Playstyle Tips

((In progress))

Itemization

:::Itemization:::

::Stats::

You probably by now have noticed the overwhelming stats to choose from. Leveling, if you are a new player, you have been leveling in whatever you could find, agility, spell power, stamina, spirit, a number of stats. A few stats happen to be very important as a raiding Restoration Druid. The most popular and effective stacking order as of 3.2 is, Spellpower>Haste >Spirit>Intellect>Crit>MP5>Stamina> and so forth. 
So why is that the picking order for stats? Many players try different stat itemizations, but the above has been proven to push the limits for spell throughput. 

Restoration Talent Builds

:::Restoration Talent Builds:::

The entire purpose of the talent tree is to gain a specialization. For Druids Specializations include, Balance, Feral and Restoration, although the three can be mixed to have variations of each. 71 Talent Points can be divided among the points values associated with the Talents in the Tree.


With so many unique builds available now through experimentation it can be difficult for players beginning a Restoration Druid to know which and where to use them. Popular builds used in the past were purely based around strengthening hot throughput, primarily Lifebloom in Burning Crusade. With the addition of a few different spells, (Nourish, Wild Growth), a few changes to the talent tree in Wrath, and a few set bonuses later, many turn to strengthening Rejuvenation. A few also play with Nourish heavier builds.

A few key talents from the restoration talent build include:
(At times the point values may vary, although these are often if not always included in basic PVE Restoration builds.)

-Natural Shapeshifter, Master Shapeshifter
-Omen of Clarity
-Intensity
-Improved Rejuvenation
-Nature's Swiftness
-Gift of Nature
-Nature's Bounty
-Empowered Touch
-Living Spirit
-Swiftmend
-Empowered Rejuvenation
-Living Seed
-Revitalize
-Tree of Life
-Improved Tree of Life
-Gift of the Earthmother
-Wild Growth
-Genesis (from Balance Tree)
-Moonglow (from Balance Tree)
-Nature's Majesty (from Balance Tree)
-Nature's Grasp (from Balance Tree)
-Nature's Splendor (from Balance Tree)

A few talents are reserved for situational use or PVP.
Situational use could be a temporary use for a particular boss encounter or a stat increase for a gear set bonus.
-Naturalist (often pvp related)
-Subtelty (often pvp related)
-Tranquil Spirit
-Tranquility

-Natural Perfection (often pvp related)
-Improved Barkskin (often pvp related)


Here are a few various popular builds:
AoE Heavier Healing Build
-Skipped anything that buffed direct healing spells, favoring hots.
Nourish Heavier Build
-Skips raid healing utility, favoring strengthening hots with Nature's Grace.
Primary Build
-Skips Tranquil Spirit, but keeps it's strength in hots and occasional Nourish spot healing.
Hot Centric w/ Nature's Perfection
-Strengthens Hots, while still buffing occasional Nourish spot healing. Additional crit bonus for T9 set bonus.
HT Spec
-Points can be thrown from Living Seed to Tranquil Spirit if mana is an issue. This spec is normally situational, primarily for the Heroic Anub encounter.

~I will update this later with more information about possible 3.3 talent specs.

~Will update with PvP builds later as well.

Restoration Abilities/Talent Selection

 Here’s a quick look at a Restoration Druid’s Talents and abilities available to them. Talent Specs come in a number of variations just as there are many players. Please keep in mind, passive abilities are different between Night Elves and Tauren.

:::RESTORATION DRUID ABILITIES:::

Brief Overview of Basic Restoration Druid Abilities, not including offensive spells.

*Lifebloom (Requires Lv. 64): Heals the target for 371 over 7 sec. When Lifebloom completes its duration or is dispelled, the target instantly heals themself for 776 and the Druid regains half the cost of the spell. This effect can stack up to 3 times on the same target. (@ Lv. 80)

*Healing Touch (Requires Lv. 1): Heals a friendly target for 3750 to 4428. (@ Lv. 79)

*Regrowth (Requires Lv. 12): Heals a friendly target for 2234 to 2494 and another 2345 over 21 sec. (@Lv. 77)

*Rejuvenation (Requires Lv. 4 ): Heals the target for 1690 over 15 sec. (@ Lv. 80)

*Nourish (Requires Lv. 80): Heals a friendly target for 1883 to 2187. Heals for an additional 20% if you have a Rejuvenation, Regrowth, Lifebloom, or Wild Growth effect active on the target.

*Tranquility (Requires Lv. 30): Heals all nearby group members for 3035 every 2 seconds for 8 sec. Druid must channel to maintain the spell. (@ Lv.80)

*Barkskin (Requires Lv. 44): The druid's skin becomes as tough as bark. All damage taken is reduced by 20%. While protected, damaging attacks will not cause spellcasting delays. This spell is usable while stunned, frozen, incapacitated, feared or asleep. Useable in all forms. Lasts 12 sec.

*Abolish Poison (Requires Lv.26 ): Attempts to cure 1 poison effect on the target, and 1 more poison effect every 2 seconds for 8 sec.

*Cure Poison (Requires Lv. 14): Cures 1 poison effect on the target.

*Remove Curse (Requires Lv. 24): Dispels 1 Curse from a friendly target.

*Mark of the Wild (Requires Lv. 1): Increases the friendly target's armor by 750, all attributes by 37 and all resistances by 54 for 30 min. (@ Lv. 80)

*Gift of the Wild (Requires Lv. 50): Gives the Gift of the Wild to all party and raid members, increasing armor by 750, all attributes by 37 and all resistances by 54 for 1 hour. (@ Lv. 80)

*Thorns (Requires Lv. 6): Thorns sprout from the friendly target causing 73 Nature damage to attackers when hit. Lasts 10 min. (@ Lv. 74)

*Revive (Requires Lv. 12): Returns the spirit to the body, restoring a dead target to life with 1800 health and 1365 mana. Cannot be cast when in combat. (@Lv. 80)

*Rebirth (Requires Lv. 20): Returns the spirit to the body, restoring a dead target to life with 6400 health and 4700 mana. (@ Lv. 79)

*Innervate (Requires Lv. 40): Causes the target to regenerate mana equal to 225% of the casting Druid's base mana pool over 10 sec.
The above spells are available to all Restoration Druids regardless of Talented Specs. Here are specialized Restoration Druid talents, with a mix of Balance optional talents.

*Furor (Requires Lv. 10): Gives you 20% chance to gain 10 Rage when you shapeshift into Bear and Dire Bear Form, and you keep up to 20 of your Energy when you shapeshift into Cat Form, and increases your total Intellect while in Moonkin form by 2%.

*Improved Mark of the Wild (Requires Lv.10): Increases the effects of your Mark of the Wild and Gift of the Wild spells by 20%, and increases all of your total attributes by 1%.

*Nature's Focus (Requires Lv. 10): Reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Healing Touch, Wrath, Entangling Roots, Cyclone, Nourish, Regrowth and Tranquility by 23%.

*Natural Shapeshifter (Requires Lv. 15): Reduces the mana cost of all shapeshifting by 10%.

*Naturalist (Requires Lv. 15): Reduces the cast time of your Healing Touch spell by 0.1 sec and increases the damage you deal with physical attacks in all forms by 2%.

*Subtlety (Requires Lv. 15): Reduces the threat generated by your restoration spells by 10% and reduces the chance your helpful spells, Moonfire, and Insect Swarm will be dispelled by 10%.

*Omen of Clarity (Requires Lv.20 ): Each of the Druid's damage, healing spells and auto attacks has a chance of causing the caster to enter a Clearcasting state. The Clearcasting state reduces the Mana, Rage or Energy cost of your next damage, healing spell or offensive ability by 100%.

*Intensity (Requires Lv. 20): Allows 17% of your Mana regeneration to continue while casting and causes your Enrage ability to instantly generate 4 rage.

*Improved Rejuvenation (Requires Lv. 25): Increases the effect of your Rejuvenation spell by 5%.

*Tranquil Spirit (Requires Lv. 25): Reduces the mana cost of your Healing Touch, Nourish and Tranquility spells by 2%.

*Gift of Nature (Requires Lv. 30): Increases the effect of all healing spells by 2%.

*Improved Tranquility (Requires Lv. 30): Reduces threat caused by Tranquility by 50%, and reduces the cooldown by 30%.

*Nature's Swiftness (Requires Lv. 30): Instant, 3 minute cool down: When activated, your next Nature spell with a base casting time less than 10 sec. becomes an instant cast spell.

*Empowered Touch (Requires Lv. 35): Your Healing Touch spell gains an additional 20% and your Nourish spell gains an additional 10% of your bonus healing effects.

*Nature's Bounty (Requires Lv. 35): Increases the critical effect chance of your Regrowth and Nourish spells by 5%.

*Living Spirit (Requires Lv. 40): Increases your total Spirit by 5%.

*Natural Perfection (Requires Lv. 40): Your critical strike chance with all spells is increased by 1% and critical strikes against you give you the Natural Perfection effect reducing all damage taken by 2%. Stacks up to 3 times. Lasts 8 sec.

*Swiftmend (Requires Lv. 40): Consumes a Rejuvenation or Regrowth effect on a friendly target to instantly heal them an amount equal to 12 sec. of Rejuvenation or 18 sec. of Regrowth.

*Empowered Rejuvenation (Requires Lv. 45): The bonus healing effects of your healing over time spells is increased by 4%.

*Living Seed (Requires Lv. 45): When you critically heal your target with Swiftmend, Regrowth, Nourish or Healing Touch spell you have a 33% chance to plant a Living Seed on the target for 30% of the amount healed. The Living Seed will bloom when the target is next attacked. Lasts 15 sec.

*Revitalize (Requires Lv. 50): Your Rejuvenation and Wild Growth spells have a 5% chance to restore 8 Energy, 4 Rage, 1% Mana or 16 Runic Power per tick.

*Tree of Life (Requires Lv. 50): Reduces the mana cost of your healing over time spells by 20% and grants the ability to shapeshift into the Tree of Life. While in this form you increase healing received by 6% for all party and raid members within 45 yards, and you can only cast Restoration spells in addition to Innervate, Barkskin, Nature's Grasp and Thorns spells. Instant. The act of shapeshifting frees the caster of Polymorph and Movement Impairing effects.

*Improved Tree of Life (Requires Lv. 50): Increases your armor contribution from items while in Tree of Life Form by 67%, and increases your healing spell power by 5% of your spirit while in Tree of Life Form.

*Gift of the Earthmother (Requires Lv. 55): Reduces the base global cooldown of your Rejuvenation, Lifebloom and Wild Growth spells by 4%.

*Improved Barkskin (Requires Lv. 55): Grants 80% additional armor while in Travel Form or while not shapeshifted, increases the damage reduction granted by your Barkskin spell by 5% and reduces the chance your Barkskin is dispelled by 35%.

*Wild Growth (Requires Lv. 60): Heals up to 5 friendly party or raid members within 15 yards of the target for 686 over 7 sec. The amount healed is applied quickly at first, and slows down as the Wild Growth reaches its full duration.

:::BALANCE TALENTS:::

*Genesis (Requires Lv. 14): Increases the damage and healing done by your periodic damage and healing effects by 5%.

*Moonglow (Requires Lv. 17): Reduces the Mana cost of your Moonfire, Starfire, Starfall, Wrath, Healing Touch, Nourish, Regrowth and Rejuvenation spells by 9%.

*Nature’s Majesty (Requires Lv. 16): Increases the critical strike chance of your Wrath, Starfire, Starfall, Nourish and Healing Touch spells by 4%.

*Nature’s Grace (Requires Lv. 22): All spell criticals have a 100% chance to grace you with a blessing of nature, increasing your spell casting speed by 20% for 3 sec.

*Nature’s Splendor (Requires Lv. 20): Increases the duration of your Moonfire and Rejuvenation spells by 3 sec, your Regrowth spell by 6 sec, and your Insect Swarm and Lifebloom spells by 2 sec.

*Brambles (Requires Lv. 22): Damage from your Thorns and Entangling Roots increased by 25% and damage done by your Treants increased by 5%. In addition, damage from your Treants and attacks done to you while you have Barkskin active have a 5% chance to daze the target for 3 sec.

*Celestial Focus (Requires Lv. 27): Reduces the pushback suffered from damaging attacks while casting Starfire, Hibernate and Hurricane by 70% and increases your total spell haste by 3%.