With a focus on restoration druid
Monday, January 31, 2011
Thursday, January 27, 2011
Nature's Swiftness: Another Perspective
Thanks to my friend Treeqin, from Deathwing, for pointing this out to me.
The Glyph of Healing Touch reduces the cooldown of Nature's Swiftness by 10 seconds every time you use Healing Touch.
Yes, Healing Touch is an expensive spell, but if you are able to roll two Lifeblooms (thanks to Tree of Life form), you will most definitely get more Omen of Clarity procs, thus giving free Healing Touch's. Because Healing Touch also refreshes Lifebloom, you can use this in place of Nourish to keep your LB stacks rolling.
This will then bring Nature's Swiftness's cd down by a lot.
There are a couple obstacles to this strategy.
You have to be good at keeping 2 stacks of LB up. This is done by popping ToL, then using Nourish/Healing Touch to refresh the stacks consistently.
The downsides to this strategy is that unless you have tons and tons of haste (I'm nearly 2k and still have a 2 second Nourish/Healing Touch cast time), timing can be difficult to pull off. While this isn't impossible to do, my problem with rolling 2 stacks of LB is that my mind wanders to other parts of the raid that need to be healed (I am a raid healer in my guild set up after all), so my stacks usually drop faster than ideal.
The other problem is the impending Patch 4.06. It's changing the percentage of Omen of Clarity by a large amount, as well as revamping Nature's Bounty, which is a talent that we may now want to revisit, and possibly max out, because of it's haste benefit to Nourish (If 3 Rejuvenations are up, you get a faster Nourish).
I would personally still stick with Nature's Swiftness as a 10 man raider, at least until Patch 4.06 hits. A lot of things are changing for us, so it will be interesting to see what we end up dropping (Efflorescence? Malfurion's Gift?)
Thanks again to Treeqin :)
The Glyph of Healing Touch reduces the cooldown of Nature's Swiftness by 10 seconds every time you use Healing Touch.
Yes, Healing Touch is an expensive spell, but if you are able to roll two Lifeblooms (thanks to Tree of Life form), you will most definitely get more Omen of Clarity procs, thus giving free Healing Touch's. Because Healing Touch also refreshes Lifebloom, you can use this in place of Nourish to keep your LB stacks rolling.
This will then bring Nature's Swiftness's cd down by a lot.
There are a couple obstacles to this strategy.
You have to be good at keeping 2 stacks of LB up. This is done by popping ToL, then using Nourish/Healing Touch to refresh the stacks consistently.
The downsides to this strategy is that unless you have tons and tons of haste (I'm nearly 2k and still have a 2 second Nourish/Healing Touch cast time), timing can be difficult to pull off. While this isn't impossible to do, my problem with rolling 2 stacks of LB is that my mind wanders to other parts of the raid that need to be healed (I am a raid healer in my guild set up after all), so my stacks usually drop faster than ideal.
The other problem is the impending Patch 4.06. It's changing the percentage of Omen of Clarity by a large amount, as well as revamping Nature's Bounty, which is a talent that we may now want to revisit, and possibly max out, because of it's haste benefit to Nourish (If 3 Rejuvenations are up, you get a faster Nourish).
I would personally still stick with Nature's Swiftness as a 10 man raider, at least until Patch 4.06 hits. A lot of things are changing for us, so it will be interesting to see what we end up dropping (Efflorescence? Malfurion's Gift?)
Thanks again to Treeqin :)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Nature's Swiftness
While experimenting with specs and talents, I've come across an interesting dilemma:
To drop or not to drop the talent Nature's Swiftness.
For the record Nature's Swiftness is a 1 point talent on tier 3.
"When activated, your next Nature spell with a base cast time less than 10 sec. becomes an instant cast."
3 min. cooldown.
Pros:
Instant Healing Touch yah?!
That's pretty much what is if. If you use other spells with it, I think you may be missing the point of it. Healing Touch is our most powerful spell, healing wise. (It's slow as hell, and gives no hots, but its strong...the strongest)
In a pinch, it ends up being the most effective way to keep someone up.
Lately, I've done a lot of reading about Druid's effectiveness as a healer in 10/25 raids in Cataclysm. And while I have yet to have first hand experience with what you face in raids, I can understand where Xaar and Lissanna are coming from just from Heroic experience. If someone drops to low, I find myself struggling to get them at a suitable level. And honestly, if I'm trying to triage someone to save them, there's a good chance they will probably die. :(
Cons:
In the end, Nature's Swiftness is possibly more expensive then what its worth. .
With a 3 minute cooldown and limited use, in a long, raid fight, this isn't worth it. It's not a good raid utility. It's one free spell cast every 3 mins.Fights usually last between 6-10 minutes. That's about 2-3 if you use them right away.
In conclusion:
If you're healing 25 mans, I'd drop Nature's Swiftness. Other people are healing around you, and honestly, Druid's aren't really in a 25 man to be healing up serious damage. They're using HoTs and giving Replenishment.
I think 10 mans are a different story. I do find I use Natures Swiftness consistently in each fight. Not a lot, and maybe, when 4.06 hits, not enough to warrant a talent point, but for now, I'd hang on to it. Especially if you are using one spec for dungeons as well, you might need the "oh shit" button. Druid's struggle with being effective triage type healers right now, so losing that one triage heal could hurt you in the end.
To drop or not to drop the talent Nature's Swiftness.
For the record Nature's Swiftness is a 1 point talent on tier 3.
"When activated, your next Nature spell with a base cast time less than 10 sec. becomes an instant cast."
3 min. cooldown.
Pros:
Instant Healing Touch yah?!
That's pretty much what is if. If you use other spells with it, I think you may be missing the point of it. Healing Touch is our most powerful spell, healing wise. (It's slow as hell, and gives no hots, but its strong...the strongest)
In a pinch, it ends up being the most effective way to keep someone up.
Lately, I've done a lot of reading about Druid's effectiveness as a healer in 10/25 raids in Cataclysm. And while I have yet to have first hand experience with what you face in raids, I can understand where Xaar and Lissanna are coming from just from Heroic experience. If someone drops to low, I find myself struggling to get them at a suitable level. And honestly, if I'm trying to triage someone to save them, there's a good chance they will probably die. :(
Cons:
In the end, Nature's Swiftness is possibly more expensive then what its worth. .
With a 3 minute cooldown and limited use, in a long, raid fight, this isn't worth it. It's not a good raid utility. It's one free spell cast every 3 mins.Fights usually last between 6-10 minutes. That's about 2-3 if you use them right away.
In conclusion:
If you're healing 25 mans, I'd drop Nature's Swiftness. Other people are healing around you, and honestly, Druid's aren't really in a 25 man to be healing up serious damage. They're using HoTs and giving Replenishment.
I think 10 mans are a different story. I do find I use Natures Swiftness consistently in each fight. Not a lot, and maybe, when 4.06 hits, not enough to warrant a talent point, but for now, I'd hang on to it. Especially if you are using one spec for dungeons as well, you might need the "oh shit" button. Druid's struggle with being effective triage type healers right now, so losing that one triage heal could hurt you in the end.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Blog Updates
With school starting in full force, I don't have the free time I used to. I have Covington at a good place where, getting on to raid for 3 hours then having to get off for homework or whatnot, isn't hindering me too bad. But I've had to tone back on the alt leveling etc.
For my reference:
I will be redoing the Restoration guide once Patch 4.06 hits. The PTR notes, if they stay fairly the same, hint at a revamping of our healing techniques in at least a good amount. Rather than update the thing twice, I'm going to stick to one super update.
I will only focus on Resto druids for now. Leveling an alt is daunting, but then having the time to gear and play/raid on an alt is even more difficult to pull off.
Happy healing!
For my reference:
I will be redoing the Restoration guide once Patch 4.06 hits. The PTR notes, if they stay fairly the same, hint at a revamping of our healing techniques in at least a good amount. Rather than update the thing twice, I'm going to stick to one super update.
I will only focus on Resto druids for now. Leveling an alt is daunting, but then having the time to gear and play/raid on an alt is even more difficult to pull off.
Happy healing!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Monday, January 10, 2011
I survived the Cataclysm (dig dig dig)
I'm pretty knee deep in dirt at the moment. And no, not because it's been raining ridiculously over here, and because of that, MUDSLIDES...
California + Heat= Wildfires= Loosen dirt/ash + rain= mudslides
It's because I've spent perhaps 70% of my Cataclysm experience doing Archaeology. I'm addicted. It's pretty bad.
It all starts with the prospect of getting an epic.
Then you get an epic/rare and you go...oh man....gotta get more.
From there it's a downhill spiral.
When I discovered that Tyrande's Favorite Doll was not only a BIS trinket for druids, but also a BoA (um. alt-o-holic's wet dream?) I had to have it. Had to.
Unfortunately for me (and my poor sanity) I have this bad obsession with wanting something bad (in a game) and because it is very possible for me to get, I will relentlessly pursue it until it is in Covington's bags.
So the digging began.
And continued.
And continued some more.
..
...
..
Nearly 192 Night Elf artifacts (and thats not including the other 100s of race artifacts i dug up) and 12 rares later, the elusive trinket made an appearance.
Damn near fell out of my seat.
My boyfriend was sitting next to me, and also nearly fell out of his seat because he thought I was having a heart attack.
My previous Cataclysm list was to focus on Covington, then my Warrior, but it quickly escalated to an intense focus of digging.
Honestly, it all paid off in the end; not only did i get my shiny trinket, but I also walked away with an epic staff and an epic ring.
I haven't done any digging sent. I did spend a little time to get the Clockwork Gnome pet, but after that, I stopped.
I would like to get the achievement that gives me the title Professor (20 rares completed), but it's going to have to wait. I have to go back to working on rep through dailies (Therazane got ignored badly) and work on some alts and professions. (need a miner still.)
California + Heat= Wildfires= Loosen dirt/ash + rain= mudslides
It's because I've spent perhaps 70% of my Cataclysm experience doing Archaeology. I'm addicted. It's pretty bad.
It all starts with the prospect of getting an epic.
Then you get an epic/rare and you go...oh man....gotta get more.
From there it's a downhill spiral.
When I discovered that Tyrande's Favorite Doll was not only a BIS trinket for druids, but also a BoA (um. alt-o-holic's wet dream?) I had to have it. Had to.
Unfortunately for me (and my poor sanity) I have this bad obsession with wanting something bad (in a game) and because it is very possible for me to get, I will relentlessly pursue it until it is in Covington's bags.
So the digging began.
And continued.
And continued some more.
..
...
..
Nearly 192 Night Elf artifacts (and thats not including the other 100s of race artifacts i dug up) and 12 rares later, the elusive trinket made an appearance.
Damn near fell out of my seat.
My boyfriend was sitting next to me, and also nearly fell out of his seat because he thought I was having a heart attack.
My previous Cataclysm list was to focus on Covington, then my Warrior, but it quickly escalated to an intense focus of digging.
Honestly, it all paid off in the end; not only did i get my shiny trinket, but I also walked away with an epic staff and an epic ring.
I haven't done any digging sent. I did spend a little time to get the Clockwork Gnome pet, but after that, I stopped.
I would like to get the achievement that gives me the title Professor (20 rares completed), but it's going to have to wait. I have to go back to working on rep through dailies (Therazane got ignored badly) and work on some alts and professions. (need a miner still.)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)