Ask WoW Insider: best spec for a DPS druid?
by Barb Dybwad 
Feb 2nd 2007 at 3:30PM
As we all know, some durids is bare and some is for fite. Today's Ask WoW Insider question comes from one o tehm durids interested in being more cat-like -- Corey asks: My main is, and always will be a Druid. I really enjoy the class and I try to focus mostly on a feral build since I like being able to DPS as a cat, and tank as a bear. Lately I have been searching for a spec that will give the best DPS output I can get, but haven't found that magic combination of talents yet. So I ask you... what is the best DPS spec for a druid?What say you, durids? Can you help this cat?
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Filed under: Druid, Ask WoW Insider, Talents
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Avendal Aug 13th 2008 3:00PM
C'MON PEOPLE!!!
Why dont no feral cats know how to power shift....Look it up and bring your dps up by about 300...Or contact me in game Server-- Shadow Council
Character--Avendal/Slayerii
Sensibaka Jan 29th 2009 1:36AM
hey
from what i can see here i think balance is actually a better DPS spec. Im 38 and feral atm but thinking about re specing balance, but dont know if now is a good time to do it :S
Dodgy Feb 2nd 2007 3:47PM
If you want an absolutely all-out dps build, here's what you should look for:
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=zzZEGMsfrkezioVx0z
This build is extremely geared toward all-out dps, with a few sacrifices. It features increased damage to attacks and critical strikes, as free attacks and combo points, and the lowest cost special abilities for both cat and bear.
It is, however, a little light on the utility and some talents might be better spent elsewhere.
My personal build is http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=zzZvGMsfrRxuioVx0z
I really like it because it still provides a huge punch (2400 shred critical on a rogue last night), while giving me some much-needed help in the area of healing (Nurturing Instinct) and fear/stun resistance (Primal Tenacity).
speedsimmons Apr 17th 2008 3:51PM
just wondering what order you guys think would be best, for the 0/41/11 build? and pros and cons to waiting for furor. thanks!
J-bob Feb 2nd 2007 3:56PM
A question near and dear to my heart - I'm loving being a feral drood.
If you really want to be able to cat and bear to DPS or Tank, this is what I recommend:
At 60 - 0/41/10
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=MZxGGsfrotzroVx
Feral through Mangle (you're new best friend) with points in everything except Nurturing Instict and Primal Tenacity.
Furor and Naturalist in Resto so you can grab Omen of Clarity at 61.
From 61 to 66 - Get Omen of Clarity then finish out in Survival of the Fittest (for tanking) and Predatory Instincts (for burst DPS). http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=MZxGGsfrotzroVx
From 67 to 70 - Four more points to play with. Primal Tenacity/Natural Shapeshifter if you're PVPing alot. Nuturing Instinct/Natural Shapeshifter if you do alot of emergency healing in groups (no time to slip into your healing pants) or major soloing (elites). I'm thinking of putting points into Intensity/Nurturing Instinct to help with back up healing in groups/raids which would bring me to 0/47/14 - http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=zZxGGsfrkezioVxcz
kedran Feb 2nd 2007 4:21PM
for pure dps you are probably maxed out at level 61 with a 0/41/11 build, with points in the obvious stuff on the way to mangle, plus ILOTP so you can crit more and stay in form, feral faire fire so you can stay in form, shredding attacks so you can get out more dps, feral charge to stop runners so you can kill faster, 5 in predatory aggression, and a point somewhere like thick hide or feral aggression so you can get mangle at 50. Then drop 11 into resto for furor (faster energy/rage access when you have to shift = more dps, naturalist (also +dam) and ooc (+ swings = more dps).
That puts you at 61 with 9 points to go. From there you would probably consider intensity for the autoenrage, or filling out thickhide for the stayability, or feral aggression if you were really min/maxing the FB, or natural shapeshifter (which I don't like but some do) and/or dropping a point into nature's grasp, which is such a great skill for 1 point its hard not to round out with it.
Personally I'm going 1/46/14 w intensity, and taking nurturing strength in feral to give some healing crossover since you inevitably need to heal at times in instances.
Coma Feb 2nd 2007 4:20PM
Re-roll a rogue, hunter, lock or Dpsadin!
Arslin Feb 2nd 2007 5:28PM
If you really want to DPS as a druid, you should spec Balance. All the +dmg leather gear is great in BC and I know I rarely go OOM.
Freehugz Feb 2nd 2007 4:58PM
Ew! why would you want to max dps as a druid.
My druid is my main and I'm shooting for a 1/33/27 build. If you really wanna focus on dps, here's what i think is the best build 1/54/14 http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=MzZEMGsfroxzioVxcz
cheesebanana Feb 2nd 2007 4:55PM
Resto.
Damn feral druids. Think they can tank or dps. Stop trying to be something you're not and just spec how we all want you to spec.
Its like shadow priests....daftest thing ever
Das Feb 2nd 2007 5:13PM
I wanted to be a DPS-hybrid too.
So I rolled a shaman.
Richard Nelson Feb 2nd 2007 5:39PM
#8 is right. My DOOMkin druid is amazing with all the damage gear in BC. I starfire crit for 2600, wrath crits for 1200. Plus have my little buddies to summon. There is a ton of feral gear as well. I'm sure you can spec and put out just as much dps as a balance spec. I switched mains from a warrior so doing more melee or being a tank in bear didn't sound like enough of a change.
Don't get used to DPS'ing though. We all know we're going to be spec'd resto very shortly after 70.
NH2 Feb 5th 2007 9:35AM
What makes me really sad is how much DPS feral druids do. My poor 65 affliction lock with +440 spell damage just can't keep up with the burst DPS my friend's 64 feral druid puts out. The only time I can gain on him is when we fight a boss.
/buff locks! :)
Chaosdragon Feb 2nd 2007 7:33PM
I agree with #9 but feral is funner and can tank, which is fun if you're not sick of it like he is. Balance does more damage though.
But ya, lvl 70, resto. All the way.
jay Feb 3rd 2007 3:54AM
uh, the feral tree perhaps? Give that a try ;)
Wena Feb 3rd 2007 11:53AM
one thing not to do when going feral is to split your talent points 50-50 between feral and resto tree.
get enough points down to mangle plus a few other feral features. no need for all. then leftover talent points into resto.
key is the armor. once u hit 50+, time to go from looking at stats to getting better crits, hit ratings, attack points, etc.
tyger Feb 3rd 2007 1:48PM
http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=zZVMGsfrMeuioVxhz
Nelson Feb 4th 2007 9:40PM
I'm fond of the 47/0/14 Boomkin spec: http://www.wowhead.com/?talent=MxcrziIsguVoZxxco
As a balance druid I regularly out-DPS most mages I group with. And I'm not so squishy! And with so much mana-regen in combat thanks to the new talents, I'm not as oomkin as I used to be.
Thomas Feb 5th 2007 4:34AM
Played nearly every class and finally fell in love with druid. For me the best tree is 0/35/26. So you get everything you want from the game, need a tank? Here i am? Healing? NP! Farming alone, enough dps. The problem: 2 of 4 bags full of equip with tank/heal/dps items
Ryan Feb 5th 2007 8:34AM
#5... Resto droods are great healers, yes... but a feral tank is simply amazing. So far, we've used a druid tank for every BC instance up to the Tempest Keep ones. Too many retards play warriors, so finding a good tank is very rare. For some reason, a lot of druids at this point seem to be on top of their game.