Druid

Overview

The druid is a versatile class capable of performing as a tank, healer, and caster or melee dps. The druid may seem like a jack of all trades but can perform its roles very effectively and you will not find it lacking when compared to "purer" classes, such as warrior tanks or mage dps. Many druids top the charts in raid damage and healing output. The druid tank is often regarded as the highest damage-dealing tank out there. So, roll a druid today!

The Art of Bear: Feral Combat (Tank)

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To Be a Tree: Restoration (Healing)

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Cat is for Fite: Feral Combat (DPS)

Introduction

A feline damage dealer that relies on teeth and claws to fight its opponents, the cat comes with a reputation for being difficult to play. Maybe you've read complaints from other players about how hard it is to keep up those cat DoTs. Maybe you're nervous about leveling a cat that may end up doing lousy dps in end-game raiding. All these concerns are valid and like they say, there is often a kernel of truth in every stereotype. But the stereotypes don't represent the entire reality. Though the cat is challenging to learn, it brings a lot utility to a raid.

The cat is a melee dps par excellence that offers a lot to raids and arena teams, such as the ability to resurrect team members to full health during a fight, a big raid-wide heal, two helpful raid buffs, and the ability to switch to tanking in the middle of a fight. In short, the cat is well-equiped to save a raid from wiping, making it one of the most valuable members to have on a team. What other dps can claim do all that? And if you weren't aware, the amount of damage you can do on the cat is limited only to how quickly you react. A player with quick thinking and fast reaction times can top the damage meters in any raid.

Now that I've tried to sell you on the merits of the cat there are a few sobering realities that must be mentioned. To achieve mediocre dps on the cat is easy, but to get great dps on the cat can be challenging. The WoW druid class forums is your go-to place for the latest information. Many excellent players check the threads daily and offer advice for beginners.

Talents (current as of 4.3)

Standard Cat DPS Build (0/35/6)
Hybrid Cat-Bear Tanking Build (0/32/9) * Note: the hybrid build can result in a significant (greater than 10%) dps loss.

Glyphs

Prime Glyphs
Glyph of Rip
Glyph of Bloodletting
Glyph of Berserk

Major Glyphs
Glyph of Feral Charge
Glyph of Faerie Fire
Glyph of Rebirth

Minor Glyphs (these are all optional)
Glyph of Dash
Glyph of Aquatic Form

Gems

Meta Gem Slot: Agile Shadowspirit Diamond
Prismatic Gem Slot: Delicate Inferno Ruby
Red Gem Slot: Delicate Inferno Ruby
Yellow Gem Slot: Adept Amber Topaz
Blue Gem Slot: unless you get an agility bonus higher than 14, use Delicate Inferno Ruby. Otherwise use Glinting Demonseye.

Reforging

As of 4.3 there is no particular stat that stands out. Hit cap is 961 and the expertise cap is 781 if you want to maximize Swipe AoE damage, but be sure not to over-cap either. Some players prefer stacking mastery, which has slower energy regeneration and allows them time to plan their next move. Other players prefer haste, which regenerates energy faster but gives you less time to react. If you want to create a hybrid bear/cat reforge gear to dodge.

Rotation

The cat has no set rotation. Instead think of the cat as a melee warlock. You get a bunch buffs and debuffs, and the goal is to keep them up at all times. Letting any of the buffs/debuffs drop will hurt your dps. Always use an addon and position yourself behind the target so they can't parry your attacks.

Basic Cat "Rotation"

1. Apply Feral Faerie Fire (FF), this lowers your target's armor. Make sure it doesn't fall off.
2. Use Tiger's Fury (TF) followed by Berserk. Keep both on cooldown. Always use TF first followed by Berserk. If Bersek is ready but TF isn't just ignore it until TF is ready to be used.
3. Apply Mangle and make sure it doesn't fall off.
4. Apply Rake and make sure it doesn't fall off.
5. Build up 5 combo points and use Rip. Make sure it doesn't fall off (always build up 5 combo points before using Rip or it's a dps loss).
6. Build up several combo points and use Savage Roar. Make sure this is always ticking.
7. Use Shred to build up more combo points.

More Tips for the Cat "Rotation

(do all of the above and...)

• Your opening attack should be the following: Feral Faerie Fire, Feral Charge, Mangle, Rake, Savage Roar, Ravage, Shred to no energy, Tigers Fury and Berserk, (Ravage again if you have the 4T13 set), then Shred to 5 CP. Maintaining Rip is your foremost priority (refresh at 1-2 seconds left). Other buffs/debuffs can be refreshed with more than a few seconds remaining though it will be a dps loss. You can use Ferocious Bite instead of Rip if there is ~14 seconds left on Rip and ~10 sec left on Savage Roar. Otherwise just keep Shredding (even if you already have 5 CP).
• When the target's health is at 25% or less use Ferocious Bite instead of Rip. FB will extend Rip because of the talent Blood in the Water.
• You should ideally be playing in the 50-80 energy range. Because each ability has a set energy cost (eg, Shred costs 40 energy) it doesn't matter if you wait until 40 energy or 90 energy to use it, the ability will still do the same damage. Also, waiting for more energy to build up gives you a chance to monitor which debuffs/buffs/timers are ending soon and gives you time to react.
• In Cataclysm the kitty is one of the strongest AoE damage dealers (probably second to a fire mage and even then our AoE damage is consistent and not at the mercy of RNG). The cat is great at hitting multiple mobs; I've clocked in on the damage meters at nearly 200k dps when fighting groups of trash in Bastion of Twilight. Use Tigers Fury, Berserk, and get Savage Roar ticking before using Swipe to do maximum damage.
• This covers the beginner's guide for playing the feral cat. There are more advanced tips and tricks at the WoW Forums feral druid sticky.

AddOns

Unless you can keep track of five or more DoTs and cooldowns in your head at the same time, an addon is necessary to ensure maximum dps. Two popular addons are DroodFocus and BadKitty. I prefer Droodfocus, the visual indicators are easier to see.

Famous Feral DPS

Here are some well-known players in the feral dps community who have honed their craft to perfection:

Reesi of Doomhammer
Tangedyn of Thaurissian

(Both are authors of The Inconspicuous Bear, a site dedicated to feral druid tanking and dps.)

Resources

WoW Forums Guide to Feral Druid DPS (best guide as of patch 4.3)
The Inconspicuous Bear
The Fluid Druid
Elitist Jerks Feral DPS Guide (the information is mostly accurate but refer to the other links for the most up-to-date changes in the class)

Here comes the Boom!: Balance (DPS)

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Links

Wowpedia All you need to know, really