Druid: Struggling New Druid

Dakotarick · February 26, 2008, 11:36 AM

I have always been interested in playing a Druid and finally decided to give it a try. I am not a big Night Elf fan so I went with a Tauren.

I have read some of the hoopla about Feral this and Feral that so I put most of my points there. Yesterday I did my first three battlegrounds (10-19 bracket) and had time to inspect a couple of Druids that were doing very well and both had all their points in balance. Is this a more suitable spec for pvp?

I know it’s only three Battleground’s but I am very impressed at how the Horde seems to work much better as a team. We were outgunned in our last match and won with good teamwork and communication.

Hoping someone can help me get pointed in the right direction.

Banefire · February 26, 2008, 01:00 PM

I have leveled 3 druids past 40. In my opinion, feral offers much faster leveling than balance due to not having to stop and drink.

Druids level very, very, very slow until 20+ (cat form). With feral spec you can put points into Feral Swiftness and get a movement boost until you get Travel Form at 30.

With a feral spec, your most important talents are Furor and Feral Charge. With Furor, you can shift to Bear and immediately Bash or Feral Charge. With Cat From you can shift and immediately inflict damage.

Feral Charge is nice for stunning people in BGs or even getting away from melee types by charging someone at the edge of your range. Brutal Impact will make your stun last longer.

Hope that helps.

i_am_hyleon35 · February 26, 2008, 01:04 PM

Imo,
Leveling - Feral
PvP - Balance, Resto for Arenas
Raiding - Your choice

Of course, i deleted my druid at level 12, but ive fooled with one in a PTR to check it out, very versatile :P

EDIT: fun to spec resto and throw on a HoT and run from the enemy

(really pisses hunters off) btw, to beat a resto druid, keep stacking bleeds

gimmpy · February 27, 2008, 08:40 AM

I was able to kill a mob with my druid that I could never do by myself as a warlock. I just hit level 30 and had a red group quest for Mor' ladim in the duskwood cemetery. I buffed up, sent a starfire and a fairie fire, rooted him then threw hots on myself, switched to bear and hit enrage, waited for the enrage debuff to time out and charged him and started wailing on him. When my health started to get low, I bashed, backed out and healed/fairie fire, back to bear and finished him off.
Is fun to try different approaches to scenarios. Either stealth in to take out specific targets or pick off a straying mob from a pack with a moonfire or charging in and cleaving away on a small pack. Downtime is really negligible as you shift out of form and throw a heal and continue.
I haven't had a chance to try it out in a group setting yet, so am curious to see how it will go either tanking or healing as I'd imagine a druid will rarely get a dps spot while leveling. I did feel like trying to melee with my druid caster form at one point, but quickly determined that it was highly ineffective. I do wish that there was information on how efficient different attacks are so as to best use the skills in a deadly manner.

Pontofelle · March 01, 2008, 11:37 AM

Dako
check out this for feral spec'ing. Im using it for my druid, and its working well

http://druid.wikispaces.com/Feral_Leveling

also there is a ton of good info at that site.

Dakotarick · March 13, 2008, 09:07 PM

Thanks for the help everyone. Going to spec feral for the trip to 29.

Swoop · March 13, 2008, 09:15 PM

I levelled to 65(ish) as balance on my druid. On the way through the various battleground brackets I stopped to PvP a lot, and I found that balance seemed a lot better in the BG's than the feral druids I saw. One on one I pretty much always beat feral druids hands-down, and in situations where I had 2 or 3 against me, hibernate and root were invaluable in helping me survive.

PvE play as balance was not quite as effective until I hit 35+ gear and threw on as many +spell damage enchants as I could get. Once I did that, it made balance very easy to level with, but that's true of almost any class once you twink them up a bit I guess

RomaGoth · March 14, 2008, 10:34 AM

My first ever toon was a druid, but I got bored with him after level 12 and abandoned him. I then played my hunter to 70. Went back to the druid, only got to around level 22 or so before becoming bored again. Perhaps I should try a Tauren? I have a hunter and rogue both night elves, so I am done with that race for a long time (one can only do the same zones so many times).

gimmpy · March 14, 2008, 11:16 AM

Why stay in one zone? There are an amazing amount of ways to travel from place to place, just check out wowwiki's travel guide. I've never gone past level 18 on any of my night elves in their zones, always got out to stormwind area quickly. Just don't try running the whole way as I did once, think it took just over 3 hours!

Dakotarick · March 14, 2008, 12:06 PM

I’ll probably go back to balance when I get to 29. What gear attributes should I be looking for with a balance spec? I am thinking a combination of + damage and intellect but am not sure. I don’t have a main on the Horde side to send me gold so I must spend it wisely. AH prices for gear on my sever are insane.

February 26, 2008, 11:36 AM	#1 (permalink)
Dakotarick Aces & 8's Character Info Dakotarick 70 Human Warlock Thorium Brotherhood US RP PvE Guild: Shadowguard Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/45/16	Struggling New Druid I have always been interested in playing a Druid and finally decided to give it a try. I am not a big Night Elf fan so I went with a Tauren. I have read some of the hoopla about Feral this and Feral that so I put most of my points there. Yesterday I did my first three battlegrounds (10-19 bracket) and had time to inspect a couple of Druids that were doing very well and both had all their points in balance. Is this a more suitable spec for pvp? I know it’s only three Battleground’s but I am very impressed at how the Horde seems to work much better as a team. We were outgunned in our last match and won with good teamwork and communication. Hoping someone can help me get pointed in the right direction.

February 26, 2008, 01:00 PM	#2 (permalink)
Banefire Registered Character Info Banefire 70 Human Warlock Turalyon US PvE Guild: Legend	Re: Struggling New Druid I have leveled 3 druids past 40. In my opinion, feral offers much faster leveling than balance due to not having to stop and drink. Druids level very, very, very slow until 20+ (cat form). With feral spec you can put points into Feral Swiftness and get a movement boost until you get Travel Form at 30. With a feral spec, your most important talents are Furor and Feral Charge. With Furor, you can shift to Bear and immediately Bash or Feral Charge. With Cat From you can shift and immediately inflict damage. Feral Charge is nice for stunning people in BGs or even getting away from melee types by charging someone at the edge of your range. Brutal Impact will make your stun last longer. Hope that helps.

February 26, 2008, 01:04 PM	#3 (permalink)
i_am_hyleon35 Member Character Info Hyleon 70 Undead Warlock Thrall US PvE Guild: Serenity Lost Profile: Blizzard Armory	Re: Struggling New Druid Imo, Leveling - Feral PvP - Balance, Resto for Arenas Raiding - Your choice Of course, i deleted my druid at level 12, but ive fooled with one in a PTR to check it out, very versatile :P EDIT: fun to spec resto and throw on a HoT and run from the enemy (really pisses hunters off) btw, to beat a resto druid, keep stacking bleeds

February 27, 2008, 08:40 AM	#4 (permalink)
gimmpy Member Character Info gimppy 70 Gnome Warlock Archimonde US PvP Guild: The Fremen Knights Talent Spec: aff/dest	Re: Struggling New Druid I was able to kill a mob with my druid that I could never do by myself as a warlock. I just hit level 30 and had a red group quest for Mor' ladim in the duskwood cemetery. I buffed up, sent a starfire and a fairie fire, rooted him then threw hots on myself, switched to bear and hit enrage, waited for the enrage debuff to time out and charged him and started wailing on him. When my health started to get low, I bashed, backed out and healed/fairie fire, back to bear and finished him off. Is fun to try different approaches to scenarios. Either stealth in to take out specific targets or pick off a straying mob from a pack with a moonfire or charging in and cleaving away on a small pack. Downtime is really negligible as you shift out of form and throw a heal and continue. I haven't had a chance to try it out in a group setting yet, so am curious to see how it will go either tanking or healing as I'd imagine a druid will rarely get a dps spot while leveling. I did feel like trying to melee with my druid caster form at one point, but quickly determined that it was highly ineffective. I do wish that there was information on how efficient different attacks are so as to best use the skills in a deadly manner.

March 01, 2008, 11:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
Pontofelle Member Character Info Pont 52 Undead Warlock Sargeras US PvP Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/43/0	Re: Struggling New Druid Dako check out this for feral spec'ing. Im using it for my druid, and its working well http://druid.wikispaces.com/Feral_Leveling also there is a ton of good info at that site.

March 13, 2008, 09:07 PM	#6 (permalink)
Dakotarick Aces & 8's Character Info Dakotarick 70 Human Warlock Thorium Brotherhood US RP PvE Guild: Shadowguard Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/45/16	Re: Struggling New Druid Thanks for the help everyone. Going to spec feral for the trip to 29.

March 13, 2008, 09:15 PM	#7 (permalink)
Swoop Member Character Info Crest 70 Undead Warlock Aman'thul Oceania PvE Profile: Blizzard Armory	Re: Struggling New Druid I levelled to 65(ish) as balance on my druid. On the way through the various battleground brackets I stopped to PvP a lot, and I found that balance seemed a lot better in the BG's than the feral druids I saw. One on one I pretty much always beat feral druids hands-down, and in situations where I had 2 or 3 against me, hibernate and root were invaluable in helping me survive. PvE play as balance was not quite as effective until I hit 35+ gear and threw on as many +spell damage enchants as I could get. Once I did that, it made balance very easy to level with, but that's true of almost any class once you twink them up a bit I guess

March 14, 2008, 10:34 AM	#8 (permalink)
RomaGoth Lock of All Trades Character Info RomaGoth 70 Human Warlock Durotan US PvE Guild: Ultima Forsan Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/8/53	Re: Struggling New Druid My first ever toon was a druid, but I got bored with him after level 12 and abandoned him. I then played my hunter to 70. Went back to the druid, only got to around level 22 or so before becoming bored again. Perhaps I should try a Tauren? I have a hunter and rogue both night elves, so I am done with that race for a long time (one can only do the same zones so many times).

March 14, 2008, 11:16 AM	#9 (permalink)
gimmpy Member Character Info gimppy 70 Gnome Warlock Archimonde US PvP Guild: The Fremen Knights Talent Spec: aff/dest	Re: Struggling New Druid Why stay in one zone? There are an amazing amount of ways to travel from place to place, just check out wowwiki's travel guide. I've never gone past level 18 on any of my night elves in their zones, always got out to stormwind area quickly. Just don't try running the whole way as I did once, think it took just over 3 hours!

March 14, 2008, 12:06 PM	#10 (permalink)
Dakotarick Aces & 8's Character Info Dakotarick 70 Human Warlock Thorium Brotherhood US RP PvE Guild: Shadowguard Profile: Blizzard Armory Talent Spec: 0/45/16	Re: Struggling New Druid I’ll probably go back to balance when I get to 29. What gear attributes should I be looking for with a balance spec? I am thinking a combination of + damage and intellect but am not sure. I don’t have a main on the Horde side to send me gold so I must spend it wisely. AH prices for gear on my sever are insane.