How is leveling as a balance Druid? Would I need to utilize my cat form at all or would I strictly be casting wrath until max level? Always wanted to play balance Druid but I’ve heard that feral is the only way to level leveling a Druid… just don’t think I’m a huge fan of kitty.
Feral is definitely the most efficient. However is balancenis your thing you definitely can.
To speed it up I would kill mobs with spells until oom, then kill 1-2 mobs in cat to regen mana, then go back to casting using bandages to heal as needed.
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If feral was the only way to level, you’d be locked into that spec.
Play what you dig! You do you.
It’s like leveling as an Elemental Shaman – nuke 1-2 mobs, then drink.
It’s less efficient than Feral, but Feral sucks until Mangle, and there ain’t no Mangle in Classic.
Anyway … if you’ve already leveled a Druid as Feral, and you want to punish yourself, the Balance rotation is pretty much Starfire, Wrath, Wrath. Or you can Starfire Mob A, then Root Mob A, then Moonfire Mob A… then Starfire Mob B, Wrath Mob B, Wrath Mob B, Moonfire Mob B, then Wrath Mob A.
Or you can level as Restoration: Starfire, Moonfire, Insect Swarm, thwap thwap thrawp, thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap, loot.
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Would it be safe to keep balance at max level? I’ve read Druids are only really wanted if they’re resto.
You can find a guild that will take you as Balance. Anybody who claims otherwise wishes they were in [APES], but ain’t.
But yes, the default expectation will be Restoration.
I mean you can level as balance if you want to, however I remember someone doing a comparison of feral vs balance leveling and I think leveling using cat form while balanced spec/geared was faster than just killing things as balance.
If you wanna level balance, make good friends with mages who will give you many stacks of water when you go out to do anything, cause you’re gonna need it.
It’s slower than leveling feral but if you have the time and patience there’s no reason it can’t be done.
The most efficient spec for leveling is the one you have the most fun leveling with, the spec that encourages you to log on and play.
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def worth it at 40 to finally run around as a moonkin, which gives u same armor as dire bear.
It works fine.
Depends what you mean by balance. From level 10-20 I would precast regrowth on myself, pull 3-4 mobs with moonfire, rejuv myself, go into bearform and swipe and basically let thorns kill the mobs. That is the most efficient way to level from 10-20. And I would argue that it remains the most efficient way to level all the way to 60, and even for farming at 60.
After level 44 you can also wait for omen of clarity procs and pop barkskin > hurricane.
At low levels thorns should be doing 15-30% of your damage. I always rush natural weapons + omen of clarity + improved thorns. Get ferocity, but otherwise the feral tree is fairly lackluster. My leveling spec was 24-5-22.
https://classicdb.ch/?talent#0zLVIRzsZxZExcoMo
Level with a mix of agi/spirit/int. My priority was basically the highest armor item with spirit on it. The spirit meant virtually no downtime since your mana will regen while in bearform. And moonglow + natural shapeshifter really helps with mana management. Your DPS mostly comes from dots/thorns/swipes.
In a dungeon the spirit means you can prehot yourself before every pull. Not only do your hots create aoe threat(along with improved thorns), but it means the healer has to heal you less. I tanked all 5-mans with this spec, works great, including at 60. For single-bosses you can prehot and then cast starfire + moonfire, which will give you like 2-3k initial threat.
And this spec is insanely good for duo leveling… Omen of clarity means free regrowth heals to top off warlocks and yourself. With a mage you can gather the mobs and the mage can aoe them. If you level with a healer, you can just pull like 20 mobs and thorns will shred them while your healer heals you(paladin retribution aura also stacks with thorns). And it is just overall far more fun than going semi-afk spamming claw.
That is impossible. 24-5-22 is a level-60 spec, not a leveling spec.
But your other comments were all about leveling, and were great! Thanks for all this detailed info!
Do you think this build would work for a druid that is duo leveling with a hunter?
Yes. But I’d honestly skip the 5 feral points if you’re going that road.
for 10-20 improved wrath is the best spell you have and if you are going down balance may as well do that and just 1 pt in grasp 16.
Anywhere you put your talents you can be useful as a druid - so have fun, explore all your spells, and utilize everything to work with your hunter. Sometimes you are like a second pet, but if it is a higher level mob - your mana is probably best used healing their pet, other times you can cc and wrath.
The best druids are able to use their entire toolkits depending on the situation.
Best tip I’d say leveling as Balance is make good friends with a mage.
Hello, I have leveled as a balance druid to 60 as I like caster classes (and pet classes). If you use bear form regularly, it is not really a TRUE caster druid. I used bear form in emergencies or if needed basis, but if your casting moonfire and then bear form with max thorns…. Mmmm you’re not really a “caster” , your just playing the regular druid, might as well go cat at that point.
Finally what I did, moonfire and wrath are your friends. Starfire you get at level 20, you can start combat on one mob with starfire but the best one is reduced wrath cast time, starfire costs too much mana and the cast time is like 4-5 seconds( TOO LONG!!). I actually really liked insect swarm for leveling, basically balance druids are not only hybrids in healing and casting spells from afar but also in the types of damage they do. They can burst with wrath or moonfire crits or dot damage with thorns+ double dots + entangling roots also does damage don’t forget. I usually stayed in caster form as that’s the point ( moonkin form is really not that useful and you get it so late anyway) of being a SPELLCASTER. That’s the entire fantasy. You can shapeshift if your rooted or to stop a polymorph or to stun / stealth but otherwise you’re basically a mage that can heal and buff.
Basically wrath— moonfire ( insect swarm later) plus thorns on and rejuv on with melee hits. If you get arcane or nature damage gear + pieces, even better! ( nature damage increases wrath,insect swarm and entangling roots damage/ hurricane!)
Barkskin + Hurricane is really good for aoeing and you NEED barkskin if your tanking hits when mob’s melee you.
I basically mained a restokin, balance+ resto hybrid. The true spell caster druid build. 
Lemme know if you have any question!
Edit: what I went for leveling talents:
5/5 improved mark of the wild
Max points in nature”s focus ( You need 70% interruption avoidance when you cast healing touch or regrowth, you are a CASTER, this is your bread and butter oh crap! button.)
Then get insect swarm.
You can get 3/3 Reflection for 5% in combat mana regeneration or just go full balance tree here for the reduced wrath cast time.
You can either go for moonfire dmg/crit or natural weapon ( you are melee with a dagger or staff and CAN use omen as it’s any melee attack!)
Remember as a druid, you have to think outside the box. This build got me to level 60 and made me a monster in pvp and in kiting mobs, it will be SLOW in the beginning but that’s part of being a druid, Good luck! Tweak the build as you see fit.