I've been using a feral build for leveling which is alot of fun, but more long term for raiding I know I'll be healing and I quite like healing so no complaints there. I've been looking at quite a few different builds and I really like the 24/0/27 build that quite a few people seem to like as well but have a few questions about which talents specifically people choose.

I see alot of builds that look like this http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/druids2/talents.html?0140503002501300000000000000000050500 3115115000

The main thing I don't understand is in the Balance tree why people go with Natural Shapeshifter vs. Improved Thorns?

On the restoration tree I'm a little bit more confused is Improved Rejuv worth taking away a couple points from Gift of Nature and from what I've read Subtlety isn't really all that great to begin with so is it better to put a single point in natures focus?

I was thinking of something along these lines:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/druids2/talents.html?5000500302501300000000000000000050510 3105313000

Any thoughts or comments. Anyone want to share a different 24/0/27 build and comment a little bit about it?

Thanks.

I don't have the talent, but from the WoW forums Nature's Grace is bugged atm and is either 1)not firing off at all or 2)not firing off of crit heals.

The reason Crit Regrowth is taken is to complimant Nature's Grace. If you've never had it, Regrowth crits rather frequently with the talent and that'll trigger Nature's Grace, so your next nuke or heal is .5 seconds less.

Gift of Nature is ok... but 10% more heal power for 6 talent points can be seen as pricey. Insect Swarm is cute, but I already miss the day-glo-green aspect of it... the damage/debuff are negliable. If your sitting between 200-600+healing you start to see less and less of a 'need' for GoN.

Finally, don't be mistaken into thinking our feral forms without talents are a waste. Talents do make feral nicer, but bear can still tank/bash/frenzied regen and cat can still stealth/sprint/bleed. Thorns are good, I use'm all the time on tanks and solo'n... but they're mainly good against rogues or NPC's that dual wield/fast attack.

The reason (as I would understand it) that people with this build go with Natural Shapeshifter vs Imp Thorns is because they're rarely in melee combat. Therefore should something happen where they're running low on mana, its easy enough to drop into Bear form and tank while their mana regenerates.

Ephrim

The increased damage with thorns isn't really worth the extra TPs, so I can understand why NSS is perhaps the better choice. Thorns, however, helps MTs hold aggro.

This build looks like a bal/resto spec I might consider :

http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/druids2/talents.html?5120503002551351000000000000000050050 3000000000

This bal/feral spec looks mildly amusing hehe:
http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/druids2/talents.html?5100553002551351050050000000000000000 0000000000

I like the idea of reducing the attack pwr (dmg taken) of the mob(s) in Yogi form (while mana is regenerating), and also increasing my AC while in Moonkin/feral forms.

Yet another to consider. http://www.worldofwarcraft.com/info/classes/druids2/talents.html?5110503002551351050250110000000000000 0000000000
Idea here, is not to worry about dishing out the dmg in feral, but to augment AC while mana regenerates, and to decrease the amount of dmg taken (also by increasing length of bash, and feral charge to interrupt casting).

I think the natural shapeshifter choice is focused on mana conservation to have more available for casting, and to make it easier to drop to bear in a pinch.

I can see a preference for improved thorns as reasonable, if not for yourself, but for your tank (a group of mobs taking 75% more thorn damage every swing is not insignificant)

Well if you are in a great guild who hardly ever messes up or gets things out of control you could go with thorns.

If they never mess up, you never have a reason to drop down in bear and tank mobs that got past the tanks.