuskarr’s Vitality or Nitro Boosts Fingers – Enchant Ring – Stamina Weapon – Enchant Weapon – Mongoose	Flask/ Elixirs – Flask of Stoneblood Buff Food – Blackened Dragonfin Potions – Indestructible Potion

WotLK Classic Druid Best Professions

In most cases, Jewelcrafting and Engineering will be BiS choice for Druid. All simple, Jewelcrafting gives you an opportunity to craft powerful gems you definitely will use, while Engineering gets you a lot of useful gadgets, bombs, enchants, etc. But also have specific options:

• Feral Tank can choose Leatherworking to get a Stamina buff;
• Restoration Druid can pick Alchemy because of useful flasks like Flask of Pure Mojo;
• Blacksmithing can give you two bonus sockets for gems, so you can choose this profession for any spec.

WotLK Classic Druid Rotation

Of course, you can’t predict the future to see how every single fight could go, so these rotation options can change sometimes. Especially in PvP, where your next course of action will depend on your team setup, your enemies’ team setup, their tactics, and a lot of other specific moments. But it’s good to know rotation and follow it as you can anyway.

Balance

In WotLK Balance Druid rotation builds around Eclipse mechanics:

1. You should check that Faerie Fire is always maintained on the target;
2. Starfall should cast almost every time you can do it;
3. The same with a Force of Nature;
4. Maintain  Moonfire on your target except in the situations when Solar Eclipse is active;
5. Maintain  Insect Swarm except in the situations when Lunar Eclipse is active;
6. Use  Wrath as much as you can when Solar Eclipse is active;
7. Spam  Starfire as much as you can when Lunar Eclipse is active.

Restoration

You can hear, that Restoration Druid rotation simple as nothing. Maybe it can be right, but don’t forget, that HoT gameplay requires patiently tactic learning and damage prediction:

1. Cast  Wild Growth every time you can;
2. Cover raid with  Rejuvenation;
3. Use  Swiftmend when your teammate HP is critically low;
4. Try to spend Clearcasting effect on  Lifebloom;
5. You should cast  Regrowth on tanks or other teammates that take extra damage;
6. Use  Nourish on tanks or another target that needs burst healing;
7. In critical moments, use  Nature’s Swiftness to cast maximum rank  Healing Touch.

Feral DPS

Feral rotation builds around the DoT mechanic and can change depending on the number of enemies around you:

1. Cast Tiger’s Fury when you are under 40 Energy and skill available;
2. If you have 15 or more seconds of Tiger’s Fury, you should use auto-attack until  you get 90 Energy, and then use Berserk;
3. Use and refresh Rip every time you have 5 Combo Points;
4. Maintain Mangle (Cat)‘s debuff on your enemy;
5. You could use Ferocious Bite if you have 5 Combo Points and Rip DoT still has 10+ seconds remaining on its duration;
6. Use and refresh Rake to maintain DoT on target;
7. Use Shred to get more Combo Points but don’t forget that you should have enough energy to cast Mangle (Cat).

Feral Tank

You can add to your single rotation AoE spells to maximize your performance:

1. Use Berserk every time you can do it;
2. Cast Mangle (Bear) if spell available;
3. The same with Faerie Fire (Feral);
4. Cast and refresh Lacerate until the target gets 5 stacks;
5. Use Maul when you don’t have other options;
6. Use Swipe (Bear) if you have rage after using Maul.

WotLK Classic Druid Phase 1 BiS

Almost no matter how good you play, without suitable gear in most cases, you will not be the best in various encounters. But gearing is not so hard if you will have an understanding of what items you need.

WotLK Druid Pre-Raid BiS

Balance	Restoration	Feral DPS	Feral Tank
Greensight Gogs Encircling Burnished Gold Chains Dark Runic Mantle Deathchill Cloak Spellweave Robe Cuffs of Winged Levitation Gloves of Glistening Runes Plush Sash of Guzbah Leggings of the Winged Serpent Sandals of Crimson Fury Signet of the Kirin Tor Ring of Northern Tears Mark of the War Prisoner Sundial of the Exiled Titansteel Spellblade Ward of the Violet Citadel Idol of Steadfast Renewal	Helm of Anomalus Blood Sun Necklace Dark Runic Mantle Deathchill Cloak Spellweave Robe Cuffs of Winged Levitation Spellweave Gloves Sash of Blood Removal Leggings of the Winged Serpent Sandals of Crimson Fury Band of Guile Annhylde’s Ring Soul Preserver Spark of Life War Mace of Unrequited Love Handbook of Obscure Remedies Idol of Budding Life	Weakness Spectralizers Titanium Impact Choker Trollwoven Spaulders Ice Striker’s Cloak Darkheart Chestguard Advanced Tooled-Leather Bands Gilt-Edged Leather Gauntlets Sharp-Barbed Leather Belt Gored Hide Legguards Boots of the Whirling Mist Hemorrhaging Circle Titanium Impact Band Mirror of Truth Darkmoon Card: Greatness Staff of Trickery Idol of the Ravenous Beast	Weakness Spectralizers Titanium Impact Choker Trollwoven Spaulders Platinum Mesh Cloak Trollwoven Breastplate Deadly Gladiator’s Armwraps of Triumph  Gilt-Edged Leather Gauntlets Sharp-Barbed Leather Belt Gored Hide Legguards Deadly Gladiator’s Boots of Triumph  Hemorrhaging Circle Deadly Gladiator’s Band of Victory Bitter Balebrew Charm Bubbling Brightbrew Charm Staff of Trickery Idol of Terror or Idol of Perspicacious Attacks

WotLK Druid BiS List

Balance	Restoration	Feral DPS	Feral Tank
Valorous Dreamwalker Cover Wyrmrest Necklace of Power Valorous Dreamwalker Mantle Pennant Cloak Valorous Dreamwalker Vestments Unsullied Cuffs Valorous Dreamwalker Gloves Leash of Heedless Magic Leggings of the Wanton Spellcaster Footsteps of Malygos Signet of Manifested Pain Lost Jewel Dying Curse Illustration of the Dragon Soul Torch of Holy Fire Accursed Spine Idol of the Shooting Star	Headpiece of Reconciliation Chains of Adoration Mantle of the Locusts Cloak of Kea Feathers The Sanctum’s Flowing Vestments Unsullied Cuffs Valorous Dreamwalker Handguards Leash of Heedless Magic Legguards of the Boneyard Arcanic Tramplers Band of Channeled Magic Ring of Decaying Beauty Soul Preserver Illustration of the Dragon Soul Torch of Holy Fire Matriarch’s Spawn Idol of Awakening	Valorous Dreamwalker Headguard Favor of the Dragon Queen Valorous Dreamwalker Shoulderpads Aged Winter Cloak Chestguard of the Recluse Thrusting Bands Frosted Adroit Handguards Belt of the Tortured Leggings of the Honored Dawnwalkers or Footwraps of Vile Deceit Surge Needle Ring Greatring of Collision Darkmoon Card: Greatness Grim Toll Journey’s End Idol of Worship	Hood of the Exodus Favor of the Dragon Queen Valorous Dreamwalker Shoulderpads Drape of the Deadly Foe Valorous Dreamwalker Raiments Thrusting Bands Valorous Dreamwalker Handgrips Sharp-Barbed Leather Belt or Belt of the Tortured Valorous Dreamwalker Legguards Footwraps of Vile Deceit Greatring of Collision Strong-Handed Ring Bitter Balebrew Charm Bubbling Brightbrew Charm Journey’s End Idol of Terror or Idol of Perspicacious Attacks

WotLK Druid PvP

The best Druid specializations to play PvP in WotLK are Restoration and Feral DPS. Healing Specialization can be good because of a wide skills pool and opportunity to help your teammates not only with healing casts but control and damage too. At the same time, Feral DPS specialization shines bright in Arena fights because of high DPS, effective DoT mechanics, a lot of control and stun skills, and also healing abilities.

So, let’s check the best setups for Restoration and Feral DPS Druids.

Restoration

2v2 comps	3v3 comps
Arms Warrior/ Restoration Druid Unholy Death Knight/ Restoration Druid Affliction Warlock/ Restoration Druid Shadow Priest/ Restoration Druid Elemental Shaman/ Restoration Druid Retribution Paladin/ Restoration Druid	Elemental Shaman/ Restoration Druid/ Destruction Warlock Elemental Shaman/ Restoration Druid/ Affliction Warlock Affliction Warlock/ Arms Warrior/ Restoration Druid Frost Mage/ Destruction Warlock/ Restoration Druid Arms Warrior/ Unholy Death Knight/ Restoration Druid Retribution Paladin/ Restoration Druid/ Arms Warrior

Feral DPS

2v2 comps

3v3 comps

Feral Druid/ Restoration Shaman Feral Druid/ Arms Warrior Feral Druid/ Subtlety Rogue Feral Druid/ Combat Rogue Feral Druid/ Restoration Druid Feral Druid/ Marksmanship Hunter Feral Druid/ Discipline Priest Feral Druid/ Shadow Priest

Feral Druid/ Retribution Paladin/ Restoration Shaman Feral Druid/ Arms Warrior/ Discipline Priest Feral Druid/ Holy Paladin/ Marksmanship Hunter Feral Druid/ Holy Paladin/ Arms Warrior Feral Druid/ Discipline Priest/ Frost Mage Feral Druid/ Discipline Priest/ Arcane Mage Feral Druid/ Combat Rogue/ Discipline Priest Feral Druid/ Subtlety Rogue/ Discipline Priest Feral Druid/ Subtlety Rogue/ Holy Paladin

WotLK Classic Druid Macros

Finally, a few details that can make your Druid gameplay better. There are a lot of useful macros for all specializations, but let’s see the general that will help you in the most repeatable situations.

Gotta Go Fast

This macro will check the environmental conditions you are in to cast the most suitable form or mount.

#showtooltip Swift Zulian Tiger (or any of your mounts)
/cancelform
/cast [swimming] Aquatic Form
/use [flyable] Swift Yellow Windrider (or any of your mounts)
/cast [flyable] Swift Flight Form
/use Swift Zulian Tiger (or any of your mounts)
/dismount
/cast Travel Form

Revive/Rebirth

This macro will help you to cast suitable abilities depending on whether you are in a fight or not.

#showtooltip
/cast [combat] Rebirth; Revive

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We hope our guide was helpful for you and that you figured out how to do your first steps as Druid. We would appreciate your feedback and good luck in the Northrend!