NEW Fluid Form - Shred and Rake can be used in any form and shift you into Cat Form. Mangle can be used in any form and shifts you into Bear Form. Wrath and Starfire shift you into Moonkin Form, if known.
NEW Oakskin - Survival Instincts and Barkskin reduce damage taken by an additional 10%.
NEW Instincts of the Claw - Shred, Brutal Slash, Swipe, Rake, Mangle, and Thrash damage increased by 5%/10%.
NEW Lore of the Grove - Moonfire and Sunfire damage increased by 5%/10%. Rejuvenation and Wild Growth healing increased by 3%/5%.
NEW Ursoc’s Spirit - Stamina in Bear Form is increased by 10%.
NEW Starlight Conduit - Wrath, Starsurge, and Starfire damage increased by 5%. Starsurge’s cooldown is reduced by 4 sec and its mana cost is reduced by 50%.
Talent Changes:
The Druid class tree has almost been completely reworked. We’ll cover the big removals and changes, but look at the images for specific positions.
Tireless Pursuit removed
Moonkin Form moved to Balance Druid baseline
Swiftmend moved to Restoration Druid baseline
Feline Swiftness is now 1 point for 15% movement speed (was 2 points)
Lycara’s Teachings is now a 2 point node (was 3 points)
Forestwalk now increases your movement speed and healing received by 8% for 6 sec (was 5% for 6 sec with 2 points).
Astral Influence now only costs 1 point for 5 yards (was 2 points)
Thick Hide reduces damage taken by 4% for 1 point (was 6% for 2 points)
Improved Swipe removed
Protector of the Pack removed
Balance tree
New Abilities:
NEW Stellar Amplification - Starsurge increases the damage the target takes from your periodic effects and Shooting Stars by 12% for 5 sec. Reapplying this effect extends its duration, up to 20 sec.
Replaces Stellar Innervation. Row 6, 2nd Left.
NEW Greater Alignment - Incarnation: Chosen of Elune and Celestial Alignment last 40% longer. During Incarnation: Chosen of Elune and Celestial Alignment, Solar Eclipse increases Nature damage done by an additional 5% and Lunar Eclipse increases Arcane damage done by an additional 5%.
NEW Nature’s Grace: When Eclipse ends or when you enter combat, enter a Dreamstate, reducing the cast time of your next 2 Starfires or Wraths by 40% and increasing their damage by 50%.
Replaces Nature’s Grace. Row 6, 5th Left.
NEW Umbral Embrace - Wrath and Starfire have a 20% chance to cause your next Wrath or Starfire cast during an Eclipse to become Astral and deal 100% additional damage.
Reworked Umbral Embrace. Row 7 Middle.
NEW Umbral Inspiration - Consuming Umbral Embrace increases the damage of your Moonfire, Sunfire, Stellar Flare, Shooting Stars, and Starfall by 20% for 5 sec.
Row 8 Middle.
NEW Astral Communion (Passive) - Increases maximum Astral Power by 20. Entering Eclipse grants 12 Astral Power.
Reworked Astral Communion. Row 8, Far Right.
NEW Harmony of the Heavens - Starsurge or Starfall increase your current Eclipse’s Arcane or Nature damage bonus by an additional 1%, up to 5%.
Row 9, Far Left
NEW Touch the Cosmos - Casting Wrath in an Eclipse has an 8% chance to make your next Starsurge free. Casting Starfire in an Eclipse has a 10% chance to make your next Starfall free.
New Location - Row 6, 6th Left
Moved Talents:
Lunar Shrapnel and Aetherial Kindling swapped positions
Sundered Firmament moved to new choice node with Orbit Breaker. Row 8, 2nd Left
Denizen of the Dream moved to Row 10.
Class and Talent Tuning:
Mastery nerfed by 20% down to 4% baseline (was 5%)
Waning Twilight now is a 1 point talent at 6% (was 2 points for 10%)
Wrath damage buffed ~23%
Aetherial Kindling extends duration by 3 sec (was 4 sec)
Astral Smolder no longer procs from critical strikes, but has a flat 45% chance to trigger.
Balance of All Things now increases crit chance by 10%/20%, decreasing by 1%/2% every sec.
Celestial Alignment now lasts for 15 sec (was 20 sec)
Fury of Elune damage increased by 6%, but Astral Power generation reduced to 40 (was 48). Now a Magic Dispel.
Incarnation: Chosen of Elune duration is now 20 sec (was 30 sec)
New Moon damage increased by 6%, but Astral Power generation reduced to 10 (was 12).
Orbital Strike damage reduced by 13.5%
Power of Goldrinn damage increased by 8%
Shooting Stars damage increased by 22%
Starfall damage increased by 6%
Soul of the Forest no longer increases Starfire’s damage.
Stellar Flare damage increased by ~6%
Umbral Intensity primary target damage increased by 20%/40% (was 15%/30%)
Wild Mushroom initial damage increased by 32%, periodic damage increased by 21.5%, Astral Power generated capped at 16 (was 20)
Feral Tree
New Abilities:
NEW Coiled to Spring - If you generate a combo point in excess of what you can store, your next Ferocious Bite or Primal Wrath deals 10% increased direct damage.
Replaces Dire Fixation. Row 2, Middle
NEW Savage Fury - Tiger’s Fury increases your Haste by 8% and Energy recovery rate by 20% for 6 sec.
Replaces Rampant Ferocity. Row 5, 2nd Left
NEW Resourceful Hunter - Leech increased by 2%. Versatility increased by 2%.
In Row 5, 4th Left
Moved Talents:
Infected Wounds talent moved to Row 5, Far Right.
Taste for Blood talent reworked. Now increases Ferocious Bites damage by 15% and an additional 15% during Tiger’s Fury. Replaces Relentless Predator position.
Talent Changes and Tuning:
Adaptive Swarm damage buffed by ~30%
Apex Predator’s Craving now has a 6% chance to make Ferocious Bite free (was 7.2%)
Berserk duration reduced to 15 sec (was 20 sec) and increases all attack and ability damage by 10% (was only Shred and Rake by 50%)
Berserk: Frenzy additional Bleed damage increased to 150% (was 100%)
Berserk: Heart of the Lion reduces Incarnation/Berserk cooldown by a flat 60 seconds
Brutal Slash damage increased by ~187%
Feral Frenzy damage increased by ~30%
Incarnation: Avatar of Ashamane duration reduced to 20 sec (was 30) and increases all attack and ability damage by 10% (was only Shred and Rake by 50%)
Predator now increases combo point generator’s direct damage by 40% of Haste (was cooldown on Tiger’s Fury resets when a target dies with Bleed active)
Primal Wrath energy cost increased to 30 (was 20) and damage increased by ~97%
Raging Fury causes Tiger’s Fury to last 5 additional seconds (was only increased by finishing moves per combo point spent)
Sabertooth now causes Ferocious Bite to deal 15% increased damage. Each Combo Point spent causes Ferocious Bite’s primary target to take 3% increased damage from Bleed and other DoTs for 4 sec.
Soul of the Forest causes finishing moves to grant 2 Energy (was 3 Energy) per combo point spent.
Tear Open Wounds now includes a bonus effect during Incarn/Berserk: Rip duration consumed is increased to 6 sec.
Tireless Energy maximum energy increased by 20/40 (was 30/60) and Energy regen increased by 8/15 (was 10/20)
Restoration:
New Abilities:
NEW Call of the Elder Druid - When you shift into a combat shapeshift form or cast Starsurge, you gain Heart of the Wild for 10 sec, once every 1 min.
Balance: Cast time of Balance spells reduced by 30% and damage increased by 20%
Feral: Gain 1 Combo Point every 2 sec while in Cat Form and Physical damage increased by 20%
Guardian: Bear Form gives an additional 20% Stamina, multiple uses of Ironfur may overlap, and Frenzied Regeneration has 2 charges
Replaces Adaptive Swarm. Row 8, 3rd Left
NEW Dream of Cenarius - While Heart of the Wild is active, Wrath and Shred transfer 150% of their damage and Starfire and Swipe transfer 100% of their damage into healing onto a nearby ally
Replaces Unbridled Swarm. Row 9, 6th Left
NEW Thriving Vegetation - Rejuvenation instantly heals your target for 15%/30% of its total periodic effect and Regrowth’s duration is increased by 3/6 seconds.
Replaces Luxuriant Soil. Row 9, 7th Left
NEW Prosperity - Swiftmend now has 2 charges.
Takes the spot of Flourish in the Choice Node. Row 8, Far Right.
Moved Talents:
Flourish moved to 10th Row choice node with Photosynthesis (1st Left)
Invigorate now part of a new choice node with Embrace of the Dream on Row 9
Talent and Class Changes:
Rejuvenation healing increased by 30%
Shred and Rake damage reduced by 9%
Sunfire damage increased by 6%
Abundance cost and critical chance increased by 8% (was 5%)
Efflorescence mana cost increased to 3.4% (was 3.0%) base mana
Grove Guardians healing reduced by 15%. Mana cost increased to 1.2% (was 1.0%)
Nurturing Dormancy maximum total capped at 4 sec (was 6 sec)
Verdant Infusion extends duration of heal over time effects by 8 sec (was 12 sec)
For feral, the class tree changes are pretty mid, if not worse than what we currently have.
Assuming you are a druid of the claw so you need to take the new fluid form talent + frenzied regen, it means after you pick up all the required utility/power, you now have 2 flex point to spend between
Thick hide
Remove Corruption
Typhoon
Hibernate
Improved Barkskin/ Verdant Heart
Ironfur
The new Ursoc’s Spirit
Imporved Stamp Roar/ HOTW
Whereas before, you had 6 flex points to basically choose between those same things, (granted the dispell was much harder to take).
The only real benefit of this tree vs the old one for feral is that a) it is only 1 point to take the dispell vs 3 and b) you get reguv and wild growth vs boomie abilities c) it is easier to take cyclone (which isnt used outside of pvp)
Edit: If you do not want astral influence, it means you get 2 extra flex points, but I am not sure if that is even worth it. You can also give up hibernate/ clone + Stamp roar for thick skin + Ursoc’s Spirit, but again I am not sure it is worth.
Feral really seems to need a large buff to compete with balance as a spec. Either damage or utility in the tree would be immense. Hopefully they get some more changes before war within goes live, but feral is a pretty ignored spec overall.
Feral is getting some big defensive buffs with the Druid of the Claw tree, but even ignore the class tree changes, the spec tree changes for feral removed its damage profile niche over boomie and now it just has a generic damage profile (Vs before where it was really good on using adds to funnel damage into the boss)
This is really the big thing. Reading the changes node by node, it’s all very positive stuff. But our points are simply spread too thin with too many talents that feel required for the obvious build to make sense. So we’re stuck with severely diminished utility compared to Dragonflight. And I really don’t want to give up things like Nature’s Vigil and Innervate due to them being too expensive.
This feels even worse when you’re spending points on things like Rejuvenation, Wild Growth, and Lore of the Grove. Putting at minimum 4 points into completely dead talents does not feel great when I’m already hurting for points.
I personally don’t like the changes to Predator at all. I’ve always used it as that refresh and burst of energy from Tigers Fury made the game just a bit more enjoyable for me. I always liked the fantasy of “hey, you just killed something, go crazy with power.” That’s gone now. The new change seems like a poor substitute for this talent.
I also dislike the removal of Rampant Ferocity from the tree. If I chose to play Wildstalker instead of Druid of the Claw, I lost a lot of aoe damage. I’m sure it got removed as the hero talent sort of did what it did, but now I’m stuck using Druid of the Claw if I want that power back.
Havent gone into too much detail while looking over the changes but this is the thing i dislike most about Ferals changes too. Even though i predicted it with Druid of the Claw, still wasnt ready for it to actually happen
Does appear theyre trying to lower our APM a bit and bring us back in line with wanting us to pool energy more. Not a bad thing. Just an observation.
I’m confused did Resto just lose Moonkin form? Is Owlweaving not a thing anymore? A lot says “if known” but the Talent is completely removed now.
The class tree changes are beyond lacking. With the exception of fluid form finally offering some real support for shapeshifting (you know, the core of the class), we got a bunch of DIY tuning nodes that force each spec to buff some of their core spells (where “buff” actually means, if you don’t take it you’re going to be undertuned) by going all the way to the bottom and spending capstone-level points. But that’s okay because…
Capstones are all still miserable despite the fact that druid had an amazing pool of SL covenant spells that could be supported in the class tree.
Core raid utility—stamping roar—is gated behind spending two points that will be useless in raid 99% of the time.
Survivability actually nerfed via thick hide 6% → 4%.
Are there some changes in the right direction? Absolutely:
Less baseline-ability bloat at the top.
Less pathing through useless nodes like moonkin form on a feral or ironfur on anything other than guardian.
But overall the tree just lacks fun. Who cares how good the pathing is or how many flex points I have if all I can do is path towards 5% damage to X that’s just going to bring me in line with other classes that get their damage tuning for free in a tuning pass, rather than wasting a talent point on it.
I should be torn between which capstones I want—“convoke will make me bursty and feels cool, but swarm gives me lots of overall damage and…THE BEES!”—, not trying to figure out if my last point to spend should go in a node that’s “basically not going to get used” or “probably won’t be touched”
I appreciate the continued effort, but I feel like druids have been waiting two years for a genuine rework. The kind that makes other classes jealous for a couple weeks (as other classes have received.) Unfortunately it feels like instead of making that the goal, we’re constantly just aiming for “how to we go from really bad to not quite as bad?”
Gimme back swarm for resto; it was the only interesting hot interaction we had left. Was wondering why it wasn’t in the wildstalker tree when its one of the few shared things between resto and feral and its because they just decided to scrap it; even dumber since they just gave it a new visual and charged a bunch to get a glyph to put it back.
Not having moonkin form just sorta kills owlweaving since we wont have anyway to trigger ranged damage convokes. Even if HotW is procced from starsurge there’s no way to use it to buff balance spells since casting them no form just leaves us healing.
And the new elder druid node(and DoC) needs to be switched with the springblossom/ overgrowth node so its next to mastershapeshifter instead of blocking 2 pure hps nodes with a dps cooldown and a low heal check filler passive.
I just looked at the Resto rework for the Alpha and I’m okay with most of it EXCEPT: NO MANA REDUCTION FOR NOURISH CHOICE NODE?!? I get that you want to lock us into Grove Guardians but come on. Either take out Nourish altogether or do something to make the talent node viable again. Reduce the mana cost to something on par (or even less honestly) than Grove Guardians. @.@ I don’t want to main a different healer next expansion but it’s really looking that way so far. face palm
We need whoever is doing the mage trees, especially the mage class tree, to take over for the druid dev.
Balance druids have abysmal survival and all we got is an extra 10% DR on barkskin in exchange for a 2% perma DR loss and we also lost swiftmend to boot, which was basically a healthstone worth of healing.
Balance druids are not looking well at all, even one of the trees, Keeper of the Grove, does not give them a single new visual as you gain no new spell or modified ability unique proc, just the same lame version of treants we’ve had since BfA instead of the much better WOD treants.
The class shuffle is not even helpful. We are replacing a set of baseline functionality with yet more talented baseline functionality in fluid form. This is how shapeshifts should work to begin with, they should shift you to the relevant form instead of wasting talent points of them because they can’t be bothered to make and animate actually new things for druids.
Who is in charge of Druids trees? They seriously need to find a different job. Removing adaptive swarm from resto? Making feral actual dog water in terms of flexibility? What is even going on with balance? Whoever is doing mage trees needs to take over. Looks like I may have to shelf my Druid this expansion.
The Removal of Moonkin form for Resto confuses me.
So Fluid Form, Call of the Elder Druid, Master Shapeshifter only now work for Bear and Cat Form?.
It clearly says for Fluid Form - Wrath and Starfire shift you into Moonkin Form, if known, which would work in tandem with Master Shapeshifter and Call of the Elder Druid.
But with the Removal of Moonkin Form we have no way to proc this if we prefer Owlweaving, so essentially now Resto only should be Kittyweaving to dps effectively?, if so I’m very unhappy with this change .
Does anyone know more info I may have missed? Or officially Owlweaving is now a thing of the past, I hate being melee to kittyweave .
I haven’t done a deep dive into all the spec trees yet but I have looked at the class tree a fair amount.
The good, I do like that they realized that the class tree is overloaded with core abilities and are removing them from the tree to make room for other stuff.
The bad, they don’t seem to realize that one of the major issues with the tree right now is that in order to take a utility of some sort you have to path down the entire length of the tree to pick it up. You can’t path over from a different line. In the new version it’s the same problem. It’s designed as two trees with a couple of shared talents in the middle. For example there is no way to get from the caster side of the tree to where incapacitating roar is. You would have to path down the entire left side of the tree to take it as a healer or moonkin.
On another note I think they should move Heart of the Wild to where Ursol’s Vortex is in the new tree and put Oath of the Elder Druid (from the Restoration tree) right below it. It would give druids the ability to serve off spec roles periodically and briefly. You could then have the pathing from the two sides converge on Stampeding Roar so that you aren’t forced to take Heart of the Wild. Soothe and cyclone would move elsewhere in the tree.
I don’t like that moonkin form is being removed from all specs other than balance because Convoke the Spirits exists but also it has cool utility and major role play value.
The positioning of Instincts of the Claw and Lore of the Grove is problematic. For example it requires a Balance druid to take physical damage talents so that they can take powerful crowd control and defensive abilities. These talents are also bland and uninteresting.
Fluid Form I think is a great concept but isn’t the right way of executing it. I would like to see it moved up the tree and Frenzied Regeneration and Skull Bash added to the list of spells (at least for restoration).
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