**updated 12th April 2012**
Druid of the Moon (also SWTOR)
Goldpaw’s Blog (also addon design)
Looking for More (also covers restoration)
Way of the Druid (SWTOR)
Category Archives: Druid
A Selection of Sites: Restoration Druid Blogs & Websites
Dreambound (not updated but TOO good to remove)
Green Bar Spec (covers all healing classes)
Jaded Alt (also balance info)
Looking for More (also covers tanking)
Restodruid.info (currently just updated each patch)
Restokin (also balance info)
Swiftmend (also SWTOR)
The Daily Frostwolf – Druid Edition
Tree Bark Jacket (not updated recently)
Not on this list? WANT to be?
LET ME KNOW!
A Selection of Sites: Balance Druid Blogs & Websites
**updated 12th April 2012**
Confessions of a Part-Time Panzerkin
Jaded Alt (also resto info)
Restokin (also resto info)
“This Accessory Is Not Optimized For Your iPhone”
I know. I didn’t think Fanta WOULD be optimized to interact with my iPhone. It wasn’t a PLANNED integration.
These things just seem to happen. And usually all at the same time, which is rubbish. Anyway, things are remarkably brighter at the moment, despite yesterdays/tuesday’s mishap.
I’m actually feeling OK. I hate being sick. Like, it’s just icky and gross and generally unappealing. I’ve gone a full 12 hours now without throwing up everywhere though, so that’s always a bonus.
Patch Day yesterday…raiding was a bit of a disaster but to be honest we had some *fun*. We went in with the – well it’s patch day. We are all getting thrown offline at random points, which must have been full server restarts at least a couple of times – the entire raid group got disbanded twice I think. Our poor raid leader.
We only knocked out 3 bosses, and called early, but I enjoyed it.
So, the Patch. Initial impressions:
- omg I did not know I depended that much on my MSBT scrolling text. WTB A FIX NOW PLEASE.
- I am never going to get Mojo.
- Bwemba ALWAYS bugs out when you take her back to the digsite. A relog fixes this.
- Pitbull is still working. PITBULL IS STILL WORKING. *thanks the gods of addons*
- I like this new fancy shmancy Arena countdown timer, but seeing as sometimes you fight alliance, I don’t get the point in the alliance mask, it isn’t like you’re always against the other faction. But yes, the new flashy countdown is funky.
- Remote guild chat is awesome. If you can’t see people typing – update Prat. That fixed it for me. It’s well worth the £2.50 a month.
- ZA and ZG are…fun with the right group. They are taxing on my mana, stressful at times and long. But I enjoyed ZA. Haven’t actually run ZG yet on thinking about it.
- the big BOOM when you click “play” on the launcher has gone. How freakin awesome is that??? Very.
- The Auction House wouldn’t work for me. I got very exasperated.
- for the first time EVER, I got “underground” in my options on the northrend wormhole generator. I have NO idea how much these patterns will sell for, and part of me was desperate to just learn them myself, but hey, I stuck them up at a ridiculously high price. I’ll see if they sell…
- Ogri’la dailies are still making me QQ. And it’s ridiculous, because if I just DID them every day, I’d be done in 7 days. I just keep…finding better things to do.
- I’ve just seen the new trailers for 4.2 I feel very sorry for Fandral. I really, really hope we can redeem him SOMEhow. I hate to see druids go bad. I’m very excited about more new content, but also quite happy with what we’ve got on at the moment.
- I’m powerlevelling – or at least, in comparison to my NORMAL levelling time I am! My two “babies” are now level 40 – my druid, and level 55 – my priest. I’m levelling with one of my best mates and we are having awesome, awesome fun.
Anyway. All is well with the world for me.
I hope you’re all enjoying the new content and having fun – that is, after all, what playing a game is all about.
Sophs
xxx
Restoration Druid: Best In Slot: Current Raid Gear
This is mostly for my own use and I put that disclaimer on this because I’ve never done one of these before. However, here’s my attempt at a Best in Slot list for Tier 11.
I’ve gone with a number of items for each slot, the first being the best, and included heroic and non heroic, so you can pick out what’s most appropriate for your raiding.
Head:
1. Stormrider’s Helm – Heroic – 372 – Haste 217/Intellect 325/Spirit 327 – Helm Token
2. Stormrider’s Helm – Normal – 359 – Haste 188/Intellect 281/Spirit 208- Helm Token
3. Helm of the Blind Seer – Heroic – 372 – Crit 197/Intellect 325/Spirit 257 – Atramedes
4. Helm of the Blind Seer – Normal – 359 – Crit 168/Intellect 281/Spirit 228 – Atramedes
Other options: Camouflage Bio-Optic Killshades – Engineering Only
Neck:
1. Valiona’s Medallion – Heroic – 372 – Haste 143/Intellect 215/Mastery 143 – Valiona & Theralion
2. Dorian’s Lost Necklace – Normal – 359 – Haste 134/Intellect 190/Mastery 114 – WORLD drop
3. Valiona’s Medallion – Normal – 359 – Haste 127/Intellect 190/Mastery 127- Valiona & Theralion
4. Lightning Flash Pendant – Normal – 359 – Crit 127/Intellect 190/Master 127 – Wildhammer Clan Exalted (Yellow Smoke Pendant – Horde equiv)
Shoulders:
1. Stormrider’s Mantle – Heroic – 372 – Mastery 171/Intellect 266/Spirit 191 – Shoulder Token
2. Stormrider’s Mantle – Normal – 359 – Mastery 149/Intellect 233/Spirit 169 – Shoulder Token
3. Passive Resistor Spaulders – Heroic – 372 – Haste 191/Intellect 266/Spirit 171 – Omnotron Defense System
4. Passive Resistor Spaulders – Normal – 359 – Haste 169/Intellect 233/Spirit 149 – Omnotron Defense System
5. Hide of Chromaggus – Heroic – 372 – Crit 171/Intellect 266/Spirit 191 – ZONE drop (not fully verified)
6. Hide of Chromaggus – Normal – 359 – Crit 149/Intellect 233/Spirit 169 – ZONE drop (not fully verified)
Back:
1. Shroud of Endless Grief – Heroic – 372 – Haste 133/Intellect 209/Mastery 153 – Sinestra/Broodmother (not fully verified)
2. Ritssyn’s Ruminous Drape – Normal – 359 – Haste 107/Intellect 170/Mastery 127 – WORLD drop (BoE)
3. Shadow of Dread – Heroic – 372 – Crit 143/Intellect 215/Mastery 143 – Nefarian
4. Heavenly Breeze – Normal – 359 – Mastery 127/Intellect 190/Spirit 127 – Valor Points – 1,250
5. Shadow of Dread – Normal – 359 – Crit 127/Intellect 190/Mastery 127 – Nefarian
6. Drape of the Twins – Heroic – 372 – Haste 143/Intellect 215/Spirit 143 – Valiona & Theralion
7. Drape of the Twins – Normal – 359 – Haste 127/Intellect 190/Spirit 127 – Valiona & Theralion
Chest:
1. Scorched Wormling Vest – Heroic – 372 – Mastery 257/Intellect 345/Spirit 217 – Magmaw
2. Stormrider’s Robes – Heroic – 372 – Mastery 257/Intellect 345/Crit 217 – Chest Token
3. Scorched Wormling Vest – Normal – 359 – Mastery 228/Intellect 301/Spirit 188 – Magmaw
4. Stormrider’s Robes – Normal – 359 – Mastery 228/Intellect 301/Spirit 188 – Valor Points – 2,200
Other options: Chestguard of Nature’s Fury – LWing BoE
Wrist:
1. Manacles of the Sleeping Beast – Heroic – 372 – Mastery 143/Intellect 215/Spirit 143 – Chimaeron
2. Manacles of the Sleeping Beast – Normal -359 – Mastery 127/Intellect 190/Spirit 127 – Chimaeron
Seriously now, what is it with the total lack of bracers?
Hands:
1. Stormrider’s Handwraps – Heroic – 372 – Haste 171/Intellect 266/Spirit 191 – Argaloth/Valor Points
2. Hydrolance Gloves – Heroic – 372 – Mastery 191/Intellect 266/Spirit 171 – Council BoT
3. Stormrider’s Handwraps – Normal – 359 – Haste 149/Intellect 233/Spirit 169 – Argaloth/Valor Points
4. Hydrolance Gloves – Normal – 359 – Mastery 169/Intellect 233/Spirit 149 – Council BoT
Waist:
1. Belt of the Untamed – Normal – 359 – Haste 149/Intellect 233/Spirit 169 – Wildhammer Clan (Withered Dream Belt – Horde equiv)
2. Lightning Lash – Normal – 359 – Haste 179/Intellect 253/Spirit 152 – LWing BoE (possibly better than the above? personal choice I think…)
3. Belt of the Nightmare – Heroic – 372 – Crit 191/Intellect 266/Spirit 171 – Nefarian
4. Belt of the Nightmare – Normal – 359 – Crit 169/Intellect 233/Spirit 149 – Nefarian
Legs:
1. Leggings of Consuming Flames – Heroic -372 – Mastery 227/Intellect 345/Spirit 247 – Maloriak
2. Leggings of Consuming Flames – Normal – 359 – Mastery 198/Intellect 301/Spirit 218 – Maloriak
3. Stormrider’s Legwraps – Heroic – 372 – Crit 237/Intellect 345/Spirit 237 – Leg Token
4. Stormrider’s Legwraps – Normal – 359 – Crit 208/Intellect 301/Spirit 208 – Argaloth/Valor Points
Other options: oddly enough, the moonkin legs have a shed load of haste and no crit, for only 20 odd less points of spirit.
Feet:
1. Nightmare Rider’s Boots – Heroic – 372 – Mastery 204/Intellect 266/Spirit 164 – Sinestra
2. Fading Violet Sandals – Normal – 359 – Haste 169/Intellect 233/Spirit 149 – Valor Points 1,650
3. Treads of Hideous Formation – Heroic – 372 – Crit 171/Intellect 266/Spirit 191 – Cho’gall
4. Treads of Hideous Formation – Normal – 359 – Crit 149/Intellect 233/Spirit 169 – Cho’gall
Rings:
1. Signet of the Fifth Circle – Heroic – 372 – Haste 143/Intellect 215/Mastery 143 – Cho’gall
2=. Ring of the Boy Emperor – Normal – 359 – Haste 127/Intellect 190/Mastery 127 – Archaeology
2=. Signet of the Fifth Circle – Normal – 359 – Haste 127/Intellect 190/Mastery 127 – Cho’gall
3. Twined Band of Flowers – Normal – 359 -Mastery 127/Intellect 190/Spirit 127 – Valor Points – 1,250
Trinkets:
1. Fall of Mortality – Heroic – 372 – Intellect 363/Proc=Healing Spells grant 1926 Spirit for 15 seconds – Cho’gall
2. Core of Ripeness – Normal – 359 – Intellect 321/On Use=Spirit by 1926 for 20 seconds – Valor Points
3. Darkmoon Card: Tsunami – Normal – 359 – Intellect 321/Proc=Healing spells have a chance to increase spirit by 80 for 20 seconds, stacks up to 5 times – DF Deck
4. Fall of Mortality – Normal – 359 – Intellect 321/Proc=Healing Spells grant 1926 Spirit for 15 seconds – Cho’gall
5. Tyrande’s Favourite Doll – Normal – 359 – Intellect 321/Proc=Saves 4.2k mana to be released on Use – Archaeology
2H Weapon:
1. Chelley’s Staff of Dark Mending – Heroic – 372 – SP 2208/Intellect 385/Spirit 258
2. Chelley’s Staff of Dark Mending – Normal – 359 – SP 1955/Intellect 341/Spirit 228
3. Staff of Sorceror-Thane Thaurissan – Normal – 359 – SP 1955/Intellect 341/Crit 228
4. Staff of Ammunae – Normal – 359 – SP 1955/Intellect 341/Crit 194
1H Weapon:
1. Incineratus – Heroic – 372 – SP 2207/Intellect 165/Haste 110/Mastery 110
2. Andoros, Fist of the Dragon King – Heroic- 372 – SP 2207/Intellect 165/Spirit 110/Mastery 110
3. Twilight’s Hammer – Heroic – 372 – SP 2207/Intellect 165/Crit 110/Haste 110
4. Blade of the Witching Hour – Heroic – 372 – SP 2207/Intellect 165/Crit 110/Mastery 110
5. Incineratus – Normal – 359 – SP 1954/Intellect 146/Haste 97/Mastery 97
6. Andoros, Fist of the Dragon King – Normal- 359 – SP 1954/Intellect 146/Mastery 97/Spirit 97
7. Twilight’s Hammer – Normal- 359 – SP 1954/Intellect 146/Haste 97/Crit 97
8. Blade of the Witching Hour – Normal – 359 – SP 1954/Intellect 146/Mastery 97/Crit 97
The numbering on these is relatively arbitrary. Weapons are going to be hard fought for with all casters and many healers so be ready to battle!
Off-Hand
1. Scepter of Ice – Heroic – 372 – Mastery 143/Intellect 215/Spirit 143 – Council BoT
2. Scepter of Ice – Normal – 359 – Mastery 127/Intellect 190/Spirit 127 – Council BoT
3. Heartbound Tome – Normal – 359 – Mastery 114/Intellect 190/Spirit 134 – WORLD Drop
4. Book of Binding Will – Heroic – 372 – Haste 143/Intellect 215 – Halfus
5. Book of Binding Will – Normal – 359 – Haste 127/Intellect 190 – Halfus
Relics:
1. Relic of Norgannon – Normal – 359 – Haste 72/Intellect 107/Crit 72 – Valor Points – 700
2. Relic of Eonar – Normal – 359 – Spirit 72/Intellect 107/Crit 72 – Valor Points – 700
All done.
I think I need a sleep now…
Resources for: Druids
Bears/Cats
Big Bear Butt
Moonkin
Gray Matter ***ESSENTIAL RESOURCES!***
Trees
4 Healz
Delleyntar’s Resto Druid Tips, Tricks & Ranting (last updated April 2010)
Dreambound ***ESSENTIAL RESOURCE!***
Druid Heal! (last updated April 2010 but includes massive resto druid guide)
Falling Leaves and Wings ***ESSENTIAL RESOURCE!***
HoTs Tree (no longer updated but invaluable resource)
Krasus Kronicles (also for hunters!)
Light & Leafy (last updated April 2010)
Murloc Parliament (also for mages!)
Resto 4 Life (no longer updated but known as one of *the* best druid bloggers. Actually has an item in game named after her!)
Roll Tree Deep (last updated April 2010)
Three Druid Noob (last updated April 2010)
Tree Bark Jacket ***ESSENTIAL RESOURCE***
Tree of Doom (last updated April 2010)
Starting Your Brand New Druid
This is for you, Yanader!
I am certainly not the be all and end all of druid healing, or druids in general. In answer to the question “what stats does a feral druid use?” I just said, “err…dunno”.
I am, however, Flames’ only resto druid (main spec), and I do pride myself if not knowing EVERYTHING, knowing enough to know why I heal as I do and why things work like they do. But I don’t want to recycle what other, better people have written. I would rather try my best to compile all the possible, available resources for someone levelling up a druid at the moment.
So, here we go.
How do I level as a resto druid?
READ THIS. It is everything you’ll ever need, level by level.
I’m level 80, what gear do I need?
Druid Main’s guide to “what to do at 80” is an awesome place to start.
Slightly more recently, you might find Treebounds 3 part guide really useful for exactly what gear you’ll want to pick up from heroics.
One of my most favourite blogs (and the one I use for my gear list now), HoTs and DoTs have also done a guide for gearing up a fresh 80 resto druid.
I’m starting to raid, what gear do I need?
Here’s a haste specific gear list from Tree Haelz. They’ve also done a full gear list.
These two are the guides I use. This ten-man one is for frost badge gear, ten man raiding etc, and this 25 man one for a little in front of our progression curve but a lot of the 2nd/3rd choice slots are achievable for us.
I’ve always been a DPS. What are these “raid frames” you’re talking about?
The Murloc Parliament guide to add-ons for healers is quite frankly Made Of Win.
What the fuck are all these HoTs all about then?
Take a look at the “Think Like A Healer” series of posts from Looking For More.
For a quick and easy starter, try the Cheat Sheet at Revive & Rejuvenate.
Lisanna at Restokin gives a detailed guide of healing in Patch 3.3.
You know how I’m always whining about haste? Well read this article here to understand why.
Enjoy!
New Talent Trees! (DISCLAIMER: My Rubbish Opinions on Cataclysm ENCLOSED WITHIN (yes i mean spoilers))
ha, look at me and my epic title length.
Now, as we all know, I am not a serious druid blogger. I am rubbish at strats (I leave that to the fabulous Kae), I am in eloquent (unlike Beru), and I never really make much sense (unlike Keeva). So yea, if you want a proper opinion on the new talent trees, best go to them.
This is the Soph interpretation.
Here is the link to the talent tree as it stands now. I am…crap at talent trees. It would take me months and months to actually understand things enough to choose some adequate sensible talents, but there’s a couple of things I will point out.
I again draw your attention to Keeva, who does know what she’s talking about.
New talents and whatnot.
Tier 1:
Blessing of the Grove – 2/2 I would have thought, for all of us. Along with some of the pointless bits, it “increases the healing done by rejuvenation by 4%”. Not gonna knock that one am I?
The usual suspects are still present – the always ignored Furor, Nature’s Focus (pushback reducer).
Tier 2/3:
Here’s where things shift a little. Intensity (the mana regen one with the symbol that looks like a propeller) has gone, and Naturalist has replaced it as the precursor for Nature’s Swiftness. In the place of Naturalist in Tier 2, there is a talent called, “Perseverance”. It’s a 5 pointer, and each of the points reduces spell damage taken by 2%. One presumes this is a PvP thing really, but a reduction by 10% overall (against spell damage) is quite nice really.
No changes to Subtlety, or to Omen of Clarity, Natural Shapeshifter or Master Shapeshifter.
Tier 4:
No changes to Tranquil Spirit, or Improved Rejuvenation (although it does now include Swiftmend).
Tier 5:
Nature’s Swiftness has had no changes, and neither has Improved Tranquility, but Gift of Nature has disappeared. Improved Tranquility may become a necessary more than a skipped talent with the overall changes to the spell (raid-wide not party-wide).
Tier 6:
Here’s where things start getting confusing, ok? Previously Tier 6 contained Empowered Touch and Nature’s Bounty. Now it holds Living Seed, Nature’s Bounty and Fury of Stormrage.
Living Seed is now the pre-requisite for our lovely new talent Efflorescence, but it’s actual effect remains unchanged. The effects of Nature’s Bounty also remain unchanged, although it is now the pre-requisite for Swiftmend.
Fury of Stormrage. I don’t get this. I don’t….I don’t understand. Someone tell me what it’s for please?
Tier 7:
More messiness. Tier 7 now holds Swiftmend (no effect changes, costs less mana though) and Empowered Touch. Empowered Touch has moved down a tier, and has some weird effects about increasing Nourish and refreshing Lifebloom and…stuff, as well as the classical additional effects to HT. Logically, Living Spirit has gone.
Tier 8:
Ooo. Here’s where it get’s exciting. Tier 8 holds Efflorescence, Empowered Rejuvenation and Natural Perfection. Natural Perfection still reduces damage but without the crit bonus and has moved down from T7. Empowered Rejuvenation has a tooltip stating is also affects Swiftmend as well.
Efflorescence is brand new. It says, “When you critically heal with your Regrowth spell you also sprout a bed of healing flora underneath the target, healing all nearby friendly targets within 15 yards who stand on them for 10/20/30% of the amount healed by your Regrowth every 1 second for 7 seconds”. Ranks 2 and 3 also result in an increase of your spirit by 15%.
Now I cannot wait to see the visual affect, I love the term ‘sprout’ and I really would like to see this in action.
Tier 9:
Revitalize exists but in a totally new format – now it causes an automatic regen of 3% base mana when fully talented on crits of Lifebloom and Regrowth.
Tree of Life is obviously our biggie. Now, when we take it, we: have a 45 second period of time where we are shifted into tree form. The cooldown is 5 minutes. HoTs heal for 15% more, armor is increased by 200% and speed reduced by 30%. Rather vaguely it also says that “some of” our spells are “temporarily enhanced”. Talenting into Improved Tree of Life can reduce the cooldown by 90 seconds (making it useable what, 3-4 times a long boss fight?). Worryingly linked to some of the other odd-damage increasing talents we seem to have acquired, we also do 15% more damage when in ToL if we talent into Improved.
Interesting to see this!
Tier 10:
Gift of the Earthmother has undergone a complete revamp, it now (on Rank 1) increases the healing done by Tranquility on targets below 25% by 4%, increases the healing done by lifebloom by 2% and gives a insta-heal from Rejuvenation of 3% of it’s total effect over time. Ranks 2 and 3 increase spell haste (8% in total) and decrease the CD of lifebloom by the same amount.
Improved Barkskin no longer has a dispel affect, but otherwise remains unchanged.
Tier 11:
Wild Growth. Now has a 10 second cooldown up from 6, and has had it’s HoT roughly halved. The cooldown doesn’t bother me, but that’s a hefty swing of the nerf bat I feel!
Well.
That’s my thoughts so far. I’ve declined to talk about the Balance tree because the sections I would talent into are minimal, other the Celestial Focus no longer affecting haste. Plus, I feel like I’ve talked out my arse about talent changes for quite long enough!
Progression & Feeling Vindicated
Last night was a really, really good night.
We had no raid on Friday, we were a couple of people down, however on Wednesday we’d taken down Lower Spire and Wingus and Dingus (Festergut and Rotface for those not au fait with the lingo). So, last night, we cleared some trash and faced the Blood Prince Council.
And, we got him down.
Our team was made up of 3 exceptional tanks (1 prot warrior, Grags, and 2 bears, Groulinis and Dhearic, Groul of which did an absolutely exceptional job of taking the shadow ball thingies), 2 healers (myself and Zalduun), and 5 DPS (Nyo (moonkin), Kabooms (the mage of the exploding strudels), Hammerhands (hunter), Rydia (Unholy DK) and Shamubar (a melee shammy – neither me or Nyo can remember whether that’s Elemental or Enhancement).
As Zal says, it was a stressful fight. We were all working our butts off, and a few things really helped us on our way:
- There are 2 kinetic bombs on 10 man. Our first few tries we missed the second one, but once we realised there was two, our ranged handled them brilliantly.
- You do not need a caster tank. Take a ‘real’ tank. It is doable with 5 DPS, and the fight wasn’t massively lengthy. The presence of a bear tank with 60k HP on made the pressure on us a lot easier, meaning we could safely…
- Use two healers.
We had a great composition and a great raid, fantastic add management, fantastic tanking, people paying attention and it all came together, netting us the guild first Blood Prince Council kill, and also the BPC section of the meta-achievement.
Congratulations, Flames!
We then, as one would do in this situation, moved on to Blood Queen Lana’thel. Who is spectacular. You know, I enjoy raiding. I love Flames, and I love my guildies. That’s why I love raiding.
But last night? I loved me. Those that know me will know I don’t have what could be ever called confidence in my own abilities. But last night, I rocked. I’ve actually changed how I raid recently. I’ve started paying a lot more attention, being a bit more serious about it all, possibly contributing a little more. And I do feel good for it. Last night was a prime example of that.
Now I know we have the buff. The buff is great. I am all for the buff, and every other blogger in the world has either complained or cheered the buff, so you don’t need my reasons too. I’m not a “serious” blogger in that sense.
So I know the buff certainly added towards last night’s performance, but I’m not going to let that detract from our awesomeness.
When the Lich King was defeated for the first time, and numbers started to be released on DPS figures, HPS figures and whatnot, I took interest.
Now, I’m competitive. I shouldn’t be – if I wanted to blast numbers, I should have rolled a paladin.
I’m comfortable with my niche. My synergy with Zal is awesome – we yin and yang, my HoTs cover the little spaces and his big blasts of light cover the big gaps. I’m used to my smaller numbers. It’s how things work. But Lana’thel is just…amazing. It is the most druid friendly fight I’ve ever seen, and cos of it, I felt like I could shine.
On the try where we actually got Lana’thel down to 10%, I was putting out 7.7k HPS. Now, when Paragon defeated the Lich King on 25man, their top output healer was putting out 4024 HPS. It made me think – I can do this, we can do this.
And I really hope we do.
I was on such a high.
I cannot wait until next week where we get to have another crack at her and hopefully get her down.
The second part of this post’s title is feeling vindicated. I’m the only druid main spec healer in our guild.
I don’t like Elitist Jerks – I’m not good with theorycrafting and numbers. To be honest, I suck at maths. I find the site confusing, complicated, lengthy and…full of obnoxious idiots. Ahem.
My research comes from blogs. I read so many druid blogs that I feel like it comes out of my ears sometimes. I find an idea. I look at that idea. I spend a long time reading everyones opinions on that idea. And then I follow it through.
And also, I have this obsession with socket bonuses. I don’t like grey text on my character sheet. I like my sockets to all make sense.
So. I read about the GotEM nerf. I didn’t understand it. But what I DID understand was that I needed a respec. Because I’d spent a long time working towards a system where I could get 5 rejuvenations into one Wild Growth cooldown. And I wasn’t quite there. So, with this change, I’d be even further away!
So, off to Moonglade I went. Me and the trainer had a chat, and I suddenly became the proud owner of the Celestial Focus talent. And then, the lovely druid bloggers of the world told me that there was this nice round number – 856 – that would mean that my spec could shift from this, back into points I liked having – like Living Seed. So I had something to aim for! So. I spent some money, I bought some gems, and I was at about 600 haste. So far away! I cried. But I’ve inched my way there, and with the purchase of my Vestments of Spruce and Fir, I passed that 856 number. Now, I was casting so fast, I barely had time to move across pitbull to my next person to cast again before the GCD had reset.
I was elated! However not a lot changed. Because our healing team works they way it does, although I personally noticed a change, I highly doubt anybody else did!
But Lana’thel, giving raid healers a chance to shine, allowed me to shine. It allowed me to say YES I am right for choosing this piece of gear and not having the 4set bonus (until testing proves me wrong, I won’t be investing. I favour the haste more than the crit, and to be honest although the 4pc may be fabulous for 25 man raiders, I already HAVE a rejuvenation on every single target almost all the time anyway, making it…a bit crap. FotP is about to embark on some 25 man raiding, and this may make me change my mind, but for now…no thanks), I am right for gemming as I gemmed to get my haste up, for choosing the spec I chose, for enchanting how I enchanted.
I felt proud of my research, I felt proud of myself and I felt proud of my character. That never happens, and I’m still elated and buzzed up today.
Long live haste, long live druid healers and long live feeling good about myself. I only wished it happened more often!
I know my druid, and I’m pleased about it. I just want to say, my eternal gratitude does go out to all the druid bloggers out there whose careful explanations, well written posts and fabulous drawings, because without them I’d have been left totally stranded.
Spotlight: Specialist Website
Today’s specialist website is Dreambound.
I absolutely, totally completely and utterly LOVE this site.
The blogger writes incredibly eloquently about being a druid, specifically a restoration druid. She talks about raiding, achievements, holidays, gears, theory…everything. Yet at the same time she stays constantly specific and knowledgable about so many subjects.
A couple of her posts I’ve seen that I really loved was a comic book version of the Yogg-Saron fight, and also some very insightful posts about achievements and the TotC raids.
I am always really chuffed to see a Dreambound post appear in my feeder and recommend her to absolutely everybody – druid or not druid.
One of my favourite Warcraft sites ever: Dreambound.
Sophx