Restoration Druid Feedback After Playin the .5

Classes Druid
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Resto Druid Feedback: The Need for an Overhaul

Recent changes add minor improvements but fall short of addressing core issues. The current iteration defines three main builds, yet the playstyle remains restrictive, clunky, and limited in flexibility. Here’s an in-depth breakdown:

1. Damage-to-Heal Build (Mythic+ and 2v2 Oriented)

Goal: Utilize Heart of the Wild, Call of the Elder Druid, Dream of Cenarius, and Convoke, with Budding Leaves and Master Shapeshifter to support healing from damage output.

  • Current Pain Points:
    • The proposed Wrath/Shred off-healing increase to 100% from 50% is welcomed but doesn’t solve core issues.
    • Talent accessibility constraints make it challenging to reach Master Shapeshifter alongside Call of the Elder Druid and Dream of Cenarius, limiting build viability and rotational fluidity.
    • Lacks synergy with Moonfire, Sunfire, Starsurge, Rip, Bite, and Thrash as they don’t contribute to healing.
  • Synergy Gaps:
    • Moonfire and Sunfire are not included in Master Shapeshifter’s mana regeneration, and Starfire yields no mana gain despite its long cast time.
    • Dream of Cenarius does not proc from Rip, Rake, Bloodseeking Vines, or Starsurge, and Thrash does not interact with these abilities, preventing smooth DoT uptime.
    • This configuration is constrained to 2v2 PvP and lower Mythic+ (typically +7 and below potentially reaching up to +9’s, potentially as gear scales and Mythic+ is nerfed later in the season).

2. Mythic+ Lifebloom Build and Rejuvenation/Germination Build

Two separate build variants optimized for Mythic+

  • Lifebloom-focused Build: Heavy on Lifebloom, using Budding Leaves, Reforestation, and Forest Flow to amplify Convoke performance.
  • Rejuvenation/Germination Build: Prioritizes Rejuvenation stacking with Germination and Thriving Vegetation over Budding Leaves, sacrificing Master Shapeshifter to access Reforestation.
  • Concerns:
    • Forest Flow improves Mythic+ healing, but both builds continue to lag behind meta healers, especially at higher keys. As gear scaling affects effectiveness, these builds risk falling off further due to Druid’s low throughput and lack of synergy across talents.
    • There’s no meaningful build variation for between and both builds make you feel like you need 2-3 more talents to smooth the rotation.

3. Raid HoT / Tree Ramp Build

Goal: Rejuvenation-heavy, high-mana build that mirrors the Dragonflight cadence with Flourish, Master Shapeshifter, and Treants.

  • Build Dynamics:
    • Reliant on heavy Rejuvenation usage across 8-12 targets, interrupted to maintain Lifebloom, Clearcasting Regrowths, and Efflorescence for sustain. If uptime is done incorrectly HoTs fall off leaving to windows of HoTs being at a 4-5 uptime, due to mana gain windows through wrath spam, Tranquility channel, and or Bear Form utilization for a defensive frenzied regen heal.
    • Concerns: Resto Druid lacks competitive DPS in raid, an effective Battle Resurrection (it is not instant cast and it doesn’t apply well fed or mark of the wild; when it should we are the OG inventor or first class with battle res), or a powerful healing cooldown that feels impactful, overall this build is the only really viable way to heal for rdruid and it is mana-intensive and weaker for burst healing needs.

Overall Suggestions:

  • General Improvements: A rework is needed to refine rotational flow, synergy, and talent accessibility across all builds.
  • Spec-specific Enhancements: Address mana efficiency, improve Battle Resurrection mechanics, and add talent synergies (especially around Wildstalker and Convoke) to boost overall utility and effectiveness in all content.

Notable Talent Changes and Suggested Improvements

Spell Tuning and Changes

  • Cenarion Ward: Rework to function as a shield rather than a healing ability to reduce overhealing, still contributing to mastery.
  • Spring Blossoms: Suggested rework as a shield effect to avoid excessive overhealing, providing more consistent utility.
  • Forest Flow: Buff to restore Dragonflight-level potency (200%), making it effective across PvE and PvP. This addresses the current 60% effectiveness, which drops to around 30% in PvP due to past nerfs, with potency better scaling for reliable performance.
  • Wildstalker (Symbiotic Blooms): Expand the extension from Flourish to include Verdant Infusion for a more cohesive interaction.
  • Efflorescence: Duration should benefit from casting and proc effects:
    • Swiftmend: Extends Efflorescence duration by an additional 8-10 seconds.
    • Flourish: Adds 8-10 seconds to Efflorescence duration.
    • Verdancy Proc: Adds 1 second per target healed, capped at 3 seconds for 3 targets healed by Verdancy effects.
  • Regenesis: Change to provide a consistent 15-30% healing increase on targets below 70% health, replacing current RNG with a reliable scaling buff.

Additional Abilities

  • AoE Moonfire/Sunfire: Broaden the Sunfire AoE functionality in the talent tree to offer a versatile baseline option.
  • Master Shapeshifter Compatibility: Add Moonfire and Sunfire to Master Shapeshifter for improved mana regeneration and Dream of Cenarius to allow seamless use of core abilities.
  • Expanded Dream of Cenarius Compatibility: Broaden Dream of Cenarius to include Starsurge, Rip, Rake, Bite, and Thrash for enhanced build synergy.
  • Thrash Integration: Add Thrash to Wildstalker to enhance its build viability.
  • Efflorescence Weapon Enchant: Allow Efflorescence to enchant ally weapons, providing bonus damage output to nearby targets.
  • Nature’s Vigil: Adjust to function similarly to Ancestral Guidance with balanced healing and damage output.

Convoke the Spirits Changes

  • Caster Form: Focuses on healing spells exclusively.
  • Cat Form: Cat DPS spells only.
  • Bear Form: Bear DPS and defensive spells only.

Enhanced Convoke Option (RNG Mechanic):

  • Summons 3 Grove Guardians
  • Applies Incarnation for 10 seconds.
  • Casts Flourish

These three effects alternate randomly, enhancing flexibility without requiring Incarnation: Tree of Life for Grove Guardians. For example, casting Flourish might trigger Grove Guardians on the next activation, adding an engaging, rewarding sequence without mandatory dependency on Incarnation.

Tranquility Adjustments

  • Tranquility Aura: Apply an initial aura reducing incoming damage on affected targets by 25%, gradually decreasing (25% > 20% > 15% > 10% > 5% > 0%) over 5-6 seconds.
  • One-Time Cast: Rework Tranquility to allow Druids to cast other HoTs and spells, providing greater utility and movement freedom.

Talent Adjustments

  • Budding Leaves and Thriving Vegetation: Reduce to 1-point nodes, opening up build flexibility.
  • Baseline Abilities: Make Master Shapeshifter and Twinlead baseline for Restoration Druids.
  • Talent Consolidation: Merge Verdant Infusion and Prosperity into a single, streamlined talent.
  • Baseline Talent Unlocks: Make Grove Guardians and Wild Synthesis baseline, gated by level (e.g., Grove Guardians at level 50, Wild Synthesis at level 70), removing Nourish from the rotation.
  • Cultivation: Applies automatically when Germination and Rejuvenation are on a target, and fades when either HoT expires.
  • Improved Regrowth Positioning: Swap Improved Regrowth and Germination in the talent tree for improved talent synergy. Or just baseline Germination at this point.

Wildstalker Changes

  • Proc Mechanic Change: Adjust Wildstalker proc from Regrowth to Rejuvenation/Germination to improve synergy and reward players with a more impactful, flexible rotation.
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