Druid abilities (WoW)  

Overview

Druids are probably the most versatile of all of the hybrid classes. They can Tank and heal at high levels as well as hold their own in DPS. Of all of the hybrid classes, druids probably have the most logical layout of their trees and the abilities contained therein. In other words, while most end-game druids will not spec entirely within one tree, the talents and abilities are laid out such that it makes sense to approach them in a tree-by-tree basis (no pun intended to Resto Druids, well maybe a little).

Like all classes, hybird or no, there are three trees of abilities available: Restoration, Balance and Feral. The Restoration tree deal promarily with healing and buffing, the Balance tree deal primarily with ranged/caster DPS and the Feral tree deals primarily with tanking or melee DPS. Note that the Feral Combat tree does not become available until the quest to achieve bear form (received at level 10) has been completed.

General consensus is that the Feral tree is the most-used for leveling. This applies though end game but deviation from this can be made into balance at level 43 (Moonkin form is gained at level 40 as a talented form in the Balance tree and the addition 3 levels are to achieve Dreamstate to help with mana consumption and regeneration). Most druids focus on feral all the way to 70 but there are a fair few who opt for the "Crit Chicken" as the Moonkin/Balance druid is known when it's available.

No matter which path is chosen it's likely that the majority of your time and use of abilities are going to be focused on that choice so the spells listed below are grouped as such. All spells refer to rank 1.

Balance

• Wrath (Level 1) - This, with Starfire, situationally is the primary DPS of Caster druids. It inflicts nature damage on cast (starfire inflicts arcane damage in case mobs are immune to nature)
• Moonfire (Level 4) - This is an instant cast spell that front loads arcane damage and also applies a DoT to the target. Many inexperienced druids use this as a spam tool as it's instant cast and does some fair bit of damage. It's also a mana hog and in many cases there is a better spell to spam on mobs. Use it wisely.
• Thorns (Level 6) - This spell is a Buff that causes a set amount of reflective damage to targets hitting the buffed player. The threat of the damage applies to the buffed player, not the druid who cast the buff.
• Entangling Roots (Level 8) - This spell is only usable outdoors though future patch notes (as of July 2008) hint that that may change and it will be usable indoors. It wraps the target in roots immobilzing them causing damage over time and preventing movement. Note that ranged spells and abilities can still be used by the rooted target.
• Nature's Grasp (Level 10) - This is a talented ability in the Balance tree. It grants the caster a 35% chance to encase an attacker in roots that will have the same effect as Entangling Roots. The spell costs no mana to cast and can come in handy when pulling multiple adds, assuming it procs.
• Teleport: Moonglade (Level 10) - this spell will teleport the druid to Moonglade. There is no cooldown on this ability. It can come in very handy when a druid is leveling in an area where no Druid trainer is easily available. The druid can teleport to Moonglade, train and then hearth to their home inn when done.
• Faerie Fire Rank 1) (Level 18) - a debuff that decreases the target's armor by a set amount. Additionally the target cannot enter stealth or otherwise turn invisible while the debuff is active. This can be handy in PvP for keeping Rogues where you can see them.
• Hibernate (Level 18) - Forces the target to sleep for 20 seconds but any damage caused will wake the target. Note that this only works on Beasts and Dragonkin.
• Starfire (Level 20) - A long cast (3.5 seconds, untalented) spell that causes Arcane damage on the target.
• Insect Swarm - This spell is only available via talents in the Balance tree. It surrounds the target in a swarm of insects causing damage over time and reducing their ability to hit for 12 seconds.
• Soothe Animal (Level 22) - Soothes the target animal reducing the range you will aggro it in by 20 yards. This spell only works on beasts level 40 or below.
• Hurricane (Level 40) - This is a channeled area of effect spell that casues damage to all enemies within its range and also increases the time between enemies' attacks by 25%.
• Moonkin Form (Level 40) - This ability is only available via talents in the Balance tree. While in this form the armor contribution from items is increased by 400%, attack power is increased by 150% of your level and all party members within 30 yards have their spell critical chance increased by 5%. Melee attacks in this form have a chance on hit to regenerate mana based on attack power. The Moonkin can only cast Balance and Remove Curse spells while shapeshifted.
• Innervate (Level 40) - Increases the target's spirit-based mana regeneration by 400% for 12 seconds. Also, during this time it allows full mana regeneration even while in casting. Note that this can be very good for the druid to use on himself and also on healing priests but it's less optimal for classes, particualry healing classes that don't use spirit very much or at all. FOr example, a paladin healer generally doesn't have ANY spirit gear so the mana regeneration will not be as spectacular as on a HOly Priest. That said, since it allows full mana regeneration even in casting, if you have a paladin healer who is getting mana-starved it's still a good choice (unless you're willing and able to take over the healing role when they run out).
• Barkskin (Level 44) - This spell reduces incoming damage by 20% and also prevents interruption to spell casting caused by damage for 12 seconds. It can be used while stunned, feared, frozen, incapacitated or asleep.

Restoration (Resto)

• Healing Touch (Level 1) - a 1.5 second cast healing spell.
• spell:Mark of the Wild (Rank 1) (Level 2) - The druid's primary buffing spell for party or non-party members. The early-ranked spells only increase armor but the later ones increase stats as well as armor.
• Rejuvenation (Level 4) - An instant cast HoT spell.
• Regrowth (Level 10) - this healing spell heals a set amount up front but also applies a HoT. It is not instant cast but has a shorter cast time than the straight Druidic heals and applies the HoT for use with Swiftmend.
• Cure Poison (Level 14) - Removes 1 poison effect on a friendly target. This spell is only available upon completeing a quest chain. The chain starts with the quest Lessons Anew (Horde (there is no quest link for Horde but it should be available from the Druid Trainer in Thunder Bluff)/[http://wow.allakhazam.com/db/quest.html?wquest=6126 Alliance). Note that if you don't find yourself needing to cure poisons a great deal it is possible to skip this quest. At level 26 the spell Abolosh Poison becomes available (and this spell is not a pre-requisite for it).
• Rebirth (Level 20) - This is the druid's resurrection ability. Unlike that of other classes, Druids may resurrect players while in combat. Unfortunately there is also a 20 minute cooldown on its use. This spell also requires a reagent which varies depending on what level of the spell is cast.
• Omen of Clarity (Level 20) - This ability is only available through talents in the Restoration tree. Each of the druid's melee attacks has a chance to put the druid into a clearcasting state. This state lasts 30 minutes (or until the effect is consumed) has will make the next offensive ability or healing spell cost zero mana, rage or energy.
• Remove Curse (Level 24) - Removes one curse debuff from a friendly target.
• Abolish Poison - This spell will immediately attempt to remove 1 poison effect from the friendly target but will then attempt to remove 1 more poison effect every 2 seconds for 8 seconds. This is handy in fights where poisons are being repeatedly applied (like when fighting rogues).
• Tranquility (Level 30) - This is an area of effect healing spell that will heal all nearby party members. Note that the spell is channeled, any movement will cause the channeling (and thus healing) to stop. Has a groovy visual and sound effect to go with it.

Feral Combat (Feral)

• Bear form (Level 10) - this is the spell that allows a Druid to switch into bear form. Bear form has somewhat sub-par DPS but the health and armor can more than make up for that in certain situations. Even non-feral druids can find bear form useful when unplanned adds appear. This also protects the druid from polymorph effects (as those can only be used on humanoids) but note that when you are in bear form, you will show up on the mini-map of any hunter that is tracking beasts. The act of shapeshifting can free the druid from any polymorph or movement slowing effects such as snares.
• Demoralizing Roar (Level 10) - This ability (requiring rage) can decrease all nearby enemies melee attack power. Only usable in Bear Form.
• Maul (Level 10) - Increases the damage of the druid's next melee attack. Only available in Bear or Dire Bear form.
• Growl (Level 10) - The Druid taunt. This spell will force the target of the growl to attack the druid but has no effect if the target is already attacking the druid. Only effects 1 target and only available in Bear or Dire Bear form.
• Enrage (Level 12) - Generates rage over 2- seconds but reduces armor value of the druid by a set amount (differs between * bear for and Dire Bear form). Only available in Bear (or Dire Bear) form.
• Bash (Level 14) - Stuns the target for a short period of time. Only available in Bear or Dire Bear form. On mobs that can be stunned this can be effectively used as a spell interrupt. Only available in Bear or Dire Bear form.
• Swipe (Level 16) - Swipes the target causing damage to 2 additional nearby enemies. If this is used in a group with Crowd Control take care when using it as damage will break most crowd control and you cannot control which mobs the additional 2 will be. Only available in Bear or Dire Bear form.
• Aquatic Form (Level 16) - A shapeshifting spell that allows the Druid to breath underwater. It also removes the movement speed penalty normally applied to swimming (you will swim as fast as you would walk). Obviously only usable in water. This also protects the druid from polymorph effects (as those can only be used on humanoids) but note that when you are in aquatic form, you will show up on the mini-map of any hunter that is tracking beasts. The act of shapeshifting can free the druid from any polymorph or movement slowing effects such as snares.
• Cat Form (Level 20) - The druid takes on the shape of a cat. While in this form melee attack power is increased by 40 + Agility. This also protects the druid from polymorph effects (as those can only be used on humanoids) but note that when you are in cat form, you will show up on the mini-map of any hunter that is tracking beasts. The act of shapeshifting can free the druid from any polymorph or movement slowing effects such as snares.
• Claw (Level 20) - Claws the enemey doing a set amount of damage and awards one combo point. Only available in Cat form.
• Rip (Level 20) - this is a Finishing Move that does no instant damage but applies a bleed effect to the target doing damage over time. The amount of damage depends on the number of combo points the druid has accrued as well as the druid's attack power. Because this does no instant damage, only DoT, it's not generally used in solo play as druids in cat form generally take down mobs faster than the DoT ticks so other finishing moves are generally a better option. However, you don't get another finishing move until level 32. Only available in Cat form.
• Prowl (Level 20) - This is a stealth ability only avaiable in cat form. It hides you from enemies (within reason, the higher the level of enemies around you compared to your level, the more likely you'll be detected) but reduces movement speed by 40%.
• Shred (Level 22) - An attack that causes 225% damage plus a set amount (depending on rank of the spell). Druid must be in cat form and behind the target. Awards one combo point.
• Tiger's Fury (Level 24) - Increases damage done to the target by a set amount for 6 seconds. Only available in Cat form.
• Rake (Level 24) - Rakes the target for an upfront amount of bleed damage (partially based on attack power) and then applies a DoT whose damage is also based on the druid's attack power. Awards one combo point. Only available in Cat form.
• Faerie Fire (Level 25) - This spell is only available via talents in the Feral Combat tree. It functions just like regular Faerie Fire but can be used while in Bear or Cat form (the regular Faerie Fire requires Moonkin or Caster form). This can be a handy thing to use as a range pulling mechanism without having to switch forms but note that it does no damage so it's possible that someone could tag the mobe you pulled as their own before it gets into melee range.
• Dash (Level 26) - Increases movement speed by 50% for 15 seconds. Only available in Cat form. Note that this will not break stealth/prowl.
• Challenging Roar (Level 28) - This forces all nearby enemies to focus on the druid for 6 seconds. Note that when the 6 seconds have passed, if the druid has not gained aggro on the mobs they will return to their previous targets. Only available in Bear or Dire Bear form.
• Cower (Level 28) - This ability causes no damage but reduces your threat by a small amount. Similar to a rogue's feint, this may be useful at lower levels but as gear and spells improve it seems to have little to no effect except as an energy dump (and that's not really a beneficial effect). Only available in Cat form.
• Travel Form (Level 30) - shifts the Druid into a travel, form that increases movement speed by 40%. This is only usable outdoors. This also protects the druid from polymorph effects (as those can only be used on humanoids) but note that when you are in travel form, you will show up on the mini-map of any hunter that is tracking beasts. The act of shapeshifting can free the druid from any polymorph or movement slowing effects such as snares.
• Track Humanoids (Level 32) - allows the druid to track the location of humanoids (this applies to mobs as well as other players) on their mini-map. Only available in Cat form.
• Ravage (Level 32) - Ravages the target causing 385% damage plus a set amount depending on the rank of the ability. Druid must be in cat form and prowling for this to be available. Druid must also be behind the target. Awards one combo point.
• Ferocious Bite (Level 32) - A finishing move (generally preferable to Rip when soloing) that causes damage per combo point and converts each point of energy into damage (consuming all energy). Damage is also increased based on attack power. Only available in Cat form.
• Pounce (Level 36) - Stuns the target also causing a set amount of damage (based on ability rank) over 18 seconds. Druid must be in cat for, prowling and behind the target.
• Frenzied Regeneration (Level 36) - Converts up to 10 rage per second into health for 10 seconds. Each point of rage is converted into 10 health. Only available in Bear or Dire Bear form.
• Dire Bear Form (Level 40) - This replaces Bear form. This form increases melee attack power by 120, armor contribution from items by 400%, and Stamina by 25%. This also protects the druid from polymorph effects (as those can only be used on humanoids) but note that when you are in Dire Bear form, you will show up on the mini-map of any hunter that is tracking beasts. The act of shapeshifting can free the druid from any polymorph or movement slowing effects such as snares.
• Feline Grace (Level 40) - this is a passive ability that reduces damage taken from falling. Only reduces this damage when the druid is in cat form.
• Mangle (Level 50) - Mangle the target for 115% normal damage plus a set amount based on the rank of the ability and causes the target to take 30% additional damage from Shred and bleed effects for 12 seconds. Only usable in Dire Bear form.
• Mangle (Level 50) - Mangle the target for 160% normal damage plus a set amount based on the rank of the ability and causes the target to take 30% additional damage from Shred and bleed effects for 12 seconds. Awards 1 combo points. Only available in Cat form.