wow Druid Class Changes and Explanations in War Within Alpha: May 14th

[Staff 1,488]

Druids get plenty of changes in today's Alpha build, with two Hero trees getting significant changes, as Keeper of the Grove and Wildstalker are improved. 

Druid (Source)

Hello Druids,

There are a couple pieces of feedback we received on Keeper of the Grove that informed today’s updates.

Keeper of the Grove

• Dream Surge: Dream Burst damage reduced by 15%.
• Harmony of the Grove: Force of Nature treants increase spell damage by 5% (was 3%).
• Power of Nature now increases Force of Nature Treant melee damage by 100% (was 20%).
• Bounteous Bloom: Each treant generates 6 Astral Power per 2 seconds (was 3 Astral Power).
• Early Spring: Now reduces the cooldown of Force of Nature by 15 seconds (was 10 seconds).
• Cenarius’ Might design updated: Balance: Entering Eclipse / Restoration: Casting Swiftmend increases your Haste by 8% for 6 seconds.
• Power of the Dream no longer affects Cenarius’ Might.
• Control of the Dream’s maximum effect increased to 15 seconds (was 5 seconds).
• Grove’s Inspiration: Wrath and Starfire damage bonus reduced to 10% (was 12%).
• Persistent Enchantments has been replaced by Potent Enchantments:
  • Balance: Orbital Strike applies Stellar Flare for 8 additional seconds and deals 30% increased damage.
  • Greater Alignment increases the duration of Celestial Alignment by an additional 20% and increases Eclipse damage during Celestial Alignment by an additional 5%.
  • Reforestation grants Tree of Life for 2 additional seconds.

First, we heard your concerns that maximizing Cenarius’ Might’s value would significantly restrict your rotations as both Balance and Restoration, so we replaced it with a simpler bonus that lets you play how you want while still empowering your burst phases.

We also heard that you felt 5 seconds on Control of the Dream wouldn’t give you meaningful flexibility, so we are trying it at 15 seconds. There are also some tuning updates and a change to Persistent Enchantments to reflect design changes to Balance Druid.

Thank you!

Wildstalker

• Symbiotic Blooms now prioritize growing on injured targets.
• Strategic Infusion’s chance for your periodic heals to crit is decreased to 8% (was 10%), but its duration is increased to 10 seconds (was 6 seconds).
• Wildstalker’s Power has been updated: Rip and Ferocious Bite damage increased by 5%. Rejuvenation, Efflorescence, and Lifebloom healing increased by 10%.
• New Talent replacing Wildstalker’s Persistence: Lethal Preservation: When you remove an effect with Soothe or Remove Corruption / Nature’s Cure, gain a combo point and heal for 4% of your maximum health. If you are at full health an injured party or raid member will be healed instead.
• Root Network now increases the healing of all your abilities, not just Lifebloom and Wild Growth.
• Implant has been updated: When you gain or lose Tiger’s Fury, your next single-target melee ability causes a Bloodseeker Vine to grow on the target for 4 seconds. Swiftmend causes a Symbiotic Bloom to grow on the target for 4 seconds.
• Twin Sprouts’ chance to grow new vines increased to 20% (was 10%).
• Resilient Flourishing can now cause Bloodseeker Thorns to spread to any nearby valid target, preferring ones currently unaffected by Bloodseeker Thorns.
• Bursting Growth has been updated: When Bloodseeker Thorns expire or you use Ferocious Bite on their target they explode in thorns, dealing physical damage to nearby enemies. Damage reduced above 5 targets. When Symbiotic Blooms expire or you cast Rejuvenation on their target flowers grow around their target, healing them and up to 3 nearby allies.
• Entangling Vortex now immobilizes affected units for 3 seconds.

This round of updates to Wildstalker has a couple goals. First, we’re increasing the number of Thriving Growth vines and blooms you’ll see at any moment. We heard that you feel the tree is on the passive side, so we’re adding some more effects that interact with vines and blooms, without those interactions taking over your rotations.

The new Implant will give both Feral and Restoration Druids more control over what targets they want vines growing on, and the update to Bursting Growth rewards you for targeting allies or enemies with your vines with your other abilities.

We’re also simplifying and strengthening several effects that worked on a subset of your abilities, like Wildstalker’s Power and Root Network.

We appreciate all of your feedback and testing!

And here are some of the non-Hero-tree changes from the development notes:

Druid (Source)

• Druid of the Claw
  • Bestial Strength increases Primal Wrath’s direct damage by 50% (was 100%).
  • Dreadful Wound bleed damage increased by 25%.
• Feral
  • New Talent: Resourceful Hunter – Leech increased by 2%. Versatility increased by 2%.
  • Rampant Ferocity restored, replacing Resourceful Hunter – Ferocious Bite also deals damage per combo point spent to all nearby enemies affect by your Rip. Damage reduced beyond 5 targets.
  • Rampant Ferocity damage relative to Ferocious Bite increased by 20%.
  • Tear Open Wounds has been removed.

[Q 200]

Keeper of the Grove still seems really underwhelming tbh, I was hoping for it to make druids a pet class of sorts and giving them a permanent treant to control or just let do its own thing

[Riley 0]

Anyone know what the next druid forms are, if any?