Restoration Druid Raid Guide (2024)

• Every time you summon a Grove Guardian you gain all of the following benefits:
  • Harmony of the Grove
    • 3% healing done increase per active Grove Guardian.
  • Power of Nature
    • Rejuvenation, Efflorescence, and Lifebloom healing is increased by 5% per active Grove Guardian.
  • Treants of the Moon
    • Your Grove Guardians do damage passively.
  • Dream Surge
    • Your next direct heal creates 3 Dream Petals that each heal up to 3 Allies. These direct heals scale with your Mastery.
    • Further enhanced by Power of the Dream.

• Wild Growth, Regrowth, and Efflorescence healing has a chance to spawn a Symbiotic Blooms on the target, greatly increasing your healing done to that target.
• Symbiotic Blooms is enhanced by the following nodes:
  • Vigorous Creepers
    • 20% increased healing done to targets with Symbiotic Blooms.
  • Resilient Flourishing
    • Increases the duration of Symbiotic Blooms by a third of its total duration.
  • Bursting Growth
    • Small AoE healing is triggered if you cast Rejuvenation on a targets with Symbiotic Blooms or Symbiotic Blooms expires.

When to use this Spec

• This is the default loadout going into any boss unless specified otherwise. You have to adjust the class talent tree based on the utility needed for the encounter. To make your life easier, boss-specific talent loadouts are available in the Nerub-ar Palace section.

Gameplay Altering Talents

• Discover all talents that significantly alter your gameplay within the Spec and Class Talent trees. This section gives a concise overview of these talents and their applications but for a more detailed look check out the Rotation and Deep Dive sections below.

Spec Tree

• Prosperity
  • A second charge of Swiftmend synergizes well with Reforestation and new Hero Talent Tree, allowing you new cooldown timers.
• Abundance
  • This talent greatly improves your mana efficiency by reducing the cost of your Regrowth by 8% and increasing its critical chance by 8% for each active Rejuvenation, up to a maximum of 96%.
• Germination
  • The ability to place a second Rejuvenation on a target and increase its base duration by 2 seconds is extremely powerful, significantly enhancing your healing capabilities. Any increase in Rejuvenation duration greatly boosts your effectiveness.
• Rampant Growth
  • Applies Regrowth to all active Lifebloom targets, allowing you to apply multiple Regrowth HoTs with a single cast. Also the increased hot duration increases the value you get out of your mastery a lot.
• Cenarius' Guidance
  • This talent allows you to drastically reduce the cooldown of Incarnation: Tree of Life, giving you greater flexibility and more frequent access to your most powerful healing cooldown.
• Dreamstate
  • Channeling Tranquility reduces the cooldown of all your druid spells by up to 20 seconds, fundamentally changing how you pre-plan your cooldowns and significantly improving your flexibility to respond to critical moments.
• Nurturing Dormancy
  • Increases the duration of your Rejuvenation by up to 4 seconds if it heals targets at full health, drastically increasing your average number of active Rejuvenation HoTs.
• Reforestation
  • This very important and powerful talent grants you Incarnation: Tree of Life for a short period after every third cast of Swiftmend.
• Soul of the Forest
  • Empowers your core healing abilities after every Swiftmend cast, making it a versatile and very powerful talent that greatly increases your healing capabilities.

Class Tree

• Astral Influence
  • Increases the range of all your abilities by 5 yards, providing a powerful tool for remaining in range of your group.

Hero Talents

• Power of Nature + Harmony of the Grove
  • Picking these talents drastically changes how important optimizing your Grove Guardians becomes, as they become one of the main contributing factors to your ramp.
• Cenarius' Might
  • Adds another modifier to min-max for your ramp, which is triggered after using Swiftmend.
• Protective Growth
  • Adds another small defensive to your arsenal.
• Blooming Infusion
  • This proc synergizes exceptionally well with Master Shapeshifter.

When to use this Spec

This Spec is commonly used during early progression when you find yourself struggling with mana. The Spec also emphasizes the importance of maximizing every single global.

Talent Adjustments

Spec Tree

• Added
  • Master Shapeshifter
    • Increased Mana regen
• Removed
  • Nurturing Dormancy

How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns

• These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.

Boss Tips

• Defensives
  • Use Barkskin when soaking Carnivorous Contest.
• Externals
  • Use Ironbark as a personal defensive.
• Paradox
  • Other healers make better use of Spatial Paradox.
• General
  • Avoid getting hit by Juggernaut Charge at ALL cost.
  • Use Stampeding Roar during the intermission to help your allies dodge the bosses Juggernaut Charge.

How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns

• These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.

Boss Tips

• Defensives
  • Use Barkskin when soaking Gruesome Disgorge.
• Externals
  • Use Ironbark as a personal defensive.
• Paradox
  • Other healers make better use of it in this encounter.
• General
  • Use Stampeding Roar for your team to reach their Gruesome Disgorge in time.

How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns

• These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.

Boss Tips

• Defensives
  • Use Barkskin when targeted by Decimate.
• Externals
  • Use Ironbark as a personal defensive.
• Paradox
  • Other healers make better use of it in this boss encounter.
• General
  • Cast Stampeding Roar to help Decimate targets reach their assigned position.

How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns

These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.

Boss Tips

• Defensives
  • Rotate your defensives when targeted by multiple Infested Spawn.
• Externals
  • Use your Ironbark on people targeted by multiple Infested Spawn without their own defensive cooldown.
• Paradox
  • Combine it here with your Tranquility uses.
• General
  • Use Stampeding Roar to help your team to reach the boss quicker when he relocates.

How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns

These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.

Boss Tips

• Defensives
  • Ensure you have Barkskin active when targeted with Experimental Dosage.
• Externals
  • Use your Ironbark on people targeted with Experimental Dosage.
• Paradox
  • Combine it with your Tranquility to dodge the constant swirlies.
• General
  • Always keep Lifebloom on the tank targeted by Volatile Concoction to reduce raid damage.
  • Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each Experimental Dosage.

How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns

These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.

Boss Tips

• Defensives
  • Rotate through your defensive arsenal when affected by Queensbane.
• Externals
  • If an ally does not have any defensive cooldown of their own left use Ironbark on them, otherwise keep it as a personal defensive.
• Paradox
  • Ask for it when the Nether Rift drag is happening and you are assigned to cast Tranquility.
• General
  • Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each Nether Rift. Ideally, you do not have to use your Stampeding Roar on the same Nether Rift you are using your healing cooldowns on.
  • As tanks do not take a lot of constant damage on this encounter, make sure to swap your Lifebloom to Queensbane targets.

How To Use Your Healing Cooldowns

• These cooldowns were assigned with the primary goal of defeating the boss, rather than maximizing raw HPS. They were planned based on the Beta version of the game, so if the boss timers change when the raid goes live, it also changes the cooldown assignments.

Boss Tips

Phase 1

• Defensives
  • Use Barkskin when Reckless Eruption and Venomous Rain overlap.
• Externals
  • Use your Ironbark on Binding Webs targets without strong defensive cooldowns as those are the people most likely to die.
• Paradox
  • Ask for it if you are assigned to play Binding Webs as you will have to do strong spot healing while on the move.
• General
  • The people in danger in this phase are the ones playing Binding Webs. Ensure you keep them healthy so they can fully focus on the mechanic without having to worry about other things.
  • Dispel your tank as often as possible whenever he has multiple stacks of Poison Bolt as this mechanic will easily kill your tank if ignored.

Intermission 1

• General
  • Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each time you have to dodge.

Phase 2

• Defensives
  • Use Barkskin when Web Vortex happens.
• Externals
  • Use your Ironbark on targets who accidentally received multiple stacks of Stinging Swarm.
• Paradox
  • Other Healers make better use of Spatial Paradox in this phase.
• General
  • In phase 2, failing the dispel mechanic Stinging Swarm is the most common wipe. Ensure you keep these people healthy so they don't have to worry about anything but playing the mechanic.
  • Dispel your tank as often as possible whenever he has multiple stacks of Void Bolt, as this mechanic will easily kill your tank if ignored.

Intermission 2

• General
  • Coordinate your AoE Sprints like Stampeding Roar to ensure one is active for each time you have to dodge.
  • Whenever a raid member gets Impaled, ensure you spot heal them until they are freed.

Phase 3

• Defensives
  • Use Barkskin when Web Vortex happens.
• Externals
  • Use your Ironbark on Binding Webs targets without strong defensive cooldowns as those are the people most likely to die.
• Paradox
  • Other Healers make better use of Spatial Paradox in this phase.
• General
  • The People in danger in this phase are the people playing Binding Webs. Ensure you keep them healthy so they can fully focus on the mechanic without having to worry about other things.
  • Dispel your tank as often as possible whenever he has multiple stacks of Void Bolt as this mechanic will easily kill your tank if ignored.

Due to the way stat weights work for Restoration Druids, there isn't a strict best-in-slot list. Although it is theoretically possible to obtain items with all the correct Tertiaries, doing so requires extraordinary luck or several human lifespans because of the weekly reset system in World of Warcraft.

Authors Note:

This list shows the best items for healing in Raids from all sources. Keep in mind that getting different tier pieces with Leech / Avoidance changes which off-piece is best for you. Likewise, any other non-trinket item with Leech / Avoidance replaces the one suggested here.

Below you are presented with a good list of farmable alternatives that are obtainable outside of WoW’s weekly lockout system. While replaced in time as you progress, these offer immediate character power.

/cast [@mouseover, help] Rejuvenation; Rejuvenation

/cast [@mouseover, help] Regrowth; Regrowth

/cast [@mouseover, help] Swiftmend; Swiftmend

/cast [@mouseover, help] Lifebloom; Lifebloom

/cast [@mouseover, help] Grove Guardians; Grove Guardians

/cast [@mouseover, help] Wild Growth; Wild Growth

/cast [@mouseover, help] Wild Charge; Wild Charge

/cast [@mouseover, help] Ironbark; Ironbark

/cast [@mouseover, help] Rebirth; Rebirth