Restoration Druids have historically stood out as an effective and intuitive class in the Healer role in World of Warcraft.
Resto Druid appeals to many players due to its potential for competitive play, alongside a forgiving learning curve for newcomers to the class, specialization, or role. With the recent streamlining since Dragonflight, the spec has become even easier to grasp.
While some adjustments have made the class slightly less effective in Mythic+ situations, it remains a strong choice in the overall Healing spec landscape. Its focus on healing over time offers an advantageous experience for players willing to master its complexities.
This guide gives you all the essential details on Restoration Druid in The War Within.
Restoration Druid Class Changes in The War Within
A significant change for players familiar with the spec during Dragonflight is the removal of Luxuriant Soil. While this alleviates reliance on RNG, it marks a pivotal shift in how this spec handles specific encounters.
Players will now choose between Flourish and Photosynthesis, the latter having been nerfed in the latest patch. Generally, Photosynthesis is the preferable choice in Mythic+ situations, but both options retain usability.
The Moonkin form is now exclusive to Balance Druid, meaning it won’t be present on the talent tree for Restoration Druids. Thankfully, the Master Shapeshifter talent received a notable buff, along with further enhancements to Abundance, which is vital given Resto Druid’s reliance on Regrowth.
Restoration Druid Talents, Hero Talents, and Build
Experienced Druid players know that the main class tree showcases a mix of abilities spanning damage, healing, and overall utility. In Cat form, abilities like Rip and Rake provide reliable damage, while Skull Bash offers a spellcasting interrupt, particularly useful in Season 1.
On the healing front, Resto Druid gains access to Wild Growth, Rejuvenation, and Renewal through the main Druid tree, each playing a vital role in the healing rotation. The tree also includes elemental spell staples like Starfire and Sunfire, valuable during DPS checks and general solo play.
Throughout the tree, several passive nodes grant significant stat boosts. Nurturing Instinct enhances Magic damage and healing, Rising Light and Falling Night adjust buffs based on the time of day, and Lycara’s Teachings provide a 6% stat increase based on the current form.
The tree is designed to maximize utility. Incapacitating Roar is excellent for relieving group pressure, while Soothe acts as a rage dispel. Heart of the Wild is a key node towards the tree’s end, significantly boosting outgoing Healing Per Second (HPS).
The Restoration talent tree offers various healing options and enhances their effectiveness. It starts with Lifebloom, a solid single-target heal in Mythic+ and raids. Efflorescence serves as an excellent option for small-group healing in Mythic+.
Convoke the Spirits is an impactful ability that automatically casts 16 Druid spells and abilities in six seconds on appropriate targets. While it has RNG elements, the sheer number of spells cast makes it invaluable when prioritization is complicated.
Much of the Resto tree emphasizes passive abilities that provide substantial boosts where the spec typically struggles. Grovetending, Improved Regrowth, Budding Leaves, Wild Synthesis, and Rampant Growth enhance healing output or reduce cooldowns to maintain high HPS.
Additionally, nodes like Ironbark offer improved personal survivability, enabling the Resto Druid to act as a well-rounded support character in dungeons and raids. Watch for random procs like Cenarius’ Guidance that enrich the spec’s overall toolkit.
Hero Talents
Wildstalker
In a break from the typical dominance of one tree for other specs, both Hero Talent trees will see usage among Resto Druid players. Keeper of the Grove stands out in raids for its burst healing while Wildstalker is preferred in Mythic+ due to Symbiotic Blooms, which this guide prioritizes first.
Wildstalker introduces four choice nodes that allow for customization. In the first slot, choose Flower Walk over Entangling Vortex, which grants a 10% increase in movement speed during Barkskin and leaves a healing flower trail for 10 seconds. This is excellent for groups aware of how the mechanic works.
In the second slot, opt for Bond With Nature over Harmonious Constitution, providing a 4% healing increase from any source. This offers more consistent background healing compared to the 35% increase to personal effects of Regrowth.
Resilient Flourishing is optimal in the third slot for extending the duration of Symbiotic Blooms and Bloodseeker Vines. The additional duration is valuable as Symbiotic Blooms will feature prominently in overall healing. While Root Network increases healing for Symbiotic Blooms, it doesn’t scale high enough to justify inclusion.
Finally, Implant is reserved for the fourth slot to spawn upon using Swiftmend. Twin Sprouts may not trigger often, but the theme could be worth monitoring for tuning improvements.
Keeper of the Grove
Choosing Keeper of the Grove offers solid options with a clear spec theme. In the first slot, focus on Durability of Nature to provide extra healing every time Nourish or Swiftmend is cast, applying a Cenarion Ward that heals the target for 160% of Spell Power.
Slot 2 offers a 9% healing buff to key abilities like Regrowth, Wild Growth, and Swiftmend, while boosting Wrath and Starfire damage by 10% for better performance in solo content and DPS scenarios. Potent Enchantments is less efficient and not recommended.
The third slot should be Bounteous Bloom, granting Grove Guardians a 30% healing increase. Early Spring reduces Grove Guardians’ cooldown by 3 seconds, but the trade-off isn’t worth it for such a concrete healing increase.
In the final slot, the node enhances the Keystone ability, Dream Surge. Power of the Dream adds an additional Dream Petal, increasing effectiveness by 50%, making it easier to manage than the more complex Control of the Dream.
Stat Priority
For Restoration Druids, Intellect is the primary stat, significantly increasing Spell Power and the damage and healing output. Focus on acquiring gear that enhances this stat.
Next, prioritize secondary stats in this order:
- Haste
- Mastery
- Versatility
- Critical Strike
Haste remains the top priority for Resto Druids as it lowers spell cast times and the Global Cooldown, adding additional ticks to the spec’s HoT effects. Maximizing Haste is crucial to get the most from the spec, while also being mindful of diminishing returns.
Mastery improves the effectiveness of Mastery: Harmony, boosting healing on any target with an active HoT effect. Resto Druid benefits greatly from enhancing this as many abilities fulfill this requirement.
Versatility provides a flat boost to healing and damage in all situations, though it is less important than Mastery and Haste.
Critical Strike increases the chance of abilities and spells doubling their effectiveness, but it ranks lower in priority compared to Haste and Mastery. Fortunately, Druid isn’t overly reliant on RNG, given the high volume of spells utilized.
Rotation
To maximize the build above, focus on Symbiotic Blooms’ effectiveness. Start by maintaining Efflorescence due to its high healing potential and its ability to spawn Symbiotic Blooms.
Then, utilize Regrowth and Wild Growth regularly, prioritizing based on whether single-target or AoE healing is needed. Don’t overlook Omen of Clarity procs that make the next Regrowth cast cost no mana.
Save Swiftmend for critical situations where someone suffers significant damage. Regularly maintain Grove Guardians, being mindful of their cooldowns.
When everything is under control, contribute with some damage, primarily through Wrath. Dip into your elemental abilities as necessary. Use Tactical Surge during high-damage phases for increased crit chance while regularly employing Barkskin to benefit from Flower Walk.
Restoration Druid Tier Set Breakdown
Tier Sets provide powerful bonuses based on the number of pieces equipped, activating at two and four-piece sets. In The War Within’s first season, Druids can access the Mane of the Greatlynx set, which grants the following bonuses for Restoration Druids:
- 2-piece set – Increases healing from Regrowth, Wild Growth, and Swiftmend by 10%.
- 4-piece set – Healing rises by 8% when consuming Soul of the Forest’s bonus for six seconds.
The 2-piece bonus serves as a generic efficacy enhancement, especially beneficial in high-pressure raid scenarios. The 4-piece bonus from Soul of the Forest is easy to activate regularly, adding significant healing value. Acquiring the tier set early is highly advisable, as it’s one of the more valuable offerings in WoW.
Gems and Enchants
As with any expansion in World of Warcraft, there are standout Enchant options to consider for your optimal gear. The best recommendations for Restoration Druids are:
| Slot | Best Enchant |
| Weapon | Enchant Weapon – Authority of Fiery Resolve |
| Cloak | Enchant Cloak – Chant of Leeching Fangs |
| Chest | Enchant Chest – Crystalline Radiance |
| Bracers | Enchant Bracer – Chant of Armored Leech |
| Legs | Sunset Spellthread |
| Boots | Enchant Boots – Defender’s March |
| Ring | Enchant Ring – Radiant Haste |
The Authority of Fiery Resolve enchant shines for Resto Druids in raids, offering a chance to trigger a healing effect impacting the Druid and their four closest allies. The Crystalline Radiance enchant in the chest slot increases the Primary stat (Intellect) significantly. Other enchantments enhance Secondary stats and provide benefits such as Leech.
This is your comprehensive guide to Restoration Druid in The War Within!
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