This site makes extensive use of JavaScript.
Please enable JavaScript in your browser.
Live
PTR
10.2.7
PTR
10.2.6
Druid DPS: Balance vs. Feral [Topic changed... see most recent post!]
Post Reply
Return to board index
Post by
excensis
I've been thinking about rerolling and I have managed to narrow it down to the three classes I am interested in; Rogue, Shaman and Druid.
Right now I have a Hunter who I love to raid with, but I've just been thinking I'd like to extend my knowledge of the game through trying another class properly.
My question is this...
Which class and spec is doing well in DPS charts at the moment? Perhaps it is foolish to gauge classes on *current* DPS charts, but I just thought asking this question here I'd get a broad response from a wide group of players. Keep in mind I am interested in all specs that these classes can take: damage dealing and healing.
I'd also like to get a rough idea of how easy these classes are to level - for example, whether it gets much faster at a certain level due to a new ability.
Thanks.
Post by
Haxzor
I WANT TO ROLL A FOTM
Post by
excensis
No, I just want useful responses.
Post by
Leoin
speaking from experience I wouldn't go with a rogue unless you really like the play-style, leveling is kind of quick with them but unless you're a grand champion of stun -locking you're eating every other kill and it costs a lot of time, having played a rogue as my first character I gotta say go with a shammy, you can go healer, or either type of DPS thus if you get bored you can switch it up and the advantage of the mail makes you less squishy and thus can level faster. However looking at it from a purely DPS stand-point it really goes Rogue>Ele Shammy>Boomkin>Enh Shammy>Feral. So it's up to you whichever is most interesting.
Hope I could help,
Undirforull
Post by
Raleandris
Honestly, out of your choices, I'd go with the Shaman (or Druid, though I prefer Shaman). Both offer incredible diversity in play style, both are in high demand for raiding, and both offer competetive DPS (perhaps not top, but played correctly strong). Looking at the Pros and Cons for each, we get something like this (short list):
Shaman
Neutral
- Wears mail gear (and mail gear looks awesome!)
Pros
- Bloodlust
- Can be ranged/melee DPS or heal
- Strong AoE Heals, as well as reasonable single target heals
- Fun and interactive melee DPS spec
- Totems
Cons
- Elemental spec can be described as boring due to simple rotation (for some people)
- Itemization can be a problem, hit for ele shammies is sparse at first (on mail) and ArP is plentiful for enh shaman (not so great)
- PvP is a bit lackluster right now
Druid
Neutral
- Wears leather
Pros
- Can do everything, tank/heal/melee DPS/ranged DPS
- Bring strong raid buffs no matter the spec
Cons
- Shapeshifting means you'll almost never see your character in action in his armor
- Healing as a Druid
can
have a sharp learning curve (relatively), especially if you've never healed before
- Can only be 2 races currently (NE/Tauren) -> Lack of diversity
These are just what I came up with in a quick minute, I'm sure you could work out a lot better than I can Pros/Cons for you.
EDIT:
However looking at it from a purely DPS stand-point it really goes Rogue>Ele Shammy>Boomkin>Enh Shammy>Feral. This depends entirely on the progression of a raid group. At early gear levels (think heroic geared: a mix of ilvl200 blues/epics), it might look something like what you have, however, at higher and higher gear levels, it should probably look something like this:
Rogue > Enh Shaman >= Feral > Boomkin = Elemental Shaman
At least, this has been my experience, this is mostly due to the scaling of the individual specs.
Post by
cosmicguen
...I gotta say go with a shammy, you can go healer, or either type of DPS thus if you get bored you can switch it up and the advantage of the mail makes you less squishy and thus can level faster. ...
By this logic you actually want a druid :) Got 4 roles there - tank, melee dps, caster dps and healer. And for levelling you can go with 3 sets of gear and 2 specs for those 4 roles.
I could never get past lvl 20 on my rogue. Just couldn't cope with the boredom. I could see it was going to be 'shivshivshivshivshivshiv' all the way to (at the time) 70, and then be 'shivshivshivshivshivshiv' forever after. I wasn't that bothered about topping dps meters, in all honesty.
My druid was boring to level up to about 20-30. After that I specced feral and absolutely tore up the levels. Pretty sure the only time I stopped chewing up the mobs was to hand in quests/visit the trainer. I'm enjoying the boomkin/resto at 80 as well.
Similarly, my shammy was irritating to level up to about lvl 30-40. I levelled enhancement to 50ish, then ele to about 75, then an ele/resto hybrid to 80 and now dual specced into ele/resto. After 30-40 I was just chain-pulling and burning down half a zone at a time (it felt that way anyway), and was able to solo group quests even my druid struggled with. There was no downtime with enhancement, and only a bit of downtime with ele until I picked up some caster gear in OL. After that? Pfffft. No need to stop blasting.
Also?
Perhaps it is foolish to gauge classes on *current* DPS charts
Yeah it is ;P It'll have changed by the time you get to 80. These things fluctuate too much to give you a really solid response.
Post by
excensis
Thanks for such in-depth responses. Really appreciate it.
I take your point on the rogue though - I suppose I was initially drawn to rogue due to damn high DPS coupled with the stealth which would undoubtedly come in very handy for levelling. I think perhaps I can officially narrow my choices down to just druid and shaman - quite similar classes one could say; both adopting hybrid roles.
I also take your point on judging the 'value' or 'worth' of classes on the current situation in terms of PvE competitiveness but it's hard to keep out of the back of mind as I am making this choice.
I should point out that I do currently have a 48 druid which I have enjoyed playing thus far as feral. But I guess what is making me think about this twice is the healing aspect of each class. You mentioned that Druids had a steep learning curve in terms of healing, would you be able to elaborate on the complexities of that?
I think at this stage, as much as I love the playstyle that I've observed of Elemental and Enhance Shaman, I am still tending towards the Druid... purely because of the diverse DPS specs and the fact that I already have one that is 'half way there' so to speak...
Thanks so much for the responses thus far, it's been fantastic.
Post by
378995
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
excensis
Yeah I think I'll settle with the Druid. The possibilities for both Moonkin and Cat DPS is nice and flexible and gives me lots of options if I get tired of one or the other. And even though I am not really interested in the tanking and healing specs as much, I suppose it's nice to have them there if I feel like a complete change in roles.
In terms of DPS, I understand that the Moonkin and Cat rotations are a world apart in terms of skill; as in, Moonkin is far far easier than then complex Feral rotation, is this correct?
Due to this skill difference, is it safe to assume, albeit simple, that if a top-skilled player of both specs, with equal gear, were competing in DPS charts, that the Cat would come out on top?
Thanks so much guys.
Post by
cosmicguen
You mentioned that Druids had a steep learning curve in terms of healing, would you be able to elaborate on the complexities of that?
From my own perspective, I learned healing in Wrath with my shaman. I'd never healed anything before, ever, in a group situation. The shammy healing style is pretty much 'health goes down, health goes up'. Target takes damage, you hit a button, health comes back. It's pretty visually simple, and makes for a very comfortable style.
When I went into healing with my druid...soooo many people died it wasn't even funny. Health goes down, health creeps back up while still being chipped away by mobs. I find I have to question my heals a lot of the time.
Is that stack of HoT's going to cover the current health lost
and
the incoming damage the target's going to get for the duration?
Do I need to chuck a nourish in there to remove that health defecit now, and let the HoT's handle incoming damage?
Do I let that lifebloom bloom, or do I refresh it?
Do I have time for a healing touch on the tank before I heal that raid damage, or should I wild growth+nourish?
There are roughly a thousand questions like that with druid healing. Sometimes you can just leave a rejuvination on a dps and know he's not going to need anything else. Overcoming the temptation to waste a GCD (and some mana) to drop a nourish on him and make the health defecit go away can take nerves of steel.
Since most of your 'main' heals are preventative they should be ticking away before your target takes damage (or before he takes any significant damage). A lot of this comes from actually learning the instances and what mobs do, how hard they hit, etc. This is probably where the learning curve comes in most, tbh. When do you stick with preventative, and when do you get reactionary?
Anyway, that was my (long-winded) perspective on the whole druid healy thing. I probably missed a bunch of stuff, but someone will no doubt point those out for me :P Once you're comfortable with your spells and the timers on your HoT's it really does give you a hell of a lot of flexibility, and can be a ton of fun :)
Post by
Rengarde
You mentioned that Druids had a steep learning curve in terms of healing, would you be able to elaborate on the complexities of that?
From my own perspective, I learned healing in Wrath with my shaman. I'd never healed anything before, ever, in a group situation. The shammy healing style is pretty much 'health goes down, health goes up'. Target takes damage, you hit a button, health comes back. It's pretty visually simple, and makes for a very comfortable style.
When I went into healing with my druid...soooo many people died it wasn't even funny. Health goes down, health creeps back up while still being chipped away by mobs. I find I have to question my heals a lot of the time.
Since most of your 'main' heals are preventative they should be ticking away before your target takes damage (or before he takes any significant damage). A lot of this comes from actually learning the instances and what mobs do, how hard they hit, etc. This is probably where the learning curve comes in most, tbh. When do you stick with preventative, and when do you get reactionary?
Yeah, it depends on what your style is. There's lots of ways to heal as druid. Since most of your heals are HoTs, it's a lot more preventive than reactionary.
However, you do have reactionary heals in there. Let's say your tank takes an, oh, 10k dip in HP. You Swiftmend, healing him by about 5k, no need to worry. Also, I always have Rejuv + LBx3 rolling on the tank, letting the LB bloom when it blooms. I also try to keep the tank topped off when there wasn't any spike damage.
Swiftmend is your friiiiiend.
TL;DR: Druid healing is "complex" because you use a lot of HoTs and have to use your brain more to figure out how to heal spikes.
Shaman (and pally)
= Bar goes down -> push button -> bar goes up -> bar goes down -> push button -> bar goes up, etc etc
Druid
= push a few buttons, wait, bar goes down -> push button(s), push a few buttons again, wait, bar goes down -> push button(s), etc etc
In terms of DPS, I understand that the Moonkin and Cat rotations are a world apart in terms of skill; as in, Moonkin is far far easier than then complex Feral rotation, is this correct?
From what I understand of feral so far, feral has a more complex rotation in that you have to keep a lot of things up while juggling energy and CP, basically management. Boomkin has less things that need to be kept up, but is a lot more reactive and RNG reliant with the Eclipses, more so? than feral is. (I haven't done end-game raiding with feral yet, you'll have to talk to a feral druid, parazell(sp) is a good one if you can catch him) Feral's complexity, I believe, mostly lays in energy and CP management, whereas Boomkin is more reactive in switching from nuke1 to nuke2.
Post by
332647
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
378995
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Celdhyrean
The RNG from balance comes from Eclipse, which relies on crit RNG for solar eclipse and on double crit + 60% proc chance RNG for lunar. Despite a 45% crit chance on wrath, (ie a theoretical 27% chance to proc lunar), i have been going on for 30s without proccing Eclipse in very extreme cases.
OoC RNG doesn't really work for casters because casters never have time to wait for something and thus time to decide which ability to use. When casting, the next spell should be queued before the results of the previous ones are known, so OoC just gets eaten by whatever next spell was already planned.
Basically, on balance rotation you need to react quick to RNG procs, while in feral rotation you need to plan ahead around debuffs and CDs uptime while taking into account possible procs (ie how long will it take me to get back at 4-5 CPs on average). As such, i tend to think that feral is more difficult but also more reliable. (that being said, i play moonkin)
Post by
136091
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
449558
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
Kibbles
Kitty brings LotP. Easy to learn, hard to master. Can top all rogues when played at its best.
Moonkin brings MA, 5% crit chance just like LotP. Easier to play, still quite viable. But boring, at least until you start to wipe because you fell asleep.
And to the person who had trouble with druid heals at first- It isnt the class, its you. I started druid healing at 63, had never healed before, and
i was the only reason we finished the instance
. Let me rephrase that.
If there had been any pally healer in that group we would not have gotten past the first boss
. I see you figured it out, by now. GL
Post by
146856
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post by
360289
This post was from a user who has deleted their account.
Post Reply
You are not logged in. Please
log in
to post a reply or
register
if you don't already have an account.
