Reflections on Restoration Druid in Dragonflight & War Within Wishlist - An Editorial

Restoration Druid: A Journey through Dragonflight and Wishlist for The War Within

With the sun setting on Dragonflight and The War Within on the horizon, the Restoration Druid spec has had quite a journey throughout the expansion. In this retrospective, we will highlight the key moments in Restoration Druid's development during Dragonflight and discuss our hopes for the spec's next evolution in The War Within. Our Guide Writers have also reviewed their specs throughout Dragonflight and share wishlists of what they'd like to see in the upcoming expansion.

Restoration Druid's Journey through Dragonflight

• Season 1: Early Mythic+ Dominance and Week 2 Raid Buffs

Restoration Druid started off in a decent state but not exceptional. However, with a small throughput buff in Week 2 of the season and a revamp of the spec tree in patch 10.0.7, the spec began to shine. Restoration Druid became one of the two healers that could handle early healing checks in Mythic+ and performed well throughout the season.

• Season 2: The Power of Rejuvenation

In Season 2, Restoration Druid became a raid powerhouse with the combination of various talents and buffs. The ability to cast numerous rejuvenations and unleash powerful burst healing made the spec incredibly fun and effective in raids. However, towards the end of the season, the spec faced some challenges due to the rise of Holy Paladin.

• Season 3: Nerfs and Changing Gameplay

In Season 3, Restoration Druid faced significant nerfs to certain talents and mana costs, which changed the spec's gameplay dynamics. The focus shifted from burst healing to sustained healing, and the spec struggled to find a balance between mana management and effective healing. Season 3 was a challenging period for Restoration Druid and the overall balance of healers.

Restoration Druid Talents: Pain Points and Improvements

• Rising Light, Falling Night

The talent tree for Restoration Druid could use some improvement, particularly in regard to throughput nodes. Rising Light, Falling Night requires a significant investment of points but does not provide significant value. It limits players' choices and forces them to prioritize throughput even if it may not be the most interesting option.

• Improved Sunfire

The placement of Improved Sunfire in the talent tree has improved, but it's unfortunate that it has been removed as a baseline ability. Splitting spells from their purpose can make the talent tree less cohesive and engaging.

• Ironfur and Undertuned Spec Nodes

Ironfur is a Guardian ability that is mostly useless for Restoration Druid and takes up a key place in the talent tree. Undertuned Spec Nodes like Nourish, Power of the Archdruid, and Invigorate could use some adjustments to make them more viable and competitive options.

Reflection on Tier Sets

• Were Tier Sets a Success?

Tier sets offer variety from season to season, but their tuning should be more closely aligned with balancing the power of different specs. It can be frustrating to go from a strong set bonus in one season to a weaker one in the next. Tier sets should represent a meaningful increase in power without overshadowing other aspects of the class.

The Blurring of the Resto Druid Niche

Restoration Druid has been known for its strong burst healing and ramp potential, which made it a gold standard healing spec. However, in Season 3, the spec underwent significant changes that dulled its burst potential and focused more on sustained healing. This shift impacted the spec's niche and its effectiveness in raid encounters that prioritize burst healing.

Mana: Finding the Right Balance

Mana is an important resource for healers, but it should be balanced to make spell selection and timing interesting without being too restrictive. In Season 3, Restoration Druid faced mana issues without significant value in return. Balancing mana across all healer specs and making it function consistently is crucial for a better gameplay experience.

• The Rise of Cat

One of the highlights of Dragonflight was the focus on cat abilities in Mythic+. Restoration Druids excelled in this environment, offering players various levels of complexity and a high-skill option for maximizing DPS.

• Healing Sarkareth

Dragonflight featured some memorable healing encounters, including bosses like Rashok, Kurog, and Sarkareth. Healing during intense and short burst phases required optimization and efficient healing strategies.

• Early Grove Guardians

The addition of Grove Guardians as off-GCD healing companions introduced an interesting dynamic to Mythic+ and raid gameplay. While they added diversity to the spec, it's important to strike a balance and not rely too heavily on them becoming the spec's defining feature.

• Small Amounts of Borrowed Power

Dragonflight provided a refreshing experience by allowing players to focus on their characters without layers of complex systems. This simplicity was well-received by many players.

The War Within Wishlist

As the development of The War Within continues, Restoration Druids have a few wishes for the upcoming expansion:

1. A deeper look at mana economy across all healer specs to ensure a rewarding balance between resource management and spell effectiveness.
2. A more powerful Flourish ability to improve burst healing potential and maintain the spec's identity as a ramp healer.
3. A smaller focus on Grove Guardians to avoid over-reliance on pet mechanics and maintain a well-rounded gameplay experience.
4. An evaluation of tertiaries to reduce their impact on gearing and focus on more meaningful attributes.

• Hero Talents: Keeper of the Grove and Beyond

While details about The War Within's hero talents are still scarce, Restoration Druids have been given a preview of the Keeper of the Grove Hero Tree. While it focuses on Grove Guardians, the talent tree could benefit from more interactivity and synergy with the spec's overall kit. As for the second hero tree shared with Feral, it has the potential to explore shapeshifting mechanics in interesting ways, although balancing its effectiveness in both Mythic+ and raid encounters will be a challenge.

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