Feral Druid Raid Guide
Welcome to the Feral Druid Raid guide for the World of Warcraft patch 11.0.5! This guide covers everything you need to know to understand your character! Are you starting out and leveling up from 70? Check out the leveling guide!
Overview
Hero Talents
- Both Wildstalker and Druid of the Claw are very close on single-target to each other.
- On the other hand Wildstalker is ahead for any AoE encounter.
- Wildstalker damage breakdown is more towards bleeds whereas Druid of the Claw is more focus on Ferocious Bite damage overall.
- Your Rip and Rake have a chance to grow Thriving Growth on any affected target.
- Every vine does a DoT effect and debuffs the target with Vigorous Creepers.
- Whenever you Ferocious Bite a target affected with a vine, you trigger the effect of Bursting Growth, which also triggers when the vine expires.
- Your vines get a nice duration boost with Resilient Flourishing.
- Implant increases Thriving Growth overall uptime.
- Your auto-attacks have a chance to make your next Ferocious Bite become Ravage.
- An empowered Ferocious Bite that deals damage in an arc in front of you, so make sure to always face as many enemies as possible.
- Dreadful Wound is applied to every target hit by Ravage.
- Dreadful Wound can be extended with Aggravate Wounds.
- Ruthless Aggression is a nice auto-attack speed boost which procs Omen of Clarity and Ravage more often.
- Frenzied Regeneration can be cast in Cat Form with Empowered Shapeshifting.
- You also gain 10% maximum health during the duration with Fount of Strength.
Talents
When to use this Spec
Use this spec in a single-target encounter.
Gameplay Altering Talents
Discover all talents that significantly alter your gameplay within the Spec and Class Talent trees. This section gives a concise overview of these talents and their applications but for a more detailed look check out the Rotation and Deep Dive sections below.
Spec Tree
- Tiger's Fury
- Increase the damage of all your attacks for their full duration.
- Adaptive Swarm
- You want to maximize the amount of Adaptive Swarm by casting Adaptive Swarm on as many targets as possible. This can even be on friendly targets if you already have Adaptive Swarm on every enemy.
- Bloodtalons
- You need to use 3 different generators within 4 seconds to proc it.
- Your next 3 finishing moves deal 25% more damage.
- Lion's Strength is an alternative if you don't like playing Bloodtalons.
- Omen of Clarity
- Your auto attacks have a chance to cause your next Shred, Thrash and/or Swipe / Brutal Slash to cost 0 energy.
- To maximize this effect you want to avoid using it on Brutal Slash as it costs way less energy than the other abilities.
- You want Moment of Clarity up as well to boost its efficacy further.
- Convoke the Spirits
- Use this to cast a bunch of powerful spells on your target.
Hero Talents
- Resilient Flourishing
- Your default pick since Root Network is more focused on multi-target.
- Implant
- Twin Sprouts is more of a multi-target talent but does work on single-target.
When to use this Spec
Use this spec in a single-target encounter if you want your damage breakdown more focused on Ferocious Bite.
Talent Adjustments
Listing all the changes within the Class and Spec tree compared to the Wildstalker Single-Target build.
Spec Tree
- Added
- Feral Frenzy
- Moment of Clarity
- Removed
- Lunar Inspiration
- Circle of Life and Death
Hero Talents
Changed Wildstalker to Druid of the Claw for more info visit the Hero Talent section above.
- Ruthless Aggression
- This is the best single-target option but requires perfect melee uptime which can be rough in real practice.
- Strike for the Heart
- Outperforms Tear Down the Mighty.
- Empowered Shapeshifting
- Wildpower Surge is just worse in every aspect.
When to use this Spec
Use this spec in a single-target encounter when you have adds spawning and you want to cleave them without losing much single-target.
Talent Adjustments
Listing all the changes within the Class and Spec tree compared to the Druid of the Claw Single-Target build.
Spec Tree
- Added
- Primal Wrath
- Removed
- Tireless Energy
Hero Talents
Changed Wildstalker to Druid of the Claw for more info visit the Hero Talent section above.
- Ruthless Aggression
- This is the best single-target option but requires perfect melee uptime which can be rough in real practice.
- Strike for the Heart
- Outperforms Tear Down the Mighty.
- Empowered Shapeshifting
- Wildpower Surge is just worse in every aspect.
When to use this Spec
Use this spec in a single-target encounter when you have adds spawning and you want to cleave them without losing much single-target.
Talent Adjustments
Listing all the changes within the Class and Spec tree compared to the Wildstalker Single-Target build.
Spec Tree
- Added
- Primal Wrath
- Removed
- Tireless Energy
Hero Talents
- Resilient Flourishing
- Your default pick since Root Network is more focused on multi-target.
- Implant
- Twin Sprouts is more of a multi-target talent but does work on single-target.
Rotation
Tier Set
- 2-Set: Tiger's Fury increases critical strike chance by 6%, and 1% extra every 2 seconds for 10 seconds total.
- 4-Set: Critically strikes with combo point-generating abilities increase the direct damage of Ferocious Bite, Primal Wrath and Ravage.
Single-Target
Opener
- Your goal as a Feral Druid is to cast as many Ferocious Bites as possible without wasting uptime on your bleeds like Rip and Rake. Below, you can see an example of how your opener looks using the recommended Raid talent spec.
Priority List
This is a general priority you aim to maintain throughout the fight as Feral Druid.
- Berserk.
- Tiger's Fury.
- Convoke the Spirits.
- Keep Rake up.
- Have Bloodtalons up for every spender. Don't overcap combo points for it.
- Keep Rip up.
- Adaptive Swarm
- Feral Frenzy
- Ferocious Bite.
- Keep Thrash up.
- Use Brutal Slash to not overcap charges.
- Shred.
AoE
Opener
- Below, you can see an example of how your opener looks like as Feral Druid using the recommended Raid talent spec.
Priority List
- Berserk.
- Tiger's Fury.
- Convoke the Spirits.
- Keep Rake up on most targets.
- Bloodtalons
- Keep Rip up with Primal Wrath.
- Use Adaptive Swarm on a target with 2 stacks or without it.
- Feral Frenzy
- Ferocious Bite.
- Keep Thrash up.
- Use Brutal Slash to not overcap charges.
- Shred.
Deep dive
Snapshot
What is snapshotting?
The term "snapshotting" refers to a game mechanic where certain abilities capture (or "snapshot") the buffs at the moment they are cast and retain those buffs for their duration.
This is particularly relevant for Damage over Time (DoT) abilities (Bleed for Feral Druid), as they continue to deal damage based on the buffs present when they were applied, even if those stats or buffs change or expire.
- Tiger's Fury: Applying Rip or Rake while Tiger's Fury is active ensures that the bleed benefits from the increased damage throughout their entire duration.
- Bloodtalons: Applying Rip when you have Bloodtalons available ensures that it benefits from the increased damage throughout the entire duration.
- Improved Prowl: Applying Rake when you have a Sudden Ambush proc increases the damage for the entire duration.
Circle of Life and Death
The Circle of Life and Death talent modifies the duration of your DoTs, reducing their overall duration by 20% but increasing their tick rate. Here’s how it affects your DoTs:
- Rake: Reduced to 12 seconds.
- Rip: Reduced to 19 seconds.
- Thrash: Reduced to 12 seconds.
- Moonfire: Reduced to 14.4 seconds.
With these new durations, the Pandemic thresholds adjust accordingly:
- Rake: You can refresh Rake when there are up to 3.6 seconds (30% of 12 seconds) remaining, adding this time to the new Rake.
- Rip: You can refresh Rip when there are up to 5.7 seconds (30% of 19 seconds) remaining, adding this time to the new Rip.
- Thrash: You can refresh Thrash when there are up to 3.6 seconds (30% of 12 seconds) remaining, adding this time to the new Thrash.
- Moonfire: You can refresh Moonfire when there are up to 4.3 seconds (30% of 14.4 seconds) remaining, adding this time to the new Moonfire.
Practical Application with Circle of Life and Death
- Rake: If it has 3 seconds left, refreshing it adds the remaining 3 seconds to the new 12 seconds duration, making the new duration 15 seconds.
- Rip: If it has 5 seconds left, refreshing it adds the remaining 5 seconds to the new 19 seconds duration, making the new duration 24 seconds.
- Thrash: If it has 3 seconds left, refreshing it adds the remaining 3 seconds to the new 12 seconds duration, making the new duration 15 seconds.
- Moonfire: If it has 4 seconds left, refreshing it adds the remaining 4 seconds to the new 14.4 seconds duration, making the new duration 18.4 seconds.
Understanding Mechanics
Rotational min-maxing is just one aspect of mastering a specialization, but there are numerous other key mechanics that influence your performance. Use the following guides to improve them.
Nerub-ar Palace
The following tips are mainly applicable to Heroic Bosses. Mythic tips are released after our progression concludes.
← Scroll for more Bosses →
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Boss Tips
- You can shapeshift Stalker Netting on Heroic difficulty.
- Use Stampeding Roar during Carnivorous Contest to help out your raid.
- Additionally, Stampeding Roar can be used during Ready to Feed to speed up the feeding process of the boss.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
If you're assigned to Group 1:
If you're assigned to Group 2:
- Do note that the length of the fight impacts your cooldown usage heavily. If your fight lasts shorter than 6 minutes you use your Berserk on pull followed by using it after every Goresplatter.
Defensive Cooldown Usage
You can use Survival Instincts whenever you feel like you need it.
Boss Tips
- Wild Charge the boss to quickly get back to melee on Goresplatter.
- Ursol's Vortex is a nice utility for Manifest Horror adds spawn.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Boss Tips
- Barkskin or Survival Instincts whenever you are targeted by Decimate or Decimates are about to hit Cosmic Simulacrums.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Boss Tips
- Move out with Spinneret's Strands by using Dash.
- You can also use Stampeding Roar to help out your raid keep up with the boss when he changes his position.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Defensive Cooldown Usage
- Use Barkskin or Survival Instincts whenever you are targeted with Experimental Dosage or Unstable Web.
- Renewal is nice to remove any source of healing absorb.
Boss Tips
- Use Ursol's Vortex to help with Blood Parasite.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Defensive Cooldown Usage
Use Barkskin or Survival Instincts anytime you get targeted by Assassination or Twilight Massacre.
Boss Tips
- Multiple stacks of Queensbane is deadly. Consider using Bear Form and Frenzied Regeneration !
- The main thing to keep an eye out for on this boss is the position of each Nether Rift. Their placement dictates how much you get pulled towards them. Try to position yourself in a way that each Nether Rift is at a similar distance to you.
- Also a good time to use Stampeding Roar.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Boss Tips
Phase 1
- Use Barkskin for Venomous Rain.
- Try to get some good distance from the adds that spawn from Call of the Swarm since they fixate the closest target.
Phase 2
- Use defensive when you get Stinging Swarm.
- If you don't get the debuff, do not stand under Skeinspinner Takazj as others are trying to get dispelled.
- Use Stampeding Roar when Skeinspinner Takazj cast Web Vortex.
Phase 3
- Use Stampeding Roar when Anub'arash is casting Spike Eruption.
- Also during Spike Storm in the intermission.
Offensive Cooldown Usage
Boss Tips
Phase 1
- You can remove Silken Tomb by shapeshifting.
Stat Priority
Understand your secondary stat priority and the tertiary stats needed for optimal performance when you raid as a Feral Druid. For more detailed information, visit the Stats and Attributes guide.
Higher Item level items are better in most scenarios. For an accurate representation of what item to equip you should use Simcraft! A static "Stat Priority" is just a starting point and can easily shift depending on your individual gear.
All secondary stats are affected by diminishing returns. Click here to learn more!
Tertiary
- Avoidance - Great stat to reduce the damage intake of "Area of Effect" abilities.
- Leech - Provides additional healing through damage dealing. The damage of your pets does not heal you thus Leech is a great tertiary for you since most of your damage is coming from your own spells.
- Speed - Niche tertiary that can be very useful and has been proven useful in the past. Makes playing certain mechanics a lot easier.
Gear
Slot | Item | Location |
---|---|---|
Head | Mask of the Greatlynx | Tier-set/Catalyst |
Neck | Sureki Zealot's Insignia | Sikran |
Shoulder | Maw of the Greatlynx | Tier-set/Catalyst |
Cloak | Wings of Shattered Sorrow | Rashan'nan |
Chest | Hide of the Greatlynx | Tier-set/Catalyst |
Wrist | Polluted Spectre's Wraps | The Bloodbound Horror |
Gloves | Rune-Branded Grasps | Crafted |
Belt | Shadow Congregant's Belt | The Dawnbreaker |
Legs | Leggings of the Greatlynx | Tier-set/Catalyst |
Boots | Rune-Branded Kickers | Crafted |
Ring 1 | Seal of the Poisoned Pact | Queen Ansurek |
Ring 2 | Band of the Roving Scalawag | Siege of Boralus |
Trinket 1 | Skardyn's Grace | Grim Batol |
Trinket 2 | Ara-Kara Sacbrood | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Weapon | Harvester's Interdiction | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Below you are presented with a good list of farmable alternatives that are obtainable outside of WoW’s weekly lockout system. While replaced in time as you progress, these offer immediate character power.
Slot | Item | Location |
---|---|---|
Head | Guise of the Construct | The Stonevault |
Neck | Trailspinner Pendant | Mists of Tirna Scithe |
Shoulder | Whispering Umbral Mantle | The Stonevault |
Cloak | Troggstitched Drape | Grim Batol |
Chest | Vest of Misshapen Hides | Grim Batol |
Wrist | Unbreakable Beetlebane Bindings | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Gloves | Gorebound Stranglers | The Dawnbreaker |
Belt | Shadow Congregant's Belt | The Dawnbreaker |
Legs | Glimmerthread Pantaloons | Grim Batol |
Boots | Whisperer's Echoing Steps | City of Threads |
Ring 1 | Umbriss Band | Grim Batol |
Ring 2 | Band of the Roving Scalawag | Siege of Boralus |
Trinket 1 | Skardyn's Grace | Grim Batol |
Trinket 2 | Ara-Kara Sacbrood | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Weapon | Harvester's Interdiction | Ara-Kara, City of Echoes |
Trinkets
Below you can find active and passive alternatives to our recommended trinkets for Feral Druid. Do note that some trinkets are better than others depending on the boss.
Active Trinket alternatives
- Treacherous Transmitter
- Can be annoying to do some tasks.
Passive Trinket alternatives
- Dead-Eye Spyglass
- Darkmoon Deck: Radiance
- Empowering Crystal of Anub'ikkaj
Embellishments
- 2x Dawnthread Lining
- It is a good choice if you have over 80% health most of the time and during your cooldowns.
- The optimal slots to craft on are Wrists, Boots, Waist, or Cloak depending on your available gear.
or
- Elemental Focusing Lens
- Deals a decent amount of damage in Single-Target.
- The optimal slots to craft on are Wrists, Boots or Waist depending on your available gear.
Remaining Sparks
- Crafted items are 636 item level and regular items are 639 on max item level therefore it's not beneficial to equip crafted items outside of your 2x embellishments unless you don't have access to other high item level gear on that slot.
Simcraft
To find the best combination of gear available to you or identify the best possible upgrades, visit our Simcraft guide to learn how to utilize Simcraft easily and effectively.
Consumables
- Phials
- Flask of Tempered Aggression -- maximum DPS.
- Flask of Tempered Versatility -- less DPS but more survivability.
- Food
- Feast of the Divine Day
- Combat Potion
- Tempered Potion
- Health Potion
- Algari Healing Potion -- a big burst of healing
- Weapon Oil
- Ironclaw Whetstone
- Augment Rune
- Crystallized Augment Rune
- Sockets
- Masterful Ruby
- Culminating Blasphemite -- Unique, use one of each gem color to enhance your Culminating Blasphemite.
- Quick Sapphire
- Deadly Emerald
- Quick Onyx
Enchantments
Head | Nerubian Gemweaver |
Neck | Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
Cloak | Enchant Cloak - Chant of Winged Grace |
Chest | Enchant Chest - Crystalline Radiance |
Wrist | Enchant Bracer - Chant of Armored Avoidance Nerubian Gemweaver |
Waist | Nerubian Gemweaver |
Legs | Stormbound Armor Kit |
Boots | Enchant Boots - Scout's March |
Ring 1 | Enchant Ring - Radiant Critical Strike Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
Ring 2 | Enchant Ring - Radiant Critical Strike Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
Weapon | Enchant Weapon - Authority of Radiant Power |
You buy Nerubian Gemweaver from the Great Vault Vendor to add sockets to your Helm, Wrists & Waist.
Races
For min-maxing a Feral Druid in raiding, different racial traits can provide a tremendous benefit to your character. If this is not your top goal, picking a race that fits your style works just as well.
- Shadowmeld -- Night Elf
- One of the most broken racials in Mythic+ but has almost no use in any raid encounter.
- Does work with Pouncing Strikes.
- War Stomp -- Tauren
- Can be used to stun 5 enemies.
- Brawn 2% critical strike damage.
- Also, Endurance gives you extra health to survive unavoidable damage.
Recommendation
Night Elf or Tauren is the best race for your Feral Druid in raiding environments.
Macros
Discover recommended macros for Feral Druid during Raid and watch a quick video guide on creating simple macros for your character.
Cursor Macros
Ursol's Vortex -- Casts Ursol's Vortex on your cursor without confirmation.
#showtooltip Ursol's Vortex
/cast [@cursor] Ursol's Vortex
Mouseover Macros
Focus Macros
Utility Macros
Addons
Below, you see a screenshot of the author's User Interface for their Feral Druid, outlining which addons are used and how they are utilized in Raid to make your life easier.
Addons
WeakAuras
Changes this Patch
Patch 11.0.5
Patch 11.0.2
Patch 11.0
FAQ
Q: Do I use my finishers at 4 or 5 combo points?
Credits
Written By: Maystine
Reviewed By: Canexx