(WoW) Guide: Druid - Boomkin
Well, we've got a Balance druid about to hit level 80 in the guild, and I was asked to take a peek at something for "raiding and arena." I don't know how much overlap there is. PVP talents are very PVP-oriented usually. Maximizing both would probably mean dual-speccing.
Build
Naturally, Balance druids do ranged DPS in moonkin form - affectionate referred to as "boomkin."
There's a pretty good look at primary spells here: http://druidmain.blogspot.com/2009/08/ways-of-talon-spells.html.
Specifically addressing Improved Faerie Fire: at maximum, that's +3% to everyone's spell hit on the boss and the druid's crit chance. Well... if all the casters in the group are hit capped, the value goes down. If they aren't, it's very good PVE. On the other hand, it doesn't stack with Misery from shadow priests, so if there's one of those around regularly, you can go with one or the other.
The best general write-up on talent builds I'm seeing is at http://druidmain.blogspot.com/2009/09/ways-of-talon-talents.html . The Wowhead talent calculator there isn't working for me right now, though, so I can't link straight to that.
Glyphs: From http://druidmain.blogspot.com/2009/09/ways-of-talon-glyphs.html it looks like probably Starfire, Moonfire and... maybe either Entangling Roots or Barkskin for PVP application, I'm not sure there.
Gear
Stat priority looks something like Hit (to cap) > Spell Power > Haste / Crit > Intellect / Spirit.
Regarding Hit Rating: As with most DPS classes, hit rating is the biggie up to the cap, then further +hit loses all value. For casters, we're looking at +17% hit against raid bosses, which is roughly 446 hit rating. The Balance of Power talent will give +4%. If you have IFF and Faerie Fire active, that's +3%. Draenei bonus is +1%. If all that is assumed, you're down to needing 236 hit rating to cap. Gemming for +hit should be only an intermediate step - eventually all the +hit you need (after talents) should come from gear.
These days, Emblems (of Conquest) are the way to go. Run heroics as much as possible, the emblem purchases will beat out stuff we'd probably be pulling out of Ulduar. But, some goals prior to that...
Head: Gaze of the Somber Keeper (normal ToC), Battlemap Hide Helm (heroic Utgarde Keep)
Neck: Titanium Spellshock Necklace (Jewelcrafted) or Brilliant Hailstone Amulet (normal ToC)
Shoulders: Mantle of Gnarled Overgrowth (normal ToC), or Dark Runic Mantle (BOE from heroic Halls of Stone)
Cloak: Deathchill Cloak (Tailored)
Chest: Insect Vestments (heroic Azjol-Nerub) or go with cloth for the meantime, like Ebonweave Robe (Tailored)
Bracers: Plague-Infected Bracers (heroic Culling of Stratholme) or clost Azure Cloth Bindings (heroic Violet Hold)
Gloves: Gloves of Dismal Fortune (heroic ToC), or Awakened Handguards (BOE from heroic Halls of Lightning)
Belt: Binding of the Tranquil Glade (normal ToC)
Legs: Leggings of the Snowy Bramble (heroic ToC), or Leggings of the Winged Serpent (heroic Drak'tharon Keep)
Feet: Barkhide Treads (heroic ToC), or Tundra Wolf Boots (BOE - heroic Utgarde Pinnacle)
Rings: Sinner's Confession (heroic ToC), and Titanium Spellshock Ring (Jewelcrafted), or Signet of Hopeful Light (exalted Argent Crusade)
Trinkets: Hopefully something good still from Coren?
Weapon: Possibly a Staff of Sinister Claws (heroic Ahn'Kahet) or a Spectral Kris (heroic ToC) coupled with an Iron-bound Tome (Inscribed)
Rotation
Proc-based Rotation? Wacky!
"Cast Wrath until eclipse procs, then cast Starfire through eclipse and keep going until the Wrath eclipse procs, then cast Wrath and repeat." So as the proc happens, you switch your main cast spell, apparently. Keep up DOTs: Moonfire and Insect Swarm when possible, the former while casting Starfire, the latter while casting Wrath.
PVP
From what I'm reading, Balance is considered a "distant second" as far as arena druid specs, with Restoration coming first. And this... really isn't my area of expertise or interest.
Resources/Further Reading:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/class-druid/balance-druids-the-moonkin-guide/
http://www.wow.com/2009/08/04/world-of-warcraft-patch-3-2-druid-guide/
http://www.restokin.com/2009/07/moonkin-damage-twisting-in-3-2/
http://thedailydruid.com/category/balance-moonkin-druid/
Build
Naturally, Balance druids do ranged DPS in moonkin form - affectionate referred to as "boomkin."
There's a pretty good look at primary spells here: http://druidmain.blogspot.com/2009/08/ways-of-talon-spells.html.
Specifically addressing Improved Faerie Fire: at maximum, that's +3% to everyone's spell hit on the boss and the druid's crit chance. Well... if all the casters in the group are hit capped, the value goes down. If they aren't, it's very good PVE. On the other hand, it doesn't stack with Misery from shadow priests, so if there's one of those around regularly, you can go with one or the other.
The best general write-up on talent builds I'm seeing is at http://druidmain.blogspot.com/2009/09/ways-of-talon-talents.html . The Wowhead talent calculator there isn't working for me right now, though, so I can't link straight to that.
Glyphs: From http://druidmain.blogspot.com/2009/09/ways-of-talon-glyphs.html it looks like probably Starfire, Moonfire and... maybe either Entangling Roots or Barkskin for PVP application, I'm not sure there.
Gear
Stat priority looks something like Hit (to cap) > Spell Power > Haste / Crit > Intellect / Spirit.
Regarding Hit Rating: As with most DPS classes, hit rating is the biggie up to the cap, then further +hit loses all value. For casters, we're looking at +17% hit against raid bosses, which is roughly 446 hit rating. The Balance of Power talent will give +4%. If you have IFF and Faerie Fire active, that's +3%. Draenei bonus is +1%. If all that is assumed, you're down to needing 236 hit rating to cap. Gemming for +hit should be only an intermediate step - eventually all the +hit you need (after talents) should come from gear.
These days, Emblems (of Conquest) are the way to go. Run heroics as much as possible, the emblem purchases will beat out stuff we'd probably be pulling out of Ulduar. But, some goals prior to that...
Head: Gaze of the Somber Keeper (normal ToC), Battlemap Hide Helm (heroic Utgarde Keep)
Neck: Titanium Spellshock Necklace (Jewelcrafted) or Brilliant Hailstone Amulet (normal ToC)
Shoulders: Mantle of Gnarled Overgrowth (normal ToC), or Dark Runic Mantle (BOE from heroic Halls of Stone)
Cloak: Deathchill Cloak (Tailored)
Chest: Insect Vestments (heroic Azjol-Nerub) or go with cloth for the meantime, like Ebonweave Robe (Tailored)
Bracers: Plague-Infected Bracers (heroic Culling of Stratholme) or clost Azure Cloth Bindings (heroic Violet Hold)
Gloves: Gloves of Dismal Fortune (heroic ToC), or Awakened Handguards (BOE from heroic Halls of Lightning)
Belt: Binding of the Tranquil Glade (normal ToC)
Legs: Leggings of the Snowy Bramble (heroic ToC), or Leggings of the Winged Serpent (heroic Drak'tharon Keep)
Feet: Barkhide Treads (heroic ToC), or Tundra Wolf Boots (BOE - heroic Utgarde Pinnacle)
Rings: Sinner's Confession (heroic ToC), and Titanium Spellshock Ring (Jewelcrafted), or Signet of Hopeful Light (exalted Argent Crusade)
Trinkets: Hopefully something good still from Coren?
Weapon: Possibly a Staff of Sinister Claws (heroic Ahn'Kahet) or a Spectral Kris (heroic ToC) coupled with an Iron-bound Tome (Inscribed)
Rotation
Proc-based Rotation? Wacky!
"Cast Wrath until eclipse procs, then cast Starfire through eclipse and keep going until the Wrath eclipse procs, then cast Wrath and repeat." So as the proc happens, you switch your main cast spell, apparently. Keep up DOTs: Moonfire and Insect Swarm when possible, the former while casting Starfire, the latter while casting Wrath.
PVP
From what I'm reading, Balance is considered a "distant second" as far as arena druid specs, with Restoration coming first. And this... really isn't my area of expertise or interest.
Resources/Further Reading:
http://www.mmo-champion.com/class-druid/balance-druids-the-moonkin-guide/
http://www.wow.com/2009/08/04/world-of-warcraft-patch-3-2-druid-guide/
http://www.restokin.com/2009/07/moonkin-damage-twisting-in-3-2/
http://thedailydruid.com/category/balance-moonkin-druid/
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