The Restoration Druid spec class in WoW Classic is the HoT healer with a calming touch.
The Restoration Druid is an excellent healer, both in PvE and PvP. In PvE it is able to adapt with the help of a vast array of talents, allowing them to focus on the Tanks, bring DPS support, or focus on the group and/or the raid.
In PvP they can cope with just about anything: carrying flags, healing, killing players, controlling targets...
The Resto Druid is undoubtedly the support specialization of choice, regardless of the type of content.
Talents
The PvE Swiftment Build focuses on the effectiveness of your big cast and instant heals, including Gift of Nature and Improved Healing Touch, to the detriment of effective management of your mana.
With this build, you are effectively what is called a 'manavore': some spend all their money, you spend all your mana. On the other hand, you gain access to two incredibly powerful skills in desperate situations: Nature's Swiftness and Swiftmend.
This specialization is not the best, and should only be used by one or two Druids per raid in general.
The Moonglow Build is exclusively dedicated to PvE and is in all aspects similar to the previous build, with two exceptions.
On one hand, you lose access to Swiftmend — and therefore a "panic button" in case of desperation — but on the other hand, you are able to use Rejuvenation more often. Also, with the help of Moonglow, you'll be spending a lot less mana. As a result, you are much better able to handle long fights.
Finally, the gameplay changes quite a lot, since you're not relying on long-casting spells anymore but on many small HoTs that allow you to activate Gift of Nature.
This is the build we recommend for most situations.
The PvP Moonglow Build is similar to its PvE counterpart, with the only difference being that instead of fetching points from the Balance tree to buff Thorns, it focuses more on the Feral Combat Tree in order to gain access to Feral Charge and various other very interesting PvP bonuses.
This tank build makes for an excellent flag carrier and healer in PvP.
Stats to prioritize
PvE
Spell Power > Critical Spell Strike > Intelligence > Mana every 5 seconds > Spirit > Stamina
PvP
Intelligence >= Stamina > Armor > Spell Power > Mana every 5 seconds
Resto
There is no priority, strictly speaking, as a healer. However, here are the spells you should use and in which situations. Respect the rank of each proposed spell, because mana is a real problem in WoW Classic and using a lower ranked spell allows you to save mana without sacrificing healing.
- Nature's Swiftness: Use in case of extreme urgency, coupled with a Healing Touch (Rank 11) on a tank that has lost a lot of life and whose survival depends on you.
- Healing Touch: Generally, you should only use this spell at Rank 3 or Rank 4 maximum, beyond that it will cost you too much mana and you will usually only do excess healing.
- Recovery: Use both on Tanks and rank 11 on raid members. Don't overdo it, otherwise you'll find yourself quickly out of mana.
- Regrowth: This direct healing spell also raises a HoT, so only use Rank 5, unless you find it too greedy in terms of mana. In that case, don't hesitate to use Rank 4 or even Rank 3, but never below.
- Swiftmend: This is one of your "panic buttons". Use it only in extreme emergency, as it consumes all Druid HoTs on the target and a huge amount of mana.
- Thorns: If you have chosen to play with the Improved Thorns talent, make sure you always have Thorns (Rank 6) active on the Tanks to maximize the talent's effectiveness of this talent.
Rebirth
Rebirth is the only resurrection spell available to the Druid.
Although it has a long CD (30 minutes), it can be used in combat and is likely to save the group if one of the main Tanks dies.
Note: Don't forget to bring Ironwood Seeds with you, as one is required for every use of Rebirth.
Innervate
Innervate is an ability available to all Druids, and is especially powerful when used on a Healer who's running out of mana, or on a caster DPS having similar issues.
Gift of the Wild
Gift of the Wild is essential to any raid group. This is the equivalent of the Mark of the Wild, but for the entire group, saving you a lot of time and mana.
Note: Don't forget to bring Wild Thornroot with you, as one is required for each use of Gift of the Wild.
Best Race For Restoration Druid
Horde
The Tauren is one of only two races that can be a Druid, alongside the Night Elf.
Endurance is very good for tankiness, and War Stomp is useful in many situations. Finally, Nature Resistance is useful in certain cases, and makes them slightly tankier.
Alliance
In addition to Quickness giving them a slight gain in survival, Shadowmeld is another decent racial which can see some benefit, allowing you to hide or drop from combat quickly.
Although less useful for a Druid, you can use this to dip out of combat then use cat stealth to escape.
World of Warcraft: Classic has a number of races to choose from, and making that choice has long-term consequences. You don't want to regret your choice later, so we've broken down the races in our tier list for WoW: Classic.
Professions
If you follow our advice on professions, Herbalism is an excellent choice. Paired with Alchemy, you can be almost self-sufficient.
Even if you don't choose Alchemy, it allows you to farm components for your guild or to sell to the Auction House, making a small fortune.
Alchemy is one of the most important professions in World of Warcraft because it allows for the creation of flasks and various potions, some more useful than others.
The Druid does not need to opt for a particular crafting profession to make a specific armour set, so it's the ideal class for Alchemy.
The Engineer is the best choice by default as it's great in both PvE and PvP.
From Goblin Sapper Charge and the Arcanite Dragonling, to the Dense Dynamite, everything about this role will always be useful!
World of Warcraft: Classic guide to the Druid class. We take a look at all 3 specs, from healing in Restoration to DPSing in Balance and Feral — and we'll even throw in tanking with Feral as well. We give you an overview below.
