Overview
Druids use the powers of nature to keep the world in balance. They can fill almost every role: healing, tanking and dealing damage. The key to playing one is choosing the right form for the moment, because each form has its own purpose.
The wiki notes that a Druid can also shift to another role for a short time in combat, and switch roles freely out of combat, which makes it one of the most flexible classes. Druids wear leather and use daggers, fist weapons, maces, polearms and staves.
Specializations
| Specialization | Role | Play style |
|---|---|---|
| Balance | Ranged damage | Takes Moonkin Form and mixes Arcane and Nature magic to destroy enemies from range. Since Legion its spells build Astral Power for Starsurge and Starfall. |
| Feral | Melee damage | Fights as a great cat with bites and bleeds, using Energy and combo points much like a Rogue, and can Prowl to sneak up on prey. |
| Guardian | Tank | Turns into a mighty bear to soak up damage and protect allies, fueling its abilities with Rage. |
| Restoration | Healer | Keeps allies alive mostly with heal-over-time Nature spells; it heals without a special form, but a talent lets it become the Tree of Life. |
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is the Druid's best-known ability. All Druids can use Cat Form and Bear Form, Balance Druids add Moonkin Form, and Travel Form speeds the Druid up on land, in water or in the air where flying is allowed.
- Cat Form runs on Energy and Bear Form on Rage, so spells that cost Mana cannot be cast in those forms.
- Changing form breaks slowing effects and roots.
- Forms are not buffs, so they cannot be dispelled, and Mana keeps regenerating at the normal rate while in a form.
Hero talent trees
At high level every Druid specialization chooses between two hero talent trees. Each tree is shared by two of the class's specializations:
| Hero tree | Shared by | Theme |
|---|---|---|
| Druid of the Claw | Feral, Guardian | Masters of the cat and bear forms. |
| Elune's Chosen | Balance, Guardian | Draws on the Moon Goddess and calls down lunar magic. |
| Keeper of the Grove | Balance, Restoration | Channels the Dream and summons empowered treants. |
| Wildstalker | Feral, Restoration | Hunts in the wilds and uses healing to bring life back. |
Races
Only some races can be Druids. The official class page lists:
| Faction | Races |
|---|---|
| Alliance | Night Elf, Worgen, Kul Tiran, Haranir |
| Horde | Tauren, Troll, Highmountain Tauren, Zandalari Troll, Haranir |
See Alliance Races, Horde Races and Allied Races for more on each race.
Sources
Game pictures: © Blizzard Entertainment · worldofwarcraft.blizzard.com
