TBC Classic Balance Druid Guide

Druids are the only class in the game capable of fulling all four roles: tank, healer, ranged DPS, and melee DPS.

While only tank is considered a top tier spec, Balance brings powerful buffs and debuffs to a raid, Restoration is the most mana-efficient healer and excellent in PvP and small groups, while melee DPS is the only spec in the game that can tank and DPS at maximum efficiency with the same talents.

Balance Druids, also known as Boomkins, bring average DPS and powerful buffs (Innervate) and debuffs (Improved Faerie Fire) to their groups.

They are not the best specialization to stack, but having at least one is next to mandatory for an efficient raid, and they can pull their weight on dungeons as well.

In PvP Druids are kings, and Balance is no exception. They offer strong damage, healing and control, most of which is instant cast. They can kite and remove slows and roots from themselves constantly with their shapeshifts and are one of the best Arena classes, especially in the smaller brackets.

If you would like to see where Balance Druids fall in the overall rankings among DPS specs for both PvE and PvP in TBC Classic, we have created pages dedicated to explaining what classes and specializations are the best of the best through multiple factors. However, ultimately, you should not let these lists dissuade you from playing what you enjoy.

Strengths

• Excellent caster support with Moonkin Form;
• Provides Improved Faerie Fire for the physical DPS in the group;
• Useful raid and group buffs, especially if you lack someone with Improved Mark of the Wild.

Weaknesses

• Poor scaling with gear when compared to other casters;
• Struggles with sustaining Mana in longer fights, especially when undergeared;
• Making full use of the utility kit requires dedicating many GCDs to low / no damage abilities.

Unlike other classes, Druids do not have a choice when it comes to race. If you want to go Alliance, you must be Night Elf. If you want to go Horde, you must be Tauren. Thus, your only choice is which faction you want to choose, which you should make based on your guild, friends, or cosmetic and lore preferences.

• Nature Resistance increases your Nature Resistance by 10.
• Quickness increases your Dodge Chance by 1%.
• Shadowmeld is an ability that allows you to become stealthed while standing still when used, on a 10-second cooldown. This cannot be used in combat.
• Wisp Spirit causes you to transform into a wisp upon death, increasing your movement speed by 50% while dead.

Shadowmeld is a powerful ability for PvP which allows you to stealth in a single spot, potentially giving you the opener if you can position yourself carefully. It also allows you to macro Shadowmeld together with your food and water to eat and drink while stealthed, which is especially powerful in the Arena.

• Cultivation increases your Herbalism skill by 15.
• Endurance increases your total health by 5%.
• Nature Resistance increases your Nature Resistance by 10.
• War Stomp is a 2-minute cooldown that stuns up to 5 enemies within 8 yards for 2 seconds, with a 0.5 second cast time.

War Stomp is quite reliable in PvP, often allowing for an emergency Regrowth cast, but has little PvE uses. The 5% increased health from Endurance is minor, but useful in all situations. Finally, Taurens have a larger hitbox (especially males), which grants them a slightly increased casting range, but also makes them be hit by enemy abilities more easily.

While all professions have their unique benefits, we would recommend PvE focused players to level Tailoring for the Wrath of Spellfire set, which provides massive Arcane damage bonuses. You will also be able to use the Spellstrike Infusion set bonus, and make use of the cloth cooldowns for goldmaking through the expansion.

Leatherworking is a decent alternative if you want to heal without swapping your Tailoring specialization, as the Windhawk Armor set works for both. You will also get Drums of Battle, which are an important consumable only brought by Leatherworkers, but typically this will be covered by the Elemental Shaman of your group.

Enchanting also has significant personal benefits due to exclusive ring enchants which will increase your throughput for all of TBC. Alternatively, Engineering has many explosives that will drastically increase your area of effect damage, such as the new Super Sapper Charge.

Finally, Alchemy is a good passive goldmaking profession due to the transmute recipes and the new elixir, potion and transmute masteries, making it a strong profession on an alt that you do not want to min-max your throughput on.

If you would like to learn more about how your profession of choice can be used to supplement your goldmaking, along with a variety of other means to bolster your income, see our full goldmaking guide linked below:

Using macros and addons makes your life significantly easier when playing TBC Classic, and they can improve your experience a lot, depending on how skilled you are at customizing them.

If you are interested in learning more about addons and macros suited to Balance Druids, check out our guides below: