Feral 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.

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Resources #

Energy – The first of two primary resources Feral Druids use. You’ll spend energy on basic abilities like Shred and Rake. Energy will then regenerate at a set rate, and through a few ability or talent interactions. You’ll also get a boost of energy when you use Tiger's Fury.

Combo Points – Most of your basic attacks like Shred and Rake will generate Combo Points. These can then be spent on powerful finishing moves such as Ferocious Bite and Rip. These finishing moves will consume all available points, and increase in strength as more points are used. Your rotation will mainly involve balancing the generation and spending of Combo Points.

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.

Cat Form – As a Feral Druid you’ll spend most of your time in Cat Form, as nearly all of your combat abilities are only usable there. As a Cat you’ll gain increased auto attack damage and movement speed, and take reduced falling damage.

  • 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. In addition to being hugely useful to avoid enemies in the world, through Pouncing Strikes you’ll gain bonuses when starting combat while prowling.

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. As Feral there are fairly limited uses for being in caster form during combat.

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 #

Shred – Spends energy to do minor damage to your target and generate a Combo Point. With Thrashing Claws will also apply the DoT from Thrash. With Pouncing Strikes Shred will do more damage, be more likely to crit, and generate another Combo Point. You’ll use Shred as filler in single target to build up Combo Points. The from-stealth effect, while powerful, is mainly useful on minor enemies you think you can kill in one shot, otherwise it’s better to open with Rake.

Ferocious Bite – Combo Point spending Finisher that does increasing damage to your target as more Combo Points are spent. With Rampant Ferocity will also do reduced damage to surrounding enemies that are affected by Rip. You’ll use Ferocious Bite to spend combo points in both single target and AoE as long as you’ve already applied all needed DoT effects through Rip and Primal Wrath.

Swipe – Spends energy to do minor damage to your target an surrounding enemies while generating a combo point. With Thrashing Claws will also apply the DoT from Thrash. You’ll use this instead of Shred as filler in AoE.

Thrash – Spends energy to do minor damage to enemies surrounding you and apply a DoT to all those hit. You’ll want this bleed active on all targets you’re fighting as much as possible, but since it gets applied via Shred and Swipe you should never need to use this ability directly.

Primal Wrath – Combo point spending Finisher that does moderate damage and applies the DoT from Rip. Damage done and rip duration increase as more Combo Points are spent. You’ll use this in AoE to apply and maintain Rip rather than using it directly on each enemy. Once Rip is set up you should switch to using Ferocious Bite for damage.

Rake – Spends energy to apply a DoT on the target. Via Double-Clawed Rake can apply to an additional nearby enemy when used. With Thrash. With Pouncing Strikes will also stun the target for 4s and the DoT will do more damage. You’ll want to keep Rake active on all enemies you’re fighting, and the stealth bonus makes it the preferred way to start combat.

Rip – Combo point spending Finisher that applies an increasingly strong DoT as more points are spent. You’ll want this to be active on all enemies as much as possible, though you’ll apply it via Primal Wrath in AoE.

Cooldowns #

Tiger's Fury – 30s cooldown. Replenishes energy when used, and increases your damage for 20s. You’ll want to use this on cooldown, though be aware that you won’t be able to maintain it continuously, so you may need to use some strategy to line it up with then you most need damage output.

Berserk – 2m cooldown. Your main burst damage cooldown lasting 15s, provides a number of benefits. You’ll have greatly increased combo point generation and increased damage while it’s in effect. With Berserk: Frenzy will also give all combo point generators bonus damage as a DoT. You’ll want to use this on enemies or groups that will live long enough for you to benefit from the extra damage, but do make sure you’re using it close to when it’s available.

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: Razor Claws – Your Mastery will increase your bleed and finisher damage as you gain more mastery points. This won’t affect your rotation other than underscoring the importance of keeping as many bleeds active as you can.

Omen of Clarity – As you auto attack you’ll periodically gain Clearcasting, which makes your next Shred or Swipe not cost energy. Should fairly automatically fit into your rotation without much planning.

Predatory Swiftness – Using a finisher has a chance to make your next Regrowth instant and usable in cat form. This chance increases with more combo points spent, reaching 100% at a full combo. This is a very potent way to heal yourself, and you should use it to throw an easy regrowth in almost any time you’ve taken some damage. It can also be used to help out your healer if there’s lots of damage going out.

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:

  • Start combat while in Prowl, using Rake
  • Use Rake and Rip as needed to keep their bleeds active
  • Use Tiger's Fury whenever available
  • Build Combo Points with Shred
  • Spend Combo Points with Ferocious Bite as long as you don’t need to use them for Rip
  • On enemies expected to live for a while
    • Make sure your bleeds are all refreshed and Tiger's Fury is active
    • Use Berserk, then continue with your normal rotation

AoE:

Defensives #

Survival Instincts – Substantially reduces damage taken for 6s. 3m cooldown. Very powerful effect that should be used ahead of expected major damage or when at risk of dying, especially when combined with other 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 #

Skull Bash – Only usable in Cat or Bear Form. Charges towards and interrupt the target. 15s cooldown. Your primary interrupt that you should try to use any time a nearby enemy is casting something dangerous.

Maim – Only usable in Cat Form. Combo point spending finisher that does minor damage and stuns the target for an increasing duration with more combo points spent. 20s cooldown. The Combo Point cost means using this comes at an opportunity cost of slowing your rotation, but it can be a helpful backup option if you need to urgently stop or interrupt an enemy.

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.

Regrowth – Short cast to heal the target for a small amount and apply a 12s HoT. As a Feral Druid you’ll almost exclusively use this in Cat Form via Predatory Swiftness.

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.

Not Used #

Wrath and Moonfire – As a Feral druid you’ll almost never use these caster-only damage abilities.

Rejuvenation – Applies a minor HoT and only usable in caster form. As Feral you’ll have very little need for this unless you’re doing emergency off-healing.

Mangle and Growl – These are only usable in Bear Form, which you’ll mainly use defensively. The additional damage from Mangle won’t be important and the taunt from Growl is awkward to use.

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