Arcane mage or balance druid for ultimate arcane fantasy?

Community General Discussion
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  1. Which in your opinion is more engaging to play in terms of rotation?
  2. Which has better spell animations?
  3. Which has more badass lore?
  4. Which is performing better in pve/pvp?
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If you’re gonna completely ignore the elephant in the room that is the fact that druids can heal and tank, then I’d say mage ticks your boxes. Balance should be deleted IMO.

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Arcane mage is the only choice. They’re the only ones using actual arcane magic.

Balance druids are using magic from Elune, which is entirely separate from arcane magic.

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I find Balance boring af. Go Mage.

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I like mages in terms of both story and transmog.

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While the current responses are fair. Balance currently has a Lunar Calling build (aka permanent lunar eclipse) which is VERY arcane damage heavy.

If you desire can build into the arcane fantasy strongly.

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Going way back here, but I enjoyed the simplicity of balance druid before the solar and lunar mechanic changes.

I’ve tried getting behind them in their current state, but I just can’t do it. The gameplay feels so clunky.

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How is moon-magic bird even in the discussion of ultimate arcane fantasy with Arcane. Mage.

Druids would never get their Dalaran acceptance letter, and even if they did the bursars office doesn’t accept pinecones and acorns.

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  1. Balance Druid, don’t really vibe with clearcast procs from Arcane and I really dig the AE aspect of Balance
  2. Balance easily, Starsurge looks amazing, Starfall, Wrath, and Starfire as well
  3. Balance imo due to the fact it’s primary school Astral Magic weaves both Arcane and Nature into its gameplay so you dabble back and forth or can use both at once via CA
  4. No idea
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Balance druid is probably the most fun class imo, right alongside elemental shaman.

I just wish they’d give druids a glyph to change all of the solar and lunar spells to something more emerald dream inspired.

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Imo it’s balance, but I’m biased because I play one and I also love astrology, my sign is cancer so the moon is my planet, my rising is Leo which is the sun, I love stars and the moon and all that so it’s my vibe.

I HATE moonkin form though so I’m always in glyph of stars mode.

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If you want an arcane fantasy, play the mage, because from a lore perspective, balance druids dont’t even use the arcane. They use lunar power.

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I tried balance for the first time in tww just today. My goodness that spec feels like a right mess. Far too much going on. I feel overburdened with astral power. Trying to dump it feels like a full time job. I’m quite sure I’m not playing it well. But still. Messy.

Go with arcane mage. Arcane sunfury is very fun.

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Balance Druid if you talent into Lunar Calling is actually pretty fun and definitely delivers Arcane. But my nature Arcane is Order and structure, right? Arcane Mage has that more than Druid, which is a little more chaotic.

So on theme I think its 2 sides of the same coin. On enjoyment I’d go Balance over Arcane. I’ve not enjoyed Arcane since Legion.

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It’s one of those things where they both do the same damage type but come from different sources. Druid spells are from Elune and mage spells are from Arcane.

It’s like Lightning Bolt and Sunfire both doing nature damage.

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Well, Mage feels more like a mage (duh) due to all the utility that is the hallmark of Wizards in traditional PnP games, but Balance feels way flashier to me.

  1. Arcane has a more set in stone rotation that really values precision and attentiviness, can’t speak for Balance.
  2. Balance Druid, no doubt, Arcane spell effects get old quick.
  3. Both of them are great, Mages in general have some of the greatest lore and they are typically the ones shaping the world, metaphorically, but also literally from time to time, but Druids, especially Malfurion are known to be insanely powerful.
  4. Haven’t played either of them this xpac save from Mage briefly before S1 came out, then Arcane was THE top dog spec, not sure about it now.
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Druid is nature. Mage is Arcane. Blood Elf mage ultimate arcane fantasy.

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If were talking about fantasy Balance only uses arcane mechanically and therefore shouldn’t be considered in the first place.

I’d still go with Mage regardless, but I’m admittedly somewhat biased in that regard.

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Druids can throw a moon at the mobs. Druid better. Clearly.

1 Like