Balance Druid Beginner's Guide

This is intended to be a simple guide to the basic rotation and dynamics of the spec that gets you up and running without requiring more advanced optimization.

Information on hero talents will be coming soon, but in general know that overall they add a minor layer on top of how each spec plays, and most of what’s here should be applicable regardless.

Talent Build #

This is a simplified talent build designed to avoid complex interactions and skip unnecessary abilities. While not optimal in all cases, it should be a great way to get started learning the spec and should work reasonably well in world content, delves, dungeons, and raids. Abilities and talents not chosen in this build are not described here, and the rotation information assumes you’ll be using the build.

Copy the text below to import the recommended build:
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Wowhead Link

Resources #

Eclipse – Not exactly a resource but this is the center of Balance’s rotation. When you cast two successive basic abilities (Wrath or Starfire), you’ll enter into an empowered state gaining a variety of damage increasing bonuses. Using two Wraths will grant Eclipse (Lunar), improving AoE damage, and using two Starfires will grant Eclipse (Solar), improving single-target damage. You’ll want to try to be in an eclipse state as much as possible.

Astral Power – As you use basic abilities like Wrath and Starfire, you’ll gain Astral Power, which can be spent on more powerful abilities like Starsurge and Starfall. With Astral Communion you’ll gain some extra Astral Power when you enter an eclipse, and with Nature's Balance you’ll passively generate some Astral Power and rebalance to 50 power while out of combat.

Mana – Like all Druids you’ll have a Mana bar, but it’s not something you’ll normally need to think about.

Forms #

The signature ability of Druids is being able to shapeshift into different animal forms. While in a form you’ll have access to unique abilities and gain certain bonuses. You can re-activate your current form while already in it to return to humanoid (also known as caster) form.

Moonkin Form – Balance druids uniquely have access to this form, granting increased magic damage and armor. You should be in this form nearly all of the time you’re in combat.

Cat Form – As a Cat you’ll gain increased auto attack damage and movement speed, and take reduced falling damage. As a Balance druid you’ll primarily use this when getting around for the movement speed bonus.

  • Prowl – An important ability related to Cat Form, Prowl lets you, while out of combat, enter stealth and be undetectable to enemies. Doing damage or using abilities will take you out of stealth. You can also re-activate Prowl to exit stealth manually. Hugely useful to avoid enemies in the world.

Bear Form – In Bear Form you’ll gain increased armor and health, and have access to tank-like abilities. All Druids can and should use Bear Form as an on-demand defensive utility against expected major damage, but you won’t want to spend extended time in it since you’ll lose access to your normal damage abilities.

Caster Form – When not in one of your animal forms you’ll have access to magic and healing abilities. While you technically can use many of your damage abilities as a caster, unless you need to heal you should instead be in Moonkin Form for the damage bonus.

Travel Form – Only usable outdoors. Shifts you into a form that works like either a ground or flying mount depending on what’s available in your location. This means you can forgo using normal mounts, and avoid the cast time for summoning them. Additionally, if you’re underwater this will shift you into an aquatic form that can breath underwater and has increased swimming speed. Unlike the other forms, there are no unique abilities for Travel Form.

Core Abilities #

Wrath – Short cast to do minor damage to the target and generate Astral Power. Used to build Astral Power in single target, and to enter into Eclipse (Lunar) in AoE.

Starfire – Short cast to do minor damage to the target and surrounding enemies while generating Astral Power. Used to build Astral Power in AoE, and to enter into Eclipse (Solar) in single target.

Starsurge – Consume Astral Power to instantly do significant damage to the target. You’ll use this to spend your Astral Power in single target.

Starfall – Consume Astral Power to begin dealing moderate damage to all surrounding enemies over 8s. Multiple starfalls will overlap without interfering with each other. With Aetherial Kindling will extend the duration of Moonfire and Sunfire on any enemies hit. You’ll use this to spend your Astral Power in AoE.

Moonfire – Instantly do minor damage to the target and apply a DoT. With Twin Moons will also affect a second nearby enemy. You’ll want to keep this active at all times in single target, and on as many targets as you reasonably can in AoE.

Sunfire – Instantly do minor damage to the target and apply a DoT. With Improved Sunfire will affect all nearby enemies in an area. This should be kept active at all times.

Cooldowns #

Celestial Alignment – 2m cooldown. Deal significant damage to all enemies in the targeted area, and enter into an empowerd state for 20s. While active you’ll gain a variety of damage increasing benefits, most importantly being a special form of eclipse that grants both lunar and solar bonuses.

Effects #

These are some of the more notable effects, interactions, and passive talents that you should be aware of. It’s not covering effects (even if they’re very strong) that provide flat bonuses or that don’t require much thought to use, and it only includes those used in our recommended build.

Mastery: Astral Invocation – Balance Druid’s mastery grants bonus damage to most magical effects, increasing on targets with one or both of Moonfire and Sunfire. The effect of this bonus increases with more Mastery points. Since you should have these DoTs active anyways this won’t require much active thought.

Well-Honed Instincts – When you fall below 40% health cast an automatic Frenzied Regeneration. Can only occur once every 2m. This is a helpful survivability effect.

Rotation Overview #

This is an overview of the core rotation. It’s not a strict priority order but rather an outline of how the different abilities interact and are used. It assumes you’re using the recommended talent build above.

Single Target:

AoE:

  • Apply and maintain Sunfire on all targets
  • Apply and maintain Moonfire on important targets or as many as you can, though this might be difficult on large groups
  • Enter into Eclipse (Lunar) by casting two Wraths
  • Build astral power with Starfire
  • Spend astral power on Starfall
  • On groups expected to live for a while

Defensives #

Barkskin – Reduces damage taken for 12s. 1m cooldown. With Verdant Heart also increases healing taken while active. A strong defensive on a fairly short cooldown, this should be used regularly any time you’re taking damage, and especially ahead of expected major damage.

Bear Form – While in bear form your armor and health are increased, so you should view it as a defensive tool. Swapping in an out regularly will interfere with your rotation, but going into bear form right ahead of major damage or if you’re in imminent trouble can be very helpful. This is especially so when combined with other defensives.

Crowd Control #

Entangling Roots – Roots the target for 30s, but damage will break the effect. Will shift you to caster form when used.

Ursol's Vortex – Slows all enemies in the targeted area, and pulls them back in the first time they try to leave. 1m cooldown. Several potential uses including grouping enemies up into one place, keeping enemies away from you or your group, preventing them from reaching a destination for a mechanic.

Incapacitating Roar – Shifts into Bear Form and incapacitates all nearby enemies for 3s. 30s cooldown. A very useful way to disrupt a group of enemies on a fairly short cooldown, you should use this anytime you either need to stop one or more dangerous abilities or when you want to give your tank/healer some breathing room by slowing down damage from a large group of enemies.

Mobility #

Dash – Increases your movement speed for 10s, and shifts you to Cat Form if you’re not already in it. With Tiger Dash increases the speed bonus and shortens the cooldown, but it only lasts 5s. Use this frequently to speed up getting around the world, or in combat if you need to change location in a hurry.

Stampeding Roar – Increases the movement speed of all nearby players for 8s. 1m cooldown. Very powerful when your group or raid all needs to move somewhere at the same time, but can also be used as a secondary dash while not with a group.

Utility #

Frenzied Regeneration – Heals you for a decent amount over 3s. 36s cooldown. Only usable in Bear Form. A useful self-heal on a not-that-long cooldown.

Solar Beam – Interrupts and silences all enemies around the target for 8s. 1m cooldown that’s reduced to 45s if you successfully interrupt via Light of the Sun.

Regrowth – Short cast to heal the target and apply a short HoT. Usable while in Moonkin Form.

Mark of the Wild – Grants a 1hr buff to Versatility to you, your party, or your raid. This should be active at all times in all content.

Rebirth – Resurrects the targeted dead ally, even while in combat. 10m cooldown. The long cooldown means you’ll have a limited number of times you can use this during a dungeon or raid, but can save your group if things have gotten dicey.

Renewal – Instantly heals you for a substantial amount of health. 1.5m cooldown. Usable in all Forms. A powerful self-heal that you should use if other healing isn’t cutting it.

Remove Corruption – Removes all curse and poison effects from the targeted ally. 8s cooldown. Even if you’re not healing you should look for opportunities to use this.

Soothe – Removes enrage effects from the targeted enemy. 10s cooldown. Enrage can be dangerous so you should make sure you’re able to see when enemies have the effect and use this when they do.

Quality of Life #

Teleport: Moonglade and Dreamwalk – Teleport: Moonglade will transport you to the Moonglade in northern Kalimdor. If you’ve started the Legion campaign quests it will be replaced with Dreamwalk. This brings you to the Emerald Dreamway which has portals to a number of other nature-focused locations throughout the world. Both have a 1m cooldown. Neither is tremendously useful unless you’re doing previous-expansion content and are looking for some ways to get around far-flung parts of the world.

Revive – Resurrects the targeted dead ally while outside of combat.

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