I'm going nuts over the new talent tree

Classes Druid
#1

So I am working through the new talent tree and just recently logged onto my Druid. I’m looking at the talents and reading through sites like wowhead and icyveins. I’m not really liking their suggestions.

What’s the point of taking Rip if you have Primal Wrath that applies it? I understand what Tear Wounds does. Also, why do they emphasize using Balance Talents? If I’m popping out of Cat form, I’m healing. So should I change it up or just keep banging my head on the computer over this?

This is just the beginning of my craziness over this.

#2

Also, why do they emphasize using Balance Talents? If I’m popping out of Cat form, I’m healing.

The Balance talents are to get Astral Influence, to increase the range of your abilities. As far as I know, there’s no expectation to be shifting to Moonkin form.

#3

There’s no need to increase the range of your abilities. Used to be that balance affinity would increase mele range by good amount, now it’s costing 5 points for 2 yards.

You’ll want rip for single target over primal wrath, and also to reach maim, feline swiftness, and primal fury.

As a feral you’ll very rarely ever shift out of cat to heal, see predatory swiftness in the feral tree plus protector of the pack in the druid tree. Your best non cat option is shifting to bear for frenzied regeneration. Rejuvination and swiftmend will be in humanoid form but those are far from your regular niche.

edit to add: If strong self healing is something you’re building towards then make sure to have adaptive swarm on your bear cast bars. You can cast it on yourself before frenzied regeneration for some chunky recovery. Also verdant heart in the druid tree.

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#4

Range is very important in alot of situations. Range can help when needing to avoid mechanics while still dpsing and positioning.
Plus in somewhat scattered aoe it helps you hit multiple targets at further ranges.

#5

Duration.

Single target rip lasts 24 seconds.
Primal wrath only lasts 12.

On ST fights, you dont want to waste combo points reapplying rip every 12 seconds.

#6

Very much so.

Had a situation where the tank never hit one mob and it got on the healer. I had enough range to hit both the ones being tanked and that one with AoE. I pulled it off the healer and did not lose any large amount of damage.

Also, if you need to spread out, often you can still hit the boss and not be in range of any allies.

#7

Thank you all for the replies. I still see how Primal applies and refreshes Rip along with Tear Open Wounds doing a 60% “crit” by consuming 4 seconds of Rip, but also refreshing the duration of Rip. What do you do, applying Rip first then keep building and hit Primal as it ticks down? I would just think it better to spend combo on.

#8

BTW, this is my Druid.

This is what I am talking about:
Druid-Talents

I’m sorry if I am beating a dead horse o this. I understand the idea of using Balance talents now.

#9

On a single target its better to have a 24s duration rip and use Bite rather than having to constantly spam primal wrath to keep the dot up (Thought on 2 or more targets its better to use primal wrath to keep up rip on multiple targets, and tear open wounds is basically extra direct damage when you refresh the dot before it expires.)

For going down the balance tree its mostly for utility.
-Astral influence is amazing to help you stay in range of mobs and have more room to play around with than other mele.
-Typhoon is an aoe knock-back that can push mobs out of bad stuff and act as an aoe interrupt in M+.
-Ursol’s vortex is for kiting or helping the tank kite mobs in M+.
-Innervate is an amazing CD for helping your healer if there running out of mana.
-Natures vigil is another helper CD that can take some stress off your healer during times when the party (or the tank) is taking a lot of damage.

If you don’t like them then you can just move those points in to thick hide and improved barkskin to just make yourself a bit tankyer.

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#10

You have to be careful with this.

If you use primal wrath right as rip is about to expire, tear open wounds won’t have anything to consume and its damage will be small.

You have to use it with at least 4 seconds or more left on rip to get maximum damage from open wounds.

Refreshing rip before it expires on single target it a waste of combo points that could use been spent on a Bite.

Using primal wrath on single target is inefficient as well, regardless of the direct damage for two reasons.

1 - Rip lasts twice as long for the same cost.
2 - Bite hits harder than the direct damage of primal wrath + open wounds.

#11

I too will never understand why the top players and websites keep suggesting the range increase. 5 points of talents for just 3 yards? Hell no I am not taking that deal.

Yeah there aren’t many options to choose but I rather take the off-healing or more bear talents than spending 5 points for 3 yards of extra range.

I do believe with time the top players will realize it isn’t a good choice to go that way in the tree.

#12

Range for a melee is incredibly important for alot of situations especially as a tank.
Just like in SL everyone values the extra range over a little extra healing.

When it was balance, and rest affinity. Everyone took balance over resto in the vast majority of situations.

#13

depends what you are using in place of the range talent. More range = more dps. Targets that were previously out of reach are now in reach. I am in the same vein, however, with not liking the location of Astral Influence.

I honestly don’t even know why moonkin form is on the talent tree. That’s like…having cat form or bear form on the talent tree for Feral or Guardian.

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#14

Range for a melee is incredibly important for alot of situations especially as a tank.

This, 100%. Just to build onto it with some examples outside of the obvious bigger AoE benefit, dancing around Skolex was a joke when I could stand further away than other melee.

The spinny boys in Junkyard I can still hit whereas other melee can’t. Similarly, first boss of workshop I can still hit while he’s spinning.

Getting out of mega drill on the mobs after workshop first boss is much safer when I don’t have to stand so close initially, same went for zulga and the dudes before gambit first boss.

I can stand far from Medivh and not accidentally instantly trigger a flame wreath on 2 melee much easier.

It’s just always very convenient and often a slight dps increase to have extra and safer attack windows.

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