I looked on the armory database today looking for Druids in the 5vs5 arena teams and there out of the top 20 there was only one druid. I think i saw every other class beside the druid numerous times, but only one druid? wtf

Yea. Our Arena ability isn't as good as some other classes atm. Top 2 classes right now for arena imo are Warrior and Paladin by far.

Well - the issue is quite frankly the current arena ruleset is in theory against the entire ideal design of the druid class.

Limited room to kite, burst dmg, cd based etc etc...

Also group utility wise what we offer in a raid (lotp, moonkin aurora, tree form aurora with hots) isn't as viable in arenas.

Hot's are VERY VERY good now - especially lifebloom and from my resto friends we are a bit more viable in arenas now due to that and obviously cyclone.

But even as a druid if you really think about it - why would you want to bring us to a 5v5 instead of a rogue with sap/blind? Warrior with ms? mage with sheep?

Arenas are the epitomy of min/max and thus as a hybrid we do get hurt by that ideal.

NOW - that is not to say druids are totally useless in arenas. I generally do 2v2 and 3v3's because we are a bit better in that smaller setting (and I don't like being just a cyclone bot in 5v5)

Rogue/Druid combo is nasty.
Warlock/Druid combo is also nasty.

My highest raiting was around 2k with those setups - granted after I got my gladiators maul we started getting alts in the team to gear them up on the side so the rating dropped fast.

The druid is a great class - but the arenas as I said is just designed soley around min/max group setups and thus as a hybrid designed the way we are - we suffer from it.

On the combos that you mentioned what spec are the druids?

On the combos that you mentioned what spec are the druids?

Full Feral mostly.

But, Balance is possible moreso with the warlock combo then with the rogue combo.

Any chance for a full resto druid in any arena setting?

Probably if you can get into a 5v5 team but I'd think our heals are just not fast enough. But I don't have any experience so =x

Im my experience (being the full feral druid who cuts the healer to shreds) the problem resto druids have in the arena is the lack of defensive options. No bubble, no fear, no stun. There is no healer I can kill easier then a resto druid.
They heal great and HoTs are the best thing since sliced bread in the arena, but once discovered and under attack it is over for them.

Im my experience (being the full feral druid who cuts the healer to shreds) the problem resto druids have in the arena is the lack of defensive options. No bubble, no fear, no stun. There is no healer I can kill easier then a resto druid.
They heal great and HoTs are the best thing since sliced bread in the arena, but once discovered and under attack it is over for them.

You are correct in that ideal.

Although with the new lifebloom buff I am hearing good things about hots from my friends who are resto druids in arena teams.

The issue I have with hots though is arena gameplay it totally based off Burst DPS. So while the hot regen atm is very insane it is still not enough to counter combo's like 2 AP/Pom/Pyro mages etc etc etc. Add into that fact our primary heal healing touch even talented is still a 3 second cast.

The same problem remains though and the OP is correct. Competitive teams don't even have to kill the resto druid healer right off the bat - although many do.

The only real defense a resto druid has is bear form. Barkskin is nice but doesn't cut it alone.

Sick a high dps melee class on the resto druid and make him go into bear - at that point his usefullness to that group and healing ability goes from 100% to zero since in bear he can't heal himself or his group mates at all and loose 2/3 of his total abilities.

Only takes one well played rogue , feral druid or even a hunter to totally shut down a resto druids healing ability and make him go into bear while your other team mates have their way with the rest of his team.

Sadly enough that's how easy it is to counter a resto druid in arenas.

Now I'm not saying it isn't possible to do well in the arena as a resto druid at all. But what I am saying is the odds are stacked against you moreso then other healing classes who have it MUCH easier.

Azreell is right on the money.

Other healing classes have bubble, fear etc etc for defense.. a resto has.. well, BEARFORM!

Allthough a resto bearform druid is unkillable (at least in arena standards) you aren't doing your team any good staying in bearform (as you deal no damage and can't heal).. and being "unkilable" doesnt do you much good if you're the last one left. :(

But don't worry.. Pallas own the 5v5 bracket. :(

I personally think a well-played Feral druid can be great in arena. As for Resto, they are fantastic as well. I'm a firm believer that you MUST have a Paladin in one of your healing slots for BoP and Sacrifice for a squishy, but a Resto is a great 2nd healer. Cyclone is amazing and the thing people forget about Bear form is that if they are beating on you so that you do have to shift into Bear, everyone else is free to wreck havoc and the other healer won't have much trouble healing a 20k+ ac 12k+ hp Bear. And no, while in Bear form, you aren't useless: you can still Feral Charge and Bash healers which is very annoying to the other team.

I personally find Priest's to be the weakest arena healers atm. They are the only healer that is worth alpha striking before a dps class because they are so squishy.

Not including 2 v 2, a good team will have

1.) MS Warrior

2.) Priest for Mass Dispel - Pally shields, ice block removal are key in arena.

A good 3 v 3 team I was on was resto druid, MS warrior, shadow priest.

I joined up with a guildy and started a 2 v 2 ... He has 2 toons that he can swap out.

When we are team with his mage we cant win a match however when he is on his balance dru with my full feral dru we are deadly...

Any advice on how to approach an arena battle with a mage and a full feral dru?

Any advice on how to approach an arena battle with a mage and a full feral dru?

I can't give a link because Warcraft Movies is down, but.

Check out "The Fat Cow and the Pro". Feral Druid + Frost Mage. I think they hit over 2400 Rating at one point, maybe they still are over it.

Thanks ... those guys rock!!!

Look him and then tell me no druids in top arena teams....
im talking about 2vs2 and 3vs3 teams now. if you only talk about 5vs5 then dont count this reply!

http://www.wowarmory.com/character-sheet.xml?r=Tichondrius&n=Spoh

Well, he is my idol^^

QFT. I was a bit naive when I posted my first post in this thread...it seems druids are more than viable in 2v2 and 3v3 arenea =)

Just a matter of skill and finding teammates to work with =D