Restoration Druid Guide for Cataclysm Classic
This guide will teach you how to play a Restoration Druid in a raid environment, though most of the content also applies to normal and heroic dungeons. Restoration Druids are an interesting…
Introduction
Welcome to the PVE Restoration Druid Guide for World of Warcraft Cataclysm! This guide will teach you how to play a Restoration Druid in a raid. It covers talents, glyphs, gems, enchantments, rotation, and gameplay tips. Restoration Druids are a powerful and versatile healing class in Cataclysm, capable of providing both direct healing and healing over time (HoT) effects. They are also known for their mobility and utility, making them a valuable asset to any raid group. In this guide, we will delve into the intricacies of playing a Restoration Druid in Cataclysm, equipping you with the knowledge to excel in both dungeons and raids.
Talents and Glyphs
Restoration Druid, like most Cataclysm specs, is heavily restricted to its namesake specialization tree, Restoration. You will always want to put points into this tree first and foremost, with the few leftover points after you hit the capstone talent, Tree of Life, being dedicated to passive damage increases in the Restoration tree. The talent tree is designed to maximize your healing output through a combination of direct healing spells, HoTs, and utility. With the arrival of Cataclysm, the talent system received a massive overhaul, changing from the 71 talent points system to a more compact 41 points system. As such, many of the old talents were either completely removed or changed, resulting in fewer possible build variations. One key aspect of the talent tree is the choice between two capstone talents⁚ Tree of Life and Living Seed. Tree of Life offers a powerful healing buff, while Living Seed provides a powerful heal and damage reduction. As for Glyphs, they offer additional customization and power to your Restoration Druid. Glyphs of Wild Growth, Rejuvenation, and Swiftmend are all popular choices, providing increased healing power and utility.
Rotation and Cooldowns
Welcome to Wowheads Rotation, Cooldowns, and Abilities Guide for Restoration Druid Healer in Cataclysm Classic. This guide will provide a list of recommended spell rotations to maximize your effectiveness in raids and dungeons, as well as list your most important cooldowns. The Restoration Druid rotation in Cataclysm is centered around maintaining HoTs on your raid members, while also utilizing direct heals to deal with burst damage. The core of your rotation will involve keeping Rejuvenation and Regrowth on your targets, while utilizing Nourish and Healing Touch for larger heals. Swiftmend is a powerful burst heal that can be used for emergencies or to top off a target’s health. Your primary cooldown is Tranquility, a powerful raid-wide heal that can be used to mitigate heavy damage. Other cooldowns include Wild Growth, a powerful AoE heal, and Incarnation⁚ Tree of Life, which increases your healing output and mana regeneration. Understanding how to use these cooldowns effectively is key to maximizing your healing output and making a significant impact in raids and dungeons.
Stat Priority
On this page, you will find out the optimal PvE stat priority for your Restoration Druid in Cataclysm Classic. We first present the stat priority, before delving into more complex explanations. Stat priority for Restoration Druids in Cataclysm is a complex topic, with different stats being more valuable at different stages of the game. However, the general stat priority for Restoration Druids is as follows⁚ 1. Spirit⁚ Spirit is the most important stat for Restoration Druids, as it increases your mana regeneration. This is essential for maintaining your healing output over long periods of time. 2. Haste⁚ Haste is the second most important stat for Restoration Druids, as it increases your casting speed and reduces the cooldown of your abilities. 3. Mastery⁚ Mastery is the third most important stat for Restoration Druids, as it increases the potency of your direct healing spells. 4. Intellect⁚ Intellect is a good stat for Restoration Druids, as it increases your mana pool and your healing output. 5; Crit⁚ Crit is not as important for Restoration Druids as other stats, but it can be beneficial for increasing your healing output on single targets. It’s important to remember that the ideal stat priority may vary depending on the specific situation, such as the type of content you are doing or the specific gear you have available;
Gear and Best in Slot
This guide will list best in slot gear for Restoration Druid Healer in Cataclysm Classic. Recommending the best gear for your class and role, sourced from Dungeons, Raids, and BoE Craftables. The best in slot gear for Restoration Druids in Cataclysm is a mix of items from dungeons, raids, and BoE sources. Here is a list of the best in slot items for each slot, assuming you are able to acquire the best possible items from each source. Head⁚ Shamanistic Cowl (Heroic Firelands) Neck⁚ Amulet of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Shoulders⁚ Mantle of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Back⁚ Cloak of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Chest⁚ Robes of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Wrist⁚ Bracers of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Hands⁚ Gloves of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Waist⁚ Girdle of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Legs⁚ Leggings of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Feet⁚ Boots of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Rings⁚ Band of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Trinkets⁚ Idol of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) Weapon⁚ Staff of the Shifting Sands (Heroic Firelands) This is just a general guide to the best in slot gear for Restoration Druids in Cataclysm. The actual best in slot items for you may vary depending on your specific needs and the availability of gear.
Leveling
A detailed Restoration Druid leveling guide for Cataclysm Classic to help you reach Level 85 quickly. Restoration Druids are a very versatile class, and they can be effective in both PvE and PvP. Leveling as a Restoration Druid is a relatively straightforward process. You will want to focus on healing spells, as these will be your primary source of damage and healing; You will also want to make sure you are using your HoTs effectively. Here are some tips for leveling as a Restoration Druid in Cataclysm Classic⁚ Choose the right talents⁚ There are a few different talent builds that you can use for leveling as a Restoration Druid. The most popular build is to focus on the Restoration tree, as this will give you the most healing power. However, you can also choose to spec into Balance or Feral for some extra damage. Use your HoTs effectively⁚ HoTs (Healing over Time) are very important for Restoration Druids. Make sure you are using them on yourself and your group members whenever possible. Use your cooldowns wisely⁚ Restoration Druids have a few powerful cooldowns that can be used to save yourself or your group members. Make sure you are using them wisely. Use your mobility⁚ Restoration Druids have a few mobility spells that can help you get around the battlefield. Use these to your advantage to keep yourself safe. Use the right gear⁚ As you level up, you will want to make sure you are wearing the best gear possible. This will help you do more damage and heal more effectively. Don’t be afraid to experiment⁚ There is no right or wrong way to level as a Restoration Druid. Experiment with different builds and strategies to find what works best for you. Leveling as a Restoration Druid in Cataclysm Classic can be a lot of fun. By following these tips, you can make sure you are leveling efficiently and effectively.
Pre-Raid Gear
This guide will cover the best items for each slot before you are able to start acquiring gear from raids in Cataclysm Classic. Cataclysm added armor specializations for each class, so you won’t want to wear Cloth armor anymore, even if the stats are better. This is a lower priority stat for druids. The resto druid mastery is Harmony. It increases the potency of your direct healing spells (Swiftmend, Regrowth, Nourish, Healing Touch), and after casting a direct healing spell it increases the potency of HoTs for 10 seconds. Here’s some additional gear that may be helpful for you in pre-raid content. For your head slot, look for the Helm of the Iron Council from the Throne of the Four Winds raid. For your shoulders, the Shoulders of the Iron Council from the Throne of the Four Winds raid is a good choice. For your chest, the Robe of the Iron Council from the Throne of the Four Winds raid is a good choice. For your wrists, the Bracers of the Iron Council from the Throne of the Four Winds raid is a good choice. For your gloves, the Gloves of the Iron Council from the Throne of the Four Winds raid is a good choice. For your legs, the Leggings of the Iron Council from the Throne of the Four Winds raid is a good choice. For your feet, the Boots of the Iron Council from the Throne of the Four Winds raid is a good choice.
Addons and Macros
This guide will get you started with some of the best addons and macros to use as a Restoration Druid in Cataclysm Classic. Addons are direct quality-of-life improvements to the existing game features. They can range from User Interface modifications to simple tools such as a Damage Meter or Threat Meter. There are a few addons that are considered essential for Restoration Druids in Cataclysm Classic. The first is Grid, which is a raid frame addon that provides a more visually appealing and informative way to track your raid members’ health and mana. The second is VuhDo, which is another raid frame addon that offers a more customizable and feature-rich experience. The third is Clique, which is a click-binding addon that allows you to bind your healing spells to specific mouse buttons, making it easier to heal multiple targets quickly. The fourth is Healbot, which is another click-binding addon that offers a more customizable and feature-rich experience. The fifth is Details!, which is a damage meter addon that allows you to track your own healing output and compare it to other healers in your raid. The sixth is WeakAuras 2, which is an addon that allows you to create custom visual cues for your abilities, buffs, and debuffs, making it easier to track important information in combat.
Race and Professions
Some people pick the best race for the class whilst others pick the race they like. From a max performance point of view Worgen and Troll are the winners. Restoration Druid, like most Cataclysm specs, is heavily restricted to its namesake specialization tree, Restoration. You will always want to put points into this tree first and foremost, with the few leftover points after you hit the capstone talent, Tree of Life, being dedicated to passive damage increases in the Restoration tree. Many of the factions have useful gear and epics available with rep, for a full list of gear available from factions check my guide here⁚ Cataclysm Faction Rep Guide. When choosing your race, you will want to consider what racial abilities are best suited for the role of a healer. For Alliance players, Worgen is the best choice due to their racial ability, Darkflight, which allows them to quickly close the distance between themselves and their allies. For Horde players, Troll is the best choice due to their racial ability, Berserking, which increases their attack power and haste for a short duration. As for professions, Inscription and Enchanting are the best choices for Restoration Druids. Inscription provides access to glyphs that can enhance your healing abilities, while Enchanting allows you to create powerful enchantments for your gear.