Welcome to the Restoration Druid Raid guide for the World of Warcraft patch 11.0! 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
Restoration Druid
Restoration DruidRaid
Hero Talents
Restoration Druid
- Keeper of the Grove focuses on AoE healing and Cooldown strength, while Wildstalker focuses on Single Target healing and damage done in Cat Form.
- In a Raid environment Keeper of the Grove outperforms Wildstalker in any scenario. Therefore this Guide focuses solely on the better option.
Keeper of the Grove
Wildstalker
- Every time you summon a Grove Guardian you gain all of the following benefits:
- Harmony of the Grove
- 3% healing done increase per active Grove Guardian.
- Power of Nature
- Rejuvenation, Efflorescence, and Lifebloom healing is increased by 5% per active Grove Guardian.
- Treants of the Moon
- Your Grove Guardians do damage passively.
- Dream Surge
- Your next direct heal creates 3 Dream Petals that each heal up to 3 Allies. These direct heals scale with your Mastery.
- Further enhanced by Power of the Dream.
- Harmony of the Grove
- Wild Growth, Regrowth, and Efflorescence healing has a chance to spawn a Symbiotic Blooms on the target, greatly increasing your healing done to that target.
- Symbiotic Blooms is enhanced by the following nodes:
- Vigorous Creepers
- 20% increased healing done to targets with Symbiotic Blooms.
- Resilient Flourishing
- Increases the duration of Symbiotic Blooms by a third of its total duration.
- Bursting Growth
- Small AoE healing is triggered if you cast Rejuvenation on a targets with Symbiotic Blooms or Symbiotic Blooms expires.
- Vigorous Creepers
Talents
Restoration Druid
General Raid Talents
Master Shapeshifter
When to use this Spec
- This is the default loadout going into any boss unless specified otherwise. You have to adjust the class talent tree based on the utility needed for the encounter. To make your life easier, boss-specific talent loadouts are available in the Nerub-ar Palace section.
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
- Prosperity
- A second charge of Swiftmend synergizes well with Reforestation and new Hero Talent Tree, allowing you new cooldown timers.
- Abundance
- This talent greatly improves your mana efficiency by reducing the cost of your Regrowth by 8% and increasing its critical chance by 8% for each active Rejuvenation, up to a maximum of 96%.
- Germination
- The ability to place a second Rejuvenation on a target and increase its base duration by 2 seconds is extremely powerful, significantly enhancing your healing capabilities. Any increase in Rejuvenation duration greatly boosts your effectiveness.
- Rampant Growth
- Applies Regrowth to all active Lifebloom targets, allowing you to apply multiple Regrowth HoTs with a single cast. Also the increased hot duration increases the value you get out of your mastery a lot.
- Cenarius' Guidance
- This talent allows you to drastically reduce the cooldown of Incarnation: Tree of Life, giving you greater flexibility and more frequent access to your most powerful healing cooldown.
- Dreamstate
- Channeling Tranquility reduces the cooldown of all your druid spells by up to 20 seconds, fundamentally changing how you pre-plan your cooldowns and significantly improving your flexibility to respond to critical moments.
- Nurturing Dormancy
- Increases the duration of your Rejuvenation by up to 4 seconds if it heals targets at full health, drastically increasing your average number of active Rejuvenation HoTs.
- Reforestation
- This very important and powerful talent grants you Incarnation: Tree of Life for a short period after every third cast of Swiftmend.
- Soul of the Forest
- Empowers your core healing abilities after every Swiftmend cast, making it a versatile and very powerful talent that greatly increases your healing capabilities.
Class Tree
- Astral Influence
- Increases the range of all your abilities by 5 yards, providing a powerful tool for remaining in range of your group.
Hero Talents
- Power of Nature + Harmony of the Grove
- Picking these talents drastically changes how important optimizing your Grove Guardians becomes, as they become one of the main contributing factors to your ramp.
- Cenarius' Might
- Adds another modifier to min-max for your ramp, which is triggered after using Swiftmend.
- Protective Growth
- Adds another small defensive to your arsenal.
- Blooming Infusion
- This proc synergizes exceptionally well with Master Shapeshifter.
When to use this Spec
This Spec is commonly used during early progression when you find yourself struggling with mana. The Spec also emphasizes the importance of maximizing every single global.
Talent Adjustments
Spec Tree
- Added
- Master Shapeshifter
- Increased Mana regen
- Master Shapeshifter
- Removed
- Nurturing Dormancy
Rotation
Restoration Druid
Tier Set
- 2-Set: Regrowth, Wild Growth, and Swiftmend healing increased by 10%.
- 4-Set: Your healing is increased by 8% when consuming Soul of the Forest's bonus and for 6 sec afterward.
This set emphasizes your ramp focused playstyle as a Keeper of the Grove Restoration Druid by adding another modifier on top of your ramp.
Priority List
- Keep Efflorescence active at stack points, keep your Raid's movement in mind since this is your most expensive spell.
- Keep Lifebloom on a tank, refreshing it no earlier than 4.5 seconds left.
- Cast Regrowth with any Omen of Clarity procs you get.
- Cast Swiftmend followed by Wild Growth (skip this if your next Flourish is within 15 seconds).
- Cast Rejuvenation if there's damage incoming within the next 20 seconds.
- Use Nature’s Swiftness + Regrowth if anyone seems to be in danger; be very generous with this.
- Send some Wraths if there is any free time.
Cooldowns
Incarnation: Tree of Life
- The most iconic cooldown in World of Warcraft, Incarnation: Tree of Life, is also very powerful as it interacts with your tier set bonus and spawns extra Grove Guardians. You should always combine this with Flourish; details in the Deep Dive section.
Flourish
- The bread-and-butter cooldown for a Restoration Druid, Flourish, extends all your active HoTs and increases their tick rate for a brief period. Optimal use of this cooldown involves combining different healing cooldowns and managing your Reforestation. Details on how to do this are explained in the Deep Dive section.
Tranquility
- Before channeling Tranquility, ensure all your other major cooldowns are on cooldown due to Dreamstate, which reduces their cooldown while channeling Tranquility. For the healing aspect, Tranquility is a strong cooldown that you should either use after Flourish or completely on its own.
Deep Dive
Restoration Druid
Cooldown Management
- As Keeper of the Grove you have two different one minute cooldowns that you always want to use together: Flourish and Grove Guardians. Also to boost these even more you need to ensure to always have Reforestation prepared for your one minute pop.
Heart of the Wild
- With the addition of Master Shapeshifter, Heart of the Wild becomes a great cooldown for any downtime, as it allows you to restore a massive amount of mana due to its cast time reduction for Wrath.
- Heart of the Wild is also a great defensive to survive one shot mechanics while learning the fight by turning into an enhanced Bear Form.
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
Restoration Druid
The following tips are mainly applicable to Heroic Bosses. Mythic tips will be released after our progression finishes.
← Scroll for more Bosses →
Ulgrax
Bloodbound Horror
Sikran
Rasha'nan
Ovi'nax
Nexus-Princess
Silken Court
How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns
- These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.
Boss Tips
- Defensives
- Use Barkskin when soaking Carnivorous Contest.
- Externals
- Use Ironbark as a personal defensive.
- Paradox
- Other healers make better use of Spatial Paradox.
- General
- Avoid getting hit by Juggernaut Charge at ALL cost.
- Use Stampeding Roar during the intermission to help your allies dodge the bosses Juggernaut Charge.
How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns
- These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.
Boss Tips
- Defensives
- Use Barkskin when soaking Gruesome Disgorge.
- Externals
- Use Ironbark as a personal defensive.
- Paradox
- Other healers make better use of it in this encounter.
- General
- Use Stampeding Roar for your team to reach their Gruesome Disgorge in time.
How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns
- These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.
Boss Tips
- Defensives
- Use Barkskin when targeted by Decimate.
- Externals
- Use Ironbark as a personal defensive.
- Paradox
- Other healers make better use of it in this boss encounter.
- General
- Cast Stampeding Roar to help Decimate targets reach their assigned position.
How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns
These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.
Boss Tips
- Defensives
- Rotate your defensives when targeted by multiple Infested Spawn.
- Externals
- Use your Ironbark on people targeted by multiple Infested Spawn without their own defensive cooldown.
- Paradox
- Combine it here with your Tranquility uses.
- General
- Use Stampeding Roar to help your team to reach the boss quicker when he relocates.
How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns
These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.
Boss Tips
- Defensives
- Ensure you have Barkskin active when targeted with Experimental Dosage.
- Externals
- Use your Ironbark on people targeted with Experimental Dosage.
- Paradox
- Combine it with your Tranquility to dodge the constant swirlies.
- General
- Always keep Lifebloom on the tank targeted by Volatile Concoction to reduce raid damage.
- Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each Experimental Dosage.
How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns
These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.
Boss Tips
- Defensives
- Rotate through your defensive arsenal when affected by Queensbane.
- Externals
- If an ally does not have any defensive cooldown of their own left use Ironbark on them, otherwise keep it as a personal defensive.
- Paradox
- Ask for it when the Nether Rift drag is happening and you are assigned to cast Tranquility.
- General
- Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each Nether Rift. Ideally, you do not have to use your Stampeding Roar on the same Nether Rift you are using your healing cooldowns on.
- As tanks do not take a lot of constant damage on this encounter, make sure to swap your Lifebloom to Queensbane targets.
How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns
- These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.
Boss Tips
Phase 1
- Defensives
- Use Barkskin when Reckless Eruption and Venomous Rain overlap.
- Externals
- Use your Ironbark on Binding Webs targets without strong defensive cooldowns as those are the people most likely to die.
- Paradox
- Ask for it if you are assigned to play Binding Webs as you will have to do strong spot healing while on the move.
- General
- The people in danger in this phase are the ones playing Binding Webs. Ensure you keep them healthy so they can fully focus on the mechanic without having to worry about other things.
- Dispel your tank as often as possible whenever he has multiple stacks of Poison Bolt as this mechanic will easily kill your tank if ignored.
Intermission 1
- General
- Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each time you have to dodge.
Phase 2
- Defensives
- Use Barkskin when Web Vortex happens.
- Externals
- Use your Ironbark on targets who accidentally received multiple stacks of Stinging Swarm.
- Paradox
- Other Healers make better use of Spatial Paradox in this phase.
- General
- In phase 2, failing the dispel mechanic Stinging Swarm is the most common wipe. Ensure you keep these people healthy so they don't have to worry about anything but playing the mechanic.
- Dispel your tank as often as possible whenever he has multiple stacks of Void Bolt, as this mechanic will easily kill your tank if ignored.
Intermission 2
- General
- Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each time you have to dodge.
- Whenever a raid member gets Impaled, ensure you spot heal them until they are freed.
Phase 3
- Defensives
- Use Barkskin when Web Vortex happens.
- Externals
- Use your Ironbark on Binding Webs targets without strong defensive cooldowns as those are the people most likely to die.
- Paradox
- Other Healers make better use of Spatial Paradox in this phase.
- General
- The People in danger in this phase are the people playing Binding Webs. Ensure you keep them healthy so they can fully focus on the mechanic without having to worry about other things.
- Dispel your tank as often as possible whenever he has multiple stacks of Void Bolt as this mechanic will easily kill your tank if ignored.
Stat Priority
Restoration Druid
Understand your secondary stat priority and the tertiary stats needed for optimal performance during Raid boss fights as a Restoration Druid. For more detailed information, visit the Stats and Attributes guide.
The Conclusion here is that you want to equip the highest item level generally.
- All secondary stats are affected by diminishing returns. Click here to learn more!
Tertiary
- Avoidance - Reduces damage taken from AoE effects.
- Leech - Returns a portion of your damage and healing done as healing to you. (Excludes self healing)
- Speed - increases movement speed. (Does stack with other movement speed abilities)
The only time you should think about picking a lower item level is if it has Leech or Avoidance. Speed is nice to have, but you shouldn't consider this stat when choosing between two items.
- Here is a showcase of how powerful Leech is for a Healer: Breakdown of Mythic Fyrakk
Gear
Restoration Druid
Best in Slot
Farmable Alternatives
Due to the way stat weights work for Restoration Druids, there isn't a strict best-in-slot list. Although it is theoretically possible to obtain items with all the correct Tertiaries, doing so requires extraordinary luck or several human lifespans because of the weekly reset system in World of Warcraft.
| Slot | Item | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Head | Hood of the Hidden Path | Mists of Tirna Scithe |
| Neck | Sureki Zealot's Insignia | Sikran |
| Shoulder | Maw of the Greatlynx | Tier/Catalyst |
| Cloak | Wings of Shattered Sorrow | Rasha'nan |
| Chest | Hide of the Greatlynx | Tier/Catalyst |
| Wrist | Rune-Branded Armbands | Crafting |
| Gloves | Eviscerators of the Greatlynx | Tier/Catalyst |
| Belt | Rune-Branded Waistband | Crafting |
| Legs | Leggings of the Greatlynx | Tier/Catalyst |
| Boots | Treads of the Greatlynx | Catalyst |
| Ring 1 | Key to the Unseeming | Bloodbound Horror |
| Ring 2 | Writhing Ringworm | Ovi'nax |
| Trinket 1 | Gale of Shadows | Grim Batol |
| Trinket 2 | Unbound Changeling | Mists of Tirna Scithe |
| Weapon | Takazj's Entropic Edict | Silken Court |
Authors Note:
This list shows the best items for healing in Raids from all sources. Keep in mind that getting different tier pieces with Leech / Avoidance changes which off-piece is best for you. Likewise, any other non-trinket item with Leech / Avoidance replaces the one suggested here.
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 | Hood of the Hidden Path | Mists of Tirna Scithe |
| Neck | "Emergency Stop" Keychain | The Stone Vault |
| Shoulder | Epaulets of the Clipped Wings | The Dawnbreaker |
| Cloak | Anvilhide Cape | The Stone Vault |
| Chest | Viscera-Lathered Coat | City of Threads |
| Wrist | Risen Monstrosity Cuffs | Necrotic Wake |
| Gloves | Wharf Warden's Gloves | Siege of Boralus |
| Belt | Port Pillager's Belt | Siege of Boralus |
| Legs | Glimmerthread Pantaloons | Grim Batol |
| Boots | Whisperer's Echoing Steps | City of Threads |
| Ring 1 | Stitchflesh's Misplaced Signet | Necrotic Wake |
| Ring 2 | Experiment 08752's Band | City of Threads |
| Trinket 1 | Gale of Shadows | Grim Batol |
| Trinket 2 | Unbound Changeling | Mists of Tirna Scithe |
| Two-Hand Weapon | Melodious Iron Songspire | The Stone Vault |
| One-Hand Weapon | Unceremonious Bloodletter | City of Echoes |
| Off-Hand | Pail of Preserved Obscurity | City of Threads |
Trinkets
Below you can find active and passive alternatives to our recommended trinkets. Do note that some trinkets are better than others depending on the scenario.
Active Trinket alternatives
- Spymaster's Web
- A strong On-Use Trinket that rewards precise planning. It takes 4 minutes to reach max stacks, so make sure to tie it to the important damage events instead of just using it on cooldown!
Passive Trinket alternatives
- Empowering Crystal of Anub'ikkaj
- A very strong stat stick, granting you a huge random secondary stat proc.
- Ovi'nax's Mercurial Egg
- Very interesting Trinket, that gives you a mix of main stat and your highest secondary. Use it when a big raid movement is happening to keep a good distribution.
- Ara-Kara Sacbrood
- Another very good stat stick that also deals a very minor amount of damage.
Embellishments
It's recommended to hold your Spark of Omens craft and wait for further tuning.
- Duskthread Lining 2x
- Increases your versatility by a small amount, while above 80% HP.
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.
Consumables
Restoration Druid
- Phials
- Flask of Tempered Swiftness
- Food
- Feast of the Divine Day
- Combat Potion
- Algari Mana Potion -- Recommended
- Potion Bomb of Recovery
- Health Potion
- Algari Healing Potion
- Weapon Oil
- Algari Mana Oil
- Augment Rune
- Crystallized Augment Rune
- Sockets
- Masterful Emerald
- Culminating Blasphemite -- Unique, use one of each gem colour to enhance your Blasphemite.
- Quick Ruby
- Quick Onyx
- Quick Sapphire
Enchantments
| Helm | Nerubian Gemweaver |
| Neck | Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
| Cloak | Enchant Cloak - Chant of Leeching Fangs |
| Chest | Enchant Chest - Council's Intellect |
| Wrist | Enchant Bracer - Whisper of Armored Leech Nerubian Gemweaver |
| Belt | Nerubian Gemweaver |
| Legs | Daybreak Spellthread |
| Boots | Enchant Boots - Scout's March |
| Ring 1 | Enchant Ring - Radiant Haste Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
| Ring 2 | Enchant Ring - Radiant Haste Magnificent Jeweler's Setting 2x |
| Weapon | Enchant Weapon - Authority of Fiery Resolve |
You buy Nerubian Gemweaver from the Great Vault Vendor to add sockets to your Helm, Wrists and Belt.
Races
Restoration Druid
For min-maxing a Restoration Druid in Mythic Raiding, different racial traits can provide a tremendous benefit to your characters. If this is not your top goal, picking a race that fits your style works just as well.
- Berserking -- Troll
- Increases your haste by 10% for 12 sec.
Recommendation:
While Trolls' Berserking theoretically offers the highest output bonus in Raids, it is recommended to pick Tauren for a small survivability bonus. These bonuses are very minor, so you shouldn't worry about them at all.
Macros
Restoration Druid
Discover recommended macros for Restoration Druid during Raid encounters and watch a quick video guide on creating simple macros for your character.
Mouseover Macros
All spells in this Discipline Priest Raid Guide are available as mouseover macros for your convenience!
Rejuvenation
/cast [@mouseover, help] Rejuvenation; RejuvenationRegrowth
/cast [@mouseover, help] Regrowth; RegrowthSwiftmend
/cast [@mouseover, help] Swiftmend; SwiftmendLifebloom
/cast [@mouseover, help] Lifebloom; LifebloomGrove Guardians
/cast [@mouseover, help] Grove Guardians; Grove GuardiansWild Growth
/cast [@mouseover, help] Wild Growth; Wild GrowthWild Charge
/cast [@mouseover, help] Wild Charge; Wild ChargeIronbark
/cast [@mouseover, help] Ironbark; IronbarkRebirth
/cast [@mouseover, help] Rebirth; RebirthRecommended Macros
Addons
Restoration Druid
Below, you see a screenshot of the author's User Interface for their Restoration Druid, outlining which addons are used and how they are utilized in Raids to make your life easier.
Addons
WeakAuras
Changes this Patch
Restoration Druid
Patch 11.0.1
Patch 11.0.2
FAQ
Restoration Druid
Q: Why do I keep dying?
Q: Why do I keep running out of mana?
Credits
Written By: Rycn
Reviewed By: Zhatzi