Bear, cat, healer or maybe hybrid Druid?

WoW Classic WoW Classic General Discussion
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Hello,

As a new player I am really struggling with my talent build, so I am asking for help from more experienced players.

I am playing Druid, and I have a lot of fun. My plan was to try to play a hybrid Druid (feral/resto - 0/30/21), but after I talked with few druid players (in a guild, open world, etc.) I realized that they all picked one side (feral or resto). Right now, I am level 55 and I am sticking with this hybrid build (currently 0/30/16), and I had a lot of fun. I didnt have problem to find a party for dungeons and also in open world, when I get bored I swap my gear and play something else. Even in cat form, with this build, you have a decent damage (I had few dps roles in dungeons so far, too).

So I am wondering what is the best way to play Druid in Classic WoW? I like to tank, I like to heal, thats why I picked Druid since you can do both. Not successful as a Warrior or a Priest but you can do it (and thats my in real life - I am good/decent in a lot of things (for an example sports) but I am not the best.

So, what do you suggest? Is Hybrid type of the build (with 2 gears in the bag) viable or it is better to pick a side? Also, if I choose one thing, how much will cost me to change build again?

Here are few examples of talent builds that I like the most.

Note: Bakcspace after https:/

Hybrid (tank + healer) Druid - only thing I would change is 1 point from insect swarm to improved enrage. Also not sure is it better to have 5 on feral instinct and 3 on thick hide, or inversely.

https:/ /classic.wowhead.com/talent-calc/druid/-503050130302215-05501310501

Hybrid feral (bear + cat) Druid

https:/ /classic.wowhead.com/talent-calc/druid/014005001-5050301323222151-05

Tank Druid

https:/ /classic.wowhead.com/talent-calc/druid/014005001-5050501303022151-05002

Healer Druid - the only thing I would change here is 2 poitns from natures reach to natures focus or subtlety.

https:/ /classic.wowhead.com/talent-calc/druid/5140000302–505203105315051

Thank you for your answers, and sorry for the longer post
Good luck, friends
Shellder

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I played druid back in vanilla.

Played 0-30-21 most of the time, it plays to the druids strength.

I cleared everyrhing (ex naxx) and got rank 10.

The most fun i have had in wow.

Playing Priest in classic, but lvling s druid atm that is going 0-30-21

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I think the Ns/ HOTW build is maybe what you are after. Can do every role in the game except perhaps deep raiding.

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If you plan on tanking you need feral instinct, it’s a great talent to have. Do note that it is totally useless for PvP or solo grinding. Bear form has a lot more sustain then cat. Cat form is more or less only good for opening up on a fight (in PvP), then you have to switch to humanoid form and bear.

If you plan on raiding you need to make a decision, there’s not room for a hybrid. The 0/30/21 should offer viability as a healer due to the 20% extra intellect. I am assuming that your gear isn’t too good at the moment since you’re only level 55. If you are in your blue or greens you might need to go for the moonglow build to reduce the mana cost of heals.

I myself am on the build 4/11/36. This gives me lots of strength to heal but also some defensive capabilities to heal. I’ve only had one PvP encounter in this build where a warrior of equal level tried to gank me and it went surprisingly well.

PS: Don’t use subtlety. You won’t aggro if you heal wisely.

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The HOTW spec (0/31/20) is probably what you should do. In raids you will not be able to tank bosses though as you pretty much need to go deep feral pure bear for this. It is good for tankig trash though.

You can easily heal in raid with the same spec. And it is also a decent pvp spec if you like DoT / run playstyle.

Another positive side is that you will save tons of gold from avoiding respec all the time.

I played: 0/30/21: quit it as i think thus is weak in pvp unless you overgear your targets and i do not like healing.
Played deep feral pure cat 14/32/5: quit as i could not find a guild letting me purely dps as feral despite being higher than hunters / locks at the time as powershifter.
Played hybrid bear/cat 14/32/5: my favorite feral spec but quit as i would not get raid spots and benched in favor of warriors (i quit my 4rth and last guild then).

So here i am now, in my favorite pvp / pug spec: Oomkin 38/0/13. I know it is a meme, but i actually get to DPS in pug raids with it and can burst some faces in pvp without having to run dot all the time. Ultimate anti melee and anti mage spec. Just root spam and laser global opposing players. Rogues loses 1/3 of their life to improved thorns while hiting a bear armored caster. It’s pretty fun to watch.

Conclusion of this experience: i spent around 500g+ on respecs at 60 because of guilds pushing my specs one way or another and couldn’t afford epic mount (i still do not have it, but made a BiS twink 19, so there is that). Gold farming was also an issue as my plan when i rolled druid was lasher farming in DM and it got screwed when said lashers were made Nature damage immune.

So if you want to heal and like tanking for 5mans: go HOTW and never look back. Note that good HOTW gear with str, agi, intel, spirit and spell power will be available with pvp gear and AQ gear. So it will be much much better later on with no need to swap gear beside weapon & trinkets.

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Thank you for your answers. It is always good to hear other opinions and experiences.

Think I will try to stick with that hybrid build (0/30/21), for now and see how it will go.

I will change 1 point from insect swarm to improved enrage, since you can instant feral charge then and you can do few more good things. Think I will use it more then insect swarm.

EDIT: but at the other had its great to have 2% chance to dodge and + deal a little bi more damage then 5 rage maybe (since when I transform in to a bear I get 15 rage - 10 from furor and 5 from wolfhead helm).

Also, still struggling should I put 5/5 feral instinct or 5/5 thick hide, not sure which one is more valuable (threat or armor) mostly for dungeons/raids, less for PvP.

@Xlausen
Hope you will have a lot more fun.

@Nurss
I will try to stick with it. Hope I will be able to do a lot of things.

@Kritkat
Ugh, thats a lot of money, hope you will be able to recoup it, and afford you a pretty nice epic mount.

@Synergy
Thank you my Druid fella from the opposite faction. Im not sure how much I will raid, but maybe I will be able to heal, if not (never tried to raid, since this is my first character ever so I am not sure how much I will like it since right now seems a little messy). But if I like it and I dont be able/or my guild doesnt approve my specs I will change it for sure.

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Simples feral instinct if you prefer cat or hide if you prefer bear playstyle. I took imp enrage cos my drood does mostly pve . Have fun😁

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