Hi all, I'm new to WoW. I played a druid for years in EQ1 and even though I thought I wanted to try something new, here I am playing a druid again. They're just too fun to pass up. So here's my question....
I'm interested in a talent tree that maximizes versatility. I have big chunks of time on the weekends during which I like to group, thus I'd like to be useful in a support role. During the week I usually solo because I don't have alot of time. I guess I'm interested in talents that are usefull both solo and in groups, like mark of the wild for example. Can you be useful as a group healing druid without pumping alot of points into the healing based talents? Maybe just the one that helps prevent being interrupted when casting heal? Has anyone played around with a combo like this? In the end game of course I'll respec to focus on PvP but until at least 40-50 I'm not even going to worry about PvP.
Thanks in advance for any advice. :beerchug:

As far as I can tell, Restoration IS our only tree. Granted I am a Feral Druid myself, it is pretty evident. Like I said in another tree, Innervate and Nature's Swiftness outclass any Druid talent in utility. If you don't have it, you will find it hard to get groups outside of guildies. At the end game you will be expected not to focus on PvP but to focus on High End Instance runs and Restoration are only wanted. I used to be specc'd across the board for Druid, then leaned primarily Restoration, then finally went Feral and don't plan on looking back. Personally I think from 50-60 you will probably be asked for Restoration spec', and from 40-50 you can get away with being what you want, and soloing your levels.

You can be somewhat usefull partially specc'd Restoration, Nature's Swiftness atleast I would suppose, but people seem to think Innervate is 100% needed though I have been told it is hardly used at the same time. As far a Feral people stop at Feral Charge I believe and go no further, some people have gone further and disliked it, others by word of mouth don't bother. Balance looks really nice, the increased range, swiftshifting, Nature's Grasp as early are you get is definately a must.

I feel like am rambling and not making sense...

Hi there Kudra,

If you look down the thread list, you'll see a thread entitled Feral. I posted an answer there that constitutes my answer to your question. Sounds like you have more experience as a druid than I, so if you do get a chance to read it and respond ( here or there) I would appreciate it.

Heh, Innervate hardly used? I try to make sure I pop it every 6 minutes. It cuts instance run down time, it makes boss fights a ton easier. My normal group is Druid/Priest/Paladin/Mage/Warrior. I've innervated the priest, myself, or the mage depending on situation it's awesome.

I've got grasp and distance from balance. In feral I got bash, crits, cost redux, charge. Restore be sure to get furor, swiftness, and innervate. With my gear setup (can see in sig) I get up to 11k ac with the paladin around.

I am a very good healer.

When necessary I am a very solid off tank.

With bash and charge I stop runners. If outdoors, root + distance adds to that.

If something's going wrong I can make sure the right person has mana, be that myself or someone else. If things are going right I can reducde the group's downtime.

Cat DPS isn't horrible any more either, still substandard, but I can do damage without burning mana.

That in my opinion is the crux of versatility, whatever the group needs at any given time I can do. I do believe that the other two trees sadly have less to offer and do not help us fill any particular role better while preventing us from filling the healing role well. Balance and Feral aren't going to make you into a good melee character or heavy dps caster, Restoration will however make you an excellent healer.

The trade off for the other trees is going from bad to mediocre at filling those roles instead of going from mediocre to excellent as a healer.

And that is the problem with Druids. The entire class needs to be reevalutated. Restoration shouldn't have to be the staple Talent tree for a supposed "versatile" class. Priests can safely specc to enjoy gameplay without suffering, Druids however, are pigeon cooped into Restoration because of Innervate. I despise that spell because it single handedly rules out the other tree's in the game. It shouldn't be a talent, but rather a naturally learned spell. Druids would gain their versatility back and be able to safely enjoy other talent treets without fear of never seeing high end content.


Sorry about going off-topic a bit. =P

I have studied the three tree since beta, and depending on my mood that day I will respec.

From my multiple respecs this is what I have learned:

1. Nature's Focus/Swiftness is a must have for ANY druid build.

2. If you only put 5 trains into your balance tree they should go to improved wrath and not Nature's Graps / Improved Nature's Grasp. Wrath is our best pvp spell because it does not increase the chance to break root (root can still randomly break), meaning that nature's reach + root + wrath + innervate = pvp win.

3. Every druid should have 2/2 Nature's Reach. 20% increased range means that we can deal damage from farther away than any other class other than a hunter. Against a hunter, you sleep pet, root hunter, move into sweet spot, spam wrath.

4. No matter how many talents you put in your feral tree Feral Gear > Feral Talents. The best feral talents are in restoration and balance trees, but if you want to further invest in your forms, do not EVER put more than 21 trains into your feral tree.

5. 5/5 Furor makes your bear a weapon in PvP, not just a damage absorber (Shift/Bash), and also makes rage immediately available for frenzied regenration if you are out of mana and need a heal.

6. Innervate is not mandatory, but damn is it nice to have when you need it and allows you to outlast your opponent which is the Druid's specialty.

7. Never get hurricane, and if you want to go all the way up the balance tree go 4/5 moonfury and 5/5 vengeance with your other 21 trains in restoration for nature's swiftness/focus.

8. OoC is the most over-rated talent we have.

9. It is almost impossible to justify the investment of talents into 5/5 Combat Endurance, 5/5 Improved Starfire, and 5/5 Improved Thorns.

10. Feline Swiftness + Dash is really fast, but travel form doesn't cost 21 talent points.

Feel free to flame.

Edit: Feline Swiftness + Dash don't stack.

I happen to agree almost entirely with what Silverbear said although I'll add some things:

5. 5/5 Furor makes your bear a weapon in PvP, not just a damage absorber (Shift/Bash), and also makes rage immediately available for frenzied regenration if you are out of mana and need a heal.

I like Furor so much that I dropped Improved MotW for it. I don't like Imp MotW as I think many others do, but Furor has been wonderful. Having that 10 rage immediately for a Feral Charge is priceless in both PvP and PvE.

6. Innervate is not mandatory, but damn is it nice to have when you need it and allows you to outlast your opponent which is the Druid's specialty.

Yes, I feel the same. Depending on the duration of a PvP encounter, it will prove its worth- sometimes in the security blanket and sometimes in the raw staying power it provides. I find this talent necessary to be a 5-man instance healer because we need the extra mana pool in boss encounters. Otherwise, I don't think you "need" it for PvE.

<3Chloee

Chloee, I have both furor and Imp Mark. Curious what you chose instead of mark.

Silverbear, you just made my mind up about imp wrath. I specced balance for awhile and damn if i don't miss that imp wrath! When I got 31 points available I respecced for innervate. I've now got innervate and a point or two before feral charge and was tossing around the imp wrath or grasp thing. But I think I gotta agree, the extra offense of imp wrath is better than the extra defense of imp roots.

Astrel, I'm sure many classes would enjoy having top-end talents available for free but kinda doubt that's gonna happen. Amazing that such a kick-ass talent could cause such pain for you but I kinda understand what you mean. Personally I agree with Silverbear and Chloee though, innervate is nice but not necessary. It really doesn't help keep you alive as much as it helps reduce downtime and allows you to fight mobs/chars that normally you wouldn't have the mana reserves to beat. Example, innervate is the reason I can take on +1/+2 level elites solo or tackle 4 or 5 mobs at a time solo when I assume most other classes can't.