Cataclysm 1-85 Druid Balance Spec Tree Leveling Build Guide
Wednesday, November 24th, 2010
A balance druid is a great way for leveling your druid in WoW Cataclysm to level 85. This Balance Spec tree leveling build guide is updated for Cataclysm 4.0.6.
Stats
Intellect:
Intellect provides 1 spellpower and 0.006% to crit per point. With Mark of the Wild, Heart of the Wild, and Astral Leather Specialization, it provides 1.169 spellpower and 0.0070% crit (142 points per 1% crit, a bit under 1/3 of a crit rating).
Similarly, with these talents, one point of Intellect increases your maximum mana by 17.53, and your regen from Replenishment, Euphoria, and Innervate correspondingly.
These things together make Int the best stat for both DPS and mana.
Spellpower:
Intellect, without the talent bonuses, crit bonus, or mana gains. Basically a weaker form of Intellect that only appears on weapons, but is still good.
Hit rating/Spirit:
26.23 hit rating gives 1% to hit with spells. If you are under hit cap (see below), hit is a solid DPS stat. Beyond the cap, additional hit rating adds nothing and is wasted. With Balance of Power, 1 Spirit and 1 hit rating are identical for gear selection purposes.
Haste rating:
32.79 haste rating gives 1% spell haste. Again a solid DPS stat. Once you’re at the hit cap, haste will be your best secondary (i.e. non-Int) stat.
Critical strike rating:
45.9 crit rating gives 1% to crit. With Moonfury and a Chaotic Skyflare Diamond, crits with most of our our main spells do 2.09 times the damage of non crits. Because crit gives a lower rating conversion than haste, and we no longer have a meaningful haste cap, crit is substantially weaker than haste.
Mastery rating:
45.9 mastery rating adds 1.5% to our Eclipse bonus. Because only about half our spells are cast during Eclipse, this makes it even weaker than crit rating, and our worst secondary stat.
Reforging
Always pick an Intellect item over anything else. For reforging purposes these are the stats you want in order of importance.
1) Spirit (technically better than Hit since it can occasionally give you mana).
2) Hit rating (until cap).
3) Haste rating.
4) Crit rating.
5) Mastery rating.
Gems
In general, gem [Brilliant Cardinal Ruby] in red sockets, [Purified Dreadstone] (if under the hit cap) in blue sockets, and [Reckless Ametrine] in yellow sockets. Exception: if the socket bonus is something other than spellpower or Int, ignore it and put Brilliant in all sockets. (At level 85: no color-matching–Brilliant in all items).
Use one [Nightmare Tear] in a blue or yellow socket, and make sure you also have at least one [Purified Dreadstone] somewhere to meet your meta requirement.
In your meta socket (only use hats with meta sockets), use [Chaotic Skyflare Diamond].
Skill Rotation
- Start by applying Moonfire and Insect Swarm, and casting Starsurge. Whenever either DoT falls off the target, or Starsurge comes off cooldown, recast it.
- Cast Starfire until until a Solar (Wrath) Eclipse procs, then switch to Wrath. Cast Wrath until a Lunar (Starfire) Eclipse procs, then switch back to Starfire.
- Repeat this Eclipse cycle, always keeping your two DoT’s on the target and using Starsurge, Starfall and Force of Nature on cooldown.
Cataclysm 1-85 Druid Balance Spec Tree Leveling Build Guide
Level 85 Druid (31/5/5)
Balance (31 Points)
Nature’s Grace – Rank 3/3
You gain 15% spell haste after you cast Moonfire, Regrowth, or Insect Swarm, lasting 15 sec. This effect has a 1 minute cooldown. When you gain Lunar or Solar Eclipse, the cooldown of Nature’s Grace is instantly reset.Starlight Wrath – Rank 3/3
Reduces the cast time of your Wrath and Starfire spells by 0.5 sec.Nature’s Majesty – Rank 2/2
Increases the critical strike chance with spells by 4%.Genesis – Rank 3/3
Increases the healing done by your periodic spells and by Swiftmend by 6%, and increases the duration of your Moonfire and Insect Swarm by 6 sec.Balance of Power – Rank 2/2
Increases your Nature and Arcane spell damage by 2% and increases your spell hit rating by an additional amount equal to 100% of your Spirit.Euphoria – Rank 2/2
While not in an Eclipse state, you have a 24% chance to double the Solar or Lunar energy generated by your Wrath or Starfire when they deal damage.When you reach a Solar or Lunar eclipse, you instantly are restored 16% of your total mana.
Moonkin Form – Rank 1/1
Shapeshift into Moonkin Form. While in this form your Arcane and Nature spell damage is increased by 10%, the armor contribution from items is increased by 120%, and grants 5% spell haste to all nearby friendly and raid targets within 100 yards. The Moonkin can not cast healing or resurrection spells while shapeshifted.The act of shapeshifting frees the caster of Movement Impairing effects.
Typhoon – Rank 1/1
You summon a violent Typhoon that does 1298 Nature damage to targets within 30 yards when in contact with hostile targets, knocking them back and dazing them for 6 sec.Shooting Stars – Rank 2/2
You have a 4% chance when you deal damage with your Moonfire or Insect Swarm to instantly reset the cooldown of your Starsurge and reduce its cast time by 100%. Lasts 8 sec.Solar Beam – Rank 1/1
You summon a beam of solar light over the enemy target’s location, interrupting the enemy target and silencing all enemy targets under the beam within 5 yards while it is active. Solar Beam lasts for 10 sec.Dreamstate – Rank 2/2
When you cast your Innervate on yourself, you regain an additional 30% of your total mana over its duration.Force of Nature – Rank 1/1
Summons 3 treants to attack enemy targets for 30 sec.Sunfire – Rank 1/1
While in Solar Eclipse, your Moonfire spell will morph into Sunfire.Earth and Moon – Rank 1/1
Your Wrath and Starfire spells apply the Earth and Moon effect, which increases spell damage taken by 8% for 12 sec. Also increases your spell damage by 2%.Fungal Growth – Rank 2/2
When your Treants die or your Wild Mushrooms are triggered, you spawn a Fungal Growth at its wake covering the area within 8 yards, slowing all enemy targets by 50%. Lasts 10 sec.Lunar Shower – Rank 3/3
When you cast Moonfire, you gain Lunar Shower. Lunar Shower increases the direct damage done by your Moonfire by 45%, and reduces the mana cost by 30%. This effect is refreshed and amplified when you move, stacking up to 3 times. Effect lasts for 3 sec.Starfall – Rank 1/1
You summon a flurry of stars from the sky on all targets within 40 yards of the caster, each dealing 369 to 427 Arcane damage. Maximum 20 stars. Lasts 10 sec.Shapeshifting into an animal form or mounting cancels the effect. Any effect which causes you to lose control of your character will suppress the starfall effect.
Feral Combat (5 Points)
Feral Swiftness – Rank 2/2
Increases your movement speed by 30% in Cat Form and increases your chance to dodge while in Cat Form or Bear Form by 4%.Furor – Rank 3/3
Grants you a 100% chance to gain 10 Rage when you shapeshift into Bear Form, allows you to keep up to 100 of your Energy when you shapeshift into Cat Form, and increases your maximum mana by 15%.
Restoration (5 Points)
Natural Shapeshifter – Rank 2/2
Reduces the mana cost of all shapeshifting by 20% and increases the duration of Tree of Life Form by 10 sec.Heart of the Wild – Rank 3/3
Increases your Intellect by 6%. In addition, while in Bear Form your Stamina is increased by 6% and while in Cat Form your attack power is increased by 10%.
Glyphs
Glyph of Insect Swarm (Prime Glyph)
Increases the damage of your Insect Swarm ability by 30%.Glyph of Starfire (Prime Glyph)
Your Starfire ability increases the duration of your Moonfire effect on the target by 3 sec, up to a maximum of 9 additional seconds.Glyph of Wrath (Prime Glyph)
Your Wrath does 10% additional damage to targets afflicted by your Insect Swarm.
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