Post by grimmaldi on Aug 26, 2010 7:00:06 GMT -8
Not your standard spec but I've been seeing more and more of them since I've joined. As mentioned elsewhere, its best to run rvr with a group that knows your benefits.
First the typical specs ----
Battle Druid - 40 Regrowth, 36 Nature, 4 Nurture --- The Cookie cutter spec on Live isnt so much here as cure nearsight was removed. Still at 40 regrowth you will receive 100/50 Health/Power Res. You have Spreadheal 2 which rules. Instant Group and Single are 75%, you get Insta AE Root and Single Root. Buffs? Well you get a 8% haste, thats it besides your baselines. Along with the lvl 35 DoT.
TriSpec - 36 Nature, 30 Regrowth, 26 Nurture -- Both instant roots are in place, instant heals at 50/55%, and you get Blue/Green con spec buffs + the first line of Resists. This is what I'm using for now.
Heavy Nurture - 20 Nature, 30 Regrowth, 40 Nurture -- Probably the most friendly to the eye spec for a nature druid. With 20 Nature you get the 2nd highest pet, who can stun (Just not as much as the lvl 32 pet does), and a DoT that will do around 35-50 dmg a tick. Again 30 Regrowth = Spreadheal 1. Plus all the buffs your spoiled brat groupmates will ever want. Zero instant roots. Its a viable spec and actually pretty fun, while the AE roots are weaker you can shear.
Lesser used nature specs -
41 Regrowth, 32 Nature, 14 Nurture - Massive Heals, lvl 32 Pet and single instant root. Gray / Green Specs.
39 Nature, 35 Regrowth, 12 Nurture - 2nd biggest AE Root, Very good heals, Gray Specs
Race -
Typically I dont go Celtic for Nature druid, it doesnt really fit the mold. I prefer Firbolg for the ... Firbolg factor (typically the last thing I target in combat is the Ogre, Troll or Firbolg) but I think the Sylvan may be a better choice for those wanting a small boost in Dexterity. Sylvan also get an extra +5% in resists but dont match up to the Firbolgs Empathy or Strength.
Your DoT - Should be used often but carefully, during testing(36+14 Nature) on a friendly ranger and the lvl 50 dummy earlier the lvl 35 dot was doing 70-100 dmg a tick, or 420-600 dmg. Thats pretty significant, especially on a caster type. Have to make sure not to fire away at anything early on as itll break the root/mez ... you learn with practice when to fire it off. Its great on keep sieges for those nosy casters peeking over the walls, I've gotten more then my fair share of kills from that.
Your Pet - Should always be set to passive. Also if your in open field combat I like to park him (stay) so he's not following me nonstop, buys you some time before people realize your a healer. If fighting on a bridge or obstruction though, this wont float as when you do get ready to send him he wont be able to see the target. The lvl 32 pet (which is actually lvl 40) can take a few hits, he wont go down with one nuke which is nice. If possible stick him on an enemy healer, after that an enemy caster.Their dmg is insignificant (30-50dmg basically) but that stun goes off alot. Pet also bladeturns itself often so sucks up a extra blow here or there. Anything to take time away from them attacking the players in your group.
Rooting - Common mistake for people to pop instant roots when another group comes charging. Let your bard do the initial stuff, plus if they're charging or have SoS on, you just wasted your instants. My castable AE root is seldom ever resisted, use it as you see fit. I typically save my instant root for a tank bothering me, I like to run him off a little bit, pop that on him then get back to the fight. The single root is great if you spot a caster with a sizable distance on a melee from your group thats chasing him. It also lasts a bit longer.
Disguising yourself - Another reason I prefer Firbolg or Sylvan, anyone sees a short Celt hanging back they're a druid. thats pretty much it. Its a bit inconventional but will often charge in with the melee initially sword out and take a few chops while I try to size up the other group. A buffed Firby druid even without styles will hit for a respectable 80-140dmg a swing thanks to your self-dmg add. At this point DI should be running out but you should be able to gauge who to send your pet at, who needs rooting, who you can dot etc. And more often then not I'll be able to get off 4-6 casts before anyone even has a clue what I'm doing. not always, but thats what your insta roots for. Being in the mix of the battle also improves the chance of your spreadheal landing on everyone whereas if you're on the outskirts of the fight it might not reach. Again its situational, use your judgement.
Fighting Solo - Yes some Sadists like to run solo, and if buff potions are ever removed/limited this will again become a very viable option. Casters are all so different and you'll rarely get into a 1 on 1 fight with a caster so skipping that. But if you have purge and can get to melee / get your pet on them... your gold.
Melee - This is where it gets fun. Hopefully you get the jump on them and can dot first. I keep my DS up while I'm solo and I'll explain this in a minute. Just engage them and start chipping away with your mediocre dmg, keep them faced and back up so your pet can attack them from behind. WHEN your pet lands a stun if you immediately sheath your weapon you can get a greater heal off (or another dot if early in the fight) before they can start swinging again. This takes really good timing. Allow yourself to be beat down quite a bit, 30% or so then pop your group insta heal. Continue getting the crap beat out of you (as his health starts creeping dangerously low) when your under 40% this time, click off your dmg shield, put your pet on passive and instant root him. run off a few steps, greater heal yourself to full, and dot him again if you have the time. re-engage, by this time he should be nearing death but since you have no styles... who knows. Remember, you still have another instant root and heal(and maybe you have bastion of faith, never a bad thing), so always a chance you can root him off a 2nd time, rinse repeat.
Summary - Your still a druid, your main role is still healing in group. But you get the chance to really sway things in your groups direction if you can effectively put some of the other group out of action with roots or a pesky Lynx Matriarch chewing on their Runemasters face. Things start going your groups way, toss some dots, pull out the weapon and have some fun.
First the typical specs ----
Battle Druid - 40 Regrowth, 36 Nature, 4 Nurture --- The Cookie cutter spec on Live isnt so much here as cure nearsight was removed. Still at 40 regrowth you will receive 100/50 Health/Power Res. You have Spreadheal 2 which rules. Instant Group and Single are 75%, you get Insta AE Root and Single Root. Buffs? Well you get a 8% haste, thats it besides your baselines. Along with the lvl 35 DoT.
TriSpec - 36 Nature, 30 Regrowth, 26 Nurture -- Both instant roots are in place, instant heals at 50/55%, and you get Blue/Green con spec buffs + the first line of Resists. This is what I'm using for now.
Heavy Nurture - 20 Nature, 30 Regrowth, 40 Nurture -- Probably the most friendly to the eye spec for a nature druid. With 20 Nature you get the 2nd highest pet, who can stun (Just not as much as the lvl 32 pet does), and a DoT that will do around 35-50 dmg a tick. Again 30 Regrowth = Spreadheal 1. Plus all the buffs your spoiled brat groupmates will ever want. Zero instant roots. Its a viable spec and actually pretty fun, while the AE roots are weaker you can shear.
Lesser used nature specs -
41 Regrowth, 32 Nature, 14 Nurture - Massive Heals, lvl 32 Pet and single instant root. Gray / Green Specs.
39 Nature, 35 Regrowth, 12 Nurture - 2nd biggest AE Root, Very good heals, Gray Specs
Race -
Typically I dont go Celtic for Nature druid, it doesnt really fit the mold. I prefer Firbolg for the ... Firbolg factor (typically the last thing I target in combat is the Ogre, Troll or Firbolg) but I think the Sylvan may be a better choice for those wanting a small boost in Dexterity. Sylvan also get an extra +5% in resists but dont match up to the Firbolgs Empathy or Strength.
Your DoT - Should be used often but carefully, during testing(36+14 Nature) on a friendly ranger and the lvl 50 dummy earlier the lvl 35 dot was doing 70-100 dmg a tick, or 420-600 dmg. Thats pretty significant, especially on a caster type. Have to make sure not to fire away at anything early on as itll break the root/mez ... you learn with practice when to fire it off. Its great on keep sieges for those nosy casters peeking over the walls, I've gotten more then my fair share of kills from that.
Your Pet - Should always be set to passive. Also if your in open field combat I like to park him (stay) so he's not following me nonstop, buys you some time before people realize your a healer. If fighting on a bridge or obstruction though, this wont float as when you do get ready to send him he wont be able to see the target. The lvl 32 pet (which is actually lvl 40) can take a few hits, he wont go down with one nuke which is nice. If possible stick him on an enemy healer, after that an enemy caster.Their dmg is insignificant (30-50dmg basically) but that stun goes off alot. Pet also bladeturns itself often so sucks up a extra blow here or there. Anything to take time away from them attacking the players in your group.
Rooting - Common mistake for people to pop instant roots when another group comes charging. Let your bard do the initial stuff, plus if they're charging or have SoS on, you just wasted your instants. My castable AE root is seldom ever resisted, use it as you see fit. I typically save my instant root for a tank bothering me, I like to run him off a little bit, pop that on him then get back to the fight. The single root is great if you spot a caster with a sizable distance on a melee from your group thats chasing him. It also lasts a bit longer.
Disguising yourself - Another reason I prefer Firbolg or Sylvan, anyone sees a short Celt hanging back they're a druid. thats pretty much it. Its a bit inconventional but will often charge in with the melee initially sword out and take a few chops while I try to size up the other group. A buffed Firby druid even without styles will hit for a respectable 80-140dmg a swing thanks to your self-dmg add. At this point DI should be running out but you should be able to gauge who to send your pet at, who needs rooting, who you can dot etc. And more often then not I'll be able to get off 4-6 casts before anyone even has a clue what I'm doing. not always, but thats what your insta roots for. Being in the mix of the battle also improves the chance of your spreadheal landing on everyone whereas if you're on the outskirts of the fight it might not reach. Again its situational, use your judgement.
Fighting Solo - Yes some Sadists like to run solo, and if buff potions are ever removed/limited this will again become a very viable option. Casters are all so different and you'll rarely get into a 1 on 1 fight with a caster so skipping that. But if you have purge and can get to melee / get your pet on them... your gold.
Melee - This is where it gets fun. Hopefully you get the jump on them and can dot first. I keep my DS up while I'm solo and I'll explain this in a minute. Just engage them and start chipping away with your mediocre dmg, keep them faced and back up so your pet can attack them from behind. WHEN your pet lands a stun if you immediately sheath your weapon you can get a greater heal off (or another dot if early in the fight) before they can start swinging again. This takes really good timing. Allow yourself to be beat down quite a bit, 30% or so then pop your group insta heal. Continue getting the crap beat out of you (as his health starts creeping dangerously low) when your under 40% this time, click off your dmg shield, put your pet on passive and instant root him. run off a few steps, greater heal yourself to full, and dot him again if you have the time. re-engage, by this time he should be nearing death but since you have no styles... who knows. Remember, you still have another instant root and heal(and maybe you have bastion of faith, never a bad thing), so always a chance you can root him off a 2nd time, rinse repeat.
Summary - Your still a druid, your main role is still healing in group. But you get the chance to really sway things in your groups direction if you can effectively put some of the other group out of action with roots or a pesky Lynx Matriarch chewing on their Runemasters face. Things start going your groups way, toss some dots, pull out the weapon and have some fun.