Restoration Druid 8.2

 A Restoration Druid is the most peaceful specialization of this class and deals with restoring the health of those injured. To do that, they use the force of Nature given to them. You want to know how to become a useful healer in WoW? Then read our guide.

Introduction

Let’s take a look at the advantages and disadvantages of this specialization:

Advantages:

• A huge number of periodic healing;
• One of the best healers for Mythic+;
• A huge arsenal of control abilities for Mythic+;
• Potentially the most powerful healer for dealing damage

Disadvantages:

• In a raid, they have no unique abilities since they have no raid saves for reducing incoming damage;
• Without any external help (Blessing of Wisdom or additional Innervate) a Druid has a thick chance of being left with no Mana.

Basic information on the spec:

The main resource used by Restoration Druid is Mana which they need to use healing, protective and additional spells. In the Cat Form and the Bear Form, Energy and Rage become your resource, respectively.

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Glossary

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Main abilities

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Talents

General information. On achieving several new levels you’ll get access to new talent ‘Tiers’. Talents may have different effect on abilities: add new features, replace old ones, modify passively different effects and spells. Talents can be changed in Sanctuaries or any recreational zones. However, if you don’t have any of those places nearby you can use the Codex of the Tranquil Mind which allows you to switch channels within a minute. You can’t change talents in combat. You can’t change a talent if the talent you’ve picked in the last Tier is on Cooldown. You’ll have to wait until it’s restored first.

Tier 1. Lvl 15

• Abundance. Each active Rejuvenation effect cuts 6% off your Regrowth casting time, and the probability of delivering a critical effect by Regrowth grows by 6%. A good tier if you want to increase your HPS on a boss, not a bad talent in overall but costs too much mana.
• Prosperity. Swiftmend now has 2 charges, and its restoring time is 3 secs shorter.  A great talent if there is a lot of burst damage from debuff on a boss. Helps to save the target from dying, instantly restoring its hp or to heal up the target with quickly ticking debuff.
• Cenarion Ward. For 1840 Mana tags a target with a shield for 30 secs. Any damage delivered to this target replaces the shield with a powerful HoT with an 8-sec duration. CD 30 secs. Also a good choice. the best talent for m+ and good for raiding because puts  a strong HoT that restores a lot of HP.

Tier 2. Lvl 30

• Tiger dash. Replaces “Dash”. Activates cat form and increases movement speed by 200%, reducing gradually over 5 sec.
• Renewal. Instantly restores 30% of your max HP stock. Can be cast from any form. CD 1.5 min.
• Wild Charge. Depending on the form, triggers one of the abilities with a 15-sec CD:
  In your regular form, it flies you to an ally’s position.
  Moonkin Form — a leap backwards.
  Bear Form — a surge towards your enemy that immobilizes them for 4 secs.
  Cat Form — a leap behind your enemy’s back dazing them for 3 secs
  Travel Form — a leap 20 m forward.
  In your Aquatic Form, your swimming speed grows by 150% for 5 secs.

* The whole Tier comprises occasional talents.

Tiger dash is used if you need move often.

Wild Charge entitles you to several options at a time, depending on which Form you are in; plus it has a shorter CD, but it does, though, demand a target to be cast.

Renewal Usually it is not taken but sometimes could be useful if you lack time to heal yourself after receiving a great damage.  

Tier 3. Lvl 45

• Balance Affinity. Passively increases your abilities’ active range by 5 m, and gives you the following several abilities:
  Moonkin Form CD 1.5 min; in this Form, your Armor rating is elevated by 200%, and you also get 4 abilities typical of this Form. You can utilize these abilities only while in Moonkin Form.
  Starsurge has a 10-sec CD, deals Astral damage and increases your next Lunar Strike and Solar Wrath inflicted damage by 20%.
  Lunar Strike deals Arcane damage to the main target, plus more damage to all the enemies within the range of 5 m.
• Feral Affinity. Passively grants you a 15% running speed boost. Increases your Energy restoring speed, grants access to Combo Points and the following abilities in this form:
  Shred is only available in the Cat Form, demands 40 Energy; deals physical damage to a target. If the latter tagged with your bleedings, the spell deals 20% more damage. When cast from stealth, deals 50% more damage, and doubles Crit. Generates 1 CP.
  Rake costs 35 Energy, deals physical damage and leaves a 15-sec long DoT. When cast from Stealth, the spell deals 100% more damage and stuns the target for 4 secs. Generates 1 CP.
  Rip – only from Cat Form – for 20 Energy, spends 1 to 5 CP and applies a bleeding effect on the target for 24 secs. The more CP spent, the heavier the damage.
  Ferocious Bite — only in Cat Form — initially costs 25 Energy and spends 1 to 5 CP; deals physical damage (the more CP spent, the heavier the damage). Spending additional 25 Energy, increases the damage by no more than 100%. If the target is left with under 25% Health, Ferocious Bite renews Rip instantly.
  Swipe, for 35 Energy, deals physical damage to all the enemies within the range of 8 m. The targets tagged with your bleeding effects receive 20%more damage. Generates 1 CP.
• Guardian Affinity. Passively reduces the incoming damage by 6%. It also grants you several abilities:
  Mangle deals physical damage to the target, generates 5 Rage. CD 6 secs.
  Ironfur costs 45 Rage, increases your Armor by 65% for 6 secs.
  Frenzied Regeneration costs 10 Rage, CD 36 secs. Within 3 secs, restores Health equalt 24% from maximum amount.

* For DPS, your best pick would be Feral Affinity as it generates a lot more DPS as compared to Balance Affinity in any damage dealing model. It also offers you a passive running speed bonus.

To increase your survival through reducing the incoming damage, use Guardian Affinity

Tier 4. Lvl 60

• Mighty Bash. Can be cast from any form; stuns your enemy for 5 secs. CD 50 secs.
• Mass Entanglement. Allows you to immobilize the selected target and all the enemies within the 15-m range of it for 30 secs. Any damage dealt to the entangled enemies cancels the effect.
• Typhoon. In any form, throws back all the enemies within the 15-m range in front of you and dazes them for 6 secs.

* The Tier offers you control options which means the decision is completely up to you.

Mighty Bash and Typhoon are used most of all.

Tier 5. Lvl 75

• Soul of the Forest. Swiftmend tags you with the effect Soul of the Forest which increases the efficiency of your next Regrowth or Rejuvenation by 200%, and the efficiency of your next Wild Growth by 75%. A weak talent, it is not used anywhere
• Cultivation. If your Rejuvenation restores Health to an ally below 60% HP, they are also automatically hit with Cultivation which restores minor Health over the following 6 secs.  A good choice for the encounters where the raid receives a lot of damage, it is not the best talent in this tier but the best choice for mythic+
• Incarnation: Tree of Life. Allows you to transform into the Tree of Life for 30 secs. In this shape, your healing is 15% more efficient, and your armor grows by 120%. You are immune to transformation effects. It also boosts some of your abilities:
  — Wild Growth is tagged on two additional targets.
  — Regrowth is cast instantly.
  — Rejuvenation costs 30% cheaper Mana-wise, and its efficiency is 50% higher.
  — Entangling Roots is cast instantly.

The best choice for raiding, improves your abilities, healing and is used as additional burst to heal up the raid.

Tier 6. Lvl 90

• Inner Peace. Reduces the restoring time of Tranquility by 60 secs. Could be used if you lack raid saves on a boss.
• Stonebark. The restoring time of Ironbark is 15 secs shorter. Your periodic healing spells restore 20% more HP to the targets tagged with your Ironbark. Usually this talent is never used but your tank often needs saves. Could work if your tank really needs additional saves and you do not want to change such tank.
• Spring Blossoms. When Efflorescence restores Health to a target, it also leaves a 6-sec HoT which restores a minor amount of Health. The best choice for raiding and mythic+ because it puts an additional HoT that works with your mastery.  

Tier 7. Lvl 100

• Photosynthesis. While your  “Lifebloom” is on yourself, your periodical heals heal 20% faster. While your  Lifebloom is on an ally, your periodical heals on them have a 5% chance to cause it to bloom. A great talent for mythic+ but a situational one for raiding. It allows to heal up the tank when he receives a lot of damage or keep  the party at decent hp on bosses with a lot of AOE.
• Germination. Rejuvenation now can be cast twice on the same target
• Flourish. Increases the duration of all of your heal over time effects on friendly targets within 60 yards for 8 se, and increases the rate of your heal over time effects by 100% for 8 sec. The best choice for raiding because it increases duration all your HOTs  including those you take in talents. Saves up a lot of mana and improves healing.  

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Azerite traits

In BFA typical sets were removed and Azerite armor took their place. Now every chest/helmet/shoulders have a few rings traits.

• Rampant growth. Regrowth heals more over its duration, and its healing over time effect also applies to the target of your Lifebloom. A good trait, you should have 1 of it. It improves flash and buffs one more HoT (if the tank has Lifebloom).
• Autumn leaves. Rejuvenation’s duration is increased by 1 sec, and it heals more if its your only heal over time on the target. A great trait because there will be a lot of the situations when the target will have only 1 Rejuvenation and nothing else. You should have 1 of it.
• Early harvest. When Wild growth expires, it heals the target for additional amount if they are injured, or it reduces the cooldown of Innervate by 1 sec if they are not. You should have 1 such trait. It improves your healing and reduces mana manasaving cooldown if the target is alive.
• Walking dream. Ysera’s gift now heals every 4 sec and heals more for each of your active Rejuvenation. Just like the previous traits you should hav e1 of it, it is good for raiding (and not only) because restores more health with Ysera’s gift.
• Lively spirit. When Innervate expires, for each spell the target cast using Innervate you gain intellect for 20 sec and 0.5% mana. Also you should have only 1.
• Bonded souls.Your spells and abilities have a chance to trigger a Soulbond for 15 sec. During soulbond every 5 sec you and your nearest ally are both healed and gain haste for 5 sec. A great trait with an often proc that grants haste and heals you and your ally. The first tait that you could take 2.

* Druid has a lot of good traits that improve HoTs so it is better to take each trait not more than 1 to optimize healing and improve all abilities because the major increase comes from having a trait not its number .

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Essences

Gameplay

In a raid:

Let’s start with how you should heal a tank:

1. Maintain Lifebloom on the active tank. Renew it only between 0 and 4.5 secs so that you don’t lose the healing of your spell’s second effect.
2. Maintain Rejuvenation. If you’re talented with Germination, maintain two counts of Rejuvenation on the tank.
3. To react to your tank receiving additional damage, start by using Cenarion Ward. This would you to tag your tank with an additional HoT thus increasing the efficiency of your Mastery.
4. To heal the tank quickly in case of emergency, use Regrowth or Swiftmend if your cast might be too long.
5. If there is no expected massive damage to be received by the tank but it is still down on HP, trust your HoTs.
6. If you’re expecting massive damage to come in to your tank, Ironskin is your pick.
7. Optional: Efflorescence, under the tank to get an additional HoT on it. That would increase your Mastery’s efficiency.

Healing a raid:

1. Efflorescence under a group of players (in most cases it is Melee DPS). The zone is quite large, so you usually can embrace the tanks with it, too.
2. Wild Growth in case 6+ people are subject to damage. Do not use it before any damage comes in, because the first HoTs are the most powerful ones. This is the most powerful AoE healing spell.
3. Rejuvenation for allies down on HP or before they receive damage.
4. Regrowth or Swiftmend on the allies with the heaviest injuries to keep them alive. Use it on the allies tagged with your HoTs to increase the efficiency of your spells.

The rest of the time:

1. Moonfire, Sunfire, then Solar Wrath to the priority target. Use Feral Affinity and deal damage from your Cat Form unless you are expecting any serious damage coming in soon.
2. If your raid is expecting damage in 10 secs, start re-HoTting it with Rejuvenation.

Cooldonw usage:

Innervate. For higher efficiency, follow the order below:

• Use it 5-6 secs prior to the whole raid receiving damage. Overlap it with Efflorescence if you can, because it’s one of the most expensive spells Mana-wise.
• Spend 5-8 GCDs on Rejuvenation.
• Once the expected damage is received by the raid, use Wild Growth, Flourish

Tranquility. A powerful cooldown to heal up the whole raid:

• If you’re using Spring Blossoms, use Efflorescence under the members of the group/raid standing close to each other first.
• Wild Growth to make your Mastery as profitable as it can be.
• Optional: Rejuvenation on the prioritized targets to increase your Mastery bonus even more.
• Tranquility.

Mythic+:

• Lifebloom on the tank, renew, like in a raid, between 0 and 4.5 secs before end.
• Cenarion Ward per CD on the tank.
• Rejuvenation on the tank and all the members of the group that receive damage.
• Wild Growth, in case at least 4 out of 5 members of the group are subject to damage.
• If that all is not enough, use Tranquility.
• Swiftmend on players who’ve suffered massive damage and are to receive more soon. If you have the time, use Rejuvenation first.
• Regrowth as an emergency heal.
• Efflorescence on a group of players
• If nothing is happening, you can start dealing damage with Moonfire, Sunfire, Solar Wrath. If you’re talented with Feral Affinity, enter the corresponding Form.

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Stats

The basic rating for the characteristics is as follows:

Mythic+: Mastery > Haste >= Crit > Versatility > Intellect

Raids: Haste > Mastery > = Crit > Versatility > Intellect

Mastery increases your healing’s efficiency by 5% + Mastery rating per each periodic healing effect you cast on a target. The more HoTs you have, the higher the efficiency of the healing you deliver. Keep in mind that the current characteristic has no effect on your DPS which may be of significance in Mythic+ or at some raid encounters.

Haste reduces GCD, casting time and makes your HoTs teak more often.

Critical strike influences your chance of delivering double healing or double damage off one cast.

Versatility directly increases the healing and the damage you deliver. It also reduces the incoming damage by half that amount.

Based on the aforementioned characteristics and results of your character’s own simulation results, you can draw conclusions on Gems, Chants and Raid Chemicals.

Gems:

• Leviathan’s Eye of Intellect
• Masterful Sea Currant 50 mastery
• Quick Sand Spinel 50 haste

Chants:

• Rings: Accord of Haste, Accord of Mastery 
• Weapon: Enchant Weapon – Machinist’s Brilliance

Food:

• Raid feast for 131 Intellect
• Abyssal-Fried Rissole for Mastery or Baked Port Tato for Haste

Flasks and Potions:

• Greater Flask of Endless Fathoms 360 intellect for 1 h
• Superior Battle Potion of Intellect for general use
• If you need to restore mana instantly, use Coastal Mana Potion.
• If you have a time, for overall mana restoration Potion of Replenishment will be better.

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Macros

Rebirth at the cursor’s position:

#showtooltip Rebirth
/cast [@mouseover,help]Rebirth; Rebirth

* It is also recommended that you make mouseover macros like that for all your healing abilities.

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What’s next?

1. Leveling. If your character has been inactive since the previous expansions, the best  option to level up it is by Timewalking dungeons. You will gain a lot of experience, but there is one big disadvantage of leveling this way. Timewalks are available only for one week during a month, but Overgear is always here.
2. Equipment. At high level, the most important thing for you will become your gear. WoW is a multiplayer game, that’s why we recommend for you to play it with your friends, or to find a new friends for mythic+ runs. If you have any trouble with it – Overgear may help you to find not just friends for a run, but a complete well geared and experienced group that also will be glad to trade all the loot you need.
3. Raids. Raids are the top-tier PvE content in the game. That’s why the equipment’s base ilvl is higher than anywhere else. These dungeons require knowing all the tactics and have a good gear to kill the bosses. The possibilities of Overgear might let you skip those criteria.

Azerite. It is also not the best idea to forget about the Heart of Azeroth and not to feed it with more Azerite. Ignoring this won’t make your character stronger. The easiest way to do it – just complete all the world quests with Azerite rewards everyday. You can get extra azerite from Island Expeditions. Companions can be found at Overgear.