I don’t really need to say it, but I will- CATACLYSM WINS.
I race changed Aanthe to Worgen- and changed her name to Ellspeth. So, that will explain the few changes I’ve made to this page a bit. I’ll toss up a screenie of her soon. She’s also hit 85 and is working on instances to get some leet healing gear.
Yeah, I think that sums up my week pretty well.
So, I gotta say, my favorite things about Cataclysm? Uldum and the Harrison Jones movie- like questline; WORGEN; and the Visions of the Battle Maiden quest line Vashj’ir.
First off, I’d like to put a call out there to all WoW related blogs! I’ve cleaned house recently, if you couldn’t tell, and removed all of the inactive blogs from the blogroll. If you own a WoW blog- healer related or not- tell me! You can either leave a comment here, or send me an email at sightlessone@gmail.com. NEED MOAR BLOGZ!
Also, if you’d like an opportunity to guest post here, let me know! The post doesn’t have to be about druids. Or healing. But snark is a MUST.
That email address again is sightlessone@gmail.com. DOO EET!
Ok, now that I’m done with that… onto the post. I know every druid that has a blog has done a ‘Healing post- 4.0′ post. This isn’t going to be exactly that. This is going to be more along the lines of me either squeeing, contemplating, or yelling WTF. Because there is some serious WTFery going on. Now, without further ado…
Talent Tree Focus: Restoration Druid!
For the record, I always list references. For this post, I parused MMO-Champion for the actual spell list; Treebark Jacket and Dreambound Druid , both of which are blogs I’ve favored for some time; and some stuff from Revive and Rejuvenate, Restokin, Falling Leaves and Wings, Rustled Leaves, and Cannot Be Tamed, which are all recent additions and addictions. So thank you all for being smart so I can sit here and be snarky and entertaining. (Yes, I know, I’m smart… but I like to give credit where credit is due.)
ONTO THE POAST!
Fist off, lets look at the new stoof we’re getting.
Gift of Nature (Passive) – Healing increased by 25%.- Ok. Me likie. This is, undoubtedly, the bonus healing we’re getting to offset the fact that Tree of Life form is on a CD now.
Meditation (Passive) – Allows 50% of your mana regeneration from Spirit to continue while in combat.- Now we’re talking. I’ll actually need to see how this plays out this weekend, when I get some time to play, but mana regen = win, IMO.
Symbiosis (Mastery) – Increases the potency of your healing spells by 10% on targets already affected by one of your heal over time spells. Each point of Mastery increases heal potency by an additional 1.25%.- HELLO BABY WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! This plays right into my healing style- layering HoTs- and appears to be the niche Resto!Druids are going to be filling. I suddenly feel justified about all of the choices I made as a raiding Treekin.
Ok, how about we look at some Skills? Lets see what’s been revamped, what’s great, and what sucks.
Nourish now costs 10% of base mana, down from 18% of base mana. Cast time increased from 1.5 sec to 3 sec. Now heals for 2153 to 2502, up from 1883 to 2187.- And here we go… W.T.F. Blizz? 3 second cast? Where in the hell is that going to be useful? You do remember all of the complaints we had about Healing Touch and its ridonkulous cast time, right? You didn’t even increase the heal all that much. Decreasing the mana cost by 8% doesn’t change the fact that you BORKED this spell. I understand, this is supposed to be used with Nature’s Bounty and Empowered Touch, but seriously, unless you plan on throwing us nothing but a bunch of fights where you have to stand still throughout the entire encounter (boring!), I can’t see this- or Healing Touch- being used. Thank you for breaking one of my favorite spells.
Lifebloom now costs 7% of base mana, down from 28%. Now heals the target for 2045 over 10 sec, up from 371 over 7 sec. Lifebloom can be active only on one target at a time. ( Tree of Life : Can be cast on unlimited targets. )- OK. This is more like it, Blizz! The ridiculous mana cost it had before wasn’t worth its low heal factor. Not only did you reduce the mana cost to a quarter of its former value, you jumped the healing by 82% and increased its duration. This is the shit I like to see from you, Blizz!
Tranquility now costs 32% of base mana, down from 70% of base mana. Reworked – Now heals 5 nearby lowest health party or raid targets within 40 yards with Tranquility every 2 sec for 8 sec. Tranquility heals for 3478.7 plus an additional 307.65 every 2 sec over 8 sec. Stacks up to 3 times. The Druid must channel to maintain the spell.- And, finally, this spell has a place in Druid Healing again! I’ve been waiting a long time for this spell to make a comeback, and I’m glad it has. Spell prioritization of lower health allies is nice, even if it does make healing just a bit easier.
Rebirth now resurrects with 20% health and mana. No longer costs mana. Range increased from 30 yards to 40 yards. Cooldown increased from 10 min to 30 min.- See, now I know druids who are going to be mad that you increased the CD back up to 30 minutes. But I’m not one of them. Removing the mana cost and upping the rezzed one’s health and mana totals, especially if you’re going to allow us to keep the Glyph of Unburdened Rebirth, was a good idea. Yummy.
Regrowth now heals 3030 to 3383 and another 970 over 6 sec, up from 2234 to 2494 and another 2345 over 21 sec. Now costs 35% of base mana, up from 29% of base mana. Cast time reduced to 1.5 sec, down from 2 sec. ( Tree of Life : Instant cast. )- Not really much I can say here but BOOYAH INSTANT CAST IN TREE OF LIFE FORM. I will abuse this spell as a Tree. Watch me.
Rejuvenation now heals for 1171 every 3 sec for 12 sec. Up from 1690 over 15 sec. Cost increased to 20% of base mana, up from 18% of base mana.- Ah, my staple spell, my beloved Favorite HoT, you just keep getting better. I’ll take the 2% base mana cost increase for the 2,994 extra healing you now give. -love-
Healing Touch now heal for 6461 to 7630, up from 3750 to 4428. Cost increased to 38% of base mana, up from 17% of base mana. Cast time increased to 3 sec, up from 1.5 sec.- STILL NOT USING IT, BLIZZ. I can’t see me using it, especially now that it costs 38% base mana. Fuck. That.
Mark of the Wild now increases the friendly target’s Strength, Agility, Stamina, and Intellect by 5%, and all magical resistances by [ ( Level 1-70 : (Level/2) / Level 71-80 : (Level/2 + 0.714 * (Level - 70)) / Level 81 or above : (Level + 2.5 * (Level - 70) + 3.5 * (Level - 80)) ) - 3.5 ], for 1 hr. If target is in your party or raid, all party and raid members will be affected.- Um. Still the worst buff in the game.
Ok, OK. Moving on- Talents and Talent Changes! We’ll look at the changed Talents first, then the new ones. Here, have a Talent Tree.
Wild Growth is now a Tier 5 talent, down from Tier 11. Cost increased from 23% of base mana to 27% of base mana. Cooldown increased from 6 sec to 10 sec. Now prioritizes healing most injured party members. Now heals for 2568.14 over 7 sec, up from 1442. ( Tree of Life : Affects an additional 2 targets. )- No complaints except for the increaded CD, which I assume is supposed to be offset by Tranquility being useful for the first time since vanilla WoW. AoE heals look like they’re covered.
Gift of the Earthmother is now a Tier 6 and 3 Ranks talent, down from Tier 10 and 5 Ranks. Revamped – Increases the healing done when your Lifebloom expires by 5/10/15%, and causes your Rejuvenation spell to also instantly heal for 5/10/15% of the total periodic effect.- I like, I like! Still need to determine if Lifebloom is going to be better if its allowed to fall off or not, but the bump to Rejuv is always nice.
Tree of Life is now a Tier 7 talent, down from Tier 9. Revamped – Shapeshift into the tree of life, increasing healing done by 15% and increasing your armor by 120%. In addition, some of your spells are temporarly enhanced while shapeshifted. Lasts 30 sec. Enhanced spells: Lifebloom, Wild Growth, Regrowth, Entangling Roots, Wrath- Still trying to figure out this whole ‘casting Wrath in ToL form’ thing out. Is there a reason? From my understanding, ToL is out new ‘OSHIT’ button. If I pop it, why the hell would I be casting Wrath?
Natural Perfection is now a Tier 5 and 2 Ranks talent, down from Tier 7 and 3 Ranks. Renamed to Nature’s Ward and reworked – Whenever you take an attack while at or below 50% health, you have a 50/100% chance to automatically cast Rejuvenation on yourself with no mana cost.- I don’t care who you are, THIS IS NICE. Much better than its predecessor version, as I could not only relish in constantly healing myself in BGs, this may actually have some PvE use- if I have an off day. Either way, its an ass saver (like Resto!druids need any more help in that department AMIRITE?!)
Empowered Touch is now a Tier 4 talent, down from Tier 6. Reworked – Increases the healing done by your Healing Touch and Nourish spells by 5/10%, and your Nourish spell has a 50/100% chance to refresh the duration of your Lifebloom on targets.- This might have had some promise if you hadn’t TOTALLY SCREWED WITH NOURISH, BLIZZ. Yeah… I look forward to being bitter about that until its fixed.
Nature’s Bounty is now a Tier 4 and 3 ranks spell, down from Tier 6 and 5 Ranks. No longer increases critical effect chance of Nourish. Now increases critical effect of Regrowth by 20/40/60% (Up from 5/10/15/20/25%). Also, you have a 33/66/100% chance when you critically heal with Healing Touch and Nourish to reduce the remaining cooldown of your Swiftmend spell by 0.5 sec.- I reiterate: not until they reduce the cast time of Nourish and Healing Touch. I only want a second, Blizz! Just take of 1 freaking second!
Improved Rejuvenation is now a Tier 2 talent, down from Tier 4. Now also affects Swiftmend.- Yay for affecting Swiftmend!
Naturalist is now a Tier 1 and 2 ranks talent, down from Tier 2 and 5 Ranks. Reduces the cast time of your Healing Touch and Nourish spells by 0.25/0.5 sec.- NOT ENOUGH BLIZZ. Change it to .5 sec/ 1 sec and I’ll shut up about it.
Natural Shapeshifter is now a Tier 1 and 2 Ranks talent, down from Tier 2 and 3 Ranks. Reduces the mana cost of all shapeshifting by 10/20%. (Down from 10/20/30%)- Boo. I liked the 30% reduction, but I’ll take 20%!
And for the New Talents…
Swift Rejuvenation – Reduces the global cooldown of your Rejuvenation by 0.25/0.5 sec.- Anything that reduces the GCD of mah Favorite HoT is good in my book.
Efflorescence – When you heal with your Swiftmend spell you also sprout a bed of healing flora underneath the target, healing all nearby friendly targets within 8 yards for 20/40/60% of the amount healed by your Swiftmend over 7 sec.- Again, I’m assuming this is another offset for WG being on a 10 second CD. The graphics for it a pretty, even if it is liable to confuse the non- educated.
Malfurion’s Gift – Whenever you heal with your Lifebloom spell, you have a 2/4% chance to cause Omen of Clarity.- A Gift, indeed. Thanks, Furion. We’re glad you’re back, too, even if we can’t figure out how you and Tyrande manage to get anything done.
Get a room. No, seriously.
Fury of Stormrage – Reduces the mana cost of your Wrath spell by 50/100%, and when you deal damage with your Wrath spell you have a 6/12% chance to cause your next Starfire to be instant cast within 8 sec.- WHAT IS THIS I DONT EVEN. Again with the casting of damage spells as Resto. I don;t understand what you’re going for here, Blizz. You implemented Dual Specs for a reason. And then you made it a prereq for Malfurion’s Gift? Seriously?
Blessing of the Grove – Increases the healing done by your Rejuvenation by 2/4% and the direct damage of your Moonfire by 3/6%.- Mmmmm Rejuv healing but… Moonfire? At least its high enough in the Resto Tree for the Boomers to get it.
Well, I hope this post has been entertaining and given people something to think about while they’re out there Treeing it up. Once me solid playtime, I’ll be able to sit down and give a good Tree Healing Guide for those who may be looking for it.
That’s it, then! Come back on Friday, when I’ll be discussing a topic very near and dear to my heart: ‘If the DPS Dies, Its Their Own Damn Fault: When This Is and Isn’t the Case.’ Until then though, cheers, and stay angry, healers!
The Angry Healers is a World of Warcraft blog dedicated to the underappreciated and often overlooked role of The Healer (c) from the perspective of a (mostly) angry Tree!Druid. Here will be discussed talents, gear, spells, specs, and other healing related topics, as well as snarks, rants and general grumpiness about my chosen role in WoWlife, and patchnotes, changes, nerfs/ buffs, and expansion myths and legends (and maybe even facts!)
