Balance Druid DPS Spell List and Glossary — The War Within (11.0.7)
On this page, we present you with all spells and procs that you need to understand as a Balance Druid in World of Warcraft — The War Within (11.0.7).
If you were looking for WotLK Classic content, please refer to our WotLK Classic Balance Druid spells.
Introduction
If you are new to Balance, this is a great place to start to get an understanding of how the spec works. On this page we will discuss what abilities you have, what they are used for within the specialization, how they interact with each other and also with important cooldowns. If you already have experience with Balance and are comfortable with it in the current expansion, it is recommended you skip this section and move on to the rest of the guide.
Main Resources for Balance Druids
Aside from using Mana, Balance Druids rely on generating Astral Power and
then spending it on an important spell ( Starsurge). Maximizing
Astral Power and using it efficiently is very important.
Basic Abilities for Balance Druids
These are your core skills that are available regardless of talents and form the core gameplay of the specialization.
Moonfire is an Arcane damage DoT that should always be active on
the target. Generates Astral Power.
Sunfire is a Nature damage DoT that should also always be active
on the target. When applied, the DoT is placed on the primary target as well as
any other targets within 8 yards. Generates Astral Power. This is a talent
but a mandatory one.
Wrath deals Nature damage to the target. Generates Astral
Power.
Starfire deals Arcane damage to the target and any other
enemies within 8 yards. Generates Astral Power.
Starsurge costs Astral Power to cast and deals damage to the
target. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane
damage buffs. Costs 40 Astral Power.
There are several useful macros for the above spells on the macro page, which can greatly increase your quality of life.
Dash activates
Cat Form and increases your movement speed
by 60% for 10 seconds. It has a 3-minute cooldown and is particularly useful
for crossing large distances quickly.
Hero Talents for Balance Druids
The War Within added two Hero Talent Trees, which alter the max level playstyle of the class somewhat. There are two Hero Talent Trees to choose from. Here are some of the major changes that affect your playstyle.
Elune's Chosen
Boundless Moonlight and
The Eternal Moon are the starting
point and the capstone to the Elune's Chosen Tree. They affect both the
Fury of Elune and
New Moon talent by adding effects that increase
their damage and Astral Power generation.
Lunar Calling removes Solar Eclipse from our rotation, only allowing
us to enter Lunar Eclipse. It increases the damage of
Starfire on
the main target.
Lunation reduces the cooldown of
Fury of Elune and
New Moon when you cast an arcane spell like
Moonfire or
Starfire.
Keeper of the Grove
Dream Surge and
Harmony of the Grove are the starting point
and capstone to the Keeper of the Grove Tree. They add secondary buffs that
deal damage or increase damage done while using
Force of Nature.
Cenarius' Might increases Haste when you enter an Eclipse.
Specialization Tree Abilities for Balance Druids
Tier One Spells
Starfall costs Astral Power to surround yourself with a wide-radius
damaging aura for 8 seconds. This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from
both Nature and Arcane damage buffs. Costs 50 Astral Power.
Solar Beam is the silencing ability for Balance Druids. It creates a
zone of light around your target, which will silence all enemies inside
for up to 8 seconds.
Force of Nature is a 1-minute cooldown that summons three Treants for
10 seconds, which taunt and attack enemies. Generates 20 Astral Power.
Warrior of Elune is a 45-second cooldown buff that makes your next
3-
Starfires instant cast and generate more Astral Power.
Stellar Flare applies a 24-second Dot to your target. This is an
Astral
damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs. Generates
Astral Power.
Tier Two Spells
Celestial Alignment is a 3-minute cooldown. For 15 seconds, you have
10% Haste and are granted the benefits of both
Eclipse states.
Orbital Strike improves your
Celestial Alignment. It reduces
your cooldown to 2 minutes and performs a line cursor-targeted attack that
deals damage and applies
Stellar Flare. This is an Astral damage spell
and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs.
Tier Three Spells
Incarnation: Chosen of Elune is an improved
Celestial Alignment. This increases the duration to 20 seconds and
also grants a 10% Critical Strike.
Wild Mushroom is a 3-charge spell with a 30-second recharge rate.
This places a mushroom at your target's feet, which explodes after 1-second.
Generates up to 20 Astral Power. It applies a nature DoT and slows.
Convoke the Spirits is a 2-minute cooldown that casts 16 spells over
a 4-second channel. Approximately 3/4 of the abilities cast will be Balance
spells as long as you are in
Moonkin Form.
Fury of Elune is a 1-minute cooldown that creates a beam that follows
your target, dealing damage to the target and targets within 8 yards. This is an
Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage buffs.
Generates 40 Astral Power.
New Moon is a 3-charge spell with a 30-second recharge rate. This
deals damage and generates ten Astral Power. Each cast empowers the damage of
the next spell and doubles the Astral Power it generates. The third cast becomes
Full Moon, which also cleaves units around your target. Then, the spell resets.
This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage
buffs.
Warrior of Elune is a 45-second cooldown, which makes your next three
Starfires instant and generate 40% more Astral Power.
Important Offensive Tree Passives for Balance Druids
Tier One Passives
Eclipse is your most vital passive ability. You should aim to
always be in an Eclipse or entering an Eclipse. There is Solar Eclipse that
increases Nature damage by 15% and increases
Wraths damage by 20%.
Lunar Eclipse increases Arcane damage by 15% and increases
Starfires
Critical Strike chance by 15%.
Shooting Stars has a chance to proc on DoT tick dealing damage.
This is an Astral damage spell and benefits from both Nature and Arcane damage
buffs. Generates Astral Power.
Solstice increases the proc rate of
Shooting Stars by 200%
in the first 6-seconds of
Eclipse.
Aetherial Kindling increases the duration of
Moonfire and
Sunfire by 3-seconds every
Starfall cast.
Twin Moons increases the damage of
Moonfire by 10% and
makes each
Moonfire hit one additional target.
Nature's Balance generates Astral Power over time and resets your
Astral Power to 50 out of combat.
Wild Surges increases the Critical Strike Chance of filler spells by
12% and Critical Strikes generate more Astral Power.
Light of the Sun reduces the cooldown of
Solar Beam when it lands
the interrupt on a target.
Tier Two Passives
Greater Alignment increases the duration of
Celestial Alignment
and increases the damage bonuses of each
Eclipse.
Nature's Grace reduces the cast time and increases the damage of your
next two
Wraths and
Starfire after leaving
Eclipse or
entering combat.
Touch of the Cosmos has a chance to make your next spender free when
casting
Wrath or
Starfire in an
Eclipse.
Lunar Shrapnel increases the damage of
Starfall.
Astral Smolder empowers
Wrath and
Starfire to have
a chance to apply a DoT to the target based on the damage dealt.
Stellar Amplification debuffs the target when you hit them with
Starsurge which increases the damage from
Shooting Stars.
Cosmic Rapidity makes the DoTs that you cast deal damage faster.
Umbral Embrace gives your
Wrath and
Starfire a
chance to increase the damage of your next generator and make it become
Astral damage.
Waning Twilight increases your damage on a target by 6% when
they are afflicted with three DoTs.
Starlord grants you 2% to 4% Haste for each
Starfall and
Starsurge. This buff stacks to three and lasts 15 seconds before
resetting.
Soul of the Forest buffs your Eclipse bonuses. Solar Eclipse
increases the Astral Power generated by
Wrath. Lunar Eclipse increases
the damage and Astral Power generated by
Starfire for each target hit.
Tier Three Passives
Rattle the Stars increases the damage done of
Starfall and
Starsurge and reduces their cost.
Starweaver empowers your
Starsurge and
Starfall
to have a chance to make the opposite spender free.
Orbit Breaker makes every 20th
Shooting Stars proc call down
a Full Moon dealing damage and generating Astral Power.
Power of Goldrinn grants a chance to deal extra damage when
Starsurge is cast.
Astral Communion increases your maximum Astral Power and generates
Astral Power when you enter
Eclipse.
Umbral Intensity grants a buff to your casted DoT's and
Shooting Stars when you consume the
Umbral Embrace buff.
Sundered Firmament casts a weakened
Fury of Elune on your
target every other
Eclipse.
Harmony of the Heavens increases your
Eclipses bonuses when
you cast
Starfall and
Starsurge. This buff stacks.
Denizen of the Dream gives your DoTs a chance to summon a Faerie
Dragon, which deals damage for 30 seconds.
Elune's Guidance reduces the cost of
Starsurge by 8 and
Starfall by 10 Astral Power when affected by
Incarnation: Chosen of Elune.
Convoke the Spirits has its cooldown
reduced to 1 minute, the spells cast reduced to 12, the cast time reduced to
2-seconds, and gives it a greater chance to cast a Full Moon.
Balance of All Things increases Critical Strike chance by 10% to 20%
after you enter an Eclipse. This decays by 1% to 2% every 1-second.
Radiant Moonlight reduces the cooldown of
Fury of Elune by
15 seconds or allows a second cast of Full Moon before resetting to
New Moon.
Honorable Mention
Lycara's Teachings grants 3% to 6% Mastery while in Moonkin Form.
Starlight Conduit increases
Wrath,
Starsurge, and
Starfire damage.
Rising Light, Falling Night increases damage and healing during the day
and Versatility during the night.
Lore of the Grove increases
Moonfire and
Sunfire
damage as well as
Rejuvenation and
Wild Growth healing.
This is in the final tier of the Class tree; however, it is the only damage-boosting option available on that side.
Important Class Tree Abilities for Balance Druids
Defensive Class Tree Abilities
Barkskin reduces the damage you take by 20% for 8-seconds.
Frenzied Regeneration heals you for 24% of your Health over
3-seconds. Used in
Bear Form.
Renewal heals you for 30% of your maximum Health.
Heart of the Wild empowers your off-specialization spells for
45-seconds.
Mobility Class Tree Abilities
Wild Charge grants several movement options depending on your form.
Most often, a disengage in
Moonkin Form.
Stampeding Roar shifts you into
Bear Form and increases
nearby
ally Movement Speed by 60% for 8-seconds.
Utility Class Tree Abilities
Remove Corruption dispels Curses and Poisons.
Innervate is a buff you can place on an allied healer, which allows
them to cast spells free of Mana cost for 12 seconds.
Soothe removes one enrage effect off your target. Druids are one of
two classes that have this ability.
Nature's Vigil heals nearby targets for 20% of your single target
damage for 30 seconds.
Rejuvenation places a heal over time on your target.
Swiftmend consumes one heal over time to instantly heal your target.
Wild Growth heals your target and five nearby allies over 7 seconds.
Crowd Controling Class Tree Abilities
Typhoon can be used to push back mobs, possibly interrupting their
casts or just allowing you to kite them.
Ursol's Vortex creates a circular zone that slows enemies and draws
them back to the center once.
Mass Entanglement roots the target and all nearby targets for
30-seconds.
Mighty Bash stuns a target for 5 seconds. It requires you to be in
the melee range of the target.
Incapacitating Roar disorients all enemies around you. Shifts you
into
Bear Form.
Changelog
- 15 Dec. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 11.0.7.
- 21 Oct. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 11.0.5.
- 09 Sep. 2024: Reviewed for Season 1.
- 21 Aug. 2024: Updated for The War Within.
- 23 Jul. 2024: Updated for The War Within PrePatch.
- 07 May 2024: Reviewed for 10.2.7.
- 22 Apr. 2024: Reviewed for Season 4.
- 19 Mar. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.6.
- 15 Jan. 2024: Reviewed for Patch 10.2.5.
- 06 Nov. 2023: Updated for Patch 10.2.0.
- 04 Sep. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.7.
- 10 Jul. 2023: Updated for Patch 10.1.5.
- 01 May 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.1.
- 20 Mar. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.7.
- 24 Jan. 2023: Reviewed for Patch 10.0.5.
- 11 Dec. 2022: Reviewed for Dragonflight Season 1.
- 28 Nov. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight launch.
- 25 Oct. 2022: Updated for Dragonflight pre-patch.
More Druid Guides
Guides from Other Classes
This was written by Borabank, a Balance Druid theorycrafter and raider in Muscle Memory. You can watch him on his Twitch channel or in the Dreamgrove Discord server.
- MoP Classic Upgrade Packs Now Available in Battle.Net Shop
- Slightly Rising: Mythic+ Runs Per Week and Data Round-up for the Penultimate Week of The War Within Season 1
- Twitch Drop: Get Tock the Clocker Spaniel Pet
- Meet C.H.E.T.T.: Your New Key to Farming Valorstones in The War Within Season 2
- Time-Lost Proto-Drake Vanishes! A Painful Lesson for Dragon Hunters
- New Cataclysm Classic Valor Cap Set to Week 2 Due to Bug
- Patch 11.1 PTR Hotfixes: More Updates to Season 2 Dungeons & Mythic+ Tuning
- Season of Discovery Naxxramas Soft Reset Issue Fix and Warning