Introduction to the Restoration Druid
Druids call upon the nature itself to aid in their spells of healing. They are also able to utilize their shapeshift capabilities to gain a upper hand in a dire situation. Restoration Druids specialise in maintaining a steady stream of healing on a few targets in the raid and offer strong bursts of healing after using cooldowns. Restoration Druids also do well when healing a small amount of targets for a prolonged period of time(such as players with debuffs).
Below you will find a beginners guide to the Restoration Druid, you can click on highlighted abilities, for a more in depth description of them.
Strengths and Weaknesses of the Restoration Druid
Strengths
- Ability to sustain good healing on the move
- Retains strong healing even in situations of heavy spread
- Great tank healing
- Very good survivability
Weaknesses
- Below average throughput without cooldowns
- Very punishing in case of mistimed cooldowns
- Bad spot healing
Talents
Rotation of the Restoration Druid
The basic rotation of the Restoration Druid is as follows:
- Keep Efflorescence under a group of players, usually melee
- Keep Lifebloom on an active tank
- Use Innervate during low to moderate damage moments and try to fit both Efflorescence and Wild Growth in the duration
- Cast Clearcasting procs as soon as possible to avoid wasting them
- Use Cenarion Ward on cooldown, if you are using the talent
- Keep Rejuvenation on an active tank and any players with debuffs
- Use Swiftmend liberally to spot-heal
- Start casting Rejuvenations about 10 seconds before you plan on
- Use Regrowth as an emergency heal
- You should be filling your free global cooldowns with Solar Wrath.
Healing Cooldowns
- Tranquility is a channeled spell that heals all raid members for a large amount of health over 8 seconds and leaves a stackable HoT.
- Flourish increases the frequency of healing from your HoTs by 100% for 8 seconds and extends the duration of all currently active HoTs by 8 seconds
- Ironbark reduces all damage taken by the target by 20% for 12 seconds
Stat Priority
The stat priority for the Restoration Druid is
- Mastery = Haste
- Versatility
- Critical Strike
- Intellect
Pro Healer (If I’m tabbed in), otherwise a total Moob