Guardian 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:C4DArhxZfsv/vllYUrQS3iw2nPgxsZMzMjZzwYmhx0Mz2AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAzYMmZMzAzYYmZmxMzMjZG
Resources #
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 Cat you’ll gain increased auto attack damage and movement speed, and take reduced falling damage. As a Guardian 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. As a Guardian Druid most of your abilities are only usable as a Bear and you’ll spend nearly all of your in-combat time in this Form.
Caster Form – When not in one of your animal forms you’ll have access to magic and healing abilities. As Guardian 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 #
Damage Cooldowns #
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.
Defensives / Sustains #
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.
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.
Maintenance - keep these active or use these as much as you can
Mitigation - use these as needed to reduce incoming damage
Sustain - use these to restore health and help your healer out
Threat – use these to make you get and keep aggro
Damage – if everything above is set use these to fit in some damage
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 #
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.